Expecting This? The Impossible Project Instant Lab

This invention certainly wasn't on my radar. Then again I've never thought to develop an iphone pic into a polaroid, in a bathroom stall, during a party, just real quick (see video for that). Never occurred to me. But it is an incredible and insanely innovative "camera" created by The Impossible Project. If this suits your fancy, you can sign up to be notified via email as soon as the Instant Lab has been launched.

An Equation of Me

Esther = thought > action

I think too much and don’t do enough.  I over-think everything that I want/need to do, when I should just simply be doing it.  For example, I’ve had so many thoughts while reading through Launching the Imagination--thoughts about design, concepts, shape, space, line, color, people, relativity, practical application, etcetera, etcetera.  I’ve done a lot of creating blog posts in my mind, but not a lot when it comes to actually completing them.  I feel like I can’t let my thoughts be known until I’ve perfected and refined them.  But that may never happen, so I guess I’ll just have to put my perfectionism aside.

Gosh, why does everything have to be a life lesson?

Blogging Inspiration

Adorable promo for a book about blogging.

 

 

Published late 2012, Blog, Inc. covers just about everything blogging-related to set reading bloggers (or almost bloggers) up for success.  Blog, Inc. has been a hit among much of the blogging community and is temporarily out of stock on Amazon.  Joy Deangdeelert Cho, the author & creator of this book, has a beautiful blog full of inspiration.  She is, in her own words, "a graphic designer, blogger, food enthusiast, and the founder and editor of Oh Joy," which she launched in 2005.  I find it fantastic that she had the opportunity to be featured by Anthropologie (one of my favorites!).

The animation of this trailer is quite fun, so I wanted to share. 

What is Wise

At age 16 I had my wisdom teeth removed.  I became sick not long after having surgery and ended up with a nasty infection in the left side of my jaw.  It grew and got worse, but after a late night trip to the doctor I finally began to recover.  A few months passed then much to my surprise, the infection came back interrupting my summer plans of being a junior high camp leader.  I again recovered, but again the infection decided to reoccur—this time a couple weeks before my sister’s winter wedding.  Frustrating as it was, I gained wisdom in battling that infection.  It wasn't just about the physical battle of getting well, but rather the mental battle of fighting for understanding. 

For this self portrait I chose to reflect on that time in my life.  I scanned two of my actual wisdom teeth (yes, I kept them) and layered them over the top of a portrait of my face.  The striped texture comes from the scanner glass.  You may ask why wisdom is questioned.  My answer: I question most everything.  My wisdom teeth ordeal was a growing experience.  I questioned why I was going through that time and sought out what I could learn from my experience.

Design is Deliberate

A relevant quote from Mary Stewart:

"Design is deliberate--a process of exploring a wide range of solutions and choosing the most promising option for further development."

My favorite part of that is the mention of further development.  How often do I take "further development" into consideration while in the designing process?  Just as with many other things in life, I need to be intentional with design.  Something to consider.

Launch

Here I go with this blog.  One who reads will get a peek into my mind, perplexing as it may be. 

Of course, I am thinking about design as I start this blog...so much so, that I got hung up on how my blog would appear rather than the words written.  To design is to plan and fashion artistically or skillfully.  I wanted to plan, then fashion this blog both artistically and skillfully.  But there comes a point when you just gotta go with what you got.  Perhaps the plans and fashion will come in time. 

Launching the Imagination: A Comprehensive Guide to Basic Design is a book with which I have recently made friends.  Yes, it is a textbook.  But I like textbooks.  I like most all books.  So this will be good.  Stay tuned for additional thoughts.