Find the original image and some incredibly cool mixed-media jewelry in the link above.
Showing posts with label favorite things. Show all posts
Showing posts with label favorite things. Show all posts
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Look what Fanciful Devices made!
So true, Fanci. So true.
Find the original image and some incredibly cool mixed-media jewelry in the link above.
Find the original image and some incredibly cool mixed-media jewelry in the link above.
Friday, February 17, 2012
Let's try something a little different!
Okay, let's try this. I wanted to do something picture-heavy and topical today, but I'm not in the mood to code a Treasury Wednesday (on Friday), so let's play clothing-and-jewelry pairings. I don't get to do this much in real life, since I'm the youngest of my coworkers in a fairly conservative area, so virtual dress-up it is.
For the pretty base pieces in this post, I'm using Maxi dresses from Goddiva. Just in the interests of disclosure.
Let's start with this little mesh-insert number, which -- yes -- is sort of daring for many people, but could easily go sci-fi (Inara cosplay, anyone?) to pull it off:
It's actually transparent, not silver; that's the mannequin. Which leaves us with any metal option we desire. How shall we make this fantastic? I'm thinking with a big steampunk statement necklace like this one:
Sorry, sold to a pretty lady at Upstate Steampunk!
And maybe a jeweled belt, like this nice vintage example, which would suit either the teal or the red version of the dress and, in either case, introduces another high-contrast color that would be fantastic in a draped shawl, or as earrings:
Available here from Nana's Cottage House Antiques.
Instant sleek space-opera sci-fi -- or maybe even bustle it up over a constrast underskirt and see what happens.
Less costume and more couture, you say? Fine. Look at this peacock-patterned garment:
You could actually wear this under a waist-length leather jacket and calf-high boots, and have a bit more of a casual-elegant look on a spring day. Try it with a necklace that adds more visual weight to the top half of the ensemble. For this purpose, I can't decide if I prefer the knotted linen from Grey Heart of Stone on the top or the repurposed bridle rosette from Funkyjunkmama below:
Probably the bridle rosette. It picks up the colors attractively without blending in, and has a sturdier, heavier look that will contrast well with the dress's airiness. Hey, both! No?
On warmer days, this dress of course demands a light shrug and a cool big bracelet like this one:
Available here with matching earrings here.
For the pretty base pieces in this post, I'm using Maxi dresses from Goddiva. Just in the interests of disclosure.
Let's start with this little mesh-insert number, which -- yes -- is sort of daring for many people, but could easily go sci-fi (Inara cosplay, anyone?) to pull it off:
It's actually transparent, not silver; that's the mannequin. Which leaves us with any metal option we desire. How shall we make this fantastic? I'm thinking with a big steampunk statement necklace like this one:
Sorry, sold to a pretty lady at Upstate Steampunk!
And maybe a jeweled belt, like this nice vintage example, which would suit either the teal or the red version of the dress and, in either case, introduces another high-contrast color that would be fantastic in a draped shawl, or as earrings:
Available here from Nana's Cottage House Antiques.
Instant sleek space-opera sci-fi -- or maybe even bustle it up over a constrast underskirt and see what happens.
Less costume and more couture, you say? Fine. Look at this peacock-patterned garment:
You could actually wear this under a waist-length leather jacket and calf-high boots, and have a bit more of a casual-elegant look on a spring day. Try it with a necklace that adds more visual weight to the top half of the ensemble. For this purpose, I can't decide if I prefer the knotted linen from Grey Heart of Stone on the top or the repurposed bridle rosette from Funkyjunkmama below:
Probably the bridle rosette. It picks up the colors attractively without blending in, and has a sturdier, heavier look that will contrast well with the dress's airiness. Hey, both! No?
On warmer days, this dress of course demands a light shrug and a cool big bracelet like this one:
Available here with matching earrings here.
Thursday, September 15, 2011
A Review of Pottermore by Someone Unaffiliated with Sony
So, as longtime readers have certainly grasped by now, I have something of a love for Harry Potter. I spoke on gendered intepretations of the broomstick as symbol in modern literature at the 2009 convention; here's some of the massive amount of Potter-inspired jewelry I've made (please excuse the older photos):
So it will surprise no one that M and I were among those who fought for a place in the beta for Pottermore, which is supposed to be an interactive companion to the books containing more information about minor characters, ghost plots, and other things that weren't told in detail within the scope of the series.
Overall, we've found it interesting but disappointing. Most of the problem is in the advertising. There was a massive amount of hype for this -- website countdowns, early announcements, competitions for early-admission spots -- and it was not made entirely clear whether this was a game, or a bunch of illustrations, or an interactive ebook ... or what.
