Tuesday, Day 1: Keynote. Peter Merholz Speaks with Don Norman Don Norman is a noted writer, speaker, designer, businessman, and professor. He is the author or co-author of fourteen books, including the seminal, The Design of Everyday Things, and the recently released, The Design of Future Things. In reviewing Don Norman's book, The Invisible Computer: Why Good Products Can Fail, the PC is So Complex, and Information Appliances Are the Answer, BusinessWeek called it "the bible of the 'post PC' thinking." His latest book, Emotional Design: Why We Love (or Hate) Everyday Things, marks the transition from usability to aesthetics and emphasizes a well-rounded, cohesive product that looks good, works well and gives pride to the owner. Don Norman is also the co-founder of the Nielsen Norman Group, an executive consulting firm that helps companies produce human-centered products and services; Professor at Northwestern University; Professor Emeritus of the University of California, San Diego; and co-director of Northwestern's Segal Design Institute. He has been Vice President of Apple Computer, an executive at Hewlett Packard, and President of the Learning Systems division of UNext. Don currently serves on several advisory boards, including Chicago's Institute of Design and Encyclopedia Britannica. He is also a fellow at numerous organizations, such as the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. Some of Don Norman's awards include the Benjamin Franklin Medal in Computer & Cognitive Science from the Franklin Institute (Philadelphia); honorary degrees from the University of Padova (Italy) and the Technical University of Delft (the Netherlands); the "Lifetime Achievement Award" from SIGCHI, the professional organization for Computer-Human Interaction; and the Mental Health award for contributions to Business from Psychology Today.

Sometimes smaller is nicer. I've decided to save art school for my graduate degree. So maybe I'll go to SCAD or a school abroad or Yale or.... who knows what tomorrow will bring. I like having the option to take business, biology, and psychology classes. Etc, etc I like everything. My foot feels much better! But I've had a headache for three days.. Figures. I feel better. Sorta. I realized the only difference between being nervous and excited is a difference in your belief of the final outcome. If you think the worst, for instance, you will be nervous. Physically, however, it's the same feeling as excited. So.. I'm going to think positively.