DAISY AMES

I overdosed on two things this summer: metaphysical/transcendental jargon, and JayZ & Kanye’s (slightly more melodic) jargon, which are in pure contention with one another… philosophically-speaking. On the construction site, we were constantly jamming out to the newest songs, and I got much cooler knowing my latest hip-hop as a result. My summer reading, however, started out with some fun books: Born to Run, The Alchemist (nth time), The Pilgrimage, and Hemingway’s short stories. But then I found myself diving into philosophical books on a much denser level - metaphysics. I started out with a favorite, Ayn Rand, and her definition of pure reason in comparison to Kant’s apparent misleading definition. Heidegger’s Introduction to Metaphysics is a great bible of sorts with its bullet points, quotations, and italics for quick reference. I finished the Chomsky-Foucault debate: On Human Nature in September and was feeling a bit maxed out, and somewhat overwhelmed. Coincidentally, a friend gave me the DVD of the debate for my birthday which I did not know even existed. So, just in case I missed any key points on how to “maximize innate creativity,” I will be getting my ontological groove on while listening to “Run This Town” in preparation for my half marathon this weekend! Thanks T! 

“you must have a strong foundation, otherwise everything above is just aesthetics.”

- yoga instructor this morning 

#1 - order.

line things up. whether it’s a simple to-do list or living room furniture, things read much better when order and simplicity are involved. placement should reflect thoughtfulness; randomness is the lack of mental perseverance, and appears sloppy. never under-mind the viewer, they are hip to order whether they realize it or not. even incomplete ideas can be presented effectively through mindful presentation.

#2 - refinement.

if it’s not necessary, then omit. this goes for life too! but in this case, get rid of clutter when composing a website or designing clothing, so that you’re left working with things that support your vision rather than distract from it. this will allow you to highlight your strengths, and clean out superfluous details. it takes time to refine, but you’ll find it’s refreshing too!

#3 - consistency.

colors must work together. love your whites, but love your colors too! strive for visual harmony by choosing colors that complement each other. if you’re working with a lot of colors then make sure, for instance, that the color blue matches in each case. people look for color to make distinctions, and when consistency is sacrificed then the viewer can’t make a distinction, thus the message is lost.