Confessions of a Graphic Designer

Seattle is nestled between two incredibly beautiful mountain ranges and bordered by Elliott Bay. Seattle is innovative. Amazon, Starbucks, Nordstrom, UPS, Microsoft, Costco, REI, Boeing and many other companies, began here. It's a big city, but it is still a place where people wait for the light to turn green before they cross the street. Waiting for the light to turn green on Denny St. in Seattle by Terri Nakamura I don’t think of Seattle as a trendy place, but I do have friends who have to jump on every new thing, When Rolfing was in, they were Rolfed. Eggs and butter were banished for years. When low-carb diets were de rigueur, they eschewed bread, pasta, rice and potatoes. When colonics came along, they had their innards flushed. Personal trainers, massages, French manicures, vegan or raw diets, yoga, Pilates, spinning, rock climbing...the list goes on. Maybe my standards are too low, but I’m basically happy with the way I am. Alone among my friends, I don’t dye...

Following up on my previous post about transparency , I'd like to share a list of 30 people who fit the bill. Beside being "authentic" and nice, their timelines include a mixture of content and conversation. I've come to know most via email, Skype, phone or in real life. They've trusted me and shared their lives, and I look forward to seeing them whenever our paths cross. I think you'll find most to be kind, funny, smart, or have a fascinating story—or all of the above. All have fewer than 10,000 "organically* acquired followers." And in my book, all are worth knowing. I hope you'll check them out! They are listed in reverse alphabetical order, including their follower numbers (in parenthesis) at the time this post was written: NOTE: When you follow someone new, it's good to post a friendly shout to say hello and let them know you're a new follower. It increases the chances they'll follow you back. @zaharoff (5,...

My first office was in the Pioneer Square area of Seattle. One day a writer who recently moved here from the east coast walked in and introduced himself. He was working as a freelance contributor to one of the weekly papers here (also located in my building) to which my business provided auxiliary support. He was a charming, talented and funny person and we got along terrifically. I loved the sound of his voice and his east coast accent. He was (and still is) a brilliant and quick thinker, and had a great sense of humor. I noticed something odd about him, though, and it was this: the top of his head looked like a miniature orchard. At regularly spaced intervals, small tufts of hair were dutifully growing, filling in the expanse beginning at the hairline above his forehead. I was really mesmerized by it because I’d never known anyone who’d had a hair transplant, but I was pretty sure that’s what I was seeing. I thought the hairs that had been planted on his head had come from h...