This is so cute!
I LEGO N.Y.
I LEGO NY too :D
I'm out.
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Thursday, January 22, 2009
By the Way...
I'm going to send in my application for the Best Job in the World sometime within the next two weeks!!!
I have to figure out a concept for it first, though.
I need to figure out how much "relevant experience" I have and how I can use it to my advantage.
Wish me luck!
(Getting paid to take care of Hamilton Island in Australia for 6 months?!? Doesn't sound like too bad of a deal to me!)
I'm out.
I have to figure out a concept for it first, though.
I need to figure out how much "relevant experience" I have and how I can use it to my advantage.
Wish me luck!
(Getting paid to take care of Hamilton Island in Australia for 6 months?!? Doesn't sound like too bad of a deal to me!)
I'm out.
Added Thought!
If I were to create an 18 in x 18 in board, how fun would it be if the table/pedestal/raised platform that it sat on was made out of soil?
-I don't know if it's physically possible, I do not have any idea how to engineer and take into consideration soil deteriorating and assembling such a structure.
But ideally, I love the concept.
Inspiration for such a profound thought:
I'm out.
-I don't know if it's physically possible, I do not have any idea how to engineer and take into consideration soil deteriorating and assembling such a structure.
But ideally, I love the concept.
Inspiration for such a profound thought:
I'm out.
Soil Game Project Musings
So for my new CFC 3 Class we have to create a game. We were given one word from Nature, since the class is nature-based. The word that I randomly selected was soil.
Therefore, I have to make a game about soil.
Therefore it will most likely be made out of soil.
What better material to make a game about soil out of other than soil?
There is none.
Soil it is.
So here's my thinking on creating a game about soil.
Soil is a game
First and foremost, this game has to be about the systems and processes that involve soil.
After a fair amount of research, I deduced that there are four main concepts and/or systems and/or processes that occur in soil that were the most striking to me.
1. Soil as a nutrient provider
2. Soil as an earth-shaper
3. Soil as a home
4. Soil is always changing- in a state of constant change
So how to create a game that is always changing?
-But even more than the roll of the dice and who you are playing with
-Probability vs. forced change
Soil is easily visible and easily obtainable as well. It can be acquired from a nursery or gardening store, but is found in abundance outside. The ground is made of soil.
Soil can be used to form the actual board (or playing surface, if you will) - even outside
Weather and the elements shape and change the playing surface- it's natural and can get broken down rather quickly
If outside, would face natural decomposition and weathering. If inside, how to make this change occur?
IDEA: Checkers board made out of soil
The main inspiration behind this idea is that the playing pieces in checkers are all the same rank- they are all of equal importance. Each of the checkers could have a seed encased in it- when it gets broken down, seeds will grow into plants, depending on the season.
Or better yet, the playing pieces could be actual plants- small African violets. The African violets would be easy to obtain and start growing-English Gardens constantly has African violets that need some attention and love. They also sell this product called Root Tone (I want to call it Rootner, but I haven't the slightest idea why) which is a growth hormone that encourages a plant to start growing roots out of a new cutting- can be from a bottom leaf. Thus, from one plant can come many. Which is quite resourceful, especially for an undertaking such as this where 24 plants need to be obtained. A couple of African Violets should suffice.
Added Rule to Playing: The winning piece, wherever it ends up, has to be planted there permanently. Over time, the game will naturally come to an end once there is a single piece left or one player has completely run out of pieces
Players would have to adapt during each successive game beyond the initial one to the new board. Thus, a new strategy has to be formed. New tactics would have to be employed in order to bring about victory.
With a planting, both players now have separate advantages and disadvantages. The player whose piece is permanently gone has one less piece to control. Both players have to adapt to the changing board- there will now be a permanent "dead spot" or "no play block". Additionally, if the piece has to be planted in one of the home rows, the opposing player has to deduce how best to reach the other side with his/her pieces in order to King your pieces.
Essentially, the same rules as a normal game of checkers are in place, except with the rule in regards to the planting at end of game.
Additional Considerations:
Size?
Distinctions between sides?
Designation as King?
Transportation?
*How Game will Reflect Four Key Concepts*
1. Soil as a nutrient provider
---The soil will be a nutrient provider for the plants that are being placed permanently
2. Soil as an earth-shaper
---Soil is easily moved, as will be during game by players. The relocation of the plants and of what happens to topsoil of the board when they are moved is the effect of the movement that takes place on a regular basis. Soil will be physically shaped into a board. Soil will be manipulated solely for the purpose of this game.
3. Soil as a home
---Home for bacteria, plants, insects, permanent home for plants
4. Soil is always changing- in a state of constant change
---Winning piece rule allows for a controllable state of change that can be easily observed during play.
In terms of size, I have to figure that out this weekend. I am thinking about an 9inx9in board, or if I decide to create a larger board, an 18inx18in board would be a good size as well.
:D
Class is just about over.
I'm out!
Therefore, I have to make a game about soil.
Therefore it will most likely be made out of soil.
What better material to make a game about soil out of other than soil?
There is none.
Soil it is.
So here's my thinking on creating a game about soil.
Soil is a game
First and foremost, this game has to be about the systems and processes that involve soil.
After a fair amount of research, I deduced that there are four main concepts and/or systems and/or processes that occur in soil that were the most striking to me.
1. Soil as a nutrient provider
2. Soil as an earth-shaper
3. Soil as a home
4. Soil is always changing- in a state of constant change
So how to create a game that is always changing?
-But even more than the roll of the dice and who you are playing with
-Probability vs. forced change
Soil is easily visible and easily obtainable as well. It can be acquired from a nursery or gardening store, but is found in abundance outside. The ground is made of soil.
Soil can be used to form the actual board (or playing surface, if you will) - even outside
Weather and the elements shape and change the playing surface- it's natural and can get broken down rather quickly
If outside, would face natural decomposition and weathering. If inside, how to make this change occur?
IDEA: Checkers board made out of soil
The main inspiration behind this idea is that the playing pieces in checkers are all the same rank- they are all of equal importance. Each of the checkers could have a seed encased in it- when it gets broken down, seeds will grow into plants, depending on the season.
Or better yet, the playing pieces could be actual plants- small African violets. The African violets would be easy to obtain and start growing-English Gardens constantly has African violets that need some attention and love. They also sell this product called Root Tone (I want to call it Rootner, but I haven't the slightest idea why) which is a growth hormone that encourages a plant to start growing roots out of a new cutting- can be from a bottom leaf. Thus, from one plant can come many. Which is quite resourceful, especially for an undertaking such as this where 24 plants need to be obtained. A couple of African Violets should suffice.
Added Rule to Playing: The winning piece, wherever it ends up, has to be planted there permanently. Over time, the game will naturally come to an end once there is a single piece left or one player has completely run out of pieces
Players would have to adapt during each successive game beyond the initial one to the new board. Thus, a new strategy has to be formed. New tactics would have to be employed in order to bring about victory.
With a planting, both players now have separate advantages and disadvantages. The player whose piece is permanently gone has one less piece to control. Both players have to adapt to the changing board- there will now be a permanent "dead spot" or "no play block". Additionally, if the piece has to be planted in one of the home rows, the opposing player has to deduce how best to reach the other side with his/her pieces in order to King your pieces.
Essentially, the same rules as a normal game of checkers are in place, except with the rule in regards to the planting at end of game.
Additional Considerations:
Size?
Distinctions between sides?
Designation as King?
Transportation?
*How Game will Reflect Four Key Concepts*
1. Soil as a nutrient provider
---The soil will be a nutrient provider for the plants that are being placed permanently
2. Soil as an earth-shaper
---Soil is easily moved, as will be during game by players. The relocation of the plants and of what happens to topsoil of the board when they are moved is the effect of the movement that takes place on a regular basis. Soil will be physically shaped into a board. Soil will be manipulated solely for the purpose of this game.
3. Soil as a home
---Home for bacteria, plants, insects, permanent home for plants
4. Soil is always changing- in a state of constant change
---Winning piece rule allows for a controllable state of change that can be easily observed during play.
In terms of size, I have to figure that out this weekend. I am thinking about an 9inx9in board, or if I decide to create a larger board, an 18inx18in board would be a good size as well.
