While talking to my brother* the other day, I used the term “craft beer.” He grimaced and called me a snob. I started thinking a lot about his comment. Am I a snob? I then took an inventory of recent conversations that the man-friend and I have had with our friends and family.

A few recently discussed topics:

1. Craft beer and why it is better
2. Typography and what fonts not to use (Note: Comic Sans may only be used if you coach 3rd grade intramural basketball)
3. The term “good movie”

Okay, so when I say that we “discussed” these topics perhaps the more appropriate phrasing would be that we “lectured” our friends and family on these topics. We just can’t help ourselves! It makes us sad when people drink “triple hops brewed” Miller Lite** instead of fine-crafted ales from breweries like Yards, Troegs or Boaks. (Just discovered Boaks Brewery from NJ! Check out their delicious stout called Monster Mash immediately.)

I’ve personally argued many-a-time with friends over what constitutes a great movie. I really can’t stand it when people talk about a movie like this: “Well, I liked the movie except for the ending.” Well then you didn’t like it all that much. The ending of a movie is a pretty big deal, right? Come on! The reason a statement like that irritates me is that there are PLENTY of movies that are great all the way until the closing credits. So why should “500 Days of Summer” get a pass? (I thought that movie was pretty good until Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s character met another girl named “Autumn.” Insert snarky comment about why that is lame HERE.)

Both the man-friend and I have schooled our friends on what fonts NOT to use. Most people roll their eyes and someone always feels bad for Comic Sans. Luckily, the man-friend and I have each other and can live out our snobby existence together. And hopefully our friends realize that we do mean well and will continue to invite us to dinner parties and summer barbecues!

I made a fancy beer desktop wallpaper!

In honor of my snobbiness, I made this digital illustration and it’s available for download below in various sizes to use as your desktop wallpaper. So in conclusion… drink craft beer, use high-quality fonts, watch great movies and enjoy!

*My brother is (admittedly) a full-blown music snob, so who is he to call me out?

**Miller Lite often uses the phrase “triple hops brewed” in their advertisements. This irritates beer snobs like me because most beers are triple hops brewed (if not more)! No one cares Miller Lite. Congratulations on creating a beer-flavored water, now leave me alone!

Someone recently shared with me a really great story about a woman whose office was attached to her home and had a separate entrance. She would wake up each day, get dressed and “go to work.” She would walk out of her house, around the block back to her house and walk into the entrance of her office. When she was in her office, her priority was work. She would leave at 5 or 6 in the evening, walk around the block again (I assume in the opposite direction)and walk into the entrance of her home. After leaving the office, she was home and focused on her family.

I loved hearing this story and wanted to share it because it’s such a great strategy to keep your home office life and your home life organized and complete. My current office is the additional bedroom in the apartment I share with my man-friend and our bulldog Buckus. It’s nice to be able to wake up and walk right into my office in my pajamas with a cup of coffee. I also love that I can throw a load of laundry in the wash while taking a break from a design project or grading. (I’m an adjunct professor, remember?)

But it’s just as easy to get distracted by bad television in the next room as it is to throw that load of laundry in the wash! I feel that it’s important to give myself some “procrastination time” each day. I’ve actually been trying to juxtapose that time with working out! For example, I really like trashy reality TV – I can’t help myself. So my new trick has been to go to the gym at noon where I can work out while watching reruns of The Real Housewives of Orange County! I feel less slimy watching that crap at the gym and the drama helps me maintain a nice heart rate.

I’m also very hard on myself when I don’t get as much accomplished in a day as I know I can. I think anyone who is establishing or running a business knows this all too well. If only I could train Buckus (the bulldog) to evaluate my progress several times throughout the day. And on that note… back to work!

*The graphic above is a class case of creative procrastination. I spent an undisclosed amount of time working on a graphic of my bulldog to avoid more important things.