Wednesday, August 31, 2011

How the world will fall into an enevitable horrible future and how I will use my powers of design to help change it...hopefully

Hello everyone who believes I ignore this blog. It is I, AGAIN.

So recently at Uni I was shown this video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gLBE5QAYXp8

And aside from the annoying american accent of the speaker, her over use of loaded language and the simplistic and sometimes inaccurate explanations,

I TOTALLY AGREE WITH HER.

Basically what she said is that the way business uses resources at the moment it completely wasteful. We take our resources, we turn them into things we need, we buy the things we need, we use the things we need and all the rest if discarded.

So lets take a look at all the stuff we throw out:
Bottles, plastic bags, cardboard, broken plates, bowls and other cutlery, food that has gone bad, tissues, tins and various seeds.

So after a quick analyse of what we've actually thrown out I have come to a conclusion that 90% of it (or round abouts) is packaging. So this got me thinking even more, what exactly does packaging do?

Well it:
1. Protects the product during transport
2. Holds the product
3. Advertises the product.
(this is as a general rule as some packaging does other things like keep food cool and stuff like that)

That's not a lot of things. In addition, we could use other things to hold the product. Like imagine going to the super market with a canvas bag to hold your cereal and then you can hold it in a jar when you get home. You can reuse the canvas bag. You can go to the butcher with a container designed to keep food cool, put all the meat you want in it and then put the container in the freezer. No need for plastic containers with are just gonna end up in land fill.

If a system like this could be implemented, then stuff would cost less and there would be much less waste. In addition, the retailer could order product in bulk and in a way that required less packaging like ordering 40 kg of oats in a canvas bag instead of 80 boxes of 500g oats. You'd save so much cardboard and the consumer would save money too! You could buy 1 cardboard sign to say what brand of oats they are and the consumer, the retailer and the world would all save!

You might say I'm being idealistic, but this isn't actually a new system. It was the previous system before all these boxes and packaging. In my mother's time, biscuits were sold individually in paper bags, and people who wanted lots, would bring their tins. Before that, cereals were sold by weight, and consumers would scoop the stuff they need. In fact if you could sell almost all supermarket products like this. Cleaning powders, liquids, and other chemicals or liquids could all be sold like this. Same with and sort of powders, cereals and other simlar products.

But this kind of system doesn't just stop at supermarkets. You know, that electronical waste is also a huge problem. Most of a computer don't change a lot over time, its only things like power supplies, hard drives, CPUs and video cards. All of which can be bought individually. However, parts cost so much these days that its easier and sometimes cheaper to buy a whole new computer! The entire old computer is thrown out. 99% of the computer is still good and can be used! Did you know copper is rare now because of all the electronics we use? Copper is in them all. When we thrown out an old electronic appliance, we throw out the copper. What a waste.
If industry actually made parts cheaper, we would consume copper a LOT slower and we'd still have just as fast and upgraded computer if we bought the parts individually. Better yet, the place you by computers from could have an electrical technician that could upgrade your computer in from of your eyes if you brought it over and asked for it!

This can also be applied for all the Ipads, Iphones and other smart technology. Sure they might not get thinner, but really, how thin do you need it? It sits in your pocket for goodness sake :P

This kind of system could be applied to almost any product! We'd save SOOOO much waste. Also we'd have to produce less, which means we'd useless resources and everyone would save money, and this means you'll have more money to spend on other things. Less use, means more savings.

Wouldn't it be nice?

Thing is, if we don't try something to try and stop the waste, we WILL EVENTUALLY RUN OUT. The world, just can't produce things at the rate we use them.
Someone is gonna have to change the way we do things or there are gonna have to be breaks and we'll have to break HARD. Last time I checked, braking hard can really really hurt.

So maybe one day I'll start a shop that sells stuff cheap and cuts back packaging.... we'll see. Anyway, keep this in mind :)

regards, Jonathan

Monday, July 18, 2011

My Life over the last few....how long was it again?

