soundtrack | Queen Adreena: Medicine Jar

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Life is vicious and against me. I've been practically a prisoner at home for over one week. On Friday when I finally got out my back started aching again - I + cold spring air = not good. I've been so mad and frustrated. I've tried to convinve myself that it's almost ok, I have work to do anyway and... Getting tired and paranoid. But I'm so glad: the summer is coming and hopefully warmer air too. I wouldn't like to stand dead stiff and hurting watching Marilyn Manson, NIN and Turbonegro. Or worse: listening the hotel room tap tipping through the whole weekend. Well, there are leaves on the trees already. That's a good sign.


German and Swedish language versions of The Craft Museum of Finland site will open tomorrow. There are propably still some odd typos - but still - FINALLY online. This has been one of the long-time sessions of this spring.


Yesterday I lacked life totally. I woke up after noon, *tried* to accomplish something ...but nothing. I actually then lied on sofa watching telly and wondering if I should play some Jak or Kingdom Hearts but I it was too big project for me (getting up and turn on play station). Instead of having any activity I Ended up staring to the emptiness and letting my mind wander around. I had these odd conspiration-sort-of-things like: Hey - there is only one letter difference between money and Monet. Could this be coincidence? I still can hear my brain snapping.


This can't go on much longer. I have to get me a life.

soundtrack | Sons And Daughters: Dance Me In

Drinking cold coffee and water, watching sun shining outside and having fingers tapping on keyboard. Normal geeky day.


Some Spirited Herring and Live Herring (net art events) done. Small things but they took a lot of time. I should be better organized for these kinds of thing.
Yesterday was actually a total head bangers ball - inside my head. Still: new article layout for Muhi project. Few new images added to Aino-K. Pajari's page and a couple of small updates to Colour Association of Finland.


And the Aalto Foundation... There was zzzzzzz with BBC 6 Music a few days ago and I went for BBC Radio 2 to hunt down for something complete different. I found this nice light music show Friday Night Is Music Night with musical themes and light classic music to go with my non-stop working mood. I was listening Finlandia by Sibelius with tears in my eyes (well, almost) while coding the Alvar Aalto site. Could it get more patriotic (and pathetic) than this?


Yes, the sun is still shining outside. I'm waiting for Timppa to come home and take me out to eat pasta/soup and some ice cream. And maybe some dvd-shopping...

soundtrack | Plastic Berntrand: Ça plane pour moi

ArsLab³ online...



My back ache continued through the weekend. It was quite hard for me to move at all - so when I sat in front of my work desk I practically didn't leave it very often during the weekend. These back ahces seem to be quite productive for my work projects.


I spent the whole weekend coding Aalto Foundation new web page. It was so sunny outside yesterday that I almost thanked Powers That Be (...hmph... living in Joss Whedon's universe I guess) for my back ache - I would't have gone out even if I didn't have this hardcore working session. Today I'm again as movable as I should be and no big hurting areas regocnized - but rain rain rain. Can stay home safely.


[Edit 12 hours later:]
Blogger threw me out twice but better later than never.
Today I have made small updates for other projects (before re-entering to the universum of the Aalto Foundation): small updates to Art + Architecture 2005 and small fixes to ArsLab³. Wrote an evaluation for one JAO student. And of course, the above mentioned ArsLab³ site which I finished coding last morning at five.


No go, no flow day today. Maybe tomorrow'll be a bit better. I promise to press my mental refresh button and not to be this dull...

soundtrack | The Scaramanga Six: Horrible Face

More pinkish, flowery desktop images on their way...

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O_o ... Haven't blogged for ages. Nothing to tell actually. Physically I'm decaying alive: my back has been hurting since Easter + right foot has been hurting for about four months now (no reason known which adds a bit to my restlessness). Yesterday I sort of stretched my back and had to stay in the rest of the day. And propably this whole weekend. I was so pissed off yesterday - I had planned to visit Anssi+Liisa in their new home but instead I played salt statue the whole evening.


Now it's a bit better - I can still sit. So working it is.


Actually, right now I feel I haven't been this busy ever before. Forget all my earlier whinings: this is the most turbo panicish time ever. The mother of all the oppression. I've been coding the new Aalto Foundation site like maniac, remade Muhi project layouts, coded Kirsi's pages and made LOTS of smaller updates. I haven't actually done anything else apart from working and watching reality television.
Now I'm lying: I've also worked with my 'hobby' - The Online Art Gallery Spirited Herring is now closed and waiting to be re-opened in the beginning of June. Jani visited here last week and we gave the project some reality check. Needless to say-

soundtrack | Hope of The States: The Red The White The Black The Blue

Still no life signs. Void mind.

I finally got the layouts for ArsLab3 + logo's sent to Jari.


Aalto sitereneval project has been on stand by mode today.
Small updates: Gallery Becker and Aino-K. Pajari.

soundtrack | Cradle of Filth: Devil Woman

Work'a'holic weekend + some days after.


On Saturday I first updated all the small(ish) updates, some Muhi project adjustments + the rest of Kirsi's corrections (all of which I hadn't coded before). Then I started coding national dresses project and it took about 2/7 with only a few hours sleep and some mind emptying moments with reality television (and chicken fajitas - I will never eat again).
Then I started coding new Aalto foundation site which will propably be THE project for the couple of few weeks.


And a card from Teija from Florence (how come I remembered that she was going to Venice?) - my contact to outside world. Well, not totally: today (...as: yesterday) I met Mirkka from Aalto Museum and we discussed something about the new Aalto site soon to be opened...


No life signs here. Move away, there's nothing to see here.

soundtrack | The Secret Machines: Road Leads Where It's Led

I've got the Art + Architecture 2005 registration pdf finally online. The site has been online since February but all the important pieces are now together - so I guess the site is finally published. The visual design + layout are based on the print material designed by Teemu Taskinen.



Work'a'holica day.

The Craft Museum of Finland Swedish and German pages will open soon - several small adjustments made.
Alvar Aalto Foundation redesign is due to open in few weeks time. Unfortunately, the first stage is only slight make-over, renewal of the few most important pages. Those projects done with one piece at time are always hard for me, I easily lose the logic... But thumbs up now.

And of course some time spent with Muhi project (colour codes for Hannes, searching for old layouts for re-designing, some info for Petteri).

Ups - look, it's already tomorrow. Time travelling.

soundtrack | Hard-Fi: Tied Up Too Tight

So, most of the time with Muhi project. Nothing to show yet, some small adjustments again. It's annoying how making some small changes can take the whole day. But the strange thing is that I actually like making the graphs for that one. Sometimes it feels like the project is in the never-ending mode - but so are many other projects too and in more disturbing way. In this one I have only graphs to deal with, nothing else. Maybe that's the reason why it's still on the good side of the planet...
Recent updates: Alvar Aalto Foundation, The Craft Museum of Finland, The Arts Council of Central Finland>, ArsLab...


I've been a bit ill so all so I'm a bit late with everything. The work doesn't end soon: basic updates awaiting, Muhi layouts unfinished, Kirsi's site renewal unfinished, Aalto Foundation site renewal coding not even started (well, some ground work is done), some layouts for ArsLab3 unfinished (new logo based on the old one is already finished), Webgalleria texts to be written and Väripaletti site to be updated. And I should've get the national dresses finished last weekend but as I hit the zombie mode so totally, I'll just have to try to finish the project ASAP. Which just might be too much right now.


I've tried to spy on Teija's blog (sorry, only in Finnish) now and then to find out is she already in Venezia or still in Norway - or where? But nothing new yet. I've got some good news to her: our five-year architectural online project is now finally working. I'll code the front page as soon as possible and we can finally rest...


Yesterday I was practically in all-day-coma (except of the little must-be-done-updates) and watched four first episodes of Buffy S4. Maybe today I'll have four more to medicate myself. I've missed all the buffynism in this busy busy world.

soundtrack | Magyar Posse: 6

General tiredness. Fluish feelings. Rudolphian nose.
A few long lasting projects have dominated my days - no end is near. (And so I won't face the final curtain...) ¬_¬


My week'o'rama: a few meetings, Sibelius Academy Muhi project, Kirsi's web site renovation, small updates: Gallery Becker, Alvar Aalto Foundation, The Craft Museum of Finland, The Arts Council of Central Finland, European Cultural Foundation / Finland. And: after heavy work session with Matti on Thursday, I finished a small Sixty Files site + got it online on Friday (layout + content by Matti Reivi, I just coded the page).


Some freetime this week: it's a 60 year celebration of the Jyväskylä Artists' Society, so all kinds of festitive things are on, above mentioned Sixty Files being one of them. Something sort of free-timish too: Artists' Society annual exhibition opening in The Jyväskylä Art Museum was on Friday. I met a lot of people and some of them even chatted about reality television with me. Time not lost.
AND: Jani send some The Online Gallery Henkevä Silakka / Spirited Herring layouts for me a few days ago. I'm absolutely stunned. And amazed. Now it's starting to be my turn to make some content thingies. And it's starting to feel a bit too real. We've had a few panic calls but the situation is still quite not out of our hands. O_o


Nothing else. My life is boring as... I can't even think of anything else so boring.
Maybe it's better to enter to a pause mode for the rest of the night.
(I do it my waaaaaaaaaaaaaaay.)

soundtrack | The Dears: 22 The Death of All The Romance

Friday's first work hour: active update renewal of my virus blocker. WHY was it so hard? First I didn't understand what was the VAT tax-number the program asked and after trying several vartiations of that number series I finally got through. Then I got the bank account information and refeernce numbers which weren't recognizable by e-bank. I finally got the thing paid but now I'm waiting the final renewal day in fear. I really should find some person to do this all for me.


