The graphic designer's new best friend

As a typeface lover and one who agonizes over what font will make my presentation boards/portfolio/poster look the best, this is a hilarious way to make decisions. (Click the graphic to view a larger version.) I followed some of the flowchart and just laughed at what I came across, like:

"Do people find you boring from time to time?" >> Times

or

"Are you alone?" "Follow me..." >> Comic Sans [one that I really can't stand]

There were also some paths and ultimate typeface choices that surprised me as well. Maybe I have a thing or two to learn after all, or maybe this chart just exposes how subjective font choice really can be.

Putting on my best smile

Diana was my lunch partner and a good sport for coming out to Porter Square with me. But who can resist chicken katsu curry (hers), pork katsu don (mine), and interviews with strangers?

My second visit to Porter for spontaneous interviews for this documentary was fruitful, although still nerve-wracking. I don't typically have a problem talking to people. I also typically don't have issues with talking to strangers, either - but within planned settings (i.e. networking sessions) or for casual inquiry (i.e. "Where's the bathroom?" or "Do you know where the FedEx is?"). But approaching people and asking them if I can point a camera at their faces and ask questions... well, to be honest it's still a definite challenge. So I smile a lot - and I mean, a lot. What can be more disarming than a small Asian girl with a big smile?

I was at least prepared for the various answers and had 3 methods of recording our conversations: camcorder, audio recorder, or good ol' pen and paper. It made for an interesting juggle as I switched from one medium to the others, but in all I got to speak with some veterans of Porter Square Exchange, newcomers, and in between.

Next step (aka my "burning the midnight oil" activity): putting together some sort of a cohesive draft film to show my class later today. Progress awaits...

Boston's "Japantown" : Care enough to be on camera?

The Common Market, sometimes known as Boston's "Japantown," in Porter Square

So for my Public Art (and Cultural Space) class, I'm making a documentary about the development and current issues of Boston's Japanese community in Porter Square, sometimes called "Japantown" depending on who you talk to. Seeing as I am neither Japanese nor have I ever made a film before, this might seem like a stretch, but I'm interested in ethnic enclaves (for lack of a better term...even though I hate that phrase), issues of globalization/tourism, and how an area is determined to be a Chinatown, Japantown, or ____town ... what is the critical mass? And who decides that, anyways?

Porter Square is particular intriguing to me, not just because I'm such a fan of Japan now (since the idea came up prior to my trip anyways). The Exchange Building there houses roughly 10 Japanese-owned businesses and restaurants - is it a Japantown? How does the definition matter, and who cares?

Now comes the question: do you care? And do you know about film (documentary or otherwise)? If so, definitely get in contact with me, as I'm trying to talk to as many people as possible about the meaning of a Japanese community here in this ole' town. Any advice/ideas are welcome, too.

Arigato gozai masu!

First job surprise

Filling out summer job documentation means digging back through the past to see...what did I even do as one of my first jobs? One of the most fun ones I had was working for Inside New York, that ubiquitous guidebook to NYC that every freshman at Columbia (and some other random schools and law firms) gets during orientation. I usually don't reference it anymore, but I made note of it today and happened across the website for the first time in years.

And to my pleasant surprise, the site is looking really good! The guidebook in the past was purely a printed resource, with an inquiries-only, minimal website with no content. Since then (gosh, has it really been 5 years?), the student staff has really hauled out to make an actively-updated website with all the reviews right there, with changing content and a blog.

It's cool how you return to your old roots and see how things have grown.

Any other first job stories?