Creative Path Studio

Jon and I have killed our TV. Ok, so maybe we’ve only killed the cable and regular TV programming. That’s because I still love to watch movies. I love being immersed by a good story, especially one with lots of good special effects and writing.

It’s such a treat to just be able to sit for the rare two hours that I don’t seem to have anymore to just have my brain absorbed by something other than a computer screen. Not have to think, not have to move, not do much of anything. Get completely lost.

Why do I love that so much?

I listen to the radio in the morning, as I get ready for work. Typically, I have it tuned to NPR, and most times, I don’t listen. I don’t know why I have it tuned to the news – maybe it’s to listen to the weather forecast or traffic report. Most times, it’s background noise.

But on occasion, I’ll hear a news item that catches my attention, often making me ask myself, is this really good for me to listen to this? Is it really making me feel better about my life? Or the world in general. Because quite often I find that I am disgusted with the world, and that does not bode well for my general mood.

I should try shutting off the radio in the mornings – at least wait until I’ve had my cup of tea.

I am incredibly frustrated by this campus wireless network. To access the network, I had to download a couple of applications, including Cisco Clean Access Agent (which had errors in its installation!) and the campus virus software (because apparently, the one I had wasn’t good enough!). And of course, after logging in, the f***ing network tells me I need to update my virus definition — but I don’t have f***ing access to download the latest definitions! F**K, F**K, F**K! So it won’t let me login! Damn it!

Yes, these are the moments when I want to hurl my machine out the window. These are the times when technology completely drives me mad, when I waste more time trying to make technology work than actually have technology work for me!!

I know my blood is curdling right now. And the irony of this situation is that at this time I would normally be out on a hike, away from media and technology, away from frustration, away from this sometimes non-sensical mode of – I don’t even have the words right now. I AM SO MAD!

My submersion into the Multimedia Graduate Program has me thinking about the difference between a tool and media. I’m writing on this blog, which is a form of media, but it is also a tool that allows me to express my thoughts to the world, regardless of whether the world cares or not.

A good place to start would be to define these terms, tool and media.

Tool (a few definitions from Answers.com):

• A device, such as a saw, used to perform or facilitate manual or mechanical work
• Something regarded as necessary to the carrying out of one’s occupation or profession
• Something used in the performance of an operation; an instrument

Media (again from Answers.com)

• Channels of communication that serve as many diverse functions, such as offering a variety of entertainment with either mass or specialized appeal, communicating news and information, or displaying advertising messages

I think part of these questions that come up have to do with another word I’ve often found difficult to define: artist.

Regardless, media as a tool, and the tool as media can define the artist’s vision.

I don’t really know what any of this means. I just know that when I’m in front of a computer, I don’t think of myself as an artist. I think of myself as someone using media.

When I work with paper, ink, charcoal, clay, or other traditional artist’s tools, then I feel that I am an artist.

What is the difference and why is there a difference?

Here I am sitting in the library, originally at a desk, now on a “loveseat” (if one can call it that), with my laptop on, well, my lap. I am reading Multimedia: From Wagner to Virtual Reality as presented by ArtMuseum.net. It covers (so far) the history of yes, multimedia, but as well, computers, the internet, and the world wide web. I have never considered myself a computer geek – I’ll be the first to confess that there’s so much I don’t know. However, I find myself completely fascinated by the story of multimedia.

Anyway, back to the topic at hand: my love/hate relationship with my laptop.

First of all, I spend entirely way too much time with it – probably more time than with any other sentient being (I also live with 4 four-legged creatures). I think to myself, is there something wrong with that? On the physical level, I have had my back go out for a week (hate), tingling in my wrists (hate), soreness on my bum ((hate, yes!), and pain in my neck (hate). All as a result of spending too much time with my laptop (love). Ok, please note that was written in the past tense. I have remedied my work area to be ergonomic though I could force myself to take more breaks. I do force myself to get out. I hike, swim, and play outside just so I don’t end up looking like a computer geek.

What exactly compels me to interact with my computer the way that I do? It is a silver, heavy thing that I carry on my back, and when I turn it on, it is shiny and interactive. Physical looks have nothing to do with it. In many ways, it’s the same question that makes me wonder why I chose to blog instead of write these media entries in my personal journal.

But I do love to play with it.