What's Next

2008 will go down in history as one of the most historic and monumental years. In 2008, we saw a swimmer win 8 gold medals, a woman run for the presidency of the United States, Wall Street drop, a tremendous amount of layoffs, a hike in gas prices, and a black man elected as president of the U.S.

And even though those things came to be in 2008, they couldn't have happened if there was no 2007, 2006, 2005, 2004, and so on. 03' effected '04, '04 effected '05, and the ups and downs of '05 effected '06, '07 and '08. As we go into the new year, we need to look to "what's next?". The idea of "what's next" allows us to look forward to what is to come. Honestly, it seems that '09 is going to be a very difficult year for all of us, especially economically and financially. But try to keep in mind that we have to plant our seeds now, and wait for the harvest period. I think the biggest saying for '09 will be, "I can't wait for 2010"; but understand 2010 won't just come...we need 2009.

MinoHD Camcorder

My boy Brent just bought the minoHD camcorder, and it is RIDICULOUS. The device can fit into your pocket, it has a flip-out usb drive, HD (which is a huge deal), but maybe most importantly, it is $230. I've been hunting for camcorders for a while now, and I haven't found one that my pockets really like yet....That whole schpill was just my way of saying I'm gonna buy it soon. You can purchase it here if you want one too.

Michael Dibdin's Detective Novel Series (1 of 9)

A couple of weeks ago, I started reading this series of detective novels by Michael Dibdin, which are all based around Detective Aurelio Zen. I love the whole "who done it, and why?" thing. I don't really read much, but Cabal was the first, out of the ten book series, that I have completed; and the writing style, story, and pacing of the author gave me reason to go knock out the other 8 books. I'll keep you updated to let you know how those are.

Christmas Gifts

Every year, millions of kids and big kids anticipate December 25th. It's usually the time to receive packages of "stuff" wrapped up in nice paper with a bow or ribbon on top. Now that I have made the transition from kid to big kid, being at the tender age of 22, the 25th day of the last month of the year isn't as much anticipated as it has been in years previous. That may be because gradually there has been less and less nice paper and ribbons under our nicely decorated tree. However, this may be one of the best Christmases that I have had.

As a kid, the thing to do with the "stuff" that you get is to play with it for a while, and then never play with it again. You can only anticipate "stuff" so much, because "stuff" barely feels the void that all of us naturally have inside us. (Here comes the corny part), "Stuff" has a price on it: $199 for an xbox, $699 for a HDTV, $3.99 for a transformer, etc. Things that have monetary value can be earned; for ex. you can earn $60, 000 a year, because you're so good at your job...However, in the truest since of the word "gift", a gift can not be earned. Christmas is what it is because of the gift that we received, Jesus. We did not, could not, and will not ever earn that gift; and family is the same way. Even though that fat man in a red suit didn't come through on my Christmas list this year, it doesn't matter if I was naughty or nice, because, like every year, I have 7 great gifts who I can celebrate with.

Interview #6

This is #6 of my interview series. This may be one of the silliest "interviews" that I've done. I try to do something different with everyone, so with this one, I did it in a fill-in-the-blank style. I went to high school with Rosco, and since then she seemed to always be into fashion, and being silly, just because. Anyhow, she'll tell you more about herself in this interview; enjoy. (The words in blue are the questions, and of course the words in black are her answers.)

My name is Rosco Spears, and I'm an ill-advised nonconformist. Currently I'm mastering the criminal justice field (working toward my master’s degree..duh..hype me). Don’t ever wonder what I’m going to do with my degrees because I have no idea. Get off my back; but 5 years ago, when I was in high school, I thought I would be either a drug dealer or working in the psychology career field. If I wasn't in school right now, I probably would be in NY living that life...you know...THAT life. The biggest influence in my life has been my mom. She’s pretty much the man with the master plan and she holds the keys to lots of cities. iHeart her..she’s the bomb..the thing is..I’m light weight easily influenced...(in a good way, of course).

This is kind of corny, but seeing artwork, hearing music, looking in magazines...all that shit influences me to do cool things with my life. Also, movies like Super Bad, Step-Brothers and Juno have been very influential in my life…kind of molded me into the woman I am today; Michael Jackson definitely hasn’t been influential in my life. Maybe one of the biggest misconceptions people have about me is the weird idea that my life has always been as good as it is right now…I think I’ve gotten punk’d in my past and lived the life of a soap opera actress.But yeah; that may be because I hold shit in a lot...because I’m pretty cool..maybe. Or maybe just because I was afraid of being judged..but whatev. However, one thing people don't know about me is I def don’t look like what I’ve been through.

