Safety Cop

I went for a run after work today, and noticed a crew taking down a tree on Spadina. Shortly before I got to them there was a loud pop followed by a bright burst of sparks. The people felling the tree must have miscalculated and accidentally hit the hydro wire. This accident took out a block or two of power including the lights at Spadina and Dupont.

Half an hour later nearing the end of my run I came upon the powerless lights again and noticed two civilians standing in the middle of the road directing traffic. I love when people take time out of their day to help strangers, a big thanks to the two gentleman making sure everyone made it through the intersection safely.

(A nice reminder of the area from December 9, 1922)

The New and Improved

I've always found the phrase new and improved a bit odd, should it not be either new or improved? Regardless, I realized on Friday how much I take for granted with the design software I use. In my first year of college I was blissfully unaware of the capabilities of the Adobe Suite as I did everything, including typography, by hand. In second year I learned how to use Adobe CS3 and then in my final year transitioned to Adobe CS5.

Keeping up to date with all of the software upgrades is very expensive and many companies skip a version or two to save on costs. At my new job they mentioned in the interview that they use CS3, which I thought was no big deal. I originally learned using CS3 and figured there couldn't be much difference between that and the updated software. I have been happily working at my new job for a month now, and finally came upon an upgrade I am sad to live without. In Photoshop you can use the "stamp" tool to clone parts of an image and paste it over other areas, an incredibly diverse and useful tool. I hadn't done any photo manipulation until Friday but when I did I thought I had forgotten how to use the tool. In CS4 and newer the tool provides a preview so that you know exactly what the tool is cloning and how it will look in the new area you are placing it. After I checked with my co-worker I realized that older software didn't provide this handy preview and that I would have to guess how it would look. It seems like such a simple little thing, but software developers clearly understand what people want and work hard to make our lives easier.

I don't mind working with CS3 at all, but every once in a while you realize how good you have it with all of the new technology we have available to us.

Design School Didn't Tell You

Design Edge's new blog Design School Didn't Tell You is a blunt and humourous blog for newcomers to the graphic design industry. While I disagree with some of the things author Mark Busse writes, it is a fun, light read that reminds you others are in the same boat.

This week's article was about the importance of joining design associations, it offered great reasons to join and equally valid reasons to stay out. Busse urges young designers to join if they are committed to the industry, are looking for a mentor or inspiration, want to stand out against the crowd, or if they want to demonstrate their belief in the value of design. His reasons for not joining, stated with just a touch of sarcasm, include not being willing to place importance on your career and make time, as well as believing you have already learned everything you need to know. Busse wisely concludes that, "If being employed as a designer is all you seek, then you may never need to join an association. If you wish to achieve significance in your design career, you’ll need to understand we never stop learning. Those who engage fully in their community with the humble attitude of the perpetual student will benefit the most."