"Any time you see signs or labels added to a device, it is an indication of bad design: a simple lock should not require instructions."
— Donald A. Norman

I think he sums it up quite beautifully, don't you? I've always been drawn to beautifully designed objects. But not just any beautifully designed objects, functional ones. For as long as I can remember, I've always hated things that just didn't 'feel' right. The quest to find the perfect teapot that didn't leak when attempting to pour a cup always made me feel like a total nerd. Not feeling comfortable in certain shops due to either poor lighting, poor layout or just plain old poor design made me think I was weird. When I went on to study design in college I was lucky enough to take a class on Ergonomics. Now I understood why certain things just didn't feel right to me! And there is a name for it! Ergonomics and Wayfinding! Okay, fine that was 2 words. But it was just so exciting to have someone explain why certain things just don't work properly and that there was a whole study devoted to the connection to humans and functional design.

There is a reason why people have favourite mugs or favourite pens. There is also a reason that some people don't even notice at all. I am happy that I'm one of those people that notices :)