This is crazy. A tesla coil being used as an instrument.

This Tesla coil was built and is owned by Steve Ward. Steve is a EE student at U of I Urbana-Champaign. He and Jeff have been going to Teslathons, which is where they met.

It’s been suggested that a good name for this coil would be the “Zeusaphone”. “Thoremin” has also been mentioned, though personally I think we need Theramin type inputs for that.

To answer a few questions I’ve received, YES, someone did yell “Play Freebird!” after the first round of music.

What a day to be allergic to GRASS and TREES! Omg, my doze iz all thtuffy…

Up here on the design floor, we certainly work hard, long hours not being uncommon. But after a few days in a row of leaving late, we know how to unwind and refuel those creative batteries. Several of us went wakeboarding on a beautiful cloudy Seattle evening on Lake Washington. Our vessel, the gorgeous Vermilion, a 1954 wooden Chris-Craft refurbished by our very own 3D Creative Director Luke, was our stylish ride.

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Ok, so Audiobooks aren’t new. Books on tape have been around since….well…tapes. Personally I was never into them, but to tell the truth I haven’t been a big reader in a long time. In the younger years I’d read some big name novels, comic books what have you. Then I turned into one of those people that said they “were really into magazines.” A poorly veiled spin to say “I’m smart enough to read, but I don’t.”

A busy schedule and a living arrangement that isn’t very condusive to easy reading (not to mention a lack of initiative) I haven’t been reading much at all as of late. It always feels like a big commitment, I need to drop everything in order to envelope myself with a text. At the base level I’m still a traditionalist when it comes to books. I love the tactile nature of ink on paper and the materials used in the production of books. But as far as the rapid digestion of information is concerned (at least for me personally) it’s a bit of a burden.

Yesterday I read a really inspiring article about Steve Jobs and the risks he’s taking with the iPhone. After the lengthy article I wanted to know more about him. I, like any Apple enthusiast knew the outline of Steve’s story; but there was a long period time in his career I knew nothing about. I purchased a biography about him on iTunes, mainly because I was too impatient to go to a bookstore after work. I listened to it while I was working, on the bus, and walking home. By the middle of my workday today, I was finished digesting the story.

It was really refreshing and inspiring to listen to it while working. I’m not sure I want to take on artistic texts in this format, but for non-fiction it’s great. I just downloaded another biography about Frank Lloyd Wright and I can’t wait to absorb it. Better late than never….right?!

This old timey video is hilarious and awesome. I find it hilariously confusing that it was made for the U.S. Army, for….some….reason.