Doodlin' Well

For us creative's, doodling is like our coffee break...well atleast for me it is. When boredom comes knocking or when I'm caught up in too much thought, I enjoy turning to pen and paper to release some tension and keep my brain alert.

Little did I realize doodling had a higher meaning so I went searching for some answers. Here is what I found:

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Doodling allows the unconscious to render in symbolic expression. Symbols have universal as well as personal meaning. When you are stuck for an answer to a problem or looking for creative innovation, the technique of doodling will unleash the hidden symbolic powers of the unconscious mind.

Your subconscious mind is attempting to contact you all the time. It is usually blocked by habitual conscious thought patterns or emotions. It can also be drowned out by the mundane mental trivia that we repeatedly hash over. Learn to allow its conscious expression, preferably every day.

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The function of doodling, according to Andrade, who recently published a study on doodling in Applied Cognitive Psychology, is to provide just enough cognitive stimulation during an otherwise boring task to prevent the mind from taking the more radical step of totally opting out of the situation and running off into a fantasy world.

Andrade tested her theory by playing a lengthy and boring tape of a telephone message to a collection of people, only half of whom had been given a doodling task. After the tape ended she quizzed them on what they had retained and found that the doodlers remembered much more than the non-doodlers.

"They remembered about 29 percent more information from the tape than the people who were just listening to the tape," Andrade says.

In other words, doodling doesn't detract from concentration; it can help by diminishing the need to resort to daydreams.
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Well ain't that interesting! All this time I spent doodling in class while I should have been paying attention. Turns out I was paying attention 29% more than everyone else :)

My Earth Hour

Well I have to admit, that I'm a bit disappointed with this year's Earth Hour. For as much exposure as 'the hour' seemed to receive, I was expecting a little more from my city. Most people didn't bother shutting off and the lights still blared from most of the major shopping centres. Some people were good, but I had to laugh when I saw people watching tv with all the lights off.

For me, Earth Hour means more than just turning the lights off. I like to use the hour and completely unplug from the world; shut my phone off, turn off all form of communication or distraction, and find other ways to occupy my mind for that one hour per year.

This year was a bit more productive than last I have to say though.

Last year I think all I did was fold laundry by candlelight, drink tea, and stare out the window like a cat. But this year I not only folded laundry by candlelight and drank tea, I read a few chapters of a few books I'm reading at the moment, I read my tarot cards hoping that would bring me a bit of clarity to life's questions, and for the last 15minutes of the hour, I just sat there listening to silence.

If I had a family (or if my boyfriend hadn't been playing hockey tonight), I would bring out the board games or get back to the simple days of just talking. Life goes by so fast when there's work to do, or places to go, or people to text, we forget to take the time and really connect with the important things (and people) in our lives, including ourselves.

I think Earth Hour should be more than just once a year, it should be a way of life. Life's tasks can wait an hour, they're not going anywhere. And we all survived without life's technologies and 'to do lists' up to this point, so it won't kill us to not only shut off, but shut down and unplug from the world for a short amount of time...if only for ourselves.

Right or Left...which side are you on?

I got curious today about my brain and wondered which side I used more since sometimes I feel very right-brained and other times I feel very left-brained.

So to feed my curiosity I conducted an online creativity test to see how far "right" I was.

And so much for that!

Turns out I cut very close to being right down the middle but my dominant side is my right.

I investigated a little further to see what other tests I could take to prove me one way or the other.

Here is one test I found that was quite amusing.

Initially I saw her turning clockwise...however while I was reading the text and looking back at her, I saw her spinning counter-clockwise. I wonder if it was because I was using the other side of my brain to process information? The gratification of knowing I could see her spinning both ways didn't last long though. Shortly after a few seconds, she spun back. It was like one of those 3D art posters that were so popular back in the 90s and I was struggling to see what everyone else was seeing. "I can see it! I can see it!" Ugh...huh? Where?

That visual test proved once again, I can be right down the middle depending on what I'm doing.

Another test came while my boyfriend and I were discussing bands of the 90s and I could not remember the name of the GNR guitar player, who then played for Velvet Revolver not too long ago with the long curly hair that covered his eyes, his tall top hat, a cigarette hangin' outta one side, wearing a black leather jacket, tight black pants, and tall black boots while he lean back as he played his guitar. What the hell is his name?

My boyfriend just laughed while I figure this guys name out because little did I realize, the tests that proved me to be more right than left, was truly proving themselves as the minutes went by. I knew it started with an "S"...but what was it...Slip? Sleek? Slime? Slither? After 5 minutes (and more laughs from boyfriend who refused to help me out) I got it...SLASH!

This was one of the questions in ANOTHER test I did...do you remember faces or names? I'm personally terrible with names unless the person is very memorable in what they do or say, and this just proved it.

Ok so if I'm both sides, I guess that would explain why I see both sides of an argument or why I can sometimes be painfully indecisive.

So what about you? What side are you on?

Here are some other resources:
Right Brain/Left Brain Quiz
Hemisphere Dominance Test
Gigamaster Blog : Creativity : Right Brain vs. Left Brain

Justified West

I'm excited...I just signed up for Justified West happening in Vancouver on April 25th.

An all day event about typography featuring some key speakers: Marian Bantjes, Stephen Coles, Si Daniels, Zara Evens, Shelley Gruendler, Michael Hernan, Richard Kegler, Kevin Larson, Emily Luce, Thomas Phinney, Geraldine Wade, Jim Rimmer.

Should be a good day!

For more info, go here.

Do Not Design

Some of you might think I'm totally crazy, but I have to admit, just recently I started implementing 'Do Not Design' days in my life.

Why?

Well, since I'm so passionate about design I get wrapped up in great ideas, fun books, brillant concepts, and dreamy visions and tend to forget there's a whole world happening out there (and right in front of me).

I work full-time in an unrelated field, so I can only be creative in the evenings and on weekends. And since I only have a small window to design and be creative, I fill that time doing just that, while life passes by. Maybe I fear not being productive? Maybe I fear creativity will slip away if I don't stay on top of it?

But I have to say as much as I hate to tear myself away from unfinished work or exciting new ideas, it's quite interesting what that one day does. It's as if a portal opens and more ideas explode from my ever-busy brain.

I've also come to realize that being busy all the time, is no way to live my own life (personally) because I have no time for fun stuff, for mindless relaxation. I guess that's the workoholic in me that needs taming and this is the only way I know how to tame the creative beast. To set limits.

And this post further proves that I'm almost too crazy about design. Even on my "Do Not Design" day (which should be today)...I'm still creating, I'm still thinking, I'm still dreaming design.

I just can't seem to douse the fires that burn!

Design Edge

A few years ago, I came across a Canadian-based design magazine called "Design Edge". I'm sure some of you have heard of it, but for those who haven't here's a quick run down:

Design Edge Canada is print magazine that is published six times per year with the highest circulation to professional graphic designers of any publication in Canada. Regular departments include News on Design, Trendspotting, Case Study, Design for Print, Tool Tips, Newsmakers and New Releases. Each issue has a cover theme and cover feature that are outlined in our editorial calendar.

My favorite part about the magazine is that it's Canadian and it gives you lots of info on what's happening in our country's design scene, from east to west. I love it!

It's a fairly small publication at this point, at only 25 pages, but I think it's a good quality read for it being free. I highly suggest subscribing.

http://www.designedgecanada.com/

Desktop Calendars : March

New desktop wallpapers for March are available here.

Enjoy!