Hello everyone. Its been a long time since I posted on this blog and its about time I gave everyone an update on what's been happening in my life. I've been very busy and I'm gonna take the time to say what I've done.

Right so here are the areas of my life that have changed:

University
Uni is really fun. For those of you how have forget, I'm doing Communication Design at Swinburne in Prahran. I did 4 subjects last semester and I'm doing another 4 this semester. The 4 subjects i've done are:
20th Century Design: Basically design history and design philosophy
Design Studio: An explorational way of tackling design, where us students are encouraged to experiment with different ways of drawing or making marks or whatever. Its mostly done without computers, which was interesting.
Introduction to Communication Design: The basics of communication through pictures and graphics. Also it turned out to be very explorational in its approach too.
Typography: The study of text and type and its history. Really quite interesting.

Overall I've had a great time time with in my classes. I've loved all my subjects, but I liked typography the least, and loved my tutors for both Design Studio and Introduction to Communication Design. I learned some great lessons from my Typography teachers and my Intro teacher about presentation and the development of graphic ideas. Things like I've learnt that i'm really very good at doing bold things, but I haven't really explored subtly. This was really good feeback as its dimension of design which I haven't really explored yet. I've also learn that the more you explore the better your design will be. Mrs Clarke always told me "Ideas are King", but this has never been so true till now as ideas in this course really are the most important thing. The second most important thing is execution. You might have a 20 million dollar idea, but thats useless if you don't turn it into something that is worth 20 million dollars.
Anyway I could rant on about Uni all day, so I'll leave it there.

Here were my marks:
20th Century Design: D
Design Studio: C
Introduction to Communication Design: C
Typography: C

I was happy with these marks, but I reckon I'm a D's student, so I'm going to try and aim higher.

Work
For those of you who do not know yet, I work at Subway in Prahran. Now I'm getting my own money I'm not getting mum to pay for things like transport or Uni course expenses (mostly printing costs). The idea of working there has been to work there after my days at Uni. Sadly though, I haven't had a day there where I've actually gone there after Uni. And I've only been doing night shifts or closing shifts, which end at midnight. The biggest issue is that there is no public transport at that time of night, so I have no way to get home except by parental or Taxi, and I hate to pay for Taxis and the parentals hate picking me up at those times.
Aside from that, the job is fun. People love me at subway. I get tips, people love my singing, and I'm not a slow worker. And the pay isn't bompletely horrible. Its about $14 an hour which isn't bad as my shifts are about 6 hours in length. The people there are also really nice, so aside from my shift times and lack of public transport, thumbs up all round.

In other good news, about 5 days ago I had an interview for Game Traders in Chadstone. The guy seemed to like me so I hope I get the job. Chadstone is a lot easier to get to incomparison to Prahran, so we'll see what happens. I mean he did ask me for a Resume and a cover letter so he must be pretty confident that I can do the job. FINGERS CROSSED!

Activities
Normally my activities would be Youth Group and Choir, however I've decided to take up a long awaited activity I've been meaning to try, a martial art. Luckily, one of my friends, Luke, goes and does Ninjutsu every week and I've been tagging along. It's lots of fun and there are enough lessons so I can go around Uni and work. Its not very expensive and its made me realise a few things about my body too. Oh yeah and it keeps me in good shape. Sadly though, becuase of work I've had to stop going to youth group as its on a friday night, which I suppose is a problem, but I've stopped learning new things at Youth Group anyway. Choir is heaps of fun as usual. I"m in a 5 person male singing group called Icthy Crochets, which is hilarious and heaps of fun. Yeah also these holidays I helped Viv with her year 12 film, which took up a good weeks worth of time, but was very fun.

