.ppt >> projectors and presentation

probably because I work in a room that has a fixed projector coming out of the ceiling (mounted on a piece of polished scaffold pole) connected to a desktop computer that I can set it up and make sure that I have a screen that is in focus, no reverse parallax's in my room. I think I am getting increasingly intolerant of a badly presented anything.

I work in a educational situation where so many building have been adapted, I know that my room in its fifty years has been a sewing room a science lab, and now a room full of computers.
so I have to get round the problems of a strange shaped room and odd acoustics as well as the lure of computers for students to play with and look at web based email working around the network restrictions firewalls. generally playing on line rather than studying, using proxy servers so as not to get caught.

(there is just no need for this!)

it is funny that many people who do not work on computers all the time have a different idea of what is interesting. I am still surprised that a really academic educator will sometimes arrive having spent ages on a Powerpoint and wonder way the students are so bored as soon as the presentation starts, not realising that most of the audience have been using Powerpoint since they were in year 4 (uk) 8 years old.

I am even more surprised when at supposed professional meetings presenters don't take the time to set up equipment to provide the best viewing experience.
I know that there is heaps of stuff on youtube, talking about death by Powerpoint, but I could cope with some of it if only the equipment was set up properly as well as the presenter not reading it out and then giving me a photocopy of it all!

ideas >> peter blake

I while ago I ran a very short project with some year 9 students where they had to choose any object from a pile of prepared cuttings and images as well as toys and other small items the only had only 10 minutes to create a grouping before I took a photo to create a picture these are just two of the results.

They were not given any theme or title to work to, only shown some of peter blakes work, and the idea of creating something from popular images were shown.

the students really enjoyed the experience. I could see that it completely broke down the barriers to being creative. as their thoughts were based around having fun, making something that they liked, from things that were popular and provided. these are just a couple of the results picked at random.

new bathroom >> well nearly

isn't funny builders & plumbers acquire names like steve, bob, and dave and also have at least 4 spoons of sugar in the tea, rarely coffee, read 'the sun' of 'the mirror', 'the mail' (that was hard to type, I have a problem with the paper, that's a different story) when the want an intellectual view!!
it is with apology that I have not included the fact that there are women builder/plumbers I haven't been able to find one locally, believe me I have tried they are probably happily working all the time.
male plumbers in my area of the country are few and far between so are also impossible to pin down to a day or a date. something always happens to the van or it will have to be next week.

I am only making these largely unfounded claims (or perhaps not) as since january this year the builder/plumber has be evading us. he eventually arrived on tuesday to say that he would be starting today thursday. so he reasonable asked that we strip the bathroom of all the old fitting and tiles, as you can see in the grainy picture. living up to archetype guess what he didn't turn up and now wont be here until next week. so we now have a bathroom with out being able to use properly.

I fully realise in context it is hardly a hardship as more people in the world don't even have access to clean drinking water than do. but it just that if we as designers or creative people in what ever field took months to turn up we would never be employed.

if he arrives next week as now planned I wont say anything or complain instead probably just welcome him in with the offer of a sugary cup of tea! probably whilst I smugly hide behind the guardian, I feel embarrassed now.

(NID) neo-nomad id / a digital bedouin >> & another meeting

I as I normally do check who has been looking at this blog then log on to twitter while checking the BBC news site at the same time as drinking a coffee. it's the usual way I spend a part of most evenings I was I bit late tonight as I had a meeting but still.
while in the blog land I was checking one of my favourite blogs cati vaucelle (love the jacques tati poster from monday, cati) on her blog she mention NID or neo-nomad id, intrigued by the term I looked further she had also added a link to the bbc and an article by bill thompson and all became clear.
seems yasmine abbas invented the term or certainly first used the terms (NID) neo-nomad id / a digital bedouin in a blog.
her blog in search if the neo-nomad explains. another great post from yasmine abbas is my body is a hypertext not just for a great visual/picture/text impact but as a very well observed piece of humour.
as I had a meeting tonight i thought how long would it be before I will be able to do my joawhile sitting in starbucks or another coffee shop or from the beach will I ever be working in that way I find it hard to see but even 10 years ago I had no idea I would be doing this.
I like to think I will except, embrace and use change (for the better not just as so often for changes sake) in anything/everything I do.

well to the meeting again and an illustration (left) by Andrew Saeger found on the blog/website seattlepi I like the illustration as it shows the frustration of so many meetings I have had to attend and continue to attend. I have had some very good meetings but they tend more in the form of constructive conversations. rather than meeting for the sake of convention.
often I am left thinking what was the real idea of that and what the point of was! not just me it seems I typed into google to find hundreds of links to all sorts of stuff related to meetings and how to waste time at work? surely if you think like that you are in the wrong job...

ideas >> associated place >> learning >> create

funny isn't it how ideas just seem to happen (or not) I always think it strange when creative agencies have a time and a date to have an idea.
I find that ideas happen, but the more I work at it the more they happen.
I am not one of those people who just has a great idea and then goes away to create.
when I have an idea usually I try it, realise that it doesn't or wont work, but the fact that I am trying to work at it makes other ideas come through. this can happen lots of times before I reach a solution to the original problem.

the reason for mentioning this is because in the normal run of things we wait for a problem think about it then spend ages working on it eventually solving it by one way or another. this includes for me pretty much everything I do from the smallest pre-prepared hand out for a specific lesson plan or a complete corporate identity.
must say the last major id I did was a few years ago and it was for a surf-wear company (flip-flops and surf sandals) three peaks see picture.

the thinking behind it took weeks but the actual design was relatively quick to do, and it came to me reasonably easily. we all have our own ways of creating and I believe it is experience that makes us able to re-think and re-design and while we continue to do this we will be able to maintain a design life. I find it much harder to try to instill in students the confidence to try.

