Busy, but Fun

My week has been just that, busy, but fun. I started a web course, went to a great design event, and hosted a friend at my place for the weekend.

The web course started off differently than I expected (a whole day on Google), but it is going really well. The instructor is very knowledgeable and he definitely tries to make the class fun. So far I've learned the basics of what code means and it's only been two days.

This week was Design Week in Toronto, so the event I went to was put on especially for that reason. The Design Exchange hosted a few events but I decided to go to Making It, a night dedicated to the process work of design. The idea for the lecture sounded great, 20 designers from different disciplines explaining a project from start to finish, it was even better than expected.

Lastly I hosted my friend this weekend. While I'm terrible with directions (she was better than me and I live here) we barely got lost and made it to some of my favourite places in the city. I hope in a years time we can do the day over again and go to all of the new places I discover.

Midnight in Paris

Late last week I finally watched Woody Allen's Midnight in Paris. I was excited to watch it and was pleasantly surprised when I found myself relating to the characters.

Like Gil and Adriana I have often thought life would be much better if I had been born in a different era. I am quite content with my life, but tend to like the ideals and expectations of years past. When my Grandfather taught highschool he was respected and his professional attire added to that. I don't mean that everyone has to wear suits, but sometimes I wish that my bank teller looked a bit more polished. I also think that the level of respect children had for adults was much greater, and that suits my view of the world. I admit I was a priss throughout my schooling, but in my mind what is so bad about that. I understood what I learned, got good grades and received great support from my teachers and professors. One other thing that I daydream about from the past is the strong family unit. I am incredibly lucky to have supportive parents (married for almost 25 years), healthy, active and loving grandparents as well as copious amounts of cousins, but I realize this is not the norm. In the past it seemed that it was typical to be close friends with family members, but from what I have seen lately it seems that the family unit is deteriorating and has become more convoluted than ever.

I realize that I see all of these things from an idealized view, not having to go through the hardships of other eras, but it does sound nice. I often joke that I will have to raise my children in an anti-modernism cult, but as long as I keep my family close I think I will be able to stick to my ideals without such drastic measures.

Through the Glass

Yesterday evening I attended a great webinar, I may not have picked up any tips or tricks for Photoshop but the speaker had great ideas about the larger picture. Aprile Elcich, originally from Toronto, moved to Philadelphia for her dream job only six months after graduating from George Brown College. As a recent grad myself, I was curious about how she accomplished this and how it turned out.

Elcich was much more eloquent in her storytelling, but essentially by pursuing her passion of collage through personal projects and her blog, Not Paper, she was able to showcase her skills to a broad audience and attract the attention of the folks at Free People. After a quick trip to Philiadelphia, Aprile landed the position of Graphic Designer. During her year there Elcich designed all of their marketing materials, both print and online, and most enviably their seasonal catalogues. Aprile did not elaborate on why she came back, but she did impress upon attendees how great the experience was.

Although professors are there to help guide you, Elcich went against what her professors said and pursued her true interests. This may not work for everyone but by continuing with personal projects you can stay true to what you really love. Aprile is a great example of someone who knows what they want and working hard to get it. It will definitely take me longer than six months to get to my dream job, but the work I have been doing is definitely preparing me for when the time comes.