Posts Tagged 'random'

Still here!

Just a wee note to say that I haven’t fallen off the face of the earth, just half way. And you know what? It was kinda nice.

My Mac cable went kapütt, so my mac eventually went into permasleep for a week and it gave me a chance to step away for a bit. Yes, I was on H’s PC doing the necessary work that needed to be done and on my iPhone, however, I did take, for me, quite a huge step back from my digital life.

I’m working as many hours as possible at my shop job for mulah, because it’s evil and makes the world go round. Unfortunately I can’t change this, so I have to join it. Also, I’m trying to figure out (still – like I’ve been doing since the beginning) to figure out where I’m going. As you might have noticed there isn’t work for me here in Edinburgh and in 2 weeks, I’ll be that much older and that less employable.

I find it funny, because people in the industry complain and don’t understand why I want it so much. Because it’s me. That’s it, that’s that. I don’t know what else to do and anything else I would have to go back to school for and then there are no promises of a job in the end for that either.

Between weddings, family meals, this illness/flu thing that I cannot-shake-for-the-life-of-me and paying work. The Blog has been neglected. I apologise.

I’ll end on two things: 1. I was told this past weekend that eventually you need to give up on your dream and find somethign else. Well, that does make sense in a practical way, but it would make me feel like a complete failure and 2. If I do change my destiny, what do I do with this blog?

p.s. Happy American Thanksgiving: remember to be thankful for all the little things you might take for granted each day. That’s what the day is truely about, and everyday should really be about. Friends, family, being lucky enough to have food on your table, much less choice. Clothes on your back and a roof over your head.

I am thankful for all of these things and so much more.

Theme tune

Belle & Sebastian

Belle & Sebastian

I live under the deluded, however sometimes comforting, generalisation that everyone shares the same quirks as myself. For example, that certain songs written were meant for you. Maybe they aren’t you word fro word, but they touch you in a way you feel you’ve never been touched before.

unfortunately, it is disappointing to find that the same song has affected or moved even one other person in the same or similar way. But should one person hear it, think of you or send it your way – well that’s your year made.

Life really is about the little things.

A Waiting Game

Right now I am a person of many hats. I am the creative,  the intern, the traffic department, production and accounts.  What I find most difficult about this is waiting on other people. Drives me nuts.

Soooo….I’m going away! Yeah it’s been planned for months, but I’m really going to try and forget about everything that is stagnant in the ‘Burg.

Reading Festival: here I come. Four days of camping; Three days of Rock and some of my old punk favourites; Two days of driving and One exhausting day at Alton Towers.

Brilliant.  Now, if the 20 days of rain that has blessed Great Britain will cease and give this Texan Gal some of the much missed sun she craves.

Forget iPhone lines


Forget iPhone lines
Originally uploaded by Darcie.

It’s all about the post office now.

Test from my iPhone

Inspired Procrastination

click to enlarge

Some, more personal, insight by Hugh Macleaod of gapingvoid. Clever writer and unique artist. Usually of the tech/media/ad variety and started on the back of people’s business cards. I came across him in 8 places all at once – not to mention he was working in the UK ad industry, in London, and is now living in Texas.


I plan to do a longer post about a few of life’s circles I’ve experienced recently, when I have more time.

Saved as "dontworry.jpg" - click to enlarge

Saved as "dontworry.jpg" - click to enlarge

and "imnotthatcruel.jpg" - click to enlarge

and "imnotthatcruel.jpg" - click to enlarge

My pick from today’s postsecret. Looking at the small titles, Frank Warren’s cleverness isn’t lost on me.

I am slightly procrastinating on the two briefs I have to have done by tomorrow night – and I am purposely not divulging too much information about them because they are “competition briefs” – meaning there’s a chance I won’t make it.

Being the full on type of person that I am, I signed up for Scotland and England instead of just one, which a. raises my chances (maybe?) and b. means instead of one week on one brief, it’s one week on two.

As a wise man said to me recently: you’re a creative, you’re insecure by nature. Let’s hope that’s all it is and everything I’ve been working on isn’t just shit.


Happy 4th of July – The irony is killing me…

TxKini
Originally uploaded by DarcieAnyone who knows me, knows, I’m not patriotic towards my country, but I
do appreciate America, and I am proud to be from Texas, but not the red, conservative, tumbleweed place that everyone believes Texas to be.
Although it’s ironic that I moved from the country that gained independence from Britain to Britain, I still feel a special place in my heart on the United States Independence Day, good ‘ol 4th of July.

A man walking by me this morning was even whistling Yankee Doodle Dandy, so I must radiate it.

The 4th of July to me, and probably many other American’s is a warm summer morning waking up to watch a big parade in NYC on the television, then run outside to the nearby main road for the local parade, unless of coarse, I was participating in that years bike decoration contest and subsequently riding in the parade. That is an entirely different facet.

Getting a seat on the dew covered fresh cut green grass – I love the smell, watching the floats, catching candy, admiring the talent of the the performers and the floats.

Then go home, time to clean the house because a huge chunk of the family (probably up to 30+) are coming over to spend the day together. BBqing, swimming – my suit’s been on since I got out of bed, of course – eating, laughing, seeing new additions, seeing old ones. Friends coming over, American football games. The most relaxing, happy day of the year.

