Happy Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Festivus, New Year … Wherever you are, whatever year-end holiday you observe, Normal wishes you the best for 2020.

F Ron Miller is a VERY old friend with Ross McBride — going all the way back to high school. Both went on to study graphic design at the California Institute of the Arts. Ross then came to Japan, of course. Ron went to London for a few years, to study at the Royal College of Art, and then back to Los Angeles. There, he set up his own design practice where he’s been working ever since. (more…)

Two things about Japan: 1) It has a very long history. 2) It’s ruled by crazy zoning laws. These seem to be unrelated, but combined, they always remind me of the difference between living here and growing up in America. You can randomly pick any street to walk down anywhere in Japan, and find something interesting there. That’s because there is often a mixture of the ancient and the new wherever you are. (more…)