Obama Campaign Designers

I was on Barack Obamas campaign website today just looking around and I was suddenly aware of how amazingly designed everything is. The logo, website, every single aspect of the campaign collatoral...

The designers behind the campaign have custom designed every piece and is done so well. I came across this article/blog entry while trying to find out who designed everything and I think it brings up a lot of good points about how Obamas branding seems to be helping identify him as hip and cultured. 

Newsweek - Expertinent: Why the Obama "Brand" is Working

They covered every aspect of the designs from the philosophical implications to suggestions that "there's a risk that such a strong reliance on branding and design encourages the perception that Obama is all style and no substance." And while I think this is a valid thing to bring up, I don't think it's an argument that sticks.

But anyways, the font used on every piece of his collatoral is Gotham which is of course a Hoefler Frere-Jones font.

Random happenings

This weekend was pretty jammed pack with interesting events and happenings. This weekend we've had record-breaking temperatures here in Seattle for this time of the year. And actually rarely do we have weather that warm. I believe it reached 90. Of course Rachael and I had planned a hike for Saturday before we realized how warm it was going to be but we went anyways. It was a trail near Bellevue and it was an old mining area so it had a lot of interesting things along the way. It was just 3 miles one way so a total of 6 miles, but when you add a backpack, 90 degree heat and a thick forest that combined with the humidity feels like it's suffocating you - fun wasn't a word i would use to describe our adventures. Haha. It was lovely on the way up but on the way back it started to get a little unbearable. I felt nauseous after we got back to the car from the heat. But looking back I'm glad we went. I got some good experience with my backpack and got to see some interesting things.

After hiking I went to my softball game and that day we only had one game as opposed to our previous games which have been doubleheaders. I play for my church, Mars Hill (the Ballard campus), and I play on the Saturday Co-Ed team. It's really fun and it's been really nice getting to know new people. Plus I just love to play softball so that's probably the best part of course. Here is our team logo on our shirts. 

Well, I'd better go. I'm at Zoka's on Greenlake and am here attempting to draw five new maps for the book I'm working on for my client. It's a Sicilian Wineries guide book. Kind of a crazy deadline and here I am blogging and music surfing. Fairly typical. 

...in other news

I strongly dislike how I get so frustrated and upset with some friendships. I hurt, I tell them how they hurt me, then they are hurt. And visa versa of course. Why does it have to be so hard sometimes?

"I Will Possess Your Heart"

I pre-ordered and downloaded the newest album from Death Cab for Cutie and wasn't so sure about most of it, but have really connected with the song "I Will Possess Your Heart." Mostly with the video and the bass chords saturating the beginning of the video.

Death Cab For Cutie "I Will Possess Your Heart"

As I was watching this video, the girl is shown walking all through town, taking in everything around her. She smells things people are too busy to smell, and sees things people are too wrapped up in other things going on to see, and most importantly, she take the time to do this. It's something I really enjoy doing. Taking a moment where life shifts to slow motion and everything is swirling around you and you have the opportunity to take every second and every piece of it in. I feel more alive than anything when I'm doing this. My most recent notable experience was in Seattle last week when I messed up the SAM hours and got to explore Seattle in a new way. 

I envy this girl in the video. I want to experience what she's experiencing. She's traveling around the world in a carefree manner and living the life and exploring the world God has provided for us to absorb, swish around within us for a little while, and then regurgitate that into a new beautiful contribution to the world that is a part of what we took in, but also something from within us that makes us who we are, added into it morphing it into something better and something that is "ours." I try every day to find some way to do that because it makes me feel so good and alive. I also feel that way when I listen to music. When an amazing piece of music enters my ears it's almost a euphoric feeling that occurs deep within me, allowing me to have the most wonderful feelings run through my veins. It's addicting, listening to music and experiencing that. 

In addition to the beginning part and the video, I enjoy the lyrics as well. I enjoy the thought of someone pursuing me like that and seeing our potential in that manner. What girl doesn't? Some of the lyrics go a bit stalkerish (I don't want that!) but for the most part, I enjoy the story. Here are the lyrics:

How I wish you could see the potential, the potential of you and me

It's like a book elegantly Bound, but in a language that you can't read - just yet

You gotta spend some time--love, I will possess your heart (x2)

There are days when outside your window, I see my reflection as I slowly pass

And I long for this mirrored perspective, when we'll be lovers, lovers at last

You gotta spend some time--love, you gotta spend some time with me

And I know that you'll find--love, I will possess your heart (x2)

I will possess your heart (x2)

You reject my advances and desperate pleas

I won't let you, let me down so easily, so easily

You gotta spend some time--love, you gotta spend some time with me

And I know that you'll find--love, I will possess your heart (x3)

I will possess your heart (x2)

Roman Art from the Louvre exhibit at the Seattle Art Museum

Last night I went to one of the last days of the Roman Art from the Louvre exhibit at the Seattle Art Museum. Here I  have a joint membership with one of my best friends Kai and we both love art and enjoy the museum. I've been to this exhibit already with Rachael but we had other intentions on top of seeing the exhibit, which was to attend a lecture on how Opera and Roman art/times intertwine. So we kind of flew through the exhibit first and didn't really have time to read everything about each piece. I was kind of disappointed, but I knew I'd go back. So two nights ago (wednesday night) I decided to go to see it again, however when I arrived they were closed. (I had thought it was thursday when I was looking at the times of operation and they close at 5 except for Thurs-Sat they close at 9pm). Needless to say, I was frustrated but tried to make the best of being in downtown Seattle on a beautiful day by myself. The museum is down the street from Pike Place and close to the main downtown so I grabbed a coffee, put Death Cab for Cutie in my ears and walked the streets of the city trying to take in everything around me. I tried to notice every detail that i don't normally see when I'm with a group of friends. I walked around the city for about 3 hours (30 min. was spent at Barnes & Noble) and then headed back to my car re-energized from my adventure and imagry that still was fresh in my memory. Then on Friday I decided to try again and was successful in getting in. But of course I realized as I was walking up, that I left my membership card in my car. Cool Amy. Fast talking and many apologies got me my ticket into the exhibit. 

I learned a lot about the Roman government, emperors, citizenship, religion, and non-citizens. Most of the art was about the emperors and so I learned about Augustus, Tiberius, Caligula, etc. and I think what helped me understand the most was a big family/emperor tree that was present when you first walk into the main room as seen in the photo above. I didn't realize there was such a struggle for power, which led inevitably to deceit, murder, and plot after plot to get rid of the person in power. Sounds like a very paranoid life...being an emperor. But rewarding I'm sure. Also what I thought was interesting was that the emperor was usually regarded as divine like a god as well as the leader. He would wear a veil and would act as priest, sacrificing bulls among other things. Anyways, I had a great time and found it to be very educational as well as inspiring.

"On them I have set no limits, space or time: I have granted them power, empire without end."

-Virgil Aeneid 1.278-279

trying too hard

I think I try to hard with this whole blogging thing. I read other people's blogs and I think, "man that was really insightful," and then I look at my blog and see ramblings of nothing. Then the next time I feel like blogging I'm sitting here putting enormous amounts of pressure on myself to write something complete and intelligent, but then not feeling good about my entry topic and scraping the whole session. I'm quite annoyed with myself. I know I'm not the most amazing storyteller or writer in the world so I shouldn't put so much pressure on myself right? I mean, I'm a designer. I'm hard on myself in that area, as I should be, but this...this isn't something I should be worrying about. Right.

26th birthday

Lately it's been kind of weird because I've become very aware of my singleness. It has never really bothered be before or I've never been one of those people who think about that sort of thing all day and night until they find someone, so it's interesting that I'm noticing it now. I guess maybe now that I've just turned 26 and am feeling older, I've been thinking about it more. I've been seeing people who are dating or married and thinking about how I can't wait to be in that place - I'm ready. In the past years I've always been open to the idea of being in a long-term relationship but it just hasn't happened. I don't like to put myself in strategic positions where I can talk to that person or just "happen" to see him in random places like the mall or coffee shop. I mean, I definitely notice guys and know I am attracted to a certain type of guy, but calling them and pursuing them isn't something I think is my job. I've always thought that if they were interested in who I am or at least in learning more about me, they would pursue me. I do pray for my future husband though. In high school, some kids from my youth group and some leaders went on a youth trip down to LA to a youth evangelism conference called "DCLA." There we were introduced to a new sister brother duo who was called "LaRue." Natalie and Phil became our new favorite musicians. We all felt a connection to their music and got a chance to talk to them personally and get photographs with them. They have a song called "Someday" and the lyrics read:

I don't know if you're near or far away But I know that I'm thinking of you today I don't know if I even know your name But I know that I'm praying for you just the same.

Someday we'll fall in love You'll be mine, and I will be yours Our hearts will be one And our love will ever endure

And I'll need you, and I'll want you And I'll find you someday Then I'll love you, then I'll hold you Then I'll be with you always

Our love will be so strong and pure You will make me feel like I have never felt before You will be perfect only for me You will make these eyes begin to see

Someday we'll fall in love You'll be mine and I will be yours Our hearts will be one And our love will ever endure

Your faith in the Lord will be strong Even though I know the wait it long And though I'm young I still believe That you're out there praying for me

So I believe that God will provide me with the right person in His time and I am a very patient person. I guess until that happens I will continue living the life God has blessed me. I think that God has me doing something that I would never be able to do if I were married. That might be lame but maybe...just maybe. :)