:D
Class is just about over.
I'm out!
Thursday, January 1, 2009
Typealizer
Typealizer.com is a quick blog analyzer that shares what kind of person it believes the author is based on words used in his/her blog. It only takes a couple of seconds and it's fun.
According to Typealizer, when I'm writing this blog, my writing style is that of a Doer:
"The active and play-ful type. They are especially attuned to people and things around them and often full of energy, talking, joking and engaging in physical out-door activities.
The Doers are happiest with action-filled work which craves their full attention and focus. They might be very impulsive and more keen on starting something new than following it through. They might have a problem with sitting still or remaining inactive for any period of time. "
Thanks Typealizer!
If nothing else, it's entertaining!
I'm out.
--
Actually, this is only partially true. It seems that it only analyzes the words that are on your home page, not your archived posts. When I had my post max set to 3, I was a Doer, but when I had my post max set to all, it revealed that my writing style was more like the Mechanic, a mix of right and left-brained thoughts.
"The independent and problem-solving type. They are especially attuned to the demands of the moment are masters of responding to challenges that arise spontaneously. They generally prefer to think things out for themselves and often avoid inter-personal conflicts.
The Mechanics enjoy working together with other independent and highly skilled people and often like seek fun and action both in their work and personal life. They enjoy adventure and risk such as in driving race cars or working as policemen and firefighters. "
Good to know!
Either way, I'm happy. This is a fun way to waste my time while I'm working on a resume :D
According to Typealizer, when I'm writing this blog, my writing style is that of a Doer:
"The active and play-ful type. They are especially attuned to people and things around them and often full of energy, talking, joking and engaging in physical out-door activities.
The Doers are happiest with action-filled work which craves their full attention and focus. They might be very impulsive and more keen on starting something new than following it through. They might have a problem with sitting still or remaining inactive for any period of time. "
Thanks Typealizer!
If nothing else, it's entertaining!
I'm out.
--
Actually, this is only partially true. It seems that it only analyzes the words that are on your home page, not your archived posts. When I had my post max set to 3, I was a Doer, but when I had my post max set to all, it revealed that my writing style was more like the Mechanic, a mix of right and left-brained thoughts.
"The independent and problem-solving type. They are especially attuned to the demands of the moment are masters of responding to challenges that arise spontaneously. They generally prefer to think things out for themselves and often avoid inter-personal conflicts.
The Mechanics enjoy working together with other independent and highly skilled people and often like seek fun and action both in their work and personal life. They enjoy adventure and risk such as in driving race cars or working as policemen and firefighters. "
Good to know!
Either way, I'm happy. This is a fun way to waste my time while I'm working on a resume :D
By the By...
Oh, by the way,
Current National Debt as of January 1, 2009:
$10,559,439,057,228.62
And right now, you personally owe the government $34,557.75
Cheerio!
I'm out.
Current National Debt as of January 1, 2009:
$10,559,439,057,228.62
And right now, you personally owe the government $34,557.75
Cheerio!
I'm out.
Happy New Year?
So why do we all feel like this?
Like ripping out our insides to change ourselves just because it is a new year?
That we are supposed to change and alter our being strictly because it is January 1, 2009.
Bogus.
I have things I want to change in myself, but I have been trying to alter them since I discovered they were my faults.
Once again, the media suggests, "A New Year, A New You" (not a bad tagline since I just came up with that one)
Why can't every day be trying to make a "New You"?
That's what I know. Why can't we begin to rectify changes within ourselves as soon as we notice them? How come it takes a formal acknowledgment by society that we try to change ourselves? Group mentality? Everyone else is changing, so we should too?
I don't get it.
But that's not going to stop me from making the changes I need to make (to continue making them as opposed to begin to make them now since it's this "holiday" "celebration of sorts")
This day is just like every other day.
24 hours.
It's a Wednesday, for goodness' sake.
It's not an 8th day of the week or anything.
It is a normal day.
And I will treat it as such.
I'm out.
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
and i can't believe it.
This semester flew by.
...and I can't believe it.
Really, looking back on the last four months is a slightly depressing thing. I don't know what I accomplished. I learned a lot, but I sacrificed a lot in order to learn. The saddest thing to me is the friendships that were weakened...I know everyone was busy, but I feel like I didn't spend any time with my friends. I spent basically all of my time in my "world" of just trying to get everything done on time.
...and I can't believe it.
What's happening?
I don't know.
But for you, my friend, I will spend more time with you next semester. Really. And I have no night classes, ha! ;)
Have a fantastic break and especially these next two days. Have an awesome Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Revel in the spirit of the holiday and enjoy all the music!
I'm out.
...and I can't believe it.
Really, looking back on the last four months is a slightly depressing thing. I don't know what I accomplished. I learned a lot, but I sacrificed a lot in order to learn. The saddest thing to me is the friendships that were weakened...I know everyone was busy, but I feel like I didn't spend any time with my friends. I spent basically all of my time in my "world" of just trying to get everything done on time.
...and I can't believe it.
What's happening?
I don't know.
But for you, my friend, I will spend more time with you next semester. Really. And I have no night classes, ha! ;)
Have a fantastic break and especially these next two days. Have an awesome Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Revel in the spirit of the holiday and enjoy all the music!
I'm out.
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Monday, November 17, 2008
Words and Images Project...
I'm very proud of this one.
i think i'm hooked. i really like information design. explaining things so they make sense makes sense to me. i think i'm a pretty logical thinker, so i suppose this helps.
Okay.
So I made some more progress with my project. I really like where this is going, even though I only have three more weeks to work on it! But it's okay. It's all about the big picture, the vision. It's not necessarily about what product comes out of this class, but what I see in the long run. Which is perfect.
I feel like I've been slacking on my blog; it's true. I haven't really updated anything in a long time. I think that that mostly stems from the frustration I was having. I didn't know what I wanted to do. Now I do. I had a fascinating discovery today; a revelation.
I found an amazing website.
I googled "information design" and stumbled upon it. It is fantastic! It has many different examples of information design systems and their practical applications and/or uses.
From this website, I saw patterns firsthand that I was interested in, but tried to connect them to my project with no success. I had no idea how the use of such design systems could effectively convey all of the information I wish to say in my piece.
And then I saw the "Pearl Necklet".
And my mind started making connections.
It is perfect; the system I need.
The system I will use.
This is it.
Take a look!
Pearl Necklet
Fantastic!
It's like a subway map.
Different subway lines are different economies of different countries.
We are going somewhere-we are traveling along this economic rollercoaster. It's a form of transportation.
Other countries are being affected by us just as we are being affected by them.
This is why I like the idea of a pearl necklet: The different stops along the subway map, or country "line" are significant for a couple of reasons. The stops are points of convergence between the countries. These separate countries with their separate agendas. And yet they are all interconnected. Different happenings or events bring them together, they have similar "stops" at this point, when they are all interrelated. Though they are separate, they are similar at these meeting places.
What countries are we greatly affecting/are greatly affecting us?
*Iceland
*Russia
*China
*Who else? Do I need to relate any other countries at this time? In order to keep this as manageable as possible so I can actually have a somewhat completed project, it might be best just to leave them alone and just include the four of us
Some inspiration:
The DC Metro Is So Easy to Navigate
NYC MTA- Where I First Fell in Love With Public Transportation
My Favorite! An Interactive Paris
I Love Chicago
Chicago CTA Map:
Two Connected Fibonacci Spirals-I'm obsessed with the Fibonacci Spiral right now...
Washington DC Metrorail
NYC Subway
I'm kind of excited. I think that this project could take me months to complete, but I will try to get as much done in two weeks as possible!
:)
i think i'm hooked. i really like information design. explaining things so they make sense makes sense to me. i think i'm a pretty logical thinker, so i suppose this helps.
Okay.
So I made some more progress with my project. I really like where this is going, even though I only have three more weeks to work on it! But it's okay. It's all about the big picture, the vision. It's not necessarily about what product comes out of this class, but what I see in the long run. Which is perfect.
I feel like I've been slacking on my blog; it's true. I haven't really updated anything in a long time. I think that that mostly stems from the frustration I was having. I didn't know what I wanted to do. Now I do. I had a fascinating discovery today; a revelation.
I found an amazing website.
