If you had a chance to read any business news during the holidays, you probably saw several stories about retail spending being up significantly during Q4. Of course this could be new info to those of you with small children, because you were consumed by the eternal search for more AA batteries in the house, and styling parties for Silly Hair Dolls.

The David Fincher (of such films like "Seven") - has now directed ‘The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo’ one of the most deliciously anticipated remakes (from the European version) in some time. Why I'm even bringing this to your attention is from the design elements made up in the title sequence. Incredible. The cover of Led Zeppelin‘s ‘Immigrant Song’ was ably revamped by none other than Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross.

OK, so maybe not my LAST post for the year ;) So sue me, I won't shutup. So you open your package that you've so eagerly waited for and notice that it's broken. So upon review of your surveillance equipment you come across this little gem:

I know, I know, I know – I'm making your brain hurt. But not only is there a lot of stuff coming online in 2012, I also anticipate a big push into a lot of new technologies and behaviors. So without further ado, here's my final list of what to look for in the new year:

Hi. My name is Justice, and I'm FOMO. This means I have a "fear of missing out." This affliction causes me to be “cool hunting” at all times as I try to stay on top of what's breaking in creativity. Think of it like petting the cat in “Dune” to get the serum that will maintain my life. Stupid. Dear Lord, did I really just type that?

Here's a quick checklist presentation I like to show people when they work with me on creating a logo/identity or brand mark. It gives you a good sense of what you should be asking yourself and (often more importantly) what to be asking OF your design team or agency. Hope it helps.

Cloud computing services: This should come as no real revelation. Cloud computing and everything cloud-related will explode from here on out. I'm also going to make the assumption that my readership already knows about cloud computing. If not, go here and get your learning on.

The Future is Now! (I’m not saying it’s a great headline – but I needed to have something there or it makes me a little nuts ;) Anyone who ever sat down over a cup of coffee or bottle of wine with me knows I can wax philosophical over design and technology trends until your ears bleed. I LIVE for this shit, people! I’ve been grinding on a number of different items lately, and it’s time to put it all out there. I based some of these on my own gut feelings. I cited and referenced others, then supplemented with my own take on how "it" will affect us. What you read here is my own interpretation. I’m not engaging in product placement or service promotion, and my current employers influence none of this.

As I gear up for the new years prognostications I always find an amazing array of great thinking. JWT never ceases to impress me year-in and year-out. Please see the following presentation:

I'm torn. One side of me really understands why disenfranchised Americans coalesced under the banner of the Occupy movement. I’m proud of them for asking questions and exploiting the media to take advantage of the platform. I really am. The other shoe drops for me when I see nothing but the loudest, least eloquent protesters at center stage. Not to mention that the "movement" appears to be intolerant of discussion or even agreeing on its key desires. Where's the puritanical manifesto? - This intolerance of so many issues creates confusion, and doesn’t do the Occupy movement any favors.

My love affair with bicycles officially started about two years ago. Many of my friends are into cycling, and I owned several bikes in the past. But then the romance got hot and heavy, and I could no longer deny the attraction.

In a shocking turn of events today it was admitted to me by my wife, in a format that I can prove and archive, that I was right! Let's take a look.

If I was in a cartoon right now, steam would be hissing out of my ears while they blast like the “quitting time” whistle at a quarry. Because before sitting down to write this, I had a heated discussion with a colleague about how a client "envisions" handling website transactions.

Want to reintroduce a loved brand? Want to show the power of a simple idea? Want to create a world that people will love, explore and enjoy? AppShaker use augemented reality and National Geographic's brand to do just that – and I love it.

"Pulling a qwikster" – the act of a company returning to its previous way of doing something after making an ill-conceived decision and being slapped by innumerable denizens of the social media community. The decisions are usually an attempt to create more revenue without doing any real work. Even worse, these decisions sometimes kill beloved products or services that the company does not consider cost-effective.

Thoughts on the new creative elite and what to look for when shopping for your next family member.