Jeffrey started a very interesting conversation today. He said:

Content precedes design. Design in the absence of content is not design, it’s decoration.

[Zeldman.]

To me, design IS communication. It helps communicate ideas. It’s a supplement to content.

I find, the biggest problem when building anything, is the human urge to try and find, “the formula.”

As Zeldman noted in his comments: “content,” does not mean “having all the copy.”

Expanding on that: there is no guidebook or algorithim for 99% of the things you do in life, or 99% of the sites you design, but as humans we have a tendency to think there is one.

The real answer: do what works for your particular instance (whether that be a house, or a Web site). Practice makes perfect, and research makes practice (more) perfect. Conventions for everything exist, but a universal handbook does not.

I’ve learned to accept that great creations come from discovery and innovation, not a handbook or strict workflow. It would be easier if that weren’t true, which, I imagine, is why I perpetually see so many people searching for “the magic bullet.”

Next time you find yourself looking for a shortcut, algorithm, or “method to the madness”, stop, let go, and embrace the chaos; however hard it is to do so. Find your own way for each of your endeavors and revel in it.

It holds, it embraces. It’s “deep.”

Stephen Henault is a cool dude and a great blogger that I randomly stumbled upon. Here’s what he recently wrote:

“The cup” is deep. Seriously. Could the argument not be made that “the cup” is the defining invention that has lead us to all the great stuff we have now?

It’s the concept of the cup I speak of. Put stuff inside - and save it for later - to be pulled out on demand. Sounds kind of like my iPhone, my Macbook, my DVR, Batteries, etc. etc.

I’m probably oversimplifying, but in drinking this cup of coffee I have a new found respect for the dude/or gal who came up with the concept of “the cup”.

Deep! Eh?

Trent Reznor/NIN does not give up.

They just released another free album, entitled “The Slip.”

You can download it over here: http://theslip.nin.com/, for free.

One of the most interesting things, is the mainstream use of BitTorrent as a distribution method (for all but the MP3 version). We really are entering into uncharted waters, both with distribution and revenue models. Despite other artists doing similar things, we’re seeing lots of permutations on the “free music” model lately.

Why all this legitimate free music all of a sudden, though? Do the concerts really make the artists that much money? Or, is it all just a fad (like Radiohead reported earlier this month? I really hope not. The retail store is on its way out of the music selling business - unless we start seeing digital kiosks real soon.

I hope that artists learn to make this digital world work for them, by charging for high quality versions and letting the fans decide what it’s worth. NIN isn’t accepting any money for “The Slip.” If I wanted to give them money, I couldn’t. That’s unfortunate.

I’m counting on mankind and music lovers around the world to be honest with themselves and the artists they like to hear. Call me an optimist. So, instead of buying another beer next weekend, and murdering your liver, go download GHOSTS I-IV, and pay for it, it’s worth it. Even if it is a wild foray into a very unique genre.

Update: I really am enjoying this album, almost as much as the previous instrumental album, GHOSTS I-IV.

I think I rock the morning look quite well?

And the nephew, he’s much bigger now. And, even cuter!

I’m getting married July 5^th (two months from today), To this beautiful woman (yes, that’s me on the right, her on the left, :P)

Our invitations are getting letter-pressed. I’m giddy.

• A is for Atheist.

  The OUT Campaign allows individuals to let others know they are not alone. It can also be a nice way of opening a conversation and help to demolish the negative stereotypes of atheists. Let the world know that we are not about to go away and that we are not going to allow those that would condemn us to push us into the shadows.

• A collection of Madonna photos from Vanity Fair.
• Why I won’t vote for hillary. Among other things.
• For some reason, the idea of another SPEED movie just doesn’t get old. Ha! [via Joshua Blankenship]
• Rob Wychert is venturing out across america in a kick ass Corolla. His site for the journey, just flaunts brilliance. I love it.
• Why is it, I have no problem with the Miley Cyrus pictures, except for the fact that Billy Ray, who if you don’t remember wrote “Achy Breaky Heart”, is in them.

My friend Jeff lives in Japan. He’s one of my best friends and I miss him every day. That’s besides the point: His MINI lives in a cave - 2nd level to be exact:

Our MINI is on the 2nd of 3 underground levels. There is a Peugeot on top, but nothing underneath. Not yet, anyways.

We recently designed a theme for Automattic, called Monotone. It’s now available at Wordpress.com, free for every WP.com user!

It’s a “chameleon” photoblogging theme. Monotone takes the first (and only) image attached to a post, samples colors from it, and analyzes them to present a custom color scheme for each photo entry.

You can hear Matt talk about the theme, at the end of his talk on blip.tv.

It was really great working with Automattic on such an interesting project.

BTW, I just love how well Wordpress deals with unicode.