I googled "information design" and stumbled upon it. It is fantastic! It has many different examples of information design systems and their practical applications and/or uses.
From this website, I saw patterns firsthand that I was interested in, but tried to connect them to my project with no success. I had no idea how the use of such design systems could effectively convey all of the information I wish to say in my piece.
And then I saw the "Pearl Necklet".
And my mind started making connections.
It is perfect; the system I need.
The system I will use.
This is it.
Take a look!
Pearl Necklet
Fantastic!
It's like a subway map.
Different subway lines are different economies of different countries.
We are going somewhere-we are traveling along this economic rollercoaster. It's a form of transportation.
Other countries are being affected by us just as we are being affected by them.
This is why I like the idea of a pearl necklet: The different stops along the subway map, or country "line" are significant for a couple of reasons. The stops are points of convergence between the countries. These separate countries with their separate agendas. And yet they are all interconnected. Different happenings or events bring them together, they have similar "stops" at this point, when they are all interrelated. Though they are separate, they are similar at these meeting places.
What countries are we greatly affecting/are greatly affecting us?
*Iceland
*Russia
*China
*Who else? Do I need to relate any other countries at this time? In order to keep this as manageable as possible so I can actually have a somewhat completed project, it might be best just to leave them alone and just include the four of us
Some inspiration:
The DC Metro Is So Easy to Navigate
NYC MTA- Where I First Fell in Love With Public Transportation
My Favorite! An Interactive Paris
I Love Chicago
Chicago CTA Map:
Two Connected Fibonacci Spirals-I'm obsessed with the Fibonacci Spiral right now...
Washington DC Metrorail
NYC Subway
I'm kind of excited. I think that this project could take me months to complete, but I will try to get as much done in two weeks as possible!
:)
Monday, November 10, 2008
New Direction
My professor for my Words and Images class is amazing. Thylias Moss gave me some really fantastic advice just a minute ago that I think I should really apply to my own life right now.
She said, " Why do you have to know where you're going? Are you okay with not knowing where you will end up? You will end up somewhere. Just trust that you will end up somewhere."
This is so reassuring.
I'm trying to let the stress of internship-searching go away now. It'll sit on the back burner a bit, but as soon as first semester is over, I'll reevaluate and begin the attack.
Thylias, you have no idea how important those words are to me right at this minute.
I will trust that I will end up somewhere, and keep looking and opening my options.
I'm out.
She said, " Why do you have to know where you're going? Are you okay with not knowing where you will end up? You will end up somewhere. Just trust that you will end up somewhere."
This is so reassuring.
I'm trying to let the stress of internship-searching go away now. It'll sit on the back burner a bit, but as soon as first semester is over, I'll reevaluate and begin the attack.
Thylias, you have no idea how important those words are to me right at this minute.
I will trust that I will end up somewhere, and keep looking and opening my options.
I'm out.
My Favorite Shoe...By Shane and Shawn!
So Shane and Shawn have a shoe with my name on it.
Literally!
Introducing Jenn:
And you can look at it more here:
http://www.shaneandshawnstore.com/jenn.html
Totally love them.
So much!
I'm out!
Literally!
Introducing Jenn:
And you can look at it more here:
http://www.shaneandshawnstore.com/jenn.html
Totally love them.
So much!
I'm out!
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
a very busy buzzy bee
...that's me! :)
Let me quickly update you on my life since it has been a long while. I feel badly about this, but blogging has been the last thing on my mind lately.
I'll try to keep this organized by sections and topics.
INTERNSHIPS:
My internship search is progressing. I found this great program called the University of Dreams which I applied to last week? I think it was last week. It might have been the week before. Anyways, I was accepted into their program! The only catch is that I have to earn one of their full scholarships, which I applied for on Monday. Their program is so amazing. It's an 8 week program running from June 14-August 8 next summer...in Chicago! Their program provides housing through Loyola and helps you in so many ways to get a summer internships.
I actually just got off the phone with Kelly, who is my "Enrollment Advisor". I haven't officially enrolled in the program yet, because it requires a $500 deposit, which I don't have...the program as a whole costs $7000. That is a serious amount of money which again, I do not have since all my summer time is spent working at Oakland Hills (see first couple of posts...from July & August) to make money for school.
Anyways, they would help me get in as an intern to agencies in Chicago...it's funny. Killian & Co. was on their list. They were the branding agency that I had visited while I was in Chicago over fall break. They were awesome. I would love to work with them at their office. That would be fantastic. Anyways, I'll definitely be looking at other agencies as well, I'm going to broaden my horizons as soon as I can. This weekend would be a good time to start. :)
I also talked to Beth on the phone last night and she will be sending me a list of advertising agencies in Dallas that she knows are really solid agencies. So I will be contacting them about their internship programs as well. I would like to go down to Dallas. It would be really nice to be close to my grandparents, aunts, uncles & cousins. That would be great. So I'm looking into that as well.
I can't believe I'm thinking about summer already!
CLASSES
I am working on several awesome projects for a number of different classes. It's a little crazy just how many things I'm doing right now, but that's the life of a highly motivated art student!
For ADP, I'm working on three different projects. A group project, an individual research project and a project on my home. My group project will culminate in a green fair on December 7 from 12-3pm at the Matthaei Botanical Gardens in Ann Arbor. My three other group members and I are creating 12 booths based on four main themes: alternative energy sources, recycling, water conservation and buying locally. We have recruited and led a team with seven students in the School of Natural Resources and the Environment. They are helping us research and figure out what we are going to teach the children at our individual booths. Oh, the Green Fair is geared towards Ann Arbor elementary school children from grades 1-5, with a strong emphasis on 4&5th graders, since we are using the 4th grade state benchmarks as a starting place for our information.
My individual field research project is a part of this larger project. I have to go to a local organization and meet with someone and discuss alternative energy sources. I still have yet to do that, but I'm hoping to do that within the next week sometime.
My home project is going to be an interactive installation that is entirely 2D on the wall somewhere in the art school or in one of the student unions. I haven't figured out a location yet, but I am right now refining my design. It will be a sort of expanded timeline, with a jumble of icons and information. My current idea is that they will match through color coordination, yet the viewer will have to figure that out, since it will not be inherently obvious. The viewer is going to have to make many of the connections in this piece; thus, interactivity is necessary. I always like to do pieces about the viewing space. I think it is such an interesting part of things, to grab someone's attention, but demand that they come closer and get more involved in the piece because there is more information beyond the surface of things. So the icons will be large and the text will be a bit smaller. I have 2.5 weeks to do this piece. It is going to be quick. I'm a little worried since I'm still refining my design, but I am going to start it this weekend. :) I think I want to use printable vinyl which I can get for about $25 a roll, but I might need 2 rolls...I might just stick to paper and foam board. It has to look good, but I do not want it to look cheap.
For my CFC class, I am beginning to explore my stranger project a bit more. Initially I wanted to do an advertising campaign branching off of the ads I created for class a couple of weeks ago. The tagline on those was "Adopt A Grandparent". I might continue with that idea, but I think I can expand it more and delve deeper into the actual ideas within relationships between two people. The first round was quite basic; I'm looking to go much further with this set.
For my TMP class, I am creating a sound piece right now that will be finished on Tuesday. I am not sure at all where this one is going, but it is going to be a lot of work. I am glad that I have done sound editing for videos and music before. That will help me to finish this efficiently. Who knows? I hope I like it at the end. It should be good with the sound bites I selected.
For my Words and Images class I am going to start designing graphics that relate the different countries in the world crisis to each other. I wanted originally to create a website for this class, but I do not know if that will be the best use of all my information I have. For this project I am still not quite sure where I am going with it.
Portfolio:
The President of UM AAF, who is totally awesome and in my W&I class, gave me this awesome book on preparing your portfolio. It is now going to be like a Bible for me. Not THE BIBLE, of course, but this book is fantastic and is giving me a lot of really awesome ideas already! :)
The end. I'm crazy. Also I'm working on Saturday during the day at A&D doing tours for the kids who are getting their portfolios reviewed and answering their questions and such. Hopefully I can get some homework done too! I'll be there from 9-3/4ish...yay for money!
Right now, I'm going back "home" to my room. I have to get some work done before I call it a night.
