Genius Book Design

While at the library today, I spotted two spines that looked almost exactly alike, but with that mind-game of photo hunt. Not that it was that difficult to emulate Ann Coulter's book design, but the idea of making it near identical is brilliant. Everyone who looks to pick up Ann's book will now see Susan's. Of course no one far left or right-winged will even think twice about reading the opposition, but I guess it's for us people in the middle. Next time I'm at the library I'll take a picture of the whole effect it has on shelf, but for now this image is all I've got. Kudos.

Since We Last Left Our Heroes

Okay, so I haven't posted on my unemployment blog in awhile because i am, are you ready for this, EMPLOYED! okay, not officially, but as of this next thursday i will be! 75th time is the charm i say. literally it was the 75th place i looked for a job over the course of a little over 7 months. i am very excited and thrilled to have this job! i have a personal rule that i don't blog about jobs i have, so that's all i'll share. i will say that it has helped my mental health significantly; i no longer feel completely helpless and worthless like the dramatic self i was about 3 weeks ago.

since i'm still experiencing lasting bits of freedom this week, i just finished watching "the big chill", "suze orman young fabulous and broke", and "art:21" on jenny holzer. i finished reading, "you're so money" by a girl named farnoosh. it was a really good book about managing money when you're in your post-grad state. i really want to make sure i start off my new life managing my money really well so i can become ridiculously rich when i'm old and live on an island sipping sex on the beaches. until then, i just need to make really smart decisions. when my mom got her first paying job post-grad, she used her first paycheck to buy herself a louis vuitton bag that she still uses today. unfortunately, i don't think i will be doing that, but maybe i will treat myself with a little something as a sort of pat on the back... and a little high-five to the economy.

i'm getting ready for a girls night with some other designers in the cincinnati area that i am friends with, so it'll be nice to start a little group like that. all i have socially these days are 3 good girl friends, and about 30 guy friends from high school. it gets overwhelming sometimes with all the testosterone, but it's a whole lot better than an overload of estrogen.

okay time to crack down on some reading. just checked out, "yesterday's cincinnati", "andy warhol prince of pop" and "what jackie taught us, lessons from the remarkable life of jacqueline kennedy onassis".

and i'm listening to some songs out of my new FAVORITE movie, (500) days of summer along with a new jonas brothers song. judge me.

When to pee at the movies, BRILLIANT

http://www.runpee.com/#app=845b&e1bd-RunPeeID=196.334.0&3156-selectedIndex=0

Ok Wow

I'm so dumb. I researched How to be a Tattoo Artist... turns out these apprenticeships are legit and something you see off of LA ink... Basically for people who really want to be tattoo artists. Why did I think that apprentice meant helper/assistant... haha oh well I guess you'll have that when you're desperate for a job!

It's another Saturday night

well tonight i helped my friend celebrate his 23rd birthday for a few hours, only to come back home and re-open my latest design creation. i found a website called designcontest.net and saw the list of opportunities for a few hundred dollars. it's really neat! so i start sketching, mind-mapping, researching... throw about three designs together... go to post it on the forum-like setting... only to find out that i am not authorized to do so! so i message the person who posted the thread and said how i could send them my sketches via e-mail. so after i got back from my friend's house i go to surf around the site to figure out what the deal was. TURNS OUT you have to be a member that is approved to submit sketches. i have no doubt in my mind that i am capable of getting this done, however, there is an entire process now that i have to invest in to complete it. joke's on them i have nothing else to do these days! worst case scenario, i can throw these sketches into a portfolio piece if they have enough merit. i found out that the message about sending my sketches via e-mail is technically "illegal" and is grounds for "banishment" from the site. so i immediately sent the person a message back saying, "oops i just found the directions/rules". i hope they realize how excited i was to post my ideas, instead of thinking i'm dumb and didn't pay attention to the process. so i created the paypal account i need, and am halfway to posting 10 forum posts. also, i need to be a member on their site for a week, so i have to wait to submit my "application" until next saturday. again, joke's on them, the deadline for the logo i was working on isn't for another 10 days.