Family life
My family life is a bit of a problem with me. As I grow up and gain my independance, my family (mainly my mother) grows more and more needy. She grows more needy because of Papa, who has been living with us for over a year now. Papa, with age, is getting increasingly slower, getting pain in new areas of his body and feeling even more scared about death and depressed about the fact that he cannot do all the things he has wanted to because his eyes, reflexes, muscles or mind just aren't up to the task. All he does all day is read, sleep, eat, drink alcohol and get confused because he doesn't know what new age stuff we are all taking about. This has been taxing on my mother and her nerves and time and because of which she has needed my help even more than ever. Along with the parties she has had to throw for myself, my dad and my older sister, she has been unable to find time for herself (as usual). This makes her stressed and annoyed at me, because I'm here most of the time. Dads is about as emotionally useful as pretty goldfish. In fact, he's even worse than a pretty goldfish as his clothes need washing and he needs to be fed. He talks a lot and works but can't really help mum deal with her emotional issues due to his inability to take any form of stress. So the job to help my mother goes to me. Which sucks as I don't want to do what I want with my life and don't really wanna be weighed down by my families issues.

Relationships
As usual my relationships with my friends has been really good. I'm happy I've been able to see them so much these holidays. I'm looking forward to catching up with my Uni friends a little more as now all my friends in highschool have gone back to school. So that will be good. As many of you might know I've got a girlfriend. She's brilliant for me and cares for me and what I do. We often have a great time together and we've been on about 5 or so dates by now and many other small get togethers. Her name is Talia and we communicate almost everyday. Its great. I love her and she loves me and its all gooey goodness. I mean there is a slight issue that she's 15, but I don't really find that an issue when we're together. I probably should date someone my age, but I didn't know her age when we started going out and she's probably the best girlfriend I've had so far as she has time for me, she organises get togethers and she actually cares about me, which is a massive improvement on the last two. SHE IS INTERESTED IN MY CARD GAME! (so obvoiusly, she must be the one, lol jokes). But yeah she's very good for me.

Personal Goals
As most of you know I've got quite a few personal goals in my life. lately I've been concentrating on my card game. This is mainly due to Card game day. Aside from that, the goal has been getting through my video games, books and other such things. Recently, however I made a goal to draw a super awesome comic/cookbook for my friend as she loves food. I dunno how long its gonna be, but I've set out the panels already and I'm pretty sure its gonna be awesome.

Hope thats enough information to inform you of my recent life.
Thanks for reading!

Monday, May 16, 2011

Pokemon Hits and Misses part 1

I am an avid fan of Pokemon. I have played all the games except the Black and White (I'm yet to get a copy of it) and beaten them all. I've attempted to catch them and failed in every game. I'm not a pokenerd, however I do like competitive pokemon battling. There is still much I have to learn, but from what I do know, there are a few things in the pokemon world that seriously suck and somethings with are AWESOME.

This update is dedicated to that.

MISS
-Bidoof

Honestly, if people get paid to make up pokemon, the person who made this should give everyone who caught it, saw it and battled it a refund. It looks pretty terrible, its moves are pretty terrible and its name.....is so aweful it reminds me of an idiot. They should have named this pokemon "HerpaDerp".

And its evolution is even worse:






LOOK AT THIS THING! What is up with its eyebrows? Its fat and its also a water type. This is an insult to water pokemon. Its also really weak...

MISS



- Mime Jr.




There is very little I have to say about this pokemon that can't be explained just by looking at it. Its pink. It's got twiggy arms. It looks like its wearing a skirt (as is about to evolve into Mr. Mime?). It looks like its got a blue pile of poo for a hat. If that isn't enough for you to hate it, its voice on the TV show is terrible and it follows around after Team rocket. Enough said?

MISS
- Wynaut







When I first see this pokemon I see two things. It stands on balls to hold itself up (impractical and possibly painful) and it's got a MASSIVE pimple. The next thing I see is that its tail has an eye on it. Aren't pokemon supposed to be wild animals? if so, why do Wynaut exist? It wouldn't be able to move away quickly enough to run from any kind of animal, if it tripped and fell it'd be in MASSIVE PAIN (and probably not be able to get back up again) and that eye on its tail is just waiting to be blinded. Also its blue, it would attract predators.