I'm out.
Let me quickly update you on my life since it has been a long while. I feel badly about this, but blogging has been the last thing on my mind lately.
I'll try to keep this organized by sections and topics.
INTERNSHIPS:
My internship search is progressing. I found this great program called the University of Dreams which I applied to last week? I think it was last week. It might have been the week before. Anyways, I was accepted into their program! The only catch is that I have to earn one of their full scholarships, which I applied for on Monday. Their program is so amazing. It's an 8 week program running from June 14-August 8 next summer...in Chicago! Their program provides housing through Loyola and helps you in so many ways to get a summer internships.
I actually just got off the phone with Kelly, who is my "Enrollment Advisor". I haven't officially enrolled in the program yet, because it requires a $500 deposit, which I don't have...the program as a whole costs $7000. That is a serious amount of money which again, I do not have since all my summer time is spent working at Oakland Hills (see first couple of posts...from July & August) to make money for school.
Anyways, they would help me get in as an intern to agencies in Chicago...it's funny. Killian & Co. was on their list. They were the branding agency that I had visited while I was in Chicago over fall break. They were awesome. I would love to work with them at their office. That would be fantastic. Anyways, I'll definitely be looking at other agencies as well, I'm going to broaden my horizons as soon as I can. This weekend would be a good time to start. :)
I also talked to Beth on the phone last night and she will be sending me a list of advertising agencies in Dallas that she knows are really solid agencies. So I will be contacting them about their internship programs as well. I would like to go down to Dallas. It would be really nice to be close to my grandparents, aunts, uncles & cousins. That would be great. So I'm looking into that as well.
I can't believe I'm thinking about summer already!
CLASSES
I am working on several awesome projects for a number of different classes. It's a little crazy just how many things I'm doing right now, but that's the life of a highly motivated art student!
For ADP, I'm working on three different projects. A group project, an individual research project and a project on my home. My group project will culminate in a green fair on December 7 from 12-3pm at the Matthaei Botanical Gardens in Ann Arbor. My three other group members and I are creating 12 booths based on four main themes: alternative energy sources, recycling, water conservation and buying locally. We have recruited and led a team with seven students in the School of Natural Resources and the Environment. They are helping us research and figure out what we are going to teach the children at our individual booths. Oh, the Green Fair is geared towards Ann Arbor elementary school children from grades 1-5, with a strong emphasis on 4&5th graders, since we are using the 4th grade state benchmarks as a starting place for our information.
My individual field research project is a part of this larger project. I have to go to a local organization and meet with someone and discuss alternative energy sources. I still have yet to do that, but I'm hoping to do that within the next week sometime.
My home project is going to be an interactive installation that is entirely 2D on the wall somewhere in the art school or in one of the student unions. I haven't figured out a location yet, but I am right now refining my design. It will be a sort of expanded timeline, with a jumble of icons and information. My current idea is that they will match through color coordination, yet the viewer will have to figure that out, since it will not be inherently obvious. The viewer is going to have to make many of the connections in this piece; thus, interactivity is necessary. I always like to do pieces about the viewing space. I think it is such an interesting part of things, to grab someone's attention, but demand that they come closer and get more involved in the piece because there is more information beyond the surface of things. So the icons will be large and the text will be a bit smaller. I have 2.5 weeks to do this piece. It is going to be quick. I'm a little worried since I'm still refining my design, but I am going to start it this weekend. :) I think I want to use printable vinyl which I can get for about $25 a roll, but I might need 2 rolls...I might just stick to paper and foam board. It has to look good, but I do not want it to look cheap.
For my CFC class, I am beginning to explore my stranger project a bit more. Initially I wanted to do an advertising campaign branching off of the ads I created for class a couple of weeks ago. The tagline on those was "Adopt A Grandparent". I might continue with that idea, but I think I can expand it more and delve deeper into the actual ideas within relationships between two people. The first round was quite basic; I'm looking to go much further with this set.
For my TMP class, I am creating a sound piece right now that will be finished on Tuesday. I am not sure at all where this one is going, but it is going to be a lot of work. I am glad that I have done sound editing for videos and music before. That will help me to finish this efficiently. Who knows? I hope I like it at the end. It should be good with the sound bites I selected.
For my Words and Images class I am going to start designing graphics that relate the different countries in the world crisis to each other. I wanted originally to create a website for this class, but I do not know if that will be the best use of all my information I have. For this project I am still not quite sure where I am going with it.
Portfolio:
The President of UM AAF, who is totally awesome and in my W&I class, gave me this awesome book on preparing your portfolio. It is now going to be like a Bible for me. Not THE BIBLE, of course, but this book is fantastic and is giving me a lot of really awesome ideas already! :)
The end. I'm crazy. Also I'm working on Saturday during the day at A&D doing tours for the kids who are getting their portfolios reviewed and answering their questions and such. Hopefully I can get some homework done too! I'll be there from 9-3/4ish...yay for money!
Right now, I'm going back "home" to my room. I have to get some work done before I call it a night.
I'm out.
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
TMP 3 Storytelling Website Ideas
So for my TMP 3 class, we are exploring the idea of storytelling through a website.
Guidelines: Website must have 10 pages, must tell story, must involve thoughts about memory
Idea: To tell the story about Anygirl leaving the school restroom with toilet paper stuck to her shoe and the encounters she has with others along the way to class either directly or indirectly. The main idea is to tell the story from the perspectives of all parties involved, including the viewer. The ideal time span for this story is from the moment it happens, with numerous "short-term" recollections through a number of "long-term" recollections. Short term being anything from five minutes to two weeks later, and long term being a month later to 100 years later.
How to appropriately tell story: Through a viewer-guided sense of time. Present multiple options for the viewer to choose and tell the story. Choices/interfaces such as a timeline(picking certain events in or out of order), linear retelling (like flipping pages of a book), through a spatial designation (purely location and individually based where you can select a room/location and the individual within that location)...could there exist a possibility to organize the memories as thought-topic based as well?
I want to explore the idea of how a single event impacts each observer/viewer/passerby and how each individual has a completely different way of retelling/recalling the event. Especially the fact that details just "disappear" and people "forget" or "block out" what really happened down the road. A single event cannot be perfectly retold simply from putting together people's perspectives-there are too many discrepancies, not only immediately when the event happens, but quite quickly, the story starts crumbling and distorting to the point where no one is absolutely sure of all the details. So the telling of both the short-term and long-term story lines is necessary to accurately explore my thoughts on memory and perception.
Questions to address: How does a single event affect all onlookers in a different way?
What are the short term effects (memories)?
What is remembered (not remembered) immediately? 5 min later? 1 hour later? next day? 2 weeks later?
What are the long term effects (memories)?
What is remembered (not remembered) after time passes? 1 month later? 1 year later? 10 years later (decade)? 100 years later?
What information is retold, what is ignored/blocked out?
How does each person choose what he/she remembers?
Does the specific chain of events get altered? How? By how much?
Is this based purely on who the individual is, or are there certain things remembered by the "group"?
Do a number of people jumble and retell the jumbled information similarly (unknowingly?)?
What details about the place, people, thing, event are highlighted/strongly remembered?
Like the color of shirt, flyer on bulletin board, etc...is there anything "notable" about this particular event/retelling?
Some interesting websites that will help me formulate my telling methods that I've found are Storytelling-Nicolosi , E-Ville Dialogues , In Spring it is the Dawn (this is a fascinating blog/series of blogs), and NY Times Magnolia Plantation . These three sites are all sites where interactive storytelling takes place. Also, I have to read this excerpt by Borges called Forking Path
for class next week.
Class is pretty much over. I'm out!
Sunday, October 12, 2008
While My Eyes are Unaware
So I have been having a small problem lately.
My problem is that I feel too controlled by the external influences in my life. Particularly schoolwork. Assignments, projects.
I love being creative; I do. Very much so, in fact. But I feel that it is extremely difficult to complete tasks or projects that I know are necessary for the advancement of my portfolio. Learning and acquiring the necessary skills for this to occur is difficult due to the long hours I commit to completing projects and assignments that will not be beneficial to obtaining an internship in the long run. I am trying to do my best to gear my projects more towards portfolio-quality status, but some of my professors will not let that happen. A large number of my projects are very open-ended, so those I can absolutely gear towards the building of my portfolio and such. But other ones, the more "required" research projects that I have been spending so much time on this semester...these I am frustrated with right now.
