What's Up Wednesdays: Evolution of Change

We lead off this week’s collection of fun and insightful blog posts with Jeff Desjardins, who is back to his terrific infographic-making ways. This time, he takes a look at how the logos of some of our favorite companies have changed over time. The evolution of the Pepsi logo is particularly fascinating, because the current “wave” pattern is hardly random. Instead, the swirl design draws on everything from the Golden Ratio to the Earth’s magnetic fields.

On a humbler front that is arguably far more important, “Koala Mom” Bonnie Way has put together a tremendous list of ideas for encouraging family togetherness. It’s incredibly tempting to let the kids disappear into a world completely separate from the adults. Engage across the generations, even if only for a few minutes at a time, by asking foolish questions, playing mind-bending word games, or simply going for a walk together around the neighborhood.

Some may argue that race relations in the United States have not gotten worse; it’s only that the grotesque problems are now being seen. Despite being a person of color and having been a victim of racism myself, I cannot begin to truly understand what it’s like to be black in America. But Tshaka Armstrong does, writing at length about what it’s like living in the other America. Be forewarned. Tshaka isn’t afraid to use strong language. He is a #BigScaryBlackMan, after all.

Always on a quest to look so fresh and so clean, Bob Buskirk has given his blog a major design overhaul. The new theme is far more mobile-optimized than before and it comes packed with several new features. I particularly like the row of Instagram pictures he has in the footer, which is similar to what I do with my Flickr images except I have to say his looks much better. Beyond the Rhetoric is certainly overdue for a makeover. Any volunteers?

Finally, Amber-Lee Schneider explains how self-deprecating humor could be keeping you in a rut. I’ve always been of the school of thought that you should be able to laugh at yourself. It keeps you humble and life is already too serious as it is, but as Amber-Lee explains, self-deprecating humor can also stifle your ambitions. You will never eliminate your flaws if you insist they are “super cute.”