It's set up like a collection of illustrations tied to a social-media game. There are quizzes to take and House points to earn, and there are some little side games, like potion-brewing and spellcasting. However, the actual game bits tend to be buggy and unresponsive, partly because the servers clearly weren't ready when early registration was first opened and partly because, well, it's in beta. But ... there's nowhere to give specific feedback. There's a generalized feedback form that asks you to give a one-to-four rating of how it works, how it looks, and "how you're liking Pottermore so far," but no way to say "When you try to make the Herbicide Potion, the worm mucus isn't clickable; you just pick up the Valerian if you try." Which you'd think would be the important thing about doing a beta run. It's starting to feel like all they really wanted was a demographic survey.
The ... I don't even know what to call it, because it's not a game or an ebook or anything really ... Pottermore is unquestionably beautiful. Each chapter of the book has two or three corresponding "moments" you can access through the ... here we go again ... through Pottermore, and each "moment" has a multi-layered artwork. Chapter thirteen, the one with Norbert the dragon in it, is absolutely breathtaking.
And yet there's nothing to do. You get to collect books and objects throughout the scenes (though in the really lovely chapter, there's not a damn thing to pick up ... and you still end up having to look), but there's no competitive aspect -- it doesn't really penalize you for not finding the jellybeans on the train -- and there's no reward for finding everything. A few things, when you click on them, will unlock interesting extra information that's been written for the ... for Pottermore. For instance, there's an entire biography of Professor McGonagall that you pick up over the course of the story, a few paragraphs for every chapter in which she appears. This is quite worthwhile for people who enjoy the series. There's not a lot of information -- there's a lot less than the advertising suggested there would be -- but it's worth playing through for it.
Yet the social-media aspect of the ... thing ... seems to imply that it was imagined that people would sink time and effort into Pottermore. Would return daily to try to earn House points. But the part that was hyped, the companion to the books, takes less than a day to "play" or "read" or "work" through per book. And here's the rub -- the books open one at a time.
At this point, the only thing I'm returning daily to do is to check whether the next book has opened up. Sometimes I try to make a potion, but the timing on this requires you to either find 90 minutes of stuff to do in Pottermore (difficult) or set a real-world timer (I'm resisting the nerdiness). As of the end of August, it was still only the first book. With overall opening slated for October, I'm not sure how they're planning to beta later book-companions at this point -- there's just no time.
The material shows a lot of promise, but Pottermore can't decide what it is. This cripples the game because it cannot meet the expectations raised by marketing, weakens the storytelling because the different aspects seem to have been developed at the expense of one another, and distracts from the companion information because the reader is treacherously wondering, "This is all?"
Pottermore could have been a great advance either in interactive reading, or in book-related gaming, but it tried to be both and therefore is neither. It tried to be something new so hard that it isn't anything. It has potential as a stepping stone, and it's still worth playing/reading/social media-ing/whatever, but don't expect your mind to be blown.
So it will surprise no one that M and I were among those who fought for a place in the beta for Pottermore, which is supposed to be an interactive companion to the books containing more information about minor characters, ghost plots, and other things that weren't told in detail within the scope of the series.
Overall, we've found it interesting but disappointing. Most of the problem is in the advertising. There was a massive amount of hype for this -- website countdowns, early announcements, competitions for early-admission spots -- and it was not made entirely clear whether this was a game, or a bunch of illustrations, or an interactive ebook ... or what.
It's set up like a collection of illustrations tied to a social-media game. There are quizzes to take and House points to earn, and there are some little side games, like potion-brewing and spellcasting. However, the actual game bits tend to be buggy and unresponsive, partly because the servers clearly weren't ready when early registration was first opened and partly because, well, it's in beta. But ... there's nowhere to give specific feedback. There's a generalized feedback form that asks you to give a one-to-four rating of how it works, how it looks, and "how you're liking Pottermore so far," but no way to say "When you try to make the Herbicide Potion, the worm mucus isn't clickable; you just pick up the Valerian if you try." Which you'd think would be the important thing about doing a beta run. It's starting to feel like all they really wanted was a demographic survey.
The ... I don't even know what to call it, because it's not a game or an ebook or anything really ... Pottermore is unquestionably beautiful. Each chapter of the book has two or three corresponding "moments" you can access through the ... here we go again ... through Pottermore, and each "moment" has a multi-layered artwork. Chapter thirteen, the one with Norbert the dragon in it, is absolutely breathtaking.
And yet there's nothing to do. You get to collect books and objects throughout the scenes (though in the really lovely chapter, there's not a damn thing to pick up ... and you still end up having to look), but there's no competitive aspect -- it doesn't really penalize you for not finding the jellybeans on the train -- and there's no reward for finding everything. A few things, when you click on them, will unlock interesting extra information that's been written for the ... for Pottermore. For instance, there's an entire biography of Professor McGonagall that you pick up over the course of the story, a few paragraphs for every chapter in which she appears. This is quite worthwhile for people who enjoy the series. There's not a lot of information -- there's a lot less than the advertising suggested there would be -- but it's worth playing through for it.
Yet the social-media aspect of the ... thing ... seems to imply that it was imagined that people would sink time and effort into Pottermore. Would return daily to try to earn House points. But the part that was hyped, the companion to the books, takes less than a day to "play" or "read" or "work" through per book. And here's the rub -- the books open one at a time.