I have a blog called: IllAdvisedNonConformist.blogspot.com (that i share with me...aka Lia Day). It's about FASHION, art/literature, music, and absolute complete randomness. To me, the definition of "fashion" is: do what the hell you want to do!!! I freaking hate trends...like...a lot. My best thing in life is going in my closet and grabbing random pieces to throw on...those are always my best fits. Hands down. iHeart mismatching. It makes me very happy. I think it makes the world go around. (as you can see..I don’t quite have a definition...just lots of thoughts).

Sneakers make me very happy...like a lot...as well. My favs are blazers because I think they’re kind of ugly and I love grandpa cardi’s with a lot of my heart. By the way...never underestimate the power of a good thrift shop or goodwill. I guarantee you’ll be the only person wearing whatev you buy. Like seriously. That’s practically the only way I live my life nowadays. iHeart premium denim so that’ll never change..but who can beat a dope ass sweater that’s $3.29..are you nuts? Oh yeah..with that being said..let me mention…be yourself. Besides tattoos..fashion is the absolute best way to express your individuality. If you’re trying somebody else’s style out..people will acknowledge you as a big fat fraudulent phony..style comes from within. Do you..not other people. That’s irritating. I think I just got pissed.

Fashion/style is 76.4% of my life (we’re going to leave family and all that kind of important stuff out of the equation for now) and everything else..I think is the other 23.6% of my life. My favorite designer might be myself because I’m pretty dope they say. Ok wait..really? I couldn’t dare pick one designer to coin as my best...that’d be insane. Jeremy Scott is an alien...google him...and Anna Sui is the man too (she’s from the burbs of Detroit...google her too). Well...wait. Are you crazy for asking me this question Mr. Curtis? Because I think you are. You’re a crazy man. Crazy man you are.

When I grow up I want to be co-owner of a magazine entitled Ill-advised Nonconformist...duh. I’d also like to be a major fashion stylist. I can’t wait for rich people to make me rich for going shopping for them.. perhaps own my own clothing line..well the thing is..i want to do a lot. Like a whole lot. Sometimes I’m an artist (check out my work if you’re in the grand rapids area at Sanctuary Folk Art (Division and Fulton...google it) so I’d def love to put more time into that and make big bucks off it. And umm...yeah. I’d love to be a professional traveler too..I think that’d be waaay dope. I want to have a private jet for some reason instead of a car, and house in New York (I’m not going to get to naming different cities and countries...that’d be crazy..hopefully I’ll have enough big bucks to do my thing all over the world though). If I could give someone advice about being successful, beyond "grindin" or "working hard" it would be: well the thing is..i am in no position to be giving any adult advice. What does I have any idea being having no advice for? I was wondering if somebody could offer me some…or no? After I’m successful...I’ll let you guys know mass tips. For real. I promise.

NBA Videogames

Yesterday, I played NBA 2K8 for the first time on xbox360. It took me a while to get used to the controls, and there are some things that I don't like about the game...one thing being that I keep losing. Anyhow, when I got back home, I was thinking about how much fun some NBA videogames in the past have been; which leads me to post a very nostalgic video of, yes you guessed it, NBA JAM TE:

Trish Sie and Siri Brunford

In the November issue of Creativity magazine, I was finally introduced to the directors of 2 of my favorite tv spots/music videos: Trish Sie and Siri Brunford. I always find an interest in what people were doing before they got into their career paths, and during my introduction with them, I found out that Trish was running a dance studio before she became a director; and Siri was a weather presenter in Paris...that's crazy to me. Anyhow, below are 2 of the videos that I enjoyed from them:

Trish Sie


Siri Brunford

My Christmas List

Dear Santa,
I know the economy has been crazy this year, and over 20,000 elves have lost their jobs, but I've been pretty good this year and I was hoping I could have a couple of things under my tree this year. The list is as follows, in no particular (I've provided pictures for you):

1. iPhone



2. 20'' iMac


3. Apple TV

Pretty Nice Kicks

In January, you may see me with these on. I love the "undefeated" logo on the side of the right shoe. I've always been a fan of concept shoes; I believe the concept for these shoes was a war bomber jacket. If I wasn't doing advertising, I would definitely love to work on concept shoes.

Look...not there, but there.

In church on Sunday, my pastor said when he was learning how to ride a motorcycle, he needed to learn how to protect himself from other drivers. So in the class he was taking, there was a car parked on the street (set up by the teacher) and the instructor told him to get on the bike and ride towards the car, and at the last second before you hit the car, look towards a safe place and turn to go that way. So my pastor got on the bike, rode towards the car, and at the last second he began to turn, but his eyes were still on the car; so the bike was wobbling and he almost ran right into it. When he came back to the instructor, he told him, "You almost did it right, but you didn't look to where you wanted to go, you were looking at where you didn't want to go." My pastor got on the bike and tried it again, and sure enough when he looked to where he wanted to go, all his energy went there, and he was able to avoid the parked car.

