information generation

Considering that I posted last weeks made by me-monday blog on a Tuesday, and that today's title is not made by me, you would probably think I don't know how to look at a calendar. But in all honesty as fun as it is updating the made by me's because it gives me a chance too look back on work I have packed away, I have just had a 'oh let me blog about it moment' and decided to run with it.

I have recently started admitting to people that I have a very bad 'rainmain-ish' habit. I don't know what it is or when it started, and in all honesty it scared me at first and then I just realised it must be one of my quirks, because everyone I have spoken to about it (including the magiKal-psychologist) tells me they do not have the same problem as me. They proceed to give me a very funny look afterwards. What I mean by 'rainman-ish' is directly taken from the movie starring Tom Cruise and Dustin Hoffman, you will remember Dustin Hoffman played the role of Tom's older autistic savant mumbling brother. Well since this isn't a movie blog I will get straight to the point. I count. I count everything. If I am walking up or down stairs, I count the stairs. If I am out jogging, I count my steps. When out driving I take note of number plates (so not only are the numbers in my damn head they are also all around me) I will see a number plate and it will stick in my mind, and then I see the number plate again and I realise "hey I know that numberplate. How you doing car 46440". It's like this little itty bitty sick fascination with numbers. I move them around in my mind so that they make more sense and be remembered. Like my security code to get into the gate at home...lets say it is 2702, I don't see it as 2702. I see it as 27 February. I seriously just thought everyone did this! Now I'm not bragging about this special talent of mine, or saying I am special or a savant. If anything I can almost hear my sisters laughter over the phone when she calls after reading this update (or her shock at not realising how special I am indeed). I am the first to admit I don't even like numbers! Who fails accounting in the first week they teach it to you in highschool? It takes me 3 times longer to figure out mathematical equations than my 13yr old nephew, actually I think by this stage he has surpassed me by more than a longshot. But, yet these damn numbers haunt me. I opened up a magazine article last week that was saying how an average person has to walk something like 8000 steps to burn their average intake of food -obviously the only thing that stuck out at me was the 8000 odd steps. I even attempted to see how many steps I take but then realised I only count every second step of mine and when I get to 100 I automatically seem to revert back to 1, and I do tend to get side-tracked by a song that then enters my head, or a non-related number thought, and well-yeah I still haven't managed to count all my steps. Phone numbers are the worst, I see a phone number and then I think to myself-oh its like my phone number but just replace the 3 with the 5 and the 9 with the 1 and swop the two last digits around.

Considering that I have now opened a full can of worms here, I will tell you what made me want to have this 'oprah-style' sharing moment with you. I finally just figured out I can see the stats on my blog. It's fun. I now know how many times my blog is being read (616) and this does not include me checking it. Which country my 'reader' is in (1: South Africa, 2: United Kingdom, 3:USA....) What platform (for non-technical speakers this just means with what type of device) is being used. I have started feeling like I am on Wall Street with how often I just need to check the numbers. Has readership increased/decreased. Should I sell(update)/buy(not bother). And each time I see an increase I feel a little bit of joy, because I then realise it is not JUST my family reading my blog and I shall therefore keep selling. 

19.09.11

I took a class in my varsity days that was called "Information Design". We basically were set challenges to design/arrange information in such a way that it was pleasing to look at, as well as being informative and getting the message across. By keeping a concept of what information needs to be conveyed by making it pleasant to look at, one's eye and memory click together and 'take a picture' that lasts them longer. Looking at facts and figures in a different way we tend to then remember them better than having them all layed out in front of us excel sheet style. This is how I work. I am more of a visual person when it comes to itty bitty information. If there isn't a pretty picture in front of me I conjure one up in my head. But looking at information layed out (such as the stats on my blog) excites me, and makes things a bit more real. Below I have posted some images of beautiful layed out information design. It's filtering into our lives more often now hidden in beautiful layouts!

http://myhome.spu.edu/kgz/4207/eyecandy.html

http://designingforinteraction.wordpress.com

http://mootee.typepad.com

http://www.stephengates.com

http://www.uwdesign2010.com

By the way did you know me has got 2 letters in it. When ME are together those are my fathers initials. When reversed and EM are together those are my mother...and my brothers initials! I'm just a double MM. I think I have just realised it's not only numbers that are haunting me...have a great week everyone, and count your blessings! 

x 

me


update: the sister mentioned above eventually read the blog and genes seem to be a lot stronger and wierder in my family than just how alike we all look...my sister happens to have the same number issues as me.Thanks to the wonders of opening myself and my savant-ish like issues up we have eventually revealed this oddity to each other. I shall now look into this matter further and see if the brand of wine we drink has anything to do with it!