Inside A Mind of design: Meet our new junior designer, Cookie Mylo
By Lindelwa R SoulProviders recently added a new designer to the team; Mahlohonolo Tshangela. The other day last week I stole him from his busy day to have a chat about designer things and his bad movie-watching habits. What do you like to watch? First of all, he does not like to watch movies (you will find out in Q3 why), he watches a lot of music videos, and TV shows “…old stuff.” he says, like Scrubs & Supernatural. He spends most of his TV-time watching tutorials, about things. Favourite books… His favourite books are “Screw it, Let’s do it” by Sir Richard Branson & “The Soul Connection” by Anne Jones. I had to Google the latter publication, and just as I suspected it’s a one of those ‘get in touch with your higher self’ guides. Lo walks around the office with an air of calm around him, no surprise he’s about meditation authors. Do you like eBooks or paper backs? “As a designer you’re facing a computer screen all day…” – I expected that he would be a digital reader, that as a digital designer he is immune to the computer screen-induced nausea and headaches. It’s nice to know there are still people who love the smell of paper along with the words. “Print is different” Does being a designer influence your choice of magazines, books and/or the types of movies you watch? T’was a definite yes on the magazines, he reads magazines which are informative and relevant to his interests in respect to what he does. On book choices he said he is “…directed by the heart and soul of the book.” “I don’t watch movies ‘cause I have an eye for these things Do you enjoy being a [graphic] designer? “I find that the term ‘designer’ is [a limited label] just another one of the boxes we’ve been put into. To me it’s just another hat on my head. I prefer to be [referred to as] an artist who delivers his work through design. It’s the hate which keeps my tummy full,” and then he whispers “…Can I say that?” “Being an artist is one of the greatest things ever; your mind is constantly growing. There are things which influence [me] and I become excited to try them in my next design. You burn passion always looking for new ways to do things. Get inspired. It’s really nice seeing great art things and it motivates [me] to look for greater solutions.” He said to me, artists are like onions – they have so many layers – and as you peel away at each of them,...
Five reads to cuddle with in this weather
By Lindelwa R 1. I AIN’T YO BITCH – Jabulile Bongiwe Ngwenya “I ain’t yo bitch” I saw this title in the book store and rolled my eyes as I lifted it to read what sordid man-manipulation guide this would be. I was way off – It’s a fiction tale about a young lesbian rapper in the hustle & bustle of Joburg’s hip-hop scene. She is a talented wordsmith in an industry dominated by men who cannot stand to be outdone by a woman, a lesbian woman especially. A sad tale about the struggle of womanhood, doubled with homophobia from those around her and what it took for her to finally come into her own. The ending is a cliché, but I could not have been more fitting. 2. BLACK WIDOW SOCIETY – Angela Makholwa I’ve been waiting to read a thriller about women in an underground mafia-style scheme. It was a slow read; it was how she gradually brought the characters to life in short interwoven scenes that were a good enough to keep the reader’s (my) nose in between her pages. The story is about a group of women who ‘eliminate’ good-for-nothing husbands, rescuing the “black widows” from lives of abuse and manipulation. It unfolds dramatically when the hired gun’s personal life is affected by the paranoia he’s acquired ever since serving the society. Despite the predictable first two thirds of the book, the climax was good enough to allow for the book’s clichéd ending. 3. WHEN RAIN CLOUDS GATHER – Bessie Head I could call this one a love story, about a man learning to love himself. It is set in a village in Botswana during the time of severe drought, a South African takes refuge there to escape from apartheid in near-by South Africa. He must overcome internal conflict while also being absorbed into the drama of the village in which he settles. It’s a tale of greed, selflessness & community; it is intriguing without too much suspense. You won’t put it down until it’s over. 4. FEMINISM IS FOR EVERYBODY (PASSIONATE POLITICS) – bell hooks The mainstream media’s depiction of the socio-political idea is more radical then practical and that is why I felt it was necessary to read a sort of… beginner’s guide to feminism? Yes. She describes the beginning of feminism and the various struggles within – issues of race, class, gender relations and the power of the sisterhood. It feels boring to read but you will appreciate the enlightenment afterwards. 5. GONE – Michael Grant Gone is the first in a series of 6 books. It is a story about a...
NY TIMES most notable books of 2007
Readers and lovers of books, check out the NY Times list of the most NOTABLE BOOKS of the year by clicking here. You may need to subscribe to the New York Times – it’s worth it! Any comments? ...
Wallpaper* City Guide to Cape Town out!
On our recent trip to Tokyo I was delighted to pick up a copy of the Wallpaper* guide to Tokyo “the fast-track guide for the smart traveller” (published by Phaidon). I don’t know how smart we were but we only had 5 days to check out this supacity so we needed a lot of help. It worked. We managed to see some mind-blowing spots which we would never have found without it… the Wallpaper* City Guide suggestions are so well selected that walking into one of the recommendations is like walking through the pages of the magazine, they just ooze Wallpaper* finesse and style. While we’re delighted for Cape Town to have been included in the second bunch of cities (after the first 30 cities published) to be graced with the guide, our noses are a little out of joint as to why Jozi hasn’t got one yet. Africa’s megacity! We love Slaapstad’s tasteful essence and incredible pizazz but we certainly have a number of hidden gems that would make the cut. Apparently Johannesburg’s version will be out in the next batch of books published, we wait with bated breathe and hope like hell it’s not the same writers who put together the Timeout guide – it smacked of outsider writers who clearly knew very little about Jozi. We’ve contacted the publishers and will let you know if there’s any more info. Cape Townians – any comments on the content?? For now, you can buy your CT guide from Exclusives at R97. Hang out in the Wallpaper* high...
Urban Chick with a short story to tell?
Sharpile to Alexia for the heads up. If you’re an Urban Chick and you’d like to write a short story and have it posted on a short story blog then ‘Urban Chick: A Users Guide’ is for you. We’re not that clear on why they are gathering all the stories – if there will be any payment for the published stories or if they will be published in book form along the lines of Tertia Albertyn blog that became a book and is now up for a Blooker award. But the PR says the site will ‘showcase’ the stories which we assume means they will simply publish the best on the blog for all to read. The good thing is you can pick up tips and get some guidance on HOW to write a good short story which could be very helpful. We’ll try find out more but in the meantime get writing – it’s great inspiration! Urban Chick. Friday night. The bar is filled with smart, sexy, sussed women fresh from a week hard at work. They have cocktails in hand and are deep in conversations with girlfriends, lovers or potential new partners. They are Urban Chicks, women who live in fast paced, traffic choked, money hungry, concrete landscapes. Landscapes where working hard is as much a priority as playing hard. They’re not superwomen. They’re able to laugh at themselves, even as they struggle through their experiences. In recent years, the blogging phenomenon has allowed internet users, male and female alike, to explore the stories behind the lives of these women and their daily battles with their relationships, with work and their individuality. Their stories are told with candour and humour. Urban Chick: A Users Guide plans to showcase these kinds of stories If you’re a 20 to 30 something, and you feel you fit into this category, then we’re looking for your stories. Tell us about a crazy night out, a skewed work experience or a tangled romantic relationship using your intellect, wisdom and wit. Visit the website www.urbanchick.wordpress.com for more information, submission guidelines and examples. Also sign up with the blog for news updates, tips and hints and join the Urban Chick community. Send your stories to: urbanchick01@gmail.com PO box: 292048 Melville 2109 Stories must be no longer than 3000 words, typed and double spaced in order to be considered Remember to include all of your contact details with your submission. Submission close end of May...
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