17 January, 2007

A whole new year out there. Fantastic. Having just spent a week in Nelson wandering around craft places, relaxing, eating and reading a fantastic issue of Computer Arts Projects on Urban Art I am feeling remarkably recharged. It’s nice when the cylinders start firing in unison again. I have started working on stencils for more t-shirt ideas and have been sewing up new shorts and trouser designs (the Trouser Project continues). Lovely start to the year.

I have had a few panic moments lately where I felt I should be looking for ZYPE projects before remembering I have paid holidays now. It is a truly weird feeling and in the ultimate act of inappropriate guilt I feel like a bit of a leech…I am getting over it though. The last two years, on reflection have seen fairly large changes in my life and I’ve got that same feeling I get after doing something a little bit reckless and dangerous, namely tingly feet and a bit of adrenaline in the system. Looking back the move to teaching was relatively quick and took a lot of preparation time. I’d forgotten about the time I spent before the training working my tits off getting money together to cover as much of the training year as possible and this last year was a bit nuts with all the course creation that went on. I think it’s all going to make the next few years that much sweeter.

I had a small shock last night as I tried to use Windows XP and found the basics irritating. Another reflective moment as I realised I’ve been using Linux successfully for about a year and have started to see it as the norm. Interestingly the way I use and organise my desktop is now closer to that of a Mac which makes moving between my partner’s computer and mine a lot smoother. I’m sure there is method to the madness.

Today, I have a door to strip, a stencil to print and trousers to make. School can wait a bit longer…