When you're focused on where you don't want to be, your energy stays there.
You have to look to where you want to be, and your energy will follow.

New Object

On my site, in the "ONGOING" section, I added a new object (object 9). Check it out when you get a chance.

Good News....

Last week when I touch-downed in Detroit for Thanksgiving, I received a phone call from TBWA/Chiat/Day, NY, informing me that I was 1 of the 8 chosen for their Youngblood internship program. This was and still is very exciting to me; If I do what I need to do, I feel like this is a great beginning to my advertising career. We'll see what happens...

Where were you?

I sometimes think about where people were when they came up with great ideas. I'm sure some of them come while watching tv, sitting on the toilet, dreaming, raking the leaves, or taking a shower. It's funny how extraordinary things can come out of ordinary routines.

Deer On A Plane

If I told you I saw a graphic of a deer and dandelions on the back of a plane you'd think I was lying. As I was waiting for my 9:30am flight yesterday, I thought my sleepiness was playing tricks on me...but it wasn't; this may be one of the most random things I've seen.

The First Japanese-American MLB Manager

Ichiro, Nomo, Hideki Matsui, Dice-K....now Don Wakamatsu. This is great for Major League Baseball, and it really opens up the doors for Japanese players. And if you know of Ichiro, Nomo, Godzilla, and Dice-K, you know they be killin (excuse my english, I just needed to stress that point).

Interview #5

This interview (interview #5), is the first audio interview that I have done. Usually I do the interviews through ichat or aol instant messenger, and then copy and paste the dialogue. However, due to the music and radio disc-jocking background of the interviewie, Matt Jennings, an audio interview just felt like the right format. I hope you enjoy it...

Prayer

Every now and then I have friends that ask me for advice, whether it's about relationships, or a job decision they have to make; and one of the first things I ask them is "Did you pray about it?" I know people can get frustrated by that response because it can be seen as a cop-out answer, but I give that response because there's a lot of power behind praying.

In Luke 11:9-13, Jesus says to the disciples:
9 And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.

10 For every one that seeketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.

11 If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if he ask as fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent?

12 Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion?

13 If ye then, being evil (in sin), know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?

This doesn't mean you come to God with 3 wishes to be granted, but it means coming to God and genuinely asking and searching for the answers that you need...and you will get them.

Super Heroes

(I saw this poster on ffffound)
This lady was hilarious on The Incredibles. I loved when she was giving all the examples about how heroes shouldn't wear capes. Last year in my typography class, Sam Potts, a very inspiring and skilled designer, made a guest appearance, and gave my class the assignment of creating a poster for his store, Brooklyn Superhero Supply Co. My poster never made it to the store, but here are 3 different executions that I did:

Do You Like Music?

Awhile ago I was having a conversation with someone about sports, and how I found it ridiculous that some people don't like sports; I wasn't saying that a person needs to like a sport in particular, like my love for baseball, but I just thought that you have to like at least one...even if it's a playground sport like kickball or four-square. Later I compared it to someone not liking music (I know that may be a stretch). But I thought about it...there are a lot of things that people can dislike or have no interest in: math, science, sports, blogging, scotch tape, etc; however there are a few things that I think everyone likes: food and music. Now food may be a given, just because it satisfies a necessity, but what about music? Why is it that everyone likes music?

Today in church, my pastor was speaking about how people can all be on the same accord (some may explain it as "something in the air") when there are major issues or circumstances that take place; for example: the current state of the economy. He then gave this example: if you have a piano on the right side of a stage, and another piano on the left side of the stage, and you strike a key on the left piano...the same string that's vibrating from the left piano will vibrate on the right piano. It's almost as if the piano on the right is in need to be played. It led me to believe that people work the same way. When musicians play music, there must be a respective string in all of us that vibrates. And maybe our way of expressing what we felt is to simply tap our feet, clap our hands, snap our fingers, or rock our heads.

Top 5 Creatives in Hip Hop and Rap

(above: words from Kanye on his blog, regarding a new mix he did for "Love Lockdown")

It's refreshing seeing statements like these, because it actually shows how that there are still music artist that care about their music, more than record sales; which led me to think, who are the top 5 creative individuals or groups in hip hop and rap. Jonathan (my nephew) and I came up with the following list (in no particular order):
1. Lupe Fiasco
2. Kanye West
3. The Roots
4. Pharrell
5. Outkast

Barack's First Press Conference

Just got done watching President-Elect Barack Obama's (that sounds good) first press conference. Everyone knows about how different he is in the political arena, but it is very impressive and refreshing to actually have someone at the podium who is intelligent and can evoke a sense of confidence into the American people...This is going to be an interesting transition. Stay tuned.

