Larry Nocella

Author: Larry Nocella

  • Dangerous Doings During Design! (A Warning For Graphic Designers — and really anyone)

    Dangerous Doings During Design! (A Warning For Graphic Designers — and really anyone)

    This is a cautionary tale for all you graphic designers out there. An anecdote and a solution.

    I was a graphic designer for a library. My first full-time job after I quit college. (That’s another story.)

    I was good with computers and had learned how to do graphics programs (anyone remember PageMaker and QuarkExpress?) so I landed a job printing pamphlets at a library for their events and whatnot.

    So, the time came when I had to design a pamphlet for a new garden atrium at the brand-new library. The county commissioners (local small-time politicians) had financed the whole project and I was told to list them on the back of the pamphlet as a way to thank them. Nothing unusual yet, right?

    My boss gave me the name of one of the commissioners, and I was told to call her and get a list of names of the pols who had contributed. No sweat. I typed the five or six names in (it wasn’t more than that) popped them onto the pamphlet and ran it off to the printer for one of our larger, higher-quality printing jobs for the gala event revealing the new building and garden. 

    A while later, I got a call from the head of the commissioners. The big one. The Commish. She said something like, “I intercepted your pamphlet at the printer and stopped them from printing it.”

    Huh? What? Why? And how did she know it was there?

    “The names on the pamphlet. Who gave you this list?” She barked over the phone. 

    Uh, I said… Politician X. (Not her real name.)

    The Commish explained: on the list of names, Politician X was at the top and Politician Y wasn’t. The Commish felt that there was some sort of intrigue going on where X (the one who had read me the list of names) was seeking to steal the shine of Y, who had actually done the bulk of the work on the new atrium garden thingy. The Commish continued to wonder aloud on the phone about all this internal drama crapola. All I could think was, I’m supposed to have those pamphlets ready ASAP and you’re screwing it up with your pettiness.  

    After much wrangling, the powers-that-be decided to list the names alphabetically by last name.

    Later at the gala event, Politician Y said hello to me, but her tone was cold. I may have been paranoid, but I couldn’t help but feel I was being accused of being a willing part of Politician X and her real or imagined conspiracy to put the names in certain order so as to… whatever. 

    Ever since then, when I design something with names, I put the names alphabetically. That is my lesson to designers, and really anyone. When there’s a list of names, be careful to list them alphabetically by last name. It’s an objective ordering scheme and it won’t be implied that you are a key part of some grand plot to list one person two or three spots ahead of another with the goal of utterly destroying their career. Or something.

    Good luck out there, designers!

    This was originally published on LinkedIn on 3 Feb 2023

  • Maximum Returns with Minimal Investment Using This Simple Trick

    Maximum Returns with Minimal Investment Using This Simple Trick

    Photo by Caleb Chen (@calebchen) on Unsplash (unsplash.com)

    I was proud of myself. I was doing a good deed. But before it was all over, there would be tears. What happened?

    Back before remote work, Stephanie (not her real name) was always bringing in snacks for the team. Every Thursday or Friday, we could count on a spread of goodies in the break room.

    She did it with such regularity and quiet dedication, we came to expect it. People tossed a halfhearted “Thanks,” her way as they ran to gobble the goodies. But eventually even that faded, and people silently ran to grab the snacks that magically appeared.

    But that one special day was different, because on the way to the office I had picked up a huge, sweet Starbucks drink. I was going to give it to Stephanie, as a concrete appreciation for her generosity.

    I set the drink on her desk.

    “Good morning, Stephanie. You always bring in treats for us, so I brought this for you.”

    …and she burst into tears.

    She wailed a little too. I panicked. The tears were coming so fast and loud, I was terrified that I had done something wrong. What had I missed? Perhaps her friend had been seriously injured by a rogue Frappaccino. Had my offering brought back terrible memories? Argh! Me and my stupid ideas.

    No, she finally clarified. She was just touched. Then she cried some more.

