Original designs include: •A Sonor drum pedal for the accelerator •Ahead drum sticks for turn signal and Tilt actuators •Paiste cymbal for switch plate •Roc N Soc drum thrones for seats •Shure microphone head for shifter knob •Coffin mic case for shifter console •Gibson guitar knobs for door openers
The above airbrushed piece amazes me that is so perfectly recreates a cutting torch burning through the door panel from the inside
The following designs are presently in varied stages of costruction: •Highway Star / Smoke on the Water - our tribute to Deep Purple •Nights in White Satin - our tribute to the Moody Blues •Delicate Sound of Thunder - our tribute to Pink Floyd •"NOTHING ELSE MATTERS" - tribute to Metallica
I've never really understood why people say that. How is shit holy? I can understand holy cow, but holy shit? This blog post will be open the whole day and I will be typing in random things that I think of, amidst my frantic writing. I can't believe today's Thursday, tomorrow's Friday, then Saturday comes and I'm flying off! But yea, no time to really put up an insightful post full of witticisms as per my usual writing. Still crazy behind with my work. Still.
---
I'm representing for them gangsters all across the world Still hitting them corners in them low low's girl Still taking my time to perfect the beat And I still got love for the streets, it's the D-R-E
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Just came back from a meeting with my co-supervisor, my safety net, my life raft, my bungy rope. My pillar of support, my oasis in the desert, my please-don't-leave-me-to-die. He seems ok with my progress although I'm not. He also seems to think that I'll be working on it in Europe although I'm not. But seeing that he's always right, I may be ok, and I'll have to put in some overtime in Europe... preferably Berlin when I'll still be having a roof over my head.
I am taking solace in a video that I saw the other day on Discovery News - this explorer guy said that there is only one essential thing to be an explorer. "Incompetence". Because if everything goes well according to (a good) plan, there would be no adventures or good stories to tell. I will think of his wise words when I am stranded somewhere with no roof over my head or after I am robbed by cute gypsy kids.
I saw my insurance guy yesterday to pay for my travel insurance and it was him who told me about the gypsy kids slashing backpacks and pickpocketing in Europe. "They go for single Asian women who look clumsy and lost," he said. "Erm. Isn't that me?" "Yup." "With a neon sign pointing at the top of my head?" "Yup." I think my insurance guy is honest to the point of being annoying, which is probably a good trait for any insurance guy to have.
---
This is my Island of Stuff, still under construction. I can't afford to procrastinate on packing this time, so I've delineated an area to dump stuff that need to be packed there whenever I remember to. This is incomplete of course, especially the stack of clothes, which I put in just for illustration purposes.
From the top left clockwise, that's my day bag cum cooler (it has this really cool lining that keeps your drinks cool inside), my newly acquired netbook, various chargers and adapters of gadgets, my sleeping bag, my 32 litre Deuter Act Trail, some medication and supplements my mum got me, clothes, toiletries, souvenirs from Malaysia for friends and friends I have yet to make, a folder of important documents, a notebook and my passport. Apart from the day bag and the sleeping bag which my dad and I figured out how to affix outside the pack, everything has to go in.
I'm also bringing this new t-shirt I bought yesterday:
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When I was doing my last-minute shopping yesterday I saw two cute guys. One was a salesman in a shop selling designer bags made out of recycled things such as seatbelts, fire hoses, candy wrappers and soda can rings. He patiently explained everything to me and was very nice even though I didn't buy anything (or look like I could afford to). The other was when I was buying a book in Borders, and the cute cashier asked me if I needed a plastic bag. He was the only cashier who took the trouble to ask me that for the entire day. I asked him if he asked everybody, or if he just noticed that I had a huge shopping bag with me. He said he asked everybody. I thanked him for that =)
Environmentally conscious guys are hot. Actually no, the researcher in me can't make that causal conclusion - so it's either environmentally conscious guys are hot, or hot guys are environmentally conscious. No actually again - there are many methodological problems - the sample's too small, there's a high researcher bias, so I can't say that either. Fuck - They just are.
