Steelso V6.0

And if you need proof…

A story on the proposed British summer.

The most non-story I’ve read in ages. Well done!

Steelso :: Apr.03.2008 :: Big on Small :: No Comments »

Been doing a small internal presentation to brief the team on the current state of play for one of our clients and I had a great time doing the research, find the images and also mapping the story. I really enjoyed trying to be like Steve Jobs in my presentation. I’m using Keynote and it’s just such a great tool. Yes. I’m gushing.

Going to see Radiohead. Going to see the Hold Steady tonight. Off down to Hemel Hempstead soon. Selling my flat.  Trying to get insight all day. It’s a great time!

Steelso :: Feb.25.2008 :: Big on Small :: 5 Comments »

The smoking ban came in place in Scotland in March 2006 and it’s been deemed a pretty good thing for health and the like. It’s seen publicans  having to change how they provide for their customers, mainly in introducing a nice and friendly area outside for smokers to indulge. Other places such as shopping centres have just banned smoking outright. The image above is from Tesco in Maryhill. Rather than throwing out the old ashtrays/bin someone has reinvented it as a plant pot/ bin. Loving that work.

Not been blogging much recently though I’ve got lots of things that I want to write about. Things like how photography’s changed since digital, the process at work, finding and retaining inspiration and 10 reasons I know that I’m a dad. Outside the fact that I have two kids. I know what I mean.

Things are not so much hectic but heavy at work at the moment and until that’s resolved I can’t see the Muse coming to visit for a while. I’m going to try though, the whole point of this is to stretch me and I’m not keen on stopping just because my head’s mulchy.

iPhone on Nov 9th at an expected £280. Amazed at the deal that O2 supposedly have done with Apple to secure the rights. It does seem a little mad, esp with them having to install an EDGE network that’s inferior to the 3G network that O2 spent billions buying and then trying to monitise. However, the other side of that coin is that the hype for the iPhone will help shift customers from other operators to O2. Seemed to be quite effective with AT&T in the US, we’ll see how it goes here. I have 6 weeks to decide to get one. Yeah. Right. I’ll be camping outside a Carphone Warehouse with all the other geeky-must-have-on-launch saddos.

steelso :: Sep.18.2007 :: Big on Small, iPhone :: 1 Comment »

It’s the 2002 World Cup, sitting in The Lab and we’re commenting on how fed up we’re going to be listening to “A Little More Conversation” in 4 weeks time. I was drunk. Very drunk. During the night I dropped my glasses and stood on them.

Today I replaced them. 5 years of squinting, getting closer to the telly to play games (my sense of logic was that obviously what I really needed was a 50″ plasma), having to be 2 meters to read a train notice board, waving at shapes in the distance if I think they maybe waving at me. The list is endless.

Not that my eyesight is that bad. Jude, the very nice optometrist at Vision Express, told me that I have slightly above average eyesight. I have dealt with the fuzzy well and enjoyed it. But today….

It was like moving from analog to HD. Everything was perfect. Looking down Buchanan Street and putting the glasses on for the first time was simply amazing. Instead of seeing a mass of shifting colour I saw people. Hundreds, thousands of them bobbing along. It was glorious. Back to work and I could see the view from our office for the first time. It’s beautiful and inspiring. I’ve seen it but I’ve not looked at it until today. Paul asked if I was having “a moment”, I told him that I’d had at least 6 in the hour since I put them on.

The walk from office into town took twice as long as I kept stopping to look at the view. And the canal. And to take pictures of things I hadn’t looked at before.

I amazes me that you can do something as simple as put two bits of glass held together by metal and it can literarily change your view of the world. Thanks to Jude and Paul at Vision Express in Buchanan Galleries for making it also so easy. I had a hair cut too while I waited for my specs. I’m having a great day.

steelso :: Jul.27.2007 :: Big on Small, Everyday Stuff :: 9 Comments »

In the wonderful world of Web 2.0 you, yes you, are expected to join the conversation and add value to posts and thoughts all over the Internet. However you’re not too keen on leaving your personal details. Supposedly. 94.9% never comment.

So these good guys have come up with a little plug in which means you can leave a feeling on a blog and let your thoughts be known. I’ve installed it, it’s at the bottom of each post and I’m curious as to if it’ll help me shape the direction of my writing. Your thoughts are always welcomed and valued.

I love gadgets. It’s the neophile in me.

Thanks to Techcrunch

steelso :: Jun.06.2007 :: Big on Small, Blogging, Thoughts, Web 2.0 :: 3 Comments »

The lovely Steph pointed this wee note out to me last Thursday while we were walking on Sauchiehall Street. It was next to a shop with a six foot sculpture of a creature from Alien.

As she knows me so well Steph knew that I’d want to take a picture. And blog it. I found the note to be a really sweet and brave thing to do and I hoped that Elena found her man.

So intrigued was I that I decided to call her later to see if she had any joy. We had a wee chat and she sounded  very hopeful and positive that she would find her lovely man. I hope she does too. I’m going to call her tomorrow to see if her last ditch attempt worked. Good luck lady, good luck!

steelso :: Apr.11.2007 :: Big on Small, Cool, People, Social :: 6 Comments »

I’ve been playing with Oblique Strategies. I’ve been finding them useful in pushing through certain creative blocks when I’m doing documents. I’ve never been particularly natural in doing docs, I’m a better talker than writer. This little Mac widget is useful just to help think about an issue or problem on a different way.

steelso :: Mar.18.2007 :: Big on Small, Creative :: 5 Comments »

Ever since seeing Daniel Kitson’s show last week I’ve been slowly obsessing with the small things. The details that are the foundations of great experiences. I’ve no idea if that was the point of the show but it’s what I took away from it. No doubt I’ll be told otherwise.

So. I’ve been taking pictures on the tiny things that lift the everyday into a moment of special. My first real example was this ticket above. Last Tuesday I had to go down south but due to a fire outside Edinburgh all trains were cancelled and re-routed. I decide to abort my trip and head back to the office. Given that I was up at 5am and now heading back to Glasgow at 10am I was in a pretty fowl mood.

I had to buy a ticket in Edinburgh and while on the train back my conductor checked my ticket and punched it. All the usual stuff. But when I checked the ticket I noticed that he had punched a heart into it. I thought that it was amazing, it took a mundane thing into a smiley thing. And the more smiley things that can enter into your life a day, no matter how small, can only be good.

I am now constantly looking out for the tiny details that make for a better life. Join in.

steelso :: Feb.04.2007 :: Big on Small :: 8 Comments »