    What made it worse was that on the same day, our new manager was starting. She was patrolling the cube farm, getting to know us, and here I am standing next to a coworker, while that coworker is bawling her eyes out.

    “Stephanie, it’s okay. Please be quiet,” I said. But then I realized, that sounded ominous and creepy. My new manager kept looking over at us to see what the disturbance was. Fortunately, Stephanie got control of herself. She assured me the tears were happy tears.

    I start with the anecdote as but one example of this simple truth: People are starving for appreciation.

    Scratch that. Edit. People are not merely starving for appreciation. They are thirsting for it. Nearly dying for it. The zillion-dollar social media industry (including this site) is built primarily on an infinitely renewable resource: people’s need to be noticed and valued.

    All you have to do to satisfy that universal need, to get someone on your side, to make them happy, to make the world a better place, perhaps even accidentally bring them to tears of joy is show some gratitude.

    Say “Thanks.” That’s it. Completely free. Completely effortless. It’s well-known that showing gratitude makes you happy, too. Minimum investment, maximum impact. Even crypto-hype doesn’t live up to that kind of ROI.

    We humans want others to be amazed by us, even if what we do isn’t that amazing. We want others to say they’re jealous of us. Most of all, we want a little thanks.

    So do it. It’s free. Show appreciation. Show gratitude. It’s also useful because sometimes, for whatever reason, you will have nothing else to give, or you’ll be forbidden to give more.

    Not everyone agrees with me. I was once taking a management course and the trainer advised the opposite.

    “Never say thank you,” she said. “Never say thank you to someone for doing their job.”

    Fortunately, the class erupted in open revolt. A debate ensued. The consultant held her ground and the debate stalled. Agree to disagree.

    But to that anonymous trainer, I say, “Go ahead, never say thanks.” See how far that gets you. See how the people around you (in work, life, all other relationships) react. Watch as your competition — who does deign to say “thank you” as a matter of respect — motivates effortlessly while your team mopes.

    I can’t help but think that surely one of the other courses this alleged business expert offers is a lecture on how to improve morale. I’ll save you the time: say thank you.

    Even when someone does their job. Even when someone does what’s expected. Even when it’s not amazing.

    Of course, it’s not necessary. Of course, you don’t have to. But why not? It’s free. 100% free. It’s kind. It makes people feel good.

    You might even bring someone to tears of joy.

  • The Second Amendment Failed Its Biggest Test on January 6, 2021

    The Second Amendment Failed Its Biggest Test on January 6, 2021

    photo from Boston Public Library through Unsplash

    There was a moment at the start of the Ukraine war when I stumbled across a conservative U.S. website. The commenters there were stimulated by the recent story that Ukrainians had told a Russian Warship to “Go fuck yourself!” and were then killed. (It turned out the story was only partly true – the defiant Ukrainians were captured.)

    Someone on the forum asked a question: “If the United States was attacked by a foreign power, would you arm yourself and launch guerilla-style attacks like in Ukraine, or those in the movie Red Dawn?”

    There was a lot of “Hell yeah!” and the usual easy promises of exceptional courage. It’s a predictable response from too many gun enthusiasts when they consume sanitized war reports.

    It was a good time with lots of rah-rah going on. So of course, I had to step in and ruin the fun.

    I suggested to them that they already had their chance to defend our sacred freedoms: on January 6. When an angry mob attacked the capitol with intent to sabotage the counting of votes, the well-regulated militia that the second amendment promises never showed. Because it doesn’t exist.

    January 6 was a test for the 2A and its true-believers, and both failed completely. There was no organized militia that rode to the rescue to protect our freedom to vote.

    Further, and I can’t prove this, but my personal speculation is in the Venn diagram where one circle is “Participated in January 6” and the other is “Believes the 2A Protects Freedom” would show a lot of overlap.

    But back to the forum. I had stirred up a hornet’s nest with my question: “If you say you would defend our nation, why didn’t you rush to Washington, D.C. on January 6, 2021 when our freedoms came under attack?”