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Shit it's evening already and I've only finished organizing all my references and have been thinking a lot but haven't actually written anything. Jen Hui believes in me. If Jen Hui believes in me I should believe in myself right? Right!!!
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I was just sending an impulse email to Val and at almost the same instance that I was about to send it, I got his text! Freaky friendship telepathy ftw =D
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OK I should close this post and get down to writing. Two hours of intense word-smithing, coming up!
I am home. It's fantastic. My eyes are half open/half closed, depending if you're an optimist, but I will ramble a little bit because I haven't felt so free and unrepressed in a while. Yes I brought some sheets of writing back to collate. And yes I can't be arsed to do it now.
It's great to be back in KL. The last time I was back was during Chinese New Year. Since then I've been hit by wave after wave of work, and if I didn't come back this time, the next time would be three months later, after my Europe trip and the confirmation defense. Asa would already be in Brisbane. I would already be different, as all my long travel stints tend to change me substantially in one way or another. In New Zealand I started hitchhiking. In the States I became a vegetarian. I wonder what Europe would have in store for my ongoing evolution.
Speaking of Europe, Val's going to be there when I go! He quitted Australia and is probably on his way back on a plane right this moment. I got the news when I was in depths of despair with some concepts that refused to work, and I only glanced very absently at the text that came in, from a number that I didn't recognize. The next second I was laughing and waving my cell phone and jumping around in the office and poking Kristy.
It's going to be so awesome, I anticipate a lot of beer-guzzling and German-spotting. (He's German. She's German. That dog's German too. How does he do that??) And we'll see Marten again and reminisce over the good old days, and come up with new running gags, because that's what we do. (But the whales! Think about the whales!)
I've also confirmed a detour from Paris to Strasbourg to see Linda. The train tickets that she booked for me (you get cheaper tickets if you buy from the official site and of course it had to be in French) only cost 55Euros both ways so it's not too bad. I'm really looking forward to seeing her again, and being shown around by a local and staying with her family.
So much about Europe. I haven't had time to plan the actual things to do at all although I know I should. But writing has taken up most of my time, and will continue to occupy me until the 11th hour, I think. The only thing that I really need to do is to plan on how to fit my entire wardrobe for 2 months, my toiletries, my sleeping bag, a netbook (which I have yet to acquire) and miscellaneous stuff (flip flops for example) into my trusty 32litre backpack, under 10kg. That means that every item that goes into the bag has to be essential, and versatile in usage, and I probably can't buy anything on the way. Of course the other option is to post stuff back home whenever my pack gets too crazy full. I've a feeling that I'll use this option at least once, to send my formal clothes back after the conference is done. Speaking of which, I haven't prepared for my presentation! Rats.
Anyway, I should go now, a long day ahead tomorrow to run various errands. I leave you with Sufjan Stevens who's playing a part in keeping me sane in these incredibly stressful times.
Sufjan Stevens: Decatur, Or, Round of Applause for Your Stepmother!
I just had a beer and therefore am merrier than a completely sober me would be.
SAY! HEY!*Green Day's Holiday plays in the background*
I've been listening to the soundtrack of the American Idiot, a Broadway musical based on Green Day's songs. I wish I could go watch it. Beats air-drumming and trying to type at the same time - I'm sure I look ridiculous but these days I'm often alone in the office anyway so it doesn't really matter.
Speaking of being alone in the office I came across this site today: Givesmehope.com, and barely one minute into reading the little stories tears started streaming down my cheeks. It's basically bite-sized little stories of compassion, courage and anything that gives people hope. I was just thinking to myself that luckily both my officemates were out today when a prof knocked on the door to look for Kristy. He probably thinks I have a sad life story behind the red nose and wet eyes. I don't. My life's great because I just had a beer.
