Category: <span>Culture</span>

modern-artistsLast night Geoff mentioned that today perhaps we’d go get that camera I’ve been wanting for about a year and half (probably more) and my mind did the usual flip out about the cost. So we’ll see where the afternoon takes us as I force to recall to mind the small freelancing jobs that I’ve done that can contribute to lessening the wallet dent. It’s far too exciting. I would however like someone to explain Nikon lenses to me in great detail because I have a funny feeling that a kit lens won’t cut it forever.

There’s also the issue of distraction. I’m really good at the whole distraction thing and I’m hoping after the 4 or 5 episodes of Gilmore Girls last night that I’ve worked screen related procrastination out of my system. A camera would be a distraction.

As it goes, yesterday I put in a mammoth effort and completed my 2D animation rotoscope related brief and worked out that there are quite literally millons of ways you can put 3 very similar, relatively boring rotoscoped work together. It’s kind of quirky, I’m sure there are areas I could improve on and I’m really sick of listening to the ragtime soundtrack but it’s done and it’s something out of the way that is due on Thursday (and worth 50% of the subject).

What occupies my mind at present and is suffering from distraction is a group assignment for Managing Design – it’s a proposal based on the Future Melbourne project. I am doing the bulk of the actual writing (tasks divided up according to strengths) and we have a presentation on the draft on Tuesday. The problem is not in writing, but in sitting down for long enough to concentrate the words out of me.

The best technique thus far is taking the mac to a cafe and isolating myself from the internet. But as I’m still in my pyjama’s, that’s probably not the best option right at this moment.

Back to it.

image source

Coffee Culture Design Life Photography Uni

andy-warholThe Sayers guy has written a post on Andy Warhol – who is of some interest to me as a design student. To be honest, I’ve never really taken much intentional notice of him because pop-art is, well, pop-art, but this accidental ‘history lesson’ has proved rather intriguing. I’d be curious to know where Mark Sayers has pulled his info from, because at a guess the facts are contriversial. I’m fairly convinced that one of my lecturers might implode ever so slightly at the idea. Regardless, it is a very interesting take on an artist regarding influence in relation to one prophetic of the times. And that itself is probably a fact even the most jaded of beings cannot ignore. Warhol definitely made his mark.

Christianity Culture Design Post of the Day Uni

I came across Message in Hand today… the full website launches on the 18th but I am eternally getting the time difference between Australia and the US mixed up so lets just go with: soon.

The basic idea is that social justice messages/charities make themselves known on coffee sleeves (Those cardboard things around your cup that attempt to prevent burnage). The sleeves are a conversation starter, hence (hopefully) evoking change.

Now I love the idea, but to be situationally honest, the beautiful cafe culture of Melbourne, (Which is fine indeed), mightn’t be the best of venues for the application. Our Starbucks are closing by the dozen, Gloria Jeans do their own charity work and the majority of our ‘non-chain’, (Becuase we believe in non-chain coffee) cafe’s use cups that actually do the job already… or, you sit down and get a real glass with your latte.

That saying. HQ could use some help, although they may not want to cover up their delusional character filled labels. They could also use some help in the brewing department but that’s an entirely different story.

Regardless of the fact that I think the idea mightn’t float so well in this city of mine, I do like the concept and I may yet suggest it to my semi local ‘Kofi Bean’ because they would probably get behind something like this.

Also check out Junky Car Club. Get yourself out of debt, buy your car outright. We did. AND we only own one car between the two of us, it’s quite doable. Save the planet at the same time as your consumeristic butt.

Coffee Culture Social Justice

book9Mike Hogan and David Crowder’s book Everybody wants to go to Heaven but nobody wants to die was a lovely surprise. I found it randomly one day on sale (so bought it)- didn’t even know the man had written a book or two despite loving his music for quite a while.

It is a really interesting and honest look at death and grieving and place of the soul in current culture. Although personally having minimal actual musical interest, the speckled lot of bluegrass history added value to the theme and as history tends to be, was actually quite interesting.

I loved the book for it’s Pratchett style footnotes and humor – it’s candidity, and the beautiful sections of prose interspersed through the bulk of the text. It was a relatively easy read once I got used the unusual format and the small sections made it great for that ‘last few minutes before bed’ thing. The combo of personal story, theory, history, prose, IM thoughts and general wikipedia fun was really good mix for me personally, and I would go back and tackle it again sometime to probably get a lot more from it.

Besides all of the thumbs ups for what’s inside, if you don’t care and just want to judge it by it’s cover, by all means, go ahead. I reckon the cover is pretty fun itself.

Books Christianity Culture Humor

So I’ve let my eyes do a race scan through all the google reader items I’ve let lapse, so I have something finished before I hit the sack.

I think I may have swore once never to go to a nightclub, due to my expected passionate dislike of dancing, loud music and drunken fools (allow me some literary license), if you like that kind of thing you do, I don’t. But I blew it the other night at my sister-in-law’s hen’s night. Apart from the short adjorn to Club Retro (yes that’s right, an 80’s-90’s music nightclub) – which really wasn’t that bad because it is quite amusing watching drunk people (Can I admit that?) and it is fun watching people generally and making social observations/generalisations etc. I had a fantastic time. We hit the city in pink tshirts that bore a shocking pun with a less than conservative (yet convenient and relevant) message and made Neet do all kinds of risque dares. Her friends were fun. The food at Manchester Lane was lovely. The night was fine.

It does me good to throw away the comfort towel now and then.

Anita and Stu get married in two weeks. And this my friends is the only way my family is growing at the moment. If you hear otherwise, Paul has just bribed another child with a kitkat to spread rumours that I am pregnant. I am not.

Culture Life