    “You voted for Biden,” said one, and in doing so, revealed himself and a lot more. He showed that he wasn’t about defending freedom. He was about defending HIS freedom – and only his. Big difference.

    By contrast, when I was working the voting polls, I helped anyone and everyone vote. I protected the RIGHT TO VOTE. I didn’t ask, “Who are you voting for?” and then say, “Oh I approve – you can vote.” Or “No, I don’t approve. You can’t vote.” etc.

    When Hilary Clinton lost in 2016, I was disappointed, but I accepted the outcome of the contest. When Donald Trump lost in 2020, this was not reciprocated – even in official circles. There’s another difference.

    The 2A allegedly provides for a means for the people to defend freedom, but it forgets that a lot of people don’t think about what freedom is. They defend their right to disagree — their right to live as they choose — but they don’t care about anyone else’s right to do the same.

    So where do we go from here? I think we start by assuring people that just because their candidate lost, they still have inalienable rights. Those cannot be altered by any candidate or president.

    Unfortunately, those rights currently include a right to as many firearms as you like, even if you aren’t part of a well-regulated militia, and even if you don’t rise up to defend freedom, and even if your definition of freedom is infantile (you get what you want, no one else does.)

    I’m critical of these folks I encountered on that forum, but let me share a kind word for them. The intent to defend freedom is a noble impulse, I’ll give them that. But that honorable goal has been hijacked and corrupted by gun mythology and a fantastical version of individualism, all in the service of selling more firearms.

    We have to remind them that to get freedom, you have to give it. Defending freedom doesn’t mean just looking out for your own. In means looking out for freedom as a whole.

  • Sinbad the Sailor, Barbara Bush, and Life Lessons

    Sinbad the Sailor, Barbara Bush, and Life Lessons

    My wife once worked at a mall where Barbara Bush was touring for a photo op. Yes, that Barbara Bush, matriarch of the American political dynasty. Wife of one president, mother of another. As you can tell, we Americans have a rich history of defying monarchies.

    Anyway, a friend of my wife, a guy who worked at a bakery, made Mrs. Bush a cookie, just for her. As she strolled through the mall on a practice run, he offered it to her.

    Mrs. Bush politely refused the cookie and said, “It looks delicious but they won’t let me have it.”

    There are different ways to interpret Mrs. Bush’s words.

    Maybe she genuinely didn’t want the cookie and didn’t want to hurt the man’s feelings.

    Or maybe, and I think more likely, because of her high-profile position, she was wise to refuse food from a stranger. It might be poisoned. The “They” who wouldn’t let her have it were her bodyguards and security team. Such is the life of the rich and powerful: full of distrust.

    I like this anecdote for its muted sadness and the wisdom it reveals.

    We working-class folk look at celebrity and riches with such envy. They seem to have everything. But there is so much they don’t have. We don’t see the price they pay for all that glitz.

    I’ve said it before. It’s worth repeating: Money has a cost.

    Gestures of small kindness are blocked for being too risky. Those around you can never be trusted, do they love you or do they love your influence? People fake their entire lives, all in the name of being near power and wealth. There is nothing some won’t do for riches.

    The life that looks great from the outside isn’t always so great. Less has a whole lot more.

    I first encountered this wisdom at the ending of the 1974 film The Golden Voyage of Sinbad. After Sinbad rescues the king and returns the crown to him instead of keeping it, his princess friend is perplexed.

    She asks him, “Sinbad, you gave away a whole kingdom, priceless treasure, why?”

    Sinbad mansplains: “I value freedom. A king is not truly free. Why, he’s even told who he must marry!” Clip here: https://youtu.be/7wi4kDiOlnY?t=72

    Cute, right? Good point, Sinbad. Now marry her!

    Sinbad the Sailor called it, back in the 70s, before Barbara Bush and the cookie incident.

    The truth hasn’t changed since then. If anything, it’s only gotten more true. There’s pros and cons to every position. You just need to appreciate where you are.

