It's a busy day at the oakland airport today. Long lines and my flight's been delayed. It would have been much faster to drive...though because of gas prices it also would have been more expensive!

--may--

This is a conceptual project I saw at the museum today developed by IDEO back in 99. I remember seeing David Kelly present it back then and a few weeks ago I was thinking of how the SK takes the idea of the Kiss Communicator so much further!! And in such a short amount of time!

Anyways here is the description on the museum wall of a project that has now been relegated to a glass box instead of the hands of adoring customers (a product designer's worse nightmare)

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The idea for the Kiss Communicator was born when the designers noticed that pagers were often sold in pairs and used by couples to send romantic messages to one another during the day. Like pagers, cell phones or handheld organizers, the Communicator collapses the physical space between bodies, but it is not designed to transmit text, voices or images. Instead it communicates something more fundamental: a form of touch.

One person blows a kiss into the "lips" on the front surface of the device and the gesture is translated into a pattern of colored lights. The reciprocal unit, whether across the room or across the globe, will start to glow, will start to glow, and if one's partner answers by squeezing the sides of the device, the pattern of lights is displayed back to the sender.

--may--

A drizzly gray day in San Francisco so I spent the afternoon at SFMOMA. I really love these light boxes that were used to show drawings for the architecture and water exhibit. A single fluorescent tube and acrylic panels...not very hard to make...I think I will try. There's also a great Ellsworth Kelly exhibit on the very top floor. He is one of those painters whose work is far more impressive in real life than in books maybe because the scale of big red blue and yellow geometric shapes have far more of an impact at 10 ft high than at 10 inches.

I must say my favorite part of the museum is always the museum store...and not because I want to buy things...but because it's the only place that I'm finally allowed to TOUCH things (yeah I was a bad kid who terrorized security guards when I was little by running around and touching all of the artwork)

Although I did spend well over $100 on books today (yikes!) ...one of them is called The Elements of Pop-Up, a Pop-Up Book for Aspiring Paper Engineers (really fun and highly recommended for any of you who want to learn how pop up bks are made!) and another gem called The Art of Looking Sideways...all about looking sideways...

--may--

are cell phone cases! I was shopping for origami paper today and came across a store selling all manner of weird trinkets and cases for your cell phone. Everything from hello kitty to glow in the dark accessories...these things are all over japan and hong kong but I didn't know they were sold here too.

--may--

--may--

to the marathon man!!! :)

--may--

I met him yesterday on Union Street smoking a cigar. He says the thing he's most grateful for this year is his new wife Sonia. She's in Ecuador right now so we sent this photo to her too!

--may--

Hello all and happy holidays! I know it's been a rough year for some folks but I do think there is still so much to be thankful for, so I was wondering if you could help me out with a little project. If you would be so willing here's what I'd like you to do.

1. Go up to someone you don't know (maybe someone you think is cute or might be interesting)

2. Ask them if you can take their picture. (warn them that it will be posted online and if they aren't comfortable with that then don't take it. You won't win any brownie points with the cutie.)

3. Ask them about something they're thankful for this year (yes I know it's embarrassing, but just say, I'm helping a friend with a project and she wants me to ask you....etc etc)

5. Report back! (with location too!)

All who participate will get...hmm...what will you get...well you'll get a special holiday greeting from me via snail mail, perhaps handmade with such low tech materials as paper and glue. If I'm feeling ambitious maybe you'll get some cookies too. (oh and don't forget to get the camera close enough for a nice shot of your new friend! :)

Thank you!

--may--

"What is that, a camera? How come so dark?"

"Well um it's a phone and a camera. I can use it to send email too. See, I can take your picture and send it to you. Do you have email?"

"My son has phone too. Even better than yours. In color!"

--may--

At this hole in the wall in san francisco, you can get a box of tasty fried noodles for a dollar. You will have to contend with lots of old ladies and their sharp elbows, hanging ducks and the occassional hanging pig...but these days you can't buy a cliff bar for a dollar! (oh this hole in the wall is called Hing Lung on the SW corner of Stockton and Broadway) --may--