I'm ashamed..

I didn't want to start the new year on a bad note but I feel I owe you, my loyal readers, an apology. I've been MIA lately and for that I am extremely sorry. I haven't posted since early november and I don't even have a good excuse. I've been busy but that doesn't mean that I didn't have a half hour here or there where I could have sat down and posted something. I have a couple really good posts in the works but I need to sit on them a little more and make sure that they are complete.

I was also hoping that my first post for the new year would be an update for all of you to let you know that my new website is up and running. Hoping is the key word in that last sentence. I have run into a few obstacles and it doesn't look like I will be able to get my new site up for a couple more weeks. I will definitely let you know when that happens and keep you posted on the progress I'm making.

Well, that is it for now. Like I said, I'm really sorry to have abandoned you for such a long time. I promise not to do that to you all again. Let's make a deal. You check back once a week or so and I'll make sure to make a post once a week (maybe even a couple if I'm feeling devious). Thanks for a great 2008 and I'm looking forward to 2009!

The Impossible Client...

To everybody out there, I am sure you have worked with a very difficult client. I will bet that each of you could tell me, in a heart beat, the name of your client and the project you worked on that made them go down in your personal history as the toughest to satisfy. It might have been that they were constantly changing their mind or maybe it is that they had no clue about what it is exactly they wanted. Maybe they expected the world and never understood that it came at a price (that they were unwilling to pay). Whatever the case may be, we have all gone through that torture at one point or another.

This may be true but I think there is one client many of you might have over looked. Someone for whom you have done countless work, who is the hardest client of all to please, and they pay next to nothing for your services. I am referring to the person staring back at you in the mirror.

As you might be aware, I am currently in a personal re-branding phase and it has been made painfully clear that you are your hardest client. If you think of this in a logical perspective, this doesn't make a lot of sense. Who else knows you better than yourself? That is the ultimate goal when doing work for someone. Truly understanding who this person is, their likes and dislikes, and what they are trying to convey to those interested in them. The difficulty comes when you are trying to interpret how other people are going to view you. You have to remove yourself from yourself (this is as difficult to explain as it is to actually accomplish) and try to complete work with an unbiased opinion. It can also be difficult for those of us who are closet perfectionist to decide when enough is enough or when to push it further.

You can get around these problems pertaining to creating work for yourself by asking a friend or colleague to assist. If they are gracious enough, they might be willing to do it for free if in return you do the same for them. Defiantly a fair trade because more than likely they struggle with the same difficulties. This doesn't mean that it won't be any easier but you do avoid the problem of designing in a vacuum. Having someone's opinion can be an invaluable advantage when trying to re-brand yourself.

The benefits that can come from doing work for yourself or working with colleagues on your own material can very easily out weight the negatives. Be aware of the questions you are asking yourself, take note on how you respond, and if you would want your client to respond differently. Try asking yourself different questions to see if you can learn more from different methods of questioning. When doing work for yourself, you have the greatest opportunity to experiment on workflow, interviews, and creativity. Don't set to many limits and let yourself explore the usually unimaginable.

Update from Yours Truly...

You may have noticed I've been blogging a little more recently. This is occurring for a few reasons and I'd like to take some time and let you know why. First and foremost, I haven't blogged in a while which means that I have a lot of posts building up in me and I need to get them out before they escape my memory. Secondly, I am making a conscious move to increase my virtual presence and identity. One of the best ways I know how to do that is by blogging. The more posts I have out there, the more I appeal to the masses and touch on subjects they want to read about... hopefully. Lastly, I am currently in a rework phase on my personal website and I've been thinking that I might incorporate a blog into it as well. My personal website blog will not only contain posts from Shades of Gray but other posts as well that you won't find here. You'll have to check it out when it is complete. Right now I'm hopping to have my website up and running by Nov. 13th ... I'll keep you posted on that. I want both my blogs to run parallel to each other with each one touching on certain subjects while leaving certain topics for one or the other. I'm really excited to see how pairing these two blogs together will work.

