The schoolyear’s almost over. These last few weeks were pretty heavy man. I’ve clearly miscalculated when seeing the schedule a few months back and thinking: “Alright, 2 days a week off…”. Not that I had the idea to just slack those 2 days a week but I’ve always had this subdivision in my head: schoolwork / play,write,record music. Unfortunately it was more schoolwork and less music for me. I know it sounds cliché or something like that but… I really feel the impact of not being able to play, write, record, … music. I really do. It brings me down and it burns me up inside. So much that I feel myself slip away but don’t feel like I’m able to stop myself from doing so. Well, enough of the whining. At one point I was really enthused about trying to balance my music and bring it into the picture but all of a sudden that little plan failed. I have my thoughts on why this happened, but… I’ll keep that to myself for now.
As I said, summer holidays are a-coming. I have a lot to do, people to see, meat to bbq, etc. I’m looking forward to it! First and foremost I’ll finally be recording my next EP and even better I’ve found musicians to accompany me in my musical adventures, so I’m pretty psyched for that stuff. One other thing that’s scheduled in is a huge cleaning action. This room, my computer (second brain) and my first brain need to be cleared in order to completely replenish my spirit.
Well, here we go. The final chapter !
Published on 06/06/2010 17:35.
Filed under: Reflect Tags: cleaning, divide, EP, music, oakfield drive, Personal, summer
In the beginning we had a Case Lab where we needed to introduce ourselves. It was a personal assignment. Now this semester we had Project Lab where we had to work in groups and for an external initiative. This year MUSICA: KLANKENBOS gave us an interesting assignment. You can read more about Klankenbos here.
We had a lot of work, a lot of road bumps but eventually we were very satisfied with our prototype and the work we put into the whole process. What we made was a Audioscope which helped broaden the significance, whereabouts and philosophy of Klankenbos. We devised this audioscope to be able to look ‘through‘ the trees and take a peek inside of klankenbos. We mainly focussed on people that take occasional bike rides. There is a point where all bikers pass the klankenbos, but there is no way bikers know they are passing klankenbos. Those folks are our target. Seeing they love to enjoy the surroundings and occasionally need some rest, we decided to build this audioscope and place it strategically.
We’ve written and worked out all aspects and made a prototype to present our concept. Our casebook is to be found by clicking this link. In this document you can find everything you’d ever want to know about our Audioscope.
Published on 05/06/2010 19:09.
Filed under: Analyze, Create, Reflect Tags: A/V, audioscope, communication, graphic design, ICT, klankenbos, marketing, musica, project lab
Little update on Future Studio. The last sketches I added for my concept. The course is over except for the last presentation. We have a bunch of deliverables so that’s still going to be a lot of work! It also means my journal will have to be turned inside out so more scans and sketches will be updated.
The basic idea is to use what is already there in the Tuinwijk. Besides the history of the mines I noticed a lot of trees, hedges, etc. that give that ‘cité’ feeling. When listening to the song “Lisa” by Mattias ‘IA’ Eklundh (aka Freak Kitchen), The sentence: “No one really knows what has happened to Lisa, no one really knows ’cause the trees don’t talk…” really put things together for me. I had a bunch of photos of the Tuinwijk and the trees (nature elements) were a given. But when hearing that line from the song it gave me an idea to let people interact through the trees, they are always there (where people could have gone to work, on a walk, or whatever.) That’s basically what this sketch shows. Trees as a means of communication, as a way to interact.
Published on 02/06/2010 20:06.
Filed under: Analyze, Create Tags: design, future studio, interaction, togetherness, trees
Yes, Ladies & Gents… We presented our manifesto for Changemanagement. With ‘we’ I’m talking about: Chris, Vincent and myself. We work with the cult of done.We’re all creative people so when we came across this one, it instantly struck us to be THE manifest for us to present. It’s all about our perception of getting things done and ideas.
Check out the actual cult of done manifesto here.
We chose to compare our class and our experience with this bridging program of CMD with the serie: Lost. We all got steered into the direction of CMD, we kind of ‘crashed’ on the island, not really knowing what to expect or not having too much experience. Somehow we needed to progress. After all the goal is to get ‘off the island’, to graduate. The cult of done simply says you get things done by doing them even if you don’t have a clue what you are doing or going to do. Just fake it and do it, it’s also a manner of doing. Without further ado, here’s our presentation.
