Walk or Talk...

So here is the typical cliche... do you talk the talk or walk the walk? In the context that I'm thinking, neither is better then the other. I'm referring to your personality, your passion, and your drive. I think that all of us (not just designers and such but everyone out there) are one or the other.

The question now is how did I stumble upon this revelation. To be completely honest, I didn't. I was talking with a friend after getting home from the cantina and he made me aware of the two types of people. We were talking about how people socialize (network) in any given situation. There are people that can spark a conversation with anyone and make them aware of who they are and what they are all about. Others let their work speak for themselves.

Let's start with those that are the social butterflies (the talk the talk type). They are the kind of people that you place in the middle of a room with complete strangers and when they leave, not only are they friends with everyone but they have hook-ups (not the Martha Stewart kind... legal) for everything you can imagine. You need to get your shoes fixed or your art sold, they know someone who wants to help them out. Everyone could use to have this personal trait but as designers, this is invaluable. I've said it before but your network is the life blood of you career. The more people you know, inevitably the better off you are going to be. People are always looking for design and talking to their friends about it. Your friends are always going to recommend their friends over someone they have just heard of.

For those that don't necessarily fall into that category (which I'm not sure I do), you fall into the walk the walk group. These people are not the most outspoken in the crowd but when it comes to their work, they live, breath, and sleep it. They believe in what they are doing so much that they think their actions speak louder than their words. This category of people relies on their work to grab attention and bring in business. Not a bad way to do things but you need to have patience and time because recognition doesn't happen overnight.

It was interesting to hear what he had to say. My friend is definitely the talk the talk kind of guy and the more I think about it, i would classify myself as the walk the walk type. Both categories are completely capable of networking and being successful. They simply go about it differently. I'm curious what you think about this. Where do you fit in? Let me know what your thoughts are or if you think things are not that simple.

The Elusive Muse...

Like many of you, my loyal readers, I am an artist. I'm an artist in the strictest of terms and in the loosest. Graphic design is a passion, a hobby, and a life style but so is the fine art world. As with any one involved in the world of art, we draw inspiration from the world around us. Sometimes we passively observe the happenings that surround us and let it guide us as we create and other times we actively search out that defining moment that opens the flood gates of ideas and creativity. Whether you search or wait to be discovered by inspiration, everyone has their own methods of breaking through the barrier.

Personally, I have two separate paths I take when searching out inspiration. The first path I take is just that; literally I leave where ever I am at and go for a walk. I have no destination in mind except that I will inevitably end my walk back where I started. It is easier for me to dive back into my work with what I observed still fresh in my mind. I try not to put a time constraint on my roaming because I'm never really sure if I have taken in all that I can. Still, sometimes the deadlines are pressing and I must gather my thoughts sooner than I may wish so that I can deliver on time. The other path (this time more figuratively), is a pretty common practice amongst the designer community. Music has a way of opening a can of creativity. I've talked to countless designers and others that interact with creative people and in almost all cases they say that music has a guaranteed presence in any setting. Maybe this is the case because music is an art in itself and that fuels the fire for most of us. I can't say one way or another but for some odd reason, now that I've been thinking about it, I think they did a study on it sometime. I'll look into it and report back later on what I find.

Anyway, no matter if you fall into the common or the uncommon, everyone has their muse. We constantly seek out external elements to spur our imaginations in hopes of uncovering something even more elusive to most, originality. The lucky few of us stumble upon it with very little work while others search their entire lives. Unfortunately, originality and creativity goes hand in hand. You can have creativity without originality but not very often can you have the opposite. You're muse is there to help you along the path and push you closer to your inevitable goal. Finding the elusive muse to do that can be the hardest part.

As always, I'd like to hear your thoughts and more specifically, I would like to hear what you do ignite creativity and originality. Shoot me an email or leave a comment and I'll try to get back to you.

A Golf kART and the Open Road...

Every once and a while there are those people who make an impact on the world we know through extraordinary efforts and vision. They pursue a dream in which they hope to capture a moment in life and immortalize it through some means of art, diction, or word. Their hopes vary in detail and medium but their overall goal is one in the same: to bring people together through exposure of a common interests.

