According to Facebook, I started grad school seven years ago today. I finished my master’s degree in 2021, and have a single independent study and my dissertation left before I finish my PhD, hopefully in 2026. It’s been a long process – I feel like I’ve been a grad student forever – but I’m thankful for my wife, kids, friends and coworkers who have been incredibly patient with me on this seemingly endless journey.

My PhD research is on how people respond to logos. One factor for a successful rollout appears to be context. How will the logo be used? What’s the story behind the change? More context = better response. Neither Cracker Barrel nor MSNBC gave any real context. Here’s my published study on context.

Excited to see South Carolina switch from Under Armor to Nike next year.

Thanks Cracker Barrel and MSNBC! I needed some more recent logo backlashes for my dissertation.

My daughter and I are discussing the best fictional bands. And now, I’ve discovered Julie and the Phantoms and KPOP Demon Hunters. So what other fictional bands belong on my hypothetical list?

Working on a new typeface design that I started six years ago.

Modern cars have all the problems of a car, plus all the problems of a computer.

I love these moments when Team Wertz is all together. Getting all three kids together at the same time is getting tougher and tougher.

Went to campus. Got caught in a rain storm. Now sitting at my desk completely soaked…

I can’t think of a sports parallel to F1 summer break. In the middle of the season, they take 2 weeks off where NO ONE on the team can work. They can’t even send an email. Everyone gets a 2-week vacation by rule. (I wonder if social media teams schedule the posts that appear during break.)