At this point, the only thing I'm returning daily to do is to check whether the next book has opened up. Sometimes I try to make a potion, but the timing on this requires you to either find 90 minutes of stuff to do in Pottermore (difficult) or set a real-world timer (I'm resisting the nerdiness). As of the end of August, it was still only the first book. With overall opening slated for October, I'm not sure how they're planning to beta later book-companions at this point -- there's just no time.
The material shows a lot of promise, but Pottermore can't decide what it is. This cripples the game because it cannot meet the expectations raised by marketing, weakens the storytelling because the different aspects seem to have been developed at the expense of one another, and distracts from the companion information because the reader is treacherously wondering, "This is all?"
Pottermore could have been a great advance either in interactive reading, or in book-related gaming, but it tried to be both and therefore is neither. It tried to be something new so hard that it isn't anything. It has potential as a stepping stone, and it's still worth playing/reading/social media-ing/whatever, but don't expect your mind to be blown.
Friday, July 29, 2011
Work-Life Balance and a Schedule Change
As I may have mentioned, I've started selling copywriting on both Etsy and Elance, and ... well, it's going pretty well, actually.
The Mafia-themed social media game didn't pan out -- I don't think they liked my character-dialogue audition piece, but since I submitted it without any real idea of the mood or character type they wanted, I don't feel much sense of failure over this -- but I'm currently writing product descriptions for Keys of Paradise, a fantastic spiritual/magickal supply shop, with fantastic herbs and candles and such, run by some fantastic people. Apparently they consider my descriptions fantastic as well, because the job morphed from a fixed-rate 400-descriptions deal to a long-term by-the-piece to a continuing semi-permanent article writing and editing gig.
Unfortunately, this means I've been neglecting the Etsy shops ... but I'm working at learning how to balance the two better. M and I have been making a lot of steampunk assemblage jewelry of late, since I'll be a vendor at Upstate Steampunk in Anderson this year. And I need to contact the awesome purveyor of hair accessories DaringlyDonna, a lovely local who we keep running into at Hancock's Fabrics, about swapping custom hair flowers for teapot earrings.
So we're not dead on the jewelry front! Just slowed while I find the proper equilibrium of the two creative businesses, and I should be finally adding more steampunk like I keep saying I will.
Available here.
Speaking of slight slowing: Since I'm doing so much paid writing, and since I was glancing through the lengthy list of MWF webcomics I read and realizing how much competition those days have got, I'll be switching the blog to a Tuesday/Thursday update schedule starting next week. It's only one less post per week. Also, Treasury Wednesday is becoming a monthly feature, first Wednesdays of every month. I get some traffic and some lovely comments, presumably from Google alerts, on those posts, but they're quite time-consuming and I'd like a better balance of written content, considering, y'know, I'm a writer and all.
And a day-brightening fact (for me, anyway): As I was building the updated APA citation guide for our tech college's Writing Center, I was modeling citations for weird stuff (historic photographs of unknown subjects, letters from university archives, that sort of thing) and it occurred to me that one of the dresses from the Met's "Orientalism in Fashion" web exhibit would be a great example. This led to me finding that my June blog post "Multiculturalism in Victorian Accessories" is, as of Tuesday, the seventh Google result for the terms "Victorian clothing Orientalism." And that, my friends, is sweet.
The Mafia-themed social media game didn't pan out -- I don't think they liked my character-dialogue audition piece, but since I submitted it without any real idea of the mood or character type they wanted, I don't feel much sense of failure over this -- but I'm currently writing product descriptions for Keys of Paradise, a fantastic spiritual/magickal supply shop, with fantastic herbs and candles and such, run by some fantastic people. Apparently they consider my descriptions fantastic as well, because the job morphed from a fixed-rate 400-descriptions deal to a long-term by-the-piece to a continuing semi-permanent article writing and editing gig.
Unfortunately, this means I've been neglecting the Etsy shops ... but I'm working at learning how to balance the two better. M and I have been making a lot of steampunk assemblage jewelry of late, since I'll be a vendor at Upstate Steampunk in Anderson this year. And I need to contact the awesome purveyor of hair accessories DaringlyDonna, a lovely local who we keep running into at Hancock's Fabrics, about swapping custom hair flowers for teapot earrings.
So we're not dead on the jewelry front! Just slowed while I find the proper equilibrium of the two creative businesses, and I should be finally adding more steampunk like I keep saying I will.
Available here.
Speaking of slight slowing: Since I'm doing so much paid writing, and since I was glancing through the lengthy list of MWF webcomics I read and realizing how much competition those days have got, I'll be switching the blog to a Tuesday/Thursday update schedule starting next week. It's only one less post per week. Also, Treasury Wednesday is becoming a monthly feature, first Wednesdays of every month. I get some traffic and some lovely comments, presumably from Google alerts, on those posts, but they're quite time-consuming and I'd like a better balance of written content, considering, y'know, I'm a writer and all.