I'm actually pretty hungry at the moment. It's 12:32am and I am too lazy to cook anything, besides there's this whole issue of me having brushed my teeth already. The barrier to filling my empty stomach is simply too high so I shall keep typing and ignore my rumbling tummy. I just remembered this short story that I read by Haruki Murakami, Tan Ying Jian's favourite author. It's about this couple who got so hungry one night that they decided to rob a bakery. Because they couldn't find a bakery they robbed McDonald's instead and took like 50 Big Macs. It was a good story except for the cows that died.
I have a meeting with my co-supervisor tomorrow. I think that's making me a little edgy. Plus I'm hungry and I just had a beer. That's pretty much the update to my life. Did I mention that I just had a beer?
Marketing has brought cars with music together for decades. Ads like Cadillac’s infamous Break Through spot featuring the energy of Led Zepplin along with a strong Baby Boomer emotional appeal or the wholesome goodness of Dina Shore singing “See the USA in your Chevrolet” all have their place in automotive and music history.
Some things never change, as there seems to be a surge in music and automotive marketing. It seems all brands – luxury and non-luxury – have found some sort of alignment with the passion music brings to a product and with so many genres of music and so many vehicles with different audiences finding the right fit may be easier than ever.
Shakira Shakes Her Hips for Seat
One of my favorite integrations comes from Volkswagen’s European Seat brand featuring Shakira. The campaign is developed around one song: Good Stuff. The Seat Good Stuff website is full of music, cars, games and chances to win tickets. Sharkira’s wild hair and long legs take prominence over the Seat Ibiza, which even has a Special Edition Good Stuff model to align with the campaign. Of all the current music and automaker integrations this is the only one that has built a car for sale to the public. Seat gets the prize for having not only the most elaborate, fanciful site but they also integrated things to the product level with tinted windows, iPods, and 16” “Sonda” wheels.
The campaign is further connected through a Good Stuff Facebook fan page that currently has 3,748 fans. Like most campaign Facebook sites there is very little engagement, especially from the brand as the team in charge only posted one wall post back in February.
Overall the integration is well executed, minus the lame attempt at a Facebook presence, with plenty of artist and vehicle alignment. Bringing the experience online further strengthens the brand’s sponsorship of Shakira’s European Tour. The site has several links to listen to music, find chances to win concert tickets, extend alignment with the brand through Seat’s Club Seat member website, and let’s users easily share the content with others through common social networking sites.
Ram Trucks' Letter Writing Request
Going after a completely different demographic than Seat, Chrysler Group’s new Ram Truck brand wants its potential customers to write letters to America’s soldiers at war. All letters will be collected at Zac Brown Band concerts and Ram Truck dealerships.
"This unique endeavor is derived from respect and admiration, from both the Ram Truck Brand and Zac Brown Band, for the men and women in the military," said Marissa Hunter, Head of Ram Truck Brand Communications, Chrysler Group LLC. "It is our hope that these letters serve as a source of appreciation and comfort."
In exchange for the letters, Ram Truck will give letter writers a free special Zac Brown Band CD entitled "Breaking Southern Ground."
All of this is for the launch of Ram’s Heavy Duty truck. The “Letters for Lyrics” campaign is fully integrated into the Ram Trucks shopping website. There is a page explaining what people need to do to get the free CD and several accompanying videos are viewable on the site along with links to the Ram Heavy Duty truck. There are a few icons available to promote social sharing, but they are not prominent. The main message here is to get people to write and visit a Ram Truck dealership. Hopefully, when someone comes to get a free CD, they’ll also take a test drive in any Ram or Dodge product (the two brands share the same dealer network.)
Lincoln Music
Early this year our team at Lincoln launched the Lincoln Music Experience Sweepstakes along with a Lincoln branded Music micro-site (in full disclosure: I’m the digital brand strategist for the Lincoln and Mercury brands at Team Detroit, in case you didn’t read my bio.) Over the past three years, music has played a significant role in the re-branding of Lincoln. The ads feature a space themed design treatment and usually a reinterpretation of a classic 80s song by a breakthrough brand.
