Mystery Maps

A new game I'm playing with friends. I create a map which depicts some phenomena the game is to guess what phenomena is being mapped. It is a test of geographic knowledge to an extent, but also spatial reasoning skills. Essentially the map presented is as if the map were made but presented without a title or legend labels, i.e. take note of color schemes and different ramps. Just two so far, we'll see how long this stays fun.

Mystery Map 1


Mystery Map 2

Ampersand

Known to most as the and sign, this is one of the wonders of typography. When I set about creating the ampersand for Jonkera (which is a terrible name for the Futura-like small caps font I created), I went to the source to figure out just what I was doing with it.

Ampersand

The word ampersand is from "and per se and," which means "and by itself and." It originated with a ligature of Et (latin: and) in the first century with the Romans. As a lover of Latin, this is the source I decided to recall when making my ampersand. Below are three prototypes I created. The rightmost one is an ultra-modern version. The center one falls in line with most modern typefaces while still utilizing Jonkera geometrics. The leftmost one I feel is best adapted for Jonkera as a smallcap font, utilizing the lower case sized T and half of the numeral eight.

Today will be better, I swear

I've always felt that if you try hard enough, you can feel better. And when you feel better, things can get better. To feel better, I will have to be proactive. I love typography and I love design. I've dabbled a bit, and I think I'm a pretty good amateur. The quarterly is my thing and it's time for the next one. I'll give myself until next week Friday to finish.

Somebody check in.

Helper Monster

I'm still not sure why or how things ended up the way they did. The world is a huge place and we don't get to connect to very many people in it. Right now I'm trying to decide how to get on with life, how I'm going to find a job, how I'm going to deal with having a job. I guess just coping with how I'm going to cope. I'm worried about being alone, even though I know that's not going to happen. I'm worried about getting hurt again. I'm worried about hurting someone else. Some parts of me want to sit inside away from the world, just to be sure I don't step on anyone's toes.

Then there is my too good for it's own good memory. Half my music collection is unlistenable because of memory ties, it's worse this time than the last. And the little things, little actions, words, phrases, places. I got angry at a book the other day because I hated that it had a happy ending, when it should have been neutral.

I sometimes see hints of the person I want to be, I sometimes feel the motivation that I always dreamed I would have. But then I think, I could just go play that game or watch that show. And I put down the book and close GIS. I guess that's the problem with me, I am not a self motivated person. I always thrived off of the needs of others like some sort of helper monster.

I guess that's what I am, a helper monster.

Obama FTW!

Tonight, I went with the MVP software team (aka Scott and Chris) downtown via bus to see Barack Obama speak. We got to see the official endorsement by John Edwards as well as great speeches by both men. If I had brought my camera, I would post a picture or something, but I didn't. I left the arena feeling some hope, that this is actually a man who can help us bring change to government and along with it a real change for the country.

Cleverness

In the end, I just wanted you to think I was clever.

I feel shattered and inadequate.

Sorry for being such an emo.

Wendy's New Shakes

Last night when I popped into the drive thru at Wendy's and got some chicken nuggets before work, I noticed a sign for hand made frosty milkshakes in Strawberry, Chocolate Fudge, and Vanilla Bean flavors. I really couldn't wait to try one, so this afternoon I swung by Wendy's on my way home and got a strawberry one. They aren't cheap, a 20 oz set me back $3.19, but it was delicious like crazy. Like real strawberries, not just flavoring like McDonalds. Oh, and whipped cream and a cherry on top.

Yeah, you should go have one.

Les Prototypes

High energy French pop. I listen to it before French class and French tests to get pumped, however it's not good for me when I've had too much caffeine, my heart goes all a flutter and I feel shaky. Speaking of shaky, Wendy's is making "hand turned" frosty shakes, I think I'll go have one now.

If you choose to check out the Prototypes, I suggest the tracks: Dis Moi, Je Ne Te Connais Pas (which I think is in a movie), Danse sur la merde, and the semi-ridiculous Who's Gonna Sing?

In other news, I've got a flight booked for Seattle for my sister's wedding at the end of June. I'm sad that I'm not driving, but I'll shut up and just be happy that I'm going somewhere.

Elle a chaud un cul

LHOOQ
Clever.

But how about I get the Bride Stripped Bare by Her Bachelors, Even tattooed on my back over the course of the next 20 years. And then, in a feat of heroics or just moving from one place to another, I will break my back.

Maybe just the "eyewitnesses" on my arm. Those are the cool geometrics on the bottom right.

Idea Man

What if people were books. Better yet, what if your relationships with people were books. People you walk by on the street would be like "We saw eachother, he was wearing an orange shirt that said Lifeguard in faded letters, but I don't think he was a life guard. He had ugly shoes." Some books don't exist, because you don't know about the existence of every person. Some books would be like encyclopedias because so much had happened. Some of the stories would be tragedies. Can you imagine? What if everything that every happened was written down.

Pizza Hut has great pizza.

I wish I had gone to the apartment, then I could be playing MarioKart right now. I'm pretty sure that real-life should be more like mariokart. There should be red shells to take out the people you can't stand in front of you. Also, drifting should happen on normal roads with normal people, and doing it right should cause you to get a boost.

Conversely, Mariokart should be more like the real world, in that there should be a managerial mode where you have to account for the high price of petrol and pay for damage to your kart after races and such. I think that would be a great time.

Yeah, I should have gone to the apartment, so I could be watching Doctor Who right now.

I'm debating getting a new used laptop, probably an iBook G4 of some sort. I say this as my backlight is strobing at me. Poor lappy, I hope he isn't in any pain.