Second project: there are still some strange problems with our architecture teaching project Tee itsellesi tilaa (Make some room for youself). Made in shockwave, it has some strange looping problems in destination/final server when the same project still works fine in the testing server. Problem still unsolved. But I finally mailed to get some help.


I also brought some papers for my accountant who kindly reminded me that I had forgot to sign my tax papers... Hopefully they won't get any extra charges because of that. When I returned home my back ache started again (wind, cold, wet) and my shopping for food didn't go so well. I bought all kinds of sweets but nothing to eat. So pizza and kebap it was - again. The whole morning I felt an urge to go somewhere and to meet people but after getting home, it was very clear to me: I'm not a people person right now. There should've been an exhibition opening in Galleria Becker on Friday but I was too apathic to use my feet to get there or my mouth to chat with anyone, so... I guess it was better to stay home than be the party downer of the year.


Yesterday I woke up at half past twelve and started working right away. Well, working and working. Actually: I first started making things nobody is paying for me, Webgalleria Spirited Herring things and all. Tomorrow same work flow continued (well, not really - it's like walking in tar).
Some updates: exhibition changed in Gallery Becker, Alvar Aalto Foundation, The Craft Museum of Finland, Värjärikilta, The Arts Council of Central Finland and Papiina's moving (new products were updated last week). And of course - rest of the Riiminka proucts updated.


I should have updated Kirsi Neuvonen's updates and start the site renewal - but it seems that it's already tomorrow and I'm not getting any smarter - only sleepy. Should propably get some sleep first.

soundtrack | Radiohead: Subterranean Homesick Alien

Back on duty.

Last weekend was quite hectic. I had to finish Värillä-zine before last weekend but it was Saturday I finally got it finished. Basicly it isn't so hard to make but Mr. Murphy had his almost final words in many small things and the project took a LOT of time.


On Friday I had a meeting with Kirsi Neuvonen who's website is under heavy renewal. Last week I made a new front page but the site is going to be changed during this spring. Then I met Riiminka's two owners. We had set the meetings originally at the beginning of March but with me being sick it finally was about a mont later. So, the Riiminka's web page reneval was the next job. All products etc. were to be replaced. I started on Saturday, continued through Sunday until 5 o'clock Monday morning. At that time I had managed to put product information for babies, girls and boys clothing online but others (adults + accessories) didn't make it yet... I promised to get rest of the stuff online at the end of this week. Same thing with other stuff I was going to update last weekend...

On Monday I updated Alvar Aalto Foundation and The Craft Museum of Finland + a couple of small fixes here and there before I left to Helsinki. The rest of the Monday was off-time for me - and I totally needed it. On Tuesday I held a 9-5 lecture about Colours in UIAH / Continuing Education and Development centre. I actually was amazed that I wasn't tired at all (after surviving weekend at total sleep amount of 10 hours and then reading sophisticated literature (...eh, refreshing musical memoirs of Mötley Crüe...) still after midnight at the night before) and I had fun. I think the students had too. At least not a one of them started to cry which is always a good sign.


Yesterday I had a meeting in Sibelius Academy. I'm a bit ashamed about my slow working mode with that. I can't understand why the small things like icons have been so hard for me to make. But the meeting was good+energetic and I actually gained some faith on myself. I just started this morning by making a clearifying list of all the things to make with that project. The list is long but it's not so terrifying as I thought it would be.


After getting the return ticket I sort of collapsed mentally+physically. There were no free benches to sit on in Helsinki Railway Station, the weight of my bag was killing me and my back was hurting after getting some cold seawind. So, after half an hour waiting when I finally got to train and to my seat, I swicthed on zombie mood. I had some mags (Image + Metal Hammer) with me but I actually just sat and stared voidly straight ahead of me the whole trip. The usual trains sessions that is.
After a good night sleep some kind of mental cleaness is now achieved... Some though patterns are still missing but I'm getting there.

soundtrack | Pulp: Feeling Called Love

It's very relieving to know that there are some non-variables in this world: coffee tastes good even if it didn't taste good. ...You know what I mean. Right now I'm helding my Nightmare-Before-X-mas-Jack-mug on the other hand (christmas present from my brother, which I received after a long and complicated journey just about one week ago - the mug's journey, not mine) and write with another. Not very comfortable. But there is no space in my work desk for my mug and the floor is filled with papers, cds and all...


I had a few holidays during Easter. On Friday I visited my parents and practically sleeping through the whole day. On Saturday evening (after a good day's work) I went to visit my parents again and left yesterday. Two whole days without doing anything work-related. Odd!


Reality check today: many smaller updates and some bigger ones. Alvar Aalto Society, Alvar Aalto Foundation, The Craft Museum of Finland and Kirsi Neuvonen's website.


Kirsi has made an introduction to her present exhibition in Becker (only in Finnish) and when I coded the page I had this strange flashback. I've always considered the moment I first called Kirsi about her web pages as a turning point of my professional career: it was after that call I decided to concentrate on making sites for cultural projects, artists, artisans and such trying to stay away from big firms and projects that don't give me anything. There was one text in Kirsi's text that brought that moment back to me very powerfully. Somehow it also gave me some extra power for other work projects - I've actually managed to stay away from strongly commercial projects.


So that's about it. Värillä colour-zine for Värjärikilta is still unfinished (deadline last week), some small icons for Sibelius Academy project made but still offline, Papiina updates are still unfinished... Jani will come tomorrow so the situation will be propably the same tomorrow... Still no rest for the wicked.

soundtrack | Eliot Smith: Waltz #2 (XO)

Yesterday, after three hour trip to visit a doctor (waiting, waiting, waiting...) I went to The Arts Council of Central Finland hoping to collect some ultimate pity-points (read: to get some coffee) - and the plan worked well. I actually had a couple of work things there: I had a meeting with Jari about ArsLab3 project and then I printed out some MediaDesk application forms for Spirited Herring projects. I walked home with Seija via Gallery Becker and the writer's house (where I have never visited before), then visited Aalto Museum/Teija shortly and we set some lunch plans for today.


Today I managed to make some small updates before we left to thai restaurant for lunch. After lunch Teija and I talked a bit about Aalto site renewing - Teija will be leaving Aalto museum at the end of this month. For good. Our co-work has been so close that I'm a bit worried about the change Teija's absence will make... But we'll see.


I'm living in some kind of updating continuum. Everytime I update something and consider the job done a new update awaits and I'm updating the same page. Bigger projects are on stand-by-mode as I can't concentrate well enough to finish them.
Maybe tomorrow.

soundtrack | Rufus Wainwright: The One You Love

Working working. The usual ones updated again: Gallery Becker and Alvar Aalto Foundation, The Craft Museum of Finland.
Last week Kirsi Neuvonen got finally a new front page - although it's still the temporary one.


We'll meet soon with Kirsi and take the site renewal to a next level.

Värjärikilta's dyeing-zine Värillä is under it's way but right now I'm having small problems with it. I should have finished it last weekend but I'm running late with every project possible. ...So what's new in this world? Nothing.

At the beginning of April I'm about to lecture about colours in Helsinki (TAIK/Continuing Education and Development centre). Everything is ok otherwise but I still have to check some material... I'm quite excited actually.

...I just made some chicken wings: emptied the vacuumed package and put it in the owen, that is. Only I read the instructions wrong: it was 20 mins instead of 1 hour and 20 mins... ¬_¬ Well, they are quite crispy now. O_o Hmph. Better to stick with my job. Luckily I had coffee with Teija today at university. Some energy still left inside.

soundtrack | Head Automatica: Brooklyn Is Burning

Total designer's block here. Void mind - thoughless head - brainless brain. Angst-fest at its best.

I'm actually trying to have some free time to heal my foot but somehow I found myself working. Work-a-holic? Arctic & Fabulous Film Festival announced new competition for Finnish film makers - I updated the page. Small adjustments to new Aalto site. Several small updates to many sites.

Kirsi Neuvonen came by to pick up her image cd's. Her exhibition opening will be in Becker next Saturday and I promised to try to make a new front page for her website. It's been already over five years when we first started making her site - it hasn't been changed after opening, so it's about time...

And of course working with Muhi - and I wont mention this again before I really get something done. My recent layouts + graphics have been so horrifying that I'm really ashamed.

I haven't been out for almost a week because of my foot. It starts to show. Last week I found myself watching football, on Saturday evening I watched Sweden's selections for Eurovision song contest and today I *almost* watched Dr.Phil.

Somebody please get me a coffee and life.

soundtrack | Kyuss: Green

Grrrr.... I've been so frustrated with this c-ter half of the time that I don't feel I have any energy left on my body at all. I've managed to make some small updates but nothing big, nothing finished. Last weekend I stole some time from my work projects and made some Coloria updates.