To further extend Lincoln’s affiliation with music, the Lincoln and Music website originally was designed to promote a sweepstakes where one could win a Lincoln vehicle and tickets to see the band Shiny Toy Guns. Site visitors can also download music, explorer Lincoln’s THX II sound system, and had an opportunity to vote to choose the next up and coming band for the next Lincoln commercial.
And The Band Plays On
These three examples show how a variety of brands are using music to tell their product or brand story. Each vehicle segment also appeals to different target consumers and finds ways to reach out to potential customers through contests or giveaways.
All are driving consumers to the vehicle shopping pages and include some sort of social media link sharing. Since this is also about music, every site includes at least one downloadable MP3 music file to take the brand’s sound with its visitors.
I walked across an empty land I knew the pathway like the back of my hand I felt the earth beneath my feet Sat by the river and it made me complete
Oh simple thing where have you gone I'm getting old and I need something to rely on So tell me when you're gonna let me in I'm getting tired and I need somewhere to begin
I came across a fallen tree I felt the branches of it looking at me Is this the place we used to love? Is this the place that I've been dreaming of?
Oh simple thing where have you gone I'm getting old and I need something to rely on So tell me when you're gonna let me in I'm getting tired and I need somewhere to begin
And if you have a minute why don't we go Talk about it somewhere only we know? This could be the end of everything So why don't we go Somewhere only we know?
[break]
Oh simple thing where have you gone I'm getting old and I need something to rely on So tell me when you're gonna let me in I'm getting tired and I need somewhere to begin
So if you have a minute why don't we go Talk about it somewhere only we know? This could be the end of everything So why don't we go So why don't we go
This could be the end of everything So why don't we go Somewhere only we know?
---
Currently into with this song that I came across randomly. (This version is not as good as the one that I'm listening to in Grooveshark, but I like the black and white pictures.) It's so... heartbreaking.
The sun has left and forgotten me It's dark, I cannot see Why does this rain pour down I'm gonna drown In a sea Of deep confusion
Somebody told me, I don't know who Whenever you are sad and blue And you're feelin' all alone and left behind Just take a look inside you and you'll find
You gotta hold on, hold on through the night Hang on, things will be all right Even when it's dark And not a bit of sparkling Sing-song sunshine from above Spreading rays of sunny love
Just hang on, hang on to the vine Stay on, soon you'll be divine If you start to cry, look up to the sky Something's coming up ahead To turn your tears to dew instead
And so I hold on to this advice When change is hard and not so nice If you listen to your heart the whole night through Your sunny someday will come one day soon to you
I lie in bed, half awake, listening to Beirut accompanied by rolling thunder in the distance, the lightning piercing through the curtains into the otherwise dark room. My body is heavy after a workout, in a good way. I snuggle deeper under the covers. I ponder the delightful prospect of having a fondue dinner with Linda shortly. I flip open my laptop and type a few lazy lines. I turn it off, and snooze for another 10 minutes.
I'm reading about the postmodern self, as well as stretching myself intermittently to enjoy the strain on my waist muscles. It's like talking to my body. I ask my waist if it got a workout on Saturday. It responds affirmatively. I grin. I repeat the process. It does not take much to entertain me.
I am going rock climbing tomorrow. I have a slight fear of falling and breaking something and jeopardizing my plans but I am going to be brave.
I wonder if I'll be able to blog every single day counting down. We'll see =)
My head has been all over the place today and my work productivity has suffered, but because of the mellowness spilled over from the weekend, I am not worrying too much about it. I am right now in the office waiting for my insurance guy to come and give me some paperwork, then I can go back and cook noodles for dinner. I'm going to have maggi curry with tomatoes and chinese cabbage and a single egg. It's going to be awesome.
