ATLAS SHRUGGED

Every day since 1963 that the sun has risen in our world, it has set on a new square of map awesomeness in Jerry Gretzinger's. In what started as a simple topographical doodle, a full-blown map universe evolved complete with its own set of complex cartographic rules. How about taking a few minutes to appreciate the man's monumental life-long work by watching this video of Jerry explaining his passion.

QUILTY PLEASURE

Maps always give me a warm cozy feeling. Especially now that we here in NZ are in the grip of a freezing-cold winter, i just wish I could wrap myself up in a map and stay snug forever - ahhhh. Luckily for me, there are niche operators out there specialising in making map-quilts! Haptic Lab, for example, is solely dedicated to producing a wide range of cool quality quilt products (be sure to click on their readymades and store tabs too) and Leah Evans is an artist who is further exploring how a simple craft can become beautiful art or indeed a quilty pleasure (yeah, i crack me up too!)

TELL ME ABOUT YOUR CHILDHOOD

In 1921, the psychoanalyst Hermann Rorschach created ink-blot tests as a way to investigate why different people reacted 'abnormally' to common situations. The standardised ink-blot tests were actually just conversation pieces used to stimulate discussion with a patient.  For example, if a patient said that they saw an unhappy face in the ink-blot, then that probably revealed that they saw the world as an unhappy place in general. I'm not saying you're crazy, but it may be insightful for you to play with this slightly more topographical variation of the Rorschach test.

THE WRITING'S ON THE WALL

Suppose you were to search the Internet using the keywords: 'graffiti' and 'map' - the chances are you'd either be looking to get rid of graffiti by lodging your graffiti-grievance on a map, or if you're a more half-full type of individual, you'd actually be trying to locate cool graffiti in the area. However, Graffiti Map Art is a worthwhile search topic in its own right. I'm not saying that it's ostensibly a good thing to deface public property; but there is some sort of ironic merit in imprinting the representation of a place, onto the actual geography of the place. I'm sure Banksy would approve anyway.

OCTO-MAPPY

Even in today's crazy mixed-up world where anything goes, you probably wouldn't have ever guessed that the Octopus is in fact a prevalent figure within global mapping. You may have seen all sorts of maps, on all sorts of topics - yet you probably haven't seen any Octopi. If this is the case, I feel bad for you son - I've got 99 map problems but an Octopus ain't one,  hit me.