2010 Resolution = 1024 x 768??

The New Year has begun and people's resolutions are off to yet another blistering start. With all the best intentions to get fit, save money or even pursue that promotion at work... Though these resolutions rely heavily on momentum. 'The Art of War' outlines the influence that momentum has on the outcome and success of activities.

"Getting people to fight by letting the force of momentum work is like rolling logs and rocks. Logs and rocks are still when in a secure place, but roll on an incline; they remain stationary if square, they roll if round. Therefore, when people are skillfully led into battle, the momentum is like that of round rocks rolling down a high mountain - this is force." - Sun Tzu

"Roll rocks down a ten-thousand-foot mountain, and they cannot be stopped - this is because of the mountain, not the rocks. Get people to fight with the courage to win every time, and the strong and the weak will unite - this is because of the momentum, not the individual." - Du Mu

For me, people are the stones within a stream. As the constant flow of water passes over the bedrock, it mirrors the passing of time. Those that are afraid to diversify and hold all their eggs in one basket become heavier and lodge themselves into the earth while the smaller rocks dislodge and over time their rigidity smooths out with every hurdle and experience it endures, enabling a more productive and streamlined journey ahead. These rock 'identities' travel as fast as the force allows them to and ultimately, WILL reach their desired destination in due course.

With this in mind, my New Year Resolution takes the form of a smaller set of achievable goals laying a pathway towards a successful future. This year will have many obstacles and surprises install for it. In a few weeks I will be starting my Master of Design (Digital Media) as outlined in 'The Itch that Needed to be Scratched' blog post back in September 2009. Further development of my ideas and musings will surface and be shared through an overhaul and restructuring of my Designtail blog. Designtail will become a fully functional and stand alone web page focusing on current and future professional needs while the integration of a sister site, 'Matt Cole Creations' will pick up where this current blog left off, plus a few extra surprises. But you will just have to wait and see!

2010 - Year of the Egg

I drift back into the subliminal ether, confused as to what awoke me in the middle of the night. Was it the cries of my stomach from the over indulging of Christmas cake or the crowing of the neighbour's dyslexic rooster... Suddenly, I am staring blankly at endless cartridges of organic fluid. I am confronted by choice, a choice that questions the conflict between my immoral and moral values. Do I choose battery eggs or free range???

User integration within society and their social interaction can be measured and compared to the mentality and structure of combining ingredients within a recipe. As your masterpiece grows, the introduction of each ingredient influences the properties and character of the existing components. Recipes, like laws, are to be followed to retain consistency between the various elements and is a precaution put in place to help prevent the opportunity for discrepancies to occur.

No matter how careful you nurture them into an environment, it still only takes one bad egg to undo all the hard work that laid the foundation for your creation. These experiences barely scratch the essence that shape our attitude towards the obstacles we face each day. Whether you relate the above methodology to a relationship, career or materials within the process of a design it is how you choose to deal with the situation at hand that decides the outcome.

So here is to 2010. A year of uncertain obstacles generating experience and promoting personal growth.