After the launch

College Majors Visual Arts and Film Majors
1461

<p>Wow, an ex-football player writing bodice-rippers under a female name? Did someone predict that in his yearbook back in senior year? </p>

<p>Great story, fammom and I’m glad you got to relax and enjoy people after your Las Vegas weekend. I went to a multi-year HS reunion a few years ago. Smaller school, smaller classes and no busing, but it was great to see not only my best friends, but their older siblings and classmates too. The talk of that event was the cute-back-then boy, now gorgeous-and-gay man, and also the crazy-mean-teacher-that-you-hated, now what-is-doing-here-trying-to-talk-to-me? I didn’t talk to him.</p>

1462

<p>I am so late booking travel to Baltimore. Orientation starts on a Thursday and they say that on Thursday night you should plan to say goodbye. Glutenmom and Greenwich, was it that way for you at MICA? Was there any value hanging around on Friday (get stuff at Home Depot, buy art supplies)? Part of me wants to stay through Sunday just in case…</p>

1463

<p>Yep, that’s the way it is in our family too. The top earner (my B) never went to college save for some community college classes while employed. He now designs railroad signal systems all over the world for a major company.</p>

1464

<p>good morning all, if there is anything good about it that is…
Eeyoe prevails.
got up in middle of piles that I just abandoned last night.
I don’t do numbers good but today, I noticed that I have post counts more than 2,500?
how that happen?
when I was starting out looking at the way taxguy went, I wondered gee when does this dad work? (or do something else but post?)
how easy it was once you get it in the habit. means, I could cut down BS-ing if I’d try?
hmmmm
what I like about CC is you’d see what you wrote right away, can not edit after awhile so your stupid line or misspelled words are there forever when I dig up stuff from years ago as “see how I grew” sort of milestone (not) like, I’d seldom mix up grass and glass now.
in contrast,
I was sorting thru old papers; kid’s old school works, letters pre-digital photos etc. It is nice to have something physical, but it just accumulate and get nasty ‘less you’d keep in archive box acid free or somethin’.
so
two Baltimore ladies (see Cooper thread if you like) kept young Picasso’s casual drawing now worth millions. mom of Tomi Ungerer never threw away anything he made Nazis invasion or what. He was able to publish a book solely based on his childhood drawings.
<a href=“http://www.amazon.com/Tomi-Childhood-Under-Nazis-Ungerer/dp/1570981639/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1312728572&sr=8-1-spell[/url]”>http://www.amazon.com/Tomi-Childhood-Under-Nazis-Ungerer/dp/1570981639/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1312728572&sr=8-1-spell&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>what if my kid is gonna be Tomi? (can’t say Picasso and know ain’t)
I could not possibly threw away this piece of…
it is the drawing done on polka dotted wrapping paper scrap. each dots are about an inch diameter and he traced some of them with sharpie and in the middle, drew an abstract face with caption
“what if my son is an ass*hole?”</p>

1465

<p>mom4
why we’d wait till possible last minutes?
I thought and thought what if

  1. my kid would break a leg
  2. dream school’d miraculously have opening and call him up
  3. world comes to the end
  4. I might die today Collyer brothers’ style
    then at one point, Amtrak we are planing originally jumped its price over night.
    I caved in and bought plane tickets that actually was good deal.
    hope that I’d be done in few hours, leave on the same day as changing ticket would costs more than its face value.
    then
    there in parents’ thread people are planing for holiday ahead and booking tickets up to January returning even before the initial launching done.
    as the^ must pre-wash bed sheets issue, I wonder if we are the same species. (not, I mean, I am bears)</p>
1466

<p>It is my curse, unfortunately, to wait til the last minute. Was waiting to see if everyone was going or just me. Turns out it is just me. Also, didn’t want to book and have someone say why didn’t you do it this way? The perfectionist in me hates to make a mistake. Thank goodness for frequent flyer miles.</p>

1467

<p>G
are you around?
there is another Picasso tidbit.
now I see that people aren’t generally interested since they are, un-interested.
they don’t go so far to read wikipedia.
those facts were taken as sort of George Washington and cherry tree-sh.
why then Malcolm Gradwell books would become national best seller?
OK OK
back to the piles…</p>

1468

<p>mom4art, go ahead and stay an extra day or two. If your D doesn’t need you, you can promise to leave her alone and just be a tourist. I remember my H having to run out and get a few things at Office Depot (we ended up at the one near Albermarle street, since it’s by the Italian restaurants). There’s an IKEA out by White Marsh, north of the city and plenty of places much closer to MICA to get her food, art supplies, and anything else her room might need. </p>

