Positive Space Information Booklet by Catherine Telford-Keogh

 

Positive Space Information Booklet

 

Currently the University of Waterloo refuses to implement the Positive Space Campaign, a program implemented in most of the universities in Ontario. This is a campaign to promote alternative identities and sexualities as well as offering support for and information about Lesbian, Gay, Bi, Trans, Two-Spirited, Queer and Questioning identities. Jillian and I attempted to address this problem through out post card project which allow UW students to ‘tag’ spaces in the university that affirm their support of this campaign and acted as a petition form that they could submit to the Feds. My e-book is an extension of this project as it provides information regarding the problems of homophobia and acts as an information guide to people who would like to know more extensively about Campaign or LGBTTQQ identities.

 

The online format provided allows the booklet to be easily accessed, and its small size lets it act as an information booklet that students could potentially carry around with them and possibly spread the information contained to other students.

 

The Positive Space Information Booklet is available at:

A4 – http://diffusion.org.uk/generator/CTK_positive_space_A4.pdf
US – http://diffusion.org.uk/generator/CTK_positive_space_US.pdf

 

 

Guide to Etiquette

(This project started off with looking at the Tim Hortons restaurants in the KW region but expanded to include the generalization of fast food restaurants.)

Fast Food restaurants share similar formats and functions of production for their customers in order to serve people better. These are created for efficient and fast access to ordering food and eating. But what kind of characteristics and relations do these offer for a paying customer?This step-by-step guide gives you the experience of being the perfect Fast Food customer. The instructions that you will read about comment on proper habit, behavior, and relations that one could present to another person. Proper etiquette is necessary when communicating and relating to others in the public. Any person interested in the socialization of Fast Food culture can use this guide worldwide. available at: http://diffusion.org.uk/?p=299

Local Culinary Talent

My ebook focuses on fabulous restaurants in the Kitchener-Waterloo area. The three locations that I included are unique to this area. Peter Martin’s, Caffe Gallery Bollero and Sole are the restaurants that caught my eye but if you know of any more, please feel free to let me know and I can add them. You can also make your own ebook and include the restaurants that you enjoy and a series can then begin. I hope you enjoy my reviews and take the time to check out these fine establishments.

UW Art Audio Tour: Sculptures

UW Art: Sculptures – Diane Braga, Katie Gatenby, Ruth Van Gurp

April 1, 2008

Stemming off from our postcard project, our podcast is the next step in our campaign to raise awareness about the University’s lack of initiative to replace or conserve damaged artworks, or to add to its meager collection. 

Our podcast is broken up into six smaller audio files plus an introduction, each featuring a different work of public sculpture around the University of Waterloo’s campus (the most prevalent and public form of campus art). Individually, each clip elaborates on the history and evolving story of the piece, as well as gives insight into efforts (or absences of effort) towards conservation. As a whole, they form a guided tour around the campus.

There are a number of ways that people can explore our podcast. People may join our group on facebook and _listen to the files there__, or visit our entry page on myspace. Both of these websites are popular social networking tools

Via _wordpress? myspace?_ people may download our files as mp3s and upload them to their own personal mp3 players, music phones, etc. so that they may experience the podcast as an actual guided walking tour, and see the artwork—or absence thereof.

Also could send recordings of our podcast on CDs to faculty members

How Successful?

Ebook: Campus Space by Jen Stanfel

For my ebook, I continued to research the campus space issues I worked with to create my storycube. My ebook, like my storycube, draws attention to how space changes, becoming diminished and less green as it is more heavily engineered (not only as buildings go up, but as open space becomes tighter and more unnatural and organized, e.g. with paved pedestrian areas), as the University grows, and how this affects people’s campus experience. Where my storycube was based primarily on my own observations, my ebook gives voice to the University’s perspective on and plans for campus space, as laid out in the current Master Plan. I did not write Campus Space to criticize the University’s physical expansion or its attempt to manipulate shrinking space in order to keep some open, “green”-er areas on campus. Rather, my ebook is meant to make users of campus space aware of how it is changing so they may consider it.

