It’s been a wild week. Much has gone down. Lots of work completed and shipped out into the big world, and suddenly, there’s this odd hum to the place. Specifically, with our little teaser, with me swearing up and down like a sailor, unshaven, unkept, gross, riffin’ on the state of contemporary American signage. I have a large head, It’s like a medicine ball or something. And it’s been all over the web talking about “a sign story from a year and a half ago.”

So the thing got linked a bunch of time over the course of the week, then on House Industries, and then finally, on BoingBoing yesterday, and my numbers went through the roof! Tons of traffic, with a pile of comments. Some fascinating discussion has unfolded. Some positive, some negative, some downright harsh and some completely beautiful. Thank you for all of it. Freaks you out, really. Many, many thanks to the people sending in snippets from the front lines.

But, let’s be clear on a couple things…

To start, Jess and I just kind of put it out there, in all honesty…”For fun.” Imagine that.

Appropriate? Inappropriate? Right? Wrong? Can’t say I really considered the implications of “letting it fly” like I did. But nevertheless, it’s my story and that’s how it went down, and that’s how I told it one day a couple months back.

That little teaser is a just a rant. Hot air. Wingbaggin’. It’s just one random extra clip of the “real” episodes we are working up. Stay with me. A “big, swearing ruffian” is just one side to this mess.

So just know:

01. I’m concerned my little world and do my best to run a tight ship.
02. I’m concerned about graphic design.
03. I have GREAT respect for the folks who “do it right.”
04. I don’t hate anyone. I just cringe when I see missed opportunities, or, half-ass work.
05. I work hard. Proudly.
06. I love the work I get to do, and care about it immensely.
07. I am thankful for each day; good, bad, ugly or wild.

I love what I do, and, I care. Let’s keep it fun, and let’s keep it wild. There you go. Back to the grind.

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THE KIND OF STUFF THAT GETS US EXCITED: Walking up to a table full of old stuff and a guy like that sitting there manning everything.

“The original Field Notes!” Indeed. Perfection, readers, perfection. Wow. “For Farm and Ranch” just about brought us to tears. A good cry. Happy as hell.

I mean, really, what the hell else is there? I’ve stood in front of this sign a million times, so fired up for the Upper Peninsula.

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MANDATORY VIEWING: Why Luke Dorny is basically the “best thing we’ve seen all fuckin’ week.” The world needs more artisans like this. You cannot miss his “Butter Book” set on Flickr. Don’t. Get over there now. Here’s how you can do it on yer own. Think it up. Sketch it. Digitize it. Print it. Share it. Sell it. Dig it.

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WORKING CLASS HEROES: A collection of “Vintage Employment Credentials” that will just blow yer mind.This link is filed under, “MANDATORY VIEWING, MAN!” classification of this site. (Thanks to JKentizer! )

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FLICKR, YET AGAIN: Flip through the pages of an Expo 86 Passport, and man, dig on the great type, and even greater stamps.

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OVER AT THE FIELD NOTES DIGITAL WEB SITE: “A Daring Rescue,” documented, for the ages.