*notcot - 05.12.19 , 17:20 -

Mother’s Day 2019: pre-baby stuff

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UPDATE Oct 2019 - Our little NOTbaby is 4 months old now! For those who have asked, I’ve put together a NOTbaby List of products that have worked out well for us from Pregnancy to Baby (and will keep updating as we progress!) - It’s an Amazon affiliate storefront, because we’ve been using Amazon Prime a lot for the convenience during exhaustion! The tiny % of affiliate revenue that comes from any shopping through the NOTbaby List will go towards diapers and more baby goods!

Ooh it has been a while - nearly a year and a half of resisting internet brain dumps and oversharing. So i figured, today is as good a day as any to give things a try and see how it still feels… after all, i feel like there’s a basketball in my belly and typing seems better than waddling about. In a nutshell, NOTCOT.org is still where i’ve been sharing random inspiration daily (and it too has had some changes), Shawn and i are still a pair of creative junkies (though we’ve been channeling our creative energies towards secret projects!) and we’ve since gotten married and have a baby boy on the way (he could pop out any day now? or maybe a month from now?)… and the biggest shift has ultimately been taking (giving myself?) time away from oversharing on the internet after a decade and a half or so to finding the headspace to reassess where i’m at and what i want next!

All in all, i’m now 36 weeks pregnant with a belly that looks like it engulfed a basketball, and from what i hear… going through labor and raising a newborn will produce some fantastic chemicals that may make one crazy enough to consider going through this whole pregnancy process AGAIN… so before that happens, it seemed like a good time to round up some thoughts, products, and other silliness before i forget it all!

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*notcot - 12.31.17 , 23:55 -

Is this a sabbatical? Or retirement?

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HEAD OVER TO NOTCOT.ORG FOR INSPIRATION OVERLOADS UPDATED DAILY! (As usual…)

First posted in Sept, but then i got excited for a little burst again… but trying again for the new year? If you want to talk about what’s next, have a fun project to work together on (design, real estate, etc.)… ping me! And the same disclaimer stands, i’m sure as soon as i try to do this, i’m going to stumble across something that blows my mind and i have to tell you?

Hi there. Let’s make this official - i’m taking a break from the bloggy part of NOTCOT! (Insert deep sigh of relief?) It’s been 12 and a bit years, and life has taken so many twists and turns and it’s been a roller coaster ride around the world and internet - so, THANK YOU to all of you who joined the ride! Until the last year or so, everything that i found and loved i shared here… my brain has been a design junkie for 3 decades!

As someone that craves newness like no other… it was inevitable that i’d need to keep shaking things up in my life, and lately that has turned to other projects and endeavors that are less internet-shareable (for the moment.)

SO… i’ll be back. Possibly tomorrow. Possibly 298 days from now. Your guess is as good as mine? But first things first, i’m officially saying i’m on a break from blogging. Let’s see where that leads.

If you’re curious what i’m up to, or want to collaborate or brainstorm or make amazing things together - let’s talk? I’m still happily doing the NOTlabs things and the real estate thing and… well… quite a few other things too!

And again… HEAD OVER TO NOTCOT.ORG FOR INSPIRATION OVERLOADS UPDATED DAILY! (It’s business as usual over there! and to be honest, it’s really hard to break the daily habit of sharing things that inspire me!)

*notcot - 12.08.15 , 13:20 -

Birthday + Roadtrip Planning

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How adorable is it that the Google Maps Streetview guy puts on a party hat and grabs a balloon to wish you a Happy Birthday?

Also - a family emergency has lead to a change in holiday plans, so no more Aspen, and suddenly trying to plan out Los Angeles to Nashville ROADTRIP routes!!! Any surprising stops you’d recommend?

*notcot - 01.03.15 , 15:40 -

A Decade of NOTCOT

10years.jpg Just wanted to take a moment and say WOW. HAPPY NEW YEAR! IT IS 2015! That means… 2005 - 2015 = Decade I of NOTCOT done! We are now heading into NOTCOT: Decade II… crazy!

