Folds of Mind

Very funny animations!

Lorenzo Marchi — Tue, 13 Nov 2007 12:18:12 +0000

Hi, today I was searching for some nice geek shirts and accidentally came across these two funny videos:

just take a look at them…

Thinking like a geek

Lorenzo Marchi — Wed, 17 Oct 2007 14:54:36 +0000

As I’m italian and surely an IT addicted I’ve always liked to discover and use some kind of strange ‘niche’ word (and this is surely one of them :P), that almost came from english or latin. Surfing around the net makes me always discover new and interesting words, like portmanteau that’s one of my favourites. Lately I came across a doubt that I absolutely have to solve, it’s about the “geek” word.

After years of websurfing and a lot of contacts with foreigners, first of all Eric Gjerde who has kindly came to meet me where he was here in Italy, I’ve discovered that the world uses to refer to us, Math/IT/Origami/{whatever} addicted people, as geeks.

Now, it’s a lot of time since I’m describing myself to other as a geek, and I’ve been very proud of this term, even cause I like the real geeks (=little cute animals) but for sure cause I’ve never thought of it like an offense.

Recently my girlfriend started her university studies at the faculty of “FOREIGN LANGUAGES AND LITERATURE” and said me that geek is actually an offense if used from the outsiders of a ‘group’. So, I’ve just made a search on dictionary.com and here’s what it says:

geek Slang. –noun

1.	a peculiar or otherwise dislikable person, esp. one who is perceived to be overly intellectual.

2.	a computer expert or enthusiast (a term of pride as self-reference, but often considered offensive when used by outsiders.)

3.	a carnival performer who performs sensationally morbid or disgusting acts, as biting off the head of a live chicken.

So, leaving out the third definition, cause I’ve never done such things (at least until now :P) I have to dissent on the first one. I and surely any of the person I know never thought about me as a dislikable person, although some of them think, I really don’t know why, that I’m a little overly intellectual. I’ve always been as kind as I could with all the people I’ve met in my life and keep contacts with any of them so I’m wondering what is this all about. It’s just the use of the word that has slightly changed his meanning through the time or I’m completely wrong and that is the real meaning?

I don’t know…maybe I only have to meet some other people and make some other researches before I can have a really satisfying answer.

degree :D

Lorenzo Marchi — Thu, 12 Apr 2007 12:50:16 +0000

Hi all, this post is not related to any kind of craft world…I only wanted you to know that I’ve finally got my degree in Information Technology at University of Pisa… that only prove that I’m a geek!! the final score was 108/110 so I’m quite satisfied…well I’m really satisfied!!

I’ll post some photos of the graduation later so everyone of you can see me with my serious suit and my silly faculty hat, gave me by my friends

Extra Strong!

Lorenzo Marchi — Sat, 24 Mar 2007 10:54:50 +0000

just enjoy this

Rounded Ico modular kirigami

Lorenzo Marchi — Fri, 23 Mar 2007 23:53:40 +0000

I’ve recently found this interesting site talking about 3d puzzles and I decided to adapt the wooden version of this Ico to paper, making it a modular kirigami, I’ve slightly modified it rounding the edges of the slim modules! very funny to make!!

made with blue cardboard, 20 triangles and 30 round sections.

pdf available:

Rounded Ico (20k)

finished lm(x,z) project ;)

Lorenzo Marchi — Tue, 20 Mar 2007 20:17:53 +0000

Tha function study we were talking about some times ago have had its end, here is what I came up with…

nothing special but funny to make, I’ve in my mind something more difficult but visually more pleasing to the eye…maybe if I have time I’ll make it…stay tuned

FUNctions!

Lorenzo Marchi — Thu, 08 Mar 2007 21:36:38 +0000

Playing with math functions is always a pleasure and try to get the function you want by adjusting it step by step is very nice…or maybe only cause I’m a geek!…

I’ve recently discovered that with javascript it’s possible to write scripts for Adobe Photoshop, so armed with my trusted notepad2 I’ve written a script to plot parametric 2d functions. you can see some examples below:

If you want the script, feel free to contact me at lorenzo.marchi [at] gmail.com.

…and stay tuned for a nice use of this function

Simple paper art

Lorenzo Marchi — Wed, 07 Mar 2007 01:22:13 +0000

I’ve found this surfing YouTube, it’s very simple but impressive at first sight! so take a look

N.n.u.t.s

Lorenzo Marchi — Mon, 05 Mar 2007 11:11:03 +0000

Hi all, this was another of my flagstones. Called “nothing new under the sun” cause it uses no new shapes but the same as always: triangles, hexagons and rhombuses. However they’re arranged in a new way, so as Jane has told me, there was something new.

this is what came out

and as always I’ve published a CP

Bentho’s flagstone

Lorenzo Marchi — Sat, 24 Feb 2007 11:51:06 +0000

This was my second flagstone.

Just this flagstone uploaded by Bentho sometimes ago on Flickr, made for relaxing cause I’m going mad trying to fold some flagstone patterns I’ve got in my head…quite nice, and my flagstone skills are growing a little
I’ve found this easier than my previous one, maybe it’s only because it’s the second flagstone…

and here is the CP