Aaron Hoffmann Principal UX Product DesignerI've a deep passion for solving problems, be they digital or physical, UX or UI, product or brand, or some impossible Tetris stack. Data-driven design philosophy; data-backed decisions are the most logical and defendable. I lead by example, choosing my roles based on team chemistry, ability to exercise my broad skillset, and opportunity to make a positive change in the world. I speak Geek and Japanese and would be delighted to explain the most unusual sushi I've ever eaten.
thought of the day: upon hearing someone’s stomach make a very barnyard-like noise, i wondered how cool it would be if a litter of tiny, unborn piglet foetuses could all oink while still inside the mother? a veritable choir of squeaky oinking.
thought of the day: is a life saved a life earned?
thought of the day: say the word “prayer” aloud. now how many syllables did you just pronounce?
thought of the day: if a jedi were to use/drop their lightsaber while in water, what would happen? would there be some sort of electrocution, or would the water surrounding the weapon simply vaporise?
thought of the day: in what scenario is receiving not better than giving?
after a week and a half respite, am i ready to go back to work next monday? i doubt it. don’t get me wrong, i’m quite excited to be starting my new responsibilities (as well as sloughing the old), but there’s just something about being without responsibility for a spell that really makes one question the unfortunate necessity of having to slave one’s life away just to survive. then again, there’s a certain satisfaction that comes with even the most tedious toil, and i personally believe the more gruelling and labourious a task, the more rewarding and satisfying one feels upon its completion.
anyway… fast-forward about a month; that’s how long it’s taken to write this entry…
two weeks ago i spent a 4 day weekend out in eastern wisconsin, ultimately to attend u2’s vertigo tour playing in milwaukee, 9/25. let me just say that the four hour drive was nearly unbearable, no matter how many creature comforts i surrounded myself with: my ipod, the plush leather seats, cruise control, multiple zone climate control, etc etc. i guess all the “things” in the world just don’t make up for the simple company of another human being, which i believe would have improved the quality of such a long drive. don’t get me wrong, the trip overall was more than worth the effort, but i can talk about that in just a bit.
thought of the day: so the tenth commandment says not to covet thy neighbour’s wife, but is it sinful for said wife to covet her neighbour? one can’t just assume about these things. furthermore… is it sinful to covet they neighbour’s fiance, or vice versa? i would think one could get by on a technicality in this instance.
it’s certainly been a roller coaster of weeks, this; plenty of ups and downs to share, and i’ll try to summarise, because as we all know, i get awfully wordy if let run amok.
i suppose it’s best to go chronologically, at least for recitation’s sake. last weekend was a bit of lost intention. instead of travelling up to spend a beautifully scorching couple days at the lake, i instead planned to hang with my cousin and play volleyball with some girls he’d met a couple weeks prior… that was the only thing keeping me home and unfortunately it fell through, and tentatively postponed until this weekend, which also fell through. i guess that’s a sign that i wasn’t meant to meet these ladies.
tuesday was saddening as i learned my uncle had passed away. it wasn’t a surprise, as his battle with regaining health was a gradual loss at that, so there was no initial shock or disbelief to overcome, just the wake of sadness. for me, ron was always one of the highlights of each summer’s family reunion, since he always had stories, advice, and other general wisdom about nearly anything i could imagine; and because he was from a different part of the country (deep south)–with its own culture, customs, etc–it was both differently insightful and a special, rare occasion. it’s strange how we as human beings are always chasing one horizon or another, yet in the end we only ever reach one, and have little more to show for it than becoming the benchmark and horizon for someone after us.
thursday was interesting… i happened to come in early due to a malfunctioning internal sleep clock, and found myself thrust into a meeting–fashionably late–where i learned i was being promoted, finally, after two years. the finest details have yet to be worked out, but i’m incredibly thrilled with this new opportunity, even if it means i won’t be directly involved in the design and production of the materials so many people have come to know as my work. at least now i can finally order those business cards with the proper title; i’ve been holding out since my promotion has been ‘just around the corner’ for the better part of this past year, and everyone knows how i like wasting things.
for whatever reason, it seems as if i had more to report, but apparently this is the end for now. progress on the photography gallery is slow but sure; i’ve put many, many hours in, and have only a margin over 100 to show for it, with at least a few hundred more to go; should be interesting to see the time sheet when i’m finished.
listening to:
Songs of the Unforgiven (a morbidly delightful concept album)
Crash Test Dummies
