history, baby

This post is a tribute to one of the funniest cars in the history of, well, funny cars: the Austin-Healey Sprite, relevantly nicknamed Frogeye (UK) or even Bugeye (US). I sometimes like to think of it as a sort of a Ford Ka ancestor. Enjoy the ads of the period, its 1958 presentation, as well as its feature in TopGear, nearly five decades later.

common sense reminder about creativity

this video made me think about some of the young people i've come across in the mccann creative mentorship project. people who complain that the only reason why they can't get their ideas through is because they don't know how to graphically express them (even though they weren't even asked to do so in the first place).

status anxiety

I only recently came across Status Anxiety from Alain de Botton (came across actually means that sergiu pointed it out). And i must admit i really enjoyed it, because it's a very interesting theory (part of which i myself was explaining when talking about the new suburbias of Bucharest), even though the alternatives he suggests to the status-driven never-ending anxiety are quite soft and not necessarily widely-embraceable.

"This is a book about an almost universal anxiety that rarely gets mentioned directly: an anxiety about what others think of us; about whether we're judged a success or a failure, a winner or a loser. This is a book about status anxiety.

We care about our status for a simple reason: because most people tend to be nice to us according to the amount of status we have (it is no coincidence that the first question we tend to be asked by new acquaintances is ‘ What do you do?’). With the help of philosophers, artists and writers, the book examines the origins of status anxiety (ranging from the consequences of the French Revolution to our secret dismay at the success of our friends), before revealing ingenious ways in which people have learnt to overcome their worries in their search for happiness. It aims not only to be entertaining, but wise and helpful as well."

tales of mere existence

I have just come across (and immediately fallen in love with) Tales of Mere Existence. They're simple, they're witty, and they make a lot of sense (and they also made me laugh because they reminded me of an earlier post from brilliant Tom Fishburne).

blind wedding

this will probably not make too much sense for non-Romanian speakers, but we developed these spots in order to promote Radio 21's latest thing - Blind Wedding, the first radio reality show in Romania. I'm curious to know what you think.

The Fantastic Voyage of Billy The Bullet

fooling around

I have been going number and number in the last couple of weeks. Until i figure out a solution to escape this horrid, mental-blocking mood, i felt like filling my time with continuous reading, movie-watching and attending dance shows. And not only. I've also bought a bagpipe (a Romanian beginner's bagpipe, obviously) and have been trying to learn playing it ever since. Of course, actually learning how to play will take me forever, but that's irrelevant :). What i've discovered browsing the net about bagpipes, however, is Expert Village - World's Largest How To Video Site. And while i'm sure everybody knows about the site already, it was really funny and fascinating for me to browse dozens of funny video tutorials from passionate people. This actually gives you a nice, cosy feeling, that there's nothing on this world you couldn't learn how to do yourself.

Click here for more on "Learn How to Play the Bagpipes : Beginner Lessons"

big ideas for a small planet

defaced

one of the things that i like the most about Internet is that many times random surfing gets you to read or watch something, which is either an illustration or a development of some thought that crossed your mind at a certain time and that you completely forgot about.

i came across this video which explores the relationship between street art and corporate advertising in public space. and i remembered how much i thought about this myself, starting from a discussion in the Czech Center focused on the difference between artistic billboards and commercial billboards. LorcanFinnegan explains: "A man, trapped in the confines of a corporate poster, tries to escape and become part of the street art on the opposite wall. Although the street art is free, it is condemned and usually destroyed to make way for advertising, a risk he is willing to take to be with the stencilled girl on the other side"

snapshot

on Friday evening, i went to see "Hiroshima mon amour" (Razvan made me do it), which i've been looking forward to watch in a very long time (especially since i've started to be more and more interested by the nouvelle vague movies and directors lately). The movie reminded me about a lot of stuff, more of them connected to film therapy than to film theory. And it also reminded me about two Noir Desir songs which i love very much, but haven't listened to in a long time.

thirst

video originally updated by LC323, who explains: "What if director Ingmar Bergman did a commercial for Coca Cola? Written and directed by Leslie Chase, the film is set in the late 50's and follows the thirsty, lonely lives of two Swedish sisters. "Plotting facial poses" and "repressing desires" while yearing for the taste of Coca Cola. Starring Leslie Chase and Allison Mackie. Cameo by hairy arm."

have yourself a merry little Christmas