From Scraps of Paper Come Big Ideas By DORIAN M. BURR Public Information Specialist, Publications April 2012 Have you ever been faced with that snarling blank piece of paper, just daring you to create something great? Artists of all kinds know the pain that beginning a project can bring. Fortunately as a graphic designer though, you usually have a client that has some specific idea, concept or information that needs to be communicated. The first part of that process is the easiest, meeting with the client. Whether it’s Web, logo or print design, the creative type will pack a suitcase to bring to the meeting. It’s filled with education, years of experience, customer service and an earnest desire to help someone communicate their message effectively. There may be a pad of paper and a pencil thrown in as well. The brainstorming begins, sketches are made, notes are taken and we excitedly head back to begin our work. Then the pain begins. We are tasked with taking an abstract idea and making it visually appealing and communicative to a wide audience. People might wonder why we’re always laughing. All that laughter is to kill the pain we feel when those creative juices just aren’t flowing. Laughter is a positive way to relieve stress and costs less than throwing your laptop on the floor. Some people say that they love art and wish they had a job where they could “play” all day. Art is hard. Our job is to create something, whether we are in the mood or not, within a timeline, and at the end of the day, be prepared to hear someone say “I really don’t like that.” There is a portion of art and graphics that is simply subjective. Some people will love a particular shade of blue while some people will process it as an undesirable green. Our job is to guide people through basic design concepts, not konk them on the head with them. And there are times when the clients’ suggestions may be better than ours. Learning experiences indeed work both ways. Hopefully the end product is something that the client is happy with and the artist is proud of. You can bet though, it didn’t magically appear on that blank piece of paper.
The Psychology of Spending and the Effects on Financial Wellness By DORIAN BURR Public Information Specialist, Publications November 2011 Nothing ruins a great sale like a big bag of guilt. I like to shop and love finding “great” deals. But as the space in my house decreases and worry about my spending habits increase, the “fun” part of shopping is diminishing fast. I want my fun back, but realize that learning how to have fun “responsibly” is something I can’t do by myself. To gain insight about how to do this made attending the October Lunch-n- Learn titled “The Psychology of Spending,” a no-brainer. Donda Combs, a financial wellness presenter from the Florida Commerce Credit Union, was a lively instructor who created an atmosphere of camaraderie with her humorous delivery of information to a packed room. I was expecting the “Just Say NO” approach to shopping, something I’ve had little luck with in the past. The strategy she presented of “Just Say YES” to healthy money thinking got my attention right away. Combs began the workshop with the startling statement: “We are bombarded with over 800 ads a day, and that is a conservative Combs shares with a captive audience the figure.” attention-getting amount spent annually on advertising She explained that alliteration and cadence are just a few of the literary devices that advertisers use to snatch our attention. In the process of selling us a product or service some unhealthy money messages are getting passed along as well. Combs then used some illustrations of the human brain to explain that changes in our state of being appeal strongly to some humans. Marketing preys upon this fact. With repetition and time, the hard wiring in our brain can change. That is when the pleasure of shopping might override one’s common sense when it comes to debt control. With 800 messages a day telling you to spend your money, it is no wonder that debt is a problem many of us face. So, what to do? Instead of using negative thinking and language to “discipline” shoppers when shopping inappropriately, Combs suggests using positive language and thoughts to regain a sense of control, which is more likely to lead to action. One tactic Combs introduced was to create our own healthy money messages and talk back to the onslaught of ads we are faced with everyday. “Be creative. Instead of calling your budget a budget, call it an “effective spending and savings plan,” Combs also suggested. Her own spending and savings plan involved figuring out what would bring her sustainable happiness. A sailboat and all it’s associated costs became her carrot at the end of the stick. Combs’ personal example filled me with hope. Wanting to decrease my worry seems like a much smaller goal, and perhaps achievable. Changing my spending habits before retirement by using positive reinforcement, seems much more likely to produce results.
Combs’ positive spirit and attitude provided me with a positive plan of action, with many practical suggestions from her and the other workshop participants. Below are just some of the tactics I plan on use to not shop until I drop. Becoming Financially Healthy: o Figure out the situations in your life that are likely to prompt emotional spending. o Have knowledge of the locations that might generate impulse shopping. o Be prepared. Plan to replace your shopping with doing. Have a prepared list of activities you can choose from that aren’t centered on shopping. o Make an inner commitment to reframe your thinking about shopping. o Create a checklist to assist you when deciding if it’s appropriate to spend money on something. § Do I really need this item? § What does it really cost? Is there interest? Are there consequences? § Do I want to dust it? Do I want to keep up the maintenance that will ensure it will stay in working order? § What will happen to me if I don’t get it? § Is this emotional spending? § Will the discomfort of not getting this item pass? o Place your rational thoughts about spending money in your wallet, next to your debit card. Helpful Sources: A website that lists things to do in Tallahassee, many of them free. Look for a similar site where you are located: http://www.morethanyouthought.com A website that provides information about it’s financial fitness program. It has a lot of downloadable resources and helpful worksheets: https://www.balancepro.net Brandwashed, by Martin Lindstrom A load of information about the tricks companies use to manipulate our minds and persuade us to buy. ¡
Life Tips: Clean Conscience By Dorian M. Burr Graphic Artist/Photographer, Publications Unit October 2009 Resting Easy: Household cleaners are toxic and deadly. Just ask my beloved cat, Hercules. His Dorian Burr cuddles love of lapping up water after a shower made him deathly ill on two occasions. Hercules confident that her Rinsing the tub thoroughly after a Scrubbing Bubbles scrub just wasn’t enough. A treasured pet will never again be at risk due to toxic dirty tub wasn’t an option, so I decided to change things up. household cleaning supplies. (Photo by Megan Nicole I began my mission by educating myself about household cleaners and some of Kane) the ingredients that went into them. Chlorine can harm our upper respiratory systems. Phosphates and other toxins damage our eco-systems, which in turn sickens, kills and can genetically alter animals, fish and plants. The list goes on. Suddenly, shopping for the perfectly scented counter top cleaner, without reading the label, made me feel irresponsible. The next step was taking inventory of all the household cleaners that had accumulated in my utility room. I was ashamed at how many opened and half-full cans of Comet I had. Just pitching them wasn’t the right thing to do, so I looked up the location of the City of Tallahassee’s Hazardous Waste Collection Center (http://www.talgov.com/you/solid/hazwaste.cfm#5) and disposed of them properly. Clean Conscience: The Internet had a lot of good information on how to These natural cleaning supplies are pet friendly, people friendly and environmentally safe. (Photo/db) clean with natural ingredients like baking soda, lemons, “green” dish soap and white vinegar. I had a lot of fun making my own concoctions and labeling the re-usable plastic bottles I put them in. And no, my house does not smell like a pickle. Vinegar is excellent at making odors disappear, not just replacing them, like other odor neutralizers. My experience in changing from store-bought cleaners to natural ones hasn't been perfect. I still feel the allure of "lavender/vanilla-scented" this and that. But I've gained some space in my utility room, some money in my pocket and the confidence that my cat will die of natural causes, not because I cleaned the bathroom.
Recommend
More recommend
