Editor's Note

“I’m Mad as Hell and I’m Not Going to Take It Anymore!”

Editor-in-Chief Mark Kissling decides to have a little fun with our culture of complaining.

Published

2 years ago

March 1, 2022

Mark Kissling Signs of the Times March 2022 Issue

THE TITLE’S FAMOUS quote from the 1976 film Network seems to sum up how a lot of people are feeling these days about — everything. “People have lost their minds,” my wife often says after returning from errands. People also rail that they are “over” everything, from things out of their hands (the pandemic, winter weather) to things more in their control (hiring new employees).

So, we decided to try to have a little fun with our culture of complaining by offering “33 Things That Most Annoy Sign Pros.” The professionals who passed along their peccadillos torch everyone from customers with their crappy artwork and ridiculous expectations, to competitors engaged in a race to the bottom, to pusillanimous permitters, the public and even their own employees. Enjoy the read and if you think of a pet peeve not named, send it to editor@signsofthetimes.com.

“Press 1 to continue,” says the automated phone attendant in that voice that’s supposed to sound nice, but in fact only serves to tick people off. That’s why automated phone attendants (or bot chats) are the choice of nearly half of the Brain Squad who answered our recent survey’s One Quick Question: “When working with big corporations, what money-saving or money-making strategy annoys you most?” (see page 50).

We feel that if only people could have a little fun with what’s annoying them, they might be able to get over being over everything.

5 Smart Tips from This Issue

EMCs and digital displays come in various indoor and outdoor sizes to fit many markets. (Tech Products, p. 14)
Explore bent aluminum beyond channel letters with new takes on multi-angle legibility. (Out in Space, p. 20)
Conduct an honest appraisal of your own company’s branding before blaming clients for not trusting your ideas. (Dan Antonelli, p. 43)
Calculate the percentage of “small orders” your company made last year, and its percentage of your total sales. (Maggie Harlow, p. 44)
Create a model in your shop of any complex structure you are uncertain about installing instead of risking the install on site. (Dale Salamacha, p. 46)

Introducing the Sign Industry Podcast

The Sign Industry Podcast is a platform for every sign person out there — from the old-timers who bent neon and hand-lettered boats to those venturing into new technologies — we want to get their stories out for everyone to hear. Come join us and listen to stories, learn tricks or techniques, and get insights of what’s to come. We are the world’s second oldest profession. The folks who started the world’s oldest profession needed a sign.