And a day-brightening fact (for me, anyway): As I was building the updated APA citation guide for our tech college's Writing Center, I was modeling citations for weird stuff (historic photographs of unknown subjects, letters from university archives, that sort of thing) and it occurred to me that one of the dresses from the Met's "Orientalism in Fashion" web exhibit would be a great example. This led to me finding that my June blog post "Multiculturalism in Victorian Accessories" is, as of Tuesday, the seventh Google result for the terms "Victorian clothing Orientalism." And that, my friends, is sweet.
Monday, July 11, 2011
Most inspiring drinky things
So, do you think the folks at the Jelly Shot Test Kitchen would mind if I turned everything they've ever photographed into a pair of earrings or a pendant?
Admire these fruity beauties! The depth of field in this photo is just stunningly handled. The gorgeously casual, utterly perfect tumbled look could probably be replicated with various sizes of Swarovski Cosmic Freeform Diamonds, dice beads and Simplicity cut beads:
The fruity shades and the very organic look of the skewers in these Watermelon Basil Martini Jelly Shots could be replicated with a stack of varying shapes of frosted resin and polymer clay, plus a messy, twisted spiral headpin in plastic-coated or nylon-coated wire.
These are their mimosa shots, glossy and tempting in this well-styled photo, and the minute I saw them, I thought that I could mimic that exactly with ball-end headpins worked into spirals (or, heck, just wire) supporting a stack of three lentil-shaped beads, maybe a lemon quartz or a nice glass, spaced with squares of thin yellow fabric.
Admire these fruity beauties! The depth of field in this photo is just stunningly handled. The gorgeously casual, utterly perfect tumbled look could probably be replicated with various sizes of Swarovski Cosmic Freeform Diamonds, dice beads and Simplicity cut beads:
The fruity shades and the very organic look of the skewers in these Watermelon Basil Martini Jelly Shots could be replicated with a stack of varying shapes of frosted resin and polymer clay, plus a messy, twisted spiral headpin in plastic-coated or nylon-coated wire.
These are their mimosa shots, glossy and tempting in this well-styled photo, and the minute I saw them, I thought that I could mimic that exactly with ball-end headpins worked into spirals (or, heck, just wire) supporting a stack of three lentil-shaped beads, maybe a lemon quartz or a nice glass, spaced with squares of thin yellow fabric.
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
Treasury Wednesday: A combo of Japanese and medieval designs
I'm beginning to have this funny feeling there are certain theme/color combinations I like a lot.
A seamless blend of Japanese-inspired and medieval designs in earthy brown, inky black and vivid red, with natural materials preferred and the newest shops (under 50 feedback) emphasized.
'The Tower Kitchen' by tangopig
A seamless blend of Japanese-inspired and medieval designs in earthy brown, inky black and vivid red, with natural materials preferred and the newest shops (under 50 feedback) emphasized.
 Red Cherry Wish Bow... $54.00 |  Black and Red Journ... $44.50 |  Porcelain Teapot wi... $125.00 |  OOAK Unique Ostrich... $50.00 |
 Japan Relief Karma ... $25.00 |  Japanese Turnips Ha... $45.00 |  Viking Replica Neck... $35.00 |  Hand Painted Silk S... $40.00 |
 Brocade Terracotta ... $5.00 |  Mortar & Pestle $140.00 |  ARANWE - RedBrown W... $25.00 |  Mandala Series - Iv... $6.50 |
 Spiced Mahogany Soa... $6.00 |  Wheel-thrown decora... $65.00 |  6 inch gold, red an... $7.00 |  WEEKEND SALE - 50% ... $12.50 |
Friday, June 24, 2011
The glory that was Rome
A necklace heavily inspired by Gradiva, the novella by Wilhelm Jensen based on a Roman bas-relief; the artwork and book jointly inspired some of Freud's ideas about fetish and a Dali painting.
Here's my interpretation:
Available here.
The cameo is a vintage glazed ceramic piece I've had for donkey's years, worked into one of my nest-type bezels. When I'm making those I'm always convinced they're not working, but they almost always do ... The wirework on the chain is not just decorative, but secures the connections between the chain and the beading in a graceful, textural manner.
Cameos are an old art form. In the pre-industrial age, cameos were not the molded-resin pretties we are familiar with today, but were hand-carved from ivory, shell or stones. There is some (possibly apocryphal) record of Alexander the Great presenting his Persian lover, Bagoas, with a ring containing a portrait cameo of himself carved in chalcedony. You can still find some natural-material cameos, like these black lip shell examples, but hand-carved ones are rarer than ever.
More on cameos, plus multiculturalism in Victorian accessories, on Monday!
Here's my interpretation:
Available here.
The cameo is a vintage glazed ceramic piece I've had for donkey's years, worked into one of my nest-type bezels. When I'm making those I'm always convinced they're not working, but they almost always do ... The wirework on the chain is not just decorative, but secures the connections between the chain and the beading in a graceful, textural manner.
Cameos are an old art form. In the pre-industrial age, cameos were not the molded-resin pretties we are familiar with today, but were hand-carved from ivory, shell or stones. There is some (possibly apocryphal) record of Alexander the Great presenting his Persian lover, Bagoas, with a ring containing a portrait cameo of himself carved in chalcedony. You can still find some natural-material cameos, like these black lip shell examples, but hand-carved ones are rarer than ever.
More on cameos, plus multiculturalism in Victorian accessories, on Monday!
Monday, June 6, 2011
Copywriting Tips: A Description Done Right
I often highlight errors not to make in writing for online sales. Here's a description where the seller has really put the words to work:
Vagabond Jewelry's home page is a great example of using the text to identify and draw a niche market. The word choice is apt and richly varied -- "calls up," "conjures"; "grounded," "earth," "peace," "approachability," "tough." It presents the reasons for the choice of metal both unapologetically and evocatively. They've never employed an overused term where an interesting, thought-provoking one would do. It would be so easy to make the mistake of using the words "unique jewelry for active wearers." But look at these rich, constructed, post-apocalyptic designs -- that would never do it justice:
("The Ram," one of the more dramatic pieces. Photo copyright Kest Schwartzman.)
Their word choices in the description single out their niche market but don't exclude others. In the sidebar, a unified set of web-gadgets suggest travel, adventure, versatility. And you know what this homepage undoubtedly gets Google hits from? "Surfer jewelry," "snowboarder jewelry," "copper jewelry," "surgical steel jewelry," "modern jewelry," more.
It's a phenomenal example of the less-basic and absolutely essential ingredients of discussing a jewelry line: giving "story," offering the specs, proposing a unifying concept through which to view the jewelry, pursuing a niche market, presenting reasons to purchase, and suggesting that this seller is the best source for jewelry to fit those needs.
Vagabond Jewelry's home page is a great example of using the text to identify and draw a niche market. The word choice is apt and richly varied -- "calls up," "conjures"; "grounded," "earth," "peace," "approachability," "tough." It presents the reasons for the choice of metal both unapologetically and evocatively. They've never employed an overused term where an interesting, thought-provoking one would do. It would be so easy to make the mistake of using the words "unique jewelry for active wearers." But look at these rich, constructed, post-apocalyptic designs -- that would never do it justice:
("The Ram," one of the more dramatic pieces. Photo copyright Kest Schwartzman.)
Their word choices in the description single out their niche market but don't exclude others. In the sidebar, a unified set of web-gadgets suggest travel, adventure, versatility. And you know what this homepage undoubtedly gets Google hits from? "Surfer jewelry," "snowboarder jewelry," "copper jewelry," "surgical steel jewelry," "modern jewelry," more.
It's a phenomenal example of the less-basic and absolutely essential ingredients of discussing a jewelry line: giving "story," offering the specs, proposing a unifying concept through which to view the jewelry, pursuing a niche market, presenting reasons to purchase, and suggesting that this seller is the best source for jewelry to fit those needs.
Monday, May 30, 2011
Academically awesome
I think I just fell in love with an NYU professor I've never met.
Why? Because a helpful, respectful, gracefully worded putdown of rude behavior should brighten anyone's day.
For anyone who hasn't seen it since it went viral, for educators everywhere who like some satisfying student humor, for anyone who has ever dealt with an entitled snot of a student at any level:
Sent: Tuesday, February 9, 2010 7:15:11 PM GMT -08:00 US/Canada Pacific
Subject: Brand Strategy Feedback
Prof. Galloway,
I would like to discuss a matter with you that bothered me. Yesterday evening I entered your 6pm Brand Strategy class approximately 1 hour late. As I entered the room, you quickly dismissed me, saying that I would need to leave and come back to the next class. After speaking with several students who are taking your class, they explained that you have a policy stating that students who arrive more than 15 minutes late will not be admitted to class.
As of yesterday evening, I was interested in three different Monday night classes that all occurred simultaneously. In order to decide which class to select, my plan for the evening was to sample all three and see which one I like most. Since I had never taken your class, I was unaware of your class policy. I was disappointed that you dismissed me from class considering (1) there is no way I could have been aware of your policy and (2) considering that it was the first day of evening classes and I arrived 1 hour late (not a few minutes), it was more probable that my tardiness was due to my desire to sample different classes rather than sheer complacency.
I have already registered for another class but I just wanted to be open and provide my opinion on the matter.
Regards,
xxxx
—
xxxx
MBA 2010 Candidate
NYU Stern School of Business
xxxx.nyu.edu
xxx-xxx-xxxx
The Reply:
—— Forwarded Message ——-
From: scott@stern.nyu.edu
To: "xxxx"
Sent: Tuesday, February 9, 2010 9:34:02 PM GMT -08:00 US/Canada Pacific
Subject: Re: Brand Strategy Feedback
xxxx:
Thanks for the feedback. I, too, would like to offer some feedback.
