Hey there, I'm Alex. I'm a designer in southeast Michigan that enjoys programming, screen printing, and riding my bike. I currently work as the Senior Web Designer for the University of Michigan College of Architecture and Urban Planning.

My favorite fortune cooke fortune ever says "There is no secret to success except hard work."

I keep it in my wallet.

My Portfolio

My Design Blog
Czechoslovakian stamp from an unknown date (1965 or 1966), featuring the Blue Underwing butterfly.

Czechoslovakian stamp from an unknown date (1965 or 1966), featuring the Blue Underwing butterfly.

Old going on older, laying on her favorite bed.Hasselblad 500 C/MFujifilm Velvia 10080mm Lens

Old going on older, laying on her favorite bed.

Hasselblad 500 C/M
Fujifilm Velvia 100
80mm Lens

Czechoslovakian stamp from 1966 with the words Komunistická strana Československa, meaning Communist Party of Czechoslovakia.  The word “sjezd” means convention or meeting or gathering.  So I’m guessing this stamp commemorated the 13 Meeting of the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia.
This stamp is the second of the 5 really interesting Czech stamps in the series, this being the first.  It’s intriguing seeing this iconography on these old stamps.  Little remnants of a bygone era, obviously not too bygone, as the USSR and the Cold War effectively dissolved in 1991.

Czechoslovakian stamp from 1966 with the words Komunistická strana Československa, meaning Communist Party of Czechoslovakia.  The word “sjezd” means convention or meeting or gathering.  So I’m guessing this stamp commemorated the 13 Meeting of the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia.

This stamp is the second of the 5 really interesting Czech stamps in the series, this being the first.  It’s intriguing seeing this iconography on these old stamps.  Little remnants of a bygone era, obviously not too bygone, as the USSR and the Cold War effectively dissolved in 1991.

Czechoslovakian stamp from 1965 with engraving of the town Lipník nad Bečvou.
I wonder why this stamp was commissioned.

Czechoslovakian stamp from 1965 with engraving of the town Lipník nad Bečvou.

I wonder why this stamp was commissioned.

Went away to Mackinaw Island with my girlfriend this weekend.  It was a great trip, cold as all hell though.  Came back from the island with fudge, a few spent rolls of 120 Velvia 100, and a nice cold/sinus infection.  There weren’t very many people which was really nice seeing as I dislike crowds of tourists, and a lot of shops were shut down for the season.

Really looking forward to taking her up when it’s warm next summer.

Why is it that computers tend to get smaller and smaller, watches seem to get bigger and more clunky?

Light leaks.Hasselblad 500 C/MKodak Portra 160vc80mm Lens

Light leaks.

Hasselblad 500 C/M
Kodak Portra 160vc
80mm Lens

Czechslovakian stamp from 1965 with an engraving of the town Frýdek-Místek.

Czechslovakian stamp from 1965 with an engraving of the town Frýdek-Místek.

Hasselblad 500 C/M
Kodak Portra 160vc
80mm Lens

Hasselblad 500 C/M
Kodak Portra 160vc
80mm Lens

peterbaker:
Locust Point, Ohio
Killer shot, Pete.

peterbaker:

Locust Point, Ohio

Killer shot, Pete.

Czech Stamp commemorating the 1966 European (Figure Skating) Championships in Bratislava.
If I had to guess, the figure skater on the stamp would be Ondrej Nepela, whom skated for Czechoslovakia and received bronze medals in 1966-68, and gold medals in 1969-1973, and a few Olympic gold medals here and there.
The more you know.__—* (^ that’s a shooting star)

Czech Stamp commemorating the 1966 European (Figure Skating) Championships in Bratislava.

If I had to guess, the figure skater on the stamp would be Ondrej Nepela, whom skated for Czechoslovakia and received bronze medals in 1966-68, and gold medals in 1969-1973, and a few Olympic gold medals here and there.

The more you know.
__—* 
(^ that’s a shooting star)

Hasselblad 500 C/MKodak Portra 160vc80mm Lens

Hasselblad 500 C/M
Kodak Portra 160vc
80mm Lens

pedal:
Mike and  Amanda are running an awesome Kickstarter campaign for their film and are honestly quite close to their goal. Please, if you check out their film and would like to offer support, maybe consider helping out in their campaign at krs.projectpedal.com.  Also, you can see their new kickstarter campaign video there or here (below).

pedal:

Mike and  Amanda are running an awesome Kickstarter campaign for their film and are honestly quite close to their goal. Please, if you check out their film and would like to offer support, maybe consider helping out in their campaign at krs.projectpedal.com. Also, you can see their new kickstarter campaign video there or here (below).
Another Czech stamp from the archives:
Following up the last Czech volleyball themed stamp is another volleyball themed stamp this time from two years later.  This stamp from 1966 commemorates the founding of the Volleyball World Cup in 1965.
The somewhat-art-deco somewhat-cubism illustration is interesting.  Again, check out the detail of the engraving work, great stuff.  The artwork and engraving on this stamp are attributed to a K. Pekarek and a B. Housa.  I couldn’t find any info on Pekarek but B. Housa is Bedrick Housa, whom apparently worked at the Czech Graphic Union as a graphic designer (perhaps?) and as a very talented engraver.

Another Czech stamp from the archives:

Following up the last Czech volleyball themed stamp is another volleyball themed stamp this time from two years later.  This stamp from 1966 commemorates the founding of the Volleyball World Cup in 1965.

The somewhat-art-deco somewhat-cubism illustration is interesting.  Again, check out the detail of the engraving work, great stuff.  The artwork and engraving on this stamp are attributed to a K. Pekarek and a B. Housa.  I couldn’t find any info on Pekarek but B. Housa is Bedrick Housa, whom apparently worked at the Czech Graphic Union as a graphic designer (perhaps?) and as a very talented engraver.

[Flash 9 is required to listen to audio.]

This is my second audio post featuring Joe Pug.  I just picked up his Nation of Heat EP on iTunes the other day, and man, I really love it.  The only thing bad I have to say about it is that it is too short.  It’s some great midwestern, singer-songwriter, folky music.

He actually has a free EP, In The Meantime, up on his website, with plans to release a full album in 2010.  I’m making my way though it right now and so far my feelings are that you’d be doing yourself a great favor in picking that up.

I’m heading up to Mackinaw Island in a few weeks, and I’m looking forward to playing Nation of Heat on my iPod while I take a slow bike around the island in the colder fall weather with all the fall colors in full swing.