Inspiration

I don't know what it is, but every night around 1 or 2am I feel like I get in the zone, and inspiration is all around me. Sometimes I can't even go to sleep because I'm staring at the ceiling thinking about what I wanna do, day dreaming at night, picturing where I want to be. In that show I Want to Work for Diddy, Puff talked about how he's in-love with his work, and how when you're in-love you can't go to sleep...I can't go to sleep.

And the Winner is...

Q&A&Q

Because of the long preparation for this historic day (the presidential election; in case you were sleeping somewhere  in no-man's land), I want to have this "creative, social interview". Here's how it works: I'll start off with a question, and someone will answer the question either in words through a poem or haiku; graphically, through a poster, icon, or banner; audio or video, pictures, music or animations....however they want to answer the question. But I don't just want questions to be answered, I want for those who answer the question to then pose a question within or after their answer.

For example, if I ask "Where were you on November 4th, 2008?", you could take a picture of yourself in Times Square with your cell phone raised in the air, and on the phone it reads "Y aren't u here?"...Then whoever is the next person to answer will answer why they weren't there, and then pose another question.

If you would like to be apart of this, please comment on this entry. The first to comment will be the first to answer. The second to comment, will be the second to answer, and so on and so forth. Thank you, and I'm excited to see what comes of this.

I don't know what to say...

I'm so glad to be alive for this. All I can say, and maybe I'll blog more about it tomorrow, when I was a kid, the thing to say was, "I wanna be the first black president"....can't say that anymore.

State of Detroit Address

The newest update regarding my hometown is in reference to Detroit sports. But before I get to that, let me give you a little background about my pain being a fan of Detroit teams: Long ago when I actually used to like the Lions, we had a running back by the name of Barry Sanders. Barry was one of the best running backs of all-time...but he left the Lions because year after year he requested an offensive line (the big fat dudes on offense), and he never got it; Barry had enough, and Barry was gone. Since I've been alive the Detroit Lions have never won a NFL Championship....

Long ago I used to be a Detroit Pistons fan. My brothers and I loved Isaiah Thomas and Joe Dumars, we watched almost every game, and my twin brother actually attended the game when Isaiah retired his jersey. My love for the Pistons ended in a playoff game against the Atlanta Hawks when Grant Hill injured his ankle, which led to the Pistons' defeat; and after that game (keep in mind this was the first time Detroit was in the Playoffs for about 7 years) I vowed that I would disown the Pistons for at least 5 years. I still don't like them now, but I'm getting closer to it after today's big announcement...

This past weekend the Detroit Lions didn't get a new offensive line, however they GOT A FREAKING GOOD QUARTERBACK. If you've ever heard of Charlie Bach or Gus Ferrot, you'd know why I'm using capitalization. Anyhow the Lions got Daunte Culpepper= a very good and needed pickup. And to conclude this State of Detroit Address, the Pistons made a trade to send Chauncey Billups to Denver Nuggets, for, you guest it, Allen Iverson.

I am not a bandwagon fan; I'm still not a die hard Lions fan, or a Pistons fan, but my love is slowly but surely coming back.

After 6

I guess this is what goes down after 6.

Cool Website

I saw this cool website today that has a bunch of flat graphics just like this; I think you'll enjoy it.

Dwyane Wade Commercial

Dwyane had to prove himself his whole career, but especially after his crazy performance in the Olympics, no one should doubt him.

A Historical Piece of Mail

I had to take a picture and make a scan of my absentee ballot. This election is too historical and important for me not to.

New Gears of War 2 Commercial

T.A.G. San Francisco produces another hit...

Mac hits again

Now you knew after the good commercials Windows put out, to attemp to change the perception of PC users, Mac was going to come with something....and here it is.

Representing Detroit

Big Sean (the guy to Pharrell's right) went to my high school, and I'm glad to see that his dreams are coming true. In no way am I trying to act like I was cool with the dude like that, but he's from Detroit, and I'm glad we have more representation now. So, best of wishes to him for real.

Barak Obama: Marketer of the Year

Barak Obama won Ad Age's Marketer of the Year. From his logo, typeface, website, and possibly most of all, the interest he's sparked in otherwise non-interested citizens in politics from late 2006 to now, Marketer of the Year is a great title for Obama...and that title will do until November 4th. You can read the article here.

