While I was looking for keychains, I found Regina’s shop (everyeskimo) on Etsy and found a letterpress kind. I was choosing between 4, R and N, but you see what I ended up getting. I also have a lego Stormtrooper given by a friend for Christmas.
I don’t really win anything, but that’s only because I don’t really join any of those contests. So, when 501st Legion tweeted that I’ve won a Mardi Gras necklace, I was quite excited. This is actually the first time I’ve won something! It’s a small thing, but it’s from 501st Legion. I got the necklace today, and I also got a card of the Stormtrooper (TK-899!) who sent it to me. Thanks 501st Legion!
I got my copy of The Print Handbook (2nd edition) today in the mail! It’s just beautiful and already helpful, especially the colour chart and type size. Photos below are the cover, first and last page.
I got this book a couple of weeks ago, and I’ve been reading it at times when I don’t feel like doing work (laziness kicks in). It motivates me to do more, to be better. I already know most of it, but Paul Arden puts it in a way that makes me understand the concept even more by having a different perspective. I wish I can choose which is my favourite passage or advice.
In honour of the beginning of Imperial March, I changed my desktop background to the photo above that I took last October. I wouldn’t say that I’m obsessed with Star Wars, but I am a fan. What is it about Star Wars that I just can’t get enough of? It’s the films, the characters, and the endless possibilities in a galaxy far, far away. My dream (there’s a reason why it is) is something like: graphic designer by day, Stormtrooper by night… maybe a bounty hunter or a Sith Lord. Clearly, the dark side lured me in.
Among the many Star Wars-related things that I want is Daniel Wallace’s The Book of Sith: Secrets from the Dark Side. I’ve read up some of reviews, and it seems like it’s a good resource to those attracted to the dark side. I’m waiting for the prices to go down because, well, I’m not that crazy about it and I’m not ready to spend $100 on a book with a vault, even if it looks awesome. For now, I’ll read The Jedi Path and catch up on episodes of The Clone Wars.
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Update – Mar 4th: In other news, Ralph McQuarrie has passed away (I think just last night).
McQuarrie’s expansive body of work — including character, creature, vehicle, and setting designs for A New Hope, The Empire Strikes Back, andReturn of the Jedi — has left an indelible mark on the world’s imagination, creating what can only be called the unmistakable ‘Star Wars aesthetic.’
Over on StarWars.com, George Lucas shared some insights about McQuarrie and his works.“When words could not convey my ideas, I could always point to one of Ralph’s fabulous illustrations and say, ‘Do it like this.’”
My lecture ended at 11:30 am yesterday (well, it always does), but I was Downtown until about 9 pm. A close friend invited our other friends and I to a dinner at 7 pm to meet his significant other at Queen Mother Cafe. With four hours of sleep, we waited for almost 8 hours for dinner—it was worth the wait.
The photo is terrible, but surely the food isn’t. The Pad Thai was delicious, as well as this Mardi Gras cake! It’s a way of rewarding myself for finishing the essay and surviving the day. Read more…
One of the videos that I watched today comes from TED. It’s about making choices and how to make it easier. Sheena Iyengar starts with asking the question the audience: “Do you know how many choices you make in a typical day?” Hearing that question and seeing the image below (from her presentation) made me think… Well, how many choices did I make today?
Iyengar shares four techniques to help with the problem of choice overload:
On the top of my head, I already think of those restaurants with millions—exaggeration, of course—of things on their menu; they can definitely benefit from some, if not all, the techniques. Since there’s too many choices, I would get overwhelmed, make a not-so-good choice, and never go back to the restaurant again. It’s like that they want to include every kind of food to attract more customers. One of the things that I’ve learned in school and through an internship is that you need to know and identify your target audience/market. You can’t please everyone and not everyone needs you.
I’m very specific with my needs and wants, and some people might say that I’m “picky.” I’m not picky—I know what I want/need. When I read Patrick Rhone’s entries some time ago, I became aware of my Final Choices and some eventually became Sensible Defaults. I can spend a lot of time (about a few minutes if it’s nothing major) doing research about a product to make sure that I’m buying the one that suits my need and the one I want. When I run out of the product, for instance a fineliner, I would just go to the art store, go to the right aisle, grab a couple and pay for it. It’s as simple and easy as that.
I definitely agree with what Iyengar says to end her presentation:
Because I believe that the key to getting the most from choice is to be choosy about choosing. And the more we’re able to be choosy about choosing the better we will be able to practice the art of choosing.