I Will Be What I Am

Posted on July 24, 2011 by Carolyn

I am made of words,
written in the colors of the universe.

They are my power
projected from within.

They give my soul wings, my heart meaning,
and my mind motivation.

Some see the world just like me,
while others see it differently,
in the world of creativity.

Sounds, shapes, numbers, and movement.
These are other ways with which to see.

I will never let the word “No” stop me
from being what I will be.

I am ME and will never be you,
just like you are you and will never be me.

But that shouldn’t stop any of us
from simply being who we are meant to be.

These decisions belong to you and to no one else.
That in itself is all the power that you will need
to go forth and shine.

One word of warning:
The universe has a way of balancing the good with the bad.
So make sure the choice you’ve made is one that you can live with.

Share
Posted in New Creations | Comments Off on I Will Be What I Am

MTV New Idents 2011

Posted on July 23, 2011 by Carolyn

Sheesh, DesignTaxi is on a roll today. Now I just saw the new idents for MTV and they are gorgeous. Go to Creative Review to get a look at all four of them! Thanks again, guys.

Here’s an image from my favorite one, Bubblegum Love, by MTV WDS, Milan and David Lobser/Blacklist TV:

Share
Posted in Creative Ramblings | 2 Comments

The Big Dig To China

Posted on July 23, 2011 by Carolyn

We’ve all dug holes and wanted to keep going until we reached China. Our moms warned us that it was dangerous, while our fathers laughed at our whimsy. But the thought was always there: What If?

Now, there’s a design firm who is showing us just what it would be like if it actually happened. Topotek1 has dug that hole for the Xi’An Garden Show 2011, and this is what it looks like:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In addition to the visual stimulation which actually resides in China, you’ll also be bombarded with sounds from other parts of the world: cows in Argentina, commuters in New York, aquatic life in Stockholm, and the sounds of history in Berlin. One of our dreams just came true! Thanks, Topotek1.

found through DesignTaxi -> Topotek1

Share
Posted in Creative Ramblings | Comments Off on The Big Dig To China

Does Talking Help? (not what you’re thinking)

Posted on July 23, 2011 by Carolyn

(I thought about posting a picture here, but I didn’t want to give my computer any ideas visually. I’m feeling more balanced (?) but a bit irreverent today! Can you tell?)

 

I was intrigued by a post from Imprint, What We Talk About When We Talk To Objects, talking about an art exhibition that shows how close we are to our inanimate friends. It’s sounds like a pretty clever exhibit, since MOMA’s senior curator of architecture and design will allow the viewers to interface with the art through each piece of art’s own twitter account. How’s that for finding out what your art is thinking when you look at it? Never thought about it before, have you? Yes, we writers often go off on flights of fantasy like this. Continue reading →

Share
Posted in Creative Ramblings | Comments Off on Does Talking Help? (not what you’re thinking)

A Better Way To End The Day!

Posted on July 22, 2011 by Carolyn

Isn’t this better? And there’s more here, care of Hootsuite and artinfodotcom – found through Twitter. Now, I can say “Have a great evening!”

 

Share
Posted in Creative Ramblings | Comments Off on A Better Way To End The Day!

Sorry With Head Readjustment

Posted on July 22, 2011 by Carolyn

Today was rough. I’m calling it an early night here, so that I can do some more of my offline writing.

Yes, even people like me who find lots of inspiration all around can be affected. I’m more than a little disillusioned with capitalism at the moment (especially when more than 50% of this morning’s comments were unapologetic spam, and I had spoken in depth to a completely discouraged elderly unemployed lady this afternoon). Sorry that this turned into a soapbox day. And definitely no more politics – EVER.

Let’s get back to wonderful things like inspirations. So, have a great evening! My head should be back on straight tomorrow…

Share
Posted in General Ramblings | Comments Off on Sorry With Head Readjustment

I Can’t Believe I’m Doing This

Posted on July 22, 2011 by Carolyn

Updated on 8/1/11 – This epic response came out after the current fiasco ended for now: Slow Clap For Congress

 

Note: If you’re as disgusted as I am with the way things are going in this world, then just skip this (don’t even click on the link – it’ll piss you off). I know I would if I hadn’t written it. Why did I do this?