Published on 01/06/2010 16:30.
Filed under: Analyze, Create, Reflect Tags: changemanagement, cult of done, fake doing, lost, manifesto, perfectionism, procrastination, progress
Isn’t it strange to see what happens to people on their quest to promise. I know, this sounds weird but… From my own perspective and experience, I know everything can look perfect from a distance but as soon as you zoom in, somehow we start taking too much for granted and go about blaming everything around us for our mirage to not be quite how we saw it from afar.
I’ve had quite the same happen to me, that’s why I wanted to write it down over here.
My energy level is so low at this point… Times couldn’t be more better either. The end of the year, the finals are coming up, projects need to be finished. I’ve really tossed and turned at night thinking about.. just too many things at once. Somehow I got demoralized over the course of these last few weeks. Why ? That was a question burning on my mind too. I think it’s got to do something with the whole ’stimulus – response’ theory. When you simply finish one task, you hand it in and you’re left with this feeling it’s done, on to the next one. You have faith what follows will work out too, ’cause you’ve been there and you feel like you’ve done that. Right now things are going quite differently. I haven’t been able to finish anything but instead everything keeps piling up. It’s not like I don’t work at any of those projects, it’s just… I can’t – for God’s sake – finish anything I start. When I try I think about something else we need to finalize and then I dive into that. That’s just no way of working. I’ve thought about it a lot and my best bet was to work from my interests. I hear you say: Duh! But at first I started working from what fascinates and inspires me most. Though my two cents on one projects in some cases fails to fit the template of others. So don’t give me that BS: “Do whatever you like, how you like it… freedom…” Never in 5 years has anyone been able to follow through on that. What happens eventually… ? You will work to satisfy the one giving you grades. When you talk about it with teachers or counselors you are being given the feeling of help. In reality that has also never been the real case. It’s an uphill battle. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again.
I hate to complain, I don’t like excuses and if I have a vision I would try and change the world to fit the vision… Unfortunately, look at me now. I’m drowning in doubts, every word I put on paper has a negative vibe to it, I try to piece my spirit together with excuses… This wasn’t my plan. Who’s plan was it ? And if you’re reading this: Where’s my mind ? I’d like it back now.
Concerning the mind. Here’s an interesting drawing I found. It depicts René Descartes’ belief that the immaterial (mind, soul, instinct, …) and the material (body) interact through the pineal gland in the center of the brain. (from “Meditations on First Philosophy“).
Published on 27/05/2010 14:48.
Filed under: Reflect Tags: belief, Descartes, immaterial, material, mind, Personal, think
We had our GPS sessions today. What’s a GPS ? First of all it’s not the global positioning system we all know and talk to in our cars on the lonely rides (oh, am I the only one to do that ? hm, okay then..) No, it’s a brainstorm technique used by companies to motivate people to share their ideas and be creative.
The point was to brainstorm with help of a specially designed wheel with subjects and then come up with ideas, put them into the wheel and move on to the next item. The assignment was from a publisher (Lannoo) who asked of us to come up with something interesting regarding the growing market of eBooks, eReaders, etc. So they wanted to keep the traditional book, but also wanted to start offering eBook services. How, why, what, etc. was up to us.
We were divided in groups of two and started brainstorming. A lot of cool and original ideas were tossed back and forth but eventually we had to check out all of the ideas and choose one to make a projectfiche for.
I worked together with Sam and we came up with a sort of library in a gym. We found there was a lot of potential in a gym because people go there to sport but while sporting a lot of people watch tv, listen music but no one reads books and seeing there are a lot of different ages in the gym, it seemed perfect to offer a book/magazine option too. We thought it would be interesting to use the energy that people create by biking, running, etc. and power a built in eReader. In that eReader they can choose magazines, books, or any other readable thing for the length of their exercise. Pro’s of this concept were, the energy of the eReader is being made by the people so if they stop, they stop reading. In other words it motivates to keep going. If the exercising session is over, you can save and transport it to the next exercise or even download it to your smartphone and read on at a later moment. Another good thing is the offer of books and magazines is easily adaptable to the different types of subscriptions in the gym. So for example you could take an all-in subscription and will be able to read, download every book, magazine or what not in the database. Also it is able to make requests, so you are able to read whatever you have set your mind on.
Published on 18/05/2010 16:08.
