My goal isn't to be better at using software, or better at making neat pictures on a screen.

I want to be better at using my mind to think through problems. I love to find solutions that can help my clients. Solutions that solve problems, clear up ideas, and communicate a message better.

I'm constantly learning new ways of doing things, and I love to find new ideas and new concepts that challenge my views and my current thoughts. I agree with some, and disagree with others. But the aim isn't agreement, it's understanding and comprehension. I like learning about the history of tobacco, the process of making Scottish whisky, and how tiny sub-atomic particles can influence the next generation of computing.

My curiosity and desire for growth has led me to step out into an area where I'm either going to make something happen or end up working at Office Depot selling computers.

I feed off of the stress and pressure that being a designer brings. I love deadlines and clients with impossible demands. I like doing the jobs that make me stretch and bend my mind around problems I've never considered before. Doing the mental gymnastics of design and communication is where I find happiness. I get really energized by being around creative and talented people.

I'm always looking for something new to think about or play with. This is what I've been absorbing lately:

Mythbusters	The History Channel	Classic Cartoons	Led Zeppelin
Arturo Fuente	The World is Flat	David Holmes	Photography
Coffee	Chinese Cinema	Tastespotting	Michio Kaku