On my mind this week, 17 October 22

Five things that I've been thinking about this week.

1. World Mental Health Day

This week saw many speak out and offer support around mental health. Last year I shared a post about how photography helped me. I thought was worth sharing again.
 

2. Code as art

A friend of mine, @danb_zzo, launched a new art project this week via an app glitchiO It’s a generative work that explores the space inside randomness and glitch. Inspired by analogue VHS tape noise, damaged video cassettes and dirty VCRs
 

3. Science

Specifically, thinking about the link between the very big and the very small. Prompted by the Astronomy Picture of the Day on 14th October of the Falcon 9 rocket travelling the Hunter’s Moon. It reminded me of school science book illustrations of human egg fertilisation.
 

4. Further Education

My youngest is in his GCSE year of secondary school and is adamant that he doesn’t want to take A-levels. This means we’ve been looking at colleges that offer TV/film production-related courses, for which there are not many. The UK education system appears great for traditional academic subjects, but as soon as you look to the arts, well, students are stuffed. The only routes available are A-levels or tech colleges which means one or two years of wasted time before they can focus. While TV and film alone are worth £7–8 billion per year in the UK, we provide so little to open the paths for 16–18-year-olds, why?
 

5. Electric motorcycles

Reading through this Yanko Design article Top 10 Electric Bikes that are perfect for adrenaline lovers, it hit me how similar all the designs are. Why so much 90’s apocalyptic manga-influenced brutalist design? I’m sure none of the designers have ever ridden a motorbike.

Latest thoughts

When was the last time you just sat and thought?

In our always-on culture, being ‘busy’ has become normal. It robs us of the space to truly think.

I often hear people say, ‘If only I had time to think things through.’ But I wonder: is it really a lack of time—or is it a lack of willingness?

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