I find myself buying more and more products online these days, and it’s not just because I spend the majority of my day in front of a computer. It really comes down to the better shopping experience I can have online. Web sites like Netflix, Amazon, iTunes, and others analyze my shopping habits, my likes and dislikes and then use that information to recommend products that I may have never found on my own. Smaller web sites like Threadless and product blogs (Product Dose & Apartment Therapy) can lead me to unique small quantity goods that are not available in my local area. Every now and then however, I encounter a truly great local business that picks up where the online shopping experience falls short. Green Apple books store in San Francisco’s Richmond district is one of these exceptional brick and motor stores. Without fail every time I’m in their store I overhear, the familiar sentiment, “I could spend all day in here”.

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I recently started reading Designing Interactions by Bill Moggridge, one of the founders of the influential product design firm IDEO. The book is a fascinating compilation of interviews and analysis of the best designed and most innovative digital products. It covers everything from the industrial design theories behind the original laptop to the interface design for Google’s search page and all in between.

In particular, I was struck by Monggridge’s definition of essential design skills that he stated early on it the book:

The core skills of design are synthesis, understanding people, and iterative prototyping.

- Bill Moggridge

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The latest edition of the soundtrack to my life has arrived. This edition spans two months and is headlined by the Ontario, Canada based band Bedouin Soundclash. I first heard their recent single “12:59 Lullaby ” while listening to one of my favorite podcasts produced by CBC3. Bedouin Soundclash is a mix of dub & roots reggae infused rocks sounds similar to the Clash. In less than a months time the three song EP I purchased has chalked up a double digit play count within my iTunes. A bit of a side tangent……I’m a huge fan of the “play count” stat within iTunes, I love to sort my music library by play count.

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