Temple Grandin: The World Needs All Kinds of Minds

"Temple Grandin, diagnosed with autism as a child, talks about how her mind works -- sharing her ability to "think in pictures," which helps her solve problems that neurotypical brains might miss. She makes the case that the world needs people on the autism spectrum: visual thinkers, pattern thinkers, verbal thinkers, and all kinds of smart geeky kids"

The Amazing Spider-Man Review

So I went and saw The Amazing Spider-Man last night, and (major spoilers ahead!) it was superb. It had a nice mix of action, romance, and geeky science stuff. It'll take me a little while to get used to Peter as the "skater boy" kind of guy, but I think that it's an appropriate and refreshing take on Peter's character.  I think that Tobey Maguire exhausted the "sensitive nerd" stereotype. I especially enjoyed how Andrew Garfield portrays a compassionate young man who loves his aunt and uncle (he finally got those organic eggs!), and also seems to be friends with Flash by the end... yet also portrays the Spider-Man I've been wanting to see... smart-mouthed, witty, and a bit more neutral good than lawful good if you know what I mean. And if you don't... click here.
And oh boy, I really liked how Gwen/Emma Stone wasn't a kidnapped damsel in distress like Mary Jane was in every one of the movies in the original series, and that she found out about Peter/Spidey right away. The actors have good chemistry, and the characters seem much more matched for each other. Gwen is tough and smart - great combo. I'm also glad they didn't kill her off like in the comics. I suppose they're still room for that in sequels though.
But anyway, the lizard was an excellent villian, and I really like how he saved Spidey at the end. He wasn't the stereotypical evil bad guy. Dr. Connors was just "under the influence" of some cross-species genetic testing.
And wow... the special effects were great. This movie was made for 3d viewing... especially the all the first-person point of view shots of Spidey swinging through the city, especially the sequence at the end where Spidey dives through the crane and web-shoots at the audience. It's nice to see 3d pushed forward in such a way. I remember watching "Honey I Shrunk the Audience" at Disneyland and the 3d characters seemed to hover right in front of your face. I hope future 3d movies will move beyond the 2d screen.
So I'm wondering what the after the credits scene means. It shows Dr. Connors sitting in his jail cell, and a certian shadowy man visits him, asking if he talked about Richard Parker to Peter. I was thinking about this after the movie ended, and I'm wondering if it could be Norman Osborn. The movie mentions several times that Norman is dying, and even that Connors needed to perfect the serum so Norman could be healed from it. However, I'd really wonder why the director (Mark Webb) would introduce the Green Goblin again. Perhaps it's someone else, because why would Norman have a teleporting ability?

Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood

Here's another source of creative inspiration. I just finished this series a couple of days ago, and I still can't get it out of my mind. Fullmetal Alchemist is one of the best Japanese anime shows out there. The story and characters are well developed, the music is excellent, and there's a perfect balance betwen action, drama, and humor. I laughed, I cried, and I felt angry when watching this show. I also connected to the characters. There are two FMA series, the first one is titled "Fullmetal Alchemist", and it came out in 2003. It's slightly based on the original manga, but at the time the manga wasn't complete, so the anime took a very different turn from the source material. The second series, Fullmeltal Alchemist Brotherhood (2009), is based on the original manga. Having watched both series, I can honestly say that "Brotherhood" is the best out of the two in terms of story.
If you've never watched anime, this series is the perfect introduction!

Click here to watch the first episode on YouTube

The Garden of your Mind

"Did you ever grow anything in the garden of your mind?

You can grow ideas,
In the garden of your mind.

It's good to be curious about many things.

You can think about things and make believe,

All you have to do is think,

And they'll grow..."

3 Minutes On Success

I've been preparing a final presentation for the last college class I'm taking before I graduate. I'm presenting on the artwork I've done this quarter, and how my work fits into the Symbolist painters of the late 19th and early 20th century.

Unfortunately, the presentation has to be between 5-7 minutes long. I know that I tend to ramble a lot when I do public speaking, so I've been trying to trim down my talk. Feeling frustrated, I did an internet search on "5 minute presentations," and I found this wonderful video about how to be successful. The speaker cut down a 2 hour presentation he gives to high school students down to a little over 3 minutes. It's straightforward, but gives a wealth of good advice.

I found the video on this website.

William Blake

Ancient of Days

To see a World in a grain of sand,

And Heaven in a Wild Flower,

Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand

And eternity in an hour.

- William Blake (from Auguries of Innocence) 

Kiki Smith

"Lying With the Wolf", 2001

"Untitiled (Moth)" 1993

Creative inspiration for the day: Kiki Smith. She sculpts and makes prints based on topics like anatomy, nature, self-portraits, the body, and female iconography. Her work is haunting and visceral. It is often a metaphor for social issues like the male gaze, feminism, and themes like rebirth and spirituality.

I've recently been making work based on Alice in Wonderland for my college program, and my professor actually suggested I look Kiki Smith up, and I instantly connected with Smith's work. I feel like I'm interested in a lot of the same sort of topics. As a matter of fact, Kiki Smith has actually created a piece about Alice in Wonderland.

Check out Kiki Smith's interactive exhibit here.