You might be asking yourself what does all this have to do with a golf kART and an open road. Well, before a couple months ago I would have said nothing. In most cases a golf kART and art are found on completely opposite sides of the spectrum. From today on they will find themselves mingling for the first time and in time, they may become synonymous with each other (its a stretch but it could happen). This fusion of art and kART is possible through the vision of Jeremy Make and Andy Raney and an amazing trek across america.

On April 19, 2008, kART Across America will embark on a 12,000-mile, 130-day, 48-state journey on a golf kart to discover the art of America. While on this art-seeking endeavor Jeremy and Andy will be interviewing, documenting, participating, discovering, and observing all forms of art in hopes of sharing it with the world. At the end of this some-what odd yet still entirely inspiring expedition they will be turning what they have learned, filmed, and experience into a documentary film, a book, and a sue-do MySpace web site where you can post your own art and share your opinions. It will be interesting to watch as people all over the United States share their art forms with these two. Keep an eye out for them as you are driving around where ever you are. Even if you are not lucky enough to run into them be sure to ask yourself, what is your art? You might be surprised by what your response is.

The Difficulties of Being Young...

There is a catch twenty two in the business world. This exists even more so in the design and marketing field. Most employers want to hire someone that has some reasonable experience behind them but still has fresh ideas and a youthful perspective on the current market. But to get experience you need a job but to get a job you need experience. How then are the recent graduates supposed to walk out of college into the business world and make an impact? Even more importantly land that coveted first job?

Some might say that if you are truly gifted no amount of experience can rival you. I don't think that is the case but that is not to say that being good is a bad thing. It is great if you are naturally gifted with design/marketing. You should feel extremely lucky. Realize that employers don't just hire you based on your experience or your portfolio alone. They look at the whole spectrum of talents and abilities you bring to the table and then make a decision from that. This may sound like a "Duh" statement but when you go in for those interviews, lead with you best foot forward. If you have a great personality, flaunt it. If you art a gifted artist, so them your masterpieces. If you work harder than anyone, make sure they are aware of your dedication. Sometimes these things can be shown in your resume and other times you need to find a different way of doing things. Even the little things matter so be sure to include show them off too.

Graduation came with a feeling of unlimited possibilities and this might be partially true. What I have discovered that though your professors may try to teach you everything they think you need, the reality is that there is so much to learn, they have only skimmed the surface. This is why employers want some experience behind you. The more you are exposed to the real life elements of the business world the more you learn. What could be the most beneficial component to a recent graduate is not necessarily what you know but who you know. It helps to have a friend that is willing to open that door to let you get your first big break. Most of time, people you know have been where you are (trying to land that job) and want to help you in any way they can.

Some post graduates move away. They go in search of the big city life where there is promise of making it big. Realize that you are not the only one with this thought. There are some advantages to moving to the big city though. Obviously there are more opportunities and possibilities but there are more ways to meet people too. Get involved! Meet people and befriend them because you can only look for so many possibilities. But having a few extra eyes keeping a look out for your perfect job can't hurt.

There are a lot of hardships that come with being young and trying to make it in the business world. But when you do finally make it, you have that feeling of accomplishment that makes the struggle worth while. These are undoubtedly one of the hardest moments in your life. Persevere.

It's Time to Party!...

Now here is a tricky question that I'm sure they don't address in college. For those company parties, how much is too much? We'll I'm here to offer a little advice. I may not be the best role model when it comes to living the true professionals life but I think I can shed some light on the world of social drinking/partying. That is not to say I partake in that life excessively but lets just say I had a good time in college.

So as for the upcoming party with your co-workers, there are a few things to keep in mind.

First, take it easy on the booze. You don't want to be referred to as the company drunk. I've know a couple people who have had the unfortunate luck of being the company boozer and I can promise you it is not a good thing. Make sure that you stay in control and stay within your limit.

Second, remember that you are responsible for your actions. A drunken conversation with you boss is probably not going to reflect well on your overall professionalism. You are constantly being interviewed by those in power and the more you represent yourself as someone who is reliable and professional, the better your chances of taking those steps up the corporate ladder.

