Today I'm excited/nervous to launch my next blog, the 9 Per Week project.
9PW is a 6 month game, by the end of which I will be a better Natalie. I received so much support from The Plan readers, so I wanted to update you guys first on this new project.
Read more and follow along here.
Thank you!
Monday, June 13, 2011
Saturday, June 11, 2011
There came a time when the risk to remain tight in the bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.
-Anais Nin
Had a bit of a personal revelation this morning and found the trigger for my next project. Still working out the details, but have never felt more strongly that something needs to change.
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
#30DaysofCreativity 7:46 AM
@createstuff Have courage, be brilliant. Worry only about your own expectations of what is awesome. Make something. You are changing the world. #day1
Today is June 1. I’m participating in a crowdsourced creative exercise called 30 Days of Creativity, which is exactly what it sounds like. In short: create something every day for the month of June.
I’ll be posting my daily output on nataliefoundit. Excited to push myself, as I don’t usually “create” on the regular. To free myself of expectations and just ship.
Here goes.
PS - Hi to ex-Plan readers! Though life is less stressful sans The Plan, I do miss writing in here. Sometimes I'll find myself composing long-form emails that sounds a little like posts, and I know it's a manifestation of withdrawal. This 30 day exercise isn't my next blog project, but an in-the-meantime exercise.
Saturday, April 16, 2011
365) The Very End 5:53 AM
First, watch this message from me. (If you don't have Flash 10, you can watch it in the very first panel of natalie found it.) Again, how flattering is the still image? Tried to upload it directly to Blogger, but it keeps giving me an error message. (Lesson 0.5) For the record, Tumblr is a better blogging platform than Blogger.
It's here. Number 365, the last day of The Plan. I was going to write a normal post, but there's so much to say about this project itself.
The Plan
Last April I told myself that in a year's time I would be a planner. I remember writing a note to myself in huge, all caps letters, double underlined in my journal. In a nutshell, I told myself that YOU HAVE THE POWER TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN FOR YOURSELF (sounds very Captain Planet, in retrospect).
Part of what came out of that note was The Plan. I realized that while I might still be working in management, I could (and very much needed to) practice my analytic thinking and writing skills. I needed something that would push me to be more curious, to observe more, and to coherently express myself.
I'd been keeping another blog, natalie found it for over a year at that point. And while I still love it as a catch-all of things I think others should see, I would go weeks without posting anything. If I was going to blog, I needed to make a firm commitment to it (Lesson 1). I think this is true for any blog. Your commitment doesn't have to be every day, but there needs to be some sort of posting schedule to which you hold yourself.
When I started, posts could take up to a few hours to think about, craft and write. On good days I would have thought about an idea or topic throughout the day. On the bad ones, I'd get to my computer at 10:30PM with not a single meaningful thought in my head. I used to fret about shitty, short posts I pulled out of my ass. But eventually, (Lesson 2) The Plan taught me that there's good and there's bad, but in the end, it's all good as long as you just do.
Posts got easier as the year went on. I can't believe where this blog has followed me - LA, Barcelona, Seoul, Beijing & Shanghai, Palo Alto, Austin and now New York. When I started The Plan, I had no idea how much change the year would bring. In that sense, The Plan now serves as a neat little thought trajectory of the year in my life where everything changed.
Thank you
As my awkward turtle video said, THANK YOU so much for reading and for supporting this little exercise of mine. It was such an added bonus to receive comments and emails from some of you. Thank you to those who sent blog fodder - you saved my ass more than once. Thanks to the international readers - I have no idea how you found me, but your little dots on the analytics map reaffirm every day the big world outside of my little world. And thanks, Mom and Dad, for reading every day, being the best PR team ever (I have a legion of readers who are friends of my parents). Dad, thanks for being my number one spell checker.
What's next
The short answer is, I don't know. But here's what I do know:
1) The Plan was an incredible experience, and a huge part of the last year of my life. While it's gotten me to where I wanted to go (for now), I'm ready to move on to something else. So no Plan year 2 plans.
2) I do want to keep writing and blogging. Not every day, and not necessarily about what I've been covering in The Plan. I'm toying with the idea of more personal and more creative writing.
3) Whatever it is will have to push me. Maybe this means looking outside of writing, incorporating other creative media.
As you can see, there are a lot of vague question marks to address. While I'd love to continue the momentum from The Plan, I hate the idea of starting another blog just to start another blog. So I'll be taking some time to think carefully about what the next project will be. In the meantime, I'll still throw things up on natalie found it, and will be sure to update The Plan once I figure out what's next.
If you want to keep in touch in the interim, you can reach me at natalieyoungkim(at)gmail.com or peek at what I'm up to via twitter.com/natalieykim. I would love nothing more than to say hi to each and every one of you individually.
That's it for now.
Onward and thank you,
Natalie
It's here. Number 365, the last day of The Plan. I was going to write a normal post, but there's so much to say about this project itself.
The Plan
Last April I told myself that in a year's time I would be a planner. I remember writing a note to myself in huge, all caps letters, double underlined in my journal. In a nutshell, I told myself that YOU HAVE THE POWER TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN FOR YOURSELF (sounds very Captain Planet, in retrospect).
Part of what came out of that note was The Plan. I realized that while I might still be working in management, I could (and very much needed to) practice my analytic thinking and writing skills. I needed something that would push me to be more curious, to observe more, and to coherently express myself.
I'd been keeping another blog, natalie found it for over a year at that point. And while I still love it as a catch-all of things I think others should see, I would go weeks without posting anything. If I was going to blog, I needed to make a firm commitment to it (Lesson 1). I think this is true for any blog. Your commitment doesn't have to be every day, but there needs to be some sort of posting schedule to which you hold yourself.
When I started, posts could take up to a few hours to think about, craft and write. On good days I would have thought about an idea or topic throughout the day. On the bad ones, I'd get to my computer at 10:30PM with not a single meaningful thought in my head. I used to fret about shitty, short posts I pulled out of my ass. But eventually, (Lesson 2) The Plan taught me that there's good and there's bad, but in the end, it's all good as long as you just do.
Posts got easier as the year went on. I can't believe where this blog has followed me - LA, Barcelona, Seoul, Beijing & Shanghai, Palo Alto, Austin and now New York. When I started The Plan, I had no idea how much change the year would bring. In that sense, The Plan now serves as a neat little thought trajectory of the year in my life where everything changed.
Thank you
As my awkward turtle video said, THANK YOU so much for reading and for supporting this little exercise of mine. It was such an added bonus to receive comments and emails from some of you. Thank you to those who sent blog fodder - you saved my ass more than once. Thanks to the international readers - I have no idea how you found me, but your little dots on the analytics map reaffirm every day the big world outside of my little world. And thanks, Mom and Dad, for reading every day, being the best PR team ever (I have a legion of readers who are friends of my parents). Dad, thanks for being my number one spell checker.
What's next
The short answer is, I don't know. But here's what I do know:
1) The Plan was an incredible experience, and a huge part of the last year of my life. While it's gotten me to where I wanted to go (for now), I'm ready to move on to something else. So no Plan year 2 plans.
2) I do want to keep writing and blogging. Not every day, and not necessarily about what I've been covering in The Plan. I'm toying with the idea of more personal and more creative writing.
3) Whatever it is will have to push me. Maybe this means looking outside of writing, incorporating other creative media.
As you can see, there are a lot of vague question marks to address. While I'd love to continue the momentum from The Plan, I hate the idea of starting another blog just to start another blog. So I'll be taking some time to think carefully about what the next project will be. In the meantime, I'll still throw things up on natalie found it, and will be sure to update The Plan once I figure out what's next.
If you want to keep in touch in the interim, you can reach me at natalieyoungkim(at)gmail.com or peek at what I'm up to via twitter.com/natalieykim. I would love nothing more than to say hi to each and every one of you individually.
That's it for now.
Onward and thank you,
Natalie
Friday, April 15, 2011
364) Accent Awareness 6:27 PM
A coworker of mine (well, several) is from Australia. We were working in a small war room when another coworker looked up from what she was doing and asked whether she hears her own accent when she speaks, or if it sounded like we Americans were the ones with accents. While American English is notoriously "flat" and seemingly accentless, the Australian responded that she doesn't realize she's speaking differently than everyone else, and that we were the ones with the accent.
"What does it sound like to you?" we asked.
She proceed to mimic an American accent. The accent (not the imitation) sounded awful, completely crude and unrefined. Oh god, we said, that's what we sound like?
By the same token, the Australian said that whenever someone imitates her accent, she gets self-conscious and vows never to speak again. It got me thinking - does anyone hear their own accent and think, "Man, I sound awesome." Granted, an imitator is usually exaggerating in their effort to come across as authentic. Some of the ease and naturalness of the accent is lost. But there is some truth to it. Perhaps it's just startling to hear our accents, since we are usually unaware of them.
And have you ever noticed that people change the tone of their voice when imitating other languages? I grew up learning French and whenever my dad prompted me to say something, he'd always repeat me in a voice an octave higher than his normal one, his mouth delicately puckered. It's the same reason why people imitating German often resort to a deeper, guttural voice.
I'd love to come up with a study to differentiate and explain how we hear ourselves versus the way others do.
(Mini aside - the penultimate post!)
Thursday, April 14, 2011
363) Dear Crunchy Leaves 8:32 PM
A friend posted a link to Dear blank, please blank on Facebook today. The site is a collection of short, quippy, user-submitted letters. Some are reflections on pop culture, others are clever jokes. I was reading through some of them and realized that they are, in essence, a bunch of little crunchy leaves. They're funny because they're true.
If you get the following reference, you might be my soulmate.
You can rake through the leaves here.
(Mini aside - Thank you, thank you for all your kind support these last few days of The Plan. Your Likes, emails and notes of congrats mean so much to me. Two days, guys!)
If you get the following reference, you might be my soulmate.
You can rake through the leaves here.
(Mini aside - Thank you, thank you for all your kind support these last few days of The Plan. Your Likes, emails and notes of congrats mean so much to me. Two days, guys!)
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
362) Sway Just a Little 4:36 PM
They say to write what you know. Tonight, something I know nothing about.
I had a long catch up conversation with a girlfriend of mine the other day. She has a boyfriend of several years (who does not read The Plan) who recently moved abroad (disclosed with permission, of course). Despite the commonly known and accepted fact that long distance relationships are difficult, they decided to stay together (there's a great Sex and City line that gets to the heart of it - "And then Trey told the lie that all parents to be tell themselves to procreate. 'We will be different.'")
