Motivate

Feeling the peer pressure this month, setting myself limits and targets for my thesis is easy but sticking to them is a whole other thing completely. It is good to be truey self motivated, however, and it really makes you feel like you have accomplished something that day. Having the ability to self motivate is so vital and I'm so happy that I have grown in self confidence over the years of being an art student.
Had a conversation the other day about careers (again) with a friend who has recently graduated and works as an egineer for a large oil company in Aberdeen (of course). I spoke about how I was afraid of having a "real job" like that, to which he replied "yeah but that wil never happen with you, you'll never really be in that situation where you have a 'real job' anyway."

All I do is take pretty pictures isn't it, easy peasy.

The start of something exciting and wonderful

Catriona Grant- Examination Room

"It's a British thing"

I was in a meeting a week or so ago when we were being told how to complain (yes I know) and offer constructive criticism to our peers and to our tutors, institution, headmasters etc etc. The girl advising us said
"It's best to say something nice first and then deliver the complaint because people can get upset if you just say something bad."
It is safe to say that not many people agreed with this and the girl then lost respect from most of the room.
When somebody asked "why can't you just deliver the complaint, if there is something wrong, somebody should fix it"
Her answer was not only ill informed but a wee bit racist
"I think it's a British thing"

Well there we go.

Now, I'm a firm believer in "it's nice to be nice" but at the same time... you can't just dance around the problem so people don't get upset, being sad and upset sometimes is part of being alive, we have to experience the bad to appreciate the good whole heartedly. This is something which being in art school has really taught me, being constantly reviewed with honestly from my peers has toughened me up and I'm glad that I've been upset and got some bad reviews because otherwise I'd think I was sailing through very easily and wouldn't push myself any further. In fact, I'd maybe say that my peers have been too soft on me, I've made some pretty shambolic pieces of art in my time, so if your reading this, don't be put off if I cry, I'm grateful inside...really... eventually.

So essentially... that girl was wrong. You can't just hug somebody before you tell them that you hate them, it's just stupid, not "British".

                                   
                               "You look very pretty today Daisy... but I'm breaking up with you"

Let's get a moo-ve on

Nice to be back at University again and back on the ole blog, now excuses for not keeping this up to date but never mind, I'm back now.

So much to think about, its all very exciting and scary because I'll have to figure out what I fancy doing for the rest of my life soon, no pressure.

"oooh so whats your favourite photograph?"

Dear Blog,

I haven't died.

I'm doing really well.

"What do you do at uni Alison?"
"Photographic and Electronic Media"
"Oooh, that sounds fancy, whats that then?"
"Photography with other things"


..."she's actually a smart cookie you should have seen her playing trivial persuit the other night!"

So... what you doing tomorrow?

Haven't said much in a while because I've been so busy DOING things, so thats very nice!
Spent some time with people who I haven't seen for a while and it was so lovely to not talk about final hand ins and progress with uni... oh wait, I lied! I've got to the stage in my University life where peple are asking me what I'm going to do with my life and thats a bit frightening and also annoying. Although I am a firm believer in plans annd guides and being prepared... I'm not ready to declare my future to anybody yet because I have no idea myself. Why is there this constant need for a future plan anyway? Do people find it  comforting to know the future a little bit so they dont get a fright when it bites them on the bum? Everybody always wants to know what your doing tomorrow or what your doing next year or what your plans are for future... somebody asked me when I thought I'd get married the other day?!! Is it an age thing or just a life thing I wonder? Do people ask those who aren't students what their plans are for life? It could get a bit embarassing if they said "oh just this, I'm going to work in Morrissons for the rest of my life" and so it occured to me, the question "what are your future plans?" is a bloody personal one and people need to stop asking it so often because quite frankly I'm nervous!
Here's a nice picture of two brothers who are enjoying being carefree and not having to answer such hard questions yet...lucky bastards.