I realize the importance of research in my education. I realize that I cannot (essentially) complete any large-scale project without doing a substantial amount of research, but it seems that that is all that I have done this semester. It is true. I do not yet have a single finished portfolio-ready piece that I am proud of yet. I focus so much of my time to research-based projects that I keep finding myself pushing off the most necessary of my assignments. The most important ones that will help me get closer to a job. This is no good.
And this is what I get for going to an Art & Design School at a major research university. I love Michigan, I really do. And I have so so many opportunities here that I would not have anywhere else. I love the diversity here and the groups I'm involved in and such. I love everything. I love that there is always something to do, some production to attend, a meal to attend with friends, a meeting for an organization...I love this all. But I find myself again struggling with my time. This time management is definitely different from last year. I now know what I have to do; what I need to be doing.
And yet, I am not finding enough time to do what I need to be doing. I love my friends so so much, and it makes me sad that I cannot spend as much time with them as I would like. There are so many times that I do not see them, skip football games, back out of plans, etc. because of my workload. Granted, going to football games is not what I "need" to be doing, but the fact that out of the 5 home football games we have had, I have been at 1. Only 1. The 1st 1. We have 2 games left, and I will only go to 1 of those too. Essentially, I spent $200 on 2 football games. This is sad. Technically, I sold one for $30, so I spent $170 on 2 games, but wow. That is not worth it. I really need to reevaluate the importance of buying football tickets next year. It is nice to be in a seating section with your friends, but I am not attached to the team in a way that I feel I "missed out" on anything by not going to the games. In fact, I get a lot of work done on Saturdays in general, but when the dorm is empty and my hall is quiet, I get even more work done.
That was quite a segue. Okay. Back to the time management thing. I have already stopped going to choir practices on Sunday nights. It is just too much for me. I need those two hours of extra time before Mass to complete work. I love singing, but as far as time commitments go, I just can't do it any more. Which makes me very sad. It is such a great group of people and a number of my friends are in it, but there is no way that I can do it. Maybe next semester. This semester for sure, though, I cannot commit. MUSKET takes up two hours on my Sundays now. Becoming the Assistant Marketing Director has taught me so much already about putting on a professional theatrical production. We have a hour (well...will, we haven't met with the Marketing group yet since our schedules are so ridiculously different...hopefully we will in the next couple of weeks) meeting with the Marketing team to discuss ways to market the show, target audiences, promotional events and such. Then there is an hour-long production meeting with the directors, stage managers, costume, set, and lighting designers, etc. The backbone of the show. I really like sitting in on these meetings. I am learning a lot of the "hidden" work and what goes on in order for a show of these proportions to take place.
AAF is now starting up as well. I am not looking to get a leadership role of any sort right now just because my time is so pressed and I know that MUSKET gets priority right now. I committed to MUSKET last winter and to AAF just a couple of weeks ago. I cannot even go to the AAF meetings, however. They are during times when I have class (sad and true) but since the President is in my W&I studio, I get to ask her questions and things when I need to. So that is really fantastic and great.
Whoa. Time flies. I now have to spend time working on a project that won't affect my portfolio. Bummer. Okay.
Im out.
My problem is that I feel too controlled by the external influences in my life. Particularly schoolwork. Assignments, projects.
I love being creative; I do. Very much so, in fact. But I feel that it is extremely difficult to complete tasks or projects that I know are necessary for the advancement of my portfolio. Learning and acquiring the necessary skills for this to occur is difficult due to the long hours I commit to completing projects and assignments that will not be beneficial to obtaining an internship in the long run. I am trying to do my best to gear my projects more towards portfolio-quality status, but some of my professors will not let that happen. A large number of my projects are very open-ended, so those I can absolutely gear towards the building of my portfolio and such. But other ones, the more "required" research projects that I have been spending so much time on this semester...these I am frustrated with right now.
I realize the importance of research in my education. I realize that I cannot (essentially) complete any large-scale project without doing a substantial amount of research, but it seems that that is all that I have done this semester. It is true. I do not yet have a single finished portfolio-ready piece that I am proud of yet. I focus so much of my time to research-based projects that I keep finding myself pushing off the most necessary of my assignments. The most important ones that will help me get closer to a job. This is no good.
And this is what I get for going to an Art & Design School at a major research university. I love Michigan, I really do. And I have so so many opportunities here that I would not have anywhere else. I love the diversity here and the groups I'm involved in and such. I love everything. I love that there is always something to do, some production to attend, a meal to attend with friends, a meeting for an organization...I love this all. But I find myself again struggling with my time. This time management is definitely different from last year. I now know what I have to do; what I need to be doing.
And yet, I am not finding enough time to do what I need to be doing. I love my friends so so much, and it makes me sad that I cannot spend as much time with them as I would like. There are so many times that I do not see them, skip football games, back out of plans, etc. because of my workload. Granted, going to football games is not what I "need" to be doing, but the fact that out of the 5 home football games we have had, I have been at 1. Only 1. The 1st 1. We have 2 games left, and I will only go to 1 of those too. Essentially, I spent $200 on 2 football games. This is sad. Technically, I sold one for $30, so I spent $170 on 2 games, but wow. That is not worth it. I really need to reevaluate the importance of buying football tickets next year. It is nice to be in a seating section with your friends, but I am not attached to the team in a way that I feel I "missed out" on anything by not going to the games. In fact, I get a lot of work done on Saturdays in general, but when the dorm is empty and my hall is quiet, I get even more work done.
That was quite a segue. Okay. Back to the time management thing. I have already stopped going to choir practices on Sunday nights. It is just too much for me. I need those two hours of extra time before Mass to complete work. I love singing, but as far as time commitments go, I just can't do it any more. Which makes me very sad. It is such a great group of people and a number of my friends are in it, but there is no way that I can do it. Maybe next semester. This semester for sure, though, I cannot commit. MUSKET takes up two hours on my Sundays now. Becoming the Assistant Marketing Director has taught me so much already about putting on a professional theatrical production. We have a hour (well...will, we haven't met with the Marketing group yet since our schedules are so ridiculously different...hopefully we will in the next couple of weeks) meeting with the Marketing team to discuss ways to market the show, target audiences, promotional events and such. Then there is an hour-long production meeting with the directors, stage managers, costume, set, and lighting designers, etc. The backbone of the show. I really like sitting in on these meetings. I am learning a lot of the "hidden" work and what goes on in order for a show of these proportions to take place.
AAF is now starting up as well. I am not looking to get a leadership role of any sort right now just because my time is so pressed and I know that MUSKET gets priority right now. I committed to MUSKET last winter and to AAF just a couple of weeks ago. I cannot even go to the AAF meetings, however. They are during times when I have class (sad and true) but since the President is in my W&I studio, I get to ask her questions and things when I need to. So that is really fantastic and great.
Whoa. Time flies. I now have to spend time working on a project that won't affect my portfolio. Bummer. Okay.
Im out.
Blog Action Day-October 15, 2008
Today is Blog Action Day 2008. The topic is poverty.
Every blogger across the world that is registered with Blog Action Day writes about a designated topic specific to that day in that year. Every blogger registered will write about poverty today.
These are my thoughts on poverty in support of this awesome outreach.
Poverty. At school I see poverty every day. Not with the students or those teaching them, but with many of the residents in Ann Arbor. The number of homeless people is only growing here with the economic downturn and the fact that costs are doing nothing but rising. I only wish that it weren't this way. I feel for the men that sit with their hat on the ground asking "please spare some change, ma'am" and all i can reply is "i'm sorry, i don't have any" which is the truth. In this consumer-driven world and my fear of misplacing things, all I carry on me is my drivers license and my credit card. I do not carry cash. In this town, I do not need it...cash you cannot get back if it is stolen, whereas I can quickly freeze my credit card if it is taken away from me. I used to carry my debit card but realized that it comes straight out of my account, so it would be like cash if it was stolen from me. Okay, enough about me. Back to poverty.