I have had some ideas about the room I work in, teach in, spend hours in, that I am currently working on, in the hope that something may come of them.

I really believe that by changing the way the room looks/works I can start to challenge the way the students entering the room think, while challenging I hope to motivate and encourage even draw out some kind of creativity from an otherwise quietly compliant youth, who consider using msn, myspace and bebo as creative, perhaps surprising of all create graphics in ms paint 'cos thats what they have got at home', even though they have the complete macromedia studio package available to them!
we will see what happens?

short but sweet >> calm >> beach time

I have been chasing my tail for the last few weeks sort of achieving. I have so many different design projects in the air and combined with the hectic workload of a teacher to think about I don't seem to be as productive even as successful as I would like...
I am really missing an important part of my life.
I hardly have had time (or when I have had time) I haven't bothered to even go to the beach.
I am so lucky in that I can walk to a really beautiful cove (takes about 8 minutes!) but I haven't got near to even visiting it. yes the weather has been cold and wet, and its dark and I could go on listing any other number of excuses.
I am in no way complaining or moaning even if it sounds like it I fully realise just how lucky I am. however I need to motivate myself to get out to the beach, even though I can't surf at the moment because of the shoulder problem I can and should still be able to enjoy the feel and smell and look of the ocean.
I will add to this post in the morning until then I am going to rest from the hypnotic power of this amazing media and turn my computer off.

presentation? >> its not over

it will all make sense, it is still presentation. as used in teaching and learning. here is just a little look at some little things.

I promised to watch the rugby RBS six nations with my (8 year old son) ben today rather than spend it here, so please come back for a look later.

different >> but all linked

It has been a long funny kind of day, long in the sense that I have been awake for a long time, funny (I don't mean full of jokes) but I had to see a few people to discuss stuff as well as contact people who are making decisions that could effect my future.
oh yes and teach!

just a normal day you think for most of you I would expect. but I also spent some time talking to students and their parents who are currently making decisions that will at least make a difference to the next 2 years of their lives (probably more), if not the whole of their lives.

amongst all this I was sending and receiving emails and even twittering a little.
I received a very interested email, fully work related and I will hopefully attend some of the events that were documented in the email. it had a list of interesting links with it I thought of adding all the links but to put them all on one post would have been too much information would be too much so I have added just 4.

I am posting them out of context but I don't think that really matters have a look you might well find some interesting I did.

kurator
pirate university
signwave
andy pink

not much time >> surprised to be 46

well I didn't think I would manage to get a blog written tonight been at work and had a whole heap of stuff to sort before indulging myself. I will not be long and very few words of wisdom (nothing new). I did spend a long time today discussing the way that the adobe applications photoshop CS and illustrator CS series software that we have used for ages. are not as intuitive for the students we currently are teaching as the macromedia suite with fireworks as the main web graphic software, but much more of that another time.
I also spent a long time reminiscing today with my line manager/boss bob, about the first few Apple Macintosh's, the Archimedes, and the Amiga computers that I worked with in the '80s. we were both thinking about how we would like the the 17" MacBook pro as it seems a good combination of power and usability and it looks nice! just a bit pricey. that's from two people who have to spend all or most of our time working on PC's.
however it could be all the reminiscing today was because I was thinking about the passing of time as it was my birthday (not that I have an issue at all with age) but I was actually very surprised to realise that I was 46! thanks for all the cards and presents, especially carol.

this weeks >> end >> my twitter >> open office

I have been doing a lot of this this week I don't mean creating documents (i do that every week) but making sure every thing is in place, to say the stress has been on would be an understatement. I am sure that others involved will say that I didn't have to do much but it is all about perception. I now have a week to reflect and prepare for the next challenge, it is really odd that the enjoyment of a stressful situation is after it has happened.
I have been testing open-office for the environment I work / teach in and have to say it is pretty good so far, will be testing it more this week but would love to hear from anyone who uses it in a network situation. finally set up a my twitter account, not sure why, it is not like I don't have enough to do! will be out visiting things tomorrow.

not me

just to make it clear the picture on the right is not me I was playing with some old line drawings I found it, messed with it a bit and liked the biege-ness of it. he looks like a slightly sleazy david hockney, a secret lemonade drinker or a design technology teacher from the late 70's. made me consider so many things can be cool if you use a different eye to look at them. I still don't get why the BBC programme 'Life on Mars' is apparently so popular. the colours, web and printed imagery are very nice, it is the series I don't get (well I get it I don't like it).