Things that I love to hate and hate that everyone loves

Non-ski vacations
Not to say they aren't fun, but they pale in comparison to becoming pale (except for goggle tan) at a world class mountain. Between the two, everything's the same - drinking, nice restaurants, etc. - except when you ski you burn 900 calories per hour. When you sit your ass on the beach you burn your skin.

Transformers
Take away every human but that creepy kid from Even Stevens and you have the exact same movie. Wait, the movie's about those people? Shit. Watching giant fighting robots, awesome. Watching John Turturro in the worst performance of his career, not awesome. I've never seen another movie more meant for stupid people.

CSI
I've never seen a TV show more meant for stupid people.

The Yankees
Why is baseball so messed up these days? Exhibit A. I don't hate them because they win all the time; I hate the way they've done it in the last 15 years, buying championships.

and finally...

Celery
One of the very few foods I just can't stand the taste of. Nothing against 99% of the world liking it, but do you really have to throw it in every time you make a casserole?

Awesome footwear blog

Just ran across this great footwear blog today. Info like industry terms and how to create lasts. Click the logo to check it.

The guy's company, The Directive Collective, is also pretty nice.

Good weekend, can't wait to get home

Took a trip to Whiteface Mountain this weekend (Lake Placid, NY.) Ever though the skiing was pretty terrible I had a great time. I haven't gone out much this quarter as it is just a huge hassel to go back into the city after I get home from work, so this was a welcome change of pace. Counting the days until I get home for PFC, Perfect North's annual newschool camp that I've never been able to attend for one reason or another.

More Yanko

My teapot was featured this week, and my computer was included in their Best of February 2009.

Reebok project finished

I wish I had gotten to all of this sooner, as this project is really lacking on both the front and back ends. It needed more research, inspiration and ideation up front and more things like colorways and detail refinement at the end. All in all, though, for about a week and a half of work in my free time I'm pretty happy with the result. A special thanks to John Ariosa for the great advice you had regarding my original rendering. Sorry about the shitty image quality, but I really don't feel like uploading better copies.

Shoe Render

Still need to do some tweaking, but here's my final design for my Reebok project. It's a low-profile cross-trainer meant for sprint and agility workouts rathter than distance. Other details include the outsole being brought high in the front to give traction to the sides for activities like rock climbing and dance. Rendered in Illustrator CS4.

Quick Illustrator

Quick Illustrator drrawings of the two concepts I decided to go with. Both are low profile trainers. Final concept will be a combination of the two.

Shoe sketching

Finished the sketching (done in Painter X) for my Reebok project, now on to Illustrator.

I'm in a bookstore, wishing it was the internet

I had to work late yesterday, and, since my firm isn't big on overtime, my boss told me to come in late today. So as not to alter with my normal morning routine and consequently tear a hole in the space-time continuum, I left at my usual time and spent an hour in a Barnes and Noble.

People, as Steve Jobs says, don't read anymore. Constant scoldings from publishers and scholars inform us that too often we accept internet headlines and succinct blog entries in place of tradtional print. Today, however, as I crooked my neck to scan the titles on hundreds of spines, I realized that I would much rather be doing this from a computer. While there is something to be said about the surprises I will inevitably come across by randomly browsing the shelves, I'll trade them any day for a search bar.

As my mind bounces from subject to subject, writer to writer, I find my feet can't keep up. I'll open up a book and instantly forget what I have decided to look for next. Oh shit...I forget if this one was to the left or the right of that big blue one...which looks interesting...but wasn't I headed over there...for a big blue book, right...fuck. But, in the wonderful world of the interweb, I can simultaneously divide my conscious between a dozen different tabs and windows, opening, closing and searching at will.

While staying out of bookstores may keep me somewhat detached from the experience of reading for pleasure, I can't deny the simple pleasure I get from browsing through 184 titles...all without incurring the dreaded Taco Neck Syndrome.

Been busy

Been busy. Lots of skiing, and Reebok is requiring a shoe project in order to apply for summer co-op. That will be consuming my time until the end of next week. I'll try to post progess shots.