I hate politics! This will be short. This is a day in politics. They all suck equally! I can’t believe that I even wasted my breath posting this. Now my blog feels dirty!

Share
Posted in General Ramblings | Comments Off on I Can’t Believe I’m Doing This

Cautionary Words About Entrepreneurship/Freelancing

Posted on July 22, 2011 by Carolyn

Warning: This is a long post but it defines my feelings on where we’re at, so the length is necessary in my mind. I hope that you agree.

I am really sad because one of my best friends is in despair. She’s a smart, strong, and well-educated woman who has a lot of wisdom to offer the world after the hardships that she’s lived through. But she can’t get a break, and keeps having to compromise for the sake of her family. She does it with all of her heart, but I see bits of her die each time she has to do this. She can’t even concentrate on following her dreams, because it’s not “the responsible thing to do”. How did responsibility become the new societal mantra? It’s not for us to decide about an individual’s responsible behavior, unless it diminishes the safety of another human being or this world as a whole. Then it’s our obligation to call out someone’s irresponsible actions. Much of humanity is struggling at the moment, and I can only hope that she draws on her inner strength to get through this latest trial in her life.

She leads me to write a word of caution to those who are thinking of becoming entrepreneurs and freelancers. I don’t profess to know everything. I just know what has worked for me. And I’ve also read a lot of literature on the subject so that I’m better informed about my personal decisions. Well, as a freelancer and aspiring entrepreneur, I’m here to tell you that it’s heart-breaking work. It can literally tear you apart from the inside if you’re not prepared for this ride. Think of the most frightening roller coaster ride and then multiply that fear exponentially. It’ll come close to what all of this feels like. Add in feelings of guilt if you’re spouse is stuck supporting you, and the whole thing becomes unbearable most of the times. Yet still I persevere, because this is my calling. Continue reading →

Share
Posted in Technical Ramblings | 3 Comments

How Precious Our Dreams

Posted on July 22, 2011 by Carolyn

I am pushing the boundaries of my writing past the technical content of old, because I’m finally answering the call from inside. As a technical communicator, I wrote content that assisted and instructed. Every word was straightforward, but it didn’t contain the words that I wanted to write. Of course, I write to help make other people’s lives easier. I learned as much as I could about as much as I was able to, covering a diverse range of subjects. Being curious really helps when you’re a writer. But for me, there’s more now. There’s a feeling, finally.

The words that I put down here are the words that I’ve been wanting to write for a long time. I have words like this in my personal collection, but have never released them for anyone’s eyes but my own. And then one day, I realized that if I want ME to be happy, then I’m going to have to take a chance and get over the discomfort. For some writers, the spotlight beckons. For others, they’d rather hide under every available rock to avoid any light. But the one thing that they all do is put down words, in different rhymes and different forms, in order to create a dream.

Dreams come in all shapes and sizes, and they mean different things to different people. But they give us that feeling to push farther, fly higher, and open our eyes wider to the possibilities. Continue reading →

Share
Posted in Creative Ramblings, General Ramblings | 1 Comment

Where’s The Respect?

Posted on July 22, 2011 by Carolyn

All around us, people are operating on autopilot. Stress has gotten so high that we can no longer cope with it all. More times than not, you just feel like a stupid Happy Meal without the fun toy.

Everyone is following the trends being recommended by the social networking and business gurus so that they can go higher in the search engine results or become the go-to blog. I hadn’t realized how bad it had gotten until I started this blog. I’ve had a lot of really amazing and supportive comments, which I love. What bothers me are the people who think that spamming isn’t a bad thing because it’s helping their payday. Well, great for all of you spammers, but have you thought about it from the recipient’s point of view? It’s like getting those stupid cold calls during dinner. If you’re going to spam, at least use your real information so that we can find you. Continue reading →

Share
Posted in General Ramblings, Technical Ramblings | 2 Comments