Mo' Money

My nephew, Jonathan, told me something pretty profound yesterday. We were having a conversation about how money shouldn't be the motivation for one's career choice. He was telling that Eminem said, "More money just makes you more of who you were before you had it". So if you were a jerk before, you'd be an even bigger jerk, if you were generous and giving, you'd be more generous and giving, etc. So Jonathan was saying how he wants to work on his character now, so that whenever he becomes successful, the money will be positively enhancing.

The Digital Age

Yesterday one of my friends was speaking to his younger cousin on iChat and he typed, "hey whats up", and she replied. "nmjc hbu?". When he showed me her IM, I laughed because I knew exactly what she was saying, but also thought how crazy it is that kids at 13 years old are much different than me and my friends at 13. We had AOL Instant Messenger, but we didn't have cell phones and we weren't doing texting; and when we did IM one another, we were actually speaking in real words, not 7-letter acronyms. It's wild how times change, but I hope this txting dsnt evolve n2 a 4real lang.

Get another hobby

In the latest edition of creativity magazine, Mike Shine, a creative director at Butler Shine Stern & Partners, wrote about doubling as a fine artist and an ad agency creative director. He said his painting and fine art work give him a break from his agency work, and vice versa. The last paragraph of the article read, "...after 23 years in this business, I'd even recommend that everyone else in the business find a side interest and cultivate their own alter ego."

I thought that was a great statement because most, if not all people in the creative and sports industry are professionally doing their former hobbies. So if you have a hobby, get another one. You never know if it'll become your profession; and as fun as work can be, you can't do it all day.

Good Morning

This morning was different from any Saturday morning that I usually have. I left the tv on last night, and when I opened my eyes at 9am this morning (I usually wake up around 11 or 12), cartoons were on. Some people may be thinking what I was watching on the CW Network last night: The Jeffersons. Anyhow, Spiderman showed me how to defeat Sandman this morning. First, you lead him to a construction area with large exposed beams; Then, swing around a bunch of times to distract him; Lastly (after Sandman is under a concrete pourer), grab the pourer with your spiderwebs and let the concrete pour on him. Oh I forgot to say, I had pancakes this morning too.

C'mon, you know I had to post this

Pharrell is a PC

Pharrell is a person that I admire in the music and creative industry; I think he is very talented and inspirational, and his knowledge of music (not just the beats) adds to his skills. I'm not sure if I posted anything about N.E.R.D's album Seeing Sounds, but even if I've said it before, go get it for real.

I wish this was endoresed by Obama

Please REGISTER TO VOTE...

I think I'm a fan of PC again (is there hope fore PC...?)

There's something new on my website

I just added a new segment to the "ongoing" section of my website...

I'm a fan of PC (just this one time)

Be Kind Rewind

I just got done watching the movie Be Kind Rewind. I downloaded it awhile ago but I just got a chance to see it. I think anyone who has even a fraction of a creative bone in them will like this movie. Michel Gondry is a very resourceful director and has a lot of wild ideas; he definitely showed that in this film and in Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. If you get a chance, check it out.

Sarah Palin and Hillary Clinton

Inspiration

I find myself to be a person who is easily motivated and inspired, and it sometimes comes from the most unusual places. A writer/animator/director by the name of Brad Neely said this about his inspiration (which I feel I relate to): "I prefer to be a liker of things as opposed to a hater of things, so I end up being a fan of most movies and books. I can watch Regis and Kelly and get inspired."

Michelle Rago, a designer and event planner wrote: "We all have inspiration. Even those who do not consider themselves creative have interests and inclinations that inspire them, and when I say "inspire" I mean it in the truest sense of the word, which at its root means "in spirit". Being inspired simply means feeling motivated, enlivened, enthusiastic, and "in the flow".

I get criticism for watching tv too much or being on the computer all day; but I do it because it's a way for me to stay in the loop with everything that's going on: politics, sports, news, cartoons, latest celebrity gossip, design, new commercials, etc. I think if there's a method to the madness of sitting on the couch watching tv, fine, do ya thang. Stay inspired.

Advertising vs. Design

I just got done reading an article written in the latest issue of Creativity magazine, and it kind of made me raise my brow to what was said. The article was a comment on the Design Lions, which was recently added to the Cannes-Lions Festival this year. One of the judges expressed his concern about the design section needing to focus on design, and not just be an extension of the advertising categories. I understand that they want to be more clear on what's design and what's advertising, but I don't really understand, "...we had to be clear that our focus was not about beautiful art direction but about compelling design." What's the difference? Is "beautiful art direction" only for advertising, and "compelling design" only for design? I thought art direction was about directing the art so that the design articulates the ideas in a compelling way. If that's true, I don't know how "beautiful art direction" and "compelling design" can be separate. Unlessssss, "compelling design" is just that, compelling, and not attached to ideas. But I don't believe that to be true.

