When reading the title of Chapter 10, "Futures", one should pay particularly close to the pluralization, as that one "s" establishes an pluralized, inquisitive tone, rather than a singular, declarative tone. As in previous chapters, Heskett writes in a style that, rather than strictly defining design, raises thought provoking questions about design, leaving the reader to come up with the answers. Rather than predicting one definite future for design, Heskett outlines issues in design that will lead to any number of possible futures, for the world of design and the world it shapes.
It seems that the underlying issue that will determine the future of design is a question of puppetry, "Who will be pulling at the strings of designers in the future?". Will the puppet masters be corporate bigwigs? Will designers, as Heskett puts it, "be merely technocrats, devoting their skills to the highest commercial bidder without consideration of the ends they serve"? Or will designers respond to the pulls of less physical entities, serving environmental or social issues?
One quote, concerning the significance of the growing trend of designing "experiences", particularly reverberated with me: "It also suggests that life is so meaningless for people incapable of experiencing anything for themselves that they have to be supplied with a constant flow of artificial, commercialized, and commodified experiences that take on their own reality. " The recent emphasis on "viral" marketing campaigns is one such example. By removing advertisements from TV screens and magazine pages and making them real-world experiences, the response to advertisements has changed from changing the channel or flipping the page to telling your friends about it on Facebook. I feel that such willful participation in marketing campaigns is a bit unnerving, and I sincerely hope that design instead focuses on the needs of the 90 percent of the world's population that lives "in the so-called 'Third World', in 'Developing' or 'Peripheral' countries".
However, Heskett manages to slightly take off the gleam of that dream, as he questions: "if basic requirements become more completely satisfied, will the whole world turn to conspicuous consumption, and with what consequences?"
Let's just hope McDonough's "Industrial Re-evolution" has happened by then, and the consequences are minimal.
Monday, February 28, 2011
J08: Coleman Project Personal Documentation
Group
Adam
Carl
Jeremy
Telina
What would it be like if Coleman expanded into the indoor home goods market? How could they apply their established design principles to appliances, furniture and the like? Or would they come up with a completely new product? These are among the questions our group have been trying to answer during our time in class last week. While it has been somewhat difficult for our group to come to a consensus on what our product should be, I believe we are going to go forward with Jeremy's idea for a better window insulation material. While our whole group is not in wholehearted agreement with this idea, I feel that we should pursue it due to the interest of time. Although I have never used this stuff, I know many people who have, and after hearing Jeremy describe all the problems with the standard plastic sheets commonly used, I feel that there is a gap in the market for this type of product. We still have a lot of work left to do before next Monday, so today in class, I think we should figure out who is gonna work on what, so we can each better focus on what we each have to do.
Adam
Carl
Jeremy
Telina
What would it be like if Coleman expanded into the indoor home goods market? How could they apply their established design principles to appliances, furniture and the like? Or would they come up with a completely new product? These are among the questions our group have been trying to answer during our time in class last week. While it has been somewhat difficult for our group to come to a consensus on what our product should be, I believe we are going to go forward with Jeremy's idea for a better window insulation material. While our whole group is not in wholehearted agreement with this idea, I feel that we should pursue it due to the interest of time. Although I have never used this stuff, I know many people who have, and after hearing Jeremy describe all the problems with the standard plastic sheets commonly used, I feel that there is a gap in the market for this type of product. We still have a lot of work left to do before next Monday, so today in class, I think we should figure out who is gonna work on what, so we can each better focus on what we each have to do.
Monday, February 21, 2011
Chapters 4-6: A New Hope
When I think of the future, I often imagine a vast, deserted wasteland, inhabited by roving gangs of vicious nomads scouring the countryside for resources and sustenance. While Hollywood's apocalyptic versions of the future are certainly partly to blame, it also doesn't help that we humans are going through our natural resources like rappers blowing through dollar bills at a strip club. But reading the second half of Cradle to Cradle was a burst of sunshine through my gloomy visions of the Earth's future.
In our current state of affairs, it is practically impossible to remain a member of the modern world and not contribute to the beast that is rapidly consuming our one and only world. So it is really encouraging to read how we may be able to have an "Industrial Re-evolution" to dramatically alter our deeply flawed industrial infrastructure. Although it may be impossible to curb our insatiable materialistic appetites, its good to hear that we may be able to someday consume sustainably.
In our current state of affairs, it is practically impossible to remain a member of the modern world and not contribute to the beast that is rapidly consuming our one and only world. So it is really encouraging to read how we may be able to have an "Industrial Re-evolution" to dramatically alter our deeply flawed industrial infrastructure. Although it may be impossible to curb our insatiable materialistic appetites, its good to hear that we may be able to someday consume sustainably.
