It seems we run through the holiday season with the hustle and bustle of everything, but in the end we end up right back at the beginning. We buy our presents and make our food. There are family gatherings with smiles and tension from problems past. At the end of the day though we go to bed, back to our normal lives and are left with a pile of stuff. Some of these things with sentimental meaning and others with none. Some presents left in the box, knowing deep down we will re-gift it because we would not be caught dead wearing that monstrosity. We lay waiting for the next confetti loaded party.

After the season we walk away with the same problems, the same short comings, and the same family that we started with. There may have been healed relationships or forgiveness, but we know those same petty troubles may come around again. I have been asking myself what happens after this emotional seasonal high? What happens when we resume our normal activities and jump right back into the swing of things? What happens after Christmas? Do we just¬? go into seasonal depression until the sun is out and buds bloom?

I think these questions tell me it is all fake. I don’t think things really get answered during holidays. There is too much media hype and “what gift should I get them” stress to really address life. I think it is great to put aside everything, and have family and friends gathered around a tree. But how many people go home feeling alone and caught in an endless loop of holiday high to weekdays alone.

Everyone loves to love. Everyone loves to be loved. It is a natural human desire to have relationships. Sometimes we get caught up in the experience of the holiday to really caress some of our friendships. In the end, I think this is what relationships really need. They need time, not the swiss army knives of holiday presents. Friends need an open ear. After a couple of recent events I have realized, it is easy to miss out on a great conversation during the holidays. One question, one caring comment, or one extra phone call after the holiday tide has settled, can really reveal what is on someones mind.

I just finished reading/looking through the latest interactive design annual from Communication Arts. This is the first one that I have really had a chance to sit down with and really read into. I was a bit surprised, or refreshed might be a better way of putting it. The interactive design annual was just that, design oriented. It did not focus on features of the sites or how the site operated as much the design of the site. I think there are many web applications that are great. Many of these, however, fall short in user experience; not by bad, but horrible design. Many articles and magazines highlights these sites with complete disregard to how horrible the design is. This annual did not miss a beat with the design.

It is interesting that in the world of computing user interfaces come to be of secondary importance with the majority of software on the web targeting the masses. After peeling through the first couple of pages, I instantly had to go to my computer and click away. That is what intrigues me so much about interactive design. You can look at a work and want to touch it and interact with it in a physical dynamic way. With the web this becomes possible. While other types or art (if I may call it that) reach a user in a different way, I think the web can trigger that same imagination that a painting by Salvador Daly can. I will review some of the highlights from each category below.

Adversiting ?Äì Coke

This one took some reading to enjoy. The fact that Coke-a-cola had the smarts to continue its long standing brand identity on the web enthralled me. Coke is Coke. You know the logo and you can recognize their color scheme from miles away. Their site, or sites, put customers all over the world in different places and gave them a different experience’s. Coke has done a wonderful job of unifying its sites into one universal entry point (in many languages). One place, one experience that can be universally enjoyed. Not only is this site great looking, but it is a fun house for all things Coke.

Business ?Äì Converse Shoes

What a fun look. A mix of old school images and vector art. Sound like anything? How about a perfect way to describe what Converse should do in a website. This site is fun, interactive, and a great way to find a pair of converse shoes. Not just any pair though, they make you feel like you are connecting with someone else who would wear the same shoes. Normally, I want my own unique pair, but this site makes you feel like the shoes that you are getting are attached to a club. A club of people that fit you, just like the shoe should.

Entertainment ?Äì Spam Recycling

This site takes your email spam and makes it into something useful…well at least something pretty. This site has converted over 340,000 pieces of spam into art. You can take your spam here and recycle it. It turns it into a vortex or color and spinning objects. While there is not a whole lot of function to this, some twisted group of people put a lot of time into something that was once thought to be worthless.

Info ?Äì What Noise

A creative organization. All I have to say is at the end of this site you almost are forced to have a heart. If you do not have empathy at after interacting with this site for 3 minutes, you probably need to go out to eat with someone and offer to pay, as hard as that may be. This is a simplistic design with an idea that works. This is how all organizations should be.

Self Promotion – Urban Silo

This is just a great looking presentation of a creative company. No, Alexander Calder was not a part of this team, though with this mobile like site, I wouldn’t put past that them that they may be fans of his. This is a great way to show off a company that does things in an interesting manner for other people.

The entire list of site from each category can be found here. I only described some of my favorites. There are plenty more to look though.

I was driving home yesterday and I got off the expressway relieved once again to be on familiar ground. I drove through our small downtown area and I was observing all of the houses that values have doubled since the Christmas season invest of inflatable lawn ornaments and fake icicles (I miss plastic mangers). I slowed to a stop at a red light and looked up to see lights flashing. After a closer look I noticed it was more then just flashy lights. There was some choreography involved. This house, which was not the best kept, had a Christmas light show for all to see. Parked next to a $750,000 mansion for sales this tiny shack over shadowed its glamorous neighbors with flashing porch pillars and glowing snowflakes. It is not common when parked at a stop light to beg for it to last longer, but this Christmas spectacular intrigued me enough to make me want to stop and watch for the loop in the light pattern to occur.

It all started with this electrical engineer (video the right). He made a Christmas light show at his house all by means of being an electric nerd. While lights show have been around for a while he made it public domain. Flashing lights had to be his passion. I find this story very interesting. For some reason I have been thinking about the “American Dream” a lot lately. I think this man better represents the American dream then the one commonly portrayed. It is said that you have to work to achieve this dream, but there lies more in this dream then freedom and money. Carson Williams of Mason, Ohio put his passion to the test. He found he was not the only person who liked flashing lights. Since his light show in 2004 (which was used in a Miller Light commercial), Carson has made his own company that specializes in custom light shows. You can view his website here. Some of his works include the Symphony in Lights at The Northfield Stapleton Mall in Denver, design for The Promenade Bolingbrook, located Chicago, IL and design for Yorkdale Shopping Cneter, located Toronto, CA.

I think this is really what people strive should strive to do in life. God calls us to work and work is hard. Ever since the fall of man kind that has been the case. Why not spend time doing something that is a passion, instead of striving to make as much money possible regardless of the pain and depression? I think America gives a great chance for anyone to do this.