So Singapore sprung a public holiday on me on Friday (Good Friday), so I spent a leisurely day doing laundry and cleaning my hiking shoes with a toothbrush. That's how much I love them. They look brand new now, all ready for my next encounter with nature, which will probably be in Europe =D. In the evening Skinny David and I went to check out a club at Clarke Quay for some local bands. An acquaintance of mine was playing, so I thought I'd check if he was any good. (He wasn't.) But we were compensated by two other bands playing ska punk and I love love love the ska beat! Plus it was a very pleasant evening as David makes great conversation and is quite hopeless at eating melting double scoop ice-cream cones which makes for good entertainment.
Saturday came and I lepaked at home doing nothing in particular until evening, when I met up with Jen Hui and had dinner at Annalakshmi. This is my favourite dinner place in Singapore by far, an Indian restaurant in Chinatown. The concept is that you pay a price that you think is fair. The first couple of times I went, I paid S$10, but Saturday I paid S$15 because I like the place so much. Hanging out with Jen Hui, needless to say, is awesome. It's a feeling that is difficult to describe, maybe it's because we go way back and we're so familiar with each other that I feel completely secure and comfortable with her. And of course, Jen Hui's Jen Hui. It's impossible not to love her. After dinner we went to Esplanade to check out the free music at the waterfront that they have every weekend, but because they were playing extremely loud music that I wasn't really into, we retired into a cafe where we both hot chocolate and tiramisu, and continued our banter.
Sunday was the day that I volunteered with the Really Really Free Market Singapore. I had first read about this initiative on Wikipedia when I was researching gift economy, and I was really surprised when Eli, my CSer from Switzerland told me that she had stumbled upon it in Singapore! (KL has this initiative called Food Not Bombs, and apparently they had the RRFM also, 2 years ago, yeah! I wonder if they're still doing it.) Naturally I had to go, and when I learnt that they were looking for volunteers I jumped at the chance. So I spent about two hours there folding clothes and organizing stuff and smiling at the throngs of foreign workers who came into the market, and it was amazing.
It's such a great feeling to be able to tell people: everything here is free, just take what you want. I gave away my Talentime DVD (it was snapped up within 5 minutes, yay!) and an unopened miniature craft set, which also disappeared in a jiffy. I got a new book, Doing Good Well and an old book Don Quixote that Asa recommended some time ago. Also, after dinner, there was this amazingly cool yoga teacher sharing tips (for free of course - it is the RRFM) and he asked me to learn taichi, haha. Since I'm Chinese and all that. But I learnt a lot about yoga and the spiritual side of it, and I'm going to email him for further information - I feel that we're very much on the same channel and it would be brilliant to have a practising yogi to talk to about spirituality.
Also I got lovely emails, from Canadian CSer Daniel to keep in touch, and also from Silver, and I got my first interview consent from this guy from Switzerland who's organizing the CS Paella Party, which I'm going to this July! Damn happening online too =D Anyway I'm getting hungry, so I'll just leave you with this wonderful picture that Nex sent me today:
This thing right here Is lettin all the ladies know What guys talk about You know The finer things in life Hahaha Check it out
Ooh dat dress so scandalous And ya know another nigga couldn't handle it See ya shakin that thang like who's da ish With a look in ya eye so devilish
Uh Ya like to dance at all the hip hop spots And ya cruise to the crews like connect da dots Not just urban she likes the pop Cuz she was livin la vida loca
[BRIDGE] She had dumps like a truck truck truck Thighs like what what what Baby move your butt butt butt Uh I think to sing it again She had dumps like a truck truck truck Thighs like what what what All night long Let me see that thong
