Thoughts

Things happen in this twisted little mind when idle..

Is there a little checkered block on that last image?

When I was very little, I thought, like so many others, that glasses made people look smart - so secretly I wanted bad vision too.

Through an entire primary school career I lived with the curse of 20/20 vision. Of course, now that I'm older, I realise that good vision is a much better alternative (Besides, I've since then discovered the magic of sunglasses...I mean, why look smart, when you can look cool without the squinting?).

During my recent visit to the licensing department, the mandatory eye-test, I failed to see the very tiniest of the checkered blocks..

Do they sometimes leave it out? Or is my childhood dream coming back to haunt me!? I hope not.

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People say I'm crazy

People often say I'm crazy.

It is said that crazy people never know they are crazy, which gets me thinking...maybe they're right and I am crazy, 'cos I don't think I'm crazy.

But if I start thinking that I'm crazy, it goes without saying that I'm not crazy.

Does that mean I'm crazy?

My head hurts..

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My new pet peeve

Macromedia FreeHand is one of the few defining packages that liberates the designer from the common man. I rate it as essential, right next to Adobe Photoshop. So much so, that I will never consider myself an expert on the software - as every project yields new features and effects with many possible combinations of ways to achieve one's goal.

So when FreeHand does not support a feature I'm looking for, I firmly believe it's not there for a reason, or that I've simply not yet discovered the correct technique. Unlike Corel Draw that's filled with blasphemous insults like page-curls, drop shadows and other printing disasters waiting to happen.

I've recently had the displeasure of typesetting no less than 7 instruction sets (more or less 4-5 pages each). Nothing huge or mind-blowing. Just some text, justified and neatly layed out across two columns.

Not once have I approached a typesetting job with glee. They are, in theory, pretty linear beit slightly dull. A clear start and finish with minimal planning necessary.

Yet somehow, I always bump my head against bulleted lists.

Bulleted lists, ladies and gentleman, are not cool.

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I want to be a Millionaire

(And I mean the "won the lottery" kind, and not the "blood, sweat and tears" type)

I know you're thinking; "Who doesn't?" - but hear me out, and then decide whether or not you would like to be one...

I'm sure most expect that winning the lottery will be the end of all worries. Everyone has at some point considered how they would spend their million - but how many people consider the psychological aspects of such an event?

I, for one, haven't - until it came up during a family lunch.

Sure, at first, the attention will be great and the parties will be huge...but how long before you would stop and wonder "how many of these 'friends' stick around to be with me and not with the money?". How long before that very thought breeds mistrust and hatred? How long before every sibling, cousin, aunt, uncle, ex-girlfriend or great-grandfather (twice removed) has asked for a 'loan'?

I'm taking a few things for granted there, I know - Not everyone thinks like me. Some people are born with a natural goodness and a need to share. Then how many homeless people do you need to see before dying inside? Or maybe you give some to the poor too...but how much? When is it enough? Why do you deserve to live in luxury while they suffer?

Harsh, I know.

Steadily...I'm groing older too - and as so many people before me, I'm thinking "I wish I knew some of what I know now, when I had the oppurtunities to do something about it". There's no point in lingering in the past, and I'm not trying to imply that I lie awake at night, pondering what might have been in my parallel lives while I cry myself to sleep. Au contraire - I firmly believe that my current path is firmly aligned with my pursuit for hapiness.

Graphic Design is the magnificent field forming the perfect synergy between technology and art - both of which I love dearly. Graphic Design is what makes me who I am today. It's the expression of concepts that brought me to a maturity unique to my field, I'm sure.

The recognition in myself that I too need to express myself and at the same time having the skills to do so is what brings me to this: I want to make that painting, write that book or learn that instrument and I'm going to make concious efforts in pursuit of these goals from now on.

That's what I would do with my million bucks. What would you do with yours?

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Good Salesmanship?

At one intersection, on my way to work, there's a guy selling newspapers, and frankly - I've never seen one that smiles as much through rain and storm, sunshine or just bitter cold.

Not once have I bought a newspaper from him in the year that I've taken that route, but our relationship has progressed from a declining head-shake, to an exchange of friendly waves (I know, I know, that's hardly "first name basis" or anything, but it's not like I see him for more than a couple of seconds a day).

It touches me when I see someone with so much positive energy - despite what life may have handed them and I hope others recognize the lesson...he may just be a newspaper salesman, but he wants to be the best damn newspaper salesman on the block and nothing will dampen that spirit.

Good job dude! I just really don't want any newspapers.

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