Set-tember energy ☁️

Seventeen hours in the air can feel like pressing the world’s longest pause button. I landed, went straight to see my grandpa, and he didn’t remember me.

It reminded me… if memory is slippery, what do we choose to set? Pace, boundaries, tools, priorities.

So this month is Set-tember → a gentle reset for creatives.

September has always felt like a natural checkpoint. Maybe it’s the back-to-school energy? I always find myself reaching for a new notebook this time of year.

For me, one of the small “sets” this month has been trying to include my parents more in the things I love — like running. I took my mom out for a short run around the park.

It wasn’t perfect (we stopped a few times to look at cats), but it felt special to share something that’s usually so solo for me.

It reminded me that setting intentions isn’t always about work or productivity, sometimes it’s about setting aside time for people you love.

☁️ news & trends

When sameness kills creativity
Designer Ryo Lu reminds us that every medium has its own physics, touch wants gestures, mouse wants clicks, keyboards want precision. When we force the same design language across all of them, things look consistent but feel lifeless. Amazing read!

Designing for TV, the underrated design class
Smashing Mag dives into the quirks of TV interface, from the “10-foot experience” (designing for distance) to why the D-pad still rules every remote. For designers, it’s a reminder that good work often comes from respecting constraints so interactions feel natural on the couch, not just in a screenshot

World record in… font spotting?
Turns out Guinness has a record for fastest font identification. A fun reminder that even our niche design skills can be celebrated. I also found a few font spotting games online: Typewar, I Shot the Serif!, or Kern Type — the most fun way to build font fluency!

🪐 launches & tools

Pinterest opens its first Thrift Shop
From now until September 26, Pinterest is running its first-ever on-platform thrift store, featuring vintage drops. For creatives, it shows how trends now start with individuals, not just big brands.

Copyright museum goes digital
The U.S. Copyright Office just launched a new searchable digital database going back as far as 1898, making it way easier for artists to trace rights and ownership history. Perfect for designers seeking historical inspo, visual research, or context for your next big idea.

Spotify adds DMs
Spotify just added DMs so you can chat about songs and podcasts without leaving the app. Early access is limited to people you’ve already shared playlists with. The bigger move: streaming apps are shifting from passive listening tools to social spaces for conversation.

🌼 Small sets for a creative reset

If September is about setting the tone, here are a few tiny prompts — the kind that actually make your week feel lighter

1.Set one intention → I like to ask, what do I want this week to feel like? For me, it’s usually calm but curious.

2.Set a boundary → Where will you say “no” so you have room to say “yes” to what matters?

3.Set your space → Sometimes it’s not about a full desk reset. Even just clearing the dish after I eat at the table or moving one random pile off my chair makes me want to sit down again.

4.Set a timer → 20 minutes of focused play is enough. Stop when it’s done.

5.Set it down → If something feels too heavy, shelve it for a day. Let the pause be part of the process.

Sending you a calm, decisive September. May your sets be small but powerful 💛

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Marisa | @meshtimes