[CHORUS] I like it when the beat goes da na da na Baby make your booty go da na da na Girl I know you wanna show da na da na That thong th thong thong thong I like it when the beat goes da na da na Baby make your booty go da na da na Girl I know you wanna show da na da na That thong th thong thong thong
That girl so scandalous And I know another nigga couldn't handle it And she shakin that thang like who's da ish With a look in her eye so devilish
Uh She like to dance at all the hip hop spots And she cruise to the crews like connect da dots Not just urban she likes the pop Cuz she was livin la vida loca
[BRIDGE]
[CHORUS (2x)]
Whoaaa That dress so scandalous And I swear another nigga couldn't handle it See ya shakin that thang like who's da ish With a look in her eye so devilish
(Whoa) Uh ya like to dance at all the hip hop spots And ya cruise to the crews like connect da dots Not just urban ya like the pop Cuz she was livin la vida loca
(Whoa) She had dumps like a truck truck truck Thighs like what what what Baby move your butt butt butt (Ooh) Uh think to sing it again Cuz she had dumps like a truck truck truck Thighs like what what what Baby move your butt butt butt Uh think to sing it again Come on Come on Come on Come on
Yeahhhh yeah
[CHORUS (3x)]
Whoa Uh alright Uh whoa yeah Ooh Whoa (Like it when the beat goes da na da na) (Baby make your booty go da na da na) (Girl I know you wanna show da na da na) Baby (That thong th thong thong thong)
(I like it when the beat goes da na da na) (Baby make your booty go da na da na) (Girl I know you wanna show da na da na) (That thong th thong thong thong)
My blogging increases in times of extreme stress. =_=
OK this is only for my reference, but maybe you guys might find some use for it. I've been looking for music to listen to on Grooveshark while I workout my brain, and I like instrumental stuff, so here is a list of Japanese composers, gleaned from this page.
Joe Hisashi - Departures, Howl's Moving Castle, Kaze No Tani No Nausicaä, etc.
Yuki Kajiura - Pandora Hearts, Petit Cossette, Madlax, Achilles To Kame, etc.
Yasunori Mitsuda - Scars Left by Time, KiRite, Chrono (3 games), Xenogears
(Dialogue) Astronaut 1: It never gets old, huh? Astronaut 2: Nope. Astronaut 1: It kinda makes you want to... Astronaut 2: Break into song? Astronaut 1: Yep.
I love the mountains, I love the clear blue skies I love big bridges I love when great whites fly
I love the whole world And all its sights and sounds Boom-de-ah-da, boom-de-ah-da (twice)
I love the oceans I love real dirty things I love to go fast I love Egyptian kings
I love the whole world And all its craziness Boom-de-ah-da, boom-de-ah-da (twice)
I love tornadoes I love arachnids I love hot magma I love the giant squids
I love the whole world It's such a brilliant place Boom-de-ah-da, boom-de-ah-da (repeating until fade)
***
My favourite song right now. This is such a sorry excuse for a filler post, I know, I've just been really busy at work and when I'm at home I'm zoning out in front of the TV, cooking and replying emails. I could get used to this life. Anyway, my Indian couchsurfer stood me up so I was free this week, but I've got five couchsurfers (all confirmed) coming next week and it's going to be crazy good fun =)
Updates might be few and far between as I try to cram in as much academic writing as possible. Eyes on the prize! Boom de ah da boom de ah da boom de ah da boom de ah da
Blogging and singing along to Joshua Radin's Winter, in an uplifting, swaying manner that KF would have considered inappropriate for a rather sad song. I remember with fondness that he used to shake his head at me crooning happily at depressing ballads. But what can I do if I just enjoy singing so much that the corners of my mouth turn up, automatically, while I belt out song after song?
***
My roving mind also has me looking at my Google Calendar for January and anticipating all the Couchsurfers that will come (four girls! Yeah!), and I'm also contemplating the courses that I'm sitting in for. At the same time I am watching a HK drama with my sister. At intervals I am cupping my face, in a physical representation of "The Scream", exclaiming "好奸啊！！！" (English: Hou Gan Ahh!!)
***
I'm reading a new paper on tourism and identity. Getting inspired. Writing notes. Making a timeline in my head on when I'll finish the first draft of my confirmation report. It will happen, it will happen!
