For the Experience of a Better Life

I have not slept for 2 weeks, the suitcases under my eyes are hording more and more baggage and I can only blame it on paranoia. Last weekend a man asked my sister which floor she was going to then he followed her up and continued to lurk near the lifts. When my brother in law went downstairs the same man got on and followed him up too. I called the police - I love how safe this place is sometimes.

A few days after my imagination fueled heard drilling coming from outside the hall. Its likely matience was fixing a lock but I still got up in the middle of the night and made sure the door was secure. If it wasnt for the random abandoned matress lying in the hall days earlier I think my mind might not have run away with itself so much.

Last night I heard blood curdling screams coming from the street below me in China Town. I dont usualy get up for this because its usually some drunk girl who has broken her heel but it was so intense I had to take a look. 5 security guards were around her and one was running up the street after a man while at least 10 people stood watching. I have no idea what happened.

A few hours later a well dressed man in a suit stood infont of a parked car and abused the shit out of it for 2 hours at the top of his lungs.

Windowsil hangs.

Cry me a River

- Snaps to the awesome hardcore references people post in their facebook status.

- Slaps to the 2 gentlemen in suits who sat sipping their latte's while watching me struggle with chairs to get to the front of the cafe only to stand up and pass me my coffee when it arrived. NOT COOL!

- Snaps to meeting random people in unusual places and making best friends with people in the lines for beer.

- Slaps to people who listen to Ipods on the way to work while looking down and not realising I am there untill they are sitting on my lap. NOT COOL!

- Snaps to T shirts of any kind, preferably V Necks or 'boy jumpers' which are super awesome to wear to bed.

- Slaps to seeing a dude wearing the Kate Moss T Shirt i recently bought and being disgusted that it actually looked better on him than me. NOT COOL!!

Nomads Land

This morning I had the misfortune of standing next to a woman who was taking loudly and incoherently to herself , a bag of rubbish in her hand. She looked to be in her 50's with short black hair and was very thin. When the lights changed and we crossed the road I made sure I slowed down to give her an opportunity to pass me but she cut me off, and for some reason didnt like it and hit me with her bag. Then she turned around,yelled at me and hit me with it again.

I have never seen her before and I don't know if I will see her again. At night they disappear, and in the day they roam. The mornings they sleep or wander around amorously, with take away coffee cups and chocolate chip muffins. 'Dreadlocks' feet are black, he sleeps on the steps of the church because its warm and never begs for money. I have seen him in the mornings drinking a cup of coffee at the cafe up the road like he was getting ready for a business meeting then spends his day laughing at things that are not there and walking up and down George Street.

Today I saw another young guy on the street with his face covered by his hoody. What I could see told me he was not homeless as much as he was a junkie - the sad thing is now I can pick the difference.

Eye Candy 101

I am a little worried about my teacher, if not for his very unusual teaching method of speaking in various accents, than for today's hot tip of 'Half your age and add 7, that's about right'

I am a bit at a loss for words.

You see I am caught in a conundrum because if i lie about my age than the 'right age' is under age...and if i admit my real age...than the 'right age' is still quite young and if someone my age could really pull someone the 'right age' than that's awesome but in the reality of the situation the 'right age' is really the 'wrong age' in society's view on cougar-ism which i think will eventually become an Olympic sport.

So in summery the following rules apply just like when you go into a display home; look but dont touch, if you break it than you bought it and remember to check where the cameras are before you do anything stupid.

Dream Big

I am going into my 4th week of study and i have already started thinking about what I should do when I finish. By the 2nd week of May I need to make up my mind if I will stay in Sydney and try and get work as a junior in a studio or head overseas and get an internship somewhere amazing for awhile. I am at a cross roads, not sure what I should do with my life and sometimes I wish someone would grab me, sit me down and tell me straight but I know its not that simple.

The reason I wanted to do this course in the first place was to become a better designer so I could make more intersting t shirts. Right now Hardknox is doing really well but I want to appeal to a wider audience and eventually some day it will be a semi successfull brand, or at least I will be designing for one. I know I am at least 10 years away from owning my own studio but if I work my ass off now and take it seriously I know I can achieve it. How I will fit overseas travels in...I guess I can make some allowances. :)

So the game plan is: Finish course, gain internship, help best mate out with his bodyboarding brand and move to JB. Not in that order but its deffently a go-er.

When your my Herion

A few weeks ago I was deeply moved by the realisation that there were so many homeless people in China Town. Every time I saw them I felt a pang of guilt, remorse even, that they were living their lives this way. It sadened me to a point that when I talked about it I felt an obligation to help. But alot of peoples attitudes were the same 'They choose to live that way so dont worry about it.' and that has been extreamly offputting.

Over time I have learnt to walk on by without thinking about where they will sleep tonight or if they will have enough to eat. Instead I glance over and think 'I wonder where they got that pen to write that sign' why my attitude has changed I dont know.

The young homeless guy that resides around the corner from my building has emerged again. He looks so tired and yesterday I know he spotted me from across the street sitting on the sidewalk, petting his dog. I dont think I would be able to live with myself If I didnt try and help him at some point but the question still remains; 'What if I did and he then relyed on it? What will happen to him if I left?' and a small part of me wonders if he will attack me.....why would I become a monster? Why would I loose compassion? Will I eventually be the one saying they choose that life?

Home this weekend. Normal cups of tea, vegetables and an oven. Loads of laundry and my CD collection. I feel like I have been away forever instead of a few weeks.

WNKRS and their Design Principles

I know its important to learn all the design principles because its one thing to be an excellent artist, photographer, illustrator or designer but if you refuse to learn anything about ballance, contrast or hierachy your artwork is going to look like a piece of shit; and that is where I have a million bad habits.

One of the things we are required to do every Tuesday is search for a design studio we love, find 3 images and get up in front of the class and explain why we love them. So far everyone has picked safe, symetrical boring things with all the right elements that make me want to slit my wrists in frustration. YUCK! Why is everyone playing it safe when all the things I love are so heavy? I dont want to be a graphic designer; I want to be the best artist/typographer/illustrator I can be without playing it safe too much. I would rather stand out because my work is more dynamic and if that means its not visual porn to some but sex on paper to others than I am content. Perhaps I am in need of a major attitude reconstruction about what I think is art and what is design? I guess time will tell the sort of designer I will be.

Anyways, because I cant share the art I love in class I thought I would do it here instead. These guys are great because they inspire me with their concepts. I hope one day I am at the same level they are and some nerdy kid with a blog is posting about me.

http://www.arronandrews.com/#/portfolio/book 1/