I’m excited to jump into 2015 as more of a fresh start to see what we can do with Decade II rather than look back, but before i do that - i must admit that the act of finding at least one thing EVERY DAY that inspired/excited/amused me has been truly life changing. NOTCOT is definitely my happy place! A lot has happened the last 10 years, and i can not imagine a more exploratory and fulfilling way to have spent my 20s - the things i have learned, seen, played with… the people i’ve met… the places i’ve been… what a ride! I wouldn’t trade it for the world. And as will any real life - there were the highs, lows, crazy times, but it has never been boring. So THANK YOU for coming along for the ride. If there’s one thing i’ve learned, it’s that “Do what you love, and the rest will figure itself out.” is definitely true!

It feels freeing more than anything to embrace 10 years down… on to newness! I won’t stop sharing things that inspire me (i don’t know that i could if i wanted to) - but i will definitely be shaking things up a bit more, and at the moment it’s unclear whether that means all of it will be shared online, or even publicly… NOTlabs is growing, and if you want to play, collaborate, or brainstorm together, we should definitely chat!

*notcot - 10.30.14 , 12:58 -

Still Here!

oops.jpg Hi there. I know i went a bit quiet here the last week or so… it started with some serious jetlag/exhaustion combo after the 4000 mile roadtrip north and the Tokyo trip, but somewhere between there… I think some serious soul searching was in order. The kind that kind of just grabs you and forces you to finally deal with it, versus just deciding to take off and sit quietly and figure things out. So instead of pushing out posts daily that i wasn’t truly giddily excited about, i’ve been taking the time to reflect, talk to people (amazed how many people i’ve heard stories of burn out and life transitions from!), read a bunch of books, and just stepped back for a moment… and just take a deep breath and look back at ~10 years of NOTCOT.

And amongst all of that - i’ve had so many things i want to say, that i am not even sure how to say yet, to you, amazing readers! The biggest one is a THANK YOU for supporting this adventure that has been NOTCOT the last decade - especially for being such an inspiration over the years!

So, instead of filling your internet with all the things running through my head as i sort a few things out, or just sharing more products and projects i’m not sure fully deserve your attention… i’m trying to just take things a little slower, move a bit more deliberately, and when i’m giddily passionate about things - you’ll know! We’ve also been doing more and more projects and explorations through NOTlabs - part design studio + consultancy + experimental lab! But anyhow i’m around - the day to day silliness will still pop up on NOTCOT.org, NOTlabs Instagram, and Twitter - so let’s chat!

*notcot - 07.18.14 , 12:08 -

The NOTlabs Instagram

instagramlabs.jpg I’ve been noticing a lot of shifting and balancing in my life recently - as NOTCOT closes in on turning the big 1-0 - we’ve been trying new projects, larger experiments, and still constantly collecting/sharing what inspires us on our digital studio inspiration board of sorts that has always been NOTCOT.org… but the biggest thing i’ve realized is having to shift my priorities time wise! So as i’ve focused on more PHYSICAL projects - time spent writing feature posts definitely definitely wavers more - BUT for those of you who want a peek into what we’re playing with and working on before they turn into features, we’ve been sharing more and more of that on our NOTlabs Instagram! From products we’re in the midst of trying out (Like the new Formlabs Form 1+ 3D Printer and Ignoble Bags), to the continued adventures of Bucky, the NOTpuppy, to the NOTFZJ80 Project and more… feel free to join + chat with us there!

*notcot - 03.25.14 , 01:31 -

Perspective

maintweet.jpg Just a little late night update… I know it’s been a bit quieter here as of late… and while the firehose of inspiration is still flowing strong over at NOTCOT.org, i’ve been saving things that get me beyond excited and giddy for here, and lately instead of endless jetsetting, shopping, and hotel living ~ it has been an amazing change of pace to be head down, designing, soldering (omg. somuch. soldering.), 3d printing, laser cutting, debugging, strategizing, and really just getting involved and learning SO much about every part of creating things from sketches to reality. Also insane problem solving on ridiculous deadlines… Of course this means less crazy posts, but also more tweets and instagrams of what i can share from some of the process (and random inspirations in daily life).