***
I'm meeting Woei in the afternoon. Looking forward to some inspiring conversations. We have an annual talkathon when we meet and just spill our guts to each other. Last year we talked for 18 hours straight. I think this year we'll probably not, since our older bodies can't stand all-nighters any longer. But we're also one year older and wiser and therefore the quality of our conversation will be even better, like aged wine.
***
I remember the sound of your November downtown I remember the truth A warm December with you
But I don't have to make this mistake And I don't have to stay this way If only I would wake
***
So many snowflakes. So little time to observe each and every one of them, that I choose to dance through them, creating little whirlwinds, kicking up a blizzard, laughing! For the moment now is the only moment, worries are of no use because I will face challenges when they come, and I know I will prevail, and there is nothing left to do right now except to
OK I'm off. Finished one hour (!!!) of transcription, now going back home to cook. Highlight of my day oh yeah. Gonna make something with kidney beans and mushrooms and onions and potatoes. I have also just recently discovered the magic of butter.
Ska ska ska! Jamaican ska! For everybody can do the ska! It's a new dance you can't resist!
My apologies for not updating in a while. Along with my lost hand phone and my university barring MSN I disappeared from the virtual world for about a week. I liked it actually. Coupled with the fact that I had two Swiss CSers over, it was like travelling, in the sense that you're cut off from connections and you're hanging out with other travellers. Also, since I finished my paper earlier in the week I wasn't worrying about work that much which made the week relaxing. Therefore Monday blues struck hard today.
Things that I have learnt over the past week:
that Suspicious Looking Men really exist (we saw one on the MRT - black baseball cap, big dark glasses, huge droopy fake-looking moustache, black bag)
a brief history of ska and skinheads (not the neo-nazi kind)
how to flip a crepe in a pan
that you can eat a crepe twice fallen on the floor with no medical implications
that Singapore's National Museum has an impressive collection of audio stories but not much artefacts
how to say "monkey" in German - "affe"
that I should refrain from asking people if they're gay or if they'd like to be. I mean sometimes I just get gay vibes from people and I just want to check if my gaydar is working, it's nothing personal or insulting. Also you never know if you might unwittingly help someone sort their sexuality out and change the course of their life. But I shall refrain in the future because it pisses people off.
Qwerty keyboards on cell phones are just a pain in the ass. Why use a gazillion keys when you can use only 12?
I am also contemplating about the meaning of life. Not getting much success out of there. Sometimes I feel that my life is so full and I'm perfectly content, but sometimes it is so empty that it gives me a panicked, slightly burning feeling at the bottom of my heart. I guess it's the intensity of my experiences. CS is pretty intense because you get propelled into knowing people a lot faster than usual. And after the excitement wears off you feel kind of dazed, a little hungover maybe.
I think I'm tired and I need a break, and I'm really looking forward to going home next weekend. But before that I'll need to finish all the interview transcriptions - I have three now, about five hours of data to transcribe. Another two guys will be coming this week and I will have five interviews in total before I call it a day. With five interviews I will have enough of data in my hands to look at for the time being I guess.
I think I like ska. The happy beat is the only thing keeping me from going into a full-blown monday blues depression. Over the weekend I went to the city and caught two live swing bands with Yves, and yesterday after coming home he sat me down and ran me through some nice ska bands that he liked, and the philosophy of the working class behind the music, and the picture of the big black guy who played the bass with his teeth. I was intrigued, but we couldn't find any video of him doing it, Yves saw him do it live.
Well I should get to my first transcription - Tope from Nigeria. Also means that I need to turn off the happy ska music. Will leave you with "I lost my phone" from Open Season, a Swiss ska/rock steady/reggae band.
The above airbrushed piece amazes me that is so perfectly recreates a cutting torch burning through the door panel from the inside
The key fob guitar pick, small detail, great idea
See other work by this artist, and better photos of this trucks panels at
The following designs are presently in varied stages of costruction:
