Celebrating, branding, and learning

We were honored to be a part of the Y Adventure Lab’s Volunteer and Partner Recognition event. The program celebrated the work of co-founder, Tony Schiller, who is retiring at the end of the year, and recognized individuals and companies who support the Y Adventure Lab team in some way. They were kind enough to recognize us for the creative work we do for them, our participation in helping them develop their brand, and our input into the development of new outdoor adventures. It was fun to see so much love in the room for a great organization doing good things for the community.

We are big fans of Adobe (like most creative shops), so we always pay attention when they make the headlines. Recently they acquired Figma who had been their competitor in the UI design space. And while a consolidation of this sort isn’t always good news, we’re hoping it will result in improvements to Adobe XD or even access to Figma through the Creative Cloud. This could mean faster design time and better collaboration tools for building fully realized versions of a design. On a side note, Sam is loving Figma’s brand refresh. If you’re into that kind of thing, you can check it out here.

Speaking of headlines, the annual Adobe MAX conference featured Kevin Hart as a keynote speaker. But our designers were more interested in the sessions on AI technology and new Photoshop features. Go figure.

After reinventing d.trio a few times, Megan would like to think she knows everything she needs to know to keep the agency humming along. But of course, that’s not the case. As a lifelong learner, she is always looking for ways to get smarter and better. So it was no surprise when she announced she was hiring an executive coach to help her clarify and hone her best role and skillsets for cat&tonic to prosper now and into the future. There was a time when she may have kept news of this nature to herself, but she believes it’s important for everyone, including herself, to accept that there’s always room for improvement, even later in their careers. She credits Brene Brown for giving all of us permission to be vulnerable and tell the world we’re not perfect.

Sometimes you want to go where everybody knows your name. Which is why many of us had become regulars at Darby’s Pub & Grill, conveniently located on the first floor of our building. But last week we had to say goodbye as the owners decided to sell the business and put up the CLOSED sign for good. It was the end of a fun era, and while we’re sad to see them go, we’re curious to see what the new owners will do with the place.

Megan said goodbye to another local icon, the Daisy Dillman Band, at their final concert ever. These talented folks have been playing together for 45 years and have been a staple in the Twin Cities music scene. They will run long in Megan’s memories.

Sam got into the Halloween spirit with a visit to the Minnesota Zoo for their annual Jack-o-Lantern Spectacular. This year’s theme was Night at the Library and the pumpkins did not disappoint.

On a warm fall day, Sheryl and family enjoyed the whimsical surprises scattered throughout the Fish Sunflowers field—a unicorn tea party, a giant teddy bear, tiny wigwams and tents, a piano, boat, treasure chest, a miniature rainbow bridge in honor the beloved pets we miss, and a special door. The visiting horses from a nearby farm topped off the feel-good factor.