The Digital Companion
The online journal to Offscreen Magazine — for all the things that don't fit into the magazine. We also regularly publish behind the scenes info about the making of Offscreen. Why not follow along and grab the RSS feed?
‟ The truth about the difference between introverts and extroverts lies in how personal energy is used and gained. Introverts need a lot of recharging time to gain energy. Being out-and-about, especially in social situations, is draining. Alone time is the only way to get that energy back. For me, it’s a lot of alone time. Not sitting in a dark cave staring at the wall, but somewhere comfortable where I can do other activities I enjoy. Laying on a hotel bed catching up on the internet totally counts. At home cooking dinner totally counts. Even reading a book at a coffee shop counts.
Yesterday’s pastry box entry by Chris Coyier mentions and links to an article that had a really big impact on me when I first read it a few years back. Jonathan Rauch’s “Caring for Your Introvert” made me come to the realisation that I too am an introvert. It explains why social events and chatty people make me feel so exhausted. It makes clear that introverted does not equal “weird” or “socially awkward”. Just like Chris I felt relief when I discovered that there is nothing wrong with enjoying the company of fewer people, or getting joy out of being alone.
If this sounds like you too, I wholeheartedly recommend reading Jonathan’s article. There is a good chance it will make you feel less anxious about your social skills when hiding behind your screen while others tell you how awesome their night out was.
‟ As a newbie publisher and art director for Offscreen, one of the biggest inspirations before launching our inaugural issue was the Singaporean “Underscore”. I’ve always been a big fan of compact, book-like magazines and when I came across Underscore at a book store in Melbourne, it just felt instantly “right”. The subtle colour palette printed on high-quality Munken Print Cream paper gives the stories an almost dreamy atmosphere that is solidified through the consistent use of custom-made typography. I have to admit, the beauty of this publication often distracts me from properly engaging with its content. It might be my designer eye, but hey, there are no rules for how to enjoy a magazine. Call me superficial on this one — I’m in love nevertheless.
For a small contribution in the next issue of What’s Next Magazine I was just asked “Which printed publication of the past year has made a bigger impression on you than any other? And how or why did it do so?” My answer is a bit of a fanboy-ish love affair with Underscore.
‟ The work of the stonemasons who built the palace is still visible after more than 8 centuries. How long after you stop programming is any of your work going to last? (…) It is slightly depressing how short the timescale is for software. It lives fast, but it also dies fast. Our work is more like that of an ice sculptor than that of a stonemason.
A quick read on ephemerality of software that very much resembles my editor’s note in issue no1 and the thinking behind Offscreen overall.
Another favourite by Jeremy Keith in Issue No4.
— Brad Smith about accepting certain entrepreneurial failures and moving on. One of many quotes I like from our interview in issue No4.
Just dug up this wonderful, unpublished image of Chris Coyier and added my favourite quote from his interview in issue No3.
Very simple. Very straightforward. Very Chris.
‟ A magazine is thus no longer something you just flick through, it’s something you devote time to, read carefully, appreciate its design and craft, and reflect on. It’s something you keep and cherish, reference and reread. It asks you to pause for a moment, smell it, touch it, examine it, and think about it. It offers a nuanced activism that resists the nonstop anxieties of everyday life. From the vision to the editing, the idea to the concept, the design to the ethos, the words to the paper, the image to the ink, and the voice to the community, magazine publishing is becoming one of the most exciting collective art forms of our time.
Do magazines experience a second Golden Age? An excellent summary of the state of independent publishing by Peter Eramian and a great accompanying comment by Steve Watson over at Stack Magazines.
A very happy new year, dear Offscreen readers! Issue #4 is launching early next week. Have a great weekend!
PS: Everyone who’s ordered through this site in the past will get an email reminder and also a chance to check all of their previous orders to make sure your subscription is up-to-date.
‟For most of us, it’s not the big traps that mess us up, it’s the little ones.
Every time I break stride and distract myself by checking my email (a hundred times in a bad day), I get a small reward. I get the satisfaction of starting and finishing a project, on time and for free.
For a lot of people, every time they drink a Coke instead of a glass of water, they get a small punishment in exchange for their treat. One Coke never hurt anyone, but a hundred of them make you fat.
One way to change behavior is to keep track of how often these little events occur, because seeing them lined up on the windowsill might be enough to change your mind. The other way is to make those events louder. I’m pretty sure that if I got an electric shock every time I stopped to check my email, I’d only do it daily…
Seth is (as usual) right on the money.
