Onwards and upwards!

Well, that was fun!
I've graduated from college again and now I'm the proud holder of a first class degree in Interaction Design. Now for the hard part — finding work in my chosen profession. I actually think it's easy to get a job. To paraphrase Thatcher in Citizen Kane, getting a job is easy if all you want is to get a job. For me I want to continue using my brain, I want to be thinking, as I've been doing for the last three years, “how can this be made better?” Or “what if we put these two things together?” It's more than just being told what to do although I accept that is sometimes part of the process I want and need to be part of the process that makes the world a better, safer and more exciting place to live.

But first I have to get that job.

Every little helps

Is it with foresight that Tesco has put the Barbie goody bag in the alcohol section? Are they getting kids started early or is it for drinkers' recreation? Bottoms up!

Film work

I've just finished helping out on a short horror film called Gasman. It's directed by Rohit Gill, a friend of mine, who's studying at the London Film School. The production is a step above all the other short films I've worked on as everyone there is assigned a role and sticks to it. There's a kind of professionalism of people who are all about to step into the business.

My job was Continuity, and I tried. But they also made me Clapper which I did with enthusiasm or at least as much enthusiasm as you can have after an hour and a half of setting up a 20 second shot. Actually it was a great experience. And having directed or given orders on my own projects it's good to know that I can wait to do my bit without feeling annoyed that I'm not in the inner circle of creativity.

Incidentally, I'm co-writing a feature length film with Rohit (and Paul Sealy) called the Rig. We hope to have something to show at the 2010 Cannes film festival.

A stroll to the shops

Every so often I need to stock up on groceries. Now, I have a choice between the big two: Tesco or Sainsbury's.

Tesco is a ten minute walk, I cross six or seven busy streets, pass two train stations, a pub the Evening Standard recommends for acquiring illicit firearms and a housing estate which has hosted at least two grusome murders in the last couple of years.

Sainsbury's is a twenty minute walk. I cross my road into a little park and then I walk along the River Pool and emerge at the back of a Sainsbury's superstore. No traffic, no noise, some kids sitting on the river bank, joggers, old people strolling, bike riders, wood pigeons, herons, ducks... I choose the twenty minute walk.

Here's some photos.

Getting back to basics

I spent the last three weeks working extremely hard on multi-million pound projects where my graphics skills have had to come into play. Unfortunately, because these projects are under review I'm not allowed to talk about them. The good news is I did get to see parts of England that I wouldn't have ever thought to visit.

When I got back I did get to design a new crest for a reborn football team Dynamo North London LFC. Here it is.

Typing fingers healed

Yes, I know I haven't blogged for a while. I have been thinking about it but not actually doing it. So in the last few months I haven't written about the historic US election of Barack H. Obama, the deepening banking crisis, the tightening credit crunch or the changeable weather. I also have not reported on my design projects on Sensory Geography, Engagement in a World of Noise or my finished dissertation Who Decides What We Get.

Maybe next time. Soon!