A powerful piece that features a message which is even more relevant today than it was 30 years ago....

"In 1969, a 14-year-old Beatle fanatic named Jerry Levitan, armed with a reel-to-reel tape deck, snuck into John Lennon's hotel room in Toronto and convinced John to do an interview about peace. 38 years later, Jerry has produced a film about it. Using the original interview recording as the soundtrack, director Josh Raskin has woven a visual narrative which tenderly romances Lennon's every word in a cascading flood of multipronged animation. Raskin marries the terrifyingly genius pen work of James Braithwaite with masterful digital illustration by Alex Kurina, resulting in a spell-binding vessel for Lennon's boundless wit, and timeless message."

When I was 24 my friend and I wrote ourselves a letter 10 years into the future. In it we talked about how we felt in that moment in time and also what we hoped for the future, our goals and dreams.

As the years passed our friendship dissipated into a memory but when I turned 34 I received a letter that had been addressed to my parents place. I didn't open it right away, even though I felt an excited anticipation and at the same time hesitation for what the letter might contain.

I needed to wait for the right moment. Two days later I broke open the wax seal and immersed myself in a journey to the past. The interesting thing about the whole experience is not what the letter contained but how I sounded to myself. In ten years I had evolved into quite a different person, I guess it's to be expected, however you never really analyse yourself in that way. It was an insightful experience that I think I might try again.

So what brought on this nostalgic blog entry? This website which I just stumbled upon called Future Me , a site in which you can send an email to yourself into the future. If you're feeling slightly voyaristic check out the public entries, some of them are quite touching.

I just came across this online gem called ChangeThis. The site contains a plethora of mind stimulating articles that are beautifully presented in PDF files.

Interesting insight into portion sizes and how they have increased over time. That explains the high rates of obesity in western society.

The Story of STUFF with Annie Leonard, great approach that presents the issues that we face in a simple yet powerful way.

Highly emotive website with a good cause, great copywriting!

Words were originally magic, and the word retains much of its old magical power even to-day. With words one man can make another blessed, or drive him to despair; by words the teacher transfers his knowledge to the pupil; by words the speaker sweeps his audience with him and determines its judgements and decisions. Words call forth effects and are the universal means of influencing human beings. Therefore let us not underestimate the use of words...

~sigmund freud

How did it get so late so soon?
It's night before its afternoon.
December is here before its June.
My goodness how the time has flewn.
How did it get so late so soon?

Design for the good of peoplekind....Rosa Loves is website in which you can purchase some beautifully designed t-shirts. The money for the t-shirts goes directly to help people in need. The site features their stories. Lovely website and wonderful idea.

Isn’t it strange how we all draw as children, but are so few as adults? Why do they all stop?

~ John Howe

Most (not all) parents want their children to be doctors and lawyers. Soon after children start school there is a focus on academic achievement over creative development. Our society has the belief that academic professions equal financial gain that equals success that equals happiness. It's sad that so many of us still believe that financial success equals happiness.

Unfortunately art doesn’t equal lots of money; well not until you’re dead for most. However a creative pursuit does equal lots of happiness and personal fulfilment.

So ask your self this if you’re a parent... what's more important; your child’s happiness or your child’s financial success? Or are you more concerned by your own achievement at rearing a ‘successful’ individual?

Why is it that humans have this innate urge to belong to something or 'fit-in'? why is it that we cannot be content or comfortable to just 'be'.

We are so afraid of feeling left out that some of us create facades that don't even truly represent ourselves in order to be accepted by others.

Is this just a natural human phenomenon that is imprinted within our genetic structure or is it a product of our interaction with society and a result of our upbringing?

What do we REALLY achieve by 'fitting-in' anyway?

Awesome choreography not to mention dorky, humorous as well as daggy and cool all at once! Their website is also pretty cute!

Here's an interesting insight that I came across in Faith Popcorns 'Eve-olution: the 8 truths of marketing to women' book. Well actually the quote is from Germaine Greers book 'The whole woman':

"The sharpness of contrast between the genders when it comes to shopping can be seen in the marketing of clothing. By and large, men's clothing is constructed to last; women's clothing, though not at all inexpensive, is instantly obsolete. Menswear represents very much better value for the money than womenswear. What is more, the clothes are expected or altered to fit the man; women have somehow to try to fit the clothes. There are few make fashion victims; all women are victims of fashion."

Vogue Italy has just published what I think is an distateful and inappropriate photo spread called 'State of Emergency' the photos were shot by American photograher Steven Meisel. I must admit it that I am not easily offended or shocked. I guess that after 34 years of visual bombardement I've acquired a thick-skin to it all; in order to protect myself. This photo shoot is incredibly wrong in so many ways that I can't even begin to discuss it. I just can't believe that Vogue has published them.

When I purchase a magazine like Vogue I expect to be entertained and transported into the world of glamour, I certainly don't expect to be visually assulted by terrorist themed images which degrade women.

Personally I'm sick and tired of the current state of the world. I'm disgusted at the media for infecting my feelings towards other cultures and at times I feel emotionally raped because I can't catch a train anymore without fearing that it may be the next target of a terrorist attack. What completely fathoms me is that the rotten state of the world with all its unnecessary killings and power hungry polititians all goes back to 'religion'.

I realise that by blogging about this and adding the link to my site, that I will be drawing more undeserved attention to the spread, but perhaps it can serve as a way to let other women know that there is line and Vogue has crossed it. As a result Vogue has tarnished its brand and I know for a fact that I wont be purchasing another issue any time soon.

I can't ever remember not drinking coffee even at the age of seven I remember having a milky cup of it with my now deceased grandmother, who was always seen with a cup nearby.

About five years ago I gave up 'real' coffee in order to see if I could stop having my excruciating migraines and also for the benefit of the growing foetus in my belly. The results were positive I stopped getting headaches but my taste buds still crave the flavour on a daily basis, so I started drinking decaf. Now I know what your thinking Yuk! but there is good decaf out there, it is hard to find! But you can cheat a decaf mocha is really good! If you find the right one.

Anyway when I moved into my new office in the city I went around to every cafe within a 300 metre radius to see if I could find the ultimate decaf mocha. I finally found it and it's just simply delicious, however as of today I wont be purchasing my coffee from this particular coffee shop anymore. Why? You ask because although the product is fantastic the service is just awful.

Even though I purchase the same coffee just about every morning, the Barrister never recognises me, I don't even get a smile or thankyou. At first I thought it was just me, (occasionally I have been known to become the invisible woman) but as I lined up for my coffee every morning I began to watch and analyse their behaviour to all customers in general.

I noticed that they very rarely smiled at anyone, in fact they don't even ask for your order, they simply look at you and wait for you to say what you want. It kind of reminds me of the soup kitchen nazi in the Seinfield episode. The coffee is undoubtedly good there because the crowds are pretty big however the crowd will be one less after today.

Once again branding has taught me that you need more than a great product to be successful. The experience of buying the product is just as important as the product itself, businesses that recognise this have a much stronger chance of being successful than those who think that they can rely on a great product alone.

Brand loyalty is after all what keeps customers coming back and most importantly helps spread positive word of mouth, which leads to an increase in customers.

I've always said that if I wasn't a designer I'd be chef. There's something about cooking that I just love. Whether it's making up my own thing or diligently following the recipes of some of my favourite chefs.

When I was about 10 years old I remember going to a birthday party, the party itself was not particularly memorable but the cake will be forever engraved in my memory. It was a farm yard complete with a barn, hay stacks and little plastic animals. I'd never seen anything like it and ever since then I've been completely fascinated with novelty cakes. Now that I have children I have a great excuse to get creative in the kitchen. So even though I find the exercise a little stressful due to the fact that the mental image that I have in my head doesn't quite translate to icing and cake, I still put myself through it every year.

My son Pablo recently turned four and since he recently acquired a dinosaur obsession he requested a dinosaur cake. The result turned out to be pretty good, even if I had to scrap the first version. The jurassic scene complete with erupting volcano with sparkler, blue jelly pond and plastic dinosaurs and palm trees turned out to be a success. The joyous look of amazement on Pablos face is something that I'll never forget!

Time Magazine has always been able to capture the essence of a particular time in history through its covers. The site has a great feature which allows you to go back and take a look at all the covers throughout history.

Ever since I attended the web essential conference last year I've noticed that the internet has become the home to many communities. There's something wonderful about humans connecting globally through technology with other humans that they have never met or are unlikely to meet. It makes this large yet small world seem more connected and brakes down the geographical barriers that the internet has managed to blur.

YellowArrow is a beautiful example this and also of how every individual experiences a city in a unique way. It started of as a global art project back in 2004 in the US and now hosts the experiences, memories, insights, secrets and stories of people from all over the world. To quote the New York section of the site "In this city... a lot of extraordinary details pass unnoticed" I guess you could say that about every city in the world.

It's worth having a look at the "video that explains it all" to find out the whole philosophy behind the project. In a nutshell anyone can purchase the uniquely coded yellow arrow stickers. You then stick the arrow in any place that is important to you and record the experience on a mobile phone by using text, sound, image or video. The expereince is then posted on the site and shared with the rest of the world.

I must admit that I was slightly disappointed with the entries for Sydney, so I guess I better spread the word and get myself some stickers.

The latest issue of 400:seconds is out now. Njoy!

I've been listening to Debbie Millman's podcasts for a while now, but it was only earlier this week that I actually went to her blog. Tonight as I once again lost interest in the TV, I picked up my laptop and continued to read her blog. For the last hour and a bit I have been reading her entire blog. I love her honesty and the nakedness of her insights; she has what I think is a beautiful definition for life

"...And I think this is what life is. A series of mistakes and chance encounters and curious experiences that shape us and scar us and tease us and give us hope and joy and tears. Everything we do, everything we touch, everything we design has the opportunity to move us, to inform us and transform what is ahead.

Every opportunity and every design can be held to these connections, and the perspective it holds in our minds and in our hearts. In turn, they give rise to new perspectives and new designs and new experiences.

No matter how bleak a situation or the world might seem—it does offer opportunities and optimism. We need only design them, and believe in them."

"...And I think this is what life is. A series of mistakes and chance encounters and curious experiences that shape us and scar us and tease us and give us hope and joy and tears. Everything we do, everything we touch, everything we design has the opportunity to move us, to inform us and transform what is ahead.

Every opportunity and every design can be held to these connections, and the perspective it holds in our minds and in our hearts. In turn, they give rise to new perspectives and new designs and new experiences.

No matter how bleak a situation or the world might seem—it does offer opportunities and optimism. We need only design them, and believe in them."

It sort of reminds me of PostSecret but in an aural medium. Some sing songs and read poetry, others declare their unrequirted love, and most let out their political angst and views of world peace.

It's quite beautiful and sad at the same time.

Although deep down i so wish that it wasn't true, that perhaps one day a ground breaking idea will emerge from this reassembled world that we live in, as Doris Day sings 'perhaps, perhaps, perhaps' ...

read and enjoy

Let Us Decompose
Mike Duran

G.K. Chesterton said, “Art is the signature of man.” Some believe men rose from monkeys. But let the record show, monkeys have no interest in sketching men. It is precisely our urge to sketch monkeys, which separates us from them. As the apologist wrote, if man was “an ordinary product of biological growth, like any other beast or bird, then it is all the more extraordinary that he was not in the least like any other beast or bird.” When ancient man first dipped his thumb into the blood of berries and scraped that red swath across cool granite, he distanced himself from elks and orangutans.

Human history is one of composition. Of course, we’ve come a long way from dancing reindeer and stick men on blackened cave walls. Today, the cave walls are digital and the stick men dance in cyberspace. But whether it’s Mozart or 50 Cent, Rembrandt or Warhol, Aesop or Spielberg, the urge to compose—to create new beings and worlds, new stories and songs—is unique to us. We write, paint, carve and mold; we sit hunched over parchments and tape recorders, laptops and canvas, searching for the right word, the right sound, the right image, yearning to rise above our earthly origins and distance ourselves from elks and orangutans.

Yet the creative spark reveals more about us than just our dissimilarity to animals. In a way, all composition is really decomposition. The word “decompose” simply means “to separate into components or basic elements.” It is to categorize, quantify, sort and stack; it is to break something down to its lowest common denominator.

In reality, we never really create anything: we reassemble existing parts, cut and paste objects and ideas from the known world, reshuffle the deck. Even abstracts are just extracts of the ordinary. I mean, when was the last time a new primary color was invented or a missing musical note discovered? Genuine originality, it’s been said, is rare. I’d venture to say, it’s extinct, dead with the first chisel strike or quill stroke. “There’s nothing new under the sun,” King Solomon said, without crediting his source. Maybe this is why plotlines follow the same basic patterns. Prime time TV is a constant karmic retread of new faces trapped in the same tired tales. Even Hollywood, the summit of artistic inclination, cannot rise above the remake. Musicians are judged by who they sound like (part Bob, Beck and Bruce), actors by who they look like (she’s got Jessica’s hair, Nicole’s eyes and Angelina’s lips) and books by how they read (think Harry Potter with a dash of Steele). Even fantasy worlds look like ours and superheroes like us—with a little tweaking. All our creations are re-creations, omelettes whipped up from yesterday’s leftovers.

For all our ingenuity and technical advances, no matter how many edits and remakes, we cannot rise above the Story Board. We are as fixed to its laws as Frodo is to Middle Earth. We stitch and sketch, dream up and hammer out, but we cannot transcend.

“In the beginning, God created ...” He composed. He assembled parts ex nihilo, “out of nothing.” He spread out the canvas and drew His thumb across the celestial swath. We live in that Composition, on that Canvas; we are the parts He assembled. Herein lies our glory and our deficiency.

We create because we are like Him, but we cannot create like Him.

Unlike God, we cannot make something from nothing. Everything we shape, form, order and arrange requires something else. Like a celluloid hero, the laws of the medium bind us. Poets need language and its laws, for without it their craft is made moot. Some musical forms may push the boundaries, but sour notes are not tolerable—even by the most sophisticated. Architecture can be innovative, as long as the foundation is solid. Characters can be fresh, as long as they are believable. Art must correspond to Reality—in fact, it cannot do anything but that.

If art is the signature of man, as Chesterton suggested, then man is the signature of God. And every film, song, poem or novel, no matter how tired or twisted, is an echo of His original act. So let us borrow, bleed and recast the old, tell the Tale a thousand times over. Let us crush the berries, raise the chisel and strike up the band, for tonight we decompose.

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One of the points that i found quite beautiful was the overwhelming love that mothers feel towards their children. It cannot be described or even imagined by anyone who hasn't had a child. The other point that was conforting to read was that we also learn a lot from our children. Its not just a one way learning channel.

I have learnt so much from my little ones, even in only three years of being a mother. My Pablo hadn't even turned three months when I had already learnt to prioritise my life in a totally different way. I have an enormous responsiblity to protect and nurture this human being that i have created and although it is an enormous challenge, i have never been overwhelmed by it. Instead it fuels me has made me love life in a way that i had never realised was possible. I should probably also make a note that its not just mothers who feel like this, its also dads, perhaps not all, but I know that my beautiful husband feels the same way. We are both intoxicated by the love and the overwhelming happiness that our little boy and girl bring into our lives. The study is also available for download- http://www.motherhoodproject.org/study/executive_summary.php

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