Tuesday, October 31, 2006
Monday, October 30, 2006
Weekending
So - I guess I should get to the weekend rundown...
On Friday - I was tired as all get out. After dinner, I slept for about 3 hours, before I got up to reluctantly accompany Leah to a Red Zeppelin show. For those of you who don't know, this is one of Toronto's own LZ cover bands, and we were lucky enough to witness them performing the entire LZII album. I think you got in for free if you wore a costume. You can probably imagine the scene - but if you need some help try to picture a frat-party-with-cover-band attended primarily by 'musical theatre types' - scary, no?!
Also, there was this one old guy who was way into it... he had a sort of homeless guy / J.Garcia hair and beard thing going on, and when he felt moved to get up and dance, it was the real deal.
I can't even begin to describe it.
Saturday - we made the long trek to IKEA. We had finally outgrown our cd shelf, so we went to pick up another BENNO. Going to IKEA is always like going international... It is like some vaguely socialist country where everything is bright and kid-friendly, everything is named after obscure LOTR characters, and you can get dessert for 30c when you buy lunch. Which I did.
That night we went to Team Hubble's place for a pot-luck pre-birthday party which happened in two shifts. We caught the end of the vaguely socialist dinner shift (kid-friendly, dessert, and a real-deal LOTR hobbit child), and then stuck around for the sitting around drinking tea in the living room part.
Sunday - we went for a walk in the park, opened a new bank account (for studio finances), and then went to church.
Somewhere in there we also bought groceries and picked up Leah's bike from the bike shop, and the time changed.
On Friday - I was tired as all get out. After dinner, I slept for about 3 hours, before I got up to reluctantly accompany Leah to a Red Zeppelin show. For those of you who don't know, this is one of Toronto's own LZ cover bands, and we were lucky enough to witness them performing the entire LZII album. I think you got in for free if you wore a costume. You can probably imagine the scene - but if you need some help try to picture a frat-party-with-cover-band attended primarily by 'musical theatre types' - scary, no?!
Also, there was this one old guy who was way into it... he had a sort of homeless guy / J.Garcia hair and beard thing going on, and when he felt moved to get up and dance, it was the real deal.
I can't even begin to describe it.
Saturday - we made the long trek to IKEA. We had finally outgrown our cd shelf, so we went to pick up another BENNO. Going to IKEA is always like going international... It is like some vaguely socialist country where everything is bright and kid-friendly, everything is named after obscure LOTR characters, and you can get dessert for 30c when you buy lunch. Which I did.
That night we went to Team Hubble's place for a pot-luck pre-birthday party which happened in two shifts. We caught the end of the vaguely socialist dinner shift (kid-friendly, dessert, and a real-deal LOTR hobbit child), and then stuck around for the sitting around drinking tea in the living room part.
Sunday - we went for a walk in the park, opened a new bank account (for studio finances), and then went to church.
Somewhere in there we also bought groceries and picked up Leah's bike from the bike shop, and the time changed.
3d Sketch ---> Actual object
OK - another post for technology nerds... this time with a more direct industrial design bent.
Although the concept isn't that new anymore, to actually see somebody sketch in the air, and then have the sketch turn into plastic, is pretty crazy.
Although the concept isn't that new anymore, to actually see somebody sketch in the air, and then have the sketch turn into plastic, is pretty crazy.
Friday, October 27, 2006
324
Last night, all participating parties of the 324 Oakwood Ave Studio showed up at our apartment.
It was great to finally meet everybody, and we needed to talk about a number of details, considering that we move in next week. It is going to be a pretty sweet team of people, and everybody is stoked about the whole thing.
Stay tuned for studio updates...
Thursday, October 26, 2006
Idlewild
I still want to see Idlewild... although it looks like I will have to wait for it to show up in the reps.
Check out this Andre3000 interview, with the NPR squares - pretty interesting...
Check out this Andre3000 interview, with the NPR squares - pretty interesting...
Monday, October 23, 2006
This is pretty cool (for nerds)
Check out this neato sketching/simulation interface from the hard-core nerds at MIT.
