Sean R. Reid

Last night I (finally) was able to attend an AWDG meetup down in the ATL. I’ve been wanting to attend one of their events forever but my schedule has never really worked out so well.  Thankfully, due to some changes on my end, that tide has turned.

Last night’s talk was given by Jason Beaird, author of The Principles of Beautiful Web Design.

Jason had Keynote tied directly into his Twitter account which made note taking really easy.  Overall it was an excellent presentation and really help light a fire in me. Recently my creative side has felt fairly non-existent.  After last night’s presentation I feel like my cup runneth over. Here are some of the highlights from Jason’s Twitter stream:

-What is beautiful web design? I think of “fresh looking” websites that make use of layout, color, texture, type and imagery.
-Step 1. Gather Elements: Logo, Tagline, Main Nav, Content Elements, Footer, etc…
-Step 2. Establish Structure: Rule of thirds/Golden Ratio, typographic grid, or even the templates from http://960.gs
-Step 3. Choose imagery to support the content, colors based on proven color schemes, and appropriate typography.
-If you’ve followed design principles, color theory and made solid typography choices, you may end up with…a template.
-Sometimes you have to piss on the principles and add in individuality/creativity to generate a reaction
-“…I’ve always tried to get people to unlearn what they learned in school.” – Tibor Kalman
-Without knowing basic principles though, it possible for things to go very, very wrong…
-“Design depends largely on constraints.” – Charles Eames
-When you’re tasked to design a chair it HAS to work like a chair!
-Sometimes the constraint we’re after is a throwback to another era…
-“Creation is a patient search.” – Le Corbusier
-Inspiration from Art History ie. Bauhaus Design
-“Design is thinking made visual.” – Saul Bass
-Some say design is purely about artistic talent, that helps, but it’s also about thinking; Learning to distill ideas.
-Inspiration for websites doesn’t need to come from websites
-“You can have an art experience in front of a Rembrant…or in front of a piece of graphic design.” – Stefan Sagmeister

That’s right, Chuck D said it and I just copped it. Yeeeeaaahhhhh Booooyyy!!

Seriously, you’re either laughing or you’re dead inside.  Either way, copping a Chuck D lyric made a better title than “Regrets and Damned Lies, the sequel.”  I just finished listening to the final part of Pastor Gary Lamb’s “Rebel” series from Revolution Church. I was really connecting with this series.  Granted, you slap the word “rebel” on anything and I’m likely to go all James Dean pose. The series lived up to the hype and I wasn’t disappointed. And I avoided posing, which was very appropriate given the topic at hand.

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I’m trying to get back into the swing of regular updates.  I’ve got a few irons in the fire as of late, including the work I’m doing on the GotSpirit Network.  If you haven’t been following my Twitter feed the you should click the link and see what I’ve been up to.  Short version, for those not interested in clicking, is that I’m building a network of websites to cover cheerleading in Georgia.  What can I say, it’s my niche and I do it well.

I’ve also got a few other projects, some in my head, some in progress.  So I’ve been away from the blogging here primarily because I’m writing so much content elsewhere.  I’m hoping any writing is good writing.  Ideally I’ll improve with each character I type.

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First, I saw this post over on Ragamuffin Soul with a fairly famous quote from Michael Jordan:

Keep Shooting

Then, while getting caught up on devotionals  I read Zechariah 13:9.  Read those lines again and focus on “through the fire [...] refine them as silver.”  Precious metal, forged in fire.  Made smooth, stronger.

Been there? I have.

Under the weight, in front of the heavy bag, jumping over a ply box. Fire.  Burns.  Training HURTS.  But in a good way.

I think I’m going to have to put that Scripture verse on the wall in my gym.  As I make this walk and “find my legs” I’m finding that the training “hurt” is less about penance and more about growth.  It’s a pain that leads to strength, a sign that something is going very VERY right.  Beating yourself, causing yourself pain, is a hurt that will never actually heal and only makes you weaker.   That pain is a sign that something is very VERY wrong.

I want to be forged in fire.  Let me be like a precious metal; stronger, cleaner, improved and refined.  It’s the difference between being brought through the fire and being left to the flames.  I know the Lord will bring me through and I will emerge on the other side safely.  I’ve been in the flames and I prefer to no longer stand still.

I subscribe to a LOT of Daily Devotionals.  I like to get email that isn’t spam or work-related.  Also, as a new Christian I’m trying to devour as much as I can and find inspiration from as many Biblical based sources as possible.  So when I say a lot I mean a LOT.  Today the following questions where part of one of the devotionals:

From Proverbs 31 Ministries:

I know the site is a ministry for women but that doesn’t mean the devotionals lack any relevance for men.

“-What if you live in authenticity and discover new and lasting relationships (even with those in your own home)?
-What if you face your fears and overcome them?
-What if you unmask your emotions and actually deal with them?
-What if you tell your secrets and they no longer suffocate you in the hidden places of your heart?”

I’m the kind of guy who is either asking “what if” and worrying instead of doing or I’m just jumping in guns blazin’ with no real idea of what I’m getting into.  Regardless I myself saying later, “I shoulda/coulda/woulda.”  In both cases I’m usually acting out of fear.  It’s either wanting to run to something new, run from something old or being paralyzed to enact any change.  I can’t say I ever even CONSIDERED that option of success.

I think the “what would you do if you knew you wouldn’t fail” question has become rather cliche.  But I think those four questions are pragmatic, they are game changers.  What would happen if I faced my fears and overcame them? What would happen if I stopped being focused on failure and started expecting success?  What if I dedicated my life to being so focused on God and what he wants for me (credit: Andy Stanley) that I didn’t have a chance to be afraid??  What if asking “what if” wasn’t from a place of worry but a place of strength.

What if?