Third, this is not a contest. Some people you work with might have a higher tolerance that you do. This is not a bad thing. Don't feel like you have to prove to everyone that you are unaffected by alcohol. You're only human after all and everyone is influenced to some degree.

Fourth, make wise decisions. By this I mean, if you do happen to get intoxicated, don't be a fool and drive home. Be responsible and get a cab or a ride home from someone who is still able to drive. You don't want to have to call your boss the next morning and tell them you will not be coming in to work today because you are in jail. A DUI looks bad on the resume no matter how you slice it.

Fifth, parties are not a bad thing. Use your lowered inhibitions to talk to those you wouldn't normally talk with. Parties are meant to be a place where people can socialize with co-workers in an atmosphere outside of the working environment. Try to make some friends.

Ok, well these are just a few pieces of advice from yours truly. Be safe this holiday season. I hope everyone has a relaxing and fun break from the fast paced world we work in. I'll see you on the flip side!

I May Have the Secret!...

Sorry it has been so long since my last entry. I know i said I was going to post more often but I'm finally experiencing a job I enjoy and fortunately or unfortunately, however you see it, I just haven't really had the time. Tonight however is different and I have a little time.

So I'm sitting here, watching Dancing with the Stars on ABC, and I have got to thinking; What is it that makes these celebrities so inspiring and entertaining? What is it that makes them work so hard? Why are these four left in the semi-finals? It should be obvious that they are all working harder than humanly possible. Also, there might be a little pressure hovering over their heads because of the millions of people watching on live television. But what I think is the reason why so many people enjoy this show is because you can actually see that they are enjoying what they are doing. I think this is the secret.

The secret to success is very simple. Honesty and truly enjoy what you are doing. Be it dancing, or accounting, drawing, painting, coding, or designing. In order to become the best, you must love what you are doing. I hope that you have found something you love to do and that you continue doing what ever it is for as long as you can.

Oh Sooooooo Bored! ...

The graphic design industry can be a fast paced and extremely stressful profession with ridiculously short deadlines or gigantic projects waiting for you at every turn. But just like every other job out there, there is bound to be a little down time. I myself have found this to be terribly true because at this current moment I am experiencing some down time. Maybe you already guessed that by the unusually high amounts of postings I have been making in the past few days. You caught me. That is why there have been more postings than normal but I want to try and make posting a relatively normal habit. So check back often.

(sorry got side tracked a little bit)

So your used to this crazy work pace that keeps you moving at a hundred miles an hour but when you screech to the pace of a salted snail you find yourself going insane. I have stumbled across a few ways to entertain yourself while your waiting for things to pick up again.

1. - Try reading the news. There are all kinds of news stations out there and each one has a little different twist on each story. I've been reading CNN.com and BBC.com, just to name a couple. It is interesting to see how different countries view the same stories. It is even more interesting to see how BBC (the English) view us. I try to compare similar stories from the two networks and gauge who is being biased. I is kind of nerdy but it gives me something to do when I am fighting of boredom.

2. - Watch TV! I am sure you are all aware of this but most major television networks are now running full episodes of prime time programming. ABC.com has some really good shows on the air right now so if you think you have about forty five to sixty minutes of free time, put on those headphones and relax.

3. - Learn something. It sounds dull and boring but it can be really beneficial. I was bored a couple weeks ago so I decided I was going to take the Google Adwords online lecture. It is free and you can go at your own pace. By the time you have finished you know everything you could ever possibly want to know about the Google advertising program. It is interesting but have some coffee with you because it is defiantly not a nail biter.

4. - You can BLOG! Yes, that is what I am doing right now. Another period of down time for me so I thought it would be a good idea to speak about something. It's a great way to get some of your ideas out there and start up conversations with people. I realize I'm preaching to the choir but I thought I might as well mention it.

So these are just a few ways that entertain me while I'm drifting a way to La-La land. A couple things you don't want to do (and these are pretty self-explanatory).

1. - Sleep! Very Very Very Bad to do at work!

