Before I get going, check out Minnesota grand champion citizen Ken Gimlin and his MNDOT tattoo! Dedication, man! Love it. I’ve had a soft spot for that logo for some time, and man, seeing it this afternoon on the way back to Harlan’s got me all fired up, and in my searching late tonight, I came across this article on Mr. Gimlin, and his inked appendage. Just doesn’t get any better than that. Seriously.

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DDC vs Mankato State Design Program, Day 01: Got up good and early here in Mankato and got over to campus to let those students have it. We did two loose workshops today:

01. “Process, Process, Process” where I walk them through top-secret, real life, harrowing accounts of “doing whatever the hell you have to” to get the project done. Showing project decks, detailing blow-by-blow logo variations.

02. “Aaron Draplin’s 15 Rules of Good Typography” where we went down the line, nerding out on macro type issues, that, hell, just might be only inside my thinker? Maybe not. You know, general themes of the right way and wrong way of handling type, and, a couple tricky pointers for surefire type mastery. Serious business. Don’t stretch type. Ever.

And man, the day whipped by. All those Mankato eyeballs staring me down. Kinda weird, kinda fun. All in the name of “going for it” for the design students of Minnesota State Mankato! Great group of people.

Tonight we had burgers and sandwiches at Westwood Marina overlooking Lake Washington. I couldn’t keep my big trap shut, but not like that’s anything but “par for the course.” Tall tales, laughs and general riff raff. Good, clean fun. Thanks for hanging out, everyone!

And man, before I get escorted out of the building tomorrow night in the middle of my talk, let me just thank Harlan, Matt and David right now: Much gratitude, fellas. Can’t tell you how much I appreciate the opportunity to come here, meet everyone, let some hot talk fly and see the program you guys have built. Good stuff all around. Thank you.

Goodnight from Ernie’s place!