MISS
- Slaking







Slaking is a pokemon that supposed to be a sloth crossed with a gorilla, which in itself isn't a bad concept. However part of this pokemon's problem is its REALLY ANNOYING. Its annoying due to the fact that half of every battle you use it in it is "loafing around",which means it does NOTHING. Not only that but it evolves from one of the most pimping pokemon out there, Vigoroth. And you wanna know the most annoying thing? If it didn't sleep all the time, it'd quiet easily be the strongest normal type pokemon due to its INSANE HEALTH, INSANE attack and INCREDIBLE attack pool. But due to the fact it sleeps half the time, it's just plain stupid.



MISS
- Gulpin





Gulpin is an issue mainly cause it looks like a blob. Usually, this wouldn't be an issue, (Look at Ditto for example), but it doesn't make sense taht it can eat everything. Firstly, if you've ever seen it open its mouth, its mouth cavity takes up ALL OF THE SPACE INSIDE ITS TINY FRAME. It actually has no space for organs. Its pretty evident that its either a zombie or a freak of nature. Also, when its not eating, WHY DOES IT LOOK LIKE IT'S TRYING TO KISS SOMETHING?



MISS
- Tangrowth



Tangrowth is an issue only because its a dodgy evolution of Tangela. It grows arms? Lame! I mean Tangela was a grass type based on a vine-like GORGON! And then it grows arms, fat and stubby legs and slightly taller? Why not grow SNAKES AS ITS HAIR?!?!?!? There was so much potential for something awesome, but it turned out terrible.



JON DISAPPROVES!



MISS (kinda)
- ICECREAM POKEMON!





At first I hated this pokemon. Its an icecream. It's not a pokemon. Its actually an icecream. It doesn't even look like anything besides an icecream. And it has a face. Its an icecream with a face (Watch out, it'll bite back), so its not like its even appetising. However, once I thought about it a bit I realised something. Its actaully hilarious. Imagine training this into a killing machine and winning with it. You'd be slaughtering your opponents....WITH.. AN... ICECREAM. It would be epic. However it sucks that "Lick" isn't super effective against it.



MISS
- WooBat



Its a Furball with a love heart for a nose and two bat wings. Sorry, but this is just so rediculous I cannot accept it. You send out Woobat, I send out Charmander. What is that Woobat gonna do, LOVE ME TO DEATH? I just don't see why it was created. ITS NOT EVEN CUTE! ITS UGLY!

MISS
- IS THAT ELECTABUZZ?
So this is electabuzz's evolved form. The first problem with this is that it doesn't follow electabuzz's cool patterns. It's black stripe down the centre look pretty terrible and the black fur either side of it looks strange. the second and more important problem is WHAT THE HECK ARE THOSE THINGS COMING OUT OF ITS BACK? I think they are supposed to be electrical cables, but they look a tad too much like tenticles, which reminds me of various other things THAT SHOULDN'T BE MENTIONED, nor exist.



Thats it for now. Tell me which pokemon you hate too. :D

Saturday, May 14, 2011

POST TOMORROW

I'm sorry readers for not posting often. I'll post a post tomorrow after I get his essay in ORDER!

I'm thinking I'm gonna make the next post about the High and Lows of Pokemon.

Tuesday, April 26, 2011

So I'm green

DEAR READERS. PLEASE NOTE I'M BEING A PATHETIC EMOTIONAL TEENGER WHO IS VENTING THROUGH THE USE OF HIS BLOG. IF YOU DON'T WANT TO READ ANYTHING THAT IS TO DO WITH MY LACK OF GIRLFRIEND, BECAUSE YOU ARE SICK OF THIS LOVE SICK BASTARD GOING ON ABOUT IT, THEN PLEASE DON'T READ THIS.
(I will not think badly of you for doing so.)


It is a strange feeling to be jealous. However, I suppose I'm jealous with good reason. I say that only because, all things considered, jealousy is a somewhat natural response in the situation I'm in.

I'm jealous of one of my best friends because the relationship he's in appears so easy. Don't get me wrong, I'm happy for him, (This is his first relationship) but the ease and speed of it is what I'm really annoyed about.

2 days ago he was at my house talking to me about this girl he got asked out by. He said they went on a date and while he enjoyed it, he was unsure about whether or not he really wanted to get involved in something so serious so quickly.