Just so I've got this straight...you started in one class, left 15-20 minutes into it (stood up, walked out mid-lecture), went to another class (walked in 20 minutes late), left that class (again, presumably, in the middle of the lecture), and then came to my class. At that point (walking in an hour late) I asked you to come to the next class which "bothered" you.
Correct?
You state that, having not taken my class, it would be impossible to know our policy of not allowing people to walk in an hour late. Most risk analysis offers that in the face of substantial uncertainty, you opt for the more conservative path or hedge your bet (e.g., do not show up an hour late until you know the professor has an explicit policy for tolerating disrespectful behavior, check with the TA before class, etc.). I hope the lottery winner that is your recently crowned Monday evening Professor is teaching Judgement and Decision Making or Critical Thinking.
In addition, your logic effectively means you cannot be held accountable for any code of conduct before taking a class. For the record, we also have no stated policy against bursting into show tunes in the middle of class, urinating on desks or taking that revolutionary hair removal system for a spin. However, xxxx, there is a baseline level of decorum (i.e., manners) that we expect of grown men and women who the admissions department have deemed tomorrow's business leaders.
xxxx, let me be more serious for a moment. I do not know you, will not know you and have no real affinity or animosity for you. You are an anonymous student who is now regretting the send button on his laptop. It's with this context I hope you register pause...REAL pause xxxx and take to heart what I am about to tell you:
xxxx, get your shit together.
Getting a good job, working long hours, keeping your skills relevant, navigating the politics of an organization, finding a live/work balance...these are all really hard, xxxx. In contrast, respecting institutions, having manners, demonstrating a level of humility...these are all (relatively) easy. Get the easy stuff right xxxx. In and of themselves they will not make you successful. However, not possessing them will hold you back and you will not achieve your potential which, by virtue of you being admitted to Stern, you must have in spades. It's not too late xxxx...
Again, thanks for the feedback.
Professor Galloway
There's a bit more context here, but the writer presenting it refers to Professor Galloway as "kind of a dick," and consequently is clearly not an academic who appreciates what a moment of Robin Hood justice this is.
Why? Because a helpful, respectful, gracefully worded putdown of rude behavior should brighten anyone's day.
For anyone who hasn't seen it since it went viral, for educators everywhere who like some satisfying student humor, for anyone who has ever dealt with an entitled snot of a student at any level:
Sent: Tuesday, February 9, 2010 7:15:11 PM GMT -08:00 US/Canada Pacific
Subject: Brand Strategy Feedback
Prof. Galloway,
I would like to discuss a matter with you that bothered me. Yesterday evening I entered your 6pm Brand Strategy class approximately 1 hour late. As I entered the room, you quickly dismissed me, saying that I would need to leave and come back to the next class. After speaking with several students who are taking your class, they explained that you have a policy stating that students who arrive more than 15 minutes late will not be admitted to class.
As of yesterday evening, I was interested in three different Monday night classes that all occurred simultaneously. In order to decide which class to select, my plan for the evening was to sample all three and see which one I like most. Since I had never taken your class, I was unaware of your class policy. I was disappointed that you dismissed me from class considering (1) there is no way I could have been aware of your policy and (2) considering that it was the first day of evening classes and I arrived 1 hour late (not a few minutes), it was more probable that my tardiness was due to my desire to sample different classes rather than sheer complacency.
I have already registered for another class but I just wanted to be open and provide my opinion on the matter.
Regards,
xxxx
—
xxxx
MBA 2010 Candidate
NYU Stern School of Business
xxxx.nyu.edu
xxx-xxx-xxxx
The Reply:
—— Forwarded Message ——-
From: scott@stern.nyu.edu
To: "xxxx"
Sent: Tuesday, February 9, 2010 9:34:02 PM GMT -08:00 US/Canada Pacific
Subject: Re: Brand Strategy Feedback
xxxx:
Thanks for the feedback. I, too, would like to offer some feedback.
Just so I've got this straight...you started in one class, left 15-20 minutes into it (stood up, walked out mid-lecture), went to another class (walked in 20 minutes late), left that class (again, presumably, in the middle of the lecture), and then came to my class. At that point (walking in an hour late) I asked you to come to the next class which "bothered" you.
Correct?
You state that, having not taken my class, it would be impossible to know our policy of not allowing people to walk in an hour late. Most risk analysis offers that in the face of substantial uncertainty, you opt for the more conservative path or hedge your bet (e.g., do not show up an hour late until you know the professor has an explicit policy for tolerating disrespectful behavior, check with the TA before class, etc.). I hope the lottery winner that is your recently crowned Monday evening Professor is teaching Judgement and Decision Making or Critical Thinking.
