I would say that I am the sort of person who is very focussed on the detail. I am always amazed when I go shopping with my best friend and she’ll find what she’s looking for (say, a new mascara), pick it up and buy it, just like that! Crazy woman. I need to carefully examine all those mascaras, compare packaging, pricing, reputation, then maybe buy one. To be fair, I can do this very quickly and almost indiscernibly, but I have to do it, whatever it is I am deciding on. I like to think though that I get a lot my joy out of that aforementioned mascara because of it.
Imagine then how my brain works when I am at work (graphic/web design) and have a million type faces to choose from and even more colours in the spectrum at my disposal. You’d think my head would explode with the permutation of choices available! Except, somehow it doesn’t. That over analysing and attention to detail is what makes things work. The difference between a design that works and one that doesn’t is often a tiny detail that can make all the difference; the kerning (letter spacing) in a headline, the combination of colours, the perceived hierarchy of elements on the page. I know when it’s wrong. I know when it’s right.
Unfortunately though, as well as having this obbsessive eye for detail, I also have a lazy streak, a streak that says ‘sod it, that’ll do’. This is the side that can be most frequently observed during house hold chores (don’t ever look under furniture to see if I’ve hoovered – I haven’t), during any sort of paperwork (shudder), and when I have to do any sort of HTML or CSS coding (that’s near enough – no one will notice).
These two voices sit one on each shoulder; detail, detail, detail on my right, laaaaaaazy on my left. Keeping the balance right makes me near enough normal I like to think, but just lately the lazy left side has dominated everything in my life. I haven’t felt in control, but now brain is getting annoyed with this totally laissez-faire attitude and wants to start taking pride in things again and being in control.
Hence two blog posts in one day!
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