1st June, 2026

What am I working on?

I recently learned a new design technique—the paper cut effect in Procreate—and experimented by creating two illustrations.

What am I reading?

Kate Beaton’s Ducks: Two Years in the Oil Sands is a poignant memoir of her time in Alberta’s oil fields. Through black-and-white illustrations, she captures both the vast industrial landscape and the isolation of being one of few women among thousands of men. Although ducks are only a cameo character in this story, the title references a tragic incident in which ducks died after landing in toxic ponds, symbolizing the broader ecological devastation. She draws unsettling parallels between the degradation of the environment towards the later half of the book and the exploitation of women; the emotional scars of harassment and trauma that women have to endure in a workplace where they are outnumbered fifty to one. On a personal level, she deals with misogynistic male co-workers and grueling work. However, she shows both the good and the ugly part of those 2 years. She shows the beauty in this part of the world and the camaraderie she forms with a few of her coworkers. Two thoughts that will stay with me:

One, when she mentions that early on in life she realised she can have opportunity or she can have a home. She cannot have both and either will always hurt. Coming from a small town with handful of opportunities, I can relate to this completely.

Second, when she questions whether the men who treated women so harshly would behave the same way at their homes? She acknowledges how hard it can be for the workers who are so isolated from greater society that this kind of behaviour is almost unpreventable.

What am I watching/watched recently?

I have not watched any movie this week. Will be sharing my views on the what I watch next week in a new blog later.

New thing I learnt lately?

I came across The Forms of Capital by Pierre Bourdieu:

Economic Capital: Material wealth such as money, property, and assets. It is the most easily convertible form of capital that is directly exchangeable for goods and services.

Cultural Capital: Non-financial assets that shape social mobility. Bourdieu distinguishes three states:

• Embodied: personal dispositions, manners, and knowledge.

• Objectified: cultural goods like books, artworks, instruments.

• Institutionalized: credentials and qualifications (e.g., degrees).

Social Capital: Networks and relationships that provide access to resources, opportunities, and influence. It emphasizes the value of belonging to groups and the benefits of trust and reciprocity.

Symbolic capital is the fourth form of capital and refers to the prestige, honor, recognition, and legitimacy that individuals or groups hold within society.

In Searches, Vauhini Vara explains the three dominant forms of capital through the lens of big tech companies. Economic capital is embodied by Amazon, whose vast resources allow people to acquire nearly any good they need. Cultural capital is represented by Google, which provides access to information, shaping how individuals navigate the world. Social capital is illustrated by Facebook, enabling people to build relationships, foster belonging, and participate in communities.