  • The Fight For Air Climb – Philadelphia 2023

    The Fight For Air Climb – Philadelphia 2023

    The Fight for Air Climb 2023 was a smashing success! Thank you to everyone who donated, those who cheered us on with words of support!

    I enjoy these fund-raising activities. It’s a chance to stay in shape while also doing greater good.

    This is one of the more difficult and brutal events. I can only keep pace up to the 10th floor, then I’m gassed. This isn’t like running or cycling, where maybe you can catch a break going downhill. Nothing happens, you make zero progress, unless you exert yourself. It’s short but tough. And the firefighters who blitz by with all their gear on? Impressive as (REDACTED).

    One year ago, at the same event, I was irritated. I had concluded that my time at my then-workplace should come to an end. (I always and still liked the people – well, most of them.) I poured my frustration into the climb.

    Now here we are a year later, marked by the same event, and I am enjoying my workplace. My career is great, and where I’m at is much better fit for me. Same view, different attitude. Weird thing. This year the climb was much easier.

    This climb I took a chance and wore my scooter helmet with GoPro camera. (If interested, follow my scootin’ adventures on TikTok as @scooter_bae). A few folks said I shouldn’t do that – it would be weird, but of course, that only made me want to do it more.

    The helmet and camera worked better than expected. I met someone who needed live race footage for a video they were making of the event, so he gave me his contact info and I sent him the videos. Another said, “I was going to do that, too. But I just didn’t.” I hope next year he does! I even snagged a cameo on the FFAC PHL Insta. Ha!

    Lesson for me as I compare FFAC 2022 to FFAC 2023. That picture from the top of Three Liberty Square from 2023 looks exactly like the picture I took in 2022. One year I was frustrated with my career, and one year I was loving it. But that view stayed the same. Same view, different attitude.

    Ups and downs come and go. I’ll have to remember that next time I’m frustrated. Until then, I’ll hang out here in the clouds.

  • Operation #AdoptAFoxViewer – Helping Fox News Viewers see facts

    Operation #AdoptAFoxViewer – Helping Fox News Viewers see facts

    As enjoyable as the Fox News lawsuit loss is, I’ve seen a lot of party-poopers crying that Fox viewers won’t learn about the message. To fix that, we should Adopt a Fox Viewer #AdoptAFoxViewer or adopt a Fox News forum.

    Your mission: Go any Fox News website or Social Media Forum and post a link to the news that Fox lost their lawsuit. Politely inform the people there that Fox is lying and that they recently paid 787 million because of it. It’s that simple. (Bonus points for including a link to an outlet they usually don’t like – which I guess is all of them – but I feel like PBS and NPR are best.)

    Let’s pierce the bubble together, and show there are real consequences for trying to sabotage our democracy. Maybe we’ll even wake up some minds to the clear and present danger that Fox News is to freedom in the process.

    Well Fox, you built your business on babying your audience, so don’t be sad that they acted like babies

    You can see in the image attached here where I did so. I wasn’t rude. I just told them the facts. You don’t even need to reply. Me? I can’t help myself. But it’s fine to just let them know they are being used and leave it at that.

    As for commentary on the case itself, it’s funny to me that Fox could trash our democracy and abuse its freedoms all day long, but the moment they infringed on another corporation – well then, there must be consequences for that! Shows where the real power and value is.

    Also it’s somewhat funny to me that allegedly grown adults (Fox viewers) are so frail and emotionally weak that when a news network told them the truth, they threatened to run to other networks that would lie to them. Well Fox, you built your business on babying your audience, so don’t be sad that they acted like babies and cost you 3/4 a bil.

    Regardless, have at it, my fellow citizens!

    Hello Fox News viewers! Did you know that Fox News lies to you regularly? They attempted to steal our freedom to vote with lies about the 2020 election? It’s all true but they won’t tell you that. Here’s a link to more information on it: https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/what-to-know-about-the-fox-news-defamation-lawsuit #FoxNewsLies #foxlawsuit #AdoptAFoxViewer