Since I don't have anything profound to leave you with, I think I'm going to take this opportunity to end this blog with a couple quotes. They are some of my favorites so I hope you enjoy. Both are from Stephen Leacock.

Advertising may be described as the science of arresting human intelligence long enough to get money from it.

It may be those who do most, dream most.

I am a great believer in luck, and I find the harder I work the more I have of it.

The "Yes" Man No More...

As a young designer, I left college with the mentality that I should always say that you (my client) are right and yes I can do that for you. I guess I felt that if I said no, that my clients would have their "feelings" hurt or that I would develop the stigma of the designer who couldn't measure up. After having dealt with clients that are either well informed or completely unaware, my stance on being the "Yes Man" has changed. Some people understand design like they understand rocket science. They know it exists but are completely oblivious to the amount of work and thought that goes into some of the simplest creations. It is a completely foreign language that they simply cannot understand. Designers understand the complexities that are inherent when it comes to developing good design from scratch, but "Joe the Plumber" doesn't (sorry... but I had to use this terminology. I just couldn't pass up the opportunity to be like the Pres. candidates!).

I am not saying that you should say No to everyone that comes knocking at your door asking for design. Really, I think you should say that you can work with them no matter what but you need to set certain rules and criteria when it comes to working with people that are uninformed. Expressing your concerns upfront with your client can be the foundation to an open communication and trust. That is usually what it boils down to with people that are uninformed. They need to know that they can trust you to accomplish exactly what they are expecting from you.

This is all great but I haven't really given you a real life example for you to see exactly what I mean.

Let's say you have been doing work for a client for the past three months. The work has been pretty steady and they have worshiped you for the hard work and the excellent designs you have provided them over and over again. You're two days away from the deadline to complete all the elements for their campaign. You agreed to a definite list of deliverables and the deadline is absolute. Now your client wants to add four more pieces of collateral and three more pages to their website. What do you say?

First I think you need to sit down with them and really discuss what it is they are asking for. Make them completely aware of the amount of working they are now asking you to do. Bring your planner so that you know what you have already planned for the next couple days. Ask yourself "is this even close to being feasible" and "how much more work do you want to do for this client?" Obviously you need to let them know that the cost of your services is going to increase because of the amount of work has also increased (In most cases, they are already expecting this but it is best to communicate everything that will be affected by this last minute addition... always best to cover yourself just incase). If you can't possibly complete everything by the drop dead date of a couple days out (which is the probable outcome of your conversation), you need to start cutting desired work or pushing them past the deadline. Create a list of everything you have remaining to complete and say, "what do you want to cut from the list of deliverables" or "what is least important to you?" They need to know that these last minute additions have consequences. Be sure you get them to sign off on a final decision ... again just to cover yourself.

Most of you probably understand why this is important. Like I said earlier, you need to have an open line of communication at all times with your clients. They will appreciate it and communicating with them will make your life ten times less stressful. All this is to ensure that your client doesn't take advantage of you and your work ethic. This is a lesson that they teach you back in elementary school and one that can be used throughout your life. If You Give a Mouse a Cookie is a great book (a children's book but it carries a great lesson within). It speaks exactly to the point I am trying to make but puts it in the simplest of terms. Basically what the book is saying is that if you give in once, the person asking for the favor is bound to think you will give in again and then start to take advantage of you. You should check it out (If someone asks why you are checking out a childrens book, you can blame it on me). Your clients need to know that at some point you can no longer be the "Yes Man".

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.

Did You Miss Me?...

Welcome to the real world. I have to keep telling myself that everyday after work. A little over a year ago I was accustomed to waking up a few hours after the sun and crawling into bed a few hours before the next morning beckoned me to do it all again. Now however, the sun and I compete to see who can rise first and I am sorry to say that in my old age, midnight is turning out to be nearly impossible (excluding weekends of course). What I am trying to convey to you, my loyal readers, is that I have had absolutely zero time for anything outside of work. It should come as good news to you out there that I am once again in control of the ceaseless barrage of responsibilities and have now discovered time to blog once more.

