Last Monday afternoon I was told by my employer that they would be ending my contract in a few weeks due to budget restraints. Obviously I'm sad and a little unsure about the future, but I am confident that this is an opportunity for me to find something new that I love. And I don't only think that because my fortune cookie told me so.
I want to let you know why my posting may be a little sparse over the next few weeks. I'll be polishing and printing my resume during the time that I'd normally be looking for things to tell you about here. Wish me luck. Thanks for reading (Hi, Mom!) and I'll check in again soon.
I totally get why people say that Twitter is ridiculous. It's something that is not necessary to our survival and seems even more self-indulgent and vain than blogging. And with each entry only 140 characters or less, how could someone possibly pack meaningful information into a Twitter update?
And yet. I have found that people can be hilarious, companies have turned around PR nightmares, and (my favorite) I've discovered treasure troves of inspiration. And today that inspiration is a new online shop based in Sydney, Australia.
This curtain made of Kodachrome slides looks so cool, offers plenty of privacy, and filters the light beautifully. I think this would make one of my windows look amazing, but could also potentially make a room a bit dark and cave-like.
Even though Lisa and I were rushing to get to the movie on time (I leave my house late all the time. I'm trying to be better. Sorry, all of my friends, for my constant tardiness.) and had to sit separate from our friends and from each other (though congrats to the Salt Lake Film Center for having a packed house!), I'm so glad we went.
First of all, because of this guy's collection of radios:
But more importantly because I was inspired. Inspired that simplicity can be powerful, that advertising can change our world, that people like me (but smarter, more talented, more creative) at desks like mine (but bigger, or messier, or prettier, or cleaner, as the case may be) can make something beautiful or funny or meaningful or creative. And people will listen. And reminded that the most impactful work can come from people with passion and integrity.
I don't think this movie was perfect, but I think that its message was powerful: that advertising is more than pushing a product. It's easy to forget that fact when 95% of the advertising I see doesn't seem to try that hard. But there are people out there, people with giant bird nests in their offices or private concerts or walls covered in thumbtacks
who have the job every day to find something special about a product and about life and make that matter to the rest of us.
Or at least they can make something pretty that doesn't make us all (rightfully) fly into a blind rage.
Sadly, I found out about Nick Dewar when I heard that he had passed away. My condolences to his family and friends. On the bright side, the internet has made it possible for me to hear about someone and get to know their work even after they're gone. I like that.
Nick Dewar's illustrations are whimsical and smart. If you wonder how creative people do it, you might enjoy reading about his process here. I did.
Watching: Steve Jobs: How to Live Before You Die and Tom Shannon: The Painter and the Pendulum. Both inspiring. And of course, the Super Bowl. Lisa made some delicious beef sandwiches, the commercials were disappointing, then we watched Whip It and played a little Just Dance on the Wii.
Organizing: I've made and collected a lot of button pins. Now I know where they are. And I have plans for them.
Plotting: I have hundreds of matchbooks. There are a few ideas rolling around in my head of what to do with them, but I'm curious: what would you do with a blank matchbook?
If you're looking for Valentines, there are some cute ones over at The Spotted Sparrow. This collage artist pairs vintage imagery with 80s song lyrics.
I think they're amusing.
Plus they're ecofriendly, in case you're into that whole Earth-saving thing.
Below is the Harvard Commencement Speech by JK Rowling. She talks about fear of failure, humanity, and responsibility. It's a bit off-topic for this blog, but since I look for things that inspire me, I thought it appropriate to share.
I like commencement speeches because their only purpose is to inspire. They're not trying to convince you to spend money, or vying for your vote, or persuading you to do any one thing in particular. They each seem to have a simple message: Good job, now go do more. Working on a college degree is long, hard work. The dedication should be commended and recognized. But it is also only a starting off point. You are now armed with information and education. You understand where life comes from: history, mathematics, language, biology. Whatever you study, you come out with a piece of paper that says that you understand how something works. Now your job is to do something with that knowledge. Do more: find a way to share you knowledge, to build upon it, give back, go forward. I think I could use a commencement speech in each phase of my life, reminding me to reflect on what I've done, take a breath, then go and do more.
I don't want you to make a big fuss on Valentine's Day. Really, no box of chocolates or ridiculously large bouquet of flowers necessary. But if you're dying to give me some token of your affection, I would gladly accept this case/cover for my MacBook. It's called a Bookbook and I think it's lovely.