It’s all about the pendulum… and swinging between extremes, and currently i’m loving bigger, complex projects! It’s a whole different kind of up all night lifestyle from the last few years for sure… Getting back into the design process has also helped rekindle my appreciation for the hard work that goes into product design, thorough R&D, and making experiences that really change peoples lives… and raises the bar even higher for the things i fall in love with and need to share with you on NOTCOT!

*notcot - 01.29.14 , 16:00 -

RESTART: 2014

restart.jpg “I’ve started this post for months…” is how so many text documents that float on my desktop begin. And they are all essentially letters to you (the readers!) and me (to make me face things and admit them out loud?)… yet somehow i write and rewrite them, so this time it’s just going to go right up! Here we go!

Things have been quiet here on NOTCOT.com (but still filling NOTCOT.org and the others with inspiration constantly!) It’s going to be 9 years in March. Nine years! That feels like an eternity, yet I can’t imagine my life without the sites. I’ve said it time and time again, but it still holds true - “Having to find one thing that excites and inspires me daily has changed my life.” It has! It still does! It keeps me giddy and excited and thrilled and curious about what i’ll find tomorrow.

As for the quietness ~ when some of the once fun parts started to feel more like work than fun, (besides physically realizing i needed to slow down a smidge) i finally realized it was time to step back and reassess things. Reexamine. Refocus. Restart?

superpost.jpg One of those restart bits was testing out “superposts” (the pages that look like these) as we’ve called them internally on NOTCOT.org. Instead of writing these posts on Movable Type (like this one! On my ancient blog design i have yet to redo in a while…) Dan wrote me some superpost code to try out so we could integrate full length posts into NOTCOT.org pages and post bigger pics and videos and more… and while i’ve been using it for some time, it was when i stopped doing features on NOTCOT.com (here!) to fully commit to trying out how those felt for a little bit. And it’s been fun! And they go up SO FAST! Big pictures + captions, but they sometimes feel lost amongst the sea of links over there, so i’m still hesitant to fully let go of this space. (Thoughts?)

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Another fresh start has been NOTlabs ~ teaming up with Shawn Sims, we’ve been taking my background in interactive/product design/UX and years of NOTCOT (it’s amazing what becomes instinctual after more than a decade of looking at and tracking design inspiration of all sorts) and his background in architecture, tangible interaction design, automotive, and robotics ~ mixing them together, what emerges has been a fascinating, playful, curiosity driven learning experience the last 2 years. From silly laser cutter and 3d printing experiments of our own ~ to interactive installations for others ~ to inspiration filled presentations for design companies and agencies ~ to create toys for our puppy ~ building/growing/shaping things ~ and there’s so much more to come in 2014! It’s amazing how much FUN things are when driven by passion and curiosity.

So what’s next?

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*notcot - 12.08.11 , 02:20 -

2011 Favorites Gift Guide

faovrites.jpg This special gift guide post is sponsored by Volvo! Thank you, Volvo, for sponsoring one of my favorite posts ~ and as usual, they sponsor, and content is all me! Advertisement

Usually on my birthday, i have a fun wishlist gift guide of things i’m lusting after. Well, i’ve decided to mix it up a bit this year, and answer a frequently asked question of what i actually use, love, and bought that i’ve discovered lately… So here it is… in huge collage form… there’s more than what you see above on the next page! Click the images to jump over to read more about them… and while it’s 2am before i have a morning flight… there are also links below with some brief descriptions of why i love them at the bottom (though, i’m fading fast, so this might be added in, or fleshed out a bit, after i land!) Anyhow ~ go explore it all on the next page!!!

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*notcot - 09.07.09 , 15:03 -

Labor Day ROUNDUP!

notcotorg #24696 notcotorg #24688 notcotorg #24682 notcotorg #24673 notcotorg #24633 notcotorg #24628 notcotorg #24620 notcotorg #24608 notcotorg #24606 notcotorg #24587 notcotorg #24559 notcotorg #24552 notcotorg #24541 notcotorg #24534 notcotorg #24524 notcouture #4848 notcouture #4846 notcouture #4836 notcouture #4819 notcouture #4808 notcouture #4821 notcouture #4850 notcouture #4813 notcouture #4788 notcouture #4770 Mmmm Labor Day ~ nicest thing about a monday off seems to be inbox is slowing down and i can relax and work and catch up a bit! Lots in progress to show you from the whirlwind SF trip!!! So many pics… but for now, here’s a roundup to get you going, click the pics to find out more!

