Way back in 2010, a client asked me to incorporate a Norman Rockwell image into a book cover design. In order to use the image, I was asked to secure the rights and that required me getting approval directly from Norman Rockwell’s grandson. So began the nerve-wracking process of writing Mr. Rockwell, and then re-reading my email about fifty thousand times before hitting send. Mr. Rockwell responded, but alas, with more questions for me. Once again writing a simple email was followed by endless proofreading before sending. Our correspondence went back and forth for weeks until at last, Mr. Rockwell’s approval arrived. All the time I spent double-checking my emails actually paid off!
You may think that my obsessive playing of Scrabble and Words with Friends is a waste of time. And I would probably agree! But one evening while working on the final version of a gala invitation, I found a word. Sure it was in small print and on the back panel, but it was apparent to those of us distracted by incorrect spelling. The word was: “adultehood.” Immediately, I alerted the client, removed the troublesome ‘e,’ and after the crisis was resolved, even won my Words With Friends game.
Also this week I was hired by a new client to design a small project due in 24-hours. Sleep, exercise, and socializing were sacrificed in order to meet the deadline. When my samples were presented, all of them were rejected in favor of a design done by a family member of the client. Okay. I’m still trying to figure out how those frantic 24-hours were time well spent…
But the senseless shooting in Arizona this weekend was a tragic reminder that truly no time is wasted because we are so lucky simply to have it at all.
