I enjoyed this article in the NY Times about the sadness that you feel when your favorite restaurant closes. Every restaurant is a portal — a way to remember who you were and how things felt when you were, say, 19, or 27, or 35, but also to remember the particulars of a city, a neighborhood, a block. I started to think about the restaurants that I’ve loved that are no longer open.
Saw this hawk out on the Horseshoe today. I didn’t get a shot of it flying, but it had a massive wingspan.
The warning signs were there. Ten years ago, I wrote my first Twitterless article, followed by part 2 in 2017, part 3 in 2022, a “final” chapter in 2023 and an epilogue in 2024.1 My initial concerns were about Twitter’s financial shape, but after Musk took over, I quickly realized the new service wasn’t going to be for me, closed my accounts, and moved on. With the latest news about X, the service formerly known as Twitter, I don’t understand how anyone still has an account.
I was initially skeptical, but the more I play around with Canva Affinity, the more I like it.
I love how quickly I can prototype a typeface idea in Fontstruct.
Even though it rained earlier, we got out to Gather Columbia late this afternoon. Lots of great food options. Fun atmosphere. Another cool addition to Columbia.
As I move into working on my dissertation, it feels strange to not have a “class” this semester. It’s been a long time since I wasn’t reviewing syllabi at the start of a semester…
Each year, I set a theme for the year. Last year was incremental progress. I did write a lot during the year, and I released some new typefaces, but I wasn’t able to reach my health goals and organization is still something I want to continue to work on. For this year, I’m excited about a fresh start. I start an exciting new job (that’s really a completely different career). I’ve finished all of my Ph.
Farewell 2025.
One strange thing about Apple’s visual identity is that they allow logo variations that most brand managers would never approve. In the past, I’ve noted their environmental logo with a green leaf and their security logo that looks like a padlock. They have a gift logo that they use annually during the holidays and created a special logo for their opening of their Marina Sands store in Singapore. Today, I saw another couple of variations to add to my list from the Apple Japan web site as part of their New Year’s Celebration:
I’m watching the World Darts Championship on Peacock and I have so many questions. Apparently, they are currently doing a speed round, the crowd is wild, and a couple of spectators are dressed as Ronald McDonald.
Our travel plans for Christmas changed at the last minute, so Team Wertz took a day trip to the Isle of Palms and Charleston.
I was thinking this morning about goals and themes for 2026, but as I thought through my plans, I realized that 2026 is going to be a big year for me and my family. New job. I have a new job, and it’s a massive shift from what I’ve done for the last thirty years. I’m excited, but I have a lot to learn. Thankfully, I have a supportive team and I’m still at the university that I love.
I just made the move from an iPhone 12 Pro to an iPhone 17. Lots of advancements over the last 5 years.
Christmas morning.
Merry Christmas from Team Wertz.
The renovated Finlay Park in Columbia is gorgeous. They did such a great job with the update and it’s now such a vibrant space for the community. Love it.
A cubano at Indah Coffee.
Enjoyed Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery. 🍿
My last day in this job is tomorrow… my office is mostly packed up and I’m checking off the last few things off my to-do list. I’m realizing that on Monday, I start an entirely new job with an empty to-do list and an opportunity to rethink how I organize notes, track tasks, etc.