Prolegomena to Mundanity – Ebook by AN Meyer

For my Ebook, I wanted to continue the themes that I looked at in regards to my Storycube, in particular the ideas of repetition and pattern. However, I wanted to look at these themes in a new light, especially in connection to the mundane. Perec and Shebald were important in this step to unearthing phenomenon that have, over the course of time, degenerated in attention to us through routine use and accepted dispositions. My Ebook, Prolegomena to Mundanity contains my thoughts on repetition and pattern seen in the mundane, as well as revealing my opinions on the levels of human awareness to details that are sometimes forgotten, but waiting to be revealed.

Arts Quad Revitalization Postcard Pictures (by Adam, Cris, and Lee)

Postcard 1 of 6

Postcard 2 of 6

StoryCube Pictures (by AN Meyer)

StoryCube (by AN Meyer)

With my storycube, I wanted to examine proportion and repetition, often seen in subtle, mundane ways, and in turn exploring their connection to the UW campus. Medieval cathedrals were built by architects whose designs conformed to the proportional system of musical harmony, “There must be no decorations, only proportion”.

And although there are no choirs performed at most buildings located on the main campus, that idea of proportion, minus the musical harmony, is still evident throughout modern architecture. To make it simple with the breakdown of my pictures, I used the Arts Lecture Hall, Biology 1, Davis Center, Physics, and 2 from Math and Computers. Each one looks at repetition, proportion, and symmetry in those building while also lacking the essential human element.

The Dissastisfied Art Student’s Guide to the Lounges of UW: The eBook! – Rebecca and Andrew

From the geniuses who brought you the “The Dissatisfied Art Student’s Guide to the Lounges of UW: The Post Card Project,” now comes “The Dissatisfied Art Student’s Guide to the Lounges of UW: The eBook!” Perhaps the most comprehensive guide to UW Lounges ever published, we bring you all the details; how to get there,  what to eat, how much you will spend, and the stories of these places and how they came to be superior to the SOFA lounge. As well, we provide you with the details on successful infiltration.

With our flawless rating systems for quality (three stars for the best of the best, and one star to those that provoke a SOFA lounge-like depression) and ease of infiltration, we have made it easier than ever to avoid the Plaza blues, escape the East Campus Hall bubble, and exploit the university’s resources that were never meant for your paint-thinner addled brain.

If you are not completely satisfied with our product then suck it up! It’s cheap as free!

Volume 1
A4 – http://diffusion.org.uk/generator/loungeguide3_A4.pdf
US – http://diffusion.org.uk/generator/loungeguide3_US.pdf

Volume 2
A4 – http://diffusion.org.uk/generator/loungeguide4_A4.pdf
US – http://diffusion.org.uk/generator/loungeguide4_US.pdf

Cyrano Romance Guides – the Podcast – Rebecca and Andrew

From the people who brought you “The Dissastisfied Art Student’s Guide to the Lounges of UW,” comes the new self-help podcast ”Cyrano Romance Guides Presents: The Lonely Art Student’s Guide to Romantic Situations at the University of Waterloo.”   Perhaps the most helpful guide for the pursuit of on-campus love ever created, our first installment walks hand-in-hand with you through your first encounter with that special someone from the Environmental Studies department. You will meet Cyrano, a true romantic of mixed European decent, who will help you every step of the way. He will provide you with foolproof introductions, one liners and small talk, ways to look romantically into their eyes, and closers that are sure to secure you that date. Each section provides you with the words to woo your interest if they are smiling, and a phrase to get you back on track if they are reacting “like crap.” Flamenco music plays during the instructions and fades out to distinguish the phrases that you need to repeat.

Below is a list of the tracks which are referred to during the recording. And REMEMBER! Keep your mp3 device hidden, for you would not want your romantic pursuit to know that you are listening to Cyrano, for they would surely fall in love with him instead.

01- Introduction to the Pod Cast
02- Introduce yourself
03- positive response- One liners and small talk
04- negative response-  One Liners and small talk, get back on track
05- positive response- Passionate looks into your love’s eyes
06- negative response-   Grabbing at straws, Passionate looks into your love’s eyes 
07- positive response- Securing the date
08- negative response- the face saving exit.