I'm not jealous of him because he's got a nice, intelligent girlfriend, but just the ease in which he's found himself in this relationship is annoying. And she asked him. That's important. I mean that means she wants him enough to actually get the courage to ask him out. It also means that she is willing to go out of her way to organise time to be together and drive the relationship. Its basically proof that she likes him.

I'm jealous because I'm absolutely busting to find a girl who likes me for who I am and who I can show I love them. I've always had to ask out girls I've liked and as a consiquence I'm the one driving the relationship. For the most part I don't mind that, but there comes a time where I wan to feel loved for what I do. When I needed that with my first girlfriend, I was denied it and we broke up. Since then I've been craving it. Craving the intimacy, the care someone has for me, the touch, ability to look into someone's eyes and know that the love I feel for her is also resiprocated in her towards me.

I know this sounds so cliche and "Forever alone"-ish, but its how I feel. What about me?

Thursday, April 21, 2011

Poem - The Knight and the Damsel

The Knight and the Damsel

Dear friend, dear friend,
Dear friend of mine.
Sometimes I think I know,
What's in your muddled mind.

There are times at which,
I think I see,
What you want,
And what you want of me.

But then you say "I want you"
And next you say "I'm scared"
Yet you cling to me so deperately,
Because your dream has teared?

You have a knight, a noble one,
One of grace and trust,
But his shine can't compare to mine,
And neither can his thrust.

But I don't want to duel him down.
I might have tried to, once.
But my wits are sharper than my sword,
So I lost my ignorance.

But it's not all that's gone,
Another has evolved,
As my ignorance turned to wisdom,
My love for you dissolved.

It pains me to say it,
For it is sad but true.
Now I have no more love,
I only lust for you.

I even think I told you once.
I told you I not playing that game.
But you want me to play so much,
Because the world you're in is so tame.

I'm all for satisfaction,
But this is a trap.
I'd satisfy my body, not my heart,
Where's the real stisfaction in that?

My vision that keeps me shining,
My idea of what I want to be,
Would be contradicted and destroyed,
If I fulfilled your fantasy.

I know you long for someone else,
But that someone cannot be me.
You've got filled hands, an empty heart,
But that is all you see.

Tuesday, April 5, 2011

Lunch time FTW!

Lunch time is probably one of my favourite times of the day. It is good because it is only ever either busy (Due to family relatives coming over for a good time)or very peaceful and calm. And at lunch time all your thinking about is lunch. which is good.

It's better than dinner because at dinner you also feel inclined to sit round a table with your family and listen to what everyone has done that day. While this might seem better than lunch due to the social experience of your loving family, anyone who has lived in a family like mine (even for a day) would know dinner table conversation often ends up in a fight, an arguement, someone complaining about something you don't care about or people are too tired and grumpy to have a proper civilised meal. In addition, dinner conversation is completely subject to the what good shows are on the telly. If a good show is on, dinner table conversation will be completely muted in favour of whoever's face is on the screen. (However, in televisions defence, at least the face on the TV doesn't argue with you).

Lunch time, unlike other meals of the day, offers quiet time for reflection and idea generation, which as a creative thinker I find very valuable. It is at times like lunch time where I can come up with stories and concepts that help me realise things about myself and who I am. For some strange reason, lunch time is where these ideas come to me most clearly, and it is due to this personal phenomenon lunchtime gives me a greater amount of satisfaction in comparison to any other meal time.

Due to lunchtime I re-realised my belief that people are fundamentally good and that I have faith in humanity. I like making stories and coming up with ideas that make people value the world that they live in. Ultimately we're stuck in this world, so why focus on the negative if you don't have a positive to work towards? This is why I want people to see the positives in their live and appreciate them and I want to include that into all the creative work I do.

I hope by reading this you'll realise the value in a time of the day you probably didn't really think much about before. So, next time you find yourself munchin on deliciousness at (close to) midday, take a moment to admire the time you have to think.

In short, lunchtime FTW!