I feel badly that I never have any change to give, but is that going to make me start carrying around change just so I can give the homeless some...probably not. I don't know. I've never really thought of it like this before. The thought has never crossed my mind to begin carrying change so I would have some to give away. That a handful of dimes and nickels would help some individual get through his or her day. I never considered it like that.
Technically, I didn't quite finish my writing on the 15th. Oh well. I am glad that you enjoyed my short input on poverty. I think I will revisit this topic later.
Every blogger across the world that is registered with Blog Action Day writes about a designated topic specific to that day in that year. Every blogger registered will write about poverty today.
These are my thoughts on poverty in support of this awesome outreach.
Poverty. At school I see poverty every day. Not with the students or those teaching them, but with many of the residents in Ann Arbor. The number of homeless people is only growing here with the economic downturn and the fact that costs are doing nothing but rising. I only wish that it weren't this way. I feel for the men that sit with their hat on the ground asking "please spare some change, ma'am" and all i can reply is "i'm sorry, i don't have any" which is the truth. In this consumer-driven world and my fear of misplacing things, all I carry on me is my drivers license and my credit card. I do not carry cash. In this town, I do not need it...cash you cannot get back if it is stolen, whereas I can quickly freeze my credit card if it is taken away from me. I used to carry my debit card but realized that it comes straight out of my account, so it would be like cash if it was stolen from me. Okay, enough about me. Back to poverty.
I feel badly that I never have any change to give, but is that going to make me start carrying around change just so I can give the homeless some...probably not. I don't know. I've never really thought of it like this before. The thought has never crossed my mind to begin carrying change so I would have some to give away. That a handful of dimes and nickels would help some individual get through his or her day. I never considered it like that.
Technically, I didn't quite finish my writing on the 15th. Oh well. I am glad that you enjoyed my short input on poverty. I think I will revisit this topic later.
Monday, October 6, 2008
Revelation!
One has occurred.
Please Click on Gabe and Max in the Right Hand Corner! :)
I am really excited/nervous about this project. If I can pull it off, that would be amazing!
And I will. Not a question of can/can not.
But when.
Friday, October 3, 2008
Shane and Shawn!!!
Oh my gosh.
I just met Shane and Shawn.
They are totally awesome and down to earth. These guys rock!
I didn't talk with Shawn as much as Shane, but Shane was helpful and enthusiastic as anything.
Okay, for those of you who don't know, Shane and Shawn are two brothers from Detroit who run their own shoe company, ShaneandShawn. They started out with a line called DETNY (which is how I discovered them back in summer 2005 while perusing through racks of shoes at Nordstrom's Rack in Troy MI before I left for NSLC ...I was looking for some black dressy "business-esque" flats and fell in love with this urban black flat with a spongy blue insole. Sadly, I found a pair of Privo shoes that were a little narrower and fit better so I went with the Privos instead. But I have been an avid fan and follower of DETNY and ShaneAndShawn for years! My mom even knows about them from the articles I had posted up on my bedroom wall at home..when I lived there)
Anyways, my friend Tiffany who I was in IDSA with last year interned for them this summer (she is awesome and her designs for Chiwei's class were amazing. This girl is sweet!) and they were in town for this presentation of entrepreneurial awards at the engineering school this afternoon, so they were in touch and they arranged to come to A&D and give a presentation/talk about how they got to where they currently are and advice, knowledge, etc. They are fantastic guys. It is so awesome to know of successful students that graduated from A&D/UM and are working in a field that they love and is exciting...these guys work in the Fashion industry, for crying out loud! AMAZING!!!
So as of today, I am back to being interested in fashion. Don't get me wrong, I still am totally psyched about art direction, but I do realize that there has to be art direction in the fashion industry-someone who does the photo shoots and makes up the collection booklets. I know I have been developing some really strong photography skills lately and have been strongly using photography to tell stories, especially in my CFC class. I have been doing some video work as well, just some basic things, but it has been really fun to tinker around with photography in stop-motion animations lately. Anyways, they have me thinking again.
Okay, back to the amazing event that happened in my life that ended only 20 minutes ago. Shane and Shawn began their presentation at noon at the art school, ended it a little after one, answered questions, and I was one of four students to join them for lunch!!! OMG!!! AMAZING!
So Tiffany, Steph, I and another girl who is a senior joined them for lunch at the Commons Cafe (cafeteria in Pierpont Commons). We got to talk with them about so much. Shane is fantastic, and absolutely wants us to send him our portfolios online and he can give us tips and pointers on things to do and improve, maybe ordering of things and how to assemble our portfolios. Fantastic. This is awesome, even though I am exploring AD. I still like ID and he has motivated me to start sketching all the time again.
I need to start with the basics again, I know that my drawing has regressed since I have been done with Chiwei's class. It has gotten a bit worse, but I know that I can fix some of this in my time, even on bus rides, gosh. It can happen.
And I missed Oceanography lecture today. Who cares?!? I don't care. I know I can learn it online. And we are doing basic chemical composition of water and bonding...and I have the textbook. I think I might take care of this while on the train ride home tonight (2 hours of doing homework, yay xD)
I just spent almost three hours with Shane and Shawn Ward. Amazing men. I would love to continue my relationship with them. And now they know who I am! Because they lived in the Evans Scholar house!! They were surprised to hear that I caddied at Oakland Hills for 6 years. They, of course, caddied at Detroit Golf Club. But now, they know that I am a sophomore who caddied at Oakland Hills and am at A&D at UMich. I don't think that they will be able to forget that anytime soon. :)
Shane kept stressing the importance of internships, which makes me really happy since that's what I really decided that I need to be doing right now, is completing work that will be really strong in a portfolio. So when I start applying to internships in January, I will have an awesome thing to show from this first semester. Building on the sketching skills I learned last year in Chiwei's class, I know that I can improve even more and pump out work that is sweet. I also have a totally different view on unpaid internships as well. They can be so valuable to get you in a network of people. You will meet people and establish relationships with them, know about their company and how they work. You will do some work for them that can get manufactured/published/made!!! Tiffany worked for Shane and Shawn as an unpaid intern but she learned so much. She has 5 shoes that are going to be sent to pre-production, with models made and such...and Shane really thinks that at least one pair will actually be produced and fully sent into production. As a college student, Tiffany will have a design of hers actually produced and sent into the real world where real people will be buying it!!!
I am so jealous.
I want to be able to have a similar experience. And I have re-realized just how hard I need to be working this year. I have been working hard, but I need to push myself more. And probably rethink some of the things I'm doing.
But okay, one of the things that Shane did is when he was here (with Chiwei...they had classes together and everything) is that a group of like-minded students got together, wrote a proposal for a class that they knew was really going to help them advance in their studies and get a job, presented it to a teacher, and began an independent study that got them two credits!
So you can do something like that here! This is going to be a really good idea down the road...I feel it!
Also, along that same like-minded thought, my group project with Lindsay, Alyssa, and Grace has progressed...we submitted our proposal on Wednesday! We will find out on the 10th if we are semifinalists, which would be fantastic! :)...I'm also pretty proud of writing a really professionally-sounding proposal. I think it is pretty badass! It is awesome and I wouldn't believe that a group of undergrads submitted it. But we did. Fantastic!
Wow. This has been such an awesome day. And I'm going home on the train to see my family and work all day at the library tomorrow! I am really excited to see everyone and eat some real food and have a lil vacation from here.
So I have to print my ticket and then catch the train @ 5:45. Psyched.
And I just met Shane and Shawn!!!!!! I will never in my life forget today. Ever.
I'm out! :)
Monday, September 29, 2008
Words and Images Update :)
I added a link to my mblog specifically made for my Words & Images class. To get to the mblog, you must click on my favorite YouTube duo, Gabe and Max, in the top right hand corner of this page.
Both of my blogs are going to undergo a fabulous makeover now and in the Future!
I never really thought about changing font sizes and color choices within the blog entry itself, but I have seen a number of really dynamic posts by my W&I professor, Thylias Moss. She has really helped me out today, enabling me to do many things, especially regarding html and blog formatting.
In order to progress and improve my blogging skills (thanks Gabe and Max! :)) I need to know some html. Which I have tried to do a little of. She pointed me in the right direction and explained some things to me that are going to be fantastic. Now I know how to post images, video and have direct links to websites within my blogs.