<p>Bears, I found out about a year ago that Amtrak prices always rise as the date becomes closer and more tickets are sold. A trip we thought was a fair price at $105 became more like $130 when we bought the ticket. It was even higher on the day the train actually left. Ah, why can’t we be spontaneous anymore? I’m thinking about dreaded Xmas travel and proposed something to my family. But the flights are only $53 each way if we buy them now! H wouldn’t bite. We’ll probably wait too long, keep changing plans, and end up with some awful road trip to save money (and to schlep presents).</p>

1469

<p>Ugh, saw the Picasso reference. These people are crazy, why don’t we all just give up now since we weren’t born Mozart? Hell, Mozart wasn’t even born Mozart, he had his lovely father to help with that. There are plenty of late bloomers out there, even more regular bloomers!</p>

1470

<p>so did you read this bit?
people there are so… I don’t have right word for it, nothing new but hey, I like this guy. </p>

<p>-Here’s my observation. The art world and child-bearing are sexist. Based upon my random sample, there seem to be a higher proportion of financially successful male artists even though art schools have more females. Many years ago, a NY gallery told ShawWife when she became pregnant that they would not carry her – they invest lots in each artists (as they see it) and pregnant women’s productivity declines. ShawWife was mad at the time, but in fact, her productivity did go down for a number of years. Had a bump up when both kids were in elementary school, a big bump up when the youngest kid was in HS, and I anticipate a major flurry of energy as the nest empties. The galleries like thin, blond women (at least in NY) even if they are older and are less excited about older women than older men. Younger female artists can (but don’t always) get a big boost from having relationships with more connected, older male artists. And, some, like my wife, marry someone who can support them and wait for their career to be economically viable.</p>

1471

<p>gawk
someone dug up my Dreyfoos HS thread again!!
fammom, in there was the secret of FL power, according to my lovely FL godmother.</p>

<p>-Like most of the South, Florida had segregated schools. When the state was ordered to desegregate, people on all sides opposed the notion of busing to achieve racial balance. Although busing was put in place, many districts also created schools of choice and placed them in mostly black areas. The best and most experienced teachers were given incentives to go into these schools to start new programs. The thought process was that whites could be enticed to voluntarily send their children into predominantly black areas if the programs were good. It took awhile, but it worked. Gifted programs for elementary and middle school children where students took all gifted classes with all gifted students were housed in schools that were predominantly black. In high school and middle schools pre-IB and IB programs were started, as well as magnet art schools and magnet science schools. I am not sure if all the Districts ran them the same way, but Palm Beach County made school transportation available and bused students all over the place to attend “schools of choice.” </p>

<p>I believe that is one of the reasons we have so many of these programs throughout the state. Although we are no longer under a consent decree, the programs have remained and many either do not remember or do not even know why we even have them in the first place!</p>

1472

<p>where is everyone?
I am bored and restless. now keep spying on parents forum reading about normal family to normal college move-in tips and such.
here is an another find
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parents-forum/1193593-any-fine-arts-may-graduates-w-jobs-yet.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parents-forum/1193593-any-fine-arts-may-graduates-w-jobs-yet.html&lt;/a&gt;
last post was done by this dad, known as IP. THE riot.
I have no idea why STEM major crazy IndianParent would like to know about arts job.
this is what he said in somewhere else, which I found it adorable. </p>

<p>-I think art history is like aspirin at the turn of the 19th century. It cures all ills. A little bit of art history and you will be pricing bonds far better.</p>

1473

<p>Haven’t post here many days because of busy on my job.
Gmom:
I want to talk to you a little here in case it help:
you said: Unfortunately there is only so much you can do for your child with this type of disability.
— Don’t let you to be defeated. It is hard, but there must be so many things you can do. Don’t let D1 feel you think she can not start over and get success. They are VERY smart and sensitive. Your confident in them can make a different. You want hope, then you need to have hope and confident and share that with her.</p>

<p>You said: she could sit and do huge jigsaw puzzles for hours at a time when she was very very young – she could read at 3 – she read Charlotte’s Web at 5.*
— How can you be convinced she has problem and it is so bad you can not help her out? Michael Phillips had some mental problem but he is not only fine but great. Try to find any positive sign to encourage her. It seems she is still hoping she can get back to MICA someday. Don’t put out her hope, this maybe something which can encourage her, turn her life around. In the end, even it is not MICA but it doesn’t matter. </p>

<p>— You really need to take time to know as much as possible what she is thinking, what her mind is on, then you can help her by encourage the positive side of it and turn all the negative part of it back, piece by piece. Talk to her; spend time with her; guide her. Nagging her as needed. Leaving her alone and let her facing problem by herself maybe not the right timing yet.</p>

