Semester Project: Pushing Logo Design (Swirls)

So I am still pushing the logo designs. I wanted to tackle the swirl design, as it is really fun to work with. I tried to do different things, as well as the advice I received from critique and from the blog commentary. Taking the swirls away from the "i"s did not offend me, and I don't really need them either. So I can live with that for sure.

I wanted to try positioning the word "indie" more upright than slanted, as it was given as a suggestion. I was not 100% sold when it was suggested, as the logo was drawn at a slant. However, I wanted to give it a try, just to see if I will like it better. I am honest, I am still not feeling it, even after trying it twice in comparing with the others. The slant is really sticking to me to be honest. Almost like a book leaning against another, how it is positioned in a diagonal pose.

Now, the top middle and right designs almost look the same; however, if the dots over the "i"s are different in size. Somewhat hard to see, seeing I scaled it down in size. And after looking at both, I prefer the smaller dots than the ones in the middle. So the remainder of the other designs, I used the dots in the experimentation, just to see how they all relate.

I tried making the ascender turn to the left instead of the right, as another suggestion. Even made the ascender turn into another curl. After trying both, I was not sold in either way. It started to look like a serif "a" to me, where it just had a distorted look. I then tried to add the coffee cup in there, somehow. I'm just not feeling it either. I just feel like the coffee cup is fighting against the illustrative type, instead of helping. I want them to work together, but seeing them fight is making me play referree. And I hate that. So in my opinion, I would rather have them separate.

Now, if there are suggestions for this scenario, by all means, I am open to listen and willing to try. :) I don't know what else to try with the coffee cup and the type being on the same page.

And last, I tried putting the swirls in other places of the illustrative type. I know that the less swirls, the better. I wanted to push the stress to the point where I can definitely see why I shouldn't go there. It's something I am willing to risk, so that I may learn and understand. Finally, I took the swirl out altogether. Made the "d" look a bit more recognizable. Is the swirl missed? Thoughts?