what's your type?

it's fascinating how the way something looks makes an impression. i know this could be taken as an obvious fact, but look at it deaper than the surface with me for just a moment. what somewhere wears, the way they act, their personality, and everything inbetween forms them to who they are. fonts do this too.

i think i've always been attracted to different fonts and the overall usage of typography, even before i took design as seriously as i do now. again...you're gonna have to dig deeper than the surface, but typography really is a beautiful thing. something else with so much history and beauty that really is taken for granted. i take forever choosing fonts for designs in any work i do...finding the right one is essential. like finding the right thing to wear on a first date. this may be pointless to some of you and that's totally fine, but type really expresses the same thing that people express in a different way. make sense? alright. a website for a photographer is going to use a different font than a website for a gothic clothing company. now i know this is extreme...so put more simply, an urban-street photographer will use a different typeface from a fashion photographer. type is everywhere and we encounter it everyday. in advertising, tv, the newspaper, the internet, books...they're all so beautiful. it's one of my goals to create my own font one day. i think that would be the coolest thing. i kind of already have one i'm working on, but it's not the whole alphabet yet. it's very time consuming. how cool to have something like that published, right? anyways...sorry to bore those who care less about design and simplistic wonders like fonts, it's just the designer coming out of me. i'll leave you with a pretty cool website that expresses typography in a really different way. it was done by one of the top design firms in new york city, mucca design.

for another really well designed piece of work look at color in motion by Maria Claudia Cortes of rochester. this thesis project of hers has received her awards and recognition world wide.

someday it'll be my turn...

a narf, a pool, and one bad flick.

disappointing? at the least. the anticipated new film, lady in the water by m. night shyamalan seemed almost a failure compared to his other films (the sixth sense, signs, and the village). needless to say i was surprise seeing i'm usually fascinated by just enough suspense in his films. i kept telling myself the whole movie..."it's going to get better....it's going to get better...", and it didn't. if anything, it got worse.

the narf, a nymph-like being traveling between realms (whaaat?), played by bryce dallas howard, was the only character i did not find myself displeased with. her role in the village was one of the best as well and it will be interesting to see where her career takes off from here (spider-man 3 is next...change of pace perhaps?). speaking of the cast...i honestly found it intriguing that m. night placed himself in a small role for his previous films. however, maybe he is a little too anxious to be the shining star. he played a pretty significant role in the movie, consisting within some of the main characters! no i'm not denying he's a decent actor, but it started to feel a bit overdone. the whole film did actually. a bit too out there. a bit too dream-like. well, i suppose in all reality it was actually inspired by a bed time story of ancient times. but still...i didn't receive the same spooky chills that i had known throughout his other films.

alright, so i'm covering the surface and making it sound pretty bad. well that's because it was. see for yourself if you'd like. just please spare your money and give your $10.50 to a better cause. so what's next for shyamalan? the word on the street is possibly directing the next harry potter. i wonder who he'll play in this film....

back with 500 more freckles.

the transition from the peaceful sandy beaches of cape may, new jersey and the loud and smelly stickiness of the city is rather painful actually. at least it's thursday and i only have one more work day until the weekend. i chose i great week to go to the cape. i mean really...i know i've stressed on this before, but who wants to be in the city when it's 95 degrees? noooo thank you. though it was short...my mini-vaca was full of sun, sand, and many good times to be remembered for yet another year. here are a few photos from the week....

ps. i need to admit how much i love weather.com. it's one of the coolest sites, and is usually pretty right on with the weather. it tells you how much water you need to drink for the day depending on the heat, it even tells you what to wear. i mean come on kids...it can't get much better than that!

one of the many.

big ones small ones some as big as your head.

a cape may classic 05'.

she posed. i shot. a glamour shot.

i found a skunk. on the beach. random anyone?

257 steps later...the lighthouse view.

it's a bird. not a speck or a plane.

to give...or not to give.

i'm all about helping people in need, right? and i do try to whenever i'm given the moment to. but i've experienced some questionable circumstances these last couple weeks - homeless people. i mean God bless them...some i'm sure have lived very difficult and challenging lives. however, how in the world do you ever know which ones are "real" or not? and not to be judgmental (that is the thing i want this post to be), but you really can't look at what they are wearing because anyone can throw on a dirty pair of sneakers and holey jeans. so do you really give to ones that you know are just making up a story to get some change for their next metro card a joint? which i think is the main reason i'm so questionable in this matter. or maybe more careful with who i give that extra change, fruit or granola bar to. here's an example of a story i...well, really think this guy took a lot of time to write:

"Excuse me ladies and gentleman. i do not mean to be a disturbance to you tonight, but i need your help. 2 weeks ago, my wife left me with our two kids to raise. i have no family or friends and no way to raise these kids alone.(alright so somewhat believable right? it gets better...) last week i lost my job, which has made it even harder to earn money. and at the beginning of this week, my house burnt down and i lost everything. my children and i are stranded and have no where to go. (so where are your kids now?) i will admit i have a bit of an drinking problem, but am in the process of putting my life back in order. please help me. i'll accept anything. if you have change, food, anything, i'll accept it. thank you, and God bless you..."(that's always a nice ending)

needless to say, i did not give anything to this nice gentlemen. and i'm sure he was nice...just needed to stop taking innocent people's money. i think it's better to be truthful than lie. i mean, i might be stating the obvious here. but really! people can tell...well most anyway (sadly to say he did receive some change). i remember driving in syracuse last year, and saw a homeless man standing on a corner holding a sign that read, "I AM NOT GOING TO LIE. I WANT A BEER." i bet you anything he got a few beers thrown out the window to him! i obviously don't think that is the right approach either, but then what is? what's the medium? anyway, i don't think this post is in need of prolonging. i don't mind sparing some change or my extra fruit from lunch to someone in need...i just make sure they are really in need.

on to another topic - i'm leaving tomorrow for cape may, new jaearsay with the fam until the middle of next week. from what i've seen, cape may is one of the most beautiful parts of nj. cause as we all know, it's not the most beautiful state. it will definitely be relaxing. my goal is to not be on my computer at all. though i still feel the need to bring it for security reason...it's kind of like underwear for me. but i thought, if this is going to be a real mini-vaca, and all i do all day any other day is spend time on the computer at work/home/play, i should take a little break...yea? so we'll see if i pass. i'll be sure to post photos when i get back. enjoy the nice weekend everyone!

an iron sea?

alright. as some of you know, keane's second full-length album, Under the Iron Sea hit stores a few weeks ago. i remember seeing these boys in a small bar in toronto a few years back when Hopes and Fears first came out. i have to say, they really have come a long way. and this album proves it. i guess that could be taken either way. they still amaze me with their catchy melodic sound and harmonies...however, i'm afraid to say some of their songs are sounding a bit coldplayish. but i only find myself thinking that a for a minute. then tom's beautiful voice (gotta love his stance) coordinates with the sound of that hot rhodes keyboard...it's just irresistible. i mean come on people...the two combined are soothing to the soul. literally. i guess that's the thing about their music that i love the most. ever since i bought the album, i listen to their music and their lyrics are not only beautifully written, but give me a nice warm feeling inside. we all need that once and a while, right? they really know how to capture the moment...whatever moment you're in, i suppose.

so the question remains...is keane really selling out to the big boys? the show in new york last week sold out the day tickets went on sale (thankfully still only $24), but i find that the case with many shows in new york, so that can't be the deciding factor. whether sell outs or not, keane will hold a special place in my heart. honestly, it's an album you should own. and an album you should listen to often. all that said...they have one of the hottest band sites i've seen in a while. click here to explore the iron sea...whatever that is, right?