Charles and Ray Eames
Wednesday's class introduced me to Charles and Ray Eames, a thoroughly interesting couple of many hats. (And apparently they were so inseparable that they even share the same Wikipedia article) I was really interested to see how influential they were in several different fields. As one with many pursuits, it's cool to see others excel in so many different areas.
The Do-Nothing Machine was really whimsical, it reminded me of a Rube Goldberg contraption, but instead of doing something poorly, it did nothing really well.
The interview by the French woman was also really entertaining, it seemed that Charles thought her questions about the meaning of design were a bit silly, and I would have to agree. I feel such restricting exercises are a bit pointless, as it seems to focus on what you can't do, rather than what you can.
The Do-Nothing Machine was really whimsical, it reminded me of a Rube Goldberg contraption, but instead of doing something poorly, it did nothing really well.
The interview by the French woman was also really entertaining, it seemed that Charles thought her questions about the meaning of design were a bit silly, and I would have to agree. I feel such restricting exercises are a bit pointless, as it seems to focus on what you can't do, rather than what you can.
Sunday, February 20, 2011
one three five thee five three
1 definition
An indoor home good is a product intended to be kept and used inside the home, with purposes including cooking, cleaning, relaxing, etc.
3 indoor home goods
5 indoor home goods links
Bed Bath & Beyond
HomeGoods
Pier 1 Imports
UncommonGoods
Crate and Barrel
3 indoor home goods trade show booths
5 outdoor camping/recreation links
Cabela's
Coleman
REI
Gander Mountain
Cousins Army Navy
3 outdoor recreation/sporting trade show booths
An indoor home good is a product intended to be kept and used inside the home, with purposes including cooking, cleaning, relaxing, etc.
3 indoor home goods
BONUS 4TH HOME GOOD
5 indoor home goods links
Bed Bath & Beyond
HomeGoods
Pier 1 Imports
UncommonGoods
Crate and Barrel
3 indoor home goods trade show booths
5 outdoor camping/recreation links
Cabela's
Coleman
REI
Gander Mountain
Cousins Army Navy
3 outdoor recreation/sporting trade show booths
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Monday, February 14, 2011
Cradle to Cradle: Chapters 1-3
In the first three chapters of Cradle to Cradle, McDonough and Braungarten, reveal the folly of our past ways, the error of our current ways and the possibilities for a better designed future. The Industrial Revolution is shown to have created a poorly designed industrial paradigm, one that uses chemicals and processes of unknown consequence and depletes natural resources with no plan of preserving them. The current environmentalist movement is shown to be a step in the right direction, but a step that will only delay environmental doom. McDonough and Braungarten then begin to outline their new "Cradle to Cradle" manufacturing model, which seeks to completely eliminate the concept of "waste" (Which is a really cool and much needed idea).
I thought it was very interesting how they framed the history of industrial progress as a conflict of Man VS Nature, Every progress a kick to the balls of nature, using brute force to make nature serve our interests. It's really interesting to think how the Jungian archetype of nature as something to conquer, something that needs to be beaten back to make room for civilization, has led to our very sorry current condition. And as a staunch Native-American sympathizer, I couldn't help but think of the way that the Native Americans, a culture that lives in harmony with nature instead of against it, were very nearly wiped out, to make room for our "civilization".
After thinking this, a voice in my head dismissively commented "That's some hippie shit, man". I believe this to be the voice of the current paradigm, the popular opinion espoused in the popular media. This immediately brought to mind Richard Serra's Television Delivers People.
This 1973 work of video art is a critique of mass media and shows television as an agent of social control used to benefit those in power. Think of how characters expressing contrary ideas are often portrayed in popular culture. Think of the idealistic hippie, that could change the world if it only weren't for their crippling marijuana-induced laziness. Such characters are often seen as needing to wake up and join the real world (Ya know, cut their hair, get a job, start building credit). By reinforcing the connection between environmentalism and hippies, the ideas are marginalized by the dismissal of the character. While I am not exactly suggesting that there is some huge corporate media conspiracy to keep environmentalists at bay, it interesting to note how popular media "works to keep the status quo" (As Serra argued).
However with the advent of the internet, a comparatively unrestricted form of mass communication, the nature of mass media has completely changed, and it will be interesting to see how it will continue to affect social progress. The role the internet played in the recent events in Egypt is one recent example. However it is saddening to see the way corporations are trying to gain control over the internet, what with the recent concern over net neutrality and the ever increasing need for advertisements. (On Youtube!? is nothing sacred?!?!?!)