New Project

On my website, I have an "Ongoing" section which consists of 8 continuous projects that are interrelated and interconnected. Later this week I will start another set of continous projects. The previous projects' theme was object interpretations; the new theme: snow boards. Over the last few years I've been inspired by JDK Design and Burton for their aesthetically pleasing boards. Soon, I'll have a couple, that I hope are nearly as pleasing as theirs.

Cool Viral spots

This video is in response to the video above:

Interview (#4)

This interview is of my good friend Raul Garzon. I met Raul my freshman year at the School of Visual Arts (SVA) in New York City. Being a black kid from Detroit, Michigan, which is densely populated with African Americans, moving to New York and particularly going to SVA, was a hard adjustment for me. I remember pulling up to the George Washington dorms on Lexington and 23rd Street, and seeing very few people who looked like me. I'm stepping out of my dad's truck with my Jordans, Brendan Shanahan Red Wings jersey, Rocawear shorts, and my Detroit hat turned to the back. Let's just say, I felt out of place. Raul is a kid from Cliffside, New Jersey, who grew up watching and playing sports, listening to rap and r&b, and of course rockin' Jordans. Even though I wasn't in my complete comfort zone at SVA, it was easier making the transition after having something that was familiar to me.

Now, Raul is out in L.A., working for a well-established motion graphics company. So let's hear what he has to say.

JC: So, i think you told me this before, but what does your screen name nossa85 mean?

RG: (way to put my screen name on ur blog) Haha...in Portuguese, when people say "nossa" it’s like saying " wow " in a sarcastic way…it’s something you would say if i told you i did something foolish and 85 is the number of women i've slept with. Haha....no its the year i was born

JC: Haha, yeah i know...nossa. In a sec i'm gonna ask you about your new job being out in LA, but before that I wanna ask some questions about what you've done before then...If you could describe high school in 5 words or less, what would say?

RG: Can i do 6?

JC: Sure why not, it's not like it's my blog...

RG: Haha...ok ok…" a lot of hype "

JC: Ok, and what about college?

RG: "i've arrived."

JC: So now it's Thursday, August 14, 2008, at 9:10pm my time, and 6:10pm your time...what's life like out in L.A. working at a well-established motion graphics company?

RG: Um…It’s hectic. You have to earn respect. [It’s] fast paced. Los Angeles is a different planet. Very different in terms of energy I think. Working in New York, you can walk outside and be inspired by everyone and everything around you.
LA works a little differently I feel. No ones in the street as much, everyone is driving...very flat and spread out.

JC: I know you been in Jersey and New York most of your life...is the pace of L.A. the biggest adjustment that you had to make?

RG: The biggest adjustment so far is redefining myself. New York and New Jersey knew who I was and I knew who I was in the East Coast, but out here I’m finding that I can always change and that there’s a lot of room for growth…in all aspects of my life. In a few months though I want it so that LA has to adjust to me.

JC: Exactly, I know what you mean. Alright so now I'm gonna ask you some un-work related questions. At SVA we were probably the only 2 people that wore Jordans and we're in to sports and stuff...What are your favorite pair of Jordans? What's you favorite player? And if you could get season tickets for any team, what team would it be?

RG: Easy question…favorite Jordans: 4's, in the white black and varsity red…something about the tabs, and the tab in the back and I love the way they're slightly rounded in the front; honorable mention…8's. Favorite player: D. Wade (Duane Wade of the Miami Heat; he's very tough, very quick, unselfish. That’s the most important thing about him, he trusts his teammates. Ironically enough, I don’t think I’d get season tickets to the heat though. LA has great fans…and a great atmosphere. So I’d have to say I’d get season tickets to the Lakers; because if I’m gonna be spending a shi* load of money on season tickets I want it to be sold out every night. Basketball is an all around experience It’s not just about who's on the court. It’s about the fans, the players, the energy, the intensity…it’s a co-dependent relationship between the fans and the players.

JC: I gotchu. Alright, these are probably no brainers, but I'll ask them anyway, and then I'll ask a couple of hard questions.

RG: Ok.

JC: What do you like better, Coke or Pepsi products?

RG: Pepsi.

JC: Adidas or Nike?

RG: Come on now.

JC: Haha, ok, New Balance or Nike? Just kidding.

RG: Yea ever since I saw Jordan playing in New Balances....

