First of all, it seemed to me that he was very calm that day. And the principal reason that I remained so perfectly happy was that he reflected something in me that I thought I’d lost.
When I was a little girl, I liked nothing better than to climb a tree and dangle my bare feet into the thrilling silence. I sat quite still, wondering what thoughts my mind had seen, but I could seldom put a name on a fresh thing in my heart – a little girl on the cusp of a new feeling. It is a subject that I am interested in, the way we perceive. That’s to say my interest is personal and not strictly academic and my searching can be nostalgic and my perspective rather naive at best as I tend to lead with my heart. I think it has something to do with love. I think I am one of those souls who deliberately seeks it out in everything and it can be merciful or obliterate me. Or something along those lines.
I may as well mention now that I have spent the past while studying under the supervision of some very gifted academics at Trinity College Dublin and their ability to construct an invigorating opinion in response to things I mention never ceases to impress me. And all of this has everything to do with me now by the way and my perspective. I won’t be able to climb a tree and dangle my bare feet into the thrilling silence again you see – that’s to say I won’t be able to feel that for the first time again. And that’s really what I had been chasing since I was a small girl. So I ask myself, what makes being up a tree for the first time so exciting? I believe it is a feeling and sometimes I catch glimpses of it through interesting conversations like things whispered by the world through the branches of an ivy-clad apple tree when you’re small. Each thing Paul Smith said to me that day took me further upwards…
This shot made me think about the hours I spend daily consuming digital content. How may hours do you realistically spend reading things online? I seem to be spending more and more time of late climbing down the rabbit hole and am seduced creatively by so much new (and not so new) content. People are just so brilliant! Recently has been particularly inspiring online to me and as people are asking in passing “What are you up to G, you haven’t been out and about?” Shrugging my shoulders and typing “um glued to The National Geographic Channel while trying to write three manuscripts and double screening stuff and um watching reruns of the speakers at Internet Week New York” is I think a slightly too nerdy answer. To be honest to get loads of writing done, I have to close a door on life for a few weeks and in moments of block I virtually hug things online where people can use five words to make a beautiful message. Something like this….. (see 5.41)
Although I have never been to the Webby Awards which take place during Internet Week New York (yet) to see how it all goes down in person, I am rather tempted (does thinking about all the joys of packing for a trip next year constitute an actual plan?) I love New York and The Webby Awards or “The Webby’s” as they’re called is the highlight of Internet Week New York and the people who run it seem to have relentless bundles of energy to keep coming up with new and cool ideas. It’s a beast of an awards ceremony (the Oscars of the internet, one that navigates and honours the biggest names online. Anyway I (we) have months to think about New York but only hours to think about Europe (and I don’t mean the lead up to the Olympics next week. Eeeeek!). The Webby Awards have a European sister called The Lovie Awards which take place in London (specifically created to embrace the entire breadth of content created for the European Internet– from websites and mobile apps to online video and interactive advertising) and they are accepting entires for their awards ceremony TODAY!!! BY MIDNIGHT TONIGHT!!!RIGHT NOW!!!
I’m telling you this because last year The Goddess Guide was lucky enough to win two Lovie Award. (Two heavy gongs from The International Academy of Digital Arts and Science (IADAS)). They are kind of special to me because in a way the whole Lovie Awards were named in honour of Ada Lovelace, the first computer programmer (and she was a ladeeeee!). See told you I was a nerd-ette! This year I’ll be joining a long list of WAY MORE IMPORTANT INTERNET PEOPLE to judge your entries. Twitter folk and Henry Holland and the like… So before we get our judge on, here’s what you probably need to know. This happened last year…. (Yup Björk)
And this year marks the second year of the awards. Plus this year categories are divided into four key areas: Websites, Mobile Apps, Online Film & Video and Interactive Advertising and Media. Woven into these are permutations which cover all bases, from gaming to creative work to technical excellence. There will be 11 new categories added to the mix this year, ranging from more technically minded awards like Best Home/Welcome Page to creative accolades like Best Copywriting and the Experimental and Innovation awards for mobile platforms. Social Media will play a larger part in this year’s awards, with categories added including Social Media Campaign, Social Games and Social Media for Good Campaign. While there are no cash prizes, winners do get a very attractive Gold, Silver or Bronze award and a huge amount of publicity for their site or mobile app. Plus the chance to get their name in front of an influential panel of judges (and um me).
P.S. Everyone can actually submit their website, blog, app, here and if you win a gong we gat to party together (the best bet). Tonight midnight is the final entry deadline. Here are the details you’ll need.
Friday, July 20, 2012: Final Entry Deadline
Tuesday, October 16, 2012: Winners Announced
Entries can be submitted online through The Lovie Awards platform:
