Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Write we must.


About three times or maybe twice a year I am tapped out, I am in a slump. My work at work slows to a standstill. The easiest task becomes onerous. I slough assignments off. My synapses stop snapping.

Even my blog becomes difficult for me. Nothing strikes me as worth writing about. I can't seem to coherently string words together. I'm not astute. I'm not funny. I'm not even bitter.

I just suck.

Lately I've had a few of those days. I feel as dull as a moderate Republican.

When I was a kid when Con Edison used to plaster signs around their work sites that read, bluntly, "Dig We Must." The signs were Con Ed's way of saying they were doing essential work.

On days when I feel like I can't do anything, I think about those signs. Then I try to write something.

Even if it's as dumb as this.

--
PS. A very bright Interaction Designer just pointed me to the Saul Bass video above. It's Saul Bass. So, of course, well worth watching and thinking about.
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8 comments:

  1. BukesSeptember 27, 2011 at 12:26 PM

    When are we going to see those spots you've been working on for a year?

    ReplyDelete
  2. george tannenbaumSeptember 27, 2011 at 12:58 PM

    Bukes, I posted one a couple weeks ago.

    ReplyDelete
  3. BukesSeptember 27, 2011 at 1:21 PM

    So you did.

    ReplyDelete
  4. AnonymousSeptember 27, 2011 at 5:19 PM

    Bukes its was the Ameriprise campaign you've seen but instantly forgot

    start by doing something to recover from that hopelessly boring, dull, disastrous Amerprise campaign. DIg deep for something fresh, new . provocative. Otherwise resign yourself to feeling uninspired. Bad work has a hangover effect.

    Ted

    ReplyDelete
  5. george tannenbaumSeptember 27, 2011 at 5:42 PM

    Anonymous, what have you done lately besides criticize me without the courage to say who you are.

    I had the courage to post work I know was not my best, not very good.

    You don't even have spine enough to say who you are.

    ReplyDelete
  6. michael jacobsSeptember 28, 2011 at 4:35 PM

    George,

    Stay true to your convictions, your intensity, and the Muse. Critics, especially Anonymous ones, are everywhere. Don the kevlar and fight the urge to respond. The industry might not be a true meritocracy but its not trench warfare. Our best work is ahead of us.

    Cheers,

    Michael

    ReplyDelete
  7. peggySeptember 28, 2011 at 5:01 PM

    ted, tim, whoever you are, judging by your comments, you seem to be on a constant hangover.

    ReplyDelete
  8. george tannenbaumSeptember 28, 2011 at 8:00 PM

    Thanks, Michael. You're a wise man. And happy New Year.

    g

    ReplyDelete