2. - Leave! If you are trying to piss someone off I would recommend this but otherwise ... not so much.

3. - Flirt with the Secretary! Yeah she may be hott but that doesn't mean it is ok. Save it for your lunch break.

I'm sure there are more do's and don'ts to fighting the long hours of nothingness. Just be smart about things and you should be just fine.

Your Mentors and What They Mean...

This past weekend I went back to Moorhead, MN. (the town where I spent four years of college) to visit friends and family. I got to thinking over a cup of coffee that I'm not sure I would be in the positions I am today without having a couple very solid mentors to guide me along the way. It was then that I realized how much they have influenced my post college pursuits and that I should recognize them for all they have done for me.

I would like to outline a few of the characteristics that I think make up a great mentor and how my mentors have helped me and how yours might be able to help you. First and foremost, a mentor must be someone you are comfortable with. You need to be able to sit back and talk plainly with them. You know, bullshit a little. Talk about the weekend, complain about your job but also ask them serious questions that will help you make some big decisions. Secondly, they have to have your respect. This just makes sense. A mentor is only a mentor if it is someone you look up to or idolize in some fashion. Third, they need to be honest. This is a very important aspect of a good mentor. Some of the best advice that I have received from my mentors has not been what I wanted to hear but in the long run it worked out for the better. Lastly, you have to want to trust them. This notion ties in with the prior three. Trust makes the whole mentor relationship work and can make it terribly rewarding for both members involved.

Now that I have outlined a few characteristics of what a good mentor is all about, let me tell you what they might be able to do for you. Most professional mentors have been in the industry for a while and know people scattered throughout the country. So talk to your mentor, ask them if there is someone they know that they might be willing to introduce you to. This can be extremely helpful if you are moving to a new city and don't know anyone there (this also goes back to the whole idea of networking. You professors, colleges, and friends are a great place to start getting your foot in the door). Also, ask them what steps they or their colleagues have taken to get where they are. They must be doing something right if it has worked out for them. It would be important to ask what not to do as well. You don't need to make the same mistakes that they did. You can make your own and learn from them. Bouncing ideas off of your mentors is another great way to get the ball rolling in your favor. I personally had some really crazy ideas that I thought would benefit me but after talking with my mentors I decided to go approach things differently. Finally, your mentors can be a sort of living Facebook if you will. More than likely your mentor is not solely yours. Other people look up to and talk with them. Through them, you can keep a pretty good beat on what your colleagues are doing and maybe even stay connected with old friends.

So, this morning, I would like to raise my cup of Caribou Coffee to my professors David Boggs and Greg Ness. Both of you were my guide in an uncertain time. You both pushed me to refine who I am, gave me the support I needed to carry through, and taught me invaluable lessons that I will not soon forget. I am sure I am not the only person to be blessed with great mentors so let us toast with our Caribou, Starbucks, or whatever your drinking (it's early otherwise I'm sure it would be some variety of an alcohol infused drink) to our mentors. CHEERS!!

New Steps for Yours Truely ...

It has been a while since I have written a post for "Shades of Gray" and I am truly sorry about that. I've been terribly busy with the hustle and bustle of a workingman's life. That doesn't mean that I haven't had time to think about the events and happenings that have taken place in our surrounding world. Big news like, Apple just released a new operating system (it looks amazing!), California is on fire, the Red Sox won the World Series (Booo!! - I live in Denver now), and my roommate has finally found a job (not really, she is going to serve food for a while. A righteous job but one not worth spending four years at a private college for)! But during all of this I had a thought enter my head. A thought that I am sure has entered you minds and caused a little bit of concern. What am I doing to better myself?

I thought long and hard about this question and came up with a few questions that helped me arrive at an answer and solution.

1. What are my goals?
- A pretty broad question but I think you need to know where you are going before you can decide what you need to do to better yourself.

2. What are other people doing that have the same goals?
- Monkey see, Monkey do is not usually the best approach but if you take time to observe what other people are doing around you and then learn from them, you might avoid making a few their mistakes. Also, different people think differently. It never hurt to have a couple options open or ideas running. You never know which one will work the best.

