The "Magic" in Creativity

A couple of days ago, I was sitting in my apartment watching one of the new shows that are being premiered on all the national television channels. The new episodes or surprising plot twists were not what caught my attention. The commercials are what really reached out and grabbed me. Not all commercials I guess, but one inperticular stood out. It was a commercial for Hewitt-Packer laptops. It went like this:

Gwen Stephanie was walking around, Japan or some oriental country talking about all the benefits that this laptop brought to her work. She mentioned that there is a "Magic in creativity." She also said that you can't just turn it on and off but it just sort-of happens and when it does, she is able to create her wonderful masterpieces.

That little segment of the thirty-second ad really kinda struck a cord with me. As a member of the creative community, I would have to disagree with Ms. Stephanie. As a graphic designer, I am asked on a daily basis to be creative and create work that millions will deem worth purchasing or paying attention to. My whole life revolves around me being able to turn my creativity on at 8a.m. and off at 5p.m. (sometimes much later). I do understand what they were trying to say in the ad. That she takes inspiration from her surrounding world and that she doesn't know where or when something will inspire her. Still, as I sit here in my cubical with nothing to inspire me but my wandering thoughts and a brief conversation with my supervisor. I can't help but think, what if the world really knew what advertisers, marketers, and designer went through on a daily basis. Do you think that we would be idolized just like those musical performers who are "SOOO CREATIVE."

I'm not sure what we do is as glamorous or as individual. Not that most of those performers do everything on their own either but I think you get what I'm trying to say. So I would like to make a toast to those of you out there who are like me. A member of the creative community that has been over-looked by the public. We are the true creative gods that have found a way to be creative on command.

All Advertising is Fair in Politics and War

It is about that time again where we as consumers start to become overwhelmed with advertisements. With the traditional spending season approaching, we should gear ourselves for the inevitable onslaught of deals and once in a life-time offers. But corporations and businesses are not the only advertisers that will be squeezing their thirty second ads in between the ten minute segments of our favorite programming.

Politicans will be starting their campaigns soon and with expectations of their budgets running in the billions this year, expect to see and hear them the most. Yes, you did read right. Billions!! With candidates that are hungry for the public eye and who most have already been seen in the countless headlines, this years political advertising should prove to be the most ever seen. Those advertising companies that have had success with political campaigns must be licking their chops.

The candidates this year are not your common, run-of-the-mill, president to be. Each has a unique aspect which might lead to non-traditional forms of advertising. It will be interesting to see how each candidate tries to portray themselves. We could have, for the first time, an African American president or we could be addressing our commandor in chief as Madame. No matter how the election turns out, we are poised for an interesting year of debates, commercials, and accusations.

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.

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!

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.

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!