Listen to Introduction

Listen to Track 2

Listen to Track 3

Listen to Track 4

Listen to Track 5

Listen to Track 6

Listen to Track 7

Listen to Track 8

 

 

Podcast- the dog burning incident

Our podcast is a two minute clip of the dog burning incident on Waterloo’s campus in 1968 (to learn about it click on the audio link below). The point of this podcast is to get University of Waterloo students to start thinking about the state of activism on our campus. We created a display case to house our podcast and we set up our display in the SLC so that people could listen and respond to our podcast. The display case held a disc-man with our podcast, a hot dog and a cork board for responses. The pictures below are from our experience displaying the hot dog.
We have also placed a link to our mp3 on our blog called www.yourwaterloothoughts.wordpress.com. People can also write their thoughts on this blog if they missed our display in the SLC.

Listen to this episode

By: Kristina, Amy, Angie, and Leslie-Anne

StoryCube – Overhill

The assignment offers several tempting directions. The physicality of the paper cube itself establishes a resonance with the physicality of the geometrically squared room within which the cube assignment was given. In winter, in Canada, the physicality of space is an interior one. Taking pictures selectively of the room’s interior discovers a variety of flat surfaces which suggest the creation a cube which mirrors the surfaces of the room; turning into external faces the textures that internally line the cubic space of the physical room. Yet leaving that space, its immediate hallways draw the viewer outward into infinitely receding cubic forms. Placed onto the surfaces of a story cube, those receding geometries of the halls would violate the planar sanctity of the paper surface, drawing upon it depths into the flat surfaces that purport to describe our spatial reality.

Postcards – Museum of Me (MoMe)

Exciting new graphic design program announced at the Museum of Me, 2008.“Lawn Ornaments from Heaven,” temporary exhibition at the Museum of Me, 2006.“Carol’s Jewelry,” traveling exhibition from the Museum of Me, 2007.Curator Heidi Overhill develops new concepts for the Museum of Me, 2007. Photo © Nora Rosenthal, 2007.Selections from the Gift Shop at the Museum of Me. “Madame Defarge: The Iraqui War Socks.” Hand knit wool, machine washable in cold water, $5,000/pair ($2500 each).Snow White and Dwarves. Permanent installation at the Museum of Me, 2008.

Amy Lyons: eBook

My eBook Guides to Galt: Downtown Restaurants is designed specifically for students new to the School of Architecture in Cambridge, or any new resident or visitor to the region. The guide focuses on nine restaurants, from cheap greasy spoon diners to upscale cuisine, all within a fifteen minute walking distance to the School of Architecture. Since the idea of the guide is to point out restaurants people can walk to easily, Ruth’s publication in this series, Guides to Galt: A Brief History of Architectural Spaces which discusses historical structures around downtown Galt, compliments the restaurant guide.

This eBook can be easily distributed by placing printed copies in the library and lounge at the School of Architecture, and signs can be printed providing the book’s web address.

You can view or print my eBook by clicking the links below:

http://diffusion.org.uk/generator/Guide2Galt_US.pdf 

http://diffusion.org.uk/generator/Guide2Galt_A4.pdf

POSTCARD: I Support the Positive Space Campaign at the University of Waterloo

By Catherine Telford and Jillian Louise Scout

 

www.supportpositivespace.wordpress.com 

 

 

 

I SUPPORT

 

 

The Campaign for POSITIVE SPACE at The University of Waterloo

We first came up with the idea of a postcard to draw attention to the lack of queer support symbols and images on the University of Waterloo campus and web site.
In discussing the concept with classmates, and looking into the GLBTTQ communities throughout Canadian universities, we decided to create a propaganda postcard, intent on drawing attention and support for the POSITIVE SPACE CAMPAIGN, a campaign designed to create supportive spaces for the queer communities throughout Canadian universities. The University of Waterloo is one of the few universities, which still refuses to implement this program.

