The February 21 Jotter
11 morsels of inspiration at elevenses.
What a month. I am proud to share three projects this month and one piece of very exciting news. In addition there have been many discoveries that I hope will inspire you to think and do.
In the meantime, if you find something that has piqued your interest or something below triggers an idea, please do let me know. I like receiving emails.
01. Honey Copy.
An email from Cole Shafer is something I look forward to. Often provocative, always stimulating.
He has a way with words.
I could link to many of his wonderful blogs, but I’ve gone with this one. It’s a gentle and encouraging introduction to his words that “read like poetry and sell like Ogilvy.”
02. Story branding.
The branding for Story Café in Sydney (by For The People) is appropriately full of stories. Napkins, packaging, receipts and cups become vehicles for mini narratives.
03. Why I photograph.
A wonderful three minute video on what photography means to Terry Fouche.
“I began to realise that if you looked up you could see things, if you looked down you could see things, backwards, front of you, sideways. Most often we just walk in one direction and that’s what we look at.”
With thanks to Dr Steve Marshall (yes, the very same Dr Steve behind #1000Steps) for leading me here.
04. Missing pubs.
Mike Taylor has taken this series of evocative photos of “a perfect boozer.” They perfectly capture the atmosphere of “Norman’s” in Soho. Part of me wishes I hadn’t seen them as they only serve to make me miss the pub even more.
The coup de grâce is the very last photo which depicts an idea of heaven - an afternoon pint while leafing through a Saul Leiter book.
05. Talented friends.
Humble Bee Films, founded by my good friend, Stephen Dunleavy, have an exciting weekend ahead. On Sunday at 7pm, David Attenborough’s Life in Colour will be shown on BBC1.
In addition an equally good friend, James Dorman (a virtuoso with the vibes), has written the music.
06. Two quotations from James Clear.
06.01
“In the long run, the way you treat your time is the way others treat it too."
06.02
"You can borrow knowledge, but not action."
His 3-2-1 newsletter is always worth a read.
07. Two new launches.
What an evening. Last night Nick Cave and Warren Ellis launched a new album and then @FullyThoughtOut launched a new print magazine for freelancers.
08. How SEO is gentrifying the internet.
The acronym SEO stands for “search engine optimization,” which translates into the vernacular as “tricks marketers use to make certain articles appear at the top of Google’s search results.”
09. Life meets art.
Take an envious peek inside the homes of creative types.
It’s nice to see I have something in common with Norman Foster… although he has a bit more space for his Vitsoe shelving.
10. This month’s reading - One Percent Better.
“Rather than chasing the big wins, we go after the small wins. Repeatedly and relentlessly.”
11. Work.
I am proud to share three projects this month and one piece of very exciting news.
Twixmas was made even better when Feasts and Fables made contact and asked if I would help them create a basecamp for their online musings. I was honoured and delighted to say “you bet.” Their library of positivity and weekly email newsletter has brightened up my life and I guarantee it will do the same for you.
They kindly said this: “A basecamp we are VERY pleased to be settling into; delighted with the match-up of ideas and effects. Really 'us' in every way. Thank you. And, somehow, the newsletter and website feel in harmony already.”
Cassia Community is a café, co-working and cocktail space at the Bath Riverside. The full website was launched in January ahead of opening (currently takeaways only) on 8th February. However, I refrained from sharing in the January Jotter because it wasn’t until this month that I took photos of their cool interiors of which they are justifiably proud.
Finally, my chief collaborator, Paul, and I completed an update on the Berkeley Castle ticketing app and they said the nicest things when it was launched:
“I am so pleased with how the ticketing system works. Thank you so much for all your hard work. I think it is very clear and easy to use, which is just what we needed. It also looks very professional.”
What about the exciting news? Well, we have landed our very first client based in New York. Doesn’t that sound glamorous? Not only that, the website will be for someone who has been a huge inspiration on the way I see…
Thank you for reading
Onwards
Andrew