Also, the weekend...
On friday we travelled to the far reaches of Northern Ontario for a church meeting. Seriously, we had to take something called a Viva Bus. It was fun, we managed to get through some serious church business, and there was some seriously good food too.
Seriously.
Saturday - we pretty much did nothing. I got a much needed haircut. Um... that night Leah went to Rachel's housewarming. I wondered around the Annex aimlessly. I did find two used Innocence Mission CDs which I promptly purchased.
Sunday - we went to the Moon Bean and met Mike and Katherine and Joel for tea. Afterwards, Leah went to church for rehearsal/soundcheck. I did some more aimless wondering for an hour or so. I did get to witness a whole herd of zombies staggering down Queen Street. For real - there were a couple of hundred living dead kids dressed in their gothiest ghostliest pale dead make-up, dragging themselves towards the Bloor theatre for some Halloween/zombie movie night, all mumbling 'brains, brains, brains...' There was even a 'Where's Waldo?!' zombie, which I spotted in the crowd.
Leah and I had some pre-church sushi, and then church was pretty sweet. Leah played guitar with Josh on accordion. David preached a pretty sweet sermon. Then we went home and had dinner and went to bed.
The end.
Also, the weekend...
On friday we travelled to the far reaches of Northern Ontario for a church meeting. Seriously, we had to take something called a Viva Bus. It was fun, we managed to get through some serious church business, and there was some seriously good food too.
Seriously.
Saturday - we pretty much did nothing. I got a much needed haircut. Um... that night Leah went to Rachel's housewarming. I wondered around the Annex aimlessly. I did find two used Innocence Mission CDs which I promptly purchased.
Sunday - we went to the Moon Bean and met Mike and Katherine and Joel for tea. Afterwards, Leah went to church for rehearsal/soundcheck. I did some more aimless wondering for an hour or so. I did get to witness a whole herd of zombies staggering down Queen Street. For real - there were a couple of hundred living dead kids dressed in their gothiest ghostliest pale dead make-up, dragging themselves towards the Bloor theatre for some Halloween/zombie movie night, all mumbling 'brains, brains, brains...' There was even a 'Where's Waldo?!' zombie, which I spotted in the crowd.
Leah and I had some pre-church sushi, and then church was pretty sweet. Leah played guitar with Josh on accordion. David preached a pretty sweet sermon. Then we went home and had dinner and went to bed.
The end.
Friday, October 20, 2006
Fridays
The weeks seem to wear me out these days. Or maybe it's the weekends?
Anyway - I'm glad it's Friday... despite having two church related meetings this weekend (not counting 'actual' church - probably skipping one of those meetings), I can hopefully do a little nothing for some of the weekend.
Skipped the TO.Groove.Collective event last night... one day I really want to go to one of these things, to see Jeremy and Co. in action.
What else?.. Booked some flights to Tejas for Christmas. It will be fun.
Thinking of entering this competition, if I get around to it...
Needing desparately to update this website, and this one... probably not going to happen soon.
That's all.
Anyway - I'm glad it's Friday... despite having two church related meetings this weekend (not counting 'actual' church - probably skipping one of those meetings), I can hopefully do a little nothing for some of the weekend.
Skipped the TO.Groove.Collective event last night... one day I really want to go to one of these things, to see Jeremy and Co. in action.
What else?.. Booked some flights to Tejas for Christmas. It will be fun.
Thinking of entering this competition, if I get around to it...
Needing desparately to update this website, and this one... probably not going to happen soon.
That's all.
Tuesday, October 17, 2006
Caffeine is Ridiculous Right Now.
Sometimes at work, I listen to this clip. (I ripped the audio to my computer months ago). This was definitely one of my favorite scenes from the rather hit and miss Coffee and Cigarettes. I still find it pretty funny.
Also, check out the strange boring/entertaining Jack & Meg scene.
'Are you a bug, Bill Murray?'
Monday, October 16, 2006
No title
The weekend.
We went to Katherine's on Friday night. I was pretty darn tired, but it was fun.
