If you listen to podcasts and haven't given 99% Invisible a chance, then shame on you. But if you listen to episode 78 No Armed Bandit there is a very interesting take on skeumorphism. During the podcast they discuss skeumorphism not as a visual metaphor, a definition which seems to be in vogue currently, but as a hold over in evolution, e.g., human toe nails.
If you are like me and you find yourself constantly scribbling on napkins trying to think through ideas, then you can do no better than to keep them in a notebook. If you don't already have some notebook brand your tied to, then try these Scratch notebooks by Draft Supply Co..
That's what I just did. (In dot-grid if you must know.)
Updated (2016-12-28): The link is dead, so I've reverted to a version stored on the Internet Archive.
It's interesting to think that there hasn't been any general attention paid by the academic community to the pornography industry. I say this as someone who is interested in facets of personal identity and development, but think about how much of social development is predicated on adhering to tropes of masculinity or femininity, moreover, how directly linked those concepts are to sexual performance (both in the sense of ability and presentation). Now, ask yourself how pervasive modern pornography is in shaping those concepts and why there hasn't been a concentrated discussion surrounding them in the academic community.[1] Strange.
To be fair, I have not done any research to verify that this is the first concentrated effort to amass such a journal. I do, however, realize that there are plenty of papers dealing with subject head on, I do not mean to imply that no work has ever been done on the subject. ↩︎
This is probably one of the most "meta" shows we've done to date. I'm pretty sure we didn't focus on any technology during the entire time.
I am probably the last one to the party but apparently the Canadian $100 bill smells like maple (syrup?). I cannot verify because I'm a pauper and my master pays me in gruel and lashings, not money.
Vulnerability is frightening, and most people find it to be a weakness. I disagree. Being vulnerable —those moments when you lay everything you’ve got on the table— is when you can truly grow and become a better version of yourself.
There's something powerful about being vulnerable and exposed in our daily lives. The common response is to harden our exterior and prevent anything from "getting in" or affecting us, but without moments of true vulnerability we might otherwise lose out on meaningful connections. Trust is just one quality among many that appears to be rooted in our ability to be vulnerable with one another.
As an experiment try and imagine your world without any trusting relationships. If that world felt cold and uncomfortable, a lack of vulnerability might be the key. If your current world feels the same, you might want to consider opening up to someone, hopefully, they will reciprocate and you can begin to appreciate the sunshine.
I have to say, this whole podcasting thing is really starting to sound pretty natural. It could be the insane amounts of time and effort Ryan pours into editing these episodes, or all of the cash I spend on vocal coaching. Either way, these last few episodes have turned out to be something I'm rather proud of. I'm beginning to enjoy the process so much I don't even mind that the internet is worse for my participation in it.
(As an aside, technology is really something. For instance, I wrote this entire post on my iPhone because I am too lazy to get up off of my bed and walk over to my desktop, which isn't more than, say, 6 feet away. So, I SSH'd into my desktop, wrote this entire post in VIM, compiled my blog's build of Jekyll and Rsync'd that copy to my VPS which I pay almost no money for. That's biblically awesome.)
When it comes to quality writing hardware BigiDesign is a company that "knows its onions". I purchased their Solid Titanium Pen + Stylus during their last Kickstarter campaign and absolutely love it. This new design retains the titanium body and quality design finish, yet ditches the cap. Interestingly, while the Ti-Click Pro accepts 35+ G2 style refills, much like its predecessor, the Ti-Click RTS on the other hand takes Parker style refills.
I might have to invest in the chrome coated version.
It is hard to believe that this site has existed in a more-or-less unchanged form for two years. As a person who naturally is fixated on change, this is a big deal. While I haven't posted consistently or often, I have left behind a concrete record.
I am proud of that fact.
It is a strange feeling to browse through the annals of my blog's archive and to read the writing of a person I scarcely recognize. Since I began this little weblog I have finished my undergraduate degree and have moved into a B.Ed, I have switched jobs multiple times, and I've even started a podcast with a dear friend of mine. Yet, despite all of that change the legacy of this blog still manages to warm my heart.
While I cannot vouch for what the future may bring, I can take the time to celebrate this weblog's momentus second birthday.
Happy birthday good lookin'.
I'm in the midst of switching between hosting providers at the moment, so if there's any issues you find, please, let me know (via Twitter. Definitely avoid emailing me. All kinds of terrible things happen when you email me.
(That last part is a joke, it's just been super flakey with all the switching around.)
Update March 9, 2013:
If you need to get in touch via email, for whatever reason, then use the following: [REDACTED]
Update March 9, 2013:
You can FINALLY get a hold of me at my previous email address: hey@trst.co
My jaw dropped while I watched this video. Seb Lester is an incredibly talented artist and you can find more of his work on his website.
(via Beautiful Type)