Friday, November 11, 2005

* a designed achievement *

Walking into my father’s office, you are immediately confronted with certificates of achievements. Most are intimidated by his excellence and some are inspired. The certificates are diverse in their design and contents. Most are written in Latin making their contents only known to him and others who were forced to learn the forgotten language. By their design, I am sure they were not received for excellence in 'track in field' or 'archery extraordinaire'. Rather you get a sense of true academic achievements. This never misunderstood for him trying to "show off", rather a true sense of accomplishment.

As far back as I can remember I was always intrigued by the intricate ornamental design implicated in each certificate. There is a major difference if you take any of his 20 or so certificates and place it next to my college degree. Some modernists are anti ornamental – with good reason. But even a modern education deserves a diploma resembling the looks of a Morris & Company Catalogue Are designers still capable of designing with their hands? What would it be like to pick up a pen with exchangeable nibs prior to sitting down and opening? Maybe computers are designers biggest handicap. Rather than enhancing our design abilities, it could be ruining our profession. I miss the flow of the pen and the imperfections of each letter. Who cares if there is a smear here and there?

A couple of week ago, I scanned some of the certificates in. Here ya go!


Wednesday, November 02, 2005

*and another*

*Quotes Of The Day*

"In the middle of thinking about the fame that my works were bringing me I would say to myself, 'Very well, you will be more famous than Gogol, Pushkin, Shakespeare, Moliere, more famous than all the other authors in the world - so what?' And I would find absolutely no reply."

- Leo Tolstoy
"Confessions," November 1879


"There is no subject so old that something new cannot be said about it."

- Fyodor Mikhailovich Dostoyevsky


"Never let school interfere with your education."

- Mark Twain

Tuesday, November 01, 2005

*THREE ZoshenkoS*

"I was born in 1895. In the last century! This distresses me terribly.

I was born in the 19th century! Probably because of this I lack sufficient courtesy and a romantic view of our days -- I'm a humorist.

I know very little about myself.

I don't even know where I was born. Either in Poltava or in Petersburg. One document says one thing, another document says the other, Apparently, one of the documents is a forgery. It's hard to figure out which is the forgery, because they were both made so poorly.

There's even confusion with the years. One document says 1895, the other says 1896. Definitely a forgery.

I have had a lot of professions. I always speak of this without irony. Even with some surprise at myself.

The most interesting professions--besides the most varied military ones--were:

1. Student at Petrograd University.
2. Commandant of Post Office and Telegraph (under Kerensky).
3. Agent of Criminal Investigation. (Leningrad-Oranienbaum district).
4. Instructor of Rabbit- and Chicken-breeding. (Smolensk guberniya, city of Krasny, "Mankovo" Sovkhoz.)
5. Sentry militia-man. (In Ligovo).
6. Border Guard Telephone Operator.
7. Shoemaker.
8. Clerk for the Petrograd Military Port.

There were many other professions. I can't remember them all."

-ZOSHCHENKO NO. 2 "About Myself" (September 1927)

sovlit


{Spaceeba, KEVIN!!!!}