JC: Lol. Favorite movie?

RG: Tough…Rocky 4.

JC: Why Rocky 4 over 1,2,3, 5, and 6?

RG: Well...there was no Rocky 5.

JC: You know what I mean, with Rocky street fighting…

RG: I choose to erase that movie from my memory, but 4 just had great corny lines, great action, Apollo Creed dies...it has all those elements…the movies in the 80s had what every
single movie...well major movie lacks…so yea...Rocky 4.

JC: Now that you bring up decades of events, what's your favorite 90s television show?

RG: FAMILY MATTERS!!!!!!

JC: Haha, T.G.I.F. was the best line up ever.

RG: SERIOUSLY. Sabrina the Teenage Witch, Boy Meets World, Family Matters…

JC: And don’t dare to leave out Step by Step.

RG: Oh you wanna go there…? Sister Sister, Blosom, Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. They were all good, I can’t narrow it down like that.

JC: Yeah I know, we grew up in a pivotal time in American culture.

RG: The best…That’s one of the problems, with the younger generation today they don’t have something that they can own, no identity, unless it’s wired to a computer. Everything they know now from the computer and from videos on the internet..that’s why the 80s and 90s stuff comes back..because they want to see if they can experience that themselves…not through stories that we tell ‘em.

JC: Yep very true. I think I saw some new remake of the ninja turtles and Leonardo was fighting with the Wii controller.

RG: See what I mean…honestly, Leonardo would never ever fight with a Wii controller. That would be Michaelangelo; not only because of the video games but because it resembles the chucks…damn it…haha.

JC: Alright..last couple of questions. Favorite fast food restaurant?

RG: Now... .In and Out Burger, it used to be Taco Bell.

JC: What do you like better: After Effects, Illustrator, Photoshop, In Design, Final Cut, or any other program I left out, Quark was deliberately excluded.

RG: Illustrator…shout out to Eric Demartino.

JC: Haha, yeah he taught us well. I know graduating from SVA, and getting a response from Blur exactly a week after graduation was huge for you and kinda just reinforced that hard work pays off. If you could give anyone advice in going into a creative field, what would you say besides "work hard" or "grind it out"?

RG: I would say trust yourself. You have to believe in yourself before anyone else can believe in you. Stay humble…but confident. Pace yourself. Just because the solution works, doesn’t mean it’s the best way to solve it.

JC: Nice. 'Preciate it kid.

RG: Yup…no prob bob.

The Hanger Business

There's people in this world that you may run into who say "Everything has been done before...nothing is original." Stay away from those people. Check this out....the freaking hanger business.

Beijing Goosebumps

I liked this commercial a lot, in spite of my loyalty to nike. Very cool though.

USA Goosebumbs

I don't know what else to say. 'Gave me the damn chills...I'm looking forward to the Olympics and USA reclaiming the gold metal in basketball. With the team that they have, it's going to be hard to beat them.

Tomorrow

If you get a chance, I'd appreciate it if everyone would say a little prayer for me. Tomorrow I have a big day, something I've been looking forward to for a long time. So....we'll see what happens tomorrow. Sorry if I'm being too vague, but when something for sure happens, I'll definitely have a new entry about it. 'Preciate it.

Writing

Today my girlfriend asked if I want to go to a free writing class tomorrow. I said yes, but it wasn't until I saw the results from the workshop's writing contest that I got excited.

The contest was a 6-word Memoir writing contest. Basically, tell your life story in 6 words. Here are the seven finalists' memoirs:

The winner:
I'll never know mom's meatloaf recipe. (by Kathleen Ett of Brooklyn, NY)

The runners-up:
Party of one, many tried crashing. (by Lorri McDole of Reunion, VA)

I was a statue; life's a pigeon. (by Jim Chappell of Louiville, KY)

Saying "I do"...completely undid me. (by Nadine Sciff of Los Angeles, CA)

Reclaimed maiden name after every divorce. (by Victoria Martin of Lake City, MI)

Breast cancer: zero. My future: won. (Amy Bowker of Burbank, CA)

Had kitties–not kiddies. God misunderstood. (by Sue Brooks of Ewing, NJ)

Well looky here

As I was doing my daily checkup on creativity-online.com, I saw my friend and former classmate Jeseok credited as the art director of this nice guerilla advertisement for oreos. Congrats man.

The State of Detroit Address

"Where is home?" is usually the response that I get when I tell people, "I'm going home for a week." And I later reply, with a sense of pride, "Detroit." The pride that I have might be equal to what a New Yorker has in saying, "I'm from New York." Most people know why New Yorkers have pride being from New York: because they know what's there (here); but not too many people know what's in Detroit besides the Red Wings, cars, crime, and 8 mile. I was recently in Detroit this past week, and the next time will probably be during the holidays. I don't think too many people plan on visiting Detroit anytime soon, so every time I go back, I'll post pictures and news of what's going on there, in hope to change some of the preconceptions.