3. What are my options?
- Keep yourself within range of what you are capable of accomplishing. You don't want to over extend yourself, wasting time and money. If you have some free time, tackle larger projects but if you are finding yourself to be busy all the time, take care of the little things first.

4. Who do I know?
- Friends and Family are the most important thing. They can open doors, teach you things, give you support, and can be there to help you celebrate when you accomplish what you set out to do!

5. What is best for me?
- This one might be the most important. After all, you are trying to better YOURSELF! You are going to want to see an outcome to all of your hard work and it is just that much sweeter when the outcome positively affects you.

These are just a few questions that I started with and helped me find avenues towards bettering myself. If you take time to reflect on what you are all about, the answers just seem to appear. If you want to know what I am currently doing to improve my professional life, feel free to email me at cjnuernb@gmail.com.

I know I've been MIA ...

Hello Everybody! Sorry it has taken so long for me to start writing again. I've been a little busy and now, finally, i have some time to sit down and reflect. But before i do that, maybe i should clue you in on what i have been up to.

I no longer live in Moorhead, MN. Actually I have moved far away to a small little town called Denver, CO. (just a little bit of dry sarcasm there). It has been a good move so far and I'm slowly assimilating into the busy city life. I'm currently working as a graphic designer with the Creative Group, a temp agency that is based here. The work through them has been great and I'm loving every minute of it. That's about all the news that I have. Sorry no great stories or anything. :(

I've lost my train of thought on what I was going to say. It's a pitty really, I had something profound and enlightening to say and it just escaped my brain. Well i guess you will have to check back later to see what life altering thoughts I had!

A Good Black Night...

Have you ever been sitting around late at night and not sure of what you can do with a tennis ball, some lighter fluid and a lighter? No? Well neither had we until a couple nights ago when my room mates and I we sitting around talking about random things. Tennis became the subject and then we started talking about "Fireball" from the sitcom "Friends". We thought it was a funny idea.

Now this night happened to be a little different than all the other nights where we have sat around and talked. You see, it was the fourth of July and we had just came back home from the fireworks show. We were all feeling a little adventuresome so we decided to give "Fireball" a go. It turned out to be more fun than we had ever thought! Somme of the photos turned out to be really cool. A friend and I figured out that if we gave the camera a slow shutter rate and a did a couple other adjustments to the settings we got this really cool effect.

I think the photo speaks for it's self. I'm not sure how legal it is to light a tennis ball on fire and hit it back and forth on the street but a cop drove by one time and didn't seem to care too much.

So if you are ever sitting around with a tennis ball in hand, wondering what you could do to entertain yourself. Simply find some lighter fluid and a match. It will be a good time ... I guarantee it!

Whats New in the World of Gray...

Hello everybody! Yes I know, it has been a long time since I have posted last but don't worry, I think now I will have the time to be able to post fairly often. So I bet all of you out there are wondering what I have been up to since graduation. Well there are a few things that I have been keeping myself busy with.

First, I have picked up a Freelance design job. Yes! I am now officially a graphic designer with a client. Not too bad for just graduating not more that a month ago. So how it happened was, I was sitting around in my room playing guitar when the art director of the Fargo-Moorhead Opera called me. He asked if I was interested in competing against other designers in the area for the chance to have them as a client for the upcoming year. I'm not sure he needed to ask because of course I was interested. I met with him the following day and he explained what they were looking for. The gave me a week to present them with my ideas. Well, I went home and that very day came up with a great layout and design approach. So instead of taking it only to the idea phase and presenting them with rough sketches, I did a complete comp and had most of the design work done. I created logos for the three performances that they were going to do, developed a unique layout, and did the necessary photography for my designs. A week came and I presented to them, they loved it and said that they would present it to the board the following mon. I got a call a couple days later and I had won the account. Lets just say I was a little excited! So for the past week I have been fine tuning the design, coordinating the printing with the print vendors here in town, and have been meeting with people to get my design to work. I think by the end of the week I should be at the printers getting the proof which is a full week ahead of the deadline they were hoping for! I'll have to keep everyone posted on that.