So you may ask yourself, what is it that I have been up to in the past three months that I have been M.I.A? Surely there are some stories that need to be shared or some insight that I have stumbled upon as I gain experience in the working world. As far as stories go, I have a few that will make for a good read and they will come in the next few posts. They are laced with helpful knowledge and even some humor. The insight which seemed to appear from time to time in my weekly posts has not left me. I am bursting at the seams with advice that in the past few short months I have acquired. Words of wisdom from people who I greatly respect in both the business and advertising world will be shared along with new designers and new places of reference. There are a few books that I can't recommend more highly that will change your perspective on employment and design. As always, I will continue to share my personal life lessons and hope that you, my readers, take from them what you want.

If it isn't obvious yet, let me make this extremely clear and concise. I'M BACK! Check back as frequently as you'd like because I am going to try and bombard you with posts to the point you might as well be reading a novel.

Disconnected and out of touch...

I've been MIA for the past few days. This was planned and much needed because I have a feeling the flood gates are going to open and I will be drowning in work for the next two months. So I have taken time to take a few deep breaths and am now ready to dive deep into endless hours and constant work. The best part about this weekend vacation to rural Pennsylvania was that I was completely disconnected from everything. I had no internet access, no phone reception, and only a couple channels of television which were constantly showing golf (I love golf but after two hours I can do without watching it). So what did I do? I read. I read a couple books about our little design community. These books offered advice, tips and tricks to make it in our field, and even some humor about the stereotypes we designers are given. They were great reads and I'll be making a post soon about books to look into as a designer. I figured in a month or so it would be great to have a list for summer reading.

Now you may ask yourself, why do we care what Chris did on vacation. Good question and really I'm using my relative abandonment of technology as an excuse for me not having a post for my Who Are We series. I use the internet to do the majority of my research so it was nearly impossible for me this weekend. I promise I'll have one tomorrow. You should check back to see who I've decided to highlight this week.

This isn't the only reason why I've decided to mention my weekend plans. It dawned on me a couple days ago that even though I was on vacation, I really wasn't. I was still reading about graphic design, I was still out networking and picking up clients, I was even still designing (albeit on a napkin in a bar one night but it may have won me some work... so it counts). I think that as a young person still trying to secure my place in the graphic design community, I have learned that you are never really done working. You may be at the office for ten to fourteen hours a day but that doesn't mean when you walk out that door your are done. At the bar talking with people, you may be networking which is helping your freelance career. Even while you are sleeping, you mind should be subconsciously thinking of graphic treatment, typography, and color choice.

Don't misunderstand me. I don't mean that if you are not dreaming of design you are a bad designer. I am just saying that there are people out there that are. They eat, sleep, and breathe design. There is not a single activity or second that is dedicated to anything else but their design career/work. Maybe as you gain more experience and amass a larger reputation, you can afford the luxury of complete relaxation but I tend to think that isn't the case. Our field is a highly competitive one and to play game with all of the competition out there, you have to make some sacrifices. Thankfully we have a field that allows for work to be fun, exciting, social, and evolving so this level of dedication isn't awful and dull. So think about your level of commitment and ask yourself, "Am I disconnected and out of touch with the design field, or am I living design?"

An Ever Shrinking World...

This may not surprise many of you but the world is shrinking. Obviously I don't mean that the world is physically shrinking but that it is becoming increasingly easier to communicate, travel, and do business with all corners of the globe. This notion of a shrinking world has hit me a couple times in the past week or two and I thought it important to mention.

Some of you, my readers, may not be aware of this but this blog in its self is an international tool of communication. I don't simply write for my fellow countrymen but for an international audience. This blog has readers from 26 different countries and of those, Spain and the United Kingdom are at the top of my hits lists. So I'd like to take this opportunity to say hello to the international audience that this blog receives. Welcome, Hola, Bienvenue, Willkommen.

