Confessions of a Graphic Designer

A Hummel figurine that belonged to my mother A friend, Annegret, and I were talking on Twitter about memories and our belongings, and it reminded me of a story. Thirty years ago I had a friend named Kathy. She was such a happy person. She had two rambunctious nephews. One day they came over to visit while she was unpacking some very old and precious Christmas ornaments that belonged to her grandmother. Kathy and her grandmother had a special bond. I had the pleasure of meeting her one summer when I visited her family in Atwater, Minnesota. Kathy's nephews, who were maybe 8 and 10 years old at the time, were admiring the ornaments, and she said, “Here, why don’t you choose some to keep?!” I remember feeling shocked. Giving some very old and irreplaceable heirlooms to two little boys? How insane! I'm sentimental and like to keep things that are dear, nearby. The idea of giving such special things to children who, God forbid, could destroy them, seemed crazy. Annegret...

"INVU4URAQT" used to be an autograph saying kids would write in yearbooks at the end of the school year. A wealthy friend travels the world but spends most of her time alone. Another is successful but waited too long to have a baby. Another has everything except her life mate who died too young. And another goes on a dozen cruises a year to every corner of the world—sometimes taking the same exact cruise twice—for what reason? It seems like he is searching for something he'll never find. It so happens my husband and I are surrounded by people who have made a ton of money throughout their careers. Many people believe "if only I were wealthy—it would solve all of life's problems." But wealth and resources are not panaceas. Despite the resources a person has, it doesn't guarantee life will be wonderful. Once critical issues like having food, clothing and shelter are answered, everything beyond that speaks to enhanced quality of life. But it ...

Why We Need to Digital Detox Our Irrepressible Need to Be Connected From the moment we adopted the smart phone—a tiny, life-altering portable computer—the need to stay connected intensified. Our devices provided us with instant connectivity. And with the introduction of social media, the time we spent connecting practically doubled as we kept up with daily news of not just real life, but also virtual friends. It’s extraordinary how technology enables us to have our family and friends as close as our pockets. But our devices can be like a spoiled pet—needy and demanding. Digital Day-cation In September I posted a tweet about Jake Knapp's year, free of digital distraction from the iPhone. A Twitter friend, Adrian Lee, saw it and tweeted me to say he was going to give it a try for 24 hours. I didn’t think about it too much until he wrote about it. He did it! I was so impressed! Social media relationships, as those in real life, thrive when you are present an...