It’s not like christmas where people are greedy (children can’t help it, can they?) and others feel obligated. It’s a day to just be. Celebrate veterans if you want, celebrate the president, but no body does. We don’t let him give a speech on the day (thank god). Celebrate the fact that in one country you have deserts, mountains, rain forests, hills, glens, rivers, snow, beaches, friends and foes.

Sneak off for a nap so I don’t have to help my mom with the dishes…

It’s been 4 yeas and 2 weeks since I’ve lived ‘back home’; and 4 years since I’ve ‘celebrated’ a 4th of July properly – in Britain, after work, in the cold doesn’t really cut it. I did try to be home for it once, but fate had other plans.

I will however, receive a phone call tonight, from what is left of my all too quickly fleeting family, passing around the phone, all to wish me a happy 4th of July and that I’m missed.

To me, that is what today, July 4th, every year, is all about.

This recent break has been brought to you by:

My Vacation/Holiday!

A lovely margarita on Janie’s porch

I can honestly say I have no desire to return ‘home’ this time. Nothing for me there except my kitty. But alas, this is not an option. I will return sooner than later and hopefully with renewed gusto to fulfill my dreams – and not miss the sun.

Hope everyone is well.

Best,
D

Back To Good

Mark Davies and Phil Evans, both from The Leith Agency & myself @ The Roses Ad Awards

Yesterday was very refreshing. I had the opportunity to work from home – and by this I mean my own city. I saw the wee Scotsman I wrote about not so long ago, who always puts a smile on my face. I met Adrian & Tamsin at Mightysmall, who are as great as their reputations preceding them. They might not have realized it, but I really needed that meeting. It helped get my think tank going again and it was great to be around such passion and creative thinkers.

This is also why I love the coffee mornings Mike Coulter hosts at Centotre, Friday mornings at 8a.m. (till whenever you have to leave) – they always have an unobtrusive way of getting your mind rolling and leave wanting to take on the world, creatively for me, all at once.

I have been very busy with my new job, attending industry events, such as the Roses Ad Awards and the launch for Leith’s new Irn Bru Ad.

I go to Texas in two days to visit friends and family, this I am very excited about. One aspect of moving to a different country people don’t seem to take into consideration is you leave your support system behind. It’s reassuring to be around it once a year. Reminds me I’m not as odd as I think I am.

Whilst I’m there, I’m going to try and meet up with and agency or two in Austin, this was suggested to me yesterday and I thought it was a great idea. I am finding that it’s 50x easier to meet with people and discuss advertising and such when it isn’t under the pretense of a job. Funny that eh?

Mental Detox Rewind

Put it All Away!
I didn’t blog, per say, but I wrote during my train commutes in my moleskin, with the intentions of blogging it more often than just now, but better late than never I suppose.

Day 1, 21/04/08
My bit will include cutting down on texting, FB, tv – especially adding any new ones to my already watch list, blogging, flickr and will leave my computer alone at night.

I am still going to buy a Wii fit on Friday, but it can wait a few days maybe, or maybe not.

Won’t constantly use ipod, but now that I am commuting, will probably use it more than I do already, seeing as I don’t really use it THAT much. Will definitely be reading more and the music will distract from that, but sometimes it helps block out background noise or for calming my nerves on the first day (today!).

Day 2, 22/04/08
Definitely less FB, no texts, only 2 tv shows – which for me is almost unheard of! Computer at home for an hour, but was just an extension of work – yeah take home work already.

I didn’t use twitter at all, however am still thinking in twitter & fb status mind st at tehse points.

Trying not to use iPod on train. It’s a 1st Gen, 30gb, so the battery is shit. It dies rather quickly and the music is better when I need to focus at work..

Day 3, 23/04/08
Tuesday I watched NO TV at all! Insane.
Listened to my ipod for a wee bit, mainly meditation music on the way home from work as I had a killer headache and it kinda knocked me out.

***I have realised that headphones are good even if they aren’t on, to drown out noise and annoying people on the train, perhaps the ones who blare their hard core death metal at 7a.m.
I have actually started asking them to turn their music down – before this week even – not to be rude, very politely. Just because if it was my headphones and I didn’t realise it, well, I’d want to know that I was annoying everyone.***

Summary:
As predicted, everything was cut down, drastically, due mainly to my new job – as can be seen by my distinct lack of blogging. Between work and techless (read:painful) commuting -3G iPhone out soon!-, the semblance of a social life, marriage of one family member and death of another, I still haven’t been offered those extra hours in my day. Bugger.

I thought it would be the end on Friday with the Wii Fit, but I had a magazine launch to attend and didn’t deem it appropriate to carry a Wii Fit along to a cocktail event, then lug it home on the train from Glasgow. Now they’re all sold out and I’ll be fit-less and and more mentally detoxed for a bit :o/

I haven’t been home to play with it anyways.

I would have to say that I don’t really think I got much of a mental detox this week as just no time to do anything anyhow. My new job made sure to make up for anything that I might have been lacking. Although I did forget my phone at home one day and could have cared less. Felt a bit more free.

Social media: FB chat came out. I can attempt it in the background, but since what I am doing now is mainly writing and more than one thing at a time, it involves way too much concentration, but I do think it’s neat. Once I get my iphone, I hope to get to blogging regularly again during my commutes – and maybe catch up with the blogs I read as well!

if you got here, I’m impressed. Does anybody read blogs with this much text?!

Best,
D

Bathe with the dead

My new bath plug. Morbidly funny. He re dies daily =oD

Made by Alessi – first seen in my cool hunting book.

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