Should she decide that for whatever reason she doesn't want to be in the relationship anymore, a cause and effect dynamic has been put in place that makes any initiation of split that much harder. Clearly, her boyfriend wouldn't have left behind a good relationship if it wasn't to pursue something important to him. But a split initiated from home will inherently make him feel like he had made a mistake, that chasing his dream was wrong - that it's the direct cause of this heartbreaking effect. And who wants to be broken up with while on foreign soil? The guilt of knowing his lack of support system abroad is enough to keep her in it.
It doesn't matter if long distance itself is the culprit, or if the distance is simply a window through which certain things about the relationship become clear - it will be interpreted the same way. It's a difficult position to be in, for all parties involved (including me, who has no idea what advice to give).
This is certainly not meant to pass judgment on those who do choose to do long distance. And clearly, not all long distance relationships are doomed (this one included). I've had plenty of friends who are doing it, have done it, and come out the other side, still together - strong, if not stronger than before. The physical separation of two people with an emotional connection is powerful, for better or for worse.
And as much as I shake my head and back away from the very thought of long distance, my friend put me in my place. "But Natalie," she said, "if it's worth it, why wouldn't you?"
(Start at 1:45. Trust.)
(Mini aside - 3!)
I had a long catch up conversation with a girlfriend of mine the other day. She has a boyfriend of several years (who does not read The Plan) who recently moved abroad (disclosed with permission, of course). Despite the commonly known and accepted fact that long distance relationships are difficult, they decided to stay together (there's a great Sex and City line that gets to the heart of it - "And then Trey told the lie that all parents to be tell themselves to procreate. 'We will be different.'")
Should she decide that for whatever reason she doesn't want to be in the relationship anymore, a cause and effect dynamic has been put in place that makes any initiation of split that much harder. Clearly, her boyfriend wouldn't have left behind a good relationship if it wasn't to pursue something important to him. But a split initiated from home will inherently make him feel like he had made a mistake, that chasing his dream was wrong - that it's the direct cause of this heartbreaking effect. And who wants to be broken up with while on foreign soil? The guilt of knowing his lack of support system abroad is enough to keep her in it.
It doesn't matter if long distance itself is the culprit, or if the distance is simply a window through which certain things about the relationship become clear - it will be interpreted the same way. It's a difficult position to be in, for all parties involved (including me, who has no idea what advice to give).
This is certainly not meant to pass judgment on those who do choose to do long distance. And clearly, not all long distance relationships are doomed (this one included). I've had plenty of friends who are doing it, have done it, and come out the other side, still together - strong, if not stronger than before. The physical separation of two people with an emotional connection is powerful, for better or for worse.
And as much as I shake my head and back away from the very thought of long distance, my friend put me in my place. "But Natalie," she said, "if it's worth it, why wouldn't you?"
(Start at 1:45. Trust.)
(Mini aside - 3!)
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
361) Game Frame Fork 7:13 PM
Games and play have exploded. If you've been following The Plan, you'll know I've written about it multiple times in the past. It seems that everywhere I look, someone else is talking about gamification, or the game layer. Jane Macgonigal at TED, Seth Priesbatch at SXSW, and Aaron Dignan at the PSFK 2011 conference (see trailer for Dignan's book above).
One distinction Dignan made at the end of his talk at PSFK was that there are two paths we can take when it comes to applying game mechanics to the real world. The first path uses game mechanics to sell things, using incentives such as points, badges or coupons. These carrots, while beneficial to us in the short term, will be meaningless and unsustainable in the long term.
The second path uses games for learning skills, focusing on the mechanics behind things. By employing game dynamics we can be motivated and engaged enough to not only better ourselves, and to actually have fun doing it.
I like this notion that not just any type of game is the right one to employ. As games continue to race towards their tipping point and people jump to be part of it, this will be crucial measuring stick to keep in mind.
(Mini aside - I am mentally fried. Trying to put together something special for my last day. Four more.)
Monday, April 11, 2011
360) But What If? 7:27 PM
I was lucky enough to snag my friend Jesse for brunch while he was in town (check out his music project, Imaginary Friend above). We caught up on things, and ended up having a discussion on deal sites like Groupon (spurred by a very inappropriate text message I received from a gentleman at SXSW - another story for another blog). I've written before about deal sites, and my personal barriers to purchase.
And yet, I still wake up to an inbox of at least three different deal sites, Groupon included. Why I don't just unsubscribe is simple. It's just like trying to clean out your closet. Sure, you haven't worn that sweater in three years, but what if the perfect occasion arises and you've tossed it? It's the "what if" that keeps the sweater snugly tucked away in the bottom drawer. (I ashamedly held onto a pleated plaid skirt for years in the off chance I'd need it for a themed party. No joke. It's gone now.)
The same applies to deal site emails. Sure, I've never actually bought into a Groupon deal, but what if there's a killer deal on something I'd actually want someday in the future? The psychological what if hump is hard to get over.
(Mini aside - 5 days!)
Sunday, April 10, 2011
359) Untitled, Apparently 6:25 PM
The Bolt Bus wireless is failing me, so it'll have to be a cell post tonight. This is made even more tragic by the fact that this is my final week of The Plan.
We were eating brunch this morning and one of the assorted dips that came with someone's fries tasted a little like baby food (#firstworldproblems). It was some sweet brandied tomato concoction that no one could quite handle.
The comment about baby food set my brain in motion. Back in our primitive days, mothers had to physically chew up food before feeding it to her child, much as our animal and bird friends still do. Once we had tools they were able to mush up the food by hand.
For some reason it struck me that today, there are companies who do this for us. They process fruit and veggies and pipe them into cute little jars. There is this whole industry that is simulating motherhood to make the modern woman's life a little easier.
Just something I was thinking about. Not meant to pass judgment, and certainly not meant to suggest that mothers should be chewing up their food and spitting it out today. It does make me wonder what type of mother I'll be (in the very distant future). Will I be filling my cart with pre-mushed food, or will I try to cook and food process it myself?
(Mini aside - much fun in DC. Sleepy, and to my delight, slightly flushed from sun exposure.)
We were eating brunch this morning and one of the assorted dips that came with someone's fries tasted a little like baby food (#firstworldproblems). It was some sweet brandied tomato concoction that no one could quite handle.
The comment about baby food set my brain in motion. Back in our primitive days, mothers had to physically chew up food before feeding it to her child, much as our animal and bird friends still do. Once we had tools they were able to mush up the food by hand.
For some reason it struck me that today, there are companies who do this for us. They process fruit and veggies and pipe them into cute little jars. There is this whole industry that is simulating motherhood to make the modern woman's life a little easier.
Just something I was thinking about. Not meant to pass judgment, and certainly not meant to suggest that mothers should be chewing up their food and spitting it out today. It does make me wonder what type of mother I'll be (in the very distant future). Will I be filling my cart with pre-mushed food, or will I try to cook and food process it myself?
(Mini aside - much fun in DC. Sleepy, and to my delight, slightly flushed from sun exposure.)
Saturday, April 9, 2011
358) A Very Important Person 12:11 PM
When it comes to events, clubs, etc. is there anything worse than "the list" culture? The anxiety over whether or not you're friend actually put you on the list, or whether you can get in without being on the list. Being denied in front of a whole line of people, dealing with the bouncer's power-trip attitude. And waiting in a long ass line, only to watch VIP slip in unhindered.
Unless you yourself are VIP. All you can think about is how great VIP is, how much fun you're having, how privileged you inherently feel. You don't, for a second, think about the riffraff who are still waiting outside, while you're already three drinks deep and have had your way with the dance floor.
But though it never crosses a VIP's mind, one cannot fully appreciate the VIP experience without having known the other side.
(Mini aside - currently on a bus down to DC for the weekend. Looking forward to my cousin's bday party, the cherry blossom festival, and slightly warmer weather.)
Unless you yourself are VIP. All you can think about is how great VIP is, how much fun you're having, how privileged you inherently feel. You don't, for a second, think about the riffraff who are still waiting outside, while you're already three drinks deep and have had your way with the dance floor.
But though it never crosses a VIP's mind, one cannot fully appreciate the VIP experience without having known the other side.
(Mini aside - currently on a bus down to DC for the weekend. Looking forward to my cousin's bday party, the cherry blossom festival, and slightly warmer weather.)
Friday, April 8, 2011
357) Emotional Design 7:56 PM
I was fortunate enough to attend PSFK's annual conference today. It was a day full of insightful speakers, and my head is buzzing with the interconnectedness of everything. I have pages of notes, but wanted to pull out one point that really struck me for tonight's post.
An associate professor at Georgia Tech's College of Computing started noticing pictures of people dressing up their Roomba vacuum cleaners (yes, people do this), and decided to study the phenomenon. Her 2007 report suggests that we can become emotionally attached to our gadgets and forgive them for not picking up all the dirt on the floor.
This idea of "emotional design" was touched upon at a panel today called What's Next: A Panel on the Future. One panelist made this very important point: artists and designers should be involved in making technology, not just skinning it. Artists understand engagement, entertainment, and self-expression, which can help solve more nuanced emotional issues - something that computer science and engineering hasn't been able to crack.
Totally unrelated photos. I went to the Highline Ballroom right after the conference ended to see my friends Jesse and Kina play a show. Jesse got me a pass so I was able to sneak in early and watch him sound check. Was so good to see familiar faces from LA.
(Click click for full-size glory.)
An associate professor at Georgia Tech's College of Computing started noticing pictures of people dressing up their Roomba vacuum cleaners (yes, people do this), and decided to study the phenomenon. Her 2007 report suggests that we can become emotionally attached to our gadgets and forgive them for not picking up all the dirt on the floor.
“They’re more willing to work with a robot that does have issues because they really, really like it,” [she] says. “It sort of begins to address more concerns: If we can design things that are somewhat emotionally engaging, it doesn’t have to be as reliable.”
This idea of "emotional design" was touched upon at a panel today called What's Next: A Panel on the Future. One panelist made this very important point: artists and designers should be involved in making technology, not just skinning it. Artists understand engagement, entertainment, and self-expression, which can help solve more nuanced emotional issues - something that computer science and engineering hasn't been able to crack.
Totally unrelated photos. I went to the Highline Ballroom right after the conference ended to see my friends Jesse and Kina play a show. Jesse got me a pass so I was able to sneak in early and watch him sound check. Was so good to see familiar faces from LA.
(Click click for full-size glory.)
Thursday, April 7, 2011
356) Youthfully Ignorant 7:29 PM
We've all heard that youth is wasted on the young. We all have things we wish we could tell our 13, 16, 18 and 21 year old selves in order to avoid mistakes and truly appreciate the past. Generation after generation grow old, and still we are unable to "teach" the youngins how to make the most of their prime years.
