surprise the designer

Today's the day that we recognize and celebrate the dads in our lives. I'm lucky to know a bunch of kind, warm, and loving men who cherish their children and work hard to provide for them. And my dad fully fell into that category. He taught me how to have an adventurous spirit, how to work really hard, and that it's OK to spend money when you want something. He showed me love and kindness and was the very definition of what it means to be generous.  I've been luckier than lucky to have parents who support me in every part of my life. When I chose to go to a college with a co-op program, they were quick to plan visits to my intern housing in upstate New York and Southern California. These visits were SO fun—we played tourist in my temporary hometowns and it was the first time I got to host my folks. When Mom and Dad visited me in Los Angeles, we all spent the weekend at their Huntington Beach hotel. On Saturday Dad decided we should rent bikes, and we proce...

Industrial design is intriguing. People find their way to it from all different sorts of backgrounds (a constant topic of conversation in school.) Almost no non-designers know what it is ('you mean you design gears and stuff?') And it seems like a field with plenty of opportunity. Everything on this planet has to be designed, right!? Well, with great opportunity comes great responsibility. As well as the straight-out fact that industrial design is b-r-o-a-d. Industrial designers can design cars, hair dryers, kid's toys, or ketchup bottles. And these days, they can design services, consumer products, commercial products, websites, web apps, and many many other things. So it stands to reason that it can be hard figuring out what to do with an industrial design degree. Go work for a consultancy? For a corporation? Maybe try freelancing for a bit? And it makes me particularly excited to see one of my fellow industrial designers enjoying success by paving his own way. ...