I ran through Grand Central for the first time in months and headed the wrong way for the Shuttle. So, I cut across and went under the interior overpass. Looking up I see a huge tree made of television monitors with a variety of holiday themed illustrations looping. Quite nice !

Jenny loves to decorate for all holidays and seasons. Being that NYC apartment living doesn’t lend itself to large amounts of disposable space, the majority of our decorations are in Pennsylvania in storage.

So, what to do when you pick up a tree for Christmas? Well a quick look at our recyclying bin under the sink revealed plenty. Pictured above is a photo of the star on our tree. Originally, this was the lid of a disposable aluminum oven dish a friend brought by filled with cupcakes. No more cupcakes. Now see star … A grease pencil, the “toolbox” scissors, and a straight edge for bending. Viola!

Shotgun + Winchester + Flashlight + Zip Ties = Armadillo Repellent

Yeah, that’s right. Design isn’t always pretty. Many times function trumps form. Apparently, armadillos are primarily nocturnal. And according to my father, one armadillo can ruin a good yard costing him time, sweat and money. From the photo above, one can easily tell he had his fill with that nonsense.

Oh, and that’s a leather glove over the barrel of the shotgun. Just to make sure the dirt dobbers don’t try to make a home because that could get real messy!

moving forest from michael schoner on Vimeo.

NL Architects has created an amazing installation in Amsterdam called The Moving Forest. It consists of 100 trees planted in 100 shopping carts located in a busy urban area, which deliberately blocks pedestrians pathways. Amazing !!

For the week of Thanksgiving, we took a tour of the south altantic region. We landed in Northern Florida and spent a few days at the beach. Upon landing at a small, local airport and waiting for our bags, I looked up and saw this jewel. Yumm … Who wouldn’t want to eat here ?!!?

Seriously? Someone wrote a book about this subject? People read this? Its sad really.

So, a few months back Jenny and I were heading into the Garden State (New Jersey) to see Radiohead play in Liberty State Park, just off the island of Manhattan. While waiting for the NJ Path train, I noticed this phone on the platform. And what struck my attention was the simple fact that the same message needed to be communicated three different ways. I can only imagine how those three or more meetings went at the corporate office. “It just isn’t clear what the phone is for … How can we simplify the message?” And at some point there had to be some sort of approval process from a “higher-up.”

Personally, I believe the original message is clear enough … “Passenger Assistance Telephone.” What else needs to be said? Well apparently, plenty! I just love “Lift for Aid.” That’s great! What kind of “Aid” are we talking about here? The arrow really tops it off. As if there is anything else anywhere nearby that one might possibly be able to lift.

Do you want to purchase a bottle of mad Luchador wine? I wouldn’t know. I’m no wine expert. As a designer, I was instantly drawn to this bottle. No contest … It stood out among the adjacent competitors.

Many consumers make decisions at the point of purchase. Many unconscious. Trust me, it’s true. Big-box retailers have paid a pretty penny, many times over for market study after market study. We are an impressionable consumer.

In a time of financial crisis, consumers are using much less credit to make purchases. Therefore much less purchases across the board. What drives our collective unconscious during these times? And why doesn’t this drive stick with us in times of prosperity? We quickly forget our suffering.

Use what you’ve got! Came across a guy who is paralyzed from the waist down. And obviously has amazing balance. He “stands” upside down on one hand while playing a song on the harmonica.

Jen and I love the Mr. Softie !! It makes for a great treat on a hot summer day. And it makes for a cheap, sweet snack after dinner while we’re just meandering around. And last night, after leaving Sarah and Dave’s place we discovered the home of Mr. Softie. Awkwardly positioned between Brooklyn and Queens. It was definitely odd to walk up on 15 or so Mr. Softie trucks clustered together on a random street in Greenpoint, Brooklyn.