I know and if that isn't enough to keep someone busy for the entire day, I've been taking 4 hrs every morning to teach myself Macromedia Flash 8 professional. I was unable to take a class on Flash and I feel that if I am to be competitive in today's market, I need to know how to use Flash even if it is not going to be a part of my daily routine. It is going really well so far. I bought a book (which is 1200 pages long!) and have been working through it every morning. To be honest I thought that when I graduated I would take some time from learning and really just relax for a while but I am really enjoying learning this program on my own. I think I might be one of those people who doesn't want to stop learning new things. I plan to apply what I learn to my website so keep an eye out for changes at CN-Designs.

I think I must be crazy because I'm also working full time at a steak house here in town. I put in about 35 to 40 hours a week so my nights are pretty much shot. I do however get wed. off so I do have one night out of the week to go out with friends and have a good time.

Now I know it sounds like, I must be out of my mind but i am always looking for more design work. If more work comes in I will begin to start cutting back my hours at the steakhouse so I can accommodate my schedule (they are pretty good at giving my a fitting schedule). So don't hesitate to contact me!

There are other things I've been up to but these are the most common and everyday things that I do. So far (and I know you won't believe me) I've been having a great summer! I'm looking forward to all the new things that come my way and hope that there are more people out there that like what I do.

Black Gown for a Happy Day...

It comes twice, or maybe three times in your life. You are asked to wear a black gown to celebrate the culmination of a chapter. But what does this black celebration mean?

"At today's American colleges and universities, both students and professors wear academic garments during formal academic processions. Each gown is distinctive of the degree earned by the individual. The gown for the master's degree is more full and has oblong sleeves that open at the wrist. The gown for the doctorate degree is even more full, has bell-shaped sleeves with three velvet bars or chevrons across the upper arm. The color of the velvet is black, royal blue, or a color distinctive of the subject to which the degree pertains."

"the caps worn by professors and students evolved from the clerical pileus. The Roman Catholic Church, at the Synod of Bergamo, adopted the round clerical cap, or pileus, and required all clergy to wear it. Gradually other varieties of headdress developed in the academic community. In 1520, a square cap was worn at the University of Paris. It was known as the bonnet carre and is the predecessor of our own square cap or mortar board."

This is what the history books tell us the gown means. To me it means something else. It is a key to the door of adulthood, a bridge to life, a life vest to keep me from drowning, and a lantern to light my way.

Some people do not experience college and there is nothing wrong with that. But personally I would not give up the past four years for anything. The friends I've made, the network I have established, the knowledge I have acquired, and the passion I have developed would be non-existent had i not gone taken this step in life. If college can instill in me feelings and emotions like these, I can barely wait for what the rest of my life holds. I am anxious to see what I experience in my career. All I know is that I am ready ... Ready for it All!!

When Black Text Starts To Blur...

It is that time again for all of the college students to enter into a chaotic frenzy in hopes of finishing the 13 projects, 5 papers, 7 chapters, and 6 homework assignments. Well maybe I've exaggerated just a little bit but for myself, as a graduating senior, it feels that way. I do have many projects due and a couple papers to write ... and oh yeah ... there are all the resumes that I'm supposed to be sending out as well. So we can all easily say it is crunch time and I'm Loving It. This is the time when you see what you are made of and then in the end, there is the complete sense of gratification. That is the best part. The part when you know you have accomplished something.

So I don't know if this entry is really targeted for the masses, but I would like to make a comment to everyone who is on a deadline. Focus, put you nose to the grindstone, work hard, and everything will work out the way it should. That is what I have been telling myself for the past five weeks now and so far it hasn't let me down.

In the end, when the black text starts to blur, you'll be able to sit back and look at what you have accomplished. Then realize that it never gets easier, it never slows down, and it never gives you a break. You just have to power through it and love every second of it.

Not a Black Night Last Night...

It is amazing what you can accomplish when you put your mind to it. And it is such an incredible feeling when everything you plan out works just as you had thought it would. I guess the only way I can explain what I mean is ... you know how when you are truly happy you can't remove that ear to ear smile. That was the way I was last night.