<p>I enjoyed all the post and love the HS reunion one by famm! Most of my HS classmates are in China and I know three ladies got cancer, for sure one of the three died. There are five classmates in US, one (man) moved to Singapore to work and one died of cancer (man) and I lost contact with one (woman) and still have contact with another one (woman), she is in Boston. The man died here is high achieved, making big money and then died two years ago. What I am saying here is looking at us and our friends, I can be really calm down and only wish my D a peaceful life. As long as she can make a living, I will be happy with it. </p>

<p>D seems is ready to go back. She started spending more time with us, like won’t go to her room until bed time. Talk a lot with me and H. She did draw a lot. There is one weekend she practice so much and one of her hand swelling up! She is not like draw or paint everyday. There is maybe a month without draw or paint but maybe another time period like draw from morning till bed time. </p>

<p>Feel sad, time is coming, I can not see her like now. but it is good for her to grow up and live by herself.</p>

1474

<p>loveblue…I am feeling sad too. While S was really present and “home” with us this summer I could feel his restlessness and a little frustration. I have a feeling next year he will want to stay away and be with other young people. I know it is healthy and right, but this year I feel the pain of the coming separation a bit more. Last year all the excitement of the new helped to cover it over.</p>

<p>Found out at the last minute on Wednesday about this free event at the Phaidon bookstore in Soho, NYC. <a href=“https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.231187293590591.54180.107741225935199&l=1d6dae5d8d&type=1[/url]”>https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.231187293590591.54180.107741225935199&l=1d6dae5d8d&type=1&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>If you look closely, I am in the picture 4th row down 2nd column over, way in the back on the left, in front of a guy with glasses.</p>

<p>Took S in to hear a panel discussion about Dieter Rams, an industrial designer who worked for Braun from 1961-1995. He is famous for his 10 principles of good design:</p>

<ol>
<li>Is innovative - Rams states that possibilities for innovation in design are unlikely to be exhausted since technological development is always offering new opportunities for innovative design. He also highlights that innovative design always develops in tandem with innovative technology and can never be an end in and of itself.</li>
</ol>

<p>2.Makes a product useful - A product is bought to be used. It has to satisfy certain criteria, not only functional, but also psychological and aesthetic. Good design emphasises the usefulness of a product whilst disregarding anything that could possibly detract from it.</p>

<p>3.Is aesthetic - Only well-executed objects can be beautiful. The aesthetic quality of a product is integral to its usefulness because products used every day have an effect on people and their well-being.</p>

<ol>
<li>Makes a product understandable - It clarifies the product’s structure. Better still, it can make the product clearly express its function by making use of the user’s intuition. At best, it is self-explanatory.</li>
</ol>

<p>5.Is unobtrusive - Products and their design should be both neutral and restrained, to leave room for the user’s self-expression. Products fulfilling a purpose are like tools and are neither decorative objects nor works of art.</p>

<p>6.Is honest - Honest design should not attempt to make a product seem more innovative, powerful or valuable than it really is. It should not attempt to manipulate the consumer with promises that cannot be kept.</p>

<ol>
<li><p>Is long-lasting - It should avoid being fashionable and therefore never appears antiquated. Unlike fashionable design, it lasts many years – even when the trend may be in favor for disposable products.</p></li>
<li><p>Is thorough down to the last detail - Dieter Rams states that nothing must be arbitrary or left to chance in the design of a product since care and accuracy in the design process show respect towards the consumer.</p></li>
<li><p>Is environmentally friendly - Good design should make an important contribution to the preservation of the environment by conserving resources and minimizing physical and visual pollution throughout the lifecycle of the product.</p></li>
<li><p>Is as little design as possible - Dieter Rams makes the distinction between the common “Less is more” and his strongly advised “Less, but better” highlighting the fact that this approach focuses on the essential aspects thus, the products are not burdened with non-essentials. The desirable result would then be purer and simpler.</p></li>
</ol>

<p>I like the last one best.</p>

<p>After we left S regretted not going up to talk to the main guy on the panel from Core77. Maybe he will be less shy next time he gets such a chance. But it was worth having him be in the presence of so many people interested and working in the field he is studying.</p>

1475

<p>It seems to me you are talking about the picture 4th row down first column? the 2nd column one only have three people, the lady in the center show up in other pictures also.
I got to know a new name:
Dieter Rams and his design principles!</p>

1476

<p>Drae…thanks for sharing that. Design seemed to me such an interesting field and I thought S would be the perfect fit with his techy side but no he is quite sure design isn’t for him yet some of those principles are similar to how he talks about his interactive pieces so I will share this with him…</p>

<p>So…I look around and realize how fortunate we are to have our kids at home with us and not running as hooligans in London. I spent a year in HS in the UK and there were definitely some elements in my giant public HS that were thugs…it seems that twitter has allowed them to get together in ways not imagined before…sadly twitter can be used for revolutions in Egypt and thuggery in London. I am glad our kids are home and safe and basically doing mainly good and certainly no active harm. </p>

