The Blank Slate: How Do You Stay Current?

Hello to the designers, graphic lovers and the Photoshop obsessed that frequent WeGraphics. My name is Nathan Brown, and I am the brand new WeGraphics blog editor. You may have seen me around or downloaded some of my Photoshop brushes from the Resources Department. If so, you already know a little bit about me, if not... all you need to know is that I'm obsessed with all things design and I'm extremely excited about all that is happening at WeGraphics. I've got some exciting stuff planned for the blog so be sure to stop by frequently and grab a bite of what's cookin'. I'd like to start off with a series of posts that I'm calling "The Blank Slate"... This is a term that I often use with clients who are asking for a design but don't have a clear vision of what they are asking for. So that's exactly what I would like to do with this series of posts. I'll propose an open topic for discussion, and then you (the reader) are invited to chime in on your thoughts and experiences. So let's get started. For the first round I'd love to know as a professional designer, student, or hobbyist... how do you stay current with design trends? In this day and age we, as designers, are inundated with tons of information, new styles, new trends, and inspiration from all corners of the web. Is it online tutorials, downloaded resources, video walk-throughs, blogs and articles, printed magazines or something completely different that keeps you current in the design world? Lets us know how you manage to take it all in, and how inspiration overload effects your design work.