This postcard explains what the POSITIVE SPACE CAMPAIGN is, and provides a space for students to sign in support of the campaign and send it to the FEDS (Federation of Students). To help publicize this campaign, the front of the postcard is a supportive sticker, advertising both the campaign itself, as well as a blog, which presents more information on the queer community in general, along with information on implementing the POSITIVE SPACE CAMPAIGN at UW. In addition, we have also included the FEDS mailing address, the President of FEDS email address, and our own blog address on the postcard itself.
For more information please visit our blog at supportpositivespace.wordpress.com

 

STORY CUBE: Trapped at UW

While photographing the campus, I found the architecture to be very static, repetitive and dismissal. This caused me to reflect on the social atmosphere I felt that I had experienced, over my years at UW. Although the university is intended to be a place of growth, innovation and inspiration, it has actually felt almost like an obstacle that was to be overcome. The university as a campus, is very segregated and unified, however it does so in an almost monotonous way. The campus seems void of organic, inspirational elements and there appears to be no planned flow to the constantly expanding layout of the campus.
After experiencing the space of the campus, I was inspired to create two story cubes, one that functioned simply as a narrative of the patterns and repetitive elements on campus. The other was more reflective of my own reaction to the social atmosphere within the university as a whole. I use the outer surfaces of the cube to depict the university itself, as an enclosure, by using photographs of the actual walls I found on the campus. These walls also carry on the idea of repetitive patterns on the campus. The top of the cube instructs the viewer to open the cube. Inside the cube is filled with words and phrases, expressing my reaction to the confining feeling created within the university.
My cube is intended to lead the viewer in experience the confining feeling that is a common student experience on the UW campus.

by Jillian Louise Scout

ebook — The Wreck of the “Julie Plante”

The Wreck of the “Julie Plante” is a poem written in 1896 by Irish-born physician Dr. William Henry Drummond, who wrote poetry almost exclusively in the doggerel slang of French-Canadians who spoke bad English. Hopelessly politically incorrect, the poem can only be understood if read aloud in a broad fake French accent — and this, the reading out loud, in combination with the silky tactility of the vellum paper on which the book is intended to be printed, is the main point of this ebook. As Giles pointed out in our first class, ebooks aim to restore the role of “the object” to internet communications. This ebook privileges the ear and the hand over the intelligence of the eye — a brief flash of bodily sensuality.

Podcast: The Messy Bedroom

This “audio broadcast” of an interview with teenage bedroom artist Nora Rosenthal is part of a larger project called “The Museum of Me,” or “MoMe,” which officially defines my home as a museum. I see this project as a way to reveal hidden assumptions about museums by applying museum methodology to an absurdly individual subject matter; and conversely and simultaneously as a way to reveal hidden assumptions about homes by analyzing them through the precision tools of museum methodology. I am currently accessioning every object in the house into a Filemaker database, recording provenance, medium, title, dimensions, and so forth for each item. The mp3 will eventually find a home on the future website of the Museum of Me, which will also offer access to the collections database, as well memberships, a gift shop, and news of public programming events.

Listen to this episode

Podcast project: Student Stress Tips

We feel as students, that one main issue that we face is our high stress level that we encounter during academic terms. Therefore for our podcast project, we explored this issue of Stress not from a professional/medical perspective but rather from the students perspective.

We used the podcast as a tool to record students tips of how they relieve their stress. These recordings were then uploaded onto a myspace account and linked to our Facebook group titled “Student Stress Tips”, which is accessible to students of the Waterloo network. We narrowed down the twenty recordings of student stress tips into a list of the top ten tips from students for students.

We thought it was important to contact counselling services at the University of Waterloo, as they are the professional support system available to students at the on campus. On our Facebook site, we have included the link to counselling services as well as a few of their suggested sites for information and help.

