9/24/09:: Barely Survived

AAAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHA.

Satanic/crazed laugh necessary.

Here is the scoop.  This project was assigned two weeks ago.  We had to document every detail of our lives every day for 1 week and then create poster that expresses the data in an interesting and clear way.  I concocted this ridiculous idea of expressing quantities of activity through mass/volume, and thus began a series of some 4 or 5 all-nighters to create this piece of work--- against the recommendation of both my professor and peers via the first critique.

In the end, I turned out to be right, and I think it turned into a great piece.  The stress was monumental though, and it resulted in the apartment getting absolutely trashed and both Josh and I developing some sort of flu.  Yussss!

Josh was really helpful with a lot of things-- including my spout with the judgmental lumberjacks running the woodshop.  (Pricks!)

So, now my next great act will be completing an entire two-tier book + my hair salon identity on top of all my other homework (philosophy essay, film studies essay, 8 info design layouts, a book mock-up, sample spreads, research on the michigan light rail) by the end of this weekend.  Hold your applause until the end please.

6/3/9:: Design Fail and The Bachelor

Another day of lazing.  I got up around 1pm, and I walked my unshowered self to HMV on Princes Street to buy the new PWolf album that was released on June 1st.  After seeing him perform it live and hearing it on myspace, I had a pretty good idea of what to expect-- I'd already memorized most of the tracks.  Still, I am floored by how powerful it is.  Can't wait to get it home and listen to it in my car.  I know at first I had my doubts about this new super-produced sound, but now I can't get enough of it.  Favorites: Hard Times, The Sun is Often Out, The Bachelor, Count of Casualty.

It was another day of watching my phone for Andy's call and trying to ignore the turning of the calendar.  

In other news, I have a motion piece due on Friday-- a title sequence for a television show called Get A Move On... a program about people buying and selling homes/property.  Since I don't have any video equipment here, I did a solid effort on putting together a stop-motion piece.  I was gutted to find that after three hours of work, I had made something shit-awful.  The camera was bouncing, the composition was stink, and the flash murdered everything.  I really hope I'm able to relocate my design talent over the summer...

Regardless, I've decided to give up on it and find something better to do on Friday than go to the critique.  I feel guilty, but it's not being assessed, and I know it won't matter.  Every time I get myself worked up over a project here, I am furious to find that it means nothing.  I guess I'm used to the pummeling CCS always gives to half-assed effort.  Also, I'm still a bit miffed at ECA about how I was treated when I turned in my assessment work.  I'll just make sure to make Friday count in some other way.

Speaking of assessment though... I go to view the senior's degree show tomorrow, as well as get my final marks for the two terms.  Should be an interesting day to say the least... 

We are the makers of music.

We are the dreamers of dreams.

1/9/9 :: Chippy Sauce

You are looking at probably the most delicious thing I have eaten since my arrival-- fish and chips with chippy sauce!  Chippy sauce is this delightful brown salty sauce that makes everything taste better it seems.

Anyway, today was the critique of all of my classmates' exhibition work.  The critique itself was so timid compared to what we're used to.  They make helpful, polite suggestions, but there doesn't seem to be any harsh criticism about anything.  I was very surprised.  I had some suggestions and ideas for a few of the projects, but I decided it was probably best to keep my mouth shut-- they were personal projects, and I don't know anyone well enough to go telling them what I think of their work.  The work was interesting, but I was having a hard time understanding the concept.  There seemed to be this original idea, but then what form they applied the concept to, in many cases, seemed a bit unrelated?  I can just hear Michael or Sue in my head saying, "but why?"

Yesterday, for many reasons, was sort of a sad day for me.  I was feeling a bit hung over in the morning, and I was missing my friends very much.  Especially after being at one of their critiques, I found myself missing the comforts of CCS.  I've only been here a week, and I think I might die without Josh.  For most of the day, I wanted to rush home and call him, but I know that I can't with my awful phone.  Tomorrow is the party, and I am actually very nervous.  I hope I don't become a wallflower around all of these new people.

In the evening, I went out with Chris, which was nice.  We talked about music, and I got to feel a little bit more like myself.  After a few pubs, we got the infamous fish and chips and chatted on a bench for a while.  He's so very nice, but I feel terrible that he ends up being my tour guide.  I wish I could adjust and just be like a regular friend.  Being new here is novel, but it's not exactly the best feeling.  It makes me feel more out of place than I'd like to be.