I myself frequently think back on things that I thought were so important and so serious five or ten years ago, and laugh. This too shall pass, I mentally inform all the lovelorn teenagers. Things are not as serious as you think, so just enjoy, I whisper wisely.
But for all my sagacity, there's a great probability that I'll look back on my 20's when I'm 50 and still feel a small sting of dang, I wish I had...
For what is youth, if not the unknown, if not the reckless optimism of naivete, if not the subject of a lesson learned? And what is aging, if not making those mistakes and figuring it out for yourself along the way? "Youth is wasted on the young" is a faulty, regretful and almost bitter sentiment. Youth isn't wasted on the young, because youth is the young (duh), in all its misguided awkwardness, freak outs over nothing, and pining for the impossible (heck, I still do this...still got it!).
(Oh, college. I look like a baby. I distinctly remember what's happening in this picture. My roommate was packing for a weekend trip home, and we discovered that I fit in almost all of her luggage.)
I myself frequently think back on things that I thought were so important and so serious five or ten years ago, and laugh. This too shall pass, I mentally inform all the lovelorn teenagers. Things are not as serious as you think, so just enjoy, I whisper wisely.
But for all my sagacity, there's a great probability that I'll look back on my 20's when I'm 50 and still feel a small sting of dang, I wish I had...
For what is youth, if not the unknown, if not the reckless optimism of naivete, if not the subject of a lesson learned? And what is aging, if not making those mistakes and figuring it out for yourself along the way? "Youth is wasted on the young" is a faulty, regretful and almost bitter sentiment. Youth isn't wasted on the young, because youth is the young (duh), in all its misguided awkwardness, freak outs over nothing, and pining for the impossible (heck, I still do this...still got it!).
(Oh, college. I look like a baby. I distinctly remember what's happening in this picture. My roommate was packing for a weekend trip home, and we discovered that I fit in almost all of her luggage.)
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
355) Is This a Poem? 8:12 PM
Caution.
The beverage you
are about to
consume
is very hot.
I took a creative writing course at the local community college the summer between my freshman and sophomore year in high school. The very first class, the teacher wrote the above - taken off a Starbucks cup - on the board and asked whether or not it was a poem.
Somehow this little demonstration always stuck with me. The idea of manipulating words, line breaks and structure to create meaning outside of the literal. I've always had an appreciation of poetry, and have been on an extra kick as of late. It's poetry month over at Knopf, which means I get a poem in my inbox every day in April (sign up! it's lovely).
All this has made me think about online conversations as potential poetry. As wonderful as they are, face to face conversations are lost unless recorded. Online - whether it be a chat log, email chain or Facebook comment thread - provides a wealth of words just waiting to be worked with.
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
354) Fear of Subject Syndrome 5:55 PM
The other day, a friend of mine commented that he sometime wondered if our conversations were research fodder for me, in an unconscious way. How terrible to feel like you're being studied, when you're just trying to shoot the shit.
Therein lies one of my fears in being a planner. I don't want to use the lines, "it's hard to turn off" or "I'm always on," because it makes me sound like a robot. But there is something to be said about the researcher-subject role, and being able to keep that dynamic separate from life outside of work.
But where does one draw the line? I do pull inspiration and anecdotes from encounters with friends, things I've read on Facebook and Twitter, etc. I try to keep personal conversations out of The Plan, though many are the jumping off point for a particular topic (tonight included). Clearly, I don't operate in a vacuum, but can think of nothing worse than friends succumbing to subject syndrome, changing their natural behavior because they know they're being studied (there's an official name for this syndrome, but I can't find it).
(Mini aside - 11 more days! Having trouble wrapping my head around April 16 and what happens next. Also, ladies (and gentlemen?) - do you ever have days where you just have to take pictures of yourself? I'm not sure why I've been all self-portraity lately. In my head, lame/vain, but could also be a reflection of how attractive I'm feeling on a particular day. Ack, now I'm studying myself.)
Monday, April 4, 2011
353) Missing Bling 3:57 PM
Warning: slightly morbid post ahead.
I don't typically wear a lot of jewelry, but have an appreciation for rings. On days when I'm feeling festive, I'll wear bunch of them at once, and on more low-key days a solitary one will do.
Some rings I buy on an eye-caught whim (never over $20 - too easy to lose), and others carry special meaning. Without consciously meaning to initially, I formed a habit of purchasing a ring in every country I visit, and at every significant period of my life. Each is a small reminder of another time, of somewhere else.
The four shown above are what I like to call my "missing girl" rings. I'm usually wearing one if not all of them on any given day. Morbidly, I imagine that this is the jewelry the police would use to identify me, if real life was like CSI. From left to right:
1) Bought at the Brooklyn flea market last May when I came to NY to feel out the city before committing to move. "Shift Key" has not only served as a great conversation starter (especially in interviews - I've been asked three separate times whether my ring says "Shit Key"), but it's also become a bit of a reminder to shift perspectives and try to look at things from a different angle.
2) Bought at one of the jewelry stands along Bruin Walk at UCLA. I'd been looking forever for a ring with these dark, black stones all clustered together.
3) My rabbit ring. My brother bought it for me when we were in Seoul last summer at one of those crazy street markets. I love that it looks like Frank from Donnie Darko.
4) The ring that started it all. I bought this plain, sterling silver band during my first abroad program to France, back at the beginning of high school. I'm amazed it hasn't been lost.
I wrote once about paranoidly checking the backseat of my car on dark nights, or imagining someone waiting under my car to slit my Achilles heel. As weirdly graphic and specific as it sounds, I received a couple comments from females who said that they have the same fears. Is this another one of those? Do other females think of the jewelry they wear every day as potential identifiers, should something happen? Or have I just been watching too many episodes of Law & Order: Special Victim's Unit?
Sunday, April 3, 2011
352) Self-Denial is a Slippery Slope 3:27 PM
Something a little different tonight.
One of my favorite weekend activities is browsing the $1 book stacks outside of The Strand. It's like a treasure hunt, sorting through piles of random topics, unedited advanced copies and outdated how-tos. And there's nothing more thrilling than paying for three books with change.
Yesterday, I walked away with a few books, including one entitled, Going Hungry: Writers on Desire, Self-Denial and Overcoming Anorexia, which I've been poring over all day.
Let me qualify my choice and put my parents' minds at ease by saying straight out that I've never had an eating disorder. What drew me to hand over the $1 for it is the concept of want and self-denial, which I think is one of the most fascinating things to read about. The idea that we are constantly checking our true wants in order to appear socially appropriate, or in this case, as a means to an end.
What has surprised me most about the book is how much it's made me evaluate my own eating habits, the way I think about food, and my body. I've actually been thinking about posting on this topic for awhile, but never knew how to approach it without sounding like I was generalizing about a serious issue. I've decided that the best way is to just write about my own experience.
Another reason why I've always hesitated about putting down my thoughts on the topic is that I have this image of males responding with this: "Groan, another broad with body image issues." I'm not quite sure why I paint the worst, most insensitive response in my head, but I suspect it's a reflection of my own reaction. How cliché, I think.
Here's what I believe, based on me: it is a slippery slope between fairly normal, acceptable eating/body concerns to a full-blown, diagnosable eating disorder. There is no definite line to cross, and starting at the harmless end can quickly and easily lead to the other extreme. It's just a question of whether you get there or not.
Here is what I know to be true about my relationship with my body and with food. You, dear readers, can judge (well, hopefully not judge) where I toe the line.
1) I've always been fairly comfortable with my body. I'm 5'4", petite, normally developed and proportional. Up through high school, I never thought about my body and was generally at peace with the way I looked. I swam competitively, maintained a normal diet, and never once thought about what I should or should not be eating. I graduated high school at 110 pounds.
Then in college, I gained the stereotypical freshman 15. Erratic exercise habits, all you can eat dining halls and late night, after-party Puzzles runs (fond memories of this on-campus burger, pizza, fries, everything-terrible-for-you joint) - all of your typical elements for initial weight gain. I was by no stretch of the imagination fat, or even overweight (healthy weight for my height is 120. At the worst, I was 122), but to me the extra weight showed on my small body. This has always been a tenet for me - my small Asian frame makes any seemingly negligible amount of weight gain more noticeable.
These days, I've come back down to around 115. While I feel like I'm hyper-alert to minor changes in my body, on the whole I appreciate my form. The only part that really bothers me are my thighs. To me, they are disproportional to the rest of me. What's truly silly is that when I see pictures of my legs, they look great. But from my perspective, looking down at them, they don't. Clearly, there is something at play.
2) In my mind, I've never seriously dieted. Of course, I go through phases where I'll watch what I eat more carefully. This has only gotten more frequent as I've gotten older. But I've never put myself on a strict regimen. I hate the idea of deprivation, of not being able to eat what I want. I'm a wannabe foodie, and discovering new restaurants, dishes and cheap eats is one of the things I adore about living in a big city.
Instead, I try to make smarter choices (at least, that's what I tell myself). Eat less meat, especially red, opt for veggies, try not to overdo it on bread and rice (wheat and brown, respectively). The only liquids I drink other than water are coffee, tea, milk with cereal and the occasional alcoholic beverage. If I have a snack attack (every two hours - for whatever reason, I feel like I'm constantly hungry at work. I think a lot of it is procrastination/stress eating), I'll reach for fruit instead of chips in the kitchen. I try to be portion conscious, as I'm convinced that we need way less than we're usually served.
But I struggle with a couple things. The first is my sweet tooth. I inherited from my father, and if I had my way, I would always say yes to dessert. I love strolling new neighborhoods and popping into small bakeries and confectioneries to sample this and that.
The second is that given the right circumstances, I have little self-control when it comes to food I keep in my apartment. I've eaten a whole bag of grapes in one day, and an entire box of Blue Diamond almond crackers in one sitting. This compulsive (dare I say) binge habit (again, I suspect procrastination/stress at fault) forces me to keep only healthy food in my kitchen. You'll find no secret stash of chocolate here.
3) Case in point. Here's what I ate today. I walked to Whole Foods and invested in one of those small containers of pre-sliced berries for breakfast. For lunch, I stopped for a chopped salad with a slice of 9 grain bread on the side. I was out and about all morning, and by the time I came home, nothing sounded better than one of the oatmeal chocolate chip cookies I'd bought at the green market on Saturday on a whim. Except that one sizable cookie (about the size and thickness of my hand) became two. To make up for it (a common, and often misguided theme in Going Hungry) I had a large, fresh-pressed carrot/apple juice and about half of a cold sesame noodle appetizer for dinner. Finally, I've been munching on a large bowl of grapes as I write. (In retrospect, the dinner sounds ridiculous, and completely unbalanced. Actually a little ashamed of it.)