Filed under: Analyze, Create Tags: brainstorm, change, changemanagement, creative, eBooks, eReader, GPS, gym, Lannoo, project management
Design for Togetherness.
What a title. We got introduced to the course: Future Studio and it was special, to say the least. The big assignment given to us was: Work out a concept to bring people in the ‘Tuinwijk’ in Genk together. Make them interact. Ask the questions needed to figure out what interaction existed and what is there but not fully employed.
I think same idea as with Play Mobile fits Future studio. Do it ! Though Future Studio focusses more on, as the title says, the future. What is possible, what will be possible. The point is to come up with something ‘wow’ and work it out as if you would introduce the project/concept tomorrow and integrate it into the Tuinwijk.
Hands full, I’ll tell ya. We’re told to keep all our findings and inspirations in a journal. I’ll post some scans as soon as i’m able to.
Published on 25/03/2010 22:17.
Filed under: Reflect Tags: design, future studio, interaction, togetherness
So it’s been about 2 weeks since I was released from the exam-period.
Honestly, I have no clue when we receive our results (the actual ‘judgement day’…). It’s supposed to be somewhere this week though.
I kind of have mixed feelings about these exams. I’ve always been a bit frightened by the idea of other people judging your ‘abilities’ (and so much more) with just a test which questions everything you’ve learned the last few months in like 4 to 6 exercises.
This time I tried to be more confident about it and also I tried to study everything from my computer ’cause all the course material was to be found online. BAD MOVE ! I knew I couldn’t learn from a computer screen, still I tried it and endured. For God’s sake… The times I discipline myself it’s in a situation like this… There’s a word for it and that’s: Stupid.
Only thing to do now is wait and see…
Published on 23/03/2010 13:01.
Filed under: Reflect Tags: exams, fear, Personal, results, School
A mystery ! 4 teachers, mysterious assignments… At first a lot of questions raised. The course: Play Mobile started off creative enough but due to the typical class/school setting somehow I got thrown off.
I’ll just show the sketches/writings for assignment nr.1:
It was kind of crazy working on something you had no clue of what it was for… But a very important lesson here was (and still is): Just Do It ! I surely hope Nike won’t sue me for using their slogan but seriously… It’s best put like that. Clear and concise! Even if you have no clue, thinking about it won’t get you half as far as just starting on it and doing it ! Lesson nr.2: Failing is okay ! I’m kind of a perfectionist and that’s not so positive. I’m scared of failing and sometimes that fear stops me from even starting on something I think I won’t be able to finish the way I want to. By just doing you learn there’s more than just going from A to B. You learn a lot more underway and in the end, even if you’ve failed in the endresult, you’ve learned so much more valuable lessons that you’ve basically won more than you think you’ve lost.
Published on 13/03/2010 17:01.
Filed under: Analyze, Create Tags: content, creativity, free association, game, nike, play mobile
Changemanagement is the name of the game !
Well, this course is divided in 3 parts actually. First we have Changemanagement from Natalie Vaes. She teaches us about change and the impact on the individuals as well as a group or other structures. We always start out with theory in the morning and some practice in the afternoon. I really appreciate these kinds of subjects. Last year I started to take interest in change and all involved, I even incorporated it for a great deal in my photographic works. Now I’m actually getting taught the theory to be able to change yourselfs and others. That’s… very fascinating to me, let’s keep it at that.
Another part is taught to us by Silvia Vanaken. She mainly focusses on methods and ways to bring and implement change. It’s a bit more… dry stuff, if you know what I’m saying, but nonetheless interesting.
Last part is actually called Project Management. In this course Ann Laenen educates us on how to manage a project (duh!) and get everything done so that the succeeding of a project is considerably realistic.
Each course has assignments for us. For Changemanagement 1 we need to choose and present a manifesto. This is to be done in group. We also have an exam for this part. The assignment for Changemanagement 2 is to change something in your environment. This could be anything. But this forces us to see what the problem might be, how it can be solved and what steps need to be taken to change this problem into an opportunity, a chance, a solution. We are expected to work and analyze by using the 8-step Change model by Kotter. Lastly we’re supposed to do a brainstorming session in class on one particular day and with the results of that we need to make a projectfiche and hand it in as if we were going to actually do the project.
So yeah, we have our work cut out for us.
Published on 14/02/2010 15:42.
Filed under: Analyze Tags: brainstorm, change, changemanagement, project management, projects, psychology