pOptimist

A Message for Obama

 

It took a UK newspaper to start a Flickr pool of advice for Obama from normal citizens, US and otherwise.

Now the Guardian's inspiration is  pictorial book of dreams, ideas, fears, etc., via Blurb. Coffeetable-worthy and judging by some Flickr commentary, a rather well-anticipated one at that. 

As Obama moves from hopeful to president-elect to guy working the job, it'll be interesting to see how the messages will change. 

Get Your Sh*t Together

Weird, that's just what I was thinking.

$12 at Supermarket

Fail Again. Fail Better.

The idea of the Daily Aphorism often exceeded the reality so far. As often happens, many quotes were familiar, or just seemed like cleverness for the sake of it. But this, opened upon a birthday, seems like a great motto for the year ahead. Thanks, Sam!

Perspective, Value & Aesthetics (the Wallpaper version)

While perusing Google's new LIFE magazine image archives, this sharecropper's newspapered walls seemed hauntingly familiar....

.. ah yes, the Apartment Therapy feature earlier this year. 

Lesson: One generation's necessity is another's bold design move.

Then again, maybe that generation would have posted it too, had there been the option.

Beauty in the everyday... daily.

Material Clearance

 

PSFK had a link to a great (and greatly wordy) essay by design thinker and green design leader Bruce Sterling.

While it officially ends his Virdian Design Movement it has thoughts on what matters and doesn't, what to spend money and what not to, and in general, thoughts on a massive purge of the inessentials from your space. The guidelines are to categorize all your possessions as follows:

1. Beautiful things
2. Emotionally important things
3. Tools, devices and appliances that efficiently perform a useful function 
4. Everything else (predicted to be the largest category and one that must leave your daily space)

You are not "losing things" by these acts of material hygiene. You are gaining time, health, light and space. Also, the basic quality of your daily life will certainly soar. Because the benefits of good design will accrue to you where they matter -- in the everyday.

Further, he maintains you should make those everyday tools the very best you can get, be they a bed, a chair, a computer, presumbly a chainsaw if you're a lumberjack. So it's not about "green-hairshirting" but quality and purpose.

As we rethink our duo eco impact --economic and ecological--disposable fashion is out, serious quality is in.

More ruminations from Bruce Sterling to come...

Awareness Therapy

A sorta inedible but potentially credible way to remind yourself to Carpe whatever this Diem.

A smell-good but eat not potion of myseterious honey/herb/spice origin, they suggest you put a drop or two on anything you want to savor - lucky pen to best friend. 

It's the evolution of aromatherapy 2.0. Let's call it awareness therapy.

Part of the Improbable Projects line of made-ya-think aids straight outta Marfa, TX. 

Others include the immersion therapy of Homepathic Remedies for the 5 Ills of Society (alienation, violence, greed, consumerism, detachment). The recipes here are sheer genius:

ALIENATION: empty, caution: extremely concentrated!

CONSUMERISM: water from wal-mart.

DETACHMENT: homeopathic dose of superglue

When you want to clear it up - fast. 

Good Avatar

Good magazine has some of the best online art direction of any mainstream press mag around.

Case in point: these pseudo-old school "yer face here" avatars. Too good to deface with my face.

Smart, funny, aware, informed, open, cute.... too bad Good's not single. I'd like to set it up.

"Good Morning," said your Desktop Wallpaper.

Artist Ryan McGuiness not only captured what it feels like to have a super productive day filled with happy happenin'stance, he also made it free on his site. Great for days when coffee isn't enough (and neither is your bank balance - the original is firmly beyond free).

Download it!

Photographic Serendipity

Happy accidents in photography called Thank You Pictures.

Maybe God is a frustrated art director.

Maybe the universe has a sense of humor.

Maybe there's an incidence of coincidence once every 100 million incidences.

Anyway, with animal cuteness, machine cuteness and funny signage, there's something for everyone.

Be the Best At...

OK, good enough, try... no.. screw that "adequate" stuff.

The UK's Guardian has a series called Be the Best At...and it covers sport from the squash to rugby to dinghy sailing. 

If nothing else it's encouragement to dump that hatha class for something a little more exciting. And getting through the elliptical with US Weekly for kicking bum (yours and someone else's, all at once) in badminton.