the project i worked on is for $350 and for this online tutorial site for people who work with machines, tools, factories, etc. very industrial if you will. the videos teach them different and new applications. i started working on it, and actually like the third option i picked. hopefully the logo conveys the idea of a tool/screw. i'll post a little sneak-peak. i don't want to give too much away because ladies and gentlemen, this is a contest after all. who knows who is snooping around looking to steal my magnificent, brilliant ideas! :)



in other employment news, every now and then i go application crazy and apply to anything/everything. today i applied for a tattoo apprenticeship here in cincinnati. joke's on me now. the guy sent me an e-mail back asking to see more of my work. okay, well that's not a problem. but then, he asked about my history with tattoos and if i had any. NEWSFLASH my skin is as clean as a newborn baby. the only permanent marks on my body since then have been from sports and stitches i got in 4th grade from opening the game Outburst with scissors during indoor recess. what? it wasn't my fault the teacher wasn't there and she taped it shut and left scissors right next to the games!

so tomorrow i have to send this guy an e-mail with a few teaser files of my work... and the ugly truth that i am indeed bare of ink. i'll make sure to let him know that right now i'm looking for any kind of work and i would love to assist him/help him in anyway he needs. i need a job. if that means i get to sit and watch a tattoo artist all day, so be it. i'll be the best tattoo apprentice ever. if he finds someone else in the application process that actually has aspirations of being a tattoo artist and picks them, then it just wasn't meant to be. sigh.

well that's about it for now. if i stay up any later i'll make the 5 more required forum posts on that website and sit on my butt changing the design i'm actually semi-content with right now for that contest. aslfjasld;fj

#goodnight.

The Book That Changed My (Branding) Life

i'm hitting the sheets, but i just realized i forgot all about this AMAZING book. if you are a designer and don't read this, you are MISSING OUT. it is truly educational and phenomenal. i learned so much and had to try hard to not highlight every other sentence. CHECK IT.

Check Me Out!

In 2 months
432 people have checked me out on AIGA.
people have clicked on my portfolio images 1177 times.

Which one of them is going to be my lucky break...


p.s. "a couple in new york city left their baby in the back of a taxi cab last week. good news is that the baby won $500 on cash cab." -jimmy fallon tonight

Laughing, Proud, Healing, Hoping

So after watching Chad Johnson jibber jabber all night on his UStream, I'm just relaxing watching Conan as usual. Chad is so fantastic and, dare I say, NORMAL! He gave out advice to ladies all night about guy problems. He even gave out his "office phone number" for all girls to call when they are having issues with their man. I did write it down and store it for any future dilemmas I have. You never know haha!

Today I worked the last day of lacrosse camp with a bunch of my old teammates from OU and Sycamore. It's a good way to make some quick money, but I would do it even if it were for no pay. I love being able to spread the game to girls even younger than when I started playing! The future of Sycamore lacrosse is very bright after observing what these girls can do! Very excited to be apart of a successful program that I put my blood, sweat and tears into ever since 2001.

My body is still healing from the really bad case of strep I inherited from someone this past weekend. I'm on a second medication that is truly knocking it out of my system. It's the same drug people use when they have exposure to Anthrax. Creepy!

Other than all that I'm just gearing up to get back to the REAL WORLD. After being sick and working the camp I've been out of commission pretty much on the job hunt. Next week is a new week and I am mentally preparing to tackle whatever I can find. I applied to about 4 or 5 jobs this week. It's hard to keep track of all the jobs I apply to off of either Craig's List, AIGA or other outlets online. Right now all these random websites might seem meager in means of finding a job, but I will do anything right now! I still haven't gotten a phone call from Kiss 107 FM about my resume, so that will also need to be dealt with next week. My #1 priority next week is to find a part-time job. Right now I'm considering opportunities at places that deal with printing, paper (even scrapbooking...), copying, stationary, the Apple store, etc. I am even considering applying to be a substitute teacher in my school district. Why not, right?! Basically I am just trying to find someone to BELIEVE in me and TAKE me and let me SHOW them what I CAN DO. Luckily, I have two meetings in the next two days about different freelance jobs. This is so good, my brain, heart and soul needs it. I need to design to survive in this world. My brain has so many different thoughts and ideas, all I need is direction. One freelance opp is for the website that I researched CSS for, so I'll have to get back on that train next week. Ay, ay, ay!

Hopefully this weekend will provide a respite for my body and mind. I want to be in a good physical and mental state for when I have to conquer the part-time world. It's so hard to work your ass off for the last 4 years, earn a BACHELOR degree, and have the world not let you do what you want. It's not that I suck. It's not that people don't want me. It's that no one can take me. This is where they're all wrong. Companies can't afford to NOT have me! I am one of the most ambitious, enthusiastic, idealistic people I know. I set my standards and goals so high and never cease to capture them. If I don't rise to the top I feel like I fail. It's all or nothing! Of course when I fail, I take it in stride and it only motivates me for the next round of adversity. I'm actually really proud of myself right now for thinking like this, and to be honest, I don't know where it's coming from. The last few weeks have been more than rough. I've cried a lot and just wanted to scream for help. I know I'm not alone in this because a lot of my designer friends who are entry-level as well have been doing the same. It's a roller coaster in limbo, that's for sure. I am praying that my mind can stay this optimistic and all the laziness and depression leaves all of us. We cannot give up.

Enough being Coach K here, time to get some sleep! I have to wake up to let my adorable puppy out in the morning, so I better get rest! As they say on twitter, #Goodnight

why i love youtube

Update

So it's been almost 2 full weeks sin laptop/internet at my disposal. I'm not even mad! I feel like I've had more time on my hands, probably because I'm not just sitting in front of a screen. Ironically, the last two weeks I have been sick and I found out today I have strep throat. It was a slow, painful process starting with my eyes being all swollen as if someone was constantly punching me in the face, and as if I was getting stung by 50 bees at the same time. Knock on wood, I am most always in good health, so this kind of came out of no where. You'll have it, so no biggie.
I'm still unemployed, but have been trying to catch up on the freelances I got before my vacation. Unfortunately my graphics card died so my laptop has been in what I like to call the Apple Hospital for the last week. I can't wait to get it back! It's like someone took my child from me! I'm actually very calm about the entire situation because the repair is free and I have all of my work/photos/music backed up on HDs and CDs, so nothing is lost. It is sort of difficult to not have my iMail application where I OCD organize all mail. Now, I have to use the gmail online version where all mail is just a clusterf*. Oh well, it gives me a project for when I get my laptop back :)
Other than that, I've just had to hang out with friends who were leaving the state for jobs, and friends that were coming back from vacations/excursions. There is one tavern in particular that is almost owned by my graduating class from high school. Just about everyone is in Cincinnati and unemployed so all we do is go to this place to hang out and catch up. Kind of takes the suspense out of the 5-year reunion next year, but what can you do. Sounds like everyone is still in the same job-searching boat, but is still optimistic because we have to be.
My eyes are getting super tired from looking at this PC desktop screen, and I'm waiting for my meds to kick in for the night, so I will leave everything at that! More later hopefully.

DEAD LAPTOP. Back in commission soon, and hopefully not $1200 in the hole.

More Good Numbers from AIGA

Prayers for Venkat Shanker, Mr. Sycamore 2005

Twas the Night Before New York

packing is all done, now i'm just playlisting for my road trips in the next week. thank god itunes has the length of playlists at the bottom of the window so i know if i'm remotely close to 6 hours. i've been surfing around to find some new tracks off of "battle studies", john mayer's next album. so far i've found "half of my heart" and "heartbreak warfare". i have fallen in love with each tune already. i wish i could already have both for my ipod! the lyrics of each are at the deepness of continuum if not deeper. his music really clicks for me, i'm so glad he's still around after all these years. i can't lie, i feel like an idiot for not ever seeing him live. it's such a regret. when his next album drops and he tours i will have absolutely no excuses. i'm going to try and go twice to make up for lost time. i don't even care if i go alone. okay, that's a lie, but that's how important it is that i attend his shows at the next opportunity. no doubt continuum single-handedly got me through my tough times in 2007.

i cannot wait to be in new york. it's so quiet and off the grid. my aunt/uncle's place has wireless now so i can keep the world updated with my life and check in on what's going on. i love being out of the loop sometimes, but i have got to find at least a newspaper wherever i go. i have a couple of cousins flying in from florida so my sister and i won't be the lone grandchildren. apples to apples will for sure guarantee good times along with boat rides, and trips to the casino. ok it is truly bedtime for me :) stay classy cincinnati.

Now Reading

http://www.amazon.com/New-Girl-Job-Hannah-Seligson/dp/0806529431

Denver ?

[nibble nibble]

Day 27 of Unemployment; Salute to Pierre Bernard Jr. and other late night designers

I couldn't find any images from tonight's Conan to show you what they did to their poor graphic designer, but basically they put him in a dress in front of the entire syndicated world. Designers really are a truly unique breed. I googled Pierre to see what kind of work he does, and it's primarily comic book type. His site is totallygraphic.com. Here's to being a good sport and here's to being the most famous graphic designer in the world at 11:35pm from Monday-Friday. Once it hits 12:35am Jimmy Fallon's design department usually takes center stage on the head swap skit he does that makes us look like murderers:

Good Things All Around from AIGA

My work is showcased on AIGA's website, it looks like at least some people have looked at my portfolio and profile. No comments on any of my work yet, but I'll take view counts! I'm going to upload more work onto my portfolio, hopefully to keep my profile updated and interesting.
aigadesignjobs.org/merpost1

My first Quip!

underconsideration llc quips

totally brilliant

and no this isn't my cousin eric

LEGIT Ad in Cincinnati Classifieds

LOST DOG - Yorkie, fml, short haircut, light brown, chipped, tattoo of "21", needs meds, REWARD, 513-205-7162

chipped?
tattoo?
yeah dude, you have it right, fml.

Where I'm Looking for Part-time Jobs

Brainstorming for applying at:

Apple Store
Kinkos
Scraps etc.
Archives
Hopple's

Fraktur Mon Amour

I'm in love. Saw this at Joseph Beth Bookstore in Hyde Park (which by the way, they have the greatest sampling of design books I've ever seen in a single bookstore). It is literally a typebook. Just like the project in ART 351 at Ohio. Ch-Ch-Check it out, it's absolutely beautiful. Can't imagine the time spent on making this fantastic book.



Here is a link to view some more of the inside of it. SEXY!

Enneagraming my Friends (work in progress)

I'm thinking for my next project creating something dealing with enneagrams... Visual interpretations and typographic treatments based on characteristics of the types... Maybe turned into packaging for a product... kind of like a sub-branding... hmm. wheels turning. Maybe for soap...

Another Wednesday

I don't know how it is possible, but it is week four of being a college graduate. I have a Bachelor. How lucky am I? Only a small percentage of human beings on this planet get the opportunity to do what I did and get educated at a high level and attain a degree in a profession. I guess I'm a professional designer? Hmm. Anyways, I'm still dealing with the inner emotional and mental frustrations and battles of being unemployed in this economy and job market. It is possible to go to the library too much, the gym, the pool. Everyday I wake up and have nothing to do. It is a blessing and a curse. I can relax and do things I've always wanted to do, but have had work or school. However, I'm usually on overload of ideas of what I want to do and accomplish in my free time that my brain fries and I sit on my butt. I have taken an Enneagram test and attended a class (it helps big time on people skills), and I am a 6 with a 5 wing (there are 9 total types. learn about it, it's really interesting). This means I am a thinker. I live inside my head all day everyday. I'm more mental than emotional or physical. I think too much that I just veg. Today was good because I went to design league softball and hung out with my friends on the team... out of the ordinary itinerary I have everyday of nada. This whole being unemployed is just so hard of a concept for my mind to process. I feel like I'm back in high school looking for a part time job and going to friends' houses to hang and party. It is completely out of my control and it is so frustrating. I have more ups and downs at this point in my life than I did, ever. Emotionally I am either super happy and relaxed or super sad and stressed. What a push-pull right now. I feel awful complaining because at least I finished college, but what good is it when the world won't let me do anything with it?

Desperada

any publicity is good publicity, even if you get the terminology wrong...

funniest thing ever starting at :50

my friend scott peeing himself

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Harder Better Faster Stronger

This week I'm all about working out, eating right (for the most part!), and genuinely being healthy.
Time to break out my old workout packets and bust some!

Jamestown Jammers Promotional Events for Next Week

Hmm. Time to make some tough decisions.

Tuesday, 14th: Smith's Dollar Night + KRAFT Single Tuesday Tickets
$1 Tickets, Hot Dogs and BUDWEISER
Bring in a wrapper of a KRAFT Singles package, and get a free ticket with purchase of one.

Wednesday, 15th: NFL Night
Wear NFL Gear and get a discounted ticket

Thursday, 16th: Community Bank Ticket Night
Free tickets @ Community Bank locations

Friday, 17th: Carlson's Jewelry Diamond Dig
After the game, all women are invited out to the field to find a hidden diamond ring. If you find it, you get to keep it.

Geeze. Choices, choices, choices. I'll have to check with the family and see what promotion we should be apart of this year!

Michael Jackson Memorial FAIL

Better luck... next time? ;)

not your typical job posting....

either a sour person who just got the pink slip or this place is awful?

My Next Big Unemployment Idea

I'm going to make millions by winning tickets from the Michael Jackson lottery for his memorial service... sell them for an escalated price, and start my own BAMF firm and buy my mom a lake house. I'm gonna be rich!!



...I'll let you know if this all actually works out tomorrow... ;)

Vintage MP

clockwise from top left: 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th, 6th, 5th, 4th, 3rd, 2nd.

1st and 7th are hidden because i had to get the full effect of the lasers.

The 100 Top Moments of Senior Year of College

I couldn't stop looking at pictures from this year, so I thought i'd compile all the memories behind them, it's therapeutic.


Top Moments of Senior Year


1. OUGDOMFG Fun Bus

2. Paid to Party Shuffle on the 2 year anniversary of the sports cuts.

3. 93 Jersey Party and the epic shotgun, leading to house blackout night.

4. Sunday Fundays, Sun's out Fun's out with Fran, Dan, Morgan and Leah.

5. The (OUGDOMFG) Official I'm On A Boat Party, aka make-out party, and making $500 off of it.

6. Souvlaki's chug contest on the last night of college with Mingee, Hallie, Marion and Claudia.

7. "WHO INVITED THIS BITCH?!" -Jordan

8. Jizz on bathroom floor, end of story.

9. 6Fest with Shan, Danielle and Jen, including the eventful truck ride over to the barn, and of course making the front page of The Post.

10. 11am blasts of "I Like Them Girls" followed by Hallie screaming, "IT'S TIME TO START DRINKING" on any given morning.

11. OUGDOMFG Beer Olympics

12. Fawcett Bomb creation after Mingee left me alone at the CI with just the bartenders.

13. Sycamore winning state in lacrosse!

14. 93 White Trash Graduation Bash and all the utter retardedness that ensued.

15. OUGDOMFG Day Party

16. Any fight between Hallie and Marion. Anytime, anywhere.

17. Last bowling class pregame and Mich's and my quality time with Fleet after.

18. Mel's bowling ball coming out of the gutter and hitting pins in bowling class while she flips her finger in the air.

19. "God Bless the USA" and Fitz's relationship with that song.

20. Jen walking into my room the morning after Halloween from Mill Street at 5am, half of her costume missing and her extensions hanging by a thread.

21. Driving down Mill Street the morning after Halloween with Danielle, Jen and Ashley to find the wings from Jen's costume, and seeing feathers scattered all over the front lawn, porch and house.

22. Mel's lips accidently running into Fleet's.

23. Not paying attention to anything going on at graduation because Scott, Kimber and I were too busy making fun of the engineering students.

24. Showering in James Hall with Aaron and his friend after 6Fest.

25. Pelting water balloons at Mingee with Mich and Hallie during High Fest, then getting caught.

26. Please Drive Slowly We <3 Our "Alcoholics" and "Sperm" Limit 25.

27. "I can't hear and see at the same time" -Hallie

28. Keg Race with the lacrosse guys, and flying keg stands.

29. Running the keg with Shannon at Palmerfest, just like the good old days.

30. Broney's karaoke nights, with a personal favorite being Marion and Mingee together.

31. Getting attacked by water guns on Cinco de Mayo on West State.

32. Going to see Joe Biden speak at Athens Fairgrounds and listening his story of how he got arrested at OU in the 1960s.

33. Snow Day 2009 and my noon text from Mingee reading: bars.

34. The 93 beer tally, and it's quick dramatic end after we realized in 5 weeks we spent over $1600 on alcohol.

35. Getting thrown into garbage cans on a consistent basis by Dave and Fitz.

36. Spring Break Louisville with Weeder and Morgan.

37. Legends of the Hidden Temple helmets at Casa de Caba.

38. Election Day night, when Pawpurrs closed down and Mich and I single handedly finished the remaining pitchers of draft night.

39. Cindy and her half gallon of milk on the Fun Bus, along with her yelling at us to sit down before she sprints to the bathroom.

40. "God I love Cher" -James. This includes 93's infinite playlist with "Believe".

41. Jordan slamming a glass down at the Pub, screaming, "SHUFFLE", and getting us kicked out of the bar.

42. Trip-C's / Hoodrat

43. Petey laying in a parking spot the last week of school and telling us to put a quarter in her.

44. The last porch party at 93 in complete darkness because we had no power.

45. Thesis set-up for 72 straight hours. And those stripes!

46. Wylam signs at 93.

47. Fran's dance-off on Mom's Weekend.

48. Holding the top score with Terri and Mingee at CI's Photo Hunt Erotic.

49. Carriage ride with Ian and Kimber 100ft down East State.

50. Rico grinding on a townie at Broney's Karaoke night... when no one else was on the dance floor.

51. Nora doing the "CRAZY" look when Cindy was being odd in class one day, and Kimber and I being the only ones noticing and trying not to pee our pants.

52. Storytelling with Renee and Kimber in Riverpark and almost throwing up over the patio balcony.

53. Leah getting asked to Prom.

54. Cindy almost leaping across the table to kill Scott over a discussion of typography.

55. The Gib sitting on our glass table and breaking it right in the middle of a porch party.

56. Ali and Marion's weekly make-out contest. Goal: Whoever makes out with someone at a bar wins.

57. ShamWOW night with Mich and Mel, cleaning up spills at bars near you. This was during the fight of our lives because of Fleet feeding us enough alcohol to kill a pony.

58. Mingee pretending to write a paper for Marion, but in reality just typing, "I'm a Canadian bossy bitch" over and over.

59. Marion working on "getting a job" with a near-senior citizen male at Broney's, inducing panic with all of her roommates.

60. Mickey asking if AIDS came from monkeys at the OUGDOMFG Day Party, and it actually ensuing a deep conversation.

61. Marion's wine night including the big spill.

62. Hallie English dance moves.

63. Screaming "F* LARRY CONRAD!" at the top of my lungs at homecoming with Evan.

64. Ali yelling at Jordan at Courtside because he made her cry for THREE DAYS!

65. Seeing Don dressed up as Bret Michaels for the Lounge of Love.

66. Make Scott Sullivan Cry Month 2009; "Renuable"

67. Jeremy Blazer Beat Down Week 2009.

68. Last volleyball class pre-game and the extremely unsuccessful game of volleyball we played.

69. Jordan drilling a soccer ball at a car, clearly denting the shit out of it, and Rico just saying, "That's what you get for parking in front of our house."

70. Leah falling off stage and breaking her ankle. True rockstar.

71. Hallie pretending she was from West Virginia while wearing a "West Vagina" shirt and getting crap from a guy.

72. Halloween Eve at