I thought it was very interesting how they framed the history of industrial progress as a conflict of Man VS Nature, Every progress a kick to the balls of nature, using brute force to make nature serve our interests. It's really interesting to think how the Jungian archetype of nature as something to conquer, something that needs to be beaten back to make room for civilization, has led to our very sorry current condition. And as a staunch Native-American sympathizer, I couldn't help but think of the way that the Native Americans, a culture that lives in harmony with nature instead of against it, were very nearly wiped out, to make room for our "civilization".
After thinking this, a voice in my head dismissively commented "That's some hippie shit, man". I believe this to be the voice of the current paradigm, the popular opinion espoused in the popular media. This immediately brought to mind Richard Serra's Television Delivers People.
This 1973 work of video art is a critique of mass media and shows television as an agent of social control used to benefit those in power. Think of how characters expressing contrary ideas are often portrayed in popular culture. Think of the idealistic hippie, that could change the world if it only weren't for their crippling marijuana-induced laziness. Such characters are often seen as needing to wake up and join the real world (Ya know, cut their hair, get a job, start building credit). By reinforcing the connection between environmentalism and hippies, the ideas are marginalized by the dismissal of the character. While I am not exactly suggesting that there is some huge corporate media conspiracy to keep environmentalists at bay, it interesting to note how popular media "works to keep the status quo" (As Serra argued).
However with the advent of the internet, a comparatively unrestricted form of mass communication, the nature of mass media has completely changed, and it will be interesting to see how it will continue to affect social progress. The role the internet played in the recent events in Egypt is one recent example. However it is saddening to see the way corporations are trying to gain control over the internet, what with the recent concern over net neutrality and the ever increasing need for advertisements. (On Youtube!? is nothing sacred?!?!?!)
Design & The Environment
As is thoroughly evidenced in Cradle to Cradle, the Industrial Revolution spawned a poorly planned, unsustainable industrial infrastructure that is extremely damaging to both our environment and the future of life on Earth. I believe it is extremely urgent that we re-design our hulking, gray, industrial infrastructure to be more sustainable and to produce more nature friendly products and processes. Design should be holding environment's hand, not kicking it in the balls over and over and over again. It seems that the key is to, instead of attempting to separate ourselves from nature, embrace our place in nature and follow a "cradle-to-cradle" manufacturing model, or as Elton John so eloquently belted out: "But all are agreed as they join the stampede/You should never take more than you give/In the CIIIIIIIIRCLE OF LIIIIIIIIFE". The bad design of the past is killing our world, and hopefully we can save it with good design in the future.
Amagerforbrændingen Waste Treatment Plant
Although not entirely perfect, this design for a Danish waste treatment plant follows many of Cradle to Cradle's design principles. While a waste treatment plant wouldn't normally seem like a cool place to hang out, this plant won't only convert waste to energy, it will also function as an artificial ski slope. In order to make the implications of consumption a little more tangible, CO2 is released from this plant's smokestack in one ton increments, in the form of giant smoke rings. This new plant will be 20 percent more efficient and contribute to an annual CO2-reduction of 50 to 60 thousand metric tons. Although this may still fall under the category of "doing less bad" the momentum of our current industrial paradigm is too great to be reversed in one fell swoop, it must be slowed down first.
Biomimicry Institute
Although the word is not printed once in Cradle to Cradle, McDonough and Braungart's ideas have much in common with biomimicry, the idea that sustainable solutions to human's problems can be discovered by examining nature. The Biomimicry Institute is an organization that seeks to advance the field of biomimicry. Their website offers much information on biomimicry, including case studies of biomimicry in action and children's music CDs, so you can greenwash 'em while they're young.
Green Guru Gone Wrong: William McDonough
After initially reading Cradle to Cradle, I envisioned William McDonough as some sort of eco-friendly designer Jesus, but this article has given me a much more balanced view of him. This article also ties in the themes of RiP!: A Remix Manifesto, as it reveals how McDonough's desire to monetize his concepts has made him unwilling to relinquish control of his ideas, which prevents Cradle to Cradle design from being implemented on a larger level.
Trash into Art
Skateboarding is not the most environmentally-friendly activity, as avid skateboarders will go through decks quickly, resulting in a lot of waste. However, Japanese artist Haroshi is breathing new life into skateboards, creating beautiful sculptures from refuse.
GreenSource
GreenSoruce is a magazine that focuses on enviromentally-friendly design. Their website offers much info on the area, including news, current projects, and green product reviews.
