PHAMETRICS // 17

The Crew:
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School is in session, ladies and gentlemen. But I’ve only finished the first week, so it’s mostly just my end-of-summer wrap-up.

FEAST FOR THE EYES>>

  • The Happiness Hypothesis. Jonathan Haidt. Surprisingly fast read, or maybe I was just really interested in it. It was as fun and easy as Malcom Gladwell or Oliver Sacks, but definitely an interesting subject. I’d recommend it if you’re interested in the scientific side of happiness.
  • Hallucinations. Oliver Sacks. Speak of…I checked this book out from the library. Awww man does it feel good to be part of library. Even better–a school library as a grad student where they let you keep books for a semester. The book covers non-psychotic hallucinations of all types: visual, aural, smell…and that’s as far as I’ve gotten. It’s been interesting thinking about this book as we discuss perception in my seminar class.
  • Stop stealing sheep and find out how type works. Erik Spiekermann & EM Ginger. We got this book for free during orientation. I’m actually not sure if they gave it to us intentionally or if the company had just sent a bunch of copies to the design department and they were trying to get rid of them. I want to read it because I’ve heard its a pretty standard book for designers to read, but so far it’s a little unremarkable.
  • Prototyping: A practitioner’s guide. Todd Warfel. This is, as you might have guessed, for my prototyping class and I’m sure most of you are not interested in it. I’ve only read to first two chapters and I found them quick, but repetitive.
  • Designing Interactive Worlds with Words. David S Kaufer & Brian Butler. This is for my composition class and it’s a book that the professor wrote. I actually think I’ll enjoy the class and the book will cover what we talk about in class. I don’t know that I would recommend non-students reading it unless they want to change/improve how they write…and I wish we didn’t have to buy it since he’s going to be teaching us anyway :).

OVER AND OVER AGAIN>>

  • Loveable/Kind” by Farewell Milwaukee. It’s this super twangy and a little bit cheesy song that I absolutely love and listened to over and over again.
  • Hotdog” by Chris Powell. Well, maybe not “over and over again,” but it’s worth sharing ;).

COMPULSIONS>>

  • I am obsessed with the thought of getting a roomba. I have practically discounted it in my already broken budget.
  • Making lists and lists and lists of my schedule. I have a post-it note chart in front of my desk.

COMPUNCTIONS>>

  • I was freaking out about buying the right school supplies, as you know. And after going through the first week I just feel really dissatisfied with my choices. 
  • Getting used to Pittsburgh and making friends.
  • hate taking the buses here!!
  • I’m worried about trying to work while I’m in school, but also needing to work while I’m in school…

ENTHUSED>>

  • I really want to try to sign up for this calligraphy workshop with AIGA Pittsburgh next month. I hope I get it!
  • I’m really excited for my Design seminar course which is shaping up to be a design philosophy course. ::drool::
  • I was pretty obsessed with my watercolor drawings after I first got them. Now I hope that I can have time to make at least a watercolor a month.
  • Trader Joe’s. I had been to one before, but never as a food-conscious adult. Oh, my, goodness was it so wonderful. I lost it.

SIGHTS>>

  • California, family, and so much delicious food.
  • Safety Not Guaranteed.  I saw this with a friend, Diya. She really didn’t like it but I didn’t think it was that bad.
  • Punch-drunk love. Quirky, but I liked it.
  • Blue Valentine. I liked it, but it wasn’t as sad as everyone said it would be.
  • The Butler. Loved this move so much. It’s the kind of movie that has tense parts, but it’s the kind of tense where it’s like “This is so well-done.” Or maybe it was just me.
  • Mary and Max This was an independent, dark comedy claymation. Lost of descriptors. I enjoyed it.
  • Sherlock Holmes. Because I can’t spend all my time watching independent films.
  • Cathedral of Learning. This is the second tallest academic building in the world, the first being a building in Moscow. It’s a a super gorgeous building that looks like the architectural baby of Hogwarts and Batman’s Gotham tower. We went up to the 36th floor and we could see all of Pittsburgh. We didn’t get to see everything because it was closed, so I’ll have to go back.
  • Elysium. Better than I expected, but not something I would want to see again.
  • Oh Yeah! Cofee & Ice Cream Shop. Worth mentioning only because it was such good an interesting ice cream.
  • Steel City Improv. I got an improv group to preform a mix tape called “corgis in the snow”
  • Carnegie Art & Natural History museum. I already told you about this though.
  • German Sesame Street. I have this secret plan that I’m going to live in Germany during the summer and that I am going to watch German Sesame Street instead of actually taking classes twice a week to help facilitate it. Because…You know that’s how children did it. So far I’ve only watched it once so I’m more than a little behind.

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