*notcot - 09.04.09 , 02:49 -

Mighty Girl NOTCOT Interview

Maggie Mason of Mighty Girl did an interview with me for the Gap “Born To _____” Campaign… you can check out the interview. but even more fun, on the next page as an added bonus to go with it, i’ve finally decided to share a bit more of what my “office” is like in my house! So be nice, and don’t mind the mess ~ it’s a real work space, not a staged set up… i shot the pics bright and early before hitting the road to drive up to SF at 7am! But you can get a peek at the things that surround and inspire me! Pics on the next page…

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*notcot - 07.13.09 , 01:56 -

NotEmpire ROUNDUP!

notcotorg #23224 notcotorg #23177 notcotorg #23202 notcotorg #23160 notcotorg #23218 notcotorg #23148 notcotorg #23222 notcotorg #23147 notcotorg #23140 notcotorg #23133 notcotorg #23111 notcotorg #23127 notcotorg #23172 notcotorg #23198 notcotorg #23099 notcouture #4487 notcouture #4478 notcouture #4464 notcouture #4476 notcouture #4471 liqurious #3163 liqurious #3178 liqurious #3175 notcouture #3176 liqurious #3150 This is a NotEMPIRE round up since top three rows are recent awesomeness from NOTCOT.org ~ the 4th row is all goodies from our wardrobe, NotCouture ~ and the final row is filled with delectable libations from Liqurious which reminds us that it is always happy hour on the internet? As usual click the pics to find out more… and if you find something that shouldn’t be missed, feel free to submit to the appropriate site!!! (Just click the little submit buttons on the top left under the logos!)

p.s.
it’s the notempire b/c its not an empire.

p.p.s.
oops oops oops on that pair of boots slipping in the bottom row, but i’m far too tired and must head to sleep instead of making the roundup all over again!

*notcot - 04.05.09 , 17:29 -

NOTCOT in Straits Times Top 50 Websites

dl090.jpg So amongst some of the family reasons i needed to be in Singapore suddenly last week… NOTCOT was featured in the Straits Times! I thought it was only a tiny article somewhere and possibly only digital, but when i arrived friends and family had saved me a few copies of this big pull out section - Digital Life - from the March 25th 2009 Straits Times of the Top 50 Websites!

See some pics of the actual pull out section on the next page ~ and when i get more unpacked will do some proper scans! It is truly one of the strangest top 50 lists for websites i’ve seen… but still immensely flattered to have made the cut!

p.s.
For you kiasu ones, please note “The sites on the following pages are numbered, but the numerals are for neat visual order and not to signal any order of merit.”

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*notcot - 03.04.09 , 01:54 -

NEW!!! NOTCOT.org Gallery

targettease.jpg NEW!!! Did you see it yet? I’m so giddy to share this new feature we’ve been crunching on ~ in fact, dan’s still working on getting things ready for NotCouture ~ but i can’t contain myself, so you can take a peek at NOTCOT.org while that gets going…

Did you find them yet? The dolls? We’ve tucked them in around the site ~ you never know exactly where they will pop up next~ and we’re so lucky that Target *gets* our playful side to sponsor the first instance of this new NOTCOT.org/NotCouture gallery! And where do they take you? Well you’ll have to click to find out…

Ok, well more to come on all of this in the morning perhaps ~ will let you play with it first!

p.s.
How awesome is the Target McQueen Collection? And the Blythe Dolls? SO fun to work on the last few days!

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*notcot - 01.21.09 , 21:00 -

Back from vacation…

back.jpg Back in LA! I must say it was nice to step outside of my world a bit and experience seeing/being amongst millions descending upon DC for such a historic event (and explore DC for the first time) this last week. I’m sure everyone walked away with something different from the experience, for me, a big one is that it was a nice and much needed head clearer! Anyhow, back in LA again, and wanted an excuse to post this random picture from the flight home.

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