11 Feb 07
On Thursday I caught a matinee of Pan’s Labyrinth, the new fantasy film by Guillermo Del Toro. The fantasy aspects were perfectly done—surreal and truly fantastic–and the direction was slick as butter. A lovely piece. But boring. I didn’t care for any of the characters, and the plot just plodded along. Besides, I had problems […]
10 Feb 07
For the past few days, I’ve been experimenting. I’ve committed myself to one project, and spending all my spare time on it. I’ve taken breaks, of course, but I’ve kept at it. I wanted to feel that long, unrelenting push to completion. So today, I completed a twenty-two panel, nine-page graphic novel. I sketched the […]
9 Feb 07
From my sixth grade creative writing textbook: Awareness — A creative person notices things that others overlook or are not even interested in. He also tries to see below the surface or the outside appearance of things. Imagination — A creative person is able to look at simple things from different points of view and […]
8 Feb 07
Random self-improvement suggestions: Once a week, cook a big meal that’ll provide enough leftovers to last a few days. Chili, soup, and stew are easy. Explore a unique interest of yours. Exercise three times a week for twenty minutes. When next you shop for groceries, avoid the chips aisle and instead buy cheese, vegetables that […]
7 Feb 07
How to pick out a technical book: Look for pretty covers. Seriously. Attractive covers usually means well-paid cover artists, which often means a quality book. Grab the O’Reilly book on that topic. Grab anything else that catches your eye. Take them all to a table, and open to the middle of the book. Look for […]
6 Feb 07
On Monday, I spent two hours sipping green tea and reading books at a nearby Borders. Among those books was Brendan Dawes’s Analog In, Digital Out. I was inspired and humbled by his creativity and open eyes. He tossed out a phrase that struck me: “The craft of iteration.” That is, the repeated testing and […]
5 Feb 07
I carry several index cards in my pocket, on which I write reminders to myself. At the end of the day, if I’ve written something on a card, I drop that card in my paper inbox to later process onto an appropriate list. Today’s card, for example: This system works well for me. I can […]
4 Feb 07
This morning, I attended a charistmatic church for the first time. Boy, was I surprised. I was raised roughly Baptist, then spent a few years experiencing the Anglican tradition. This was roughly the exact opposite: raised hands, lots of murmuring, speaking in tongues; even flag-waving. The service lasted for two hours, half of which we […]
3 Feb 07
A few days ago, I finished reading Kate Williamson’s A Year in Japan. It’s a short but sweet read, since it’s mostly pictures. She painted watercolors of the many things she saw over there, and wrote about them. It’s a lovely, personal work of art. I’m envious. I want to make something like that now.
2 Feb 07
I came across How to Negotiate Copywriting Fees Without Turning Into an Asshole while reading blogs this morning. Besides being an excellent summary of a potentially tense aspect of business, it’s wonderfully humane. Most of its advice can be summed up by “be self-confident,” but it has great specific suggestions. Negotiations are not just about […]