Another eye opening experience to fact that this world is in a constant state of shrinking is that the company that I work for just had it's yearly corporate meeting. It lasted a week and we had people flown in from over fifteen different countries. There was so much culture and difference present. Yet we were all here for the same reason speaking the same language with relative ease. Also with this company, every time we take a design to press it has to go through translation; getting translated into the basic five international languages: French, Spanish, Italian, German, and Chinese. It is an interesting feeling to know that your designs are being seen all over the world. I don't think that this feeling is as rare as it may have been twenty years ago which is even more evidence that this world is getting smaller and smaller.

I'd like to throw a piece of advice at you and you can take it with a grain of salt but here it goes. Realize that your culture is not the only one on this planet. Everyone has their own beliefs, practices, traditions, and ways of life and to be intolerant is career suicide. In this fast paced world, being a mono-lingual individual places a glass ceiling over your head in the professional world but having the ability to communicate on an international level opens countless doors and opportunities. Personally I have taken five years of French and can only ask your name and sing the national anthem, I know enough german to ask where the bathroom is, and I think I can order a drink in spanish (an obvious necessity while in Spain). Needless to say that I am not the international person that I should be although I plan to remedy that soon enough. I think that we need to start to realize that the vast distance that our grandparents understood as a reason for remaining mono-lingual is vanishing if it has not already disappeared. Soon the only way to survive will be to communicate effortlessly in multiple languages. It would be smart to anticipate this change and prepare yourself for the inevitable.

So with that I leave you. Au revoir, Auf Wiedersehen, Arrivederci, Adiós, and Goodbye. (Thanks to Babel fish for the translations!)

Play Hard, Work Even Harder...

As a young person who has just walked into the business world, I am quickly learning the unspoken rules that are associated with youth and inexperience. What has become even more clear is that this is going to be the most difficult part of my life. Trying to make it in a field that is super saturated with talented and driven individuals. I think that it is very important that as a young person we work hard, make some sacrifices, and never give up. You might be wondering what I mean by sacrifices. Those late nights in the middle of the week that leave you hurting the following morning are going to have to be far and few between. The days of only working to get by are no longer an option. It is no longer all fun and games, this is the real world.

Even though I may sound like I am trying to suck all the fun out of being a young person with a career ahead of him, I am not. I am merely reordering the old adage of "Work Hard, Play Even Harder" to "Play Hard, Work Even Harder." A young person has a lot to prove, especially when they are first starting out and if he or she lets to much fun get in the way, it could cost them severely. Use your best judgement when your ordering your Jack and Cokes at the bar on Wednesday. Party hard on the weekend but during the week, keep your nose to the grind stone and I promise it will pay off in the end.

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 is a Mac-World...

This past year we have seen Apple Inc. gain fame and fortune through a couple of the new product launches. The iPhone has basically revolutionized the mobile phone industry and the new operating system, Leopard, is relatively new but introduces us to some pretty new concepts on desktop organization and work flow. With the Macworld Conference and Expo coming up next weekend, those of us who drool over the notion that Apple could be announcing new products or upgrades are licking our techie chops.

So what does Macworld have in store for us this year. The big rumor running around is that Apple is going to announce a new notebook line that is ultra-portable. Super thin and extremely light is the idea with a small 13" screen. I'm not sure if I would be interested in buying one, but I can see the demographic that would be and I don't see any other companies chasing after them (not yet any way). There is also mention that there will be demonstrations on new iPhone applications. The new applications are a direct result of iPhone users wanting more from their revolutionary phone. There are bound to be a few surprises but if there weren't no one would really get this excited over a trade show. So keep an ear or an eye out for the unknown this year. We will have to see if this year lives up to the hype that last year's show delivered.

Welcome Back!...

Happy New Year Everyone! It is 2008! So with the New Year starting up I thought it would be appropriate to discuss resolutions and goals. It is a tradition that at the beginning of every New Year we make a promise to ourselves to better who we are. Either we try to kick those bad habits or lose those few extra pounds, what ever it is, usually it is something that we have been meaning to get around to but just haven't found the motivation. Normally these resolutions revolve around our personal life but they don't have to. What I am saying is that instead of making a resolution to only better your health or personality (because that is usually what people do ex: lose weight, be more out going, be more honest, quit smoking, etc...), make a career resolution as well.

