I met up with a potential client yesterday and she excited showed me a site for her friend’s business that she really liked. As soon as she pulled up the site, I immediately recognized the Squarespace’s template. What did she like about the site? She loved the big photos, the sliding images and the photo parallax effect.

Even though I am getting tired of hearing Squarespace ads on every podcast as well as the hosts raving about it, I have to give Squarespace the credits for capturing its target audience: small mom and pops shops. My only worry is that all of these small business owners are wanting something like the Squarespace template without realizing that they are losing their own uniqueness. Don’t they want to standout rather than stand-in?

For just $8 a month, they could have a decent site even though it might look like 10 thousand other sites or they can paid designer a much higher price to create a unique experience for thier products and services. The choice is thiers.

• The ABCs of Typography: A Practical Guide by Sandra B. Ernest-Moriarty
• How the Page Matters by Bonnie Mak
• Illuminating Letters: Typography and Literary Interpretation edited by Paul C. Gutjahr and Megan L. Benton
• Legibility in Children’s Books: A Review of Research by Lynne Watts, J. Nisbett
• Principles of object-oriented JavaScript by Nicholas C. Zakas
• True to Type: An Autobiography of Ruari McLean by Ruari McLean
• Unjustified Texts: Perspectives on Typography by Robin Kinross

Cuối tuần này gia đình bé nhỏ của tôi sẽ qua Cali hội ngộ cùng đại gia đình bên vợ nên tôi chuẩn bị mốt số nhạc đem theo nghe. Cái playlist gồm có Miles Davis, Jimi Hendrix, Bob Dylan, Jay Z và một số đĩa Việt Nam gần đây. Tiện tay, tôi làm luôn một playlist nhạc nhanh gồm những bài dưới đây:

1. “In The Club” by Tuấn Hưng
2. “Độc Thoại” by Tuấn Hưng
3. “Cầu Vòng Khuyết” by Tuấn Hưng
4. “Vì Sao Anh Ơi” by Đan Kim
5. “Tình Xa Khuất” by Đan Kim
6. “Chia Tay Trong Mưa” by Đan Kim
7. “Tôi Đi Tìm Tôi” by Ưng Hoàng Phúc
8. “Cô Đơn Một Vì Sao” by Ưng Hoàng Phúc
9. Bạc Trắng Tình Đời Non-stop by Thanh Thảo

Even though e-books are on the rise, I still enjoy having a paper book on my hands, especially when I want to be completely disconnected from the digital world. Since I have become obsessed with reading and collecting books, I wanted to put together a library section of all the books I currently own. These books, ranging from typography to design & development to music to grammar and fiction, are my favorite. Most books I have read first from the library before buying them; therefore, these are the ones that I will be revisiting in the future. There are a few books that I still have yet to buy (the ones with the word “acquiring”). These books are still on my Amazon’s Wish List. So if you would like to buy me a book or two (for whatever reason I don’t know), I definitely appreciate it.

Dear Donny,
I am Bạch Yến. Today, I stumbled onto your blog at visualgui.com and read with great interest your comments on my new CD “Bạch Yến hát Tình Ca Lam Phương.” Your writings show that you have very profound appreciation for the music of Việt Nam, and in particular, great affinity for the music of Lam Phương. I am touched by your very flattering remarks about my new CD, and would like to express my sincere thanks.
With best regards,
Bạch Yến

Thank you, Cô.

Since I plowed through the summer reading list already, I now got a handful of books on typography.

• Alphabets to Order: The Literature of Nineteenth-Century Typefounders’ Specimens by Alastair Johnston
• Bruce Rogers: A Life in Letters, 1870-1957 by Joseph Blumenthal
• The Complete Typographer: A Manual for Designing with Type by Christopher Perfect
• An Introduction to the History of Printing Types by Geoffrey Dowding
• Printer’s Type in the Twentieth Century: Manufacturing And Design Methods by Richard Southall
• Twentieth Century Type Designers by Sebastian Carter
• Typographers on Type : an Illustrated Anthology from William Morris to the Present Day edited by Ruari McLean

Chasing after the kids in the morning. Watching some World Cup matches in the afternoon. Reading some typographic books at night. Listening to Bob Dylan in the wee hours. Eating shit load of food and drinking massive caffeine in between to stay awake. Sleeping is not even an option. Life is too short to sleep and sleep is the sibbling of death.

For two decades, Eric Meyer shared his CSS knowledge to the world. His clear technical writing taught us the skills we needed to make web site. Last year, Eric shared his daughter’s battle with cancer to the world. His thoughtful, courageous writing moved us to tears.

Rebecca lost her life to cancer when she just turned six. Being a father myself, I can’t even begin to imagine what Eric is going through, and yet he gives us a piece of his mind through his blog and his tweets. I could feel his love, grief and pain in every word he has written.

Today Rebecca will be buried. To celebrate Rebecca, I turned my site to purple, her favorite color. Rest in peace, sweet little girl.

(Updated)

• Type & Typography: Highlights From Matrix by John Randle, John Berry
• Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson
• 30 Years of Swiss Typographic Discourse in the Typografische Monatsblätter by Louise Paradis, Francois Rappo
• Typeface: Classic Typography for Contemporary Design by Tamye Riggs
• Designing Design by Kenya Hara
• Anatomy of a Typeface by Alexander Lawson
• White by Kenya Hara
• Letters of Credit: A View of Type Design by Walter Tracy
• Typographie: A Manual of Design by Emil Ruder
• What They Didn’t Teach You in Design School by Phil Cleaver
• Book Typography: A Designer’s Manual by Michael and Susan Wightman Mitchell

Had a relaxing week in North Carolina. Even though the vacation was short, I am grateful for the time spent with my love ones. We went to the beach a bit and ate a lot of food. I had a chance to read a book. Thanks to my in-laws for the wonderful moments we shared. I am now recharged for an excited project at work.