Finally, we complied the links for the myspace site, Facebook and University of Waterloo counselling services on a printed poster, which is posted around campus for advertisment purposes. Our hope is that this project will help students create a dialogue regarding stress issues. Overall, the information is presented in an easily accessible way for students to receive information as well as to interact with other students.

links:
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=9013628537
http://www.myspace.com/studentstressrelief

By: Katie Thiel, Meghan Doherty, Andrea Gibson and Christina Vannelli

Unplanned Socialism

With a macro scale perspective of the human social and geographical patterns of the students on campus, the ACL team has noticed an anti socialism that is perhaps unique to UW. Our aim was first to decide if what we experienced was worth mentioning, and then to find out potential reasons as to why it is such. From here we would decide potential solutions to make a productive change.

The preliminary stages of this project investigated the organization of space on campus within the ring road. The intent was to highlight the planned space of campus and to decide how this space may affect the population (social and geographical) patterns of UW’s daily community.

In the process it became clear that campus is distinctly fragmented into several component zones – Arts/Business/Accounting, Math/Computer Science, Engineering, and Science. Further investigation looked at high and low density locations on campus and how particular traffic patterns flowed into and out of these locations and, on the macro scale, between the greater faculty oriented zones.

The idea was to use the postcards to express our research, opinions, and suggested solutions through a series of images and implicative text.

By: Lee, Adam, & Cris

Uploading Your Podcasts

I’ve set up a podcasting service with podbean.com – a free podcasting host where we can upload and host all the anarchaeology podcast files. Please email me (Giles) for login details.

Giles

eBook – Spaces Defined?

My eBook, ‘Spaces Defined?’ examines the ways in which it is possible to define the different places, spaces and environments associated with the University of Waterloo – not only the campus, but development and certain business as well. I think it is interesting how the University community defines these different places, creating a very specific identity. Perhaps it is the hope that students and the public will adopt this perception of the University as well. The descriptions of each space were taken directly from the University of Waterloo website homepage and various faculty sites. Some descriptions are ambiguous, while others are clearer. The hope is that this booklet can be used as a tool for students and members of the University community. Specifically, to identify the ways in which they use the space and how they perceive it by writing in the eBook and then passing it along. Perhaps through this dialog certain trends will become clear and may initiate an evaluation on the use and purpose of these spaces.

links:

A4 – http://diffusion.org.uk/generator/Spaces_Defined_A4.pdf

US Letter -http://diffusion.org.uk/generator/Spaces_Defined_US.pdf

- Christina Vannelli

eBook – The Result of a Petition from 1896

The idea for my eBook began with a petition I found from 1896. This group was advocating for a bicycle trail to be installed along the Grand Trunk Rail Line that follows the Grand River. The group proposed that this trail begin in Galt (now Cambridge) and connect to Blair. I could find very little history about this group and how the trail came into being, so instead I took several trips to the trail to investigate its roots. There is no signage along the trail detailing it’s history and the only reference to the railway is one section of the trail signed as the Grand Trunk Trail. In the end, it only matters that the trail still exists today for walkers and cyclists to enjoy.

The eBook I have created is a small portion of my experience walking this trail. To view my eBook choose either of the following paper sizes, print the file and assemble as per the instructions:

A4 – http://diffusion.org.uk/generator/1896_Petition_A4.pdf
US Letter – http://diffusion.org.uk/generator/1896_Petition_US.pdf

Cambridge – The city I didn’t know

        The ebook is not so much a guide but rather generalized introduction to the city. It highlights the specific aspects that are related to myself personally; in regards to what facts I found interesting, such as the first mayor being female, the city having a artist residency program etc. I organized the book in categories of History, Things to do, Cambridge Libraries and Centre of.  Within the Things to do section, I focus on one major event known as ‘ Rock the Mill’ which takes place at the Mill Race in the Galt area of Cambridge. I include a map of the Rock the mill site and before and after pictures. I incorporated pictures to illustrate the comparison to fully emphasis the complete flip of atmosphere the Mill Race makes when Rock the Mill is there. It is definitely an experience you have to feel for yourself. It’s no Woodstock but still worth going.

     My intentions for the ebook was to create more of a personal rediscovery of the city I came from.  As a resident of the city of Cambridge, before this work, I felt had lack of any interesting activitiy occurring as well as any influential history.  So I decided to do some research on a place I thought I knew about; Apparently I knew close to nothing if anything regarding my hometown.