With exactly a week to go until the assessment portfolio submission, it’s high time to procrastinate and come back to the blog, right? I mean, I did all my regular ALOHA things, but working just isn’t happening.
Thus far, I have 2 and a half unrefined screwdriver models (presumably for further testing), around 7 A2 boards ready for printing, a bunch of ideas in my head and utter despair at the knowledge that the idiot I am, there’s no way they’ll get translated into anything even remotely… good.
So, obviously, instead of getting on with work that I have TOO much of, I’ll ramble a little about my own ALOHA habits, things I’ve been keeping up with, some things that I like and others that I like less. However much patience I have to keep going.
First, naturally, a brief description of ALOHA. “The state of absolute despair that comes about at any time starting from 2 weeks prior, up to 12 hours before a project/portfolio is due in”. Now, if we’re talking about a single project or, say, an essay, it’s only just a mini Aloha. ALOHA is the one before assessment. It’s that time when you manage to not sleep for 3 days and nights in a row, staring into the screen. Last time, during the spring ALOHA, I actually had hallucinations. And also I managed to fall asleep for half a second each time *while* modeling in 3D, with my eyes open. In fact, I managed to see tiny little mini-dreams in that half second. But wait! I then switched to Photoshop and couldn’t actually believe the workspace is actually flat. I couldn’t believe that something could be *not* 3D. But wait again! That’s not all either! For about 4 days after the torture finished, I could dismantle things in my mind and disconnect all the parts and have them float around. In my head, of course. Actually, I’d dearly love to have that ability all the time. Well, maybe except for the humans. People do tend to deem you weird if you stare at them for a while, then become very amused and start giggling. What they don’t know is… in my mind their head just disconnected from the neck and I can see how it all works. Ah, ALOHA. You do strange things to me.
Now for some of the habits I mentioned earlier.
1. Rock’n'Roll. Oh yes. Though originally ALOHA came to be when a friend and I spend said time rushing projects in the middle of the night to Hawaiian traditional music off the radio, it’s rock’n'roll that gets me though the time. I have this favourite iTunes radio, plays 60′s and 70′s stuff, and though it seems almost on repeat, it’s still my wonderful work music. And sleep music. Which brings me to the next point -
2. Napping on the couch. This, too, is a tradition. See, ALOHA time is incredibly rush-rush, but once in a while (say, 2 days), that 3 hour sleep really is needed. But no more than that. The rule is – don’t sleep on the bed. So far I’ve slept on various couches around our flat and on the floor in 2 rooms, but you know that if you “nap” on the bed, you’re doomed for 8 wasted work hours. So the least comfortable you are, the easier it is to wake up. That’s where rock’n'roll helps too. I just keep it going. While it might slow falling asleep a few minutes, it makes waking up a whole lot easier. And more fun
3. A mess. Every ALOHA I take traditional photos to capture the state of the mess I manage to make. When I say mess, it’s that sort where you aren’t sure you’ll be able to find your legs anymore. In my case that is aided by the fact that I don’t have a single proper work surface in the flat and no chair that would stay comfortable for any longer than 2 hours, hence the entire process is solemnly floor-based. And painful.
4. Procrastination. Well, what I’m doing now. “Oh, I can read another blog page, right?”. No, actually. I ran out of time even before I started. This point would not be complete without what is probably the most widely loved animation among my uni friends.
5. Food. For some reason I always believe that after thiiiiiiiiis cake I’ll start working. It never happens. It’s light Aloha when food is even remembered, however. When difficulty strikes, like the 3 days-non-sleep, I couldn’t quite understand why I’m swaying *that* much when I left the house (in the morning, 4 hours before the deadline. To the print house.). Well, turned out I hadn’t eaten for over a day too.
Now, concluding the rant on ALOHA, I must insist that no one, ever, should repeat those stunts. Firstly – it’s my torture and a way I punish my own stupidity. Because, frankly, I’m a rubbish designer, I can’t manage my time and I also am unlikely to ever achieve anything. And secondly – well, just take care of yourself, guys.
In fact, this concludes today’s post, since I got absolutely off writing and can’t come back now. ALOHA, people!