As is thoroughly evidenced in Cradle to Cradle, the Industrial Revolution spawned a poorly planned, unsustainable industrial infrastructure that is extremely damaging to both our environment and the future of life on Earth. I believe it is extremely urgent that we re-design our hulking, gray, industrial infrastructure to be more sustainable and to produce more nature friendly products and processes. Design should be holding environment's hand, not kicking it in the balls over and over and over again. It seems that the key is to, instead of attempting to separate ourselves from nature, embrace our place in nature and follow a "cradle-to-cradle" manufacturing model, or as Elton John so eloquently belted out: "But all are agreed as they join the stampede/You should never take more than you give/In the CIIIIIIIIRCLE OF LIIIIIIIIFE". The bad design of the past is killing our world, and hopefully we can save it with good design in the future.
Amagerforbrændingen Waste Treatment Plant
Although not entirely perfect, this design for a Danish waste treatment plant follows many of Cradle to Cradle's design principles. While a waste treatment plant wouldn't normally seem like a cool place to hang out, this plant won't only convert waste to energy, it will also function as an artificial ski slope. In order to make the implications of consumption a little more tangible, CO2 is released from this plant's smokestack in one ton increments, in the form of giant smoke rings. This new plant will be 20 percent more efficient and contribute to an annual CO2-reduction of 50 to 60 thousand metric tons. Although this may still fall under the category of "doing less bad" the momentum of our current industrial paradigm is too great to be reversed in one fell swoop, it must be slowed down first.
Biomimicry Institute
Although the word is not printed once in Cradle to Cradle, McDonough and Braungart's ideas have much in common with biomimicry, the idea that sustainable solutions to human's problems can be discovered by examining nature. The Biomimicry Institute is an organization that seeks to advance the field of biomimicry. Their website offers much information on biomimicry, including case studies of biomimicry in action and children's music CDs, so you can greenwash 'em while they're young.
Green Guru Gone Wrong: William McDonough
After initially reading Cradle to Cradle, I envisioned William McDonough as some sort of eco-friendly designer Jesus, but this article has given me a much more balanced view of him. This article also ties in the themes of RiP!: A Remix Manifesto, as it reveals how McDonough's desire to monetize his concepts has made him unwilling to relinquish control of his ideas, which prevents Cradle to Cradle design from being implemented on a larger level.
Trash into Art
Skateboarding is not the most environmentally-friendly activity, as avid skateboarders will go through decks quickly, resulting in a lot of waste. However, Japanese artist Haroshi is breathing new life into skateboards, creating beautiful sculptures from refuse.
GreenSource
GreenSoruce is a magazine that focuses on enviromentally-friendly design. Their website offers much info on the area, including news, current projects, and green product reviews.
RIP! A Remix Manifesto
I really enjoyed the documentary we watched in class, and not just because I had a couple seconds of screen time (wearing 3D glasses for God knows what reason):
Although most of the film was focused on Girl Talk and his music, the oft-cited "Remixer's Manifesto" made it clear that much larger issues are at stake:
These themes are very interesting and important, and work to illustrate the threat posed by legal restrictions on sharing ideas. I believe that any sort of progress, whether it be musical, social or scientific, is fostered by the free exchange of ideas, and allowing large corporations to have such restrictive power over ideas will benefit nothing but shareholder's pockets.
It seems to me that the recording industry is perverting copyright laws to serve their own selfish ways. I believe that copyright laws should function to protect ownership on ideas, to establish origin, so that someone else cannot claim that they came up with your idea. It's not like Girl Talk is simply making a mixtape of his favorite songs and claiming he wrote and sang them all. His compositions of wildly varied samples are new works that are much more than simply the sum of their parts. And unless you are somehow materializing objects with your mind, any creative process is simply taking things that already exist and putting them together in novel ways.
It is almost too perfect that Girl Talk's alter-ego is Gregg Gillis, mild-mannered biomedical engineer, because it allowed the film maker a nice transition into some of the deeper implications of allowing authoritative control over ideas. Because all progress is simply a reaction to the present conditions, how can there be progress if it is illegal to alter present ideas? This is especially significant in a field like biomedical engineering, as life-saving advances may be being impeded.
Although most of the film was focused on Girl Talk and his music, the oft-cited "Remixer's Manifesto" made it clear that much larger issues are at stake:
- Culture always builds on the past
- The past always tries to control the future
- Our future is becoming less free
- To build free societies you must limit control of the past
These themes are very interesting and important, and work to illustrate the threat posed by legal restrictions on sharing ideas. I believe that any sort of progress, whether it be musical, social or scientific, is fostered by the free exchange of ideas, and allowing large corporations to have such restrictive power over ideas will benefit nothing but shareholder's pockets.