My roommate and I were sitting around one night and I mentioned to him that I wanted to do a fundraiser for the Leukemia Foundation. I thought that we could host a party at a venue here in town, charge people a small cover charge, get a few bands to donate their time and play for us, and then all the proceeds would go to the foundation. He thought it was a great idea and so we began organizing it.

We decided to call our event "Time For A Change" because not only was it an event to help the Leukemia Foundation and show people how important it is to help a worthy cause, but we also wanted it to be a Concordia College senior farewell (I'm currently a senior at Concordia College... at least for the next 24 days!!).

We'll like I said, everything worked out. We had Lucille Black, Poitin, and Blind Joe play for us and lets just say they were absolutely amazing. Our turn out was better than we had anticipated, not that were complaining. We raise alot of money and I really do think we raised awareness to my senior class.

A notion that I'm starting to realize is that no matter who you are, you are capable of making a difference. No one should underestimate what they are capable of. Now we didn't raise millions of dollars but if what we did raise can help just one person with Leukemia, then I think what we have done has all been worth it.

So if you were able to attend "A Time For Change", I would like to thank you for coming. If you were unable to make it this year do not worry, I'm currently thinking about trying to make this a tradition at Concordia. So hopefully there will be a next year!

White Words, Black Secrets...

Communicating has always been important to human kind. From the very beginning we grunted to express ourselves, later we developed symbols to convey our thoughts over greater distances, recently we have moved back to the oral communication and invented ways to converse at anytime and anywhere on this planet, and now we find ourselves taking an old creation and fusing it with new technology. An new form of communication has risen and with it, even greater possibilities.

As with every invention and assimilation of ideas, there must come a test period where this new idea will be stretched in countless directions to see if whether or not it will work. Sometimes this new idea will break and crumble before us and other times it will work better than it could in our wildest dreams. We are just starting to ascend the Internet mountain. We are learning that there are bumps, holes, crevasses, and impassable points along our journey but with every obstacle we manage to find a route either around it or through it. Privacy is the relatively new obstacle that is holding us back from scaling higher into the potential of the Internet.

I think the privacy issue first surfaced with e-commerce and whether or not your money was safe when purchasing items or doing online banking. I think we have pretty much got a handle on those issues and you don't really hear about people having problems any more. Now we are our own victims. Our own self disclosure is causing us greater head aches than identity theft ever did.

Facebook, Myspace, Blogs, and other programs such as Twitter are our new concern. What we disclose now will be forever held in some obscure archive for our future employers, family members, and generations to come to look up, examine, and scrutinize. Is what we say a reflective aspect of who we are? Are our private actions really that important that all we ever do be posted, labeled, tagged, or searched? We are all slowly becoming voyeurs of private lives. Peeping toms into lives of those we hardly know in hopes to catch a glimpse of the unknown.

Obviously I am being hypocritical with this blog in itself. I am opening a passage to my own personal thoughts that will be cataloged and almost definitely searched. Yet, for some reason I am OK with this. Maybe I feel it is the responsibility of my generation and the generations to come to not only maintain multiple identities (virtual and actual) but to supply a seemingly never ending record of who we are. To update those close to us and far away about our weekly, daily, and hourly habits.

I'm not sure where I find myself on this issue. And as with every issue, there are both positive and negative elements that make the decision even harder. But for now ... my current status is "Chris is finding his way out of the difficult spot between a rock and a hard place..."

The Gray Way of Life ...

Recently, as part of an assignment for advertising class, I was required to test out the program "Second Life." I explored the virtual world trying to get accustomed to living in a digital world. With this program, you can create your character, find a job, build a house, raise a family, and go out and have fun. Basically it is a way to escape you actual life and live a "Second Life."

I got to thinking this could be a great program but it also could become an all-consuming addiction. I could see a problem where people become so intrenched with the virtual life that they start to mix reality with "digi-reality." What happens when the line between the real and the false fades away and what you start to see is your life no longer in black and white but a mix of gray?