I realize this has been long-winded, and kudos if you've made it this far. I'm not sure what I'm trying to accomplish by disclosing all of this, other than to illustrate the point that there is a fine line between "normal" eating/body concerns and an eating disorder. You start to see common themes and beliefs that are shared between the two. This isn't a cry for help or pity - again, though I know my body and food habits aren't ideal (in a perfect world, I'd find something active that I love so I don't have to make an effort to exercise, and could eat whatever I wanted), I am nowhere near as drastic as some of the writers in the book.
Most anorexia stems from some emotional distress, neglect, abuse or aesthetic pressure during childhood, and becomes the way of exerting control over one's life. I'm thankful to report that I had none of those things. I received plenty of love from my family and friends, enjoyed enough attention from boys, and didn't hang out with those obsessed with their weight. I have no seeming reason to worry about eating habits, other than plain old vanity, or if I'm rationalizing, to be "healthy".
Not really sure how to end this, other than to say: Mom, Dad, please don't freak out. I'm happy and healthy. Promise.
One of my favorite weekend activities is browsing the $1 book stacks outside of The Strand. It's like a treasure hunt, sorting through piles of random topics, unedited advanced copies and outdated how-tos. And there's nothing more thrilling than paying for three books with change.
Yesterday, I walked away with a few books, including one entitled, Going Hungry: Writers on Desire, Self-Denial and Overcoming Anorexia, which I've been poring over all day.
Let me qualify my choice and put my parents' minds at ease by saying straight out that I've never had an eating disorder. What drew me to hand over the $1 for it is the concept of want and self-denial, which I think is one of the most fascinating things to read about. The idea that we are constantly checking our true wants in order to appear socially appropriate, or in this case, as a means to an end.
What has surprised me most about the book is how much it's made me evaluate my own eating habits, the way I think about food, and my body. I've actually been thinking about posting on this topic for awhile, but never knew how to approach it without sounding like I was generalizing about a serious issue. I've decided that the best way is to just write about my own experience.
Another reason why I've always hesitated about putting down my thoughts on the topic is that I have this image of males responding with this: "Groan, another broad with body image issues." I'm not quite sure why I paint the worst, most insensitive response in my head, but I suspect it's a reflection of my own reaction. How cliché, I think.
Here's what I believe, based on me: it is a slippery slope between fairly normal, acceptable eating/body concerns to a full-blown, diagnosable eating disorder. There is no definite line to cross, and starting at the harmless end can quickly and easily lead to the other extreme. It's just a question of whether you get there or not.
Here is what I know to be true about my relationship with my body and with food. You, dear readers, can judge (well, hopefully not judge) where I toe the line.
1) I've always been fairly comfortable with my body. I'm 5'4", petite, normally developed and proportional. Up through high school, I never thought about my body and was generally at peace with the way I looked. I swam competitively, maintained a normal diet, and never once thought about what I should or should not be eating. I graduated high school at 110 pounds.
Then in college, I gained the stereotypical freshman 15. Erratic exercise habits, all you can eat dining halls and late night, after-party Puzzles runs (fond memories of this on-campus burger, pizza, fries, everything-terrible-for-you joint) - all of your typical elements for initial weight gain. I was by no stretch of the imagination fat, or even overweight (healthy weight for my height is 120. At the worst, I was 122), but to me the extra weight showed on my small body. This has always been a tenet for me - my small Asian frame makes any seemingly negligible amount of weight gain more noticeable.
These days, I've come back down to around 115. While I feel like I'm hyper-alert to minor changes in my body, on the whole I appreciate my form. The only part that really bothers me are my thighs. To me, they are disproportional to the rest of me. What's truly silly is that when I see pictures of my legs, they look great. But from my perspective, looking down at them, they don't. Clearly, there is something at play.
2) In my mind, I've never seriously dieted. Of course, I go through phases where I'll watch what I eat more carefully. This has only gotten more frequent as I've gotten older. But I've never put myself on a strict regimen. I hate the idea of deprivation, of not being able to eat what I want. I'm a wannabe foodie, and discovering new restaurants, dishes and cheap eats is one of the things I adore about living in a big city.
Instead, I try to make smarter choices (at least, that's what I tell myself). Eat less meat, especially red, opt for veggies, try not to overdo it on bread and rice (wheat and brown, respectively). The only liquids I drink other than water are coffee, tea, milk with cereal and the occasional alcoholic beverage. If I have a snack attack (every two hours - for whatever reason, I feel like I'm constantly hungry at work. I think a lot of it is procrastination/stress eating), I'll reach for fruit instead of chips in the kitchen. I try to be portion conscious, as I'm convinced that we need way less than we're usually served.
But I struggle with a couple things. The first is my sweet tooth. I inherited from my father, and if I had my way, I would always say yes to dessert. I love strolling new neighborhoods and popping into small bakeries and confectioneries to sample this and that.
The second is that given the right circumstances, I have little self-control when it comes to food I keep in my apartment. I've eaten a whole bag of grapes in one day, and an entire box of Blue Diamond almond crackers in one sitting. This compulsive (dare I say) binge habit (again, I suspect procrastination/stress at fault) forces me to keep only healthy food in my kitchen. You'll find no secret stash of chocolate here.
3) Case in point. Here's what I ate today. I walked to Whole Foods and invested in one of those small containers of pre-sliced berries for breakfast. For lunch, I stopped for a chopped salad with a slice of 9 grain bread on the side. I was out and about all morning, and by the time I came home, nothing sounded better than one of the oatmeal chocolate chip cookies I'd bought at the green market on Saturday on a whim. Except that one sizable cookie (about the size and thickness of my hand) became two. To make up for it (a common, and often misguided theme in Going Hungry) I had a large, fresh-pressed carrot/apple juice and about half of a cold sesame noodle appetizer for dinner. Finally, I've been munching on a large bowl of grapes as I write. (In retrospect, the dinner sounds ridiculous, and completely unbalanced. Actually a little ashamed of it.)
I realize this has been long-winded, and kudos if you've made it this far. I'm not sure what I'm trying to accomplish by disclosing all of this, other than to illustrate the point that there is a fine line between "normal" eating/body concerns and an eating disorder. You start to see common themes and beliefs that are shared between the two. This isn't a cry for help or pity - again, though I know my body and food habits aren't ideal (in a perfect world, I'd find something active that I love so I don't have to make an effort to exercise, and could eat whatever I wanted), I am nowhere near as drastic as some of the writers in the book.
Most anorexia stems from some emotional distress, neglect, abuse or aesthetic pressure during childhood, and becomes the way of exerting control over one's life. I'm thankful to report that I had none of those things. I received plenty of love from my family and friends, enjoyed enough attention from boys, and didn't hang out with those obsessed with their weight. I have no seeming reason to worry about eating habits, other than plain old vanity, or if I'm rationalizing, to be "healthy".
Not really sure how to end this, other than to say: Mom, Dad, please don't freak out. I'm happy and healthy. Promise.
Saturday, April 2, 2011
351) Genuine Flash Mobs 6:32 PM
Quick post tonight, as I'm heading out in a bit.
It's really uncomfortable when a video tries too hard be viral instead of just letting it happen naturally. I'm convinced that there is no formula for viralness, and that the unspoken power of viral lies solely in the hands of viewers.
By the same token, there's nothing sadder than a flash mob gone wrong. About a week ago, a couple co-workers were buzzing about a flash mob that was happening at noon in Union Square, right by our office. A few of us went down to grab lunch and to check it out. The "flash mob" amounted to a group of cheerleaders performing their routine while people carried in water jugs to celebrate World Water Day (just checked - it was a Levis-backed stunt). It was little more than a ripple, a flash in the pan, and definitely not a mob.
Cut to today.
(Video is of the same event last year.)
It was National Pillow Fight Day, and Union Square hosted one of the NYC ones this afternoon. I walked by earlier as it was winding down, but there was still a joyful energy in the air. The ground was covered in feathers and fluff, and everyone had little bits stuck in their hair like snow. I took a few pictures which I'll post later.
Like the viral videos, there's something to be said about the organic nature of flash mobs. Mobs for the sake of something fun will very often prove to be more successful than brand-backed gatherings.
It's really uncomfortable when a video tries too hard be viral instead of just letting it happen naturally. I'm convinced that there is no formula for viralness, and that the unspoken power of viral lies solely in the hands of viewers.
By the same token, there's nothing sadder than a flash mob gone wrong. About a week ago, a couple co-workers were buzzing about a flash mob that was happening at noon in Union Square, right by our office. A few of us went down to grab lunch and to check it out. The "flash mob" amounted to a group of cheerleaders performing their routine while people carried in water jugs to celebrate World Water Day (just checked - it was a Levis-backed stunt). It was little more than a ripple, a flash in the pan, and definitely not a mob.
Cut to today.
(Video is of the same event last year.)
It was National Pillow Fight Day, and Union Square hosted one of the NYC ones this afternoon. I walked by earlier as it was winding down, but there was still a joyful energy in the air. The ground was covered in feathers and fluff, and everyone had little bits stuck in their hair like snow. I took a few pictures which I'll post later.
Like the viral videos, there's something to be said about the organic nature of flash mobs. Mobs for the sake of something fun will very often prove to be more successful than brand-backed gatherings.
Friday, April 1, 2011
350) The Cost of Being Fooled 5:27 PM
One year when I was in elementary school, my mom sat me down and told me that I was going to be transferred from the school I loved to a boarding school on the east coast. I can still remember exactly where we were. We were visiting my grandfather up in Sonoma for the weekend. She sat me down at the kitchen table, looked me straight in the eye, and delivered the news. I started to cry and stammer in protest - I distinctly remember saying, "But...I'm really happy at Pinewood..." as if trying to make a case against the idea.
Of course, it was an April Fool's joke. While I must have been vaguely aware of what day it was, the news was so terrifying (and well performed) that I couldn't not react as if it was true. It would be too costly if I assumed it was a joke and it turned out to be true.
Fast forward to April 1, 2011. Three separate Facebook acquaintances got engaged today. They changed their relationship statuses, sat back and awaited the reactions. Initial ones were purely congratulatory, and included a lot of exclamation points. Again, to not react accordingly to big news, even on April Fool's day and especially given our not-unheard-of-to-be-engaged age, is costly. Eventually, one commenter will gently question whether it's an April Fool's joke. Once the seed's been planted, once one person makes it okay to cast doubt, everyone follows suit.
