So, it’s been almost a year since I posted a blog entry or even updated my site at all. Here are a few milestones that happened in the past year.

As many of you knew I was working for Sony Online Entertainment. Sony decided to start a new entity called Sony Media Software Systems, so some of us split from SOE to help be a part of getting this new company off the ground. I was honored to be chosen as part of this movement. Our new office is currently being built out in the Rancho Bernardo area so in the meantime, we are in a temporary spot in Carmel Mountain.

In more personal news, my trip to Italy led to last years New Year’s resolution ,overcoming my fear of paints, which was somewhat a success, as I feel pretty good about my 2008 collection. My friend Ryan Matthews of killingthemsoftly.com will be photographing them soon and at that point i’ll be adding them to the site so STAY TUNED.

My band Londons Falling has been going strong with Brant from 21 Rest/Spero Lumina joining us on drums, and Nick Rodney formerly of Split Second/Rx Drama joining us on bass. We are very excited about the newest music we’ve been writing and can’t wait to get another record done. We are aiming for this summer.

So i leave you with a poem about years end. (Oh yeah, i’ve been trying to write poetry also):

I slap the hand of time and watch myself spin out of control.
Second hand ticks, creeping.
Uncompromised advancement.
I’m burning out but still smoking.

Christmas trees piled high in a seatrain somewhere marks another year down.
Chalky hearts stamped with cheezy salutations mark another love chewed up and spit out.
Another shit brown crayon outlines a tiny hand in the shape of the flightless bird of thanks.
It seems i have lost sight of yet another low resolution new years solution.

UPDATE: I set up a site for Matt and his family so people can continue to support and donate towards his recovery: www.mateoruiz.com/blog

As many of you have heard by now, our dear friend Matt Ruiz was involved in a fatal car accident Friday, March 28, 2008. At this point we are patiently awaiting news of his recovery. I would just like to take a moment to express my love for Matty and his many accomplishments as a friend, a musician, and recording engineer. Matty recruited me into the first punk band I was ever in called Last Resort where we shared countless good times and started to make our mark as musicians in the Ramona community. After we split ways the band recruited a new guitarist and eventually evolved into RxDrama whos music I also hold closely to my heart. Knowing that Matty had such a deep love for music he went to school to become a recording engineer and before you knew it had started his own home studio (Majestic-Studios). In the past few years Matt has recorded demos and full lengths for Londons Falling, 4th Man in the Fire (formely 21Rest), The Trophy Life, Hand of Eris, and many others, all the while staying completely submersed in the tight-knit community of Ramona musicians and their off-shoots.

All I ask is that everyone take a moment to think about Matty and keep in your hearts through this difficult waiting period. I know Matty will be waking up any time now and humor us with his infectious laugh. We love you Matty.

It’s official, I am a quarter of a century old. But what better way to spend this otherwise depressing occasion then in Italia. That’s right, I was in Rome on my 25th this year. I took a trip with my colleagues and alum from Platt College San Diego. We went to Rome, Tivoli, Assisi, Florence, Verona, and Venice all in a weeks time. Although I have seen enough churches to last me a lifetime, I wouldn’t trade the experience for the world. Looking up at the cieling of the Sistine Chapel was a life changing experience as was peering up at the David’s massive….. hand, of course. Well now I am back in my dark cubicle, but at least I have my memories until I can return to my dream job as a gondala driver.

On another note, my band Londons Falling is back together. Yay. Back to my first love.

Hey everybody! Long time no talk. A lot has happened in my life since my last post. Sony Online Entertainment approached me with an offer I couldn’t refuse to join their web development team. Pretty exciting for lil’ ole me. The coolest part is that they found me through this site! So far it’s pretty cool, a lot of brilliant minds there to learn from.

On another note, I have been working day and night to finish up my last project from my old gig at FocalScape, eyemyart.com. It’s a social networking site (like myspace) but for artists. It’s finally done, well nothing is ever done, but enough for a release!!! Check it out!!

Could quintessentialdisc.com be my designer’s claim to fame? Haha. Jk. But here is yet another design site featuring the “Quintessential” design. Once again, I did not submit this site. Many thanks to my secret admirer.

Go check it out! www.Screenalicious.com

WOW. Someone must really love me. Ha. Tonight my friends, Chris Robinson and Ayush Saran, told me they saw QuintessentialDisc.com showcased on the homepage of CSSMania.com. Once again, I am not quite sure who done it, but I am both honored and flattered that someone liked the site design enough to submit it. Thanks (again) my secret admirer!

Go check it out! www.CSSMania.com

Tonight I went to visit CSSRemix.com for some inspiration and was pleasantly surprised to find QuintessentialDisc.com showcased on the homepage! Now I am not quite sure who done it, but I am both honored and flattered that someone liked the site design enough to submit it. Thanks whoever you are!

Go check it out! www.CSSRemix.com

I have been visiting LogoPond regularly for quite a while now to see whats goin on out there and maybe get inspired. But I finally created my own showcase profile. You can check it out here.

I try not to look too much while I am creating logos because I don’t want other peoples ideas interfering with my own originality, but it is always nice to check out the trends and see others solutions.

Finally! After 3 years of slaving away at school, I am done! Say hello to a more accomplished Travis Dahl. I now have a Bachelor of Science Degree in Media Arts. Friday was my last day at sweet old Platt College. I will miss all of the awesome friends I have made along the way but will try my best to stay in touch. Special thanks to Ed Boretz, Fred Winton, Malon Meredith, Tiziana d’Agostino, Marketa Hancova, and the rest of the staff at Platt. See you in the business world!

Now where’s my Mrs. Robinson?

UPDATE: TheDesignCoalition.com is now proudly powered by WordPress!

Maybe this should be on the links page instead, but I need everyone to know how incredible WordPress is. I have been using it pretty much exclusively for the recent sites I have been doing. It provides a great solution for clients who need to be able to update their sites themselves. I have grown to love it and now understand what everyone was trying to tell me when they told me to use it instead of blogger. If I ever get the time I plan to redo this site in WordPress. Until then…