I've heard that you can make a serious living working in Second Life. An income to the tune of six figures. Now i'm not entirely sure how you would go about that because I only spent about an hour in my false world but if your willing to invest the time, anything is possible. I can see a real potential for advertising. You have a captive audience that is willing to spend countless hours exploring a world where the restrictions of advertising are limitless. Floating billboards, clothing with ads on them, and anything imaginable.

I guess all I have to say is give it a try yourself. Be careful of the Gray way of life but enjoy the chance to create a Second Life.

Black Doesn't Belong in Paradise...

I was fortunate enough to be able to visit paradise this past week. Well maybe not paradise but pretty close since I was coming from Moorhead, MN. (where there was approximately thirty inches of snow on the ground) and going to Peurta Vallarta, Mexico.

While I was sitting on the beach in a warm bliss, I began to realize that there was something surrounding me. A saturated feeling came over me and my senses opened, letting me become absolutely lost, adrift in an ocean of beauty. What was this surrounding element? Color! Everywhere you looked a new hue of color, an new brilliance of light, a constant rainbow of color illuminating everything in a seemingly perfect way.

As the sun began to set, the colors found their strength and opened the flood gates letting blue, purple, orange, red, yellow and every shade in between out into the vastness of the ocean. Even as the darkness began to swallow the last bit of light, color found other ways to survive. The glow from the orange lamps along the walk way bounced off the perfect blue pool and created a color that can literally only be described as darkened paradise. And then it hit me. Black doesn't belong in paradise. A place where color reinvents itself on a daily basis does not need black to cover up it's beauty.

Next time you are in paradise, look around and try to find a true black that feels at home. My guess is you won't. And then look around and realize that color in paradise has created a palette for this portion of the world that seems limitless. Take time to take in one shade at a time because you never know when you will experience it again.

I Take My Coffee Black...

I started this blog in hopes that people wanted to understand how I think and what I think about. I wanted this blog to reflect my personalities, my values, and my life and so far I think it has. I've relized though that in order for those people who do want to know who I am to get to know me, they need to know other things about me as well. Other things such as how I take my coffee, what my favorite color is, what kind of music I'm listening to right now, and other little quirks about me. So today I'm going to take the time to let people know more about me.

1. Obviously I take my coffee black

2. I play guitar (Creating Self on Myspace)

3. I'm the oldest of my brothers

4. I like sunsets more than sunrises

5. Greece is the most beautiful place I have visited so far

6. Steak medium rare is the only way you should have it prepared

7. I paint when I have time

8. My favorite color is white (I know technically it isn't a color but what ever)

9. I'm 5'8" with brown hair and brown eyes

10. I have a love for art

Ok so I know this sounds like a crude online dating format but really I just thought that you, my readers, needed to know more than just my thoughts. So I'm sorry if you were hoping for a deep reflection on my life, advetising, or design. Next post will be much more like my previous posts.

White Gloves are a Nessecity

As I'm grearing up for graduation, I am recieving countless pointers as to how I should prepare myself fo the coming real world. Some are telling me to take the summer off because this is going to be your last summer vacation, others say that you'll be in disastorous debt and you should try and squirm your way out. I think the most crucial information that I have come upon is the advice to make sure that I have a clean digital image. No .. I don't mean a nicely resolved picture for my resume.

What I mean is that I should be aware of what I have on the internet. More and more employers are starting to use the internet as a reference on young applicants. It gives them a way to see the social person that they are comtmplating. Most likely you are going to be more yourself amungst your friends and what better way to see how you interact with people than to check out Facebook or Myspace.

But is this really ethical. Where do we draw the lines on our private life and our work life. Does what a person do with his or her friends on the weekend really reflect their work ethic and deteication to the job. I'm not sure. I haven't been in the position to where I have felt the two crossing paths. I'll admit that I am young and there is much out there for me to experience and I'm sure somewhere along the way I will have to deal with this question.

In a world fastly becoming digital, we need to be more globaly concious of our actions and the possible publication of pictures, quotes, actions, who knows. It is almost like we should wear white gloves to make sure our image is squeaky clean.