It seems to me that the recording industry is perverting copyright laws to serve their own selfish ways. I believe that copyright laws should function to protect ownership on ideas, to establish origin, so that someone else cannot claim that they came up with your idea. It's not like Girl Talk is simply making a mixtape of his favorite songs and claiming he wrote and sang them all. His compositions of wildly varied samples are new works that are much more than simply the sum of their parts. And unless you are somehow materializing objects with your mind, any creative process is simply taking things that already exist and putting them together in novel ways.
It is almost too perfect that Girl Talk's alter-ego is Gregg Gillis, mild-mannered biomedical engineer, because it allowed the film maker a nice transition into some of the deeper implications of allowing authoritative control over ideas. Because all progress is simply a reaction to the present conditions, how can there be progress if it is illegal to alter present ideas? This is especially significant in a field like biomedical engineering, as life-saving advances may be being impeded.
Sunday, February 6, 2011
On How To Not Just Be Less Bad
"I was tired of working hard to be less bad. I wanted to be involved in making buildings, even products, with completely positive intentions."
This quote, from the introduction of "Cradle to Cradle", could serve as the creed for William McDonough and Michael Braungart's approach to environmentally-friendly design, a smarter alternative to the retroactive methods of making the shoddy nature-molesting designs of the past slightly less nature-killing and world-ruining. For attaching a bunch of solar panels onto a building and calling it environmentally-friendly is just as deceptive as attaching a ramp to a building and suddenly deeming in handicap-friendly. No matter how much shit you tack on to a bad design, underneath all the soda-bottle carpeting and curb cuts, there still will be a bad design. Or in other words, no matter how much biodegradable surface cleaner you use, you still can't polish a turd. (F**k off Mythbusters)
However, it is not just the designs of our buildings and products that is harmful to the environment. The design of the systems that run our world; industry, government, pretty much all of the infrastructure of advanced human society, all these systems run in flawed ways that are essentially assuring that life will one day cease on the planet Earth. The modern human world was designed with productivity first and foremost in mind, with little consideration for consequences. And in this world where productivity rhymes with profit, we are quickly learning the errors of our ways, that our productivity is only working to hasten the destruction of our world, and that there is no amount of little green pieces of paper worth losing the wonderful magical playground we have somehow inherited. Because of the destructive ways we have created, one seeking to not harm in the environment finds themselves to be in a state of moral paralysis, unable to make a move without having "unwittingly become party to a process of waste and destruction".
This is how I felt when trying to determine a career path for myself, as it seems virtually impossible to earn a living without directly contributing to the continued destruction of our environment, our habitat. So I am extremely interested in learning about McDonough and Braungart's ideas on how to "Eliminate the concept of waste"- not reduce, minimize, or avoid waste, as environmentalists were then propounding, but eliminate the very concept, by design".
If my life's work could in anyway help to create a smarter. more sustainable world, it would help quite a bit to ease my conscience, as I just can't help but enjoy the many, many benefits of our modern, industrialized world. And often I am slightly disgusted by the decadence our lifestyles. It seems quite cruel that a privileged few of us have the luxury to be concerned with the designer of our clothing or whatever the f**k the Kardashians are doing, while the rest are concerned about where there bi-weekly meal is coming from or if their child is going to die from diarrhea.
I think the mock children's show "Wonder Showzen" perfectly satirized this disparity:
I find it ridiculous that we have developed solutions for such trivial problems, while we still haven't solved many of the very basic problems of existence that plague much of the world. We don't need to develop any new cosmetic surgical procedures. We need to develop more things like the water-purifying bottle, the infant warmer, or any of these other Design for the Other 90% projects. I would like it very much if I could help people just live, exist.
Cause just like William McDonough, I'm tired of just trying to be less bad.
This quote, from the introduction of "Cradle to Cradle", could serve as the creed for William McDonough and Michael Braungart's approach to environmentally-friendly design, a smarter alternative to the retroactive methods of making the shoddy nature-molesting designs of the past slightly less nature-killing and world-ruining. For attaching a bunch of solar panels onto a building and calling it environmentally-friendly is just as deceptive as attaching a ramp to a building and suddenly deeming in handicap-friendly. No matter how much shit you tack on to a bad design, underneath all the soda-bottle carpeting and curb cuts, there still will be a bad design. Or in other words, no matter how much biodegradable surface cleaner you use, you still can't polish a turd. (F**k off Mythbusters)
However, it is not just the designs of our buildings and products that is harmful to the environment. The design of the systems that run our world; industry, government, pretty much all of the infrastructure of advanced human society, all these systems run in flawed ways that are essentially assuring that life will one day cease on the planet Earth. The modern human world was designed with productivity first and foremost in mind, with little consideration for consequences. And in this world where productivity rhymes with profit, we are quickly learning the errors of our ways, that our productivity is only working to hasten the destruction of our world, and that there is no amount of little green pieces of paper worth losing the wonderful magical playground we have somehow inherited. Because of the destructive ways we have created, one seeking to not harm in the environment finds themselves to be in a state of moral paralysis, unable to make a move without having "unwittingly become party to a process of waste and destruction".