On Saturday we slept in a bit, and then I went to pick up a rental car. We drove to Sarnia, and Leah and I played a few songs at a benefit concert of sorts for Ann Marie (from our church), who is going to Mozambique for a few months. Since last week was pretty busy, I hadn't really practiced much at all, which was bad. Luckily, the concert was attended mostly by older church-going people who I suspect were there more to show their support than to hear great music! Anyway - it was fun. Leah got a ride back to TO that night, and I slept in Sarnia.
On Sunday I drove back with Jeremy and Johanna. It was a little rushed, since the rental car was due back at 2. I went straight from there to church, and helped set up sound gear for the service. A lot of stuff went wrong, so it kinda sucked... but everything was working by the time church started. Unfortunately, Leah and the band did not really have time to even run through all the songs before church, but it ended up sounding OK, despite their frustrations.
And then today I came in to work.
We went to Katherine's on Friday night. I was pretty darn tired, but it was fun.
On Saturday we slept in a bit, and then I went to pick up a rental car. We drove to Sarnia, and Leah and I played a few songs at a benefit concert of sorts for Ann Marie (from our church), who is going to Mozambique for a few months. Since last week was pretty busy, I hadn't really practiced much at all, which was bad. Luckily, the concert was attended mostly by older church-going people who I suspect were there more to show their support than to hear great music! Anyway - it was fun. Leah got a ride back to TO that night, and I slept in Sarnia.
On Sunday I drove back with Jeremy and Johanna. It was a little rushed, since the rental car was due back at 2. I went straight from there to church, and helped set up sound gear for the service. A lot of stuff went wrong, so it kinda sucked... but everything was working by the time church started. Unfortunately, Leah and the band did not really have time to even run through all the songs before church, but it ended up sounding OK, despite their frustrations.
And then today I came in to work.
Friday, October 13, 2006
I Power Blogger
Yesterday there was snow. Today I rode my bike and there was a tiny patch of ice on the Beltline bridge. Winter is pretty much in effect, although I am hoping for at least a few more weekends of warmish fall days.
Tomorrow we are going to Sarnia. I think I might have driven through once, on a school trip, instead of the usual Detroit/Windsor border crossing, but I can't be sure. This will be my first real visit... Leah and some other people are going to play some music for a fund raiser type event.
What else... nothing really, I guess...
Tomorrow we are going to Sarnia. I think I might have driven through once, on a school trip, instead of the usual Detroit/Windsor border crossing, but I can't be sure. This will be my first real visit... Leah and some other people are going to play some music for a fund raiser type event.
What else... nothing really, I guess...
Wednesday, October 11, 2006
I could use a vacation
Today on my way to work it started pouring. I turned around and went home, 'cause I was soaked. So I changed and took the bus instead. The TTC took me an hour and a half to get to work. I can walk faster. Seriously.
So this basically translates to an hour and a half of my vacation time, an hour and a half of sitting on a bus. I think I should have just not come to work at all today! =)
So this basically translates to an hour and a half of my vacation time, an hour and a half of sitting on a bus. I think I should have just not come to work at all today! =)
Tuesday, October 10, 2006
Weekend Longue
On Friday, we went in search of Turkey - the cook-from-frozen-'cause-you-are-a-lazy-fool kind...
On Saturday we took the cat to the vet, 'cause that's just what we do on Saturdays. Afterwards I found an old Justin Rutledge CD at the Goodwill. We also picked up a cool red home-thrown tea-pot. Then we went shopping to feed a multitude.
By Sunday Leah was getting sick. To celebrate, she played and sang at church until her voice was almost gone. Then we went home and I made pumpkin pies - one regular, and one wife-friendly.
On Monday I got up just after 5 am, and put the frozen, prestuffed (lazy fool) turkey in the oven. Then I went back to bed for a few hours. After that we made the largest bowl of mashed potatoes that I have ever seen. We also made a mess of other Thanksgiving fixin's. A whole bunch of people came over and we ate a lot.
