Industrial Design Pride

Industrial Designers were just ranked #9 on Career Cast's top ten highest ranking jobs to have in America. The list was talked about on the CBS early show, featured on the Wall Street Journal's website, and of course bragged about on Coroflot. The study considers pay, working conditions, employment outlook, physical demands, and stress. They seemed to miscalculate one detail as Coroflot points out: "when you rate 200 different jobs, you're bound to miss a few tricks: the site also claims designers work an average 45 hour week. AS IF." I'm not yet in the industry but I know our lives are run by deadlines that are always quickly approaching. Industrial designers are so overlooked. It's very rare that I run into someone who knows what industrial design is. I (along with every other designer I've talked to) most often get the response, "So, you design factories?" Ummmm....actually we research, design & develop the aesthetics, ergonomics, color, feel, and human interaction of every 3-Dimensional product you own. You know -- anything from appliances & furniture to toys & vehicles. Not quite like designing factories.

Mark Wilkinson Kitchens

"It is a feeling, almost a passion, that evolves when true efficiency meets tranquility. Oriental influences, pure and evocative forms that become state-of-the-art, the finest English cabinet making. Restful on the eye, pleasing to use - well being to the point of serenity, a design destination that brings calm to contemporary living" - Mark Wilkinson

Mark Wilkinson is a British kitchen designer whose work is recognized worldwide as being the best in quality, design and workmanship. His work is BEAUTIFUL, creative, and intricate....plus, he plants two new trees for every order he has placed to offset the wood consumption his work demands. yAY Mark!

just a reminder . . .

image taken from my new favorite blog

Minnesota

the drift outside our kitchen window

I got one of those "You know your from Minnesota if . . . " emails the other day and while I usually read them and sometimes get a chuckle, many of them are drastic stereotypes and/or do not pertain to the Minnesota I know and love. This one was different I thought, do you agree?

You are from Minnesota if:
1. You measure distance in minutes
yup, it's two hours to the cities -- I have no idea how many miles
2. Weather can become an hourly conversation consuming 80% of 

what you talk about.
it's the first thing i ask my parents or roommates when i wake up in the morning - "how cold is it outside?"
3. You call highways "freeways"
i didn't know other people didn't??
4. You've hit a deer, been close to hitting one, and/or known at least 2 people who have.

definitely.
5. People from other states love to hear you say words with "o"s in them.
and now that I go to school in WI, they like to hear the a's too.
6. You are a loyal Target shopper
is this really minnesota??
7. Everyone you know has a cabin
sooooo true. If you don't live on a lake, you have a lake cabin. If you live on a lake, you have a hunting cabin.
8. You've been trick-or-treating in 3 feet of snow.
yup...winter '96
9. You drink POP
of course...who knew people called it soda?
10. There are 4 seasons: Almost winter, Winter, Late Winter, Construction.
hahaha, I don't believe I've ever driven on 494 when there hasn't been construction
11. You own a snowmobile, snow plow, ice house, and 4-wheel drive vehicle
almost all of the above
12. You go outside at 5am to get the driveway cleared before work at 8am.
My dad is on ol' Alice every morning!
13. Your town has the same number of churches and bars
not quite in FF. Menom - yes.
14. It's 100 degrees outside and you are wearing a sweatshirt (you've dipped in the lake) and long pants so you don't get eaten alive by mosquitoes.
I've totally done that! hahaha
15. Your town - no matter the size - has a Dairy Queen.
true.
16. You have a constant supply of venison, fish, duck, and/or pheasant in your freezer at all times. Because either you're addicted to one of these sports or your neighbor is and they can't eat it all.
Last time I was home our neighbor Denny came over to bring us some duck.
17. You are Catholic or Lutheran
Fergus Falls or St. Cloud?
18. Talking to another Minnesotan for a few minutes can unveil whether they are from the northern, southern, eastern or western part of the state.
i actually think this is possible....
19. You've refused to buy something because it was too "spendy"
hahahaha
20. You've said, "Oh...for cute!"
i sure have.
21. You've worn shorts and a snowsuit in the same week.
probably
22. Your toys (ie: snowmobile, tractor, chain saw) have names or are referred to as a "he" or "she"

this one cracks me UP. Refer to number 12. Everything we own is referred to as a she....right dad?
23. Your gas station thinks "full service" means filling your tank, washing the windshield, checking the oil, and being friendly to the customers.
ahhhh, aren't we nice?
24. The temperature in March is above freezing for two days in a row, and you think it's summer!
the first day we were able to wear shorts to school in olv - no matter the temperature - we were in them!
25. You have a great time laughing at every other state shutting down for a few inches of snow. 

they just are not minnesota tough!
26. You think vacation = Valleyfair!
heck yeah!
27. Lefse is a holiday staple.
true but ewwwww...
28. "Opener" doesn't mean what you use to open a bottle
opener is practically a holiday
29. You and everyone you know carries jumper cables.
pretty much - and we all use them too.
30. You eat supper.
sure do!
31. 75% of your high school class went to the University of Minnesota (Duluth or Twin Cities) , St. Cloud State, or Moorhead State.
almost true - in Fergus it's anywhere in the Fargo/ Moorhead area.
32. You beam with pride when some Hollywood star is saved at the Mayo Clinic.
hahaha, our claim to fame!
33. Someone in the store offers you assistance, and they don't work there.
i love this.
34. You end your sentences with an unnecessary preposition. "If you go to town I wanna go with." OR "Where's my coat at?"
ALL the time!
35. You never appreciate "Minnesota Nice" until you move away from it.
It's so true.

I Love you Minnesota!