This is how I felt when trying to determine a career path for myself, as it seems virtually impossible to earn a living without directly contributing to the continued destruction of our environment, our habitat. So I am extremely interested in learning about McDonough and Braungart's ideas on how to "Eliminate the concept of waste"- not reduce, minimize, or avoid waste, as environmentalists were then propounding, but eliminate the very concept, by design".
If my life's work could in anyway help to create a smarter. more sustainable world, it would help quite a bit to ease my conscience, as I just can't help but enjoy the many, many benefits of our modern, industrialized world. And often I am slightly disgusted by the decadence our lifestyles. It seems quite cruel that a privileged few of us have the luxury to be concerned with the designer of our clothing or whatever the f**k the Kardashians are doing, while the rest are concerned about where there bi-weekly meal is coming from or if their child is going to die from diarrhea.
I think the mock children's show "Wonder Showzen" perfectly satirized this disparity:
I find it ridiculous that we have developed solutions for such trivial problems, while we still haven't solved many of the very basic problems of existence that plague much of the world. We don't need to develop any new cosmetic surgical procedures. We need to develop more things like the water-purifying bottle, the infant warmer, or any of these other Design for the Other 90% projects. I would like it very much if I could help people just live, exist.
Cause just like William McDonough, I'm tired of just trying to be less bad.
I'm Hungry
Ugh. I forgot to get gas yesterday. I'll have to get some after I get groceries. I haven't gotten gas in a couple weeks, so I should have a bunch of FuelPerks saved up.
I hate driving... I REALLY hate driving in winter.
Well, I can't really see if anybody is coming, so um, here goes.
Phew.
Shit. It's Sunday. Why do I always go to the grocery store on Sunday? It's gonna be packed. F**k. It's worse than I expected. Look at this madness! Utter chaos. Sunday at Giant Eagle is always like f**cking amateur hour...
Hah. That's pretty pathetic that I see myself as some sort of superior grocery shopper.
Where are all the baskets?
Oh.
"Can I grab one of these?"
Hmm... that dude seemed kinda... well, slow.
Alright, what do I need again?
OK, all I need from the produce section is a lemon. This one will do.
Oh yeah, I gotta make sure to remember everything that happens so I can write that thing for class.
Please hurry up and make your meat selection and move out of the way! How f**king long does it take to pick out a package of crushed up cow flesh? I hate grocery shopping on Sundays. Hmm... I don't usually buy ground turkey, that's weird they put it with the ground beef instead of with the other poultry. What the f**k? Taco seasoned ground turkey? Are people really so impotent in the kitchen that they can't even season their own meats? Can't I just get some regular f**king ground turkey meat? Well, I guess ground chicken will work.
Geez, lots of people are buying beer.
Why is the section of cheap, shitty wines called "California Popular Wine"? With whom are Carlos Rossi and Franzia popular with? Winos? Hah. Well, I guess I am not much better considering my wine selection process consists of not much more than a brief consideration of price and alcohol content. Hah. I guess I probably would be doing my wine shopping in the "California Popular Wine" section if I wasn't planning on cooking with some of it.
OK, what next?
Pasta.
Caa-vaa-taa-pi
Hah. Everything I know about Italian accents I learned from Giada de Laurentiis and "The Sopranos".
Alright, here we go... Giant Eagle brand? Good enough.
Aghhh... so many people in here... I hate having to awkwardly squeeze past people in the aisles.
Hmm... I should write thing for class as some sort of stream-of-consciousness type thing. Writing a straight list of 50 things sounds pretty borin- Shit.
I should've gotten the canned tomatoes while I was in the pasta aisle. Ah, well I'll just get them on my way back.
OK... eggs.
Hmm... looks like eggs were popular today.
Cracked one in here.
These look fine.
OK, OJ.
High pulp? that sounds pretty good, I like pulp.
Huh, I do most of my shopping on the outskirts of the store. Fresh vegetables, bakery, fresh meat and seafood, dairy. Hmm... I bet those areas are on the outskirts because they are closer to where they are delivered and prepped for display. And food with a longer shelf life are in the aisles. Ehhh... food shouldn't come in a cardboard box... wrapped up and packaged like a f**king action figure or something.
Hah.
Interesting contrast. Outskirts of Giant Eagle: fresh vegetables, bakery, fresh meat/seafood, dairy, and....... feminine hygiene products.
Where the f**k is the Pert Plus? It's green, it should stick out.
Wow, shampoo containers are really colorful.
Ah.. here we go.
Huh, I wonder if people that give a shit about washing their hair would look down on me for using Pert Plus the same way I look down on people that eat bullshit super-processed foods...
Whatever, f**k 'em...
Ok, shaving cream...
Ehh... considering that I shave once a week, and have been using my roommate's shaving cream for the past two months, I'll just go for the cheap stuff... Barbasol? Sounds great.
Alright, just need some tomatoes and I can get out of here.
Ah... I forgot to check how much kale I have left... I hope it's enough. I've never really had kale before, but it tasted good enough in that soup yesterday. Turkey and kale meatballs sounds kinda weird, but I'm sure it will be good. Well, I guess they'll be chicken and kale meatballs now.
Alright, canned whole tomatoes, Umm... I don't think I have any left, so I should probably get two cans.
Ahhhhhhh... these lines are ridiculous.
Well, I guess this one looks the shortest.
Ughhh... their cart is jam packed with groceries... I'm gonna be here all night,
AGGGHHHH... the worst part about user-operated checkout systems is that half the users are completely incompetent... You should have to pass a test before being able to access the self-checkout lanes...
Gah... the Super Bowl is tonight? That explains the madness.
Hah... Sausages, cheese, and sour cream? Looks like the Coke cooler has become the receptacle for the indecisive shopper.
Ahh.. good, looks like these people actually know what they are doing...
Geez, it's later than I thought... I really don't want to wake up at 6:15 tomorrow.
I really hate that I have nothing to look at besides these stupid stupid stupid stupid stupid celebrity "news" magazines. Are there really people that actually care what is going on with anyone from "Teen Mom"?
Alright... they're done bagging.
Ah, can't forget to scan my Giant Eagle card...
*beep*
*beep*
*beep*
*beep*
*beep*
I'm really glad I don't work in a grocery store anymore, and I don't have to listen to this chaotic orchestra of electronic beeps and bloops for hours on end...
Alright... it was less than I thought it would be...
Hmm... I'm not really sure but it really looks like this guy is staring at me type my PIN in...
OK, I can definitely fit all this into two bags...
Aghh.. I just wanna get outta here...
Alright...
Finally.
I hate driving... I REALLY hate driving in winter.
Well, I can't really see if anybody is coming, so um, here goes.
Phew.
Shit. It's Sunday. Why do I always go to the grocery store on Sunday? It's gonna be packed. F**k. It's worse than I expected. Look at this madness! Utter chaos. Sunday at Giant Eagle is always like f**cking amateur hour...
Hah. That's pretty pathetic that I see myself as some sort of superior grocery shopper.
Where are all the baskets?
Oh.
"Can I grab one of these?"
Hmm... that dude seemed kinda... well, slow.
Alright, what do I need again?
OK, all I need from the produce section is a lemon. This one will do.
Oh yeah, I gotta make sure to remember everything that happens so I can write that thing for class.
Please hurry up and make your meat selection and move out of the way! How f**king long does it take to pick out a package of crushed up cow flesh? I hate grocery shopping on Sundays. Hmm... I don't usually buy ground turkey, that's weird they put it with the ground beef instead of with the other poultry. What the f**k? Taco seasoned ground turkey? Are people really so impotent in the kitchen that they can't even season their own meats? Can't I just get some regular f**king ground turkey meat? Well, I guess ground chicken will work.
Geez, lots of people are buying beer.
Why is the section of cheap, shitty wines called "California Popular Wine"? With whom are Carlos Rossi and Franzia popular with? Winos? Hah. Well, I guess I am not much better considering my wine selection process consists of not much more than a brief consideration of price and alcohol content. Hah. I guess I probably would be doing my wine shopping in the "California Popular Wine" section if I wasn't planning on cooking with some of it.
OK, what next?
Pasta.
Caa-vaa-taa-pi
Hah. Everything I know about Italian accents I learned from Giada de Laurentiis and "The Sopranos".
Alright, here we go... Giant Eagle brand? Good enough.
Aghhh... so many people in here... I hate having to awkwardly squeeze past people in the aisles.
Hmm... I should write thing for class as some sort of stream-of-consciousness type thing. Writing a straight list of 50 things sounds pretty borin- Shit.
I should've gotten the canned tomatoes while I was in the pasta aisle. Ah, well I'll just get them on my way back.
OK... eggs.
Hmm... looks like eggs were popular today.
Cracked one in here.
These look fine.
OK, OJ.
High pulp? that sounds pretty good, I like pulp.
Huh, I do most of my shopping on the outskirts of the store. Fresh vegetables, bakery, fresh meat and seafood, dairy. Hmm... I bet those areas are on the outskirts because they are closer to where they are delivered and prepped for display. And food with a longer shelf life are in the aisles. Ehhh... food shouldn't come in a cardboard box... wrapped up and packaged like a f**king action figure or something.
Hah.
Interesting contrast. Outskirts of Giant Eagle: fresh vegetables, bakery, fresh meat/seafood, dairy, and....... feminine hygiene products.
Where the f**k is the Pert Plus? It's green, it should stick out.
Wow, shampoo containers are really colorful.
Ah.. here we go.
Huh, I wonder if people that give a shit about washing their hair would look down on me for using Pert Plus the same way I look down on people that eat bullshit super-processed foods...
Whatever, f**k 'em...
Ok, shaving cream...
Ehh... considering that I shave once a week, and have been using my roommate's shaving cream for the past two months, I'll just go for the cheap stuff... Barbasol? Sounds great.
Alright, just need some tomatoes and I can get out of here.
Ah... I forgot to check how much kale I have left... I hope it's enough. I've never really had kale before, but it tasted good enough in that soup yesterday. Turkey and kale meatballs sounds kinda weird, but I'm sure it will be good. Well, I guess they'll be chicken and kale meatballs now.
Alright, canned whole tomatoes, Umm... I don't think I have any left, so I should probably get two cans.
Ahhhhhhh... these lines are ridiculous.
Well, I guess this one looks the shortest.
Ughhh... their cart is jam packed with groceries... I'm gonna be here all night,
AGGGHHHH... the worst part about user-operated checkout systems is that half the users are completely incompetent... You should have to pass a test before being able to access the self-checkout lanes...
Gah... the Super Bowl is tonight? That explains the madness.
Hah... Sausages, cheese, and sour cream? Looks like the Coke cooler has become the receptacle for the indecisive shopper.
Ahh.. good, looks like these people actually know what they are doing...
Geez, it's later than I thought... I really don't want to wake up at 6:15 tomorrow.
I really hate that I have nothing to look at besides these stupid stupid stupid stupid stupid celebrity "news" magazines. Are there really people that actually care what is going on with anyone from "Teen Mom"?
Alright... they're done bagging.
Ah, can't forget to scan my Giant Eagle card...
*beep*
*beep*
*beep*
*beep*
*beep*
I'm really glad I don't work in a grocery store anymore, and I don't have to listen to this chaotic orchestra of electronic beeps and bloops for hours on end...
Alright... it was less than I thought it would be...
Hmm... I'm not really sure but it really looks like this guy is staring at me type my PIN in...
OK, I can definitely fit all this into two bags...
Aghh.. I just wanna get outta here...
Alright...
Finally.
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Hunting Down Design
After receiving the clues, Adam and I immediately went to the Knowlton Library to take care of the chair clues, as well as to use one of the computers in the library to figure out where else we had to go.
Clue #1
Me sitting in the Barcelona chair at the Knowlton Library. Designed by Mies van der Rohe, this chair requires much hand craftsmanship.
Clue #2
Sitting in the Chaise Longue ("long chair" in English) while reading Form Magazine. This chair was designed by Le Corbusier, and has been nicknamed the "relaxing machine".
Clue #3
The Wexner Center. Designed by Peter Eisenman, its design reflects the mismatched street grids of campus.
Clue #4
The Science and Engineering Library, designed by Philip Johnson. Its arches echo the giant arch of Johnson's AT&T skyscraper.
Clue #5
Thompson Library, designed by Acock & Associates. Its recent renovation cost $108 million and took 27 months to complete.
Clue #1
Me sitting in the Barcelona chair at the Knowlton Library. Designed by Mies van der Rohe, this chair requires much hand craftsmanship.
Clue #2
Sitting in the Chaise Longue ("long chair" in English) while reading Form Magazine. This chair was designed by Le Corbusier, and has been nicknamed the "relaxing machine".
Clue #3
The Wexner Center. Designed by Peter Eisenman, its design reflects the mismatched street grids of campus.
Clue #4
The Science and Engineering Library, designed by Philip Johnson. Its arches echo the giant arch of Johnson's AT&T skyscraper.
Clue #5
Thompson Library, designed by Acock & Associates. Its recent renovation cost $108 million and took 27 months to complete.
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