In The Ning Nang Nong
There's a map of cyberspace network sites. Like a cosmos of entrails and stupid kitten picture messages, the interweb's places of congregation are like the watering holes of the African savanna that Sir David Attenborough likes to wax lyrical about... There's lots of life around them, they're noisy, filled with diverse creatures and they abound with urine and feces from the over-excited hordes.

But don't let my frivolous take on that area of the net prevent you from reading more about it. (Found on the great 'three minds' site.)

Mapping as a way of understanding the world around us is not a new phenomenon, neither is topological, rather than topographical, mapping. The most famous case of this is the London Underground map which takes the geographical and spatial references out of the picture and simply represents the data in a simpler fashion.

Visual mapping is a way to make sense of ourselves too. Try this one. Use this map of the USA. 48 states, but blank. Now, put your name in Kansas. Starting with the people you care for or love the most list them in adjoining states and work your way out. Who is in Colorado and who is in Missouri? Who is in Washington or Florida?

Try it by placing male names to the west of Kansas and female names to the east. Is this really 'where' people are living in your mental world? Do you want to add pets? The possibilities are limitless but what it shows is a form to the usually abstract landscape of our lives.

In mapping the people around us and considering where we are in relation to them, it is possible to see why things happen the way they do. I can hear Kevin saying I'm getting heavy again, so I'll stop there but give a link (actually, two links) to the kind of thing I like to read about when I've got nothing better to do. I'll probably sneak another post in soon about mental maps.

Lookylikey not bloody likely
I was thinking, ok, fair enough, I'll do it. The 'celebrities whom you resemble' thing over at myheritage.com. So I input the image, and hit the button. Let's just say I won't be posting the results.

It said I looked like:
Jennifer Love Hewitt (69%)
John Voight (62%)
Gerard Butler (57%)
Henry Miller (55% - I think it was the eyes)
And then some other unknowns.

Jennifer Love Hewitt?? The Gerard Butler one I'm ok with, but to think that people are looking at me seeing some sort of amalgam of Gollum with long shiny auburn hair...

Update: I just ran it again. Better photograph. Obviously. So below is the result to which I am saying nothing apart from the fact that I shall be approaching mirrors with a lot more caution in the days to come.



Anyway, some things I've read and heard recently...

"There's no welcome to Bangkok like that of a lady boy smearing an unknown substance on your face." (found on a travel blog about Bangkok.)

"Lift them up and shove them in!" (builder shouting at his mate on the street trying to load something into his truck, only it looked like he was holding his crotch, not the box, in his hands. Certainly got my attention...)

"You're just another Kate Moss who cannot find a job." (something written on a note that I was supposed to deliver for someone a few years ago but never did, and now I'm glad I didn't. Although I am a bit ashamed that I opened it finally after it sat in a drawer in my office for over two years.)

This entry was posted on Tuesday, May 22, 2007 at 5:01 PM. You can skip to the end and leave a response.