I think people tend to neglect their profession in ways that they may not notice. I know I am guilty of doing this. We all are in pursuit of that perfect job. Some of us out there have been fortunate while others are still fighting, but I think we can all benefit from a promise to ourselves to complete that project that has been sitting on the side at work for as long as we can remember.

Me, personally, I have made a resolution to put myself out there and increase my presence in the graphic design community. To do this I am going to be taking on more free-lance jobs, I will be posting a new website that accommodates my pursuits, I am going to become more active with AIGA, and I will be making TWO POSTS A WEEK! (just in case you can't get enough of me.) I am sure that there will be other ways for me to bring myself to the forefront and they will present themselves to me as I trudge through 2008.

I am curious about what you might be thinking as far as a work resolution for this New Year. I would like to hear what everyone is thinking or if you have any ideas for me. Any ideas would be great.

P.S. - I just started a new blog. There is not a whole lot of me talking but I have been posting my art on that site. Check it out! I will be starting 5 new paintings this month so also keep an eye out for those as well!

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.

Your Network: The Life Blood of your Career...

I took many courses while I was in college and as I am a graphic design and public relations major, communication was very important. Classes like inter-cultural communications, small-group communication, public relations, advertising, and marketing plagued my college life. What I have discovered though, in the past few months after graduation, is that I was missing one very important class that was niether offered nor truly discussed. That course being Networking. There should have been courses offered dealing with networking, building, and keeping relationships; business or others. My ability to do these things is proving to be very beneficial but I can't help but wonder what I might have learned if a course was offered. Would I be communicating differently? Could I have taken different steps that might have produced and even greater oppertunity?

Now, some people are just naturally gifted at meeting people and making friends. If you happen to be one of those, be thankful and use you god given gift to advance yourself and your career. To those that may not be as outgoing as they wish or just find it hard to keep in contact with people after they have created a relationship; there is hope yet. I would like to offer a few suggestions that I have found to be very helpful.

-First, and this is pretty simple but extremely effective. Just remember their names. Most people really respond well if you can remember their name after not seeing them for a long time. Do that and that shows them that they are important to you and they will be more likely to remember your name. If they remember you, they are more likely to put in a good word with their friends who may be employed were you want to be.

-Secondly, give them a call. You don't have to call them every other day or even every week to stay in contact. Peoples lives seem to get less eventful the older they get. So call them but only when you have given enough time for something to happen that may stir up a good conversation. The worst is when you call someone and you have nothing to talk about. It makes the call pointless and all your really doing is just wasting each others time.

-Third, being friendly and finding common interest. This one is also a no-brainer and i'm sure you've heard the old addage, you only get one first impression. People remember you if your nice but they will never forget you if you are an ass. Finding common interest is the easiest way to be nice with people. You are learning more about the person you are meeting and vice versa. You'll find that if you know three different things about one person, you will probably never forget their name and how you know them. A very good thing to be able to do when you're walking in for that interview with your friends boss.

All of these are pretty simple and i'm sure most are saying "Duhh!" but some people really just need to be told how to do things. Remember that without friends and a network of people, your career is pratically dead in the water.

These Little Black Words are Changing...

A new English is upon us. The most exciting part about this is that it is already being taught in our schools and none of us are the wiser. What is this "New English" you might ask. It has the same basic principals as the current form of English and is actually readable by those who are still using the "traditional" form. By the time children are 10, they have nearly mastered it while adults are still struggling with it.

It is the way we text!

2 much txting mks u 1 bad splr!

Everyone can look @ this n mke out wht i'm tryn 2 say. This still sounds the same when u spk it but looks entirely diff when u try 2 read it.

Now technically it is not a new language but a form of shorthand for English. I think it is going to replace the current way of spelling in some manner of speaking. It will not happen over night but as more and more generations grow up with txting as an option for communicating, the spelling of words will slowly start to drift to the most common and practiced form.

Txting may just be trend but so far it has lasted and made serious ground as a niche market option. That is the first step to changing everything.