mpub!

i had a first extraordinary class today. in text and context, we listened to a clip from a lecture given by lawrence lessig -- i still can't decide if he's a raging hippie or a crazy libertarian -- who thinks that everything should be free and in the public domain. he's on a mission to wrestle control of intellectual property, particularly that found on the internet, away from large corporations. his argument is that the concept of copyright is stifling culture.

it's a bit extreme, and completely neglects the incentive that copyright offers authors to create new material, but it sparked some compelling discussion.

the class was unlike anything i'd been to -- a complete departure from the prototypical university lecture; it looks like the course'll be more like a CUP conference, with discussion groups and guest speakers from the industry.

however, it looks like i'm going to have to do a buttload (yes, a buttload) of reading for this one course alone, and i'll have to rediscover how to write essays and term papers, something i haven't done in eons.

but i'm so excited!

and: i am a rockstar.

i never fancied myself much of a graphic designer; i knew the basic news design rules, but i never thought i had much of an artistic eye.

turns out i can design the pants off of most people in my class, with the exception of a few. i have to revel in it now, 'cause i know the learning curve for the other folks'll catch up with me frighteningly soon.

the mountain of reading and my thesis are conspiring to crush my soul, though, so i'm going to put a bit more of a dent in the old MSc.