This is fantastic. I know I will be experimenting with this in the days to come!
I'm out!
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
my life is officially madness
all right. i have to be more up-to-date with this.
but i will start by telling you how my day went today. it went very well, thank you for asking, in a fantastic way, but it did make my future life for the rest of the year potentially absolutely ridiculous. (hopefully!)
beginning of day: meeting with joe trumpey.
background story: so we were assigned a group research project on monday for my art design perspectives class that has to do something with the class lectures. (which is pretty broad...the main topics we discuss are green-themed having to do with sustainability and having an impact on the world). i emailed my friend lindsay about starting a group that will implement an ad campaign of sorts, but i didn't have a specific topic or focus in mind for us to do, only that a portfolio-quality product would come out of this project. ok. so she told me yesterday afternoon that she had been talking to alyssa about designing a 4th grade science-related presentation that we could present and implement in one (or multiple) of the elementary school in ann arbor. fantastic. this project has so much potential. that was yesterday.
as of today, our team is composed of alyssa, lindsay, grace and myself. we met with our professor to get our project okayed. he let us know that we have a lot of work ahead of us if we want to actually be able to present our presentation in the actual classrooms. we had a general idea, but since joe's wife is a teacher, he knew way more information about the things that we need to do in order to even possibly get the "go ahead" from a teacher. so one of our research topics is on the state-mandated curriculum benchmarks. we will now have to take a look at these benchmarks and form our presentation and information around these benchmarks, so that elementary school teachers would see us as helping us achieve these benchmarks and not just waste their time. fantastic.
our general idea right now is to aim big. some of the things that group members would like to see done is
get the presentation/curriculum published
website constructed and maintained
ad campaign
"green & sustainability carnival/fair"
video/commercial
sustainability-related science project
vegetable garden @ school
greater emphasis on recycling
the only way, right now, that we could even imagine completing many of these things is by getting a grant. so we are now in process for applying for a grant through GROCS here at the University of Michigan. It stands for Grant Research Collaborative Spaces. So we have to turn in our abstract by October 1. The 10 semifinalist groups will be announced on the 10th. And from there the semifinalists will have the remaining month of October to formulate their entire plan of action and complete proposal with how they would use each component of the interactive, collaboration to make a difference. I think we have a fantastic idea that would be perfect for what GROCS seeks to do. We want to teach elementary school children about sustainability and have a permanent impact on the school. Our goal is that whatever we do this year isn't just a one-time thing; we want the schools to hopefully add it to their curriculum in the years to come as well. GROCS would help us out so much! It would really be the perfect way to complete this project, by meeting with other groups and holding forums with them in the Design Lab 1. (I have a class held in Design Lab 1 this semester. I love it! It is a fantastic place to work and collaborate- it's so open!) Plus, the funds that we would receive from the grant would be somewhere around $9000! Which would really allow us to be able to have some events, pay for printing costs, buy materials, and essentially, allow us to have way more freedom for us to complete this project.
Now the first two really important issues that need to be addressed are that we need to a) find an individual in a different school within the University that would be interested in doing this project with us...and b) we need a moderator that would be in a different school than us & that student. We are strongly leaning towards a student from the Program in the Environment in LSA and/or one in the School of Education. As for a moderator, ideally one from the School of Natural Resource and the Program in the Environment would be perfect. Either a professor or a GSI can be our moderator.
So by Sunday night, we have a lot of research to be doing, will probably meet upwards of two or three times a week, and will be working like crazy until October 10 when we find out if we are a semifinalist group or not. I am psyched! I really think we can do this. We have a fantastic group of girls and we are all really motivated to complete this project and do it the absolute best we can. :)
---
Other than that, I met with the Director of the senior care home that I want to do my CFC project at...and she seemed really skeptical of me and what my intentions are. I explained the project to her, but I don't think she really understands. It's frustrating. She says that I can't even come until Friday October 3. Which is way too late. I have to some way talk her into letting me come earlier than that. Hopefully my prof, Addie, might be able to write a letter to her so I can get okayed quicker. I need this project to get rolling, especially with ADP taking up so much of my time! And this group project is only 1/4 projects we have currently assigned for that class...crazy! I am going to have to start hardcore researching and getting my other ones done asap so that the huger projects can get done on time and well.
Other than that, I had Words and Images today. Thylias Moss, my prof for that one, is fantastic and intriguing. She always has really interesting things to say and ideas to put out there. We are starting on a project for her class as well. I am debating what I want to do for her class, besides the book altering project we will be doing...I am thinking, though, about having to construct a website. I am really strongly considering this, since I do not know how to do it and I need to learn! :) So I think this will be perfect. I also really want to do an ad campaign, but I think that just learning how to make a website is going to take up a huge amount of my time. I think that once I have that done and figured out, I will be able to consider other "forms" to work in as well. Something exploring the relationship between physically printed text, digitally "printed" text, and moving text using Motion might be a really good way to tie in different aspects of the project and would be great for exploring different ideas.
On another note, I am so glad I took Chiwei's class last year! It taught me really good time management and there is no way I would be able to keep up with that workload right now. There is no way, which would put me back a semester in some class :(
Everything happens for a reason.
And right now, I will go to sleep.
My reason is that I'm tired. So I will go.
I'm out.
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
something on this i don't like
okay. so let me explain to you a project i am going to have to do at school this semester for my concept form context class.
we had to pick an entity, institution, or group that we believe is completely opposite and different of our individual selves. something that is so unfamiliar that it totally scares us and/or freaks us out almost (in the nicest, most unbiased way possible). I do not mean this in a negative way, just as a huge step outside of my comfort zone.
so after weeks of brainstorming and narrowing down my lists, i have finally come to a conclusion; the person i wish to observe and break the stigma and boundaries on is a senior citizen with dementia and/or alzheimer's disease. i have come to this conclusion because of many reasons.
one: i am extremely afraid of losing my mind
two: i am not comfortable around elderly individuals. (my grandparents do not count at all. i am totally comfortable with them and love them a ton!)
three: through an honest discussion, my prof and i have pretty much come to the conclusion that i probably have a fear of losing control.
four: so by getting involved in the life of an individual who is either in the process of losing control of their mind or who has lost their mind is going to be a struggle for me. i am extremely uncomfortable with this situation and i think that though i do not wish to really do it, it is going to be a very important learning experience for me.
more later.
i'm out.
Monday, September 15, 2008
Long Overdue
I have come to the conclusion that something really ridiculously big and important is happening around me. And I cannot see it right now. This clearly does not involve me, except for the fact that I am a member of the human race. Well, not exactly. In fact, this involves every single person in existence on this planet. All. Everyone. This theory is an idea extremely similar to the basis of Darren Aronofsky's Pi.
Fantastic film, in fact.
I will revisit this asap.
I'm out.
Sunday, September 7, 2008
quickly
i do not have much time on my hands already.
last year, there was this fantastic amount of about two weeks' time where i could do whatever i want and enjoy the people i was with regardless. there were typically no assignments and if there were, they were small and pretty insignificant. they did not take up much of my time so i could spend it seeing my friends or eating meals (i miss that so much)...
and already i am a busy, busy bee.
i decided this semester to take on the job of starting my own intramural soccer team, since last year i wanted to play, but couldn't find a team to get on. so i vowed to start my own. and did. and i have to register the team tomorrow, but we've already had two practices :) it's a fantastic group of people though it is quite a large team. but i really love doing it. and it takes up a ton of my free time, emailing everyone and figuring out rules and stuff. but whatever. i do it because i love it. so that's one of my lovely activities that makes time disappear oh so quickly.
let me see. after last week i already had several assignments assigned that are due this tuesday. tuesday is my crazy day. i just got a work/study job (yay!) that i will start. and then i have class until 10pm with only a 2.5 hour break in between two studios. not the most ideal for getting homework done. i really have to rework my sleep pattern and develop stronger time management this semester.
and MUSKET hasn't even really started up yet...i am working as the assistant marketing director this semester for an entirely student-organized and -run musical theatre group. which will be madness when it actually does start up. again, i do it because i love it. i love theatre and any chance i can get to enjoy it here even if i'm not acting is still amazing. and it is giving me a bit of experience on planning and holding promotional events as well as advertising! so even though i'm not working as a creative, i'm still getting a feel for what happens when marketing performances to college kids. i'm getting to know ann arbor and its businesses better as well. working as a marketer for MUSKET is fantastic! and i am thrilled to be the assistant marketing director this year (as a sophomore!) .
some sad news though, i cannot act in children of eden this year. i just found this out tonight. i am extremely disappointed. since i have to take two night classes this semester, i can't go to any practices. which, if you were wondering, makes me a very sad person. i love this play. it's fantastic. and i was in it my senior year of high school. it was truly a life-changing experience. and alas, i cannot have any part of it since my schedule won't allow it. same with choir. i can't go to any choir practices this semester since i have class. horrible. i love choir. it's one of the highlights of my week. and i can't have it either.
i want to have my cake. i also want to eat it. and i can't. this is horrible. right now, my life is very frustrating.
but a key point that i do have to go back to is that i do now know what i want. and as one of my friends told me today "that explains the glow you have about you".
so apparently even though i'm a bit internally mismashed, i'm glowing. figure that.
i'm out.
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
everything happens
for a reason
i was meant to take this class
wasn't too happy at
first with the fact that it
meets at night
but after sitting
through the first half hour
i realized
it was exactly where
i needed to be.
___
First two days of class are done. They went well, except for my drama today with my first advanced studio. But all's well that ends well so I am pleased with the outcome. I really like the class I added on today. Words and Images. What kind of words and images? Any kind and every kind! My prof has a background in English and writes poetry. Fancy that! At A&D? What is she doing here? I'm not quite sure yet, but I am psyched. Over the moon. This will be a fantastic class with which to work on portfolio pieces for internship applications this summer! I can construct ads, work on sound, video, copywrite, everything I want to do, I will be able to do!
This class and I were meant to be. In the least cheesy way possible. I like it!
Except for the fact that it's at night. So now my days start at 11:30am and end at 9:30 or 10pm at night...far from ideal, but it will be totally worth it. This is, of course, until I start working my work/study job...I even have an interview tomorrow! Yay! And another is strongly considering me, though I do not know what will come out of either. Something good, hopefully!
P.S. Festifall is tomorrow! I hope I can locate and join AAF!
I have to finish my homework before I go to sleep! Have a fantastic night!
I'm out.
i was meant to take this class
wasn't too happy at
first with the fact that it
meets at night
but after sitting
through the first half hour
i realized
it was exactly where
i needed to be.
___
First two days of class are done. They went well, except for my drama today with my first advanced studio. But all's well that ends well so I am pleased with the outcome. I really like the class I added on today. Words and Images. What kind of words and images? Any kind and every kind! My prof has a background in English and writes poetry. Fancy that! At A&D? What is she doing here? I'm not quite sure yet, but I am psyched. Over the moon. This will be a fantastic class with which to work on portfolio pieces for internship applications this summer! I can construct ads, work on sound, video, copywrite, everything I want to do, I will be able to do!
This class and I were meant to be. In the least cheesy way possible. I like it!
Except for the fact that it's at night. So now my days start at 11:30am and end at 9:30 or 10pm at night...far from ideal, but it will be totally worth it. This is, of course, until I start working my work/study job...I even have an interview tomorrow! Yay! And another is strongly considering me, though I do not know what will come out of either. Something good, hopefully!
P.S. Festifall is tomorrow! I hope I can locate and join AAF!
I have to finish my homework before I go to sleep! Have a fantastic night!
I'm out.
Monday, September 1, 2008
last day of true freedom
monday it is
as i sit here
enjoying the sound
classic rock
last day before classes
time passes quickly
i can't believe it's noon already
so much to do
before sophomore year officially begins.
-----
This past weekend was fantastic! Football game was a little lacking; Michigan didn't play well at all. The new team has a lot to learn. The actual game was enjoyable though, between my seating group and friends sitting elsewhere much excitement was had.
The main thing that I forgot about Michigan is the incredible amount of school spirit that everyone has. This contagious spirit and enthusiasm found in A2 on game days is unbelievable. Amazing. Spirit alone is one reason why I really love Michigan. Though attending an art-only school would groom me for a job immediately after graduation, regardless, Michigan has so much to offer besides a design curriculum.
Which is why I am hoping to teach myself a ton of things this year about art direction and graphic design. Now that I know I'm not focusing on ID, I have to start fresh again and this time pursue more graphic design-related classes. I am really excited about AD though; I know that I can learn quickly and I have just realized how interested in advertising I have been my whole life. Starting in 7th grade, I tore out ads in magazines and started assembling my collection of inspiration books. As cheesy as it sounds, I think that AD is going to be my perfect fit.
And though I know I could complete any curriculum, heck, I could be an engineer if I really wanted to...I really love the creative world. And creativity will always have a job. No machine can truly be creative alone. A creative mind is needed to guide the machine. Voila! I have a job for life. Fantastic. That is extremely reassuring. I love creativity!
Ending this cheesefest.
I am really glad to be back, but more than that, I am really happy that I have found a direction (!) to pursue. One that I am passionate about and motivated to work hard to learn.
I have to go put all my art supplies in a locker at the art school, so I must go.
Have a lovely Labor Day!
I'm out.
Friday, August 29, 2008
back in good ol' A2
mmm...now i am back!
moved in
unpacked
case closed
ann arbor, how i have missed you
this summer
and i cannot wait
for everything that will happen
now
---
I moved back to Ann Arbor today to resume my university education. I am thrilled. I feel that I will be learning so much this year, meeting so many new (and potentially important) people, and working extremely hard (of course!) in and outside of my classes so that I will have a formidable portfolio by the end of first semester. Because even though January is far away, I am anticipating applying for internships with a solid portfolio (as opposed to last year...I didn't know anything about what I was doing)...and thanks to the awesome creative department at Slingshot, I now have some really good ideas about ads to create, things to learn, classes to take and things to investigate. These guys were great and really helped me out a ton...motivated me as well to learn all sorts of new things and step way out of my comfort level!
So as sophomore year begins, I only have good things to say thus far! adios!
Saturday, August 23, 2008
last week
before i go back to school
there is one thing i must do
work for another week
huzzah.
right now, i sit and wait for the digital clock i am currently monitoring
to change to the glorious saturday hour of ten pm
and until it does, i wait eagerly in anticipation.
i like my job, don't get me wrong, but
there is something about the last half hour of work
and how it crawls by
every single shift
never does time pass so quickly in these
last thirty minutes that
you exclaim
my goodness, look at the time
instead the question
is why can't it be ten already.
exclaim or question. no difference
in the dragging half hour
you still remain.
so as the dance floors begin to crowd
lights dim
first dance commences
time on the clock still remains.
there is one thing i must do
work for another week
huzzah.
right now, i sit and wait for the digital clock i am currently monitoring
to change to the glorious saturday hour of ten pm
and until it does, i wait eagerly in anticipation.
i like my job, don't get me wrong, but
there is something about the last half hour of work
and how it crawls by
every single shift
never does time pass so quickly in these
last thirty minutes that
you exclaim
my goodness, look at the time
instead the question
is why can't it be ten already.
exclaim or question. no difference
in the dragging half hour
you still remain.
so as the dance floors begin to crowd
lights dim
first dance commences
time on the clock still remains.
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
returning
is complicated, especially when returning with a loft.
you do not realize the full amount of trouble you are setting up for yourself when you
purchase all this wood and things to put it together
especially for an 11 foot wide room.
when most trailers and trucks are 10 ft. long.
what do you do with the extra foot?
figure out another way to transport everything.
-----
(aside)
for the record, i can't wait to move back to ann arbor!
i'll be documenting a little bit about what i do and who i meet on this blog of mine
so you can see what i've been up to and how i'm progressing towards my goals and such
which will be defined at a later time.
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
tired
working at the pga championship is complete madness
but fun
and craziness
hilarity ensues
not at all
when the customers
disappear and escape
your attempt
to sell them
a framed photograph
instead
to your dismay
the unframed one
triumphs.
Friday, August 1, 2008
notice
posts will not always be moving
or inspiring
but writing and thinking out loud in words i can see
can make it easier for the both of us
so you can know me
and i can know me
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