Lists. Lists. Lists. It’s that time of year and we’re not scared to contribute to the pool. For in many ways, in a world with an (over)abundance of accessible information, year-end-lists seem to an organized space for reflection. Kind of an… “Oh yeah, a lot has happened.” The good. The bad. The absurd. Each year, the Rule29 team complies a list of memorable moments via our team. Here is 2011′s.

Top 29 of 2011 (in no particular order)

1. Our (former) governor Blog-o gets sentenced to 14 years in prison.
2. Natural disasters devastate. Tsunami. Tornados. Earthquakes.
3. Kate Middleton allows young girls everywhere to continue dreaming.
4. Wall Street. Occupied.
5. Osama. Done. Obama. Up.
6. The world said goodbye to Steve Jobs.
7. The world didn’t end.
8. The world meets Siri.
9. Chicago gets Snowpocalypse’d.
10. We said goodbye to the Space Shuttle(s) (and @timmit watches at STS-133 – watch video).
11. R29 plays with wood type (at Hamilton).
12.  Justin Bieber cuts his hair.
13. Charlie Sheen wins. Popular culture loses.
14. Egypt revolts. Facebook/Twitter actually serve a purpose.
15.  John Galliano makes anti Semitic statements. Fired as head designer by Christian Dior
16.  We all get Life Kerned.
17. Terrance Malick comes out of hiding and graces us with “Tree of Life.”
18. R29 introduces GIVE. Stories Matter. Matters to You.
19. Cloud storage (finally) gets noticed.
20. R29 helps out at Turning Point with Grip & Faust.
21. Libya revolts. Gaddafi ousted.
22. Justin speaks at TEDx.
23. Alexander McQueens introduces us to “Savage Beauty” at the Met.
24.  Arcade Fire wins the Grammy’s. Indie fans stunned. Katy Perry fans ask “Arcade who?”
25.  Netflix believes themselves to be invisible. Gets put in their place.
26.  Joe Patterno exits Penn State. (Some) college fans realize there are more important things than football.
27.  AIGA Pivot. R29 helps design the “Perfect Pair“. For kicks.
28. Science progresses. Discovery of evidence of the Higgs Boson at CERN. Discovery of particles faster than the speed of light.
29.  Steve Buscemeyes.

What is on your list?

I’ll admit it…I’m a sucker for the end of the year. I love the concept of one thing ending and something fresh starting right around the corner. I make a list of things every year that I’m looking to change, be purposeful about, etc. And for the most part, I’m not too bad at following through on them. I think in life we all need to step out, make a change, pursue that dream, make a difference.

As most of you know, Rule29 tries to make some level of difference by being purposeful with our time and our impact – Africa, Story Telling, and  What Matters, to name a few. We strive to do our part and explore ways to pursue wonder and be aware. I hope, as a leader at Rule29 and a fellow creative, this is something that is not only making a difference outside our walls, but inside as well. To be transparent, though, in a lot of ways it’s easier to make changes at work. It’s just something we have built in to our day to day. But there are still some areas I feel I’m lacking… Read the rest of the entry >

One of the most often overlooked benefits of the holiday season is the plentiful of Christmas episodes our beloved sitcoms offer up each year. Some have failed, but plenty have offered up new lingo for our holiday cheer. Our office voted and here are some of our (more recent-ish) favorites, everything from this past week’s Modern Family (“Express Christmas”) to what is arguably the greatest Christmas, ahem… “Festivus” episode of all time. Enjoy. Read the rest of the entry >

There is a reason they call it Thanksgiving. It’s not about Turkey. It’s not about football. And it’s not about Black Friday Eve. Simply put, it’s about being thankful. And while the idea might seemed played, or even a bit cliche’ this time of year, there is something about the creating space to be thankful. To thank.

Historically, Thanksgiving is tied to the harvest. Our lives look different today. Our harvest is different.

If you read our previous post, you’ll know that the Rule29 team has been attempting to instill space to reflect on the things that matter. We’ve done this here. And we’ve decided to share a few below. All in all, we’d like to thank YOU for being a part of our lives, whether loosely, or closely. And for those who are on the closer side… can you guess who is thankful for what?

From Andy, Bob, Dawn, Justin, Kara (The Cheech), Katrina, Kerri, Sarah, Susan, and Tim (not in this order):

Read the rest of the entry >

It’s always been a dream to write a book. Honestly, though, I haven’t had much to say until I asked myself this question: “How do I live a life that fuels my work and work in a way that fuels my life?” I’ve been speaking about this idea, trying to figure it out, and working through trial and error until I came up with a “process” (or at least an outlook) that my good friends at Wiley felt was good enough to publish. Life Kerning is all about making small steps to get closer to that elusive work-life balance.

I really enjoy business/help books that are friendly and approachable, so I tried to tackle this issue head-on in a relaxed, “I’ve been there” manner. I share some tips from great friends and observations from speaking to a variety of people about this subject. I really wanted to challenge the notion that positive change can come only through a complete system overhaul. So, the book provides quick strategies to fine-tune specific areas of your life and career.

Wiley gave Rule29 the opportunity to create the whole package as well – the cover, a clean typeset style, and fresh illustrations for each chapter. These illustrations were custom geometric-style shape drawings that were set on a textured background to set the stage for an engaging read (special thanks to Kara “The Cheech” for working so hard on those with me). We also extended the style to a fun and simple website, facebook tab, and a video.

My biggest hope is that readers find some peace of mind mixed with inspiration topped with a fresh outlook on some things that can be completely overwhelming at times. I made this for you.

I hope you consider getting the book either physically or in ebook form from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or Books-A-Million. I look forward to your thoughts both good and bad; either way I hope you are awesome today.