After cleaning everything up, I went to Mike's house to eat some more (Leah stayed home). I couldn't really cut it, despite the fact that they had made a huge amount of delicious food.
The end.
On Saturday we took the cat to the vet, 'cause that's just what we do on Saturdays. Afterwards I found an old Justin Rutledge CD at the Goodwill. We also picked up a cool red home-thrown tea-pot. Then we went shopping to feed a multitude.
By Sunday Leah was getting sick. To celebrate, she played and sang at church until her voice was almost gone. Then we went home and I made pumpkin pies - one regular, and one wife-friendly.
On Monday I got up just after 5 am, and put the frozen, prestuffed (lazy fool) turkey in the oven. Then I went back to bed for a few hours. After that we made the largest bowl of mashed potatoes that I have ever seen. We also made a mess of other Thanksgiving fixin's. A whole bunch of people came over and we ate a lot.
After cleaning everything up, I went to Mike's house to eat some more (Leah stayed home). I couldn't really cut it, despite the fact that they had made a huge amount of delicious food.
The end.
Friday, October 06, 2006
End Week Update
Friday..!
Yesterday was my first day at Humber. I will be working there one class a week as a teaching assistant in the Interior Design degree program. I think it will be a good experience, and I am looking forward to the next project (the current project is more or less wrapping up, so I am coming in at the end of things). The one drawback is the time that it takes out of my day, with the hour and a half commute each way, which I am expected to make up at work.
Today I rode my bike again (the rains from earlier in the week have abated). I thought it was a bit cold (I have yet to get my hands on/in some biker-appropriate gloves), until I got to the office and found out that it is just as cold here. What is up with this total piece-of-crap building?! I hope our rent is low.
This weekend is fake Thanksgiving. To celebrate we are going to have 20 million people over for a Thanksgiving-is-on-Monday? feast. It should be good, and luckily Leah can actually eat most good-old-wholesome-meal type foods.
In other news, Zellyn sent me a link to these suggested shirt ideas for the TTC. Obviously, they are way too cool for the insanely square TTC to actually go for (they showed zero interest in the ever-popular and genius station pins), so unless some DIY hipster types get busy, these will never see the light of day.
I think my favorites are the black streetcar shirt, the white daypass shirt (6 or 6 or 2), the white ringer with the four different coloured line dots, and the white metropass icon shirt. Also, the You're Not Invisible shirt is HILARIOUS.
I still like my 70s era MARTA shirt.
Wednesday, October 04, 2006
Lecture synopsis
Last night I went to a lecture by Peter Eisenman, famed architectural writer, teacher, and practitioner, at U of T. The lineup to get in went around the block, and the lecture hall was rammed with students, profs, and an assortment of black-clad local designers.
I wasn't sure what to expect, being (as usual) less familiar with his work than I should be. I know of a couple of his projects, and I have waded through an essay or two by the guy. I was surprised by his relative straightforwardness, and his lecture was interesting and, unlike the building he presented, clear.
I will attempt to give you a brief (my version) synopsis of what he said, which I found both interesting and a little frightening (in that post-modernish nothing-really-matters kinda way).
Basically, the guy has spent years working on buildings that, upon a careful examination, reveal things about the story of their design. So some weird iterative computer algorithm twists and mangles a box, and when that box is built as some art-museum or other, you can read the story of the mangling process in the actual building. This idea has, as far as I know, been close to universally accepted in architecture schools everywhere. Process, process, process.
Now he seems to have reached a point where a few factors have changed his mind a little:
People don't care about reading carefully anymore; if your building has some hidden story to tell, I don't really want to spend the time and effort to find it. I want my MTV.
Also, when presented with a fragmented jumble of stuff, people no longer assume there is a mystery to figure out. Sure, the stuff is jumbled and fragmented because of some complicated complex reason, but postmodernism has taught us that you probably can't know the reason anyway, and so you don't really need to care about it.
And so, Eisenman's new agenda is to erase the legibility of his process from his work. The project he showed us was for a train station, and it involved overlaying real, extrapolated, and imagined lines on top of each other, and then exploding this jumble of lines into a shrapnel of form. He then showed a bunch of really cool 3d models (seriously, they were pretty neat), and said that he liked certain things about some better than others, but was very vague about his criteria for critique. The only enemy to avoid seemed to be having the building look like anything you have ever seen before, and the only characteristic that he seemed to value lay in finding figural shapes which were to his liking rising from the mess. Needless to say, the building will be pretty crazy when it is all said and done.
So that was that. People asked questions, and he gave some funny answers. Students were no doubt taking notes to be used in addressing nagging guest critics who want to know why you chose a certain process, why the process is not clear in the project, and how on earth we are to evaluate a design anyway.
And function? - well, to quote the guy - "I have always stuffed program like you stuff a turkey".
I wasn't sure what to expect, being (as usual) less familiar with his work than I should be. I know of a couple of his projects, and I have waded through an essay or two by the guy. I was surprised by his relative straightforwardness, and his lecture was interesting and, unlike the building he presented, clear.
I will attempt to give you a brief (my version) synopsis of what he said, which I found both interesting and a little frightening (in that post-modernish nothing-really-matters kinda way).
Basically, the guy has spent years working on buildings that, upon a careful examination, reveal things about the story of their design. So some weird iterative computer algorithm twists and mangles a box, and when that box is built as some art-museum or other, you can read the story of the mangling process in the actual building. This idea has, as far as I know, been close to universally accepted in architecture schools everywhere. Process, process, process.
Now he seems to have reached a point where a few factors have changed his mind a little:
People don't care about reading carefully anymore; if your building has some hidden story to tell, I don't really want to spend the time and effort to find it. I want my MTV.
Also, when presented with a fragmented jumble of stuff, people no longer assume there is a mystery to figure out. Sure, the stuff is jumbled and fragmented because of some complicated complex reason, but postmodernism has taught us that you probably can't know the reason anyway, and so you don't really need to care about it.
And so, Eisenman's new agenda is to erase the legibility of his process from his work. The project he showed us was for a train station, and it involved overlaying real, extrapolated, and imagined lines on top of each other, and then exploding this jumble of lines into a shrapnel of form. He then showed a bunch of really cool 3d models (seriously, they were pretty neat), and said that he liked certain things about some better than others, but was very vague about his criteria for critique. The only enemy to avoid seemed to be having the building look like anything you have ever seen before, and the only characteristic that he seemed to value lay in finding figural shapes which were to his liking rising from the mess. Needless to say, the building will be pretty crazy when it is all said and done.
So that was that. People asked questions, and he gave some funny answers. Students were no doubt taking notes to be used in addressing nagging guest critics who want to know why you chose a certain process, why the process is not clear in the project, and how on earth we are to evaluate a design anyway.
And function? - well, to quote the guy - "I have always stuffed program like you stuff a turkey".
Monday, October 02, 2006
Weekend
Friday night we went to see the Science of Sleep. If you've read any reviews, you probably know the deal - the plot is not all that great (compared to Eternal Sunshine - so that's not really fair!), but the movie is still pretty cool, what with all the Michel Gondry magic of dreams and imaginings running rampant on the screen. It is more of a twee character study, where the characters are creative and crazy and the scenes are all equally creative and crazy.
Saturday - we went to the Goodbye April party. It was at the Catholic Worker house, down in the Parkdale ghetto, and was fun. Afterwards, we walked around Queen West for a while, checking out the Nuit Blanche festivities. My favorite things were probably the girl sleeping in the display case and the Trinity Bellwoods insane asylum tents... although we didn't really stick around to see too much of what was going on.
Sunday - church, and then JFL.
Saturday - we went to the Goodbye April party. It was at the Catholic Worker house, down in the Parkdale ghetto, and was fun. Afterwards, we walked around Queen West for a while, checking out the Nuit Blanche festivities. My favorite things were probably the girl sleeping in the display case and the Trinity Bellwoods insane asylum tents... although we didn't really stick around to see too much of what was going on.
Sunday - church, and then JFL.
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