Comerica Park (new Tiger's Stadium):









(picture on the Stanley Cup Champs on side of the Hockey Town bar)

The African American Museum [ (An exhibition that captured and displayed the journey of African slaves to America) This is a place that you definitely need to visit. It continues to remind me of how far we've come, and how far we have yet to go. I know that we, as black people, get criticism for still talking about slavery. A lot of people have the "get over it" mindset, but what most people don't understand is that slavery was more than physical torture and captivity...it was mental torture that was designed to keep us in bondage far longer than the period of time that slavery lasted. Don't take my word for it though, read these instructions that were given to slave owners, by Willie Lynch, on The Making of a Slave. After reading this, I dare anyone to say, "get over it"]:

The New New Yorker cover

Monday on CNN there was a huge discussion about this cover of the New Yorker magazine. On Tuesday I looked for it in about 7 or 8 news stands, and it was sold out everywhere. Surprisingly, I found it yesterday, and I bought 2 copies.

The illustrator of this cover stated that this was suppose to be a satire on the public's view of Obama's religious beliefs and stance. I personally didn't see any humor in this magazine cover, and I don't think it's just because I'm an african-american male. If something is suppose to be ironic or humorous, people should be able to see it. This cover, to me, states: Barack Obama is of islamic beliefs and he and Michelle Obama are unpatriotic (hence the American flag burning in the fireplace).

I know I stated my opinion already, but I'm curious to what others think about this cover.

p.s. sorry for including my toes in this pic.

For History's Sake

I'm glad to have been in Detroit to be able to see the old Tiger Stadium get torn down. I know it's not as historical as Yankee Stadium, but it is definitely holds value to me, being from Detroit and going to many games there.

Homecoming

Right now I'm back home in Detroit; Stay tuned for pics and stuff...there should be some interesting things to see and read on my next post(s).

cooly cooly

Cool video. If me and my twin brother were identical we could roam the streets and trip people up.

"In Due Time"

These have been my favorite 3 words lately. "In due time" not only represents patience, it represents the ability to learn from your current situation, in preparation for the future. I think we are often so eager to get to our dream job or ideal "place" that we forget to appreciate what the current "place" is teaching us. I've been learning over the past few years that every experience, good and bad, is training for the position that we will be in later down the road. Try to think of the bad situations as being preparation for an even worse situation that you'll have to face later on. In due time...

Mad Excited (I never use that phrase)

A while ago I had an entry about "where did all my tv shows go?"; and just like a rain storm when the sky is clear, this poster came out of nowhere. I just wanted to give you an update and let you know, on Sunday, July 27th at 10pm, don't bother me.

Inspiring media forms

Lately I've been getting very inspired by media forms that I've never had the opportunity to work with. I don't have a camcorder, so I've never directed or shot any video stuff, and I never spent enough time with the painting utencils and canvas,that my uncle bought me years ago, to actually learn how to paint. Every month I spend 7 dollars on Creativity magazine, and I'm always on creativity-online.com to see what's new. Friday I found out about the AKQA backed, Future Lions competition. The competition is to basically help new young talent get recognized on a global scale; and the brief is simply (relatively) to choose a global brand, and create an advertisement an any media form that wouldn't have been possible 5 years ago. I wish I knew about this competition when I was in school, but hopefully (with my fingers and toes crossed, and a prayer sent upward) I can one day get an advertising award as a professional. However, it's a real cool competition and it's bound to inspire many, for this ever so changing world.

The art work that is above is the background of the Future Lions website. I'm not sure if it was painted or if it was somehow put together using the computer; but I love it. The large brush strokes and the quality of the cat-like figure on the right corner have a nice feel to it. If that piece was for sale, I would buy it, frame it, and hang it up in my apartment. This artwork has inspired me to want to learn how to paint. It could possibly become a hobby of mine, but I want to learn, moreso for if an idea comes to me, that fits best in a painting form, I could reach into that pocket of the utility belt and make it happen.

This month's Creativity magazine is dedicated to directors. I read the whole roundtable discussion, and it struck something in me to want to just grab a camera and shoot something. On my digital camera I have a video recorder, so I just recorded the rain, thunder and the lightning (today's weather) from my apartment window, but that didn't feed my need. I have a graduation party coming up in a couple of weeks and hopefully I can get enough money from it to buy a camcorder and quiet that hunger.