It's as if it's better to react appropriately and be fooled, than to question and be wrong. Though everyone should know that anything done today would be cast in a shadow of doubt. And then there are those who use that fact to their advantage, so that their crazy news is even crazier because it's true on April Fool's day.
(Google's oft looked forward to annual April Fool's prank. While the movements themselves are silly, I feel like the concept itself isn't that far off. How great if they released the real Gmail Motion tomorrow or next week? Oh, and PS - cue card reading, much?)
Of course, it was an April Fool's joke. While I must have been vaguely aware of what day it was, the news was so terrifying (and well performed) that I couldn't not react as if it was true. It would be too costly if I assumed it was a joke and it turned out to be true.
Fast forward to April 1, 2011. Three separate Facebook acquaintances got engaged today. They changed their relationship statuses, sat back and awaited the reactions. Initial ones were purely congratulatory, and included a lot of exclamation points. Again, to not react accordingly to big news, even on April Fool's day and especially given our not-unheard-of-to-be-engaged age, is costly. Eventually, one commenter will gently question whether it's an April Fool's joke. Once the seed's been planted, once one person makes it okay to cast doubt, everyone follows suit.
It's as if it's better to react appropriately and be fooled, than to question and be wrong. Though everyone should know that anything done today would be cast in a shadow of doubt. And then there are those who use that fact to their advantage, so that their crazy news is even crazier because it's true on April Fool's day.
(Google's oft looked forward to annual April Fool's prank. While the movements themselves are silly, I feel like the concept itself isn't that far off. How great if they released the real Gmail Motion tomorrow or next week? Oh, and PS - cue card reading, much?)
Thursday, March 31, 2011
349) Beauty in Data 3:03 PM
(Beautiful nonsense infographics from Datavisualization.ch)
I was just writing something when I stopped to google "collaboration synonym" in order to find an alternate word. Then a data idea hit me - what if we could see the frequency of words that were searched in junction with the word "synonym" over time? Not only would this be a reflection of how much certain words were used in a given year, but also which ones we wanted to replace. (My top 2 - interesting and fascinating.)
The imagined end result would be this gorgeously designed graph of word popularity over time (a jargon map, perhaps?), as well as connections between these words and their most popular replacements. The outer layer would be this rich data set of synonyms.
(Clearly) I've become such a data nerd. It's mixing wonderfully with my word nerdom.
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
348) Lick, Lick, Lick 5:53 PM
First, play the video and do what it says.
The viral gods are abuzz over this Skittles ad that has been making the rounds online for the past couple of days. There's something to be said about reframing the idea of interactive video, of simply taking a step back and putting an analog spin on it, and thereby separating oneself from the clutter. There's a small, delightful sense of satisfaction in being a part of the video in that way (I challenge anyone not to smile while a fuzzy cat licks your finger).
Brava, Skittles.
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
347) Don't Forget the Humans 7:23 PM
(Image from PSFK.)
Sci-fi headlines like this one - "Mind Scanning Gadget Enables Emotional Browsing Of Flickr" - have been popping up more frequently on my feeds lately. My first response is to always look for the preserved humanity (if any) in these high tech, futuristic innovations. As we move toward a world where computers and algorithms can beat us in Jeopardy and provide us with emotional comfort as virtual girlfriends, I think the brands that can maintain an element of real humanity will continue to bubble to the top.
(Seems like it would just be easier to navigate Flickr the traditional way...*shakes head, blinks furiously*)
(Mini aside - I'm not sure if it's knowing I only have 18 more posts to go, or that my mind's been elsewhere, but I'm finding it difficult to write these days. Pushing myself to finish strong. Thanks for sticking it out.)
Monday, March 28, 2011
346) Pieces of Posts Past 5:29 PM
I have massive writer's block tonight, so I'm stealing a few excerpts from an old online journal I used to keep. It's still very much public, but I keep it under wraps because 75% of it is embarrassingly emo and mostly about boys. But I can't bring myself to delete it. It's a nice record of the way things were, how I thought, and how I wrote back then.
A few random excerpts, and some retrospective commentary. The first one is a little heavy, apologies.
March 1, 2005
Today as I was walking to French class, a horribly cruel dream that I had last night came rushing back to me. I don't know if I've ever had such an emotional dream, and it hurt so badly to remember it. I dreampt that he was alive, that it was all a joke. I was walking down a sunny sidewalk with random friends and all of a sudden I see him walking toward us. Just him, smiling, there, with short buzzed hair like he had in jr. high. My heart seizes up because it's as if I've seen a ghost, but he's there in front of me. I fall on my knees on the sidewalk and start gasping and sobbing, while at the same time I've never felt so incredibly glad in my life. I remember vaguely hearing one random friend say, "Oh yeah, Natalie didn't know..." like I was the only one who hadn't heard yet that it wasn't true. I got up and gave him the biggest hug ever, sobbing incredulously, babbling about how hard it had been to deal. He smelled like he did at dances, when he used his special cologne. He showed me a large scar on the back of his head, but shrugged it off as if it was nothing. I was so incredibly relieved.
But it was all a dream. It's so cruel the way memory comes back and attacks when you least expect it. I don't want to forget his memory, but it hurts to be teased like that.
(Thankfully never had another dream like that again. This was the one white squall in an otherwise calm-sea childhood. I still wonder where he'd be and what he'd be doing.)
December 9, 2004
Oh my goodness.
I just came back from my last Intro to Communications lecture. The subject of today's lecture was advertising. I've figured it out: I LOVE advertising. THIS IS WHAT I WAS MEANT TO DO. The whole lecture I was sitting up, leaning forward in my chair without even trying, and every five minutes I thought, "wow, this is so interesting". Now I'm so anxious - with so many talented people in the world, how can I make my mark in the advertising world? But I want want want to do it. I want to flip through a magazine and be able to say, "I created that". I'll never forget the advertising project I did sophomore year in Mr. B-something's (my memory is failing me) Communications class at Gunn. We made a black and white commercial filmed at Juana Briones for a made up perfume/cologne. It was basically Tupy and I running around but it was so good and so much fun. I want to do that for a living - not be in commercials but make them. Definitely switching to a Communications Studies major. I still want to study literature too though...and French....hmm can I double minor? It's so crazy how excited I am. I can't explain how good it feels to actually be so interested in something and want to do it so badly.
(It's nice to have career affirmation from my 19-year-old self.)
July 2, 2004
It has finally hit me that hey, no more high school, it's time to move on to college. God, it seems like only yesterday (yep, I sound like an old fogie) I was wondering if that day would ever come, if I was ever going to be old/smart/cool enough to be a college girl.
(And now I'm 25. Holy hell. Sometimes I still feel like I'm just playing adult.)
(Carefree in college.)
A few random excerpts, and some retrospective commentary. The first one is a little heavy, apologies.
March 1, 2005
Today as I was walking to French class, a horribly cruel dream that I had last night came rushing back to me. I don't know if I've ever had such an emotional dream, and it hurt so badly to remember it. I dreampt that he was alive, that it was all a joke. I was walking down a sunny sidewalk with random friends and all of a sudden I see him walking toward us. Just him, smiling, there, with short buzzed hair like he had in jr. high. My heart seizes up because it's as if I've seen a ghost, but he's there in front of me. I fall on my knees on the sidewalk and start gasping and sobbing, while at the same time I've never felt so incredibly glad in my life. I remember vaguely hearing one random friend say, "Oh yeah, Natalie didn't know..." like I was the only one who hadn't heard yet that it wasn't true. I got up and gave him the biggest hug ever, sobbing incredulously, babbling about how hard it had been to deal. He smelled like he did at dances, when he used his special cologne. He showed me a large scar on the back of his head, but shrugged it off as if it was nothing. I was so incredibly relieved.
But it was all a dream. It's so cruel the way memory comes back and attacks when you least expect it. I don't want to forget his memory, but it hurts to be teased like that.
(Thankfully never had another dream like that again. This was the one white squall in an otherwise calm-sea childhood. I still wonder where he'd be and what he'd be doing.)
December 9, 2004
Oh my goodness.
I just came back from my last Intro to Communications lecture. The subject of today's lecture was advertising. I've figured it out: I LOVE advertising. THIS IS WHAT I WAS MEANT TO DO. The whole lecture I was sitting up, leaning forward in my chair without even trying, and every five minutes I thought, "wow, this is so interesting". Now I'm so anxious - with so many talented people in the world, how can I make my mark in the advertising world? But I want want want to do it. I want to flip through a magazine and be able to say, "I created that". I'll never forget the advertising project I did sophomore year in Mr. B-something's (my memory is failing me) Communications class at Gunn. We made a black and white commercial filmed at Juana Briones for a made up perfume/cologne. It was basically Tupy and I running around but it was so good and so much fun. I want to do that for a living - not be in commercials but make them. Definitely switching to a Communications Studies major. I still want to study literature too though...and French....hmm can I double minor? It's so crazy how excited I am. I can't explain how good it feels to actually be so interested in something and want to do it so badly.
(It's nice to have career affirmation from my 19-year-old self.)
July 2, 2004
It has finally hit me that hey, no more high school, it's time to move on to college. God, it seems like only yesterday (yep, I sound like an old fogie) I was wondering if that day would ever come, if I was ever going to be old/smart/cool enough to be a college girl.
(And now I'm 25. Holy hell. Sometimes I still feel like I'm just playing adult.)
(Carefree in college.)
Sunday, March 27, 2011
345) Relics or Resources 2:39 PM
(Image from TIME.)
"Robotic Clouds Will Provide Shade During Qatar World Cup."
We see it every time there's an international event. The host city will bust out some crazy technology or build complete infrastructures seemingly out of thin air in order to put their best face forward. Money is never an object (where does that phrase come from?), and no timeline is too quick.
These robot clouds ("...essentially massive blimps, filled with helium, and will be floated above stadiums. Four onboard solar-powered engines will allow the clouds to be controlled from the ground, shifting along with the sun's zenith, serving as a huge umbrella in the sky to shade spectators and athletes.") come in at $500,000 each, which is "pocket change" for the Middle East nation.
While I understand the the investment made for these events is meant to come back to the host country through tourism revenue, I can't help feeling like there's something wrong with pulling out the stops only when the world is watching, especially if the cost is chump change. The other half of this is the integration and use of said infrastructures after the world has gone home. Are they woven into the fabric of the city (ex - the swimming facility built for the '92 summer Olympics in Barcelona is now a public pool)? Or do they stand as separate tourist relics, too big for community use (see: Beijing Bird's Nest - an interesting case study to watch. Unclear what it will become.)?
I love the idea of these infrastructures being repurposed to benefit the local community. TBD what will happen to these robotic clouds after the World Cup champion is crowned. Will they be relics or resources?