Yesterday Sari called me and asked if I wanted to go to eat something and then to go with her to exhibition opening - and I did. First of all: I hadn't seen Sari for a couple of weeks. Secondly: it was so refreshing to get out after almost one week (true nerd here - fresh air just might kill one) although it propably wasn't the most wisest thing on earth - now it feels like my foot was in fire. It's *so* beautiful winter day outside, the sun is shining and all, but maybe I'll stay inside this day and try to recover.

Now back to Sibelius Academy Muhi -project...

soundtrack | Louis XIV: Finding Out True Love Is Blind

Nothing.

I'm not dead yet, thank you for asking.

At the beginning of this week I got one project finished and after that I've been zombiezed. Totally. There are only small updates I've been able to make but everything else is standing still.

Plus: my email is refusing connection and all that &/%/&¤¤¤### - all emails are not coming through right now (only those who are wondering if I'm ok...?) and I'm not in the mood for reason-for-malfunction-hunting. I have to leave it for tomorrow.
Well, I really haven't had a holiday for a long time...

soundtrack | Bloc Party: Helicopter

I've propably told about this but I say it again: I work usually listening to BBC Radio 6. Good music - and not to mention the English accent... A couple of days ago I realized one more good thing: it's so refreshing to have others living same time as I - to hear some one saying 'Good Morning' when my computer clock shows 1pm. Physically I might be in Finland but mentally I'm not near the not CET+1 (or CET+2) Helsinki timeline. True Londoner I am...


I've spent a LOT of time with Muhi -project slicing finished images and saving them to web usable format. But still there are few layouts unsure and unfinished. And of course: when I try to transfer them to a temp directory to Coloria - the whole site is down.


Some other updates: The Craft Museum of Finland, The Arts Council of Central Finland, Väripaletti... + demo site for Architecture+Art2005, soon to be published.


I just made some Dalai Lama personality test Teija send me. Well: my priorities are: pride, love, home, money and career; I'm considering myself alerted, my loved one sleepy, my enemies fast... Please, stop sending me those tests. I usually trash them right away but sometimes when there is hurry and I really don't have time, I find myself answering questionnaires. Oh, and I consider my life to be fluffy.


I'm a bit tired, my foot hurts and - Oscars are live on television. I use them all as an excuse and leave my c-ter right now.

soundtrack | Disco Ensemble: We Might Fall Apart

Outburst coming up:
Some small updates yesterday: Riiminka, Aino-K. Pajari + Kirsi Neuvonen's press photos and other press stuff prepared. I tried to concentrate on some bigger projects but...


There are two big projects I'm working daily with and feeling that I'm getting nowhere: Muhi-project for Sibelius Academy and some new layouts for Aalto Foundation. Plus one project about national costumes which, at this point, is pure copy-pasting - if I try too much my head explodes and I propably end up putting wrong information somewhere. With all these small updates and some of these large projects I sometimes feel so not-accomplishish (uh, I know you can't find that word on official dictionaries but I'm for buffynism... Create your own words if you don't know the right ones.) And because I basicly like of what I'm doing and like the idea of seeing the *finished* sites, it makes the whole situation worse.


So luckily I'm got something done and proved that some projects CAN end - eventually:


I finished www.coloria.net/salekivi yesterday. The site is propably temporary (eh, slight usability problems maybe) but it's easier to handle now since it's made with css. The old site was over four years old, so it was about time to make some changes.

soundtrack | Led Zeppelin: Immigrant Song

Day started with some office working - bills and invoices, sending letters etc. I *never* seem to learn how much time it really takes to handle these small things. It was actually already afternoon when I got to do updates. So much work undone that I don't know how to continue. Blogger is a good place for pausing work.


A while ago I was chatting about desk top images and promised to make a pinkish one with flowers. Promises must always be kept. So...



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Other desk top images might be following: so far I have promised to make a 10-image flower series (this is the first) and 10-image ugly series...

soundtrack | Placebo: Twenty Years

I had thought that I could spend some quality time with Coloria this week... That's not going to happen. Instead of working non-stop during the weekend I ended up playing with Photoshop and made some images. View dig.art / right column.

Lot's of little boring things: last few days have been dotting and lashing uncorrect html-files (that is: adding dot to nameoffilehtm and slashes to directoryfile.htm). I haven't really bothered reading error reports from statistics site so when I finally did... There is still some work to be done. I updated Aino's webpage to work-o-matic but left some small sites out, I'll add them later. I should put my cv online (there has been some requests) but I think the one in dig.art page is enough. If people want more information, they can always mail and ask.

Websites of artists has been a topic here: I found unsent letter about Piitu's dollmaker website on my drafts - and I was wondering why she won't answer to me... Virpi's first layouts are *finally* finished. Hopefully there is the one we can work on. Timppa's new page will be propably online soon.

I have to start working with Art+Architecture2005 layout and finishing new Colour Association page (I started coding that one a month ago - - - I'm getting slow).

soundtrack | The Killers: Mr. Brightside

Nice. Yesterday I tried to keep one holiday but then I decided to try finishing Virpi's layouts for once and all (for some reason this has been really hard for me...) However, a couple of hours later I found myself making new layout for Timppa while I was downloading large press image to one work stuff. I actually finished the layout and started coding it - - - Noticing that dreamweaver had lost the sites AGAIN. This has happened to me once before. Now again. Only this time I didn't lose them all, only the one's alphabetically after k. I was just wondering if the site info still exists there somewhere. I couldn't find one to import to DW but when I installed Timppa's site again, it noted me about changing old settings... Someone wise - bring me the magic words with this.


I made some small code adjustments to Aino's page. It's now online and ready for viewing: personal.inet.fi/taide/aino-k.pajari.




Something almost fun happening on the working site. This could be THE best easter egg of my work history: I was so not in the work mood when I opened the Aalto Light Fittings envelope with image cd in it. There was no CD in it! One less work for this weekend! Ha!

soundtrack | My Chemical Romance: I'm Not Okay

Nothing has really happened in two days - just work. My life includes no life.

I got something finished though: the website for printmaker Aino-K. Pajari is online. Only in Finnish (English section is not finished yet) - but images work in any languages.

I've tried to make some layouts for Virpi Lehto, but my brain has like...freezed. No ideas, everything is either too wild or too sterile. It's hard to make web pages for artists - you can't really party with unconventional decoration etc because the web graphics should not remove the focus from the paintings. And I'm finding it difficult to make new minimalistic layouts without repeating myself. Anyway, Virpi's first layouts should be ready by tomorrow evening.

The biggest session of the last few days has been the Sibelius Academy Muhi-project. I'm finishing the article layout but there is something still not right. I'm not happy. grrrr The other thing I'm doing: I'm saving all the graphics to ready-to-use format which is slightly bigger job than I had thought. I've been working with that for TWO days.

Yesterday I had to take some time off and I spent some moments searching different kind of sentence generators. I was hoping to find something that should elevate my interviews with good artistic jargon but instead I found many others, like Ruåtsinkielisten lauseiden generaattori (makes random Swedish sentences - and you can even select if you want to use grammar right or do you want it to make mistakes...? Why not in my school time - perfect cheating machine). And the other one: Stupid translator (translates a sentence first to one language - badly - and then back or forward to another one. The results are hidious. If you have as lifeless life as I have, go and knock yourselves out with these. And the same translated with ST: If you it will have as the life liveless, as I have, goes mit_dieseno_yourselves_to beats for is.

Right now I'm waiting for some press photos Alvar Aalto Foundation to download. I'll propably fall into a sleep any moment now. ...Uh, here they are. Back to work.

soundtrack | Radiohead: Paranoid Android

Last Saturday I met Jani in Tampere. We set some plans for our net art festival, ate ourselves to near-to-death condition in Chinese restaurant and then headed to ex-TTVO multimedia student meeting. Next morning I took a train to Jyväskylä after three hour sleep. I got some good ideas in the train but now when I read my notes... The reality is harsh. The final conclusion is this: we really are not 24-hour party people. We are 24-hour megalomaniacs who have no life.

Some ancient projects are haunting me. Today I've called and mailed to some old ghosts that should already be over but which aren't - and not because of me. Irritating. I'd really like to move on to something new already.

Ryo just mailed me; there is a story of him in a local newspaper, Keskisuomalainen (in Finnish). It's been so great to see how the project has started and how he has managed to start his business in spite of the Finnish officers (nobody gave confirming answers to anything and always asked to call somewhere else - until we were at the same point where we started the whole thing). I made the original layout for Ryo's Muotoilu.com site but it wasn't commercial enough (today's layout is not mine).

I'm planning to work with the Sibelius Academy Muhi-project for the rest of today. I have to make a few adjustments and then I'll start to save images for Petteri who'll code the site. I'll propably make some kind of draft html page just to show how the elements should behave when using different resolutions. The project is quite demanding and I'm having temporary horror-momentums expecially with creating icons and buttons but still it's a saviour amongst other projects: they really want their graphics to be *something else* - in safe limits but anyways...

soundtrack | Kaiser Chiefs: Oh My God

Jeez. I checked Coloria stats today - I've never realized how popular work-o-matic is. Pressure to update.

