Nick Reviews

Like my previous project,Nick is a poet, I’m starting a new sub-blog called Nick Reviews. This blog is designed solely for my opinions on Movies. I do watch a lot of them, and might have a few words to say about them.

It all came about with a writing exercise for my creative class. We were given the task to write a review. I enjoyed the process, plus I also enjoy giving an opinion without spoiling the movie. There is no need to give the plot away. There are so many other things you can review a movie besides the plot. Acting motivations, cinematography ( if anything cool ), and general feeling.

The whole idea is to improve and tweak my writing style, plus to learn more about the industry. I hope you pop by and take a look.

Update: 2018ya, no link. it’s very much a dead project. Unfortunately I can’t yet find the archives for this.

Keeping up with the Jones’

Site update of: http://www.vamcdonald.com

I’ve been working on my friend Vanessa’s site for some times. For the original site I think we collaborated quite well to give a gallery feel. However that was some time ago. As a bit of an internet enthusiast, I felt the pressure to update her site with the times. I’ve learned a lot since the original site, and every time I clicked “view source” i could see all of those learning. So update it was.

Hanging The Art

I know the code isn’t perfect, but I’ve made it so that adding and removing pieces from the website has the feeling of hanging real art. There is the step back to wonder if it’s aligned in proportion to the piece next to it. There is the hand sign of moving the image up or down “just a shimmy”. If the site was to be a gallery, then hanging should be no different.

Web 2.0

I’m not a fan of catch phrases. Especially when it comes to fad phrases like “Web 2.0″. It’s essentially the same stuff that’s been around for a while, except a few javascript libraries, some faded backgrounds and large fonts have all spun together. Someone I guess just needed to find one phrase to encompass it all. Well, which some AJAX, some XHTML, CSS and even some bulky fonts here and there with a dash of gradient, I’ve tried to keep up.

Realign vs Redesign

I wanted to take a page out of Carmon Moll’s article about Redesign vs Realign. I wouldn’t call myself a great designer by far. But if I could follow a couple of guidelines, I could be not half bad.

All in All

It was a pretty good venture to try and keep up to par with the virtual world. Lots of cursing because of IE. Lots of problem solving, and a bit of craziness. But all in all, it’s out in the world to view. Take a look, feedback is always welcome.

Be a Detective

I’m a liar. Not to friends and family, but I lie to myself. We all have done it. It’s the power and beauty of denial. The best part about it is we aren’t even aware of it. And when one is engaged in the act of personal development it will happen. You will be thrown off track by a faulty lead. Perhaps even more then just one.

Denial is a great tool to be able to live day-by-day. It’s all part of the survivor instincts. Why wallow on something or some part of you when you are being chased or when you should be hunting to feed your family. It’s counter productive. But then again their are times when you should confront it, because the issue in itself is causing counter productivity.

Denial is like a criminal. Some disguise themselves in suites and smiles. Others tend to be more vicious and seedy. Yours is just as diverse. Memories are altered for protection; false observations are made to make you feel better. So to cut through all of this, we need to treat ourselves like a cop would treat a suspect. The law is blind. It uses fact, and so should you. If your answers are arbitrary or vague, come up with proof. In business they have a 360 survey. They ask direct reports, peers and leaders about one person, you. And somewhere in the middle of all the questions, the truth is born. For you, create a case file. My own personal case file is becoming more like a mystery everyday. There are new suspects popping up, key suspects are changing and new plot lines being discovered all the time. I’ve even been the key suspect several times.

Some of you feel that you are like Shaft ,Columbo or Kojak and are the lone detective cracking the case. But for some, the lone wolf path isn’t right. Don’t be afraid to find a partner; don’t be afraid to admit, “I can’t do this alone”. After all, when you are one of the suspects, how could you trust all of your own answers?

My one bit of advise is to find someone neutral. We would all like to have our family and loved ones be our partner. But sometimes, through their best interest and projections, they throw in some curve balls themselves. This is why counselors and coaches exists. These are people who care about your well being, but understand the fine line. They are professional detectives.

Regardless of how you decide to handle your own denial, keep in mind it’s there. Although my analogy could help look at it more objectively, don’t beat yourself up. There is no need to lock yourself in an interrogation room. The act of questioning is enough. The act of realizing that you can lie will open up a new possibility in finding out who you really are. The act of asking the tough questions is all it takes to unlock your own mystery.