PS - Not to go all doomsday, but does floating giant robotic cloud blimps over millions of spectators/athletes sound like a disaster waiting to happen to anyone else?
Saturday, March 26, 2011
344) That Changes Everything 6:29 PM
Around the world in 2000 pictures from alex profit on Vimeo.
“We travel because we need to, because distance and difference are the secret tonic of creativity. When we get home, home is still the same. But something in our mind has been changed, and that changes everything.”
- Jonah Lehrer, The Guardian
It's back. The travel bug. Three things happened. First, I talked with one of my best friends who is living in Colombia for a month via video chat. Second, I was sent a series of achingly gorgeous images from faraway cities by a friend who is much better-traveled than me. Lastly, I was sifting (digitally) through my photos from Barcelona, which have the uncanny ability to make me a little emotional. Bitten.
I posted this quote almost a year ago in a post about traveling, expanding horizons, etc (before Spain, before Asia). What amazes me this time around is how important life in New York can feel - how all-consuming the city is as one's whole world. But all it takes is a few photos from a couple Google image searches, and the sheer amount of unseen begins to overwhelm.
Can we ever shake the urge to travel? I've had friends talk about, "getting it out their system" before life's commitments become jet-set preventative. Truth be told, I was a late bloomer when it came to the want/need to travel. As much as I enjoyed family vacations to exotic corners (my parents were good about exposing us to different parts of the world), I didn't have the urge to strike out on my own until, well, last year I suppose.
If our biological instincts tell us to reproduce and raise offspring (implying a state of settlement), then the urge to travel is something wrought of...what? Our human curiosity? The want to expose ourselves to as much unknown as possible in order to be culturally and intellectually fit?
Bottomline: Need to start formulating travel plans for 2011.
Friday, March 25, 2011
343) The Sharing Economy 7:33 PM
Another SXSW recap for you tonight. I sat in on a panel called, "The New Sharing Economy." (We're talking physical sharing, not information sharing.) While sharing practices aren't new (movie rentals, the library), the internet has enabled an economy of sharing (Netflix, Airbnb, Rideshare, etc.). Motivated by altruistic (good for society, the environment) and selfish (saves money) benefits, this co-consumerism has the opportunity to increase the value of and the meaning behind objects.
Buying something from a retailer is individualistic. It's a one time transaction. Sharing, on the other hand is communal. It changes the commerce model to a more cyclical system, as objects are transferred among people. The opportunity lies in retailers/brands adopting the same cyclical model for traditional retail,which not only helps builds community among customers, but also extends the value of each item.
The second piece is the meaning within objects that are shared. Often, our attachment to things has to do with our experiences with them, not the physical properties themselves. One panelist was the founder of Itizen, a platform that allows users to create barcodes that are attached to shared objects. The barcode tells the story behind the objects as they are passed along.
Hand cramping. Last day of non-internet existence - tomorrow I can get back to laptop posts with pictures.
Buying something from a retailer is individualistic. It's a one time transaction. Sharing, on the other hand is communal. It changes the commerce model to a more cyclical system, as objects are transferred among people. The opportunity lies in retailers/brands adopting the same cyclical model for traditional retail,which not only helps builds community among customers, but also extends the value of each item.
The second piece is the meaning within objects that are shared. Often, our attachment to things has to do with our experiences with them, not the physical properties themselves. One panelist was the founder of Itizen, a platform that allows users to create barcodes that are attached to shared objects. The barcode tells the story behind the objects as they are passed along.
Hand cramping. Last day of non-internet existence - tomorrow I can get back to laptop posts with pictures.
Thursday, March 24, 2011
342) The Virtual Date 7:17 PM
My Airbnb host in Austin has a fiance that lives in Cambridge for grad school. I asked if that was difficult - being apart for what sounded like an indeterminate amount of time. Because to me, that sounds like a nightmare.
In his adorable French-native-speaking-English accent, he told me that it was hard, but that they found ways to be together without being together. He told me that just last week, they tried watching the same movie on Netflix at the same time, while connecting via Skype. Both were skeptical about this "virtual" movie date, but in the end, it was a lot of fun. No matter that they were individually sitting alone in their respective rooms - for a couple hours they felt like they were together (cue collective aww).
Huge duh that technology and the internet allow us to be better connected, but I love the idea of these platforms creatively packaging and positioning themselves as tools for those who can't physically be together (ex. Netflix simulcasts to linked accounts with Skype widget built in). Not just long distance gf/bfs, but also faraway friends and family.
In his adorable French-native-speaking-English accent, he told me that it was hard, but that they found ways to be together without being together. He told me that just last week, they tried watching the same movie on Netflix at the same time, while connecting via Skype. Both were skeptical about this "virtual" movie date, but in the end, it was a lot of fun. No matter that they were individually sitting alone in their respective rooms - for a couple hours they felt like they were together (cue collective aww).
Huge duh that technology and the internet allow us to be better connected, but I love the idea of these platforms creatively packaging and positioning themselves as tools for those who can't physically be together (ex. Netflix simulcasts to linked accounts with Skype widget built in). Not just long distance gf/bfs, but also faraway friends and family.
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
341) Racism in Anonymity 3:56 PM
One of the panels I attended at SXSW was called "E-Race: Avatars, Anonymity & the Visualization of Identity." It looked at how racism plays out online, particularly in relation to avatars. A few notes from the talk which I found really (insert word other than interesting here).
1) Visible Racial Profiling. A study was conducted on Craigslist, in which ads selling an iPod were posted. In the ads, the photo of the product showed just the iPod and the hand holding it. One ad featured a white hand, one a black hand, and one a tattooed hand. Not only did the ad with the black hand receive 32% less offers than the white hand, but people tried to bargain more, offered lower prices, and even tried to barter objects.
2) Voice Activated Racism. Female gamers on Xbox Live are profiled by the sound of their voice. On that note, the panelist mentioned a blog called Fat, Ugly or Slutty, which allows female gamers to chronicle all the sexist comments they receive while playing. Definitely worth a look.
3) Racism Against Avatars. The whole point of avatars are to mask your true identity. But studies are consistently finding that a decision to choose a minority avatar exposes you to more hate. Even usernames that sound like minority names are targeted.
We think of online gaming as largely anonymous, yet these themes of racism still find their way in. On the flip side, the fact that perpetrators are also anonymous creates disinhibition, and an exacerbation of the problem.
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
340) The Bruised Ego 7:13 PM
I didn't get a chance to post at work today, and seeing as I don't have internet set up at my new place (and no open connections from unsavvy neighbors - torture!), I'm forced to cell post tonight. At least I'm home cozied up on my bed and not in the middle of a bar typing away.
True story. About half an hour ago, I was walking home, when I caught my heel on some uneven pavement and went down in the middle of a crosswalk. It was one of those slow motion falls, where you try to catch yourself halfway, but the momentum causes you to go ahead and fall anyway.
It hurt. But not physically (yet). My face flushed and I tried, despite my increasingly throbbing knee to keep walking at a brisk pace, like it didn't happen. I didn't look back, afraid of the looks of pity and/or amusement behind me. The embarrassment, and the need to save face was so overwhelming as a first response. No matter that my left knee, which caught the brunt of it, had been scraped hard enough to draw blood (which I discovered only after I got home. It's not pretty.)
If pain is meant to alert us to harmful things to our bodies, then what does it mean when a bruised ego hurts most?
Ow.
True story. About half an hour ago, I was walking home, when I caught my heel on some uneven pavement and went down in the middle of a crosswalk. It was one of those slow motion falls, where you try to catch yourself halfway, but the momentum causes you to go ahead and fall anyway.
It hurt. But not physically (yet). My face flushed and I tried, despite my increasingly throbbing knee to keep walking at a brisk pace, like it didn't happen. I didn't look back, afraid of the looks of pity and/or amusement behind me. The embarrassment, and the need to save face was so overwhelming as a first response. No matter that my left knee, which caught the brunt of it, had been scraped hard enough to draw blood (which I discovered only after I got home. It's not pretty.)
If pain is meant to alert us to harmful things to our bodies, then what does it mean when a bruised ego hurts most?
Ow.
Monday, March 21, 2011
339) Offline Privacy 7:59 PM
(Photo from art.com.)
I spent my first night in my new apartment last night. It's coming together piece by piece, but the one element I do not have yet is curtains. My bed is situated right by a window, and given that I live in a studio, I've been feeling rather exposed lately. It's made me realize how much we think about virtual privacy these days, but how little we worry about who can see us without our knowing in real life.
Granted, I'm on the other side of creepy too, and have done my fair share of window watching. Voyeurism in the real world! Again, I love appreciating the off and online versions of things.
(Quick post, as I'm still at work. Living the dream.)
Sunday, March 20, 2011
338) The Power of Spoken Word 7:24 AM
Watch the video. Do it.
A friend posted this to their Facebook wall the other day, and it was too powerful to keep to myself. The power of read words on a page (paper or virtual) is undeniable. The very thought of moving someone with static words that can be interpreted and inflected in someone's head any which way is every writer's dream.
But something is added to poetry when it's spoken aloud. The intent is there behind their voice. You can hear the passion in Sarah Kay's voice in her execution - it sounds like her words are so excited to get out, they tumble over one another, crowding to escape and be heard, leaving her almost breathless.
I also love the ending of "Hiroshima".
Saturday, March 19, 2011
337) History: Time vs. Space 8:16 PM
(Mini aside - I feel brain dead and frazzled, two things I do not like feeling. Moving is such a pain in the ass. That's all I'll say, no more whining. Stealing a post from the blog I kept during SXSW.)
I heard a really fascinating talk at SXSW on telling visual stories using time and space, the mapping of which is typically mutually exclusive.
One of the panelists discussed events as a third way to represent historical data. While space and time are abstract concepts, events are real. They are the products of the stories we tell.
A recent example is the Egyptian revolution. If we think about it (especially remotely), there are as many Egyptian revolutions as there are individual stories about the revolution. The large event is made up of singular representations.
The speaker’s point was that the Internet allows us access to richer data models for events. Essentially, we are able to move from a shared experience to a more nuanced history made up of the aggregation/visualization of individual itineraries (via tweets, uploaded photos, etc.).
I heard a really fascinating talk at SXSW on telling visual stories using time and space, the mapping of which is typically mutually exclusive.
One of the panelists discussed events as a third way to represent historical data. While space and time are abstract concepts, events are real. They are the products of the stories we tell.
A recent example is the Egyptian revolution. If we think about it (especially remotely), there are as many Egyptian revolutions as there are individual stories about the revolution. The large event is made up of singular representations.