<p>Like Drae and Loveblue I am definitely feeling the pain of upcoming separation more this year. This summer, S was more open and spent more time with us than when he was a senior and he was great about driving D around. Next summer she will be driving herself and if he is home they will be fighting over the car. I also, however, felt my S’s latent frustration and his clear signals that he is ready to see home as a place to visit, not to live. It is good and right that things change and they grow up but I am feeling a little nostalgic.</p>

<p>I do have the feeling that this may be our last summer as a family although we have all done a bit of traveling on our own as well. S, for example, took his grandma back to Ecuador and spent the past week in the deep Amazon with his uncle/godfather who is a tour guide. According to my BIL, S was a HUGE hit in the little village of indigenous people where the tours start. S did not take a camera but a sketch book and everyone wanted their sketch done but they hate photos (they find that when the tourists take photos they can end up on a postcard without anyone asking their permission). Apparently, lots of topless girls and women were happy to pose so lots and lots of figure drawing of the female form. My brother-in-law said that they were glad to leave the village in the canoes so that the gang of young girls would stop trailing my S! Now he is back in Quito with his grandma and said he was finishing an essay for his online CC class (so funny to think that you can be writing an essay on Charlemagne for a Professor in Virginia while in Quito) and then meeting his 87 year old great aunt to see a movie together in the afternoon. She wanted to see something racy like the Bridesmaids. I think that could get a little awkward. For S it is a whirlwind of visiting elderly aunts and uncles but his cousins have promised to rescue him and take him out on the town in the evening. He comes back next week and then I need to get him back to CMU sometime in the next week. I will probably do the drop off in one day and he probably won’t let me make his bed in the dorm this time…I am quite sure that I will be much sadder than last year. D is eagerly awaiting his return so he can help with her summer physics and math homework…I offered to help and she snickered and said I was useless at trig (ok…yes, but that is because trig is useless to me). </p>

<p>I am also tired since I get up with D at 5am each morning to take her to her 6 am Field hockey practice (even saturdays!) but she made varsity and is very, very happy. I am thrilled because even she realizes she has to go to bed early and finds that she can read 1/2 a chapter of Crime and Punishment and is in a deep sleep immediately at 9pm. Field hockey may be the key to completing the summer reading assignment. I am at work by 6:15 and look very productive and hardworking…ha!</p>

1477

<p>today’s e-news
[U.S&lt;/a&gt;. Postal Service Honors Pioneers of American Industrial Design Commemorated on New Stamps](<a href=“http://www.artdaily.org/index.asp?int_sec=2&int_new=49808]U.S”>http://www.artdaily.org/index.asp?int_sec=2&int_new=49808)
I just read this now and too late to go see it.
maybe tomorrow.
Cooper Hewitt is closed for the renovation but garden, gift shop and hallway these ID stamps are shown are free admission.
I can not visualize any of these iconic designers/designs. I have seen these pitchers, yes. maybe when I see it I’d know.
I guess ipod needs another 50 or so plus years to be on the stamp?</p>

1478

<p>of course Google image knows everything…</p>

<p><a href=“http://www.newswise.com/images/uploads/2011/08/12/stamppane.jpg[/url]”>http://www.newswise.com/images/uploads/2011/08/12/stamppane.jpg&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

1479

<p>The summer sure has gone by fast. One more week and then we leave for Minneapolis. We are taking Amtrak from Orlando to DC, where we have a 8 hr layover, just enough time to do some sightseeing. We want to see the Holocaust museum, as the last 2 times we missed it. Then DC to Chicago, and then fly to Minn. D is stressed out over leaving BF, but they are talking about getting an apt for her junior year, as his mom is moving and he needs to find another place to live. The plan was for him to move up with her eventually anyway, so they have been reading rental ads to get ideas on prices to share apartments. There should be more job opportunities for him up there as well as a better public transit system so he can get there.</p>

<p>Her birthday is the day before we leave, so H surprised her with a swim mask with prescription lenses (no small feat considering her RX!). But he found a place on line and they are so cool. Since there are swimming warnings regarding freshwater lakes and rivers here, we will try them out in her gramma’s pool tomorrow. She has been watning these forever, and she was SO excited.</p>

1480

<p>Bears, I was at the post office today and saw those stamps on a poster. I don’t think they’re available yet (maybe in a week or two). The designs were great and very streamlined and moderne for the most part but I didn’t recognize any names. As for the designs, I think the typewriter, if it’s an IBM selectric, is the only really familiar one.</p>

<p>They also have stamps of Pixar characters coming out next week.</p>