In addition, your logic effectively means you cannot be held accountable for any code of conduct before taking a class. For the record, we also have no stated policy against bursting into show tunes in the middle of class, urinating on desks or taking that revolutionary hair removal system for a spin. However, xxxx, there is a baseline level of decorum (i.e., manners) that we expect of grown men and women who the admissions department have deemed tomorrow's business leaders.
xxxx, let me be more serious for a moment. I do not know you, will not know you and have no real affinity or animosity for you. You are an anonymous student who is now regretting the send button on his laptop. It's with this context I hope you register pause...REAL pause xxxx and take to heart what I am about to tell you:
xxxx, get your shit together.
Getting a good job, working long hours, keeping your skills relevant, navigating the politics of an organization, finding a live/work balance...these are all really hard, xxxx. In contrast, respecting institutions, having manners, demonstrating a level of humility...these are all (relatively) easy. Get the easy stuff right xxxx. In and of themselves they will not make you successful. However, not possessing them will hold you back and you will not achieve your potential which, by virtue of you being admitted to Stern, you must have in spades. It's not too late xxxx...
Again, thanks for the feedback.
Professor Galloway
There's a bit more context here, but the writer presenting it refers to Professor Galloway as "kind of a dick," and consequently is clearly not an academic who appreciates what a moment of Robin Hood justice this is.
Friday, May 27, 2011
Home decor of nerdy glee
This warms the cockles of my heart and makes my hand twitch instinctively toward the Mod Podge:
Image courtesy Jennifer Ofenstein.
Isn't that incredibly cool? I am thinking of perhaps a desk nook done in Victorian naturalist texts, damaged Audobon guides, cryptozoology sketches, with pressed leaves and flowers added for more color and texture. It would be glorious.
The same person does awesome paper-piecing patterns: Here's a great little tutorial on using them for greeting cards.
Image courtesy Jennifer Ofenstein.
Isn't that incredibly cool? I am thinking of perhaps a desk nook done in Victorian naturalist texts, damaged Audobon guides, cryptozoology sketches, with pressed leaves and flowers added for more color and texture. It would be glorious.
The same person does awesome paper-piecing patterns: Here's a great little tutorial on using them for greeting cards.
Friday, May 20, 2011
This blog gives me joy.
City Farmer News. Pay a visit.
Putting the means of production in the hands of the disenfranchised through training and education. Using simple technologies in ingenious ways to create permaculture. Reusing and repurposing everything to carve out a space for living things to thrive. Devising a way for humans to coexist with the necessities of life in a manner both pleasant and functional.
It's like the best sort of Utopian steampunk fiction, only it's news, with bylines and ledes and captioned photos. And it makes me go, "Hey -- maybe the world is gonna be okay after all."
Putting the means of production in the hands of the disenfranchised through training and education. Using simple technologies in ingenious ways to create permaculture. Reusing and repurposing everything to carve out a space for living things to thrive. Devising a way for humans to coexist with the necessities of life in a manner both pleasant and functional.
It's like the best sort of Utopian steampunk fiction, only it's news, with bylines and ledes and captioned photos. And it makes me go, "Hey -- maybe the world is gonna be okay after all."
Friday, May 13, 2011
Mixed media, Fiber jewelry, Strawberries, M
Image copyright Fanciful Devices.
These are awesome and cool and make me want to do a lot more fiber.
They initially appealed because M loves strawberry stuff, but I'm not sufficiently ironic and hip to not cringe at the little Indian (the artist is Uruguayan, and doesn't have my guilt issues on the subject). Then I became enchanted by the use of the appliques. Maybe they could be ironed onto fabric and cut out?
By the way, I bought some awesome enameled bells for M from this seller; impressively swift shipping! I got some chihuahua bells and some strawberry ones, which were sold with this lovely lovely style shot:
The transition there was strawberries. Yeah. Now hold onto your powdered wigs, ladies and gents, I'm making a sharp U-turn back to fiber.
I have some cabochons which are clear acrylic and magnify what's underneath, and I'm considering going through M's and my (mostly her) quilting fabric stash for small patterns that would look nice under a fisheye magnification. I think this might be a nice, easy, lower-priced assembly project, maybe with a little beading -- I really am starting to work at a level I need to charge higher prices for, so it would be good to have a lower-end point-of-sale or niece-gift product which doesn't scream, "I'm reselling pot metal shaped by small children in Malaysia or Hong Kong!" (Actually, Hong Kong is supposed to be tightening up regulations, last I heard. Snaps for Hong Kong if this is the case.)
Fiber. Strawberries.
I used hemp and polyester ribbon in this one:
Available here.
TERRIBLE light. Dear God, I need to retake those.
Yeah, this post is not remotely topical.
Friday, May 6, 2011
This is a thing.
Today, I finished my makeup (I wear makeup now; I deserve praise for this, even though it's only powder/blusher), put my eyes back on, looked in the mirror, and said, "Oh, God, I'm dressed like an Etsy seller today."
