Lauren Hyndman: Final Year of Design Degree

How about following the work of a phlebotomist pathologist (someone who takes someone's blood, usually for tests!) or look into the work of the National Blood Service........??

Just an idea for a design project.

pic borrowed from Mark Kilgallon

I went to London on the weekend to the Angel, Islington in order to go to the Business Design Centre to see the New Designers exhibition.

pic borrowed from Samir Ahmadi

I was very impressed with a lot of the work that this years design graduates from all over the UK had produced.

As well as getting a lot of inspiration for my final year of my degree, and taking in what goes into exhibiting at New Designers as I hope to exhibit there in 2008, I also went to support a group of my friends from Leeds Metropolitan University.

Here is a pic of their stand.
pic borrowed from Samir Ahmadi

And clearly it is a very tiring experience judging by how they looked at the end of a very hard working week on the stand, setting up and taking down, as shown below.

pic borrowed from Samir Ahmadi

I have just got myself a new mobile phone - very happy with it - it's PINK

It's the new Samsung U600 and I think it is such a sexy phone.

I am switching from a Sony Ericsson and finding it very odd how the Samsungs menus work. The touch sensitive buttons are a little annoying when you accidently (constantly!) press exit and get sent back to the main display screen. I am sure it will just take a few days to get used to.

The camera is wicked and takes brilliant pics with its 3.2 megapixels. There is actually a big difference from my last 2Mp camera. Really noticeable.

The phone is so lightweight and slim, and the sliding mechanism is sexy - this phone is really sexy!! Sexy Sexy Sexy!!

The battery life is nowhere near as good as my last mobile's battery life. God I can't believe I am doing a phone review - how cheesy! But that has been my designy product analysis of the day! Plus I haven't done much recently except play with my new toy (the mobile )!!

Internet STILL not installed at home - the landlord is promising for this Thursday though. Think I am gonna continue to believe it won't happen for aaaaaaages - then I might be pleasantly surprised!!

God, moving house is a huge pain in the arse.....
Things that really got to me;

NUMBER ONE - The one which really put me out was having to change my address with everyone who mails me or may wish to mail me in the future. I tackled my banks (one online, easy peasy, great service - one in store, Saturday morning before it shut as I work during the week 9 till 5 and it was the only time I could. Missed my lie in of the week ), forgot about my student loan LEA (ooops!) until a week later which by this point they had sent me out two letters to my old address, changed my address on as many online things as I could think of (Amazon, Ebay, Paypal - there must be more!), changed my address at university, Design magazine subscription took a simple email, girly gossip magazine required the finding out of a stupid code which was printed on the envelope sent with the magazine which surprisingly (!!) I throw out so that was a pain, changed my address with payroll for my job (wanna get my payslip sent to the right address, can you believe I almost forgot about that one??), and I am still thinking I have missed out crucial address changes. Anyone think I have missed anything out??

Numero deux - Clearing things out. Yes, it makes me feel great once I have "spring cleaned" and thown out the crap that I don't need, but what about all the crap that I DO need. Well, okay, not need as such, but has emotional value?!?! I seem to have accumulated a lot of "stuff" over the years, and I really wanted to pull off the minimalistic look in my new house but I really don't have any chance of that unless I put 95% of my "stuff" in the cellar. And it's scary down there!! Looks like the rooms at the end of the Blair Witch Project.

I think I shall leave it at two. I have the feeling my ranting could go on for a while!

Enjoy! x

I moved house on the weekend and my new house sadly is not hooked up to the wonderful internet at the moment.....

So I will not be able to "blog" very often until it is set up!!

However, I am in the middle of reading "No Logo" so I am keeping myself occupied for now!