I haven't given up

just in case some of you had thought that I had stopped blogging far from it. I have however a whole heap of work to get done this week, so I haven't been able to research stuff and write much. I do have these pictures taken on monday for you, should be back to normal blogging by the end of the week.

vw camper >> for me surely not!

I know that I have mentioned vw campers negatively before and as I child I spent hours and hours in one touring around europe. I must have been through france countless times on the way to spain or italy before I was even old enough to drive never mind leave home. for that experience I am extremely grateful to my parents. but sleeping in one even as a small child for any length of time is not that comfortable.
found an interesting article on guardian unlimited detailing the vw campers that I know about.

the vw camper is still inextricably linked with both surfers and surf wannabes. as an adult I have never really wanted one, preferring to have a big car with the idea that a big car will probably be more fuel efficient, time effective, and more comfortable on all the long journeys we actually do than a vw camper, however looking at these pictures I could change my mind! well I would have to be very rich as well, and that is hardly likely.

anyway carol pointed be in the direction of this website verdier really worth a look if only for the flash work and the music.

back to normal >> if there is such as thing

well enough about the complexity of my family and the posts of the last two days.
back to some observations.
I was in of all places tesco today and was very surprised (I started as a fashion/textiles designer in 80's when ms hamnett was a fashion icon) a katharine hamnett display, in tesco.
it made me think I was surprised perhaps I should not have been but as I no longer follow the fashion business from the inside as my work has lead me to a different side of the business.

I really only get my information from looking about me and reading stuff. I don't have to go to trade fairs that tell the designers what the yarn company's and the colour forecasting company's will be telling what colours will be available the following year and then design stuff for between 18 months to 2 years ahead. which is a bonus as far as I am concerned.

I thought a lot over a tesco coffee (the ham salad was for ben) about whether katharine hamnett had sort off sold out to have a collection of her clothes (well clothes that she adds her name to) on a rack in the largest retailer in the country famous for under cutting other mass-market sellers/supermarkets. even allegedly producing the £3 pair of jeans, which you can buy in the same store using cheap (I did not say slave labour) labour at that price it would nave to be cheap,
the selling points of the tesco/hamnett range is that the E in the name is for ethical, all clothes carry the fair-trade mark and are 100% organic.

I have come to the conclusion that I agree with her, even bought a 'choose love' 100% organic cotton hoody (for carol).

busy week > > new challenges

this week seemed to rush by can't believe that it is friday already.
something new I have been asked to write for a monthly magazine that is being launched at the end of the april. so I have to deliver/email my copy by thursday next, I was sort of hinting at it on yesterday's blog but things were confirmed today.
have to say that I am happy to get involved, all being well I will be writing a monthly column, making sure to add my thoughts on surfing, the surf scene in the UK and surfers (of all types). I will be sure to plug the magazine when it comes out provided that they don't cut or over edit me!
I didn't add this site yesterday so it's here today, good surf photos find your wave well worth looking at.









thought I would sneak the magazine logo in to my blog, hopefully it won't get me in to trouble.

back to today, earlier in the week I mentioned meetings and today was a day of meetings and many short conversations. I have no idea why but I found it extremely hard to engage myself in any of them.
not because I didn't think they were worthy, because they where. one faculty meeting was very productive indeed, very interesting, and working towards what I believe in. I couldn't get in to any of it. maybe it was because I am simply too tired.
so think I will get myself off to bed.

howies >> it's not just an advert, promise

I know in one of my many other guises I run a surf website surf98, and lately blogs have been infiltrated by advertising companies but this post is not produced from anything except a catalogue that was sent to carol.

I got my hands on it because she thought correctly that I might like the way it was produced and designed for howies.

She also showed me a dress that she liked. the more I looked and handled the book I am now calling it and read the text actually holding it. I realised that this company a bit like fatface (used to do) were tapping into people like me, who really want to make a difference to the future still! though often in some way feel uncomfortable with too much excess, but still are precious about things being correct whether in design (clothes or otherwise) or for the world.

david hieatt their co-founder writes in the introduction to the book about being concerned about our environment to the extent of canceling an overseas photo shoot in favour of doing the shoot for the summer 07 catalogue in a shed in cardigan, wales in mid-winter.

the company that produced this howies sell a lifestyle as well as some really quite good clothes but I am as interested in their presentation, design and photography, the book/catalogue was designed by nick hand, photography by jon matthews and nick hand, printed by cousin (have a look at their website if you are not aware of their work as printers producing carbon zero productions). I am afraid as much as I would like to be able to give away a few of their books/catalogues I only have one and need to keep that because carol wants to get a dress from them and for a while it could be one of those precious things I was talking about. you can just go to their website and order a copy or just have a look at a .pdf version to be more carbon neutral, that is if you buy in to that argument.

it has been a >> headache

I wasn't going to post anything today as I have a touch of man-flu (where did that saying originate? please leave a comment if you know), headache, feeling pathetic and tired and annoyingly ill you (know the feeling). even had to miss an important meeting tonight.
so here is a picture of something nice instead. 17" MacBook Pro

oh yes, this is an interesting blog to have a look at (the author got in touch with me) webtechlog

hours in front of computer screens ends in pictures of fins

strange isn't it I have spent so many hours in front of different screens today. testing software, running and evaluating new applications. looking at endless websites, blogs and virtual spaces and in the end I have to find something real to touch and look at and hold it happens to be a surfboard I mentioned a few posts ago when I was talking about the twin fin, this is a quad fish and it's is mine I love the look of it and setting the fins in a formation such as this really does make the board very fast as there is no central drag. it was made in byron bay, australia by ex-world champion david parkes a master when it comes to making surfboards that work.
so rather than write about stuff I have spent the last 12 or so hours looking at I will list some of the good stuff I have seen today + open office 2.1 + russell davies + lindsay.at + chocolate and vodka + my flickr + ma.gnolia.com + firefox2.com + 1-2know +
I won't go in to the 'educational' stuff that I have been trawling through for work as I want to stay awake a little bit longer. don't worry I will save that for another day.

beach bum introduces me to ed fladung

Life's A Beach...: Indoboard, Balance 360 and all that jazz

well for those who want to stay surf fit, I suppose it is a good thing an indo board I mean. I am happy to give advertising as it was through beach bum's blog I came across quality peoples.com a blog set up by Ed Fladung a graphic designer currently living just north of Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. I have to say I love the art work, and his blog has some good stuff in its archive (especially in the architecture section). I will be sure to put up more of Ed stuff in weeks to come.