What does magic have to do with landscape design? Actually, design is design. A well-constructed magic routine is like a well-written paragraph. The process of creating it is a design process. No, I don't think that is a stretch at all. I call this "design thinking." Scroll down in this post for a bit more on design thinking.
Well, I really wasn't going to do this, but my sister "outed" me in her e-newsletter! My underground hobby is magic. Not Harry Potter magic, but close-up magic. It's a bit geeky I guess, but I enjoy it. Anyway, last fall, the Conjurors Corner magic club, of which I'm a member, held its annual magic contest. I've never entered before, but thought I'd give it a shot. It aired a couple weeks ago on local cable TV. So here for your entertainment pleasure (?), is my performance.
There were 10 contestants, so 5 are featured in each show. Here is the complete show if you are into torture. The next 5 contestants should be on in August.
Sunday, July 15, 2007
Saturday, July 7, 2007
No One Asked Me
But when they do, I'll be ready.
There's a Whole Foods going up in my neighborhood. Never been to one. Seems to me they ought to sell only doughnuts, Cheerios, Swiss cheese, bagels and Funyuns. But no one asked me.
Words are powerful things, especially in their subtlety. Did that sentence just demonstrate itself? Choosing the right word, or the wrong one, can seriously affect the message you are trying to convey. In an industry where we often need to explain ourselves to our clientele, how we communicate is as important as what we say.
Consider how other professions describe themselves. A garbage man is a "sanitation worker." It's not about garbage; it's about cleanliness. A stewardess is a "flight attendant" and there, not to serve drinks, but for your safety. The mailman is a "letter carrier," and your waiter/waitress is a "food server." For many years now my wife, a busy stay-at-home mom, has been listed on our tax return as a "domestic engineer." That's not a joke.
How do you view your own profession? What words do you use to describe it? What words do you use when talking to a client? You might talk to co-workers about a "site," but to the site's owners, it's better to refer to the site as their "home." Below I've listed a few common terms and phrases used in our industry, along with recommended alternatives.
Of course I don't "go golfing" any more than I "go tennising." I play golf or play tennis. Off track I know, but same course. Okay, one more while I'm at it: Life insurance? Think about it. If it were called "death insurance" would anyone buy it?
Back on the industry, the connotations of the words we use to describe ourselves and what we do play a large part in how we are perceived. The landscape architecture profession is a perfect example. A significantly large proportion of LAs are neither in the landscape industry, nor are they architects. Many, understandably, get upset when asked the proverbial "brown spot on the lawn" question at cocktail parties. The profession of landscape architecture is broad, and many practitioners restore wetlands, design city centers, plan parks and public spaces. If you believe what you see in Landscape Architecture Magazine, there are many that specialize in what I call "land art." Is "landscape architect" really the best title for this broad profession? I don't think so. Land planner, land artist, land sculptor or landscape engineer may be better. Feel free to share any you can think of. My view is that much of the confusion, disagreement and misunderstanding in this industry stems from this ill-conceived title. But no one asked me.
Cliff Miller may be on to something. His design/build company is called P. Clifford Miller Landscape Artistry. Words are powerful things. Choose wisely.
P.S. If the words you use are in Spanish, or you want them to be, check out The Bilingual Connection. My sister, Jeanne Miller, teaches Spanish and English to industry professionals in the Denver area. Check it out.
P.P.S. This post is a follow up to this one. See also The Words We Use, and a follow up to it.
Please post comments! Incidentally, today is 07/07/07.
There's a Whole Foods going up in my neighborhood. Never been to one. Seems to me they ought to sell only doughnuts, Cheerios, Swiss cheese, bagels and Funyuns. But no one asked me.
Words are powerful things, especially in their subtlety. Did that sentence just demonstrate itself? Choosing the right word, or the wrong one, can seriously affect the message you are trying to convey. In an industry where we often need to explain ourselves to our clientele, how we communicate is as important as what we say.
Consider how other professions describe themselves. A garbage man is a "sanitation worker." It's not about garbage; it's about cleanliness. A stewardess is a "flight attendant" and there, not to serve drinks, but for your safety. The mailman is a "letter carrier," and your waiter/waitress is a "food server." For many years now my wife, a busy stay-at-home mom, has been listed on our tax return as a "domestic engineer." That's not a joke.
How do you view your own profession? What words do you use to describe it? What words do you use when talking to a client? You might talk to co-workers about a "site," but to the site's owners, it's better to refer to the site as their "home." Below I've listed a few common terms and phrases used in our industry, along with recommended alternatives.
| Common | Better |
| Landscaper | Landscape contractor, Landscape designer, Landscape architect, Landscape professional, ANYTHING but "landscaper"! |
| Bushes | Shrubs |
| Customer (someone you sell stuff to) | Client (someone you advise) |
| Dirt | Soil |
| Maintenance | Management or Plant Health Care |
| Employee | Team member |
| Sales call/Salesman | Consultation/Consultant |
| Decoration or "For interest" | Use design language, not "decorating" language |
Back on the industry, the connotations of the words we use to describe ourselves and what we do play a large part in how we are perceived. The landscape architecture profession is a perfect example. A significantly large proportion of LAs are neither in the landscape industry, nor are they architects. Many, understandably, get upset when asked the proverbial "brown spot on the lawn" question at cocktail parties. The profession of landscape architecture is broad, and many practitioners restore wetlands, design city centers, plan parks and public spaces. If you believe what you see in Landscape Architecture Magazine, there are many that specialize in what I call "land art." Is "landscape architect" really the best title for this broad profession? I don't think so. Land planner, land artist, land sculptor or landscape engineer may be better. Feel free to share any you can think of. My view is that much of the confusion, disagreement and misunderstanding in this industry stems from this ill-conceived title. But no one asked me.
Cliff Miller may be on to something. His design/build company is called P. Clifford Miller Landscape Artistry. Words are powerful things. Choose wisely.
P.S. If the words you use are in Spanish, or you want them to be, check out The Bilingual Connection. My sister, Jeanne Miller, teaches Spanish and English to industry professionals in the Denver area. Check it out.
P.P.S. This post is a follow up to this one. See also The Words We Use, and a follow up to it.
Please post comments! Incidentally, today is 07/07/07.
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