The speaker’s point was that the Internet allows us access to richer data models for events. Essentially, we are able to move from a shared experience to a more nuanced history made up of the aggregation/visualization of individual itineraries (via tweets, uploaded photos, etc.).
Friday, March 18, 2011
336) For the Love of Seasons 7:30 PM
(Photo by Andrew Prokos. Enlarge this puppy. Can't wait for the cherry blossoms!)
Today, I was finally able to appreciate what it means to have seasons. After a seemingly endless string of consecutive bone-chilling days, gray skies, sometimes rain, sometimes snow, at the worst times wind, it felt like spring. Not only was it a comfy 70 degrees out, but you could feel the energy change in New Yorkers as a collective. Everyone emerged from curling into themselves within their big coats and scarves, and this new exposure lifted and projected everyone's spirits.
I walked the 11 or so blocks home from my new place to my old place tonight, and was filled with this balmy happiness. And while I've probably experienced thousands of similar days in California, it never felt as special as this one. It's the juxtaposition of seasons, the hard endurance through the winter that had everyone smiling today.
(Mini aside - Long night of packing in front of me. Yearly pilgrimage to IKEA tomorrow, movers tomorrow night. Pumping myself up for a jeans-and-old-tshirt-and-backwards-cap day of productivity and manual labor.
Also - a little less than a month left of The Plan! Madness.)
Thursday, March 17, 2011
335) Fake Money, Real Good 6:53 PM
Here's a thought I had today. With the millions of online and social media gamers, there must be a massive amount of virtual currency out there. What if we could turn that virtual currency into real aid for Japan? Could Farmville, Cityville, World of Warcraft, Sims, Neopets, and any other online game in which currency must be earned (in the case of some, people actually exchange real money for this virtual money) allow their players to donate their online dough to fund a real world donation?
This would serve as a nod to their own success, a comment on the power of online worlds affecting the real one, and of course, an altruistic gesture. I love the idea of taking something that already exists online, something of "dormant" value, and pushing it into the real world for good.
EDIT: I should really research, before I write. Check out efforts by Zynga and Ngmoco.
(Mini aside - Getting ready for a night of packing up my life into suitcases, yet again. Moving on Saturday. Helloooo, East Village.)
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
334) Global Problem, Local Action 11:59 AM
Seth Priebatsch from SCVNGR gave one of the key note speeches at SXSW on the Game Layer, and how the next decade will be the Decade of Games. The finale was a game that involved the thousand listeners in the room. Each person was given a random colored card (yellow, blue or green) when they sat down. In three minutes, each row had to organize themselves into one color by trading their cards with the people immediately around them. If they could accomplish this, SCVNGR would donate $10,000 to charity.
The success of the game (it took less than 180 seconds) illustrated the power of communal gameplay in solving a tricky problem with local action. All the elements of a global problem, such as global warming, were there:
1) lack of communication
2) different trading patterns
3) different “countries” i.e. rows
4) different wealth (some people had more than one card to trade)
5) restricted movement
6) decentralized leadership
7) countdown
8) joint goal
A powerful demonstration. Priesbatch pointed out that the countdown, as well as the joint goal of getting the money to the charity, infused the "game" with epic meaning, making the players "blissfully productive".
(Mini aside - Flying back to NY tonight. SXSW felt like spring break, and the trip makes me want to travel to more places I've never been. Though, I have missed the NY hustle. Up next - moving this weekend!)
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
333) What is Web 3.0 5:28 PM
(Mini aside - I'm staying at my friend's hotel room for my last couple nights in Austin. Instead of eating out tonight, I opted to come back and spend some time with my laptop and room service. SXSW has been great beyond words, but I am so exhausted. The Interactive part of the festival ended today, so tomorrow will be my chill out in downtown Austin day. Hoping to find and snap some street art, and other Austin oddities.)
6th St., Downtown Austin.
Quick note: If you want a peek at what I've been up to in Austin, you can visit my other blog, nataliefoundit.
I heard a really interesting (worst. word. ever.) talk by Reid Hoffman, the CEO of LinkedIn. He discussed Web 3.0, and his vision of what it will be. A couple points that stuck:
1) We are inventing and creating the future. Back in the 50's and 60's, we envisioned a Jetsons future - flying cars, robot servants. But just because we don't have either of those doesn't mean we're not in "the future." Instead of flying cars and robots, we entered into an information future.
2) Web 1.0 was about searching files anonymously. Web 2.0 incorporated our real identity and relationships. As a result, we started generating massive amounts of explicit (profile info), implicit (I signed onto Facebook X times today) and analytic (trending) data. Hoffman believes that Web 3.0 will answer the question - what are we inventing out of that data?
3) One of the barriers to Web 3.0 is privacy. But instead of an Orwellian dystopia, Hoffman is more wary of a Huxlian Brave New World. Because we're generating all this information, it becomes harder to discern truth from falseness, harder to quality control. And there's a ton of it. The fear is that due to information overload, we will be reduced to just holding onto our own opinions.
This was really powerful to me - I'd never thought about it that way.
6th St., Downtown Austin.
Quick note: If you want a peek at what I've been up to in Austin, you can visit my other blog, nataliefoundit.
I heard a really interesting (worst. word. ever.) talk by Reid Hoffman, the CEO of LinkedIn. He discussed Web 3.0, and his vision of what it will be. A couple points that stuck:
1) We are inventing and creating the future. Back in the 50's and 60's, we envisioned a Jetsons future - flying cars, robot servants. But just because we don't have either of those doesn't mean we're not in "the future." Instead of flying cars and robots, we entered into an information future.
2) Web 1.0 was about searching files anonymously. Web 2.0 incorporated our real identity and relationships. As a result, we started generating massive amounts of explicit (profile info), implicit (I signed onto Facebook X times today) and analytic (trending) data. Hoffman believes that Web 3.0 will answer the question - what are we inventing out of that data?
3) One of the barriers to Web 3.0 is privacy. But instead of an Orwellian dystopia, Hoffman is more wary of a Huxlian Brave New World. Because we're generating all this information, it becomes harder to discern truth from falseness, harder to quality control. And there's a ton of it. The fear is that due to information overload, we will be reduced to just holding onto our own opinions.
This was really powerful to me - I'd never thought about it that way.
Monday, March 14, 2011
332) Social Media Managers 6:48 PM
The official SXSW trade show opened today. What struck me the most was the number of social media management companies there were. So many (but not all) of the social media experts out there are just glorified regulars who have Facebook and Twitter profiles, and capitalize on the older generations who own the brands and companies that need to be on social media.
When the younger, grew-up-with-it generation starts to take control of these brands/companies, will these social media management companies become irrelevant?
Written in line. My trip was extended by a couple of days, so I'll be in Austin a little longer! Having a lot of fun.
When the younger, grew-up-with-it generation starts to take control of these brands/companies, will these social media management companies become irrelevant?
Written in line. My trip was extended by a couple of days, so I'll be in Austin a little longer! Having a lot of fun.
Sunday, March 13, 2011
331) This Is My Friend 1:33 PM
I thought my posts here at SXSW would be more tech/social media/digital focused, but I keep having to do cell posts since I'm out sans laptop all day. Which is not at all conducive of complex and deep topics. I have a little break right now so I'm sitting at the PepsiCo lounge typing away with one finger.
Last night I was out at The Blind Pig on 6th St., the third stop of a long night (not cut out for marathon parties. So sleepy today, zzzzzz). I felt a tap on my shoulder.
"Hi, I'm Andy," says the tapper. I introduce myself back.
"This is my friend, Josh." He pulls forward a sheepish-looking pal.
STRIKE ONE. Fellas, if your friend has to introduce you, it's an instant red flag. You've essentially been set up to look like a chump by your extroverted, gregarious friend. I get that some people are shy, but your friend really isn't doing you any favors by opening for you.
"Josh really needs to get laid. He's on the way to becoming the 40 year old virgin."
As if I wasn't already sold. STRIKE TWO. At this point, no one feels comfortable, except for Andy, who thinks he's hilarious.
"So, can he buy you a drink?"
Um, no. Because that was the worst opener ever. You just made Josh sound like the least desirable charity case in the world.
This was the worst one I've heard, though I've encountered the friend-intro before. Never say never, but it's never worked.
Last night I was out at The Blind Pig on 6th St., the third stop of a long night (not cut out for marathon parties. So sleepy today, zzzzzz). I felt a tap on my shoulder.
"Hi, I'm Andy," says the tapper. I introduce myself back.
"This is my friend, Josh." He pulls forward a sheepish-looking pal.
STRIKE ONE. Fellas, if your friend has to introduce you, it's an instant red flag. You've essentially been set up to look like a chump by your extroverted, gregarious friend. I get that some people are shy, but your friend really isn't doing you any favors by opening for you.
"Josh really needs to get laid. He's on the way to becoming the 40 year old virgin."
As if I wasn't already sold. STRIKE TWO. At this point, no one feels comfortable, except for Andy, who thinks he's hilarious.
"So, can he buy you a drink?"
Um, no. Because that was the worst opener ever. You just made Josh sound like the least desirable charity case in the world.
This was the worst one I've heard, though I've encountered the friend-intro before. Never say never, but it's never worked.
Saturday, March 12, 2011
Friday, March 11, 2011
329) Fountain of Youth 5:06 PM
(Taken earlier today. I cannot tell you how much I love this picture.)
Day 1 at SXSW!
I have never overheard so many people bragging about their check-ins before. While the success of Foursquare (especially at SXSW, where it was first announced) and Gowalla are no secret, to actually hear people articulate the fact that they checked in somewhere boggles my mind.
Think about it. In real life, check-ins would be like getting to your destination and announcing out loud, "I'm here! At the Starbucks on 17th St. and Union Square West!" It would be ridiculous. Because it is the audience that matters. In real life, we proclaim our current location to strangers in the vicinity. Online, it's a more selective group of friends, acquaintances, etc.
I understand that the purpose of these check-in platforms is to facilitate "serendipitous" meet ups in real life. And while that's an admirable purpose, I can't help but feel that most just check-in for the sake of checking in - that the frequency of actually meet-ups caused by coincidental geo-location is low.
We (or, many of the people I encountered today) place value on check-ins. ("I checked in to like four places just last night." No joke. Word for word.) This in itself feels lacking in meaning. It's self-validation, a waving of our arms, saying, "I'm here! I exist! I do things that matter!" This sentiment is often attributed to teens, as self-validation in their formative years is treated like crack. But clearly, this older demographic is enthusiastically following suit.
Granted, not all do. Aside from tech savvy, I'd love to see the psychology behind people who feel they need to check-in and the ones who don't. At a certain point, do we "grow out of it"? Is it like a late or extended adolescence? Perhaps we've found the newest way to remain young - like checking in to the fountain of youth.
Thursday, March 10, 2011
328) The Unlearned Lesson 7:20 PM
I had a bunch of errands to run after work, and this weather was not helping. Seriously, eff the rain, it was so miserable. So ready to escape to Austin for a bit.
I still have to pack and finish up a couple things before bed tonight, so I'll make this quick. Ladies, tonight I re-learned a lesson that I can never seem to retain. Never pay someone to paint your nails. Sure, it looks great. But manicures are the most ephemeral things in life. No matter how long you sit under that little dryer thing or the UV light, they always get nicked and smudged before I get home. Just reaching into your bag to get your keys is a landmine waiting to go off. It's one of the most frustrating things.
Getting picked up at 4:30AM tomorrow morning. Sunshine, here I come!
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
327) Live the Language 8:12 PM
EF - Live The Language - Barcelona from Albin Holmqvist on Vimeo.
I discovered this commercial for EF International Language Centers a little while ago, and it flooded me with warm memories of Barcelona. Their tagline, "Live the Language" is the perfect end to their collection of city-specific videos. It hits on the insight that there's the vocabulary that you learn in class, and there's the language you pick up on the streets, when you're out going through the daily life. You can watch the rest of the spots here (viewer beware - the travel bug will bite).
Getting excited about my next travel adventure! Yes, Austin counts. (Living the language - wearing cowboy boots and eating BBQ?) Heading to bed early again tonight.
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
326) Big News Bearer 6:04 PM
(Photo from Loveolio, by Max Wanger.)
Increasingly, we are receiving big news via social media.
Just this morning, I learned that a girl I went to elementary school with recently got married from the pictures of her dressed in white posted on Facebook. A few minutes ago, Twitter gently broke the news that Alice in Chains bassist Mike Starr has died. And more soberingly close to home, in the past few years I've learned of two high school classmates' passings via Facebook memorial announcements.
Engagements, college acceptance, weddings, babies, deaths. Sure, we still do the in real life relay of good and bad news, but now we also broadcast it to our networks, including our weak ties. And while this keeps us more informed (I would have never known, had I not seen it on Facebook), it also feels somewhat misplaced amidst the stream of mundane details. Sometimes it feels like it dilutes the specialness of the message, which is contrary to the idea that the more people who know, the better.
While the Internet is the great enabler that makes our lives easier, are there certain things that just shouldn't be delivered online? Marriage proposals via iChat? Eulogies as Facebook Notes? As everything continues to be digitized, are there some territories that, in order to maintain their essence, should stay offline?
(Mini aside - I'm chugging Emergen-c and heading to bed. Cannot get sick before SXSW. Body, COOPERATE.)
Monday, March 7, 2011
325) How the Mighty Have Fallen 8:05 PM
(Mini aside - When I first started The Plan, the daily posting used to stress me out like crazy. I'd stay late at work just to finish it for the night, or would spend hours before bed fretting and typing. It definitely took some getting used to.
Suffice to say that posting has now become routine. Case in point: it's 11:08PM in NY, I've just started writing, and I'm not freaking out. Also, this morning when I woke up, I momentarily couldn't remember whether I'd posted the previous day. A little sad to think that my entry was that forgettable, or that crafting each one has lost some of its specialness. But also a testament to what one can get used to, what habits we can pick up if we just keep at it.)
I've been thinking about our societal love of seeing those in power fall. Goliath taken down. A politician shamed by scandal. A CEO caught embezzling. The celebrity going bat shit crazy, put in rehab, or sent to jail. Oh, how the mighty have fallen, and how we enjoy watching it.
Like or loathe her, I think Gaga's theories on fame are pretty insightful. Start at 7:08.
"Everyone wants to see the decay of the superstar...isn't that the age we live in? We want to see people who have it all, lose it all."
And why is that, exactly? Is it simply comforting to know that those in power are at their core, just like us? By some weird transitive property, does their failure imply that we are able to achieve the same kind of greatness they did? (If we can fail the same way, does that mean we can succeed the same way?) In some quasi-sick, voyeuristic way, does the suffering of others bring us comfort about our own situation? Or do we believe that there's an unspoken sense of balance (karma?) that must be maintained?
Suffice to say that posting has now become routine. Case in point: it's 11:08PM in NY, I've just started writing, and I'm not freaking out. Also, this morning when I woke up, I momentarily couldn't remember whether I'd posted the previous day. A little sad to think that my entry was that forgettable, or that crafting each one has lost some of its specialness. But also a testament to what one can get used to, what habits we can pick up if we just keep at it.)
I've been thinking about our societal love of seeing those in power fall. Goliath taken down. A politician shamed by scandal. A CEO caught embezzling. The celebrity going bat shit crazy, put in rehab, or sent to jail. Oh, how the mighty have fallen, and how we enjoy watching it.
Like or loathe her, I think Gaga's theories on fame are pretty insightful. Start at 7:08.
"Everyone wants to see the decay of the superstar...isn't that the age we live in? We want to see people who have it all, lose it all."
And why is that, exactly? Is it simply comforting to know that those in power are at their core, just like us? By some weird transitive property, does their failure imply that we are able to achieve the same kind of greatness they did? (If we can fail the same way, does that mean we can succeed the same way?) In some quasi-sick, voyeuristic way, does the suffering of others bring us comfort about our own situation? Or do we believe that there's an unspoken sense of balance (karma?) that must be maintained?
Sunday, March 6, 2011
324) Great Expectations 2:58 PM
(Totes unrelated, but neat nonetheless.)
I consider myself a rational person. Most of the time, I can separate emotion from the equation, and focus on the realities of the situation. But for some reason lately, there have been two things about which my irrational imagination has been running wild: first dates and apartments.
In both cases, I'll start thinking way too far into the future upon first meeting. Like, embarrassingly ridiculously far. And while my brain knows how ridiculous it is (I swear I'm not one of those girls who is raring to get married and pop out babies. It's actually quite the opposite), it can't help itself, at least momentarily, indulge in the most optimistic of vision of what could be.
The most recent example (and the reason for SO much stress lately): I've been apartment hunting, as my temporary sublet term is coming to an end. I've been at it for a couple weeks now, and finally saw one that pleased me in a killer location yesterday. I hadn't even submitted an application, when my brain started to mentally furnish every inch of it. I imagined what my house warming party would be like, what hosting NY visitors would be like. In my head, I'm growing old in an apartment that I don't even have yet. (CROSS YOUR FINGERS AND TOES FOR ME. SERIOUSLY.)
Saturday, March 5, 2011
323) Train Anticipation 6:24 PM
My friend who is visiting from LA commented on people who lean over and peer down the subway track while waiting for the train. He said, "What do they think that will accomplish? It's not going to make it come any faster."
Just as the watched pot infamously never boils, the train never comes if you're eyes are glued to that dark tunnel in anticipation. My trick is to watch the tiles on the wall, to see any small changes in light reflection. As the train comes around bends to finally emerge in the station, its headlight dances, fades and eventually grows brighter on the wall. It's sort of like monitoring the lights in a movie theater when you're waiting for the previews to begin. I'm constantly wondering if the lights are actually dimming, or if it's just wishful thinking and I'm squinting my eyes to compensate.
Another trick to train anticipation is to stay very still and be conscious of the air flow in the station. When a train approaches, it pushes air in front of it. It starts as a faint breath and then builds, culminating in a whoosh of air as the train speeds by. When you feel the slightest of breezes start to push past you, the train is a minute away.
Friday, March 4, 2011
322) Close Your Eyes 5:32 PM
(Photo from Glasses Ocean.)
Have you ever been in a group setting - in class, at camp, in a focus group - and were told to close your eyes and imagine something? Have you ever felt slightly self-conscious doing so? And then squinted your eyes open so you could see everyone else with their eyes closed? (Which is why you felt self-conscious in the first place - the fear of someone doing just that!) Everyone looks so vulnerable with their eyes shut, imagining away.
Crunchy leaf? Or just me?
(Mini aside - Getting ready to go out with some friends from UCLA - mini Ad Team reunion, wheee. I need it after today, I felt like I was being pulled every which way.)
Thursday, March 3, 2011
So eXcited SW 8:57 PM
Exciting news - I'm going to SXSW next week! Work is nice enough to send me for the interactive portion to soak up as much digital/tech/mobile goodness as my brain can handle. I've never been to Austin, or Texas for that matter, so I'm excited to explore. I'll also be traveling solo, so I'm sure I'll meet some interesting folks.
It'll be a lot of conferencing, a lot of networking (ew, hate that word), and not a lot of sleeping, but I can't wait to see what kind of posts come out of it. And hopefully I can sneak in some pictures and insightful tweets.
(Note - that has to be the worst post title ever, and it was actually the third anagram-esque version I came up with. My tired little brain couldn't come up with anything better.)
321) Data-Informed Behavior 7:44 PM
(Image from AdAge.)
I love archetypes, as a means of explaining behavior. Yesterday, Leo Burnett unveiled a new framework (wheel), a "data-informed way of organizing behavior" based on more than 10,000 behaviors. That an archetype chart like this is based on actual data instead of speculation/stereotype is not only impressive, but quite valuable to the planning community. Still trying to wrap my head around all the tensions displayed (while helping my friend Justin, who is staying with me for a couple nights, get ready to go out).
You can read more about the new tool here.
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
320) DIY Insights 7:36 PM
Thought of You from Ryan J Woodward on Vimeo.
(A completely unrelated video that I thought was neat and wanted to share.)
I've had a lot on my mind and a lot going on recently, and as a result, I'm at a complete loss of what to write tonight. I've been posted up on my bed staring at the cursor.
[Blink...blink...blink...]
This Mashable article caught my attention a couple days ago. GutCheck, a do-it-yourself qualitative research company took home the People's Choice award at DEMO's spring conference. For those not in the biz, focus groups are generally pretty pricey, what with the recruiting, moderating and facility fees.
GutCheck customers draw from the service’s pool of five million participants for targeted questioning. Then they interview respondents in a traditional question-and-answer survey format, or something more free-form. Interview transcripts are stored and can be shared with co-workers.
Its low price point — $40 per qualified 30 minute interview — makes it affordable for even the smallest of businesses and startups.
I love that of all the emerging mobile app, social media and group communication companies out there, DEMO chose to recognize a company that makes learning about people and getting at those golden insights more accessible.
Zzzzz, brain is asleep. Exciting news about the next week or so, coming soon!
