http://www.w3schools.com/

I'm learning some javascript! Woo! This site is really good - it has examples and you can try things out.

when my sister was small she couldn't say peacock so she called them teapots :D

Travelling

In preparation for Samsonite project, I'm thinking about travel. For now, my own everyday travelling to and from work.

To

Walking through the park, I see squirrels. Silence and peace, sometimes broken by my noisy head singing loudly inside. Train to Finsbury Park and tube to Leicester Square absorbed in a book. Weave down Charing Cross Road.

From

Walk down Charing Cross Road with a friend from work. Say Bye. Go down steps of Leicester Square tube. Anger descends. Strong desires to kick the back of peoples knees and push them down escalators. I just want to go home!!! Waiting waiting. Read all the way to Wood Green. And wait wait wait for a 329 bus. Read on bus. Walk home in dark and quiet. Pass the park. It's beautiful. Notice something new each day. Home.

I will be taking photos once I'm sorted out with camera :) That's my general everyday storyline for my journey. I want to note down the details, the beautiful things I notice. The stories I consume. I get shitloads of reading done. I get to read 2 hours a day. That's the good thing about public transport, I'm not driving!

Tord Boontje

Tord Boontje is obviously a big influence for me. I just got his book :) and it has made me feel happier about design. Good stuff. Especially this quote:

"I believe that if we see design as a way of shaping the future of our world, it should be as exciting and thrilling as a great film or book. At the same time, it should communicate not only who we are, but also how we would ideally like our world to be."

This is how I want to design.

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

Finally finished this. I was really enjoying this on a book loan from work, but then there was a stock take, so I only just got back to it. About 2 months later - and I wasn't fussed which possibly says something about it. It is good though. Its Germany World War 2, the story, narrated by death, of a young german girl who steals books, her relationship with her family and the jew they hide in their basement and how important words are. Being narrated by death feels gimmicky and the story doesn't quite ring true for me because of this. But the ending traumatised me and I cried. So it was good. And the mother, Rosa was such a good character. I love her. I like the book for her. She was a hard, angry, aggressive bitch but so full of love and tenderness :( sadness and weeping

More thoughts on contrast

It can be so hard to contrast things sometimes, I put things together and all I can see is similarity. Suppose there was a gothic cathedral and a skyscraper next to each other. Contrast of old and new. But they are both buildings. Ok, lets swap the skyscraper for a lion. Hmm the lion has a tawny brick like colour. And so on...though...skyscraper and lion works I think.

That said, I like lion and gothic cathedral best. And it does contrast. There's no need for complete contrast :)

I think what part of my problem has been is that I'm not happy with my story. It's boring and obviously moral based. And my last story was something I was really proud of and I haven't felt that at all with this story - I churned it out and stuck with it. The page above is the only page I'd say I liked. Storywise. The imagery is alright it's the story I hate. But I've gone so far down this theme now...and I tried reworking the story already. I'm not sure if I should continue for now, or just do a new story.

Contrast is essential :D

Life is contrast and about contrast. You can't have happy without sad. There's no beauty without ugly. No innocence without something to be innocent of. Putting opposites together emphasizes their qualities. And conveys more at once. Emotionally and physically. Yay!