i forgot to mention!

these pretty people came to visit me a few weeks ago. we visited the museum of science and industry, walked downtown to see a giant ice sculpture in millenium park, and went to dinner on the magnificent mile. it was very cold for my southern counterparts, but we enjoyed being together.

i am currently in the process of finishing my last assignment before spring break. i'm headed home, where i look forward to some downtime without pressure of national holiday nor pending travel. i've had a good quad, challenging, but not mind-numbing. i'm not sure i'll have the same luxury next quad, but at least the snow might be mostly gone for it. that helps.

i miss you dearly.

let me tell you

there are few more self-conscious activities a graphic designer (or anyone professing an interest and/or knowledge of visual communications) than the assembly of a resume (and by extension, a portfolio).
for anyone else, a resume is strictly about content. for most people, they know employers will be looking for their past work experience, their interests, and their skills. they can even fudge a few lines with some elaboration or omission. readability and clarity is a must, for sure, but that is pretty standard and achievable goal if one understands how to use microsoft word.
however, if you claim to be a decent designer, the content of your resume is maybe only one half or two-thirds what an employer is looking for. the choice of typeface (incorrectly known as "font") and the chosen grid to display your information all display your ability to solve a visual problem. as far as i can tell, no employer is expecting an overly-elaborate layout--the standard form is not a bad one as it is often the most readable and easily understood as a resume. i'd say that no employer wants to open a resume and think, "what is this i'm looking at, a typographic explosion?" one must still be aware, though, of the various ways to solve the problem creatively while still having respect for the form. there is very little fudging about that. your resume can say "i'm a graphic designer," but the way it is designed has potential to call your bluff. and frankly, that just makes me nervous.

on a brighter note, it is march. the quad is almost over, spring break starts next week, people are going to dinner in twilight instead of pitch black, and today, i stuck my toes into a small stream of water formed by melting snow. i don't doubt that jadis has more wintery ridiculousness to send our way before spring is actually here, but it is so good to know that it is coming.

since my stay in sydney, it's been a long time since i experienced a full season from entrance to exit. last spring i saw summer come in illinois, but never saw it leave. same for summer in sydney. now, i'm seeing spring enter on winter and i WILL see it turn to summer on this continent. that is a strange reality.
at the very least, i'm opening my windows.