Karuna
Married to ideas like a nun marries the Holy Father. Can't shake the habit.
Posts
Do I overanalyze things too much? This is about who has control over your daughter’s brain—is it your daughter, or other people whose single purpose is to make her a relentless thoughtless consumer? ~Rosalind Wiseman (Taken with instagram)
1.
A conversation begins
with a lie. and each
speaker of the so-called common language feels
the ice-floe split, the drift apart
as if powerless, as if up against
a force of nature
A poem can being
with a lie. And be torn up.
A conversation has other laws
recharges itself with its own
false energy, Cannot be torn
up. Infiltrates our blood. Repeats itself.
Inscribes with its unreturning stylus
the isolation it denies.
2.
The classical music station
playing hour upon hour in the apartment
the picking up and picking up
and again picking up the telephone
The syllables uttering
the old script over and over
The loneliness of the liar
living in the formal network of the lie
twisting the dials to drown the terror
beneath the unsaid word
3.
The technology of silence
The rituals, etiquette
the blurring of terms
silence not absence
of words or music or even
raw sounds
Silence can be a plan
rigorously executed
the blueprint of a life
It is a presence
it has a history a form
Do not confuse it
with any kind of absence
4.
How calm, how inoffensive these words
begin to seem to me
though begun in grief and anger
Can I break through this film of the abstract
without wounding myself or you
there is enough pain here
This is why the classical of the jazz music station plays?
to give a ground of meaning to our pain?
5.
The silence strips bare:
In Dreyer’s Passion of Joan
Falconetti’s face, hair shorn, a great geography
mutely surveyed by the camera
If there were a poetry where this could happen
not as blank space or as words
stretched like skin over meaningsof a night through which two people
have talked till dawn.
6.
The scream
of an illegitimate voice
It has ceased to hear itself, therefore
it asks itself
How do I exist?
This was the silence I wanted to break in you
I had questions but you would not answer
I had answers but you could not use them
The is useless to you and perhaps to others
7.
It was an old theme even for me:
Language cannot do everything-
chalk it on the walls where the dead poets
lie in their mausoleums
If at the will of the poet the poem
could turn into a thing
a granite flank laid bare, a lifted head
alight with dew
If it could simply look you in the face
with naked eyeballs, not letting you turn
till you, and I who long to make this thing,
were finally clarified together in its stare
8.
No. Let me have this dust,
these pale clouds dourly lingering, these words
moving with ferocious accuracy
like the blind child’s fingers
or the newborn infant’s mouth
violent with hunger
No one can give me, I have long ago
taken this method
whether of bran pouring from the loose-woven sack
or of the bunsen-flame turned low and blue
If from time to time I envy
the pure annunciation to the eye
the visio beatifica
if from time to time I long to turn
like the Eleusinian hierophant
holding up a single ear of grain
for the return to the concrete and everlasting world
what in fact I keep choosing
are these words, these whispers, conversations
from which time after time the truth breaks moist and green.
Adrienne Rich
diariesofbreakfastwithfashion:
Miss Piggy in Louboutin heels
MISS PIGGY BETTER WORK.
All you have to do… Is LOOK at me to know… That every word… Is… Truuuuuuuhhhhhhhhhhh
“Jemima’s Revenge” cut paper & acrylic on large canvas 2010
part of a larger narrative called the “Reason Aunt Jemima Smiles” That’s all I say about it now but I can’t wait for you to see it when it’s all put together.
WOW, can’t wait to see the rest.
As you all know, I don’t take shit off of anyone. And if I am inclined to take shit, it is because it is for my survival. This is on the street and in corporate spaces.
Last week, while teaching one of my students said that one of the reasons why he and others have to categorize gender queer folks is that there is an issue of predator or prey, and if he can’t categorize something, he may be inclined to attack it.
I responded saying, that is interesting, because if I encounter someone who is gender queer, of a race a can’t identify I say, hey how you doing and mind my business. This now has me thinking about the relationship between fear and violence for marginalized bodies.
Me not taking shit matters because of the ways in which men, mostly Black fix their faces to talk to me an Goldy in public. I give resentments, I don’t get them, peace to Daddy for the advice.
These means these negro’s roll up, and ask us “Is there a party nearby” when they know damn well, that LIV is upstairs and is a U street staple for party’s and that it has been on that corner for nearly what, 30 years?
This means that earlier this year, we are both sitting on a Monday night watching a game and this negro comes up and asks if we are together. I was like Nigga, if you don’t get the fuck up out my face, and where is YOUR wife? This isn’t to say that men have not said or done out of pocket shit to OTHER men when I was out to them, but this was flagrant and egregious.
OR, it is like being at a space that I post up at on Friday’s and having a dude ASK me if I want to dance, and I am like nah gina, I am cool. Then asking me if I am going to embarrass him like that by letting him go back to his homies dance free. (Negotiating Black men’s masculinity performances in dance spaces be requiring a 9 and the patience of Job). I was like, nah, you came over here, I was minding my own Black girl business. He then looks at her who as across the room, and says “Well I am going to ask her then”. I said, “Try it, and see how far you get.”
This is not to say that men NEVER acted out of pocket towards me when I was out with other men, because they did. The difference now, is that the gender binary as been disrupted so rather than me being treated as an object, people just say shit. My immediate jawn is why in the fuck are you talking to me because I am not fucking with you, and you don’t want me to fuck with you because East Oakland says #escalate and that shit is bad for my blood pressure and skin. o.0
This means a woman I know makes a joke about “the gay dude at work” that she doesn’t know what do with him because he is so flamboyant. I am thinking to myself, say good morning in the morning, and good night at night. Where he chooses to put his penis ain’t none of your business unless it is going inside of YOU then it is your business. Boom gina.
So yeah, the racialized violence of homophobia is the devil when people don’t understand how to leave you the fuck alone, and when you insist on being treated as a human being.
Tracklist:
1. Fantastic Intro
2. Brown Sugar
3. Devil’s Pie
4. Crisco
5. Left & Right
6. Chicken Grease
7. Lady
8. Left & Right (Reprise)
9. Feel Like Making Love
10. Can’t Hide Love
11. Things You Do (Fall in Love)
12. One Mo’ Gin
13. Me and Those Dreaming Eyes of Mine
14. S.D.M.
15. Untitled (How Does It Feel)
GEORGIA ANNE MULDROW (FEAT. BILAL) - MORE & MORE
Thanks fashionistazapatista for the heads-up :)
JM is a 21-year-old full-time student at a university in South Jersey. She recently became pregnant and is unable to carry the pregnancy to term. Due to serious health conditions that resulted from…
This is covert white supremacy in the guise of educational standard-keeping—nothing more, nothing less. Given the sharp increase of anti-Latino rhetoric, policies, and crimes in Arizona and the rest of the country, one should not be surprised by this madness and yet one is. The removal of those books before those students’ very eyes makes it brutally clear how vulnerable communities of color and our children are to this latest eruption of cruel, divisive, irrational, fearful, and yes racist politics. Truly infuriating. And more reason to continue to fight for a just society.
Junot Diaz
(On Arizona’s ban on Mexican American Studies, in The Progressive)
I grew up hard and am still hard and I don’t care. I did not choose this face or this body and I have learned to live with it and love it and celebrate it and adorn it with tremendous drawings from the greatest artists in the world and I feel good and powerful like a nation that has never been free and now after many hard won victories is finally fucking free. I am beautiful and I am finally fucking free.
Yes. Oh hell yes. Funny women for the ever-loving win.
Entertainers of the Year: The Cast of Bridesmaids
My name is Alishan and I approve of this cover.
Maya Rudolph + Cast of Bridesmaides = Entertainers of the Year
Ice Cube on the Eames. Part of The Getty’s Pacific Standard Time arts initiative:
“…over 60 cultural institutions will make their contributions to this region-wide initiative encompassing every major L.A. art movement from 1945 to 1980.”
Twenty-two years ago, 14 women in Montreal were murdered. The next morning, when my brother and my dad and I got up and started our days, my mum stayed in bed. She stayed home for three days total, alternately crying and making the point that the attack was an attack on all women, and reflected a wider culture of violence. Meanwhile at school, our French teacher dropped the entire year’s curriculum when she realized how ignorant we were about gender and violence, and from then until June we read and wrote exclusively about feminism. I think about these women, their anger and their intelligence, and the debt I owe them, every December 6 when I remember the 14 murdered women.
Updates
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Romney tells a West Philly school that traditional marriage is the key to edu reform. O_o http://t.co/1VHp4HlK via @Only4RM
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Surprised to discover I know almost all the words to " Why'd You Come In Here Looking Like That?". 😳 #dollyswag
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The next part is even more humbling: checking your baggage. #guilty #queenbees #amreading http://t.co/KJp68fxl
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*rubs eyes* I need more coffee.
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Wait a goddamned minute...American Airlines can force you to change your clothes if they don't like your shirt?
Recent tracks
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Lagos by {u'mbid': u'aaae09b3-70d9-4a65-bb3f-57e85dfe9b83', u'#text': u'Oddisee'}5 hours ago
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Housework by {u'mbid': u'', u'#text': u"The B-52's"}5 hours ago
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The Rake's Song by {u'mbid': u'97b1142f-c71e-4971-8736-4a8ceaf6b4c3', u'#text': u'The Decemberists'}5 hours ago
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Chicago by {u'mbid': u'aaae09b3-70d9-4a65-bb3f-57e85dfe9b83', u'#text': u'Oddisee'}5 hours ago
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Window Seat by {u'mbid': u'321531fc-db73-4ffa-a959-61a61a2908c1', u'#text': u'Erykah Badu'}5 hours ago
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Wish I Could by {u'mbid': u'985c709c-7771-4de3-9024-7bda29ebe3f9', u'#text': u'Norah Jones'}5 hours ago
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Bitch by {u'mbid': u'8fa3f306-f5b4-4488-b94a-3cc72b008b9e', u'#text': u'Plastiscines'}10 days ago
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Barcelona by {u'mbid': u'8fa3f306-f5b4-4488-b94a-3cc72b008b9e', u'#text': u'Plastiscines'}10 days ago
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I Could Rob You by {u'mbid': u'8fa3f306-f5b4-4488-b94a-3cc72b008b9e', u'#text': u'Plastiscines'}10 days ago
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The Valley Of Vegetables by {u'mbid': u'ca91d4fa-d532-426d-933a-14f26d83ab1b', u'#text': u'Laurie Berkner'}12 days ago
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Driving Down The Block (West Coast Remix) by Kidz In The Hall Ft Pac Div, Tyga, Glasses Malone, Mistah F.A.B13 plays
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Updates
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Welp... RT @citymama: God, google+, stop trying to force me to use you. I will not.
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"Frictionless Sharing" makes it clear that despite privacy policies and "locked" accounts, there is no such thing as privacy online.
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RT @bungdan: this kind of stuff has me strongly considering never directly visiting the websites of WaPo and Huffpo. http://t.co/XFYoGNz5
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Bunny Ears on a sippy cup #minuswell be called Eye Gougers. :/
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#uxfail: Target Recalls Bunny Sippy Cups Due to Injury Hazard - http://t.co/3m6ktvxJ - any UXr could've predicted problems with this design.
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RT @bhorowitz: My take on the recent takes on our Instagram investment Instagram // ben's blog - http://t.co/sV2KKcZw
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Any of you on Threadflip yet? http://t.co/uMjG8bJV
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Fun with #UX RT @ProducerMatthew: ICYMI: My Pinterest board on the Internet's best 404 error pages - http://t.co/Xr94rdpY
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The power of good design. RT @afrolicious: it's amazing how a well designed visual experience can transform expectations.
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RT @MoreAndAgain: *cries* RT @NateErickson BREAKING: MySpace Tom acquires 3-Pack of Hanes crew neck t-shirts. Colors/size TBD.
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Monopoly Money RT @ChrisRisdon: Things are feeling very bubble-ish lately.
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RT @kathleenadele: Seriously. $1B for Instagram?!
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That was fast. RT @cschweitz: DAMN RT @igorbobic: Wowwww RT @ethanklapper: BREAKING: Facebook buys Instagram http://t.co/FvadfIvk
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RT @THR: Electronic Arts Named Worst Company in America http://t.co/foj9FsRD
Posts
Just noticed Google’s new header bar atop my Gmail:
What a subtle but very clean and easy-to-use change. It reduces the numbers of links in the header, but maintains the easy navigation patten between Google services that we’ve all gotten used to, and provides a very findable link to Labs under the utilities graphic (shown as wheel in the top right). Everything I need, nothing I don’t, and hidden links are quickly discoverable.
*slow claps for Google UXers*
Any more thoughts? I didn’t grab the original bar, because I didn’t know this change was coming, but if you have the graphic I’d love to do a quick side-by-side comparison.
UPDATE:
Silly wabbit. The change is ONLY to the Gmail header. Compare the regular header to the simplified Gmail version:
You’ll note other subtle changes: rather than displaying my email address, the new header shows my name. So much more civilized! Extra links in the left have been tucked neatly away, and the word “Settings” replaced by the wheel icon. We all know what the wheel means, right?
It also looks like Google service managers may have the option of programming the exposed services in the left navigation. Gmail shows links to Calendar, Documents, Photos, Reader and Web, while the old Web version shows the now-classic web filters (Images, Videos, News, Shopping) as well as the ubiquitous Gmail.
Clean, contextual navigation. Nice.
What do you guys think?
If you use Tumblr, are you interacting via reblogs, or some other way?
What do you think are the benefits and challenges of designing a Tumblr feature that might make reacting to individual posts a cleaner user experience?
Do you think additional feature support for Tumblr interactions is needed?
“I’m wearing three hats right now, so bear with me,” I said, laughing. “Brand strategist, Content strategist and Information Architect. No wait – four hats – SEO strategist too.” My client laughed too. “I know the feeling. You’ve got as many personalities as I do now.”
We were having a long conversation about the Home page strategy for the client company’s website redesign. The core redesign team is small – two Marketing executives on the client side and a creative director, project manager and me on the consultancy side. It’s Winter break, though, so today it’s just me and the Marketing director, trying to make strategy out of a lot of unknowns. What we know for sure is that we have a deadline.
And there are a lot of disperate issues on the table. Should the Promo A be 2/3 or full-width? How many Promo B’s do they really need? Which are the important calls-to-action from the Home page? What is the right brand positioning statement for the Home page? How to maintain keyword density and still simplify the Home page content?
My client is playing the role of herself and her colleague, and I’ve now morphed into multiple people, looking at the same table from four different seats.
I plunge in.
“’Quality’ and ‘Global’ are two important words for the company from a Brand strategy perspective,” I offer. “I’d like to figure out a way to work them into either your first navigation link or the H1 header strategy. The SEO strategist likes that idea too but wants to make sure we know it will impact our existing keyword strategy. You guys are going to need to change it up, but we already know that.”
Reading that now, I realize I may have sounded slightly lunatic, but my client either didn’t notice or was actually listening to what I was saying and didn’t care that I was talking about another one of my “personalities” in the third-person.
More likely, with a pile of conflicting feedback from her colleague to sort through, she was looking to me to provide structure to the process, and was waiting patiently for that to happen.
While the timeline for this redesign was compressed, my client – who was relatively new in her current position – had not yet been responsible for helming a structured web design process, even though as a savvy Marketer, she knew they needed one. There simply weren’t enough hours in the schedule for heavy documentation, and no developers to collaborate in an Agile process, so when I was awarded the project, I went into flexibility-mode and pulled a few tried-and-true tools out of my UX toolkit. I needed to create an abbreviated user-centered design process tailored to the project schedule & budget. In short order I had conducted Stakeholder Interviews, using the results of those to put together User Personas, Scenarios and a new conceptual Organizational Model to help structure our IA strategy. Organic user-centered UX strategy is in the building.
I had presented three different Conceptual Wireframe directions that I created based on the foundational documents, and today we grabbed some time out of the end-of-year air to sort through conflicting and missing feedback. My goal was to arrive at agreement over a direction that would be used as a basis to develop the IA for rest of the site, and fast. Now what to do about the multiple personalities sitting at the table, vying for our limited attention?
“We’ll revisit the Brand strategy when we take a deeper dive into copy development. I want to put aside the Content strategy of the Home page for the time being, because what we decide to do with our Promo A will not impact the new site architecture. Let’s leave that open for conversation with the rest of the team and concentrate on what we like about the different proposed directions for the IA.”
I’ve acknowledged the problem: too many issues that the two of us can’t resolve alone a few days before the New Year.
I’ve named them: Branding, Content, SEO, IA; naming takes away their power to confuse and defocus.
I’ve refocused the conversation: get sign-off on the proposed IA structure.
We were able to wrap up within ten minutes, with sign-off on what I felt was the right direction for the company (a more disciplined Navigation, narrow and deep, and the promise of a clean, simplified Home page).
Bringing decisiveness and calm with me into the New Year feels like exactly what the moment needed.
Happy 2011.