Not sure why this occurs. Dark jeans, black sweater, brightly colored necklace, thrift-store Mary Janes, and my hair styled in its usual manner (i.e., run a brush through it, drag in a stretchy headband, pretend the Hermione-esque waviness and body were deliberate). Admittedly, the headband today is a cheap mass-produced one that I bought for four dollars at Ross, because ethical all-handmade consumption is not actually all that affordable, but people ask me all the time if I made it. So there's that.
And yet somehow, all it needs to be the perfect "artsy-artist commie weirdo look," as I described it to M, is a beret. I do have a beret. It's wool and from the 50s and slightly mothnibbled on one side, and it fits my big head, and I love it, and I am still slightly ashamed because my grandfather picked it up at a yard sale about six or seven years ago, and I plucked it off his head and stole it from him.
Is an interest at costuming prerequisite for this?: I always feel most confident when dressed to a theme. I rarely think of a theme when I am actually dressing. But if I glance in the mirror and go "Dude -- I just walked out of a Degas painting," or "Wow -- poor bohemian at a job interview much?", I feel better about my clothing choices. This is part of the reason steampunk appeals to me so much; it gives me a clear self-presentation that doesn't preclude any of the clothes I love, like "gypsy" skirts (yes, I know that's racist) or shirtwaists or military jackets or hell, even blue jeans.
I was going to wear my new fedora, a gorgeous creation in heather-grey tone-on-tone polka dots with trim and feathers, but M said "Artsy hipster is artsy!" so I took it off. Maybe Monday.
Available here.
Not sure why this occurs. Dark jeans, black sweater, brightly colored necklace, thrift-store Mary Janes, and my hair styled in its usual manner (i.e., run a brush through it, drag in a stretchy headband, pretend the Hermione-esque waviness and body were deliberate). Admittedly, the headband today is a cheap mass-produced one that I bought for four dollars at Ross, because ethical all-handmade consumption is not actually all that affordable, but people ask me all the time if I made it. So there's that.
And yet somehow, all it needs to be the perfect "artsy-artist commie weirdo look," as I described it to M, is a beret. I do have a beret. It's wool and from the 50s and slightly mothnibbled on one side, and it fits my big head, and I love it, and I am still slightly ashamed because my grandfather picked it up at a yard sale about six or seven years ago, and I plucked it off his head and stole it from him.
Is an interest at costuming prerequisite for this?: I always feel most confident when dressed to a theme. I rarely think of a theme when I am actually dressing. But if I glance in the mirror and go "Dude -- I just walked out of a Degas painting," or "Wow -- poor bohemian at a job interview much?", I feel better about my clothing choices. This is part of the reason steampunk appeals to me so much; it gives me a clear self-presentation that doesn't preclude any of the clothes I love, like "gypsy" skirts (yes, I know that's racist) or shirtwaists or military jackets or hell, even blue jeans.
I was going to wear my new fedora, a gorgeous creation in heather-grey tone-on-tone polka dots with trim and feathers, but M said "Artsy hipster is artsy!" so I took it off. Maybe Monday.
Available here.
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Treasury Wednesday: Kiwi and Honeysuckle Kitchen
This one was inspired by how much cooking I've been doing lately! Incidentally, the bread recipe I linked last time I was yammering about my kitchen works with half-white, half-whole wheat flour, but not with all wheat, and if using wheat the water should be increased by a splash.
I also focused on pink, since "Honeysuckle" is technically supposed to be the Pantone Color of the Year. I'm less than pleased since Honeysuckle is Not a Nice Plant in the South, but hey. Pink is nice. Right? This is really more of a salmon pink, though.
I also just love food-inspired jewelry, from mini polymer clay birthday cakes to ganache-colored tiaras or what have you. It thrills me.
Salmon pink and leaf green in cookery-inspired designs.
I also focused on pink, since "Honeysuckle" is technically supposed to be the Pantone Color of the Year. I'm less than pleased since Honeysuckle is Not a Nice Plant in the South, but hey. Pink is nice. Right? This is really more of a salmon pink, though.
I also just love food-inspired jewelry, from mini polymer clay birthday cakes to ganache-colored tiaras or what have you. It thrills me.
'Culinarily Speaking' by tangopig
Salmon pink and leaf green in cookery-inspired designs.
 Himalayan Pink Sea ... $3.00 |  Baby Buckwheat Spro... $15.00 |  DESTASH Assorted Fr... $11.75 |  Piece of my Heart -... $8.50 |
 Salmon Necklace - W... $20.00 |  LILY Tea time fab... $38.00 |  Gourmet Salt Trio -... $7.99 |  Persistence $10.00 |
 Super Cupcake Nom f... $6.99 |  bowl scallop pink $18.00 |  Profiteroles Pyrami... $40.00 |  Valentine Buttercre... $12.95 |
 Baked Potato Bag Mi... $ |  Original 3.5x5 -- F... $50.00 |  Fresh Tomato Leaf S... $5.00 |  Sweet Cherries - Fo... $30.00 |
Treasury tool is sponsored by Lazzia.com A/B image testing.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)