Tinkering for the Non-Tinkerer

I used to have a toy that required little toddlers to push different shaped objects through holes that matched the shape of the object. Through many joyful hours of playing with said toy, I learned that in life, some things fit and some things do not. No matter how hard I push, I simply cannot fit the triangle shape through the square hole. And though my time spent playing with the shape toy has long since passed, I realize that the valuable lessons I learned from the toy stick with me today. There are some things in life that simply do not fit with the way you see the world. Me trying to use Microsoft Excel is like me trying to force the most enormous square through the tiniest circle hole. And also, Microsoft Excel is the worst. Yet as we get older, it’s so easy to fall into the holes that we are used to fitting in and never trying to slip our way into something not quite tried and true that may be the perfect fit.

My new project, This Cube is Alive, has turned out to be quite an endeavor. There is actually very little about this project that I already know how to do. Lately, I’ve been trying to learn how to use Isadora, a software that allows its users to create an interactive media experience (and yes, I did basically copy and paste that description from the website). In order for my cube to be alive, I want it to respond and interact with sound and movement, and Isadora seems like a great means to make that happen.

After watching the online tutorials and reading blogs and articles on artists’ experience using the software, I have come to the realization that despite the fairly simple interface of the program and the helpful tutorials and online forums, this is a square-in-circle-hole situation for the way I think and how I like to spend my time. In other words, Isadora and I are not meshing.

So far, I’ve made some movies and pictures look different and move slightly. I suppose it’s something learned…but there’s a lot more to go.

This Cube is Alive project, has turned out to be quite an endeavor. There is actually very little about this project that I already know how to do. Lately, I’ve been trying to learn how to use Isadora, a software that allows its users to create an interactive media experience (and yes, I did basically copy and paste that description from the website). In order for my cube to be alive, I want it to respond and interact with sound and movement and Isadora seems like a great means to make that happen. After watching the online tutorials and reading blogs and articles on artists’ experience using the software, I have come to the realization that despite the fairly simple interface of the program and the helpful tutorials and online forums, this is a square-in-circle-hole situation for the way I think and how I like to spend my time. In other words, Isadora and I are not meshing. So far, I’ve made some movies and pictures look different and move slightly. I suppose it’s something learned…but there’s a lot more to go.