These last few weeks have been hectic. I've made several small boring updates yesterday+today (f.ex. changed one photo of one site for four times because nobody could make the decision) and some boring bigger ones. I really shouldn't be whining - it's those updates which bring me my paycheck. Anyway, I've been like a high-productive factory here. A lot of unfinished small thingies got their deadline today. That eases a bit. On the other hand: I started a large scale panic after reading email from Jani - plans are getting bigger and bigger.

Anyway, I think it's going to be a bit easier from now on. This one killing project of mine is now partly finished - after this there is nothing I can do - I just have to wait and see if things went ok. I just have to find some happy thoughts.

Here is one: Timppa sold one painting a few days ago which means that we can afford to watch (reality) tv for yet another half a year.

soundtrack | Garbage: Stupid girl

Now I have two blogs, this one in English about my work related stuff and other one in Finnish where I try to sound intelligent and artistic, mostly about my own projects. Writing is a very purifying thing. So right now I'm wondering if I should start yet one more blog but with alias / secret identity. I'm having a big work dilemma of which I can't write because of the nature of the client (big one) + the top secret work (...even if I don't understand why). On the other hand I have this one sort of emotionally-heavy-stuff-own project that slowly eats me alive but of which I can't tell anything because there are other people involved. I really need the place to clear my mind. I tried to go non-digital - but hey - I can't write anymore with pen!

And then there are these killing projects I CAN talk about without reaching paranoia.

On Monday Jani and I met some people from University and Arctic & Fabulous/Nordic Glory and talked about organizing a small net exhibition event during Arctic & Fabulous film festival. The meeting was very promising and ...it's really happening. I've searched my panic button for a few days. It's hard to even breathe. Like I said in the meeting: there is a mention in our operating plan about some kind of small happening in the future but who could have known that the future would be here so soon.

Last weekend somebody told me about the possible possibility (...eh) to visit Potsdam (was it?) next autumn. On Monday morning I was planning to call about it but after the meeting with Jani I understood that there won't be time to breath before the end of November. This Spirited Herring net event propably will stand on my way. You people who'll come to visit the happening: remember my sacrifices.

Some updates: Gallery Becker, Alvar Aalto Foundation, The Craft Museum of Finland. Some more Jyväskylä Artists' Association bloggies will be online soon, layouts for new Spirited Herring and textile artist Hannele Ollakka are finished. I promised to Aino Pajari that I'd make her website during the weekend (...last one) and I just remembered it. Place some ugly words here.

Tomorrow will start with Aino's site and I'll have to try to make some icons for Sibelius Academy project - once again. I'm quite happy with the layouts otherwise but icons... I suck. I've tried to draw something using old fashioned pen & paper but I can't draw anything. It's now proved: I can't write and I can't draw. This is lame.

---
And where is the reality ctrl+z when you most need it?

soundtrack | Ian Brown: Time Is My Everything

Yesterday sucked. My masterplan for the day was to go to have some coffee with Sari and Seija but I had to cancel. That won't happen too often. Because of a headache I slept through yesterday and got out of bed at about seven pm - to eat. Then I panic-updated National Dresses -project until about half past three in the morning. The project will be introduced today at Helsinki... It's not even nearly finished yet.

My head isn't aching anymore but I'm wondering around the flat like a zombie: no thoughts. There was a momentarily activity peak in the morning though, when I heard that Marilyn Manson will perform in Provinssi-rock in June. I called through all the hotels in Seinäjoki and mission impossible turned out to be possible: we got a room! A smoker's room above a noisy restaurant costing zillion euros - but who cares?

On Tuesday I visited first Centre for Cultural Affairs of Jyväskylä + Nordic Glory Association where we talked about organizing a Spirited Herring net art happening next autumn. Then I visited The Arts Council of Central Finland whose project Spirited Herring now is. And then there was a Jyväskylä Artists' Association meeting in Gallery Becker. Next day I had a meeting in Alvar Aalto Museum about their soon to be online net book store. Otherwise I've been home being radiated by my monitor.

Work projects are all in almost static mode. I've been working with them all the time but it's like nothing crucial is happening. The changes are so small. But I try... But then there are these small projects (that propably won't pay anything), like Teija's Daidalos to which I made a small front page (more to come soon) and Playce. One of these projects is also the Blog project of the Jyväskylä Artists' Association - I coded the basic layout for bloggers and how toed them. Of course, all those blogs are written in Finnish...

Now I'm working with Sibelius Academy -project. I've started to be a bit unsure with myself. Sometimes I feel like I'm totally lost with that one and I'm not good enough graphic designer to that project. But a girl's got to do what the girl's got to do...

soundtrack | Athlete: Wires

No rest for the wicked. I came back from Sari's birthday party at early morning, catched a few hour sleep and started staring at the monitor. 42 unread mails, most of them work related. Trying to catch up.

It would be so nice if all the Sundays were holidays. They really should be.

Hey... just wait a minute....

soundtrack | QOTSA: Auto Pilot

Today at Tampere. First we met (Anssi, Jani and I) to plan The Online Gallery Henkevä Silakka / Spirited Herring. Actually, I just sat there and drank cappuchino and tried to look at the ceiling while the boys discussed about ultimate techical plans. Well, I said yes at some points even though I'm not quite sure to what I have agreed to. No... the meeting was actually first one really pushing this project forward. I just realized how big this is going to be. Suddenly I'm sooooo scared about this. There is still time to screw this up completely. Hah, pessimism on its way... again.
Anssi left straight to home after the meeting but I stayed in Tampere for a few extra hours. Jani took me to meet Hanna whom I haven't seen for a long time. She toured us around her Super Star Collective offices. Envy. What a feeling.

And of course some purchasing-without-mind: the last boxset of the Babylon 5 series. I haven't even got the time to play Jak III and now this. And I just remembered that I was very oriented to take Jani's Kingdom of Hearts with me but I so totally forgot that one while watching him playing Ratchet & Clank II. God, I miss my playstation...

But no can do. I promised to put Teija's Daidalos 'coming up' page online today, the layouts of Sibelius Academy Muhi -project are waiting in Photoshop and I received new images from Arx Architects to upload to server. Nerdish night.

soundtrack | Led Zeppelin: Kashmir

As a bonus: an intergalactical contact. I found an interesting Swedish web page containing f.ex. colours in klingon. There is one image by Cheesbro I'd like to use in Coloria so I asked. And he gave the permission. So, Coloria update will be soon on its way - Klingon colour words coming up.

soundtrack | Dynastie Crisis: Faust 72

I started working with Jyväskylä Artists' Association blog project yesterday. The association has its jubilee year (60 years) and because of that there will be a couple of artistic projects. One of these is a blog project: artists will write their blogs about their work, life and thoughts during this year. I promised to make one basic layout and show how it all works - it has taken a bit more time than I realized. But for starters, my Finnish art blog opened today as a first blog of the project. ...Though there really isn't any connection to art in it....

And yes, the title is in Klingon. Thanks to that idea goes to my visit to Luova paja office yesterday. (Mental note: avoid the place. It hurts if you laugh too much.)

Yesterday I also had a lunch with Anssi and Jaana from Finnica project. There are still some small adjustments and updates to be made but there is something with my connection... I just can't get the energy to fix it all. But this week I'll do something, I promise.

What else? I've been working with Sibelius Academy Muhi-project a lot but only a few new layouts are finished. A temporary site for ARX Architects is online. Sites for printmaker Aino-Kaarina Pajari and doll maker Piitu Nykop are nearly finished and layouts for textile artist Hannele Ollakka are on their way.

soundtrack | David Holmes: Sugarman

I just received a post card sent by Mitja from Mexico (now I know where Predator was filmed), Anssi is back from Egypt (Cairo was nice, so I heard) and Päivi L is now back in Spain. I'm home with a some kind of flu watching in the dark evening with people floundering in snow outside. I live through the others, that is.

At the beginning of the week I wrote a detailed list of what I should do and when to complete all my tasks. So it happens, that I'm still on Monday. I've tried to fix all the small updates right away but I'm barely keeping up with daily updates.

Actually I guess I should rest well to make this go away but somehow... Today I started talking and not a sound came out. There are a few people waiting for me to call them - but no use since I'm just hissing unclearly. I've tried to get some things done but there's so much unread mail right now it's almost devastating to think about that. I'm expecially worried about Sibelius Academy project. I started with some new ideas last week when I came back from Helsinki but nothing is ready to show yet.

I've been doing something though. First of all, The Project Webgallery Spirited Herring is now its way to a beautiful regeneration. Jani has done a big big job with functional design; I passed all the papers on to Anssi and next week we'll meet. I just hope I'll get my graphic layouts ready before that.

Secondly, I've been in a jury that decides who will get the Iiris Award given away by The Colour Foundation of Finland. There weren't zillions of nominees but still it took some time and thinking. I've said my judgemental words. The award ceremony will be next week.

I give up for today and try to sleep. Tomorrow I HAVE to be healthy enough to go to a meeting about the Colour Exhibition...

Official statistic: 65 emails unread.

soundtrack | Roxy Music: A Song For Europe

No, I'm not dead but thank you for asking. I've been busy. No time for unnecessary words.

Last week I visited Helsinki: meeting on Tue with Aalto Foundation and Colour Association + on Wed with Sibelius Academy People. Considering the projects the trip was good and things are clearer now. But the weather was from hell (no snow, birds were singing like it was May and it rained). And I had a really strange moment when I was going to Colour Association meeting to TAIK (The University of Art and Design Helsinki) - it has always been easy to go there: just take tram no 6 to the final stop. So, I fell half-a-coma and got out on the final stop. It was only then I noticed that the planet had changed permanently. Or actually it was just a thing of a few more stops added to a route. It wasn't far though - no panic. But for a moment I reached some kind of unknown piece of theworld and it felt quite nice. Having no clue where you are.

After the trip the days have filled of different update processes: The Craft Museum of Finland + some of the minor ones: Papiina, Gallery Becker, Kirsi Neuvonen...

I've tried to compose some new layouts for a few projects but I haven't quite found my Michelangelo-moment yet. And propably never will if things keep going this way.

Surprises again. I was checking my stats and I found a curious thing... Ha. There is my interview but I can't remember that one at all. It's always funny to find out these...

soundtrack | Jets: Are You Gonna Be My Girl

Been busy. No life. I've been listening to BBC6 music while working - which is all the time.
Last week I made new layouts for print maker Kirsi Neuvonen - now I'm waiting a word from her about how to proceed. I also made a rough demo sites for print maker Aino-Kaarina Pajari and puppet maker/artist Piitu Nykopp; both sites will be online soon - I hope so.

On Friday we went to JAO to make the final judgements evaluations of the students. The beginning of the day went well - except it took me almost an hour to walk in that watery slippery snow - twice the time it takes normally. Which reminds me of that one other of the three evaluators, Päivi (yes- we share a name; and actually it was her who told me that there were only 8 Päivis baptized last year - I'm old-fashioned in every way) is spending her winters in Spain. Good for her.

Updated Alvar Aalto Foundation and The Craft Museum of Finland.

I have some problems with my server so I can't upload Sibelius Academy layouts... Maybe tomorrow...

And I finally found out the purpose for my art: Go, get yourself a sporty latino man in suit - who has borrowed the background for his sweet sweet introduction from my 7 Sins (of Love).

soundtrack | Client: Rock'nroll Machine

I started the year with work. So far I've managed to finish a small exhibition about Alvar Aalto's light fittings (soon to be published), updated Alvar Aalto Foundation, The Craft Museum of Finland, Centre for Cultural Affairs of Jyväskylä and Gallery Becker and I've also updated temporary Habitek page - soon to be published with real page.

That was during Saturday and Sunday, after that it has been more quieter. Today I survived dentist, so maybe the relief of surviving alive is too overwhelming to finish anything. Or maybe I'm still so upset because of our small movie moment last Saturday. First we watched Master and Command which was a lot better than I had thought. But after that we tried to watch Van Helsing which is propably the most ___________________ (fill in what you want, I'm done with opinions here) film I've seen in a long time. Actually: I *watched* it through but Timppa gave up after first hour. And as I'm writing about movies: when I came back from the dentist ...with my mouth numb and after falling down to my knees at least twice because of icy weather outside... I decided to watch the movie we won at bingo on NYs eve: Legends of the Fall. Well... there was drama enough for the whole year.

And yes: playing bingo is my annual New Year's eve fun, so I don't have to worry about ageing, I'm already an old soul.

Please, nothing to noisy and flashy for this old lady on special holidays. Might upset too much.

soundtrack | David Bowie: Ashes to Ashes

I've been horrified about the Asian earthquake. Thailand and Sri Lanka are so popular holiday places right now that almost everyone knows someone who has been - or still is - somewhere down there. I'm afraid that the curious people watching the lists and images of missing people will block the net so I've tried to keep out of the way, but still I haven't been able to avoid a few images of the missing children and unidentidied persons. How awful it must feel to wait information from the other side of the world not able to do anything. And it must be really strange for those who have returned without any damage or without missing family members. I mean, a tropical paradise turning into chaos a few days ago must be feeling like a surrealistic dream when you are wiping the snow out from your street back home.


It would have been a sort of strange, dark Xmas time this year even without the earthquake. Of course it felt good to sleep (and that I did, about 12-14/24) and to eat, and it was warm and cozy with my parents and all... but never trust your brother if he's something like mine. I asked him to bring us something nice and harmless to watch; something that won't liquidate your brains but it's still fun to watch. And what does he do? On the night before the EQ we watched Grave of the Fireflies, an anime from Studio Ghibli. I'm sort of glad that I watched it even though it was nothing like I had in mind. (I guess it's one of the best movies ever and I recommed it to everyone but don't watch it when you're a bit down. It won't make you more glad.) The dying theme of Xmas continued next morning when the news from Asia started to flow and like that wasn't enough I still managed to watch a documentary about a demolition of Pompeii.


After this happy happy Xmas weekend I've been trying to have a few days to myself and my own projects but so far I've gotten nearly fifty work related emails. It's hard to NOT work when you know they are there awaiting and the longer you wait... I'm sort of telling myself that a couple of days make no difference but still I *know* that the AOTTD (amount of things to do - I learned this yesterday from spam mail) will grow fast to the point where it'll be hard to handle. So... I guess I'll have to make some work things already today.


During this time I've been trying to finish my one spam related artsy project. I already missed one deadline (well, it would be today and it's impossible to finish right now) and I'm afraid that I miss the deadline of one New York alternative gallery, which was interested about my installation, too. Have I mentioned about this? If not, it really doesn't matter now but shortly: I'm making my first installation ever. It's not complicated but still it requires a lot of background work to be done and here I am, stuck in the word-ville not able to finish the thing in time. I should have had more time in the beginning of the project. Anyway, it's no use to whine now. I'll finish the project, if not now then later and it'll find it's place somewhere.

By the way, the net art interview was published in tutka.org a few weeks ago (in Finnish of course).

soundtrack | Metallica: One

Thursday again.
Mad week again.
And Metalliga again?
Seeing some kind of pattern here?

The last weekend was dedicated sleeping and working (f.ex. Sibelius Academy project) - first time in many weeks I stayed in.

On MonTueWed I stayed in Jao evaluating media students. Watching as they work, that is. I tried to be on time everytime but somehow I managed to be late every day. I don't fit to this system.

On Thu I visited Aalto Museum (had some coffee there) and Timppa's parents (Xmas food). My brother and I bought a wide screen tv for our parents and it was delivered today to us; I used about three gift paper sets to wrap it and the whole package looks a bit disturbed. But if somebody says something I'll blame drunken elves for that. I also set up our nice plastic xmas tree and ordered a nice snowy weather outside.

Today we'll go see my parents - for undefined time - after I first will have my good night sleep. Ah, Sleep, thy I miss...
So, I'll be offline for a couple of days. -ZZZZZZ ZZZZ ZZZZZZ ZZZZZ ZZZZ ZZZ zzzzzz zzzzzzzzzz zzzzzz zzz zzz zz zz..............

soundtrack | Metallica: The Unforgiven

Mad week. It's already Thursday? What? My strange sleeping habits have propably made some holes in the time-space continuum. Mentally I'm still living Tuesday, the day straight from hell... Wednesday was a bit better. The most nicest surprise of this week came yesterday with mail: paycheck. I had totally sort of forgotten that I'll get paid for teaching.

I've done a lot of work with new Alvar Aalto F layout. Layout idea is not exactly mine (the visual realization is) - but it's a bit hard to adjust to another way of thinking; even though the concept of the site is not mine and it's already thought of, I had to make my own proposition too, just to make things clear in my head. But too many cooks... Maybe it's the best if I stay out of the way and just do what I'm asked to: layout, graphics and coding. The main problem with this project has been *time* - I've actually managed to do three weeks work in one week... and about four times. The latest deadline was for Wednesday and of course I had this brain blowing head ache on Tuesday - I was hardly able to move. So I slept through that day and tried to get rid of the pain - but in vain. I just had to start make the layouts at midnight - and got finished at sevenish in the morning.

Needless to say that I missed the small christmas gingerbread-coffee-moment in Craft Museum where I was invited to... And also missed exhibition opening in Gallery Harmonia. The rest of the day I just wondered in home like Ozzy O. But actually I got few smaller things out of the way: writing reviews for my students and contract outlines for The Online Gallery Henkevä Silakka / Spirited Herring project.

Yesterday I got the new concepts for Sibelius Academy project. That should be the main theme of today if everything goes well. Other things I have to finish before the following week ends: two artist pages and layouts for one artist and Colour Foundation page... And then there is this national costume project and two language versions of the Craft Museum pages awaiting... Well, work really doesn't end by doing it.

First I take a little Xmas shopping moment...

soundtrack | Audioslave: Like a Stone

Teaching days behind me and that's it for this year. Still some reviewing things but that's whole another thing. These last two days I've been teaching colour history and reception things - my thing. But I have to say: these have not been my brightest moments...

I've worked a lot with Sibelius Academy project. Right now I'm a bit lost with that one but I'm trying to organize all kinds of 'to do -lists' to help my work. Also worked with Aalto Foundation new layout and some small sites coming up. I have a small rush right now. Mental note: too much teaching is bad.

And interviews about net art: I'm about to answer to Javamuseum short interview and on Tuesday I answered one email-interview which will be published later in tutka.org (online-zine by the students of Diaconia Polytechnic/Turku).

Anyway: another christmas party thing (Jyväskylä Artist Association) accomplished. Maybe I'm allergic to Fridays or something. My right eye's watering, I'm like crying all the time. I noticed the thing on last Friday but I don't think tha tI was crying the whole week, it was just the Friday week back - and it started again this Friday. But this time it didn't stop at all but got worst on Saturday. I practically couldn't do anything yesterday because my eye kept watering so much I really couldn't see. And at the same time the eye is drying and then itching and now it's swallen. Good reason to keep holiday: it's not so bad as yesterday (yes, the eye is still swollen and itchy and red even the tear amount has dropped significally) but still when I try to look at a bright monitor it starts again.

Maybe I'm allergic to work.

soundtrack | Velvet Revolver: Slither

Time? Where does it go? I guess it has something to do with the fact that I've been sleeping a lot. I didn't sleep a lot when I had my three day teaching session on the beginning of last week: after I came back from teaching I worked home until about 3 or 4 o'clock each morning and then woke up at about half past eight each morning. Then on Thursday I could sleep a bit longer but I had a meeting at noon so eventually... First I met with Ulla to discuss about our colour exhibition in The Craft Museum of Finland and after that I had a meeting with Hannele Ollakka who is an internationally awarded textile artist. Then I visited many places and brought some christmas calendar type candy things to my business acquaintances + friends. Every year I cut some kind of cardboard christmas character/elf-heads but this year I was so bored with them that I started cutting two horned little christmas devils... But they ended up being quite cute anyway. Devilish christmas, that is.

The same Thursday I came home and was sooooo tired I almost bursted to cry. I started making some layouts for Alvar Aalto but as the layout they want is so unconventional, I had a lot of problems with realizing it and I had to ask for help. Then I went to sleep for a couple of hours, started working with that one again at midnight and continued until about five o'clock at morning (just to hear next day that nobody had read their email on the morning before the meeting at afternoon...) The next day I woke up at three, took a shower, dressed up, left to get a Angel season 3 dvd pack, came back, spend some time in phone and then it was already six and Matti Reivi's exhibition opening in Gallery Becker. After the exhibition opening we walked to his home to afterparty (and ate good Russian food) and we returned some time after midnight in the freezing weather - but it was nice.

On Saturday we first visited my parents (resting, eating) and then I went to Anna's christmas party/ coming home party. I really was so tired that first I wasn't going to go but considering that Anna has just returned to Finland after being first three months in NY working in UN headquarters and then three months in Washington working in Finnish Embassy - and after christmas she'll leave to Amsterdam for about three weeks... When else could I have a change to meet her? At the party there was also Niina whom I haven't seen for ages - so it really was fun and I totally forgot how tired I was. But at about 11 when everyone else were leaving to downtown I headed home - to get some sleep.

And some sleep I got. Yesterday I woke up at about three and today at about one.
So, I've actually spend a couple of holidays here. Which is always good to mention in my working blog... (Actually, I've made small updates everyday but nothing big. I'm unable to plug off.)

What else?

Webgallery Spirited Herring project is now officially accepted as the Arts Council project. I'll meet Tiina on Tuesday to discuss about all the necessary paperwork.

And there has been some things evolving arounf my 'art' things. I'll write more about then when/if it'll be more accurate but this one I can tell: I spoke with one American on phone last Friday (this phone call I mentioned before) and I actually talked him about a bit bat. I hope the line actually was so *baD* he didn't hear me well enough...

Yesterday I tried to catch up with Spyro (talking about PS2 here) which I didn't finish because of The Racthet & Clank 3. And which I now propably won't finish because it's TOO DIFFICULT. R&C problems were easy compared to this one and it's said everywhere that Spyro is practically a children's game.

I've ashamed me enough now. Time to have a small break. Ashaming will continue later.

soundtrack | Backyard Babies: Ex-Flies

Project Emptying-Minds-By-Strange-Teaching-Medthods continues. Last week's teachings session ended in Friday evening at eightish - after which I went straight to Jaakko Valo's exhibition opening at´
The Jyväskylä Art Museum... and then there was some time spending procedires at Parnell's, Vihreä Haltijatar (Green Fairy) and Vakiopaine Bar (eh... Standard Pressure Bar...) - all which of them are pubs. I missed the christmas party of the Craft Museum of Finland to which I was invited to but luckily I didn't miss all the goodies. Mikko participated the christmas party and met us later on the pub - and brought me a doggy bag with salty snacks and chocolate things. But I have to say, a quite large piece of strong cheese in same doggy bag... Well, it didn't actually spoil the surprise but I have to say that the chocolate tasted a bit strange.

The following days - la dolce vita mode. The very next morning we went to visit my parents and what we did: slept, ate, slept, ate and played some cards. And then slept. On Sunday morning (eh) I woke up at half past one (on DAY that is), spoke html for a couple of hours and then turned into a zombie and watched tv about eight hours straight. *Bling bling.* It was about one in the night when I realized that a) I had to start making the demo for Aalto Foundation if I want it to be ready on Friday and b) new teaching period would start at 10 o'clock next morning. So I started coding the demo and got a good four hour sleep before waking up.

I actually wasn't so tired as I thought I would be. Teaching period of the day went well. But then I decided to go to the art class and when I waited in the corridor for the class to begin - in a really good chair and covered with my soft and furry winter coat listening to the quiet noise of the library hall... Oh boy. I almost reached the coma. After that moment I've been strangely non-efficient. I've replied all the emails I've received today, worked with MUHI layout and even done some small updates - but some projects (like writing Webgallery Spirited Herring project description for the Arts Council and plans for Jani) just take ages.

And yes, The Racthet & Clank 3 is now over and on the second run... I'm trying to keep some pause in that. Have some work to do.

soundtrack | Megadeth: Die Dead Enough

I've been so busy that I'm practically neglecting my friends. Yesterday Teija called me if I'd like to go to have lunch with her - I had to refuse (being busy). Today she called and offered to buy me a lunch in thai-restaurant - but still I just had to say no. Some other people have contacted me and asked if I'm ok since there hasn't been entry in my blog and there's a total email silence. Not a good sign. Me, bad. *ashamed*

Well, here come the excuses. I've been a bit fewerish. I should have stay in bed last week when I had a chance - at least in theory. But there was this one killing project that has been hanging since the beginning of July (not my fault, the orderer missed the deadline for ONE MONTH) and I just had to finally get it out of my hands. But working instead of sleeping the fewer off was not so good idea. And the situation didn't get any better when I decided to go and watch fireworks - there is actually a VERY frosty atmosphere outside. When did the winter start? Snow and all.

And I've been working like maniac. The fun part was Arctic & Fabulous Film Festival in which I was a member of the jury last weekend. There were some amazing short films (documents, animations, experimental, fiction...) We were unanimous about the winner: Karaoke, a short animation by Aiju Salminen.

And then there is Racthet & Clank 3 (PS2...) I can't work 24/7, can I? And dont worry my friends, you'll have me back soon, I'm almost finished with that one.
The flu won't be over, I know. This week I'm teaching each evening in äThe Adult Education Centre of the City of Jyväskylä. And on weekend I have to finish a couple of demo sites. Plus all the other projects. Actually, there should be a panic button here. I'm almost glad that I'm too tired to panic...

ps.
FILE 2004 website 2004 + festival is open. I was invited to participate with my work Book of Days - but then as I browsed around other participants I noticed that [R][R][F]2004--->XP project is also participating. I have one work, Silence, in [R][R][F]2004 Violence XP project... So, I have actually two projects exhibited in Sao Paolo, Brazil. [R][R][F]2004/ Violence XP project actually tours in other places too: 04XI-04XII 2004 Ist INTERNATIONAL EXHIBIT OF DIGITAL ART - ORILLA#04, Museum of Contemporary Art/Foro Universitario Santa Fe /Argentina + 7-12XII 2004 404 - Electronic Art Festival Juan B. Castagnino Art Museum Rosario/Argentina... Me, good. *grin*

soundtrack | The Cure: Lullaby

HA!

Right after the last entry I dropped out from the network all together. The next morning I called to the helpdesk of my connection provider and they told me that there is something wrong with the net connection - not just my imagination - and that there was nothing else to do but wait. Luckily I had scheduled one meeting about The Online Gallery Henkevä Silakka / Spirited Herring with Anssi so I didn't need the connection right then. We had a lunch in one Chinese restaurant and we planned the gallery project together. I wasn't sure about our budget so after lunch we visited the The Arts Council of Central Finland and set the total budget amount from The Arts Council; we'll propably try to get extra money from somewhere else. Anssi will propably get the most of the money since his job is the most basic one and because it's harder to get grants for programming. That will be seen. I'm meeting Jani tomorrow (well, today, after a good night sleep) and we'll make more plans and maybe more accurate budget. Anyway, the Online gallery thing is now developing. Finally.

When I came home I chatted for a while with Teija (in non-virtual mode, person to person) about some work business + some non work things. After getting gome I was happy to notice that I was back online and able to update. Except. I could download my email but not send email. My email provider helpdesk was allready closed so I just had to wait for the next morning. My mail works now but the problem was not really solved. We noticed that somehow I could use another port and everything is ok, but something is blocking the usual port. Shitty Shitty Bang Bang.

Anyway, on Thursday Ulla and I met in the The Craftmuseum of Finland: The colour+dyeing exhibition we've been planning WILL BE the main exhibition of the museum in 2006 - from May to September. WOW! It feels really great but at the same time... *fear* would propably be the right word for this. It's still too big thing to fully understand.

And some updates (working like maniac here after a forced pause mode): The Arts Council of Central Finland, Elämän värit, Arctic & Fabulous Film Festival, The Craftmuseum of Finland, Gallery Becker, Alvar Aalto Foundation, Centre for Cultural Affairs of Jyväskylä... Also made some layouts for Alvar Aalto Foundation and printmaker Aino Kaarina Pajari.

*zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz*

soundtrack | Björk: Triumph Of A Heart

NOT A SINGLE WEEK this stupid &%¤&%¤%¤¤%### c:ter is not trying to annoy me to death. Anssi mailed me (with tilt on subject) - we both seem to have a same problem. Access to one network doesn't work. As so happens, I can't now update the Aalto site, Craft Museum, or Arctic & Fabulous - just to mention few.

Today (...oops, it's already yesterday) I was teaching at Jao and on Thursday I'll go again. I've actually had fun with the students ... But I'm not so sure that the feeling is mutual. I bet they let it all out when they go home after class. Grrrr... I have to say I almost angst-paralyzed when I realized that I'm teaching every week of this month. But now as I am, it really isn't that terrible. One thing bugs me though: Ratchet and Clank 3 (PS2) will be in stores next Monday: I was going to buy it (well, uh, send Timppa to buy it) and then lock myself inside and play, play and play. And play. But frell. Can't do that - duty calls. Maybe I'll just have to develope some kind of mind blowing project and nobody will know the teacher is missing.


Oh boy, oh boy. I have such a ;) project going on... First I thought it was a good idea for some kind of commentary artistic work but the more deeper I've sank into the project, the more I've become convinced that I must be mad and there if there is something artistic, it must be the void space in my head. There is propably a computer which could do what I'm doing about zillion times faster but do I care? No. Now I'm too embarrassed to tell what that project is but as I have continued it already ten days, I just have to finish it. This project is soooo good example about my nerdy life.


---
Oh, and I've decorated my new monitor with colourful post-it parade. Feeling cozy already.

soundtrack | Bitch Alert: Psycho Drama Queen

Really.

Noboby will believe me anymore. I'm running late with all the projects because of these /&%&¤##¤%¤¤#¤%#¤ machines who won't respect me in any way. On Wednesday, I had just saved the draft of the entry below and was about to start updating sites when my monitor, my sweet sweer Silver, passed away. Died, so to speak. There was only a bright flash of spectrum and then - the darkness.

Of course this was at the evening when all the stores were already closed. I had no chance but to watch television all evening. Which would have been relaxing if there wouldn't been there deadline images in my mind. And too tight schedule stranglering me.

I bought a new monitor right in the morning. I really hadn't time to think because my day was scheduled from noon to midnight and I just had to get the screen right away. I just made the fast decision to be traditional: I bought an good old fashioned monitor, not TFT one. Which actually bugged me for a while. This is *a big* black 19" ViewSonic. I adjusted the monitor for about two hours and still I wasn't very happy. My Silver was a flat Sony Trinitron - the image was really sharp and the lines were straight. Well, this new one is not flat. Now I'm getting used to it. Actually, the adjusting is really easy and big resolutions work well - big prints are now much easier to handle.

But I can't help it. I still miss the good old Silver.

*Oh my god. I've given name for my screen....*

Okay... I'm starting to worry me...

Anyway, after we had brought the new monitor home, I ate a small piece of tuna pizza and rushed to Craft Museum. Ulla and I presentated our exhibition idea for the management of the museum - and voilá. We'll meet again next week and start making a budget for the exhibition. More about that one later when it'll be more accurate.

After the meeting I headed for JAO where I teached to about 7.30pm. I have to say: I'm loosing my touch as a teacher. Or propably I just was so tired because of my rebel c:ter relatives and all the adjusting... When I came back I made some small updates but the big projects are still still... Soon Stilton if my luck keeps going on like it has.

Today I had a meeting at The Arts Council of Central Finland and we discussed about the future of their web pages and of my online gallery project (coffee + cookies). Then I went to see Luova foorumi (Creative Forum) people (coffee+cookies). When I was returning home I met Rune and we went to hide from the rain to a small eco cafe (coffee+cookies). Easy living.

Well, the positive point of this is that now I can watch FarScape in bigger screen - looks good.

soundtrack | David Bowie: Wild Is The Wind

(This was actually written on Nov 3)

Day before yesterday it was the FarScape which won over going to art class. And - *hih* - I was the only viewer. Some guy (who had the same kind of reddish combat boots which I have - except mine are not exactly combat boots... *babbling goes on*) came to start the movie and after a while he left - and there I was, alone in a small movie theater, watching the series all by myself. Really. Then when it ended some other guy came to turn the machines off. I walked back home through the dead silent town - I was home before 11 pm but I was so tired I went to sleep almost right away.


Maybe it was (uh, the tiredness) because of my sudden cleaning activity which took place on Sunday. I finally got bored to look at the metallic locker thing in our one room - we got the locker from our neighbour and it just has stood there about two monts waiting for someone to fix a place for it. So I started this project on Sunday, emptied one shell system from cd's + vhs tapes etc and then pushed the locker into its right place. The only problem is now that it was relatively easy to empty the shells but it isn't that easy to fill them back. And then there are the extra doors I had to move from one corner to get the locker to fit... We have one old wooden door from one common sauna (I think) which is really beautiful ..and heavy and now homeless and without proper place.
I was going to continue the project on Monday but - FarScape. And yesterday I had one meeting and then I was teaching yesterday.

Anyway, it's making me really tired - playing some sort of hide and seek type of game with this &&%¤¤¤%%### c:ter. Online offline. Conscious - unconscious.

soundtrack | Spiderbait: Black Betty

Good news first:
Arctic & Fabulous Film Festival 2004 has been online since Friday.

Bad news then:
Since I worked so har on last Thursday and Friday I decided to keep a few days holiday and enjoy the weekend. So I did. On Saturday I visited my parents, we played cards among other things. Then in the evening Timppa and I went to a Maj Karma + Bitch Alert concert in Tanssisali Lutakko - and came back about 3 or 4 am. Needless to say, Sunday started after midday and I practically watched tv the whole day. La dolce vita!


After a good rest I woke up refreshed and energetic - to what? My computer had decided to download XP service pack 2 - all by itself - and I sort of accidently ended up installing it. After which all worked fine otherwise but I couldn't click anything on desktop - *TILT*. I ended up calling Microsoft help desk and there was this young guy (I suppose so) who helped me a lot and I actually got my C:ter working again.
But after a while... The story actually didn't end like that but after some bliiblaa and blahblah everything is now ok. I think...


And other stuff: as soon as I got back online, I updated Coloria and Webgalleria Henkevä Silakka / Spirited Herring. Last week I actually managed to proceed with Spirited Herring project; I'll write more about that when I'll got black on white. But one thing is sure: Spirited Herring is going to change a lot and it won't be just my project anymore. More about that one soon.


I've worked a lot with Väripaletti project and I got the first demo finished a few hours ago.
Made a few layouts for Piitu Nykopp, an artist who makes dolls. Still a few artist layouts to make.


I should really go to my art class but there's a screening of FarScape / Peacekeeper Wars at 7pm... It's not hard to guess which one will win this battle in my mind...

soundtrack | Muse: Butterflies & Hurricanes

I did it. I updated my work-o-matic. There are some files still missing but I really haven't bothered to list small projects at all, so that should do. The trick.


Yesterday one reporter from YleQ (radio station) contacted me about using Coloria to some project - I'm so glad that my hobby has some use for someone else too. I don't have turn my guilt processor on + to eleven (hih, a little Spinal Tap joke here) while making Coloria instead of working with proper projects. ...Actually Coloria has had a lot of visitors this week (at least I've got a lots of feedback). Nice.


Right now I'm working with Arctic&Fabulous (on demo phase), Kirsi Neuvonen (on problem solving phase), Riiminka (problem solved, thaks to Anssi before whom I bow; renewing phase), Väripaletti (coding the basic page), a light related net exhibition for Alvar Aalto Museum and Sibelius Academy project (small adjustments). Basic updates of today and yesterday: Ptah, Alvar Aalto Foundation, The Craftmuseum of Finland, Elämän värit, The Arts Council of Central Finland and Centre for Cultural Affairs of Jyväskylä. You see, I've been busy.


A small side note: today at noon I noticed that it was as dark as at summer midnight. I really couldn't read inside without light. Goth season has arrived. Now it would be a good time to dress in to black leather and pvc and find the darkish mood before entering the rainy, nightish day.


I continue my journey in the darkness. I'm leaving to get more education... about colours.

soundtrack | Thin Lizzy: Whiskey in the jar

The whole week has just flashed before my eyes.


Wasn't a very good week for teaching. First of all, I was there only for three days of the whole week and through that time I was a bit disoriented. I was so tired that the whole week was like a big dream sequence. But emphasis on the word dream - I was tired but there was nothing nightmerish about it. Except for my headache which was about to kill me on Tuesday afternoon. The rest of the week was much easier. The whole class is more like work shop than a course with new things. I tried to advise each student personally and also tried to get them to help each other. But anyway... I'm more a power seeking unit than a teacher and I think the students know that now.


On Thursday I woke up at 6am (!) and left for Helsinki with Teija. I had one meeting in Alvar Aalto Academy at noon and Ulla from Sibelius Academy came to pick me up at half past one. Actually, I think that I finally got a hold on to that Sibelius Academy project! *Click.* After the meetings I met my brother who kindly offered me a luxurous eat-as-much-as-you-can on RAX - and then I headed back home.


But at least one project is almost down and out. Riiminka is online, published on October 19. There is still one minor problem to be solved - but anyway.


Next week's program includes f.ex. Kirsi Neuvonen's site renewing and Arctic & Fabulous site renewing...
And some more FarScapes.

soundtrack | Rammstein: Mein Teil

Rude awakenings, the title should really say. Well, not that rude - but a bit unexpected. This morning I received an email - someone was asking if 'the teacher' is existing here somewhere. I had totally forgotten about teaching in JAO this week. Well, actually, I checked my calendar last night and there was nothing about teaching in this date but there was a hand written note which had the dates 19-22 written on it. When I looked that closer it got more obvious that the nine in n.teen was actually badly written eight of e.teen. So, sorry all the students there. We'll see tomorrow.

I ofcourse hadn't realized the teaching project when I promised to travel to Helsinki this Thursday. But too late to cancel that one. And I don't really want to.

After a morning shock I started with updating Gallery Becker, Alvar Aalto Foundation and
The Craftmuseum of Finland sites. Arctic & Fabulous Film Festival is also on it's way. I have all the movie images completed, the site will propably open this week.

I spent some time designing a logo for Väripaletti project. I actually managed to make a few simple versions about an idea we developed with another Päivi H (a namesake of mine). The logo designing is really not my business but I've designed a few this year. It's something.
I should've take the painting course today but since the slight changes in shedules due to the teaching project... I'm taking a evening at home.

FarScape is waiting for me.

soundtrack | Franz Ferdinand: Michael

It has been a couple of busy days with work. I've spent a lot of time with the Sibelius Academy Muhi project and it's finally getting there... I have simplified the layout a little bit - but not too much I hope. Next Thursday I'll visit Helsinki (and have actually two meetings there) about this project. It's always nice to see face to face... I try to keep it one day trip but let's see what happens.

I have also made some small adjustments to Elämän värit page (English version, not online yet) and Riiminka page which will be soon published. + Regular updates for Alvar Aalto Foundation + The Craftmuseum of Finland + The Arts Council of Central Finland (which I visited shortly yesterday to get some coffee... Lazyness). Kirsi Neuvonen's new website project is also ongoing project which takes a lot of attention.

Päivi Kaijula from The University of Jyväskylä is making some kind of research about Finnish internet galleries and wanted to interview me. She came by today and asked a few questions about my online art gallery Webgalleria Henkevä Silakka / Spirited Herring and about my own work. The interviewing situation reminded me of the poor condition of the project. I'm a bit sad that the online gallery has survived pretty much on it's own; I haven't really made any big improvements lately. For the last two years it has basicly just lived it's own life. But now I'm planning the change on that. I'll re-design the layout next January and some other new things will be there too... Hopefully I'll just have energy enough to do that.

And a new DVDrw replaced the old mystically broken one! Life is just a party! Even though lack of the DVD seems to lead to all kinds of creativity. Like Wednesday morning while I was waiting for the new DVD-rw to arrive I didn't want to start working just to get it dropped as soon as I'd got to it. So I just started playing with Photoshop... view the img: You Poor Little Devil. Which made me think again about an old idea of making a small devil portrait collection.

Watch out for some devilish action in the future.

soundtrack | Wasted: In The Darkest Hour

Indeed.


After accepting the truth about dead DVD I tried to calm down and resque my evening watching something nice on tv. But before doing that I decided to check my mail once before putting the computer to coma for the night. Of course I didn't notice that some evil virus had managed to close down automatical virus protection as well as email virus checking from my sweet sweet Norton - and virus it was. I couldn't get the virusprotection online again without turning the computer off. Then when I finally got to check the viruses it couldn't get the viruses deleted so it had to delete my inbox. All the messages that is. But luckily I've been wise and moved the most important mails to subcategories and saved them to hard drive. Anyway, instead of watching nerdisly FarScape (on Friday evening - I have no life) I ended up watching the Virus Check by Norton (I really have no life). Until five at the morning.


Today I made a brochure site for architure & art 2005. It's basically based on the logo designed by Teemu Taskinen. The final site will be quite different I guess.


I also coded the product pages of Riiminka site. I have to say I under estimated the time the product pages take. But I'm almost there.


Which reminds me that I haven't updated my work-o-matic since spring. There are some projects to be updated. I make a public promise to myself to get it updated this month.

soundtrack | Maj Karma: Kyynel

Ok. I have a few conspiracy theories. For example: the world is against me. Again.


This week has been the most unproductive ever. I guess I've had some kind of flu or something, working (and living as well) has felt heavy and slow. Yesterday I met doctor and had some minor operation and stiches don't make me feel much better. But today I decided that this nothingness can't go on. So I pushed myself on the edge with all the work - work work work - until I felt my head is falling off. Then after 10 hours of brain aching pain and blood, sweat and tears I decided to relax and watch some FarScape series my brother just sent me two days ago. And what happens? Nothing. After a little while of cursing and booting the damn machine and almost throwing the whole thing out (well, it's too heavy so I have to just play some mind games) I finally called my brother who found out that there has been similar problems with some other LG GSA 4081B users as well. Not a diver-fixable problem. The driver is dead.


F***** LG shit. It still actually recognices DVDs but not cd's (r,rw or empty or anything). And so it happens that it's weekend, no repairing activity. Luckily I've copied the most important work-cd's into hard drive so I don't have to make excuses to any clients. But I can't afford to take this c:ter anywhere. The quarentee is still ok (except I can't find the documents anywhere - but I hope the have some kind of record of my buyings in the shop) but I have so much work I simply can't let my c:ter go... There are about five acute deadlines waiting.


Maybe I just should be lucky to breathe *she says ironically and vanishes*

soundtrack | Guided by Voices: Sons of Apollo

Yesterday (well, actually day before that, it's already over 1am) I went to my evening course about artists' material etc. - the course actually started over month ago but I just hadn't got the time until now. I started a few paintings - made the canvases and all. It was nice making something concrete for a while. Today I went to this colour course I'm taking and it was nice too - something else to think about. There are some issues blurring in my mind which I can't turn off quite as good as I'd like to. But hey - not a zombie yet.

This morning I received an invitation to Superstar Collective office opening. I'd really like to take a visit to Tampere and the opening but I'm not sure can I afford it right now. That's another thing. I should remember to write bills to my customers. I'd really need a secretary. Actually, I'd also like to have some one to finish all the projects - I don't mind starting them but it's always (/%¤#&%%%% after a few months.

Yesterday I made small updates for the Centre for Cultural Affairs of Jyväskylä and started updating Kirsi Neuvonen's website. The project has continued today - beautiful pictures! Also updated The Craftmuseum of Finland, The Arts Council of Central Finland + ArsLab2 sites but I'm not really in work.mod right now. I just can't seem to concentrate enough.

I'm making so much typos I'm almost al bhedding. Better to get some sleep.

soundtrack | Depeche Mode: Enjoy the silence

A few hours ago I came back from the exhibition opening of some local women artists (in the Museum of Central Finland) and started packing. I'm leaving to Iitti (don't ask) tomorrow. It's actually a very small and beautiful village in Southern Finland (never been there but I trust brochures...) and I'll travel by bus. By bus! I've always preferred train but hey - five or six hour by train and about three hours by bus. Nostalgic. I have to pack my gameboy with me. And sleeping bag - I'll be sleeping in the gallery (floor).


I actually visited the website of Iitti to get some information. There was something about the place being on the border of Tawast and Carelia and the dialect is influenced by both of them. They also warned that there are some really old words which aren't used anywhere else in Finland anymore. And that some old people might add a letter 'h' after each word. I'm getting a bit worried - will I understand the language there... It's almost like travelling abroad. :)


And yes. In the exhibition opening I was telling really happily about my great adventure to this strange southern place and what says Jukka? He's going to travel to US, Nebraska tomorrow. But still, I bet Iitti is much more exotic expirience.


--

This morning started with a panic reaction. I had totally forgotten the exhibition exchange in Webgalleria Henkevä Silakka / Spirited Herring. Luckily V020 sent me his 'on/off' art thing and I installed it and my own drawing about Wannabe-Lara into the exhibition. Later when I met Anssi (business lunch again - of course) we talked a little about renowing the gallery. I'm planning to make a face-lift to the gallery maybe in the beginning of the next year but also I'd like to see some development happening...


I still have to update Alvar Aalto Foundation. I can do the rest of the job when I'll return from Iitti.