Election time is definitely getting closer. You can tell because every time you turn on the TV or pick up the paper there’s some story screaming about how a candidate has changed their stance, or won new support, or done something drastically “foolish” that could jeopardize their entire campaign. I think its safe to say that this kind of press is going to continue straight through until November.
With everyone getting behind a candidate and swearing that the other is crazy, claiming ‘how could you vote for
HIM’, I think its important to make sure you don’t lose your sense of humor in the maddness… Kind of like the folks over at JibJab. If you haven’t seen it yet, you should check out their new original,
Time for Some Campaignin’.
I have seen this “Kindle” thing floating around on Amazon for quite a while now. Essentially, Kindle is Amazon’s improvement to e-books – a hand-held wireless device that allows you to purchase and download electronic books and novels. It sports an iPod-esque white color scheme, can hold up to 125,000 digitally formated books, and is being sold for $359. Pretty nifty. The Amazon folks are saying it will be big, but I’m just not sure.
Sure it has some obvious pros… You could save a lot of trees by purchasing electronic novels. A book will never be “out-of-stock” or have a waiting period since a digital medium can’t sell out. You can download books on the fly and wont have to schedule a trek to the library or bookstore into your busy day. And its definitely a huge improvement over e-books. At least now this hand-held device can travel with you (at a super light weight of roughly 10 ounces) and your e-books won’t have to live on a bulky laptop.
Regardless, I think there is something amazingly powerful about holding a book in your hands and actually turning the pages… being able to bookmark your place within a novel and see just how many pages you’ve read… having the option to lend a book to a friend, or sell it back to a used book store. None of these things are really possible with Kindle.
Above all, the intimacy of reading a paper book is one of the few things that removes us from the ever-present glare of an electronic screen (be it a computer, phone, iPod, or TV). I stare at my computer all day at work, and when I get on the T to head home, I pull out a book and read. There is something great about getting lost in the pages of a book, and I’m just not sure if that can be replaced by another screen. We rely so heavily on electronics in our day to day lives, its sometimes nice to unplug, and reading certainly does that for me.
Who knows… Maybe Kindle will catch on and become ridiculously popular. Maybe people will be all about the lack of pages and digital formatting. I’m just not ready for that yet and won’t be rushing out to purchase one anytime soon.
Here’s a handy
article if you want to read more.
So the green monster is down. It has been replaced with a very flashy, very impressive-looking 3-story
apple store, complete with lots of glass and glowing apple logos… and its just around the corner from the Boston office. Today is “opening day”, and even though the doors won’t open until 6:00pm tonight, managed to get a glimpse at some crazy folks waiting in line outside the doors this morning on his way to work. Good times.
Similar to how weather will always be enjoyable during your work week and then nasty on your weekend, it is a known fact that the same will happen when you travel. In other words, you will always leave nice weather in your hometown for less pleasant weather in your destination city, only to have these trends reverse the second you return home.
Here’s the perfect proof:
So basically, us Boston folk that were in SF this week missed a beautiful week of sunny, mid- and hi-70 days at home. Upon our return to Boston, we will be greeted by a wonderfully overcast and cool weekend…. right when SF decides to break out the sunshine and 70s. Such is life.
posted by on April 13, 2008 at 01:51 PM
filed under:
Creativity
This may seem like common sense (which it is), but for some reason I feel a lot of people don’t do this…
Outside of designing, I’m a big writer—of many things: short stories, poetry, even music (yes, I occasionally pick up my guitar). I have far too often sat down to write something and just starred at the paper (or screen) for quite some time wondering where the heck to start. It’s either that or I sit there trying to remember that awesome idea I came up with while I was walking to work or sitting on the train.
So one day I had this semi-brilliant idea and bought a small spiral notebook for like 99 cents, suck a pen in the binding, and started carry it around with me. When I saw something inspirational, or just had a good idea, I’d write it down right and then and there so I wouldn’t risk forgetting it. Sometimes I’d write down a whole idea or theme, other times just a brief line or statement. Now, when writer’s block hits, I turn to this handy little book of ideas. Sometimes I use an idea from it, other times I don’t, but the point is that they are all recorded.
For me, creativity usually hits spontaneously, and often in visual forms, so this whole “write it down as you see it” mentality has been great. If you work the same way, I highly suggest investing in a cheap little notebook. (It won’t break the bank. I promise.) Write things down as you see them – just don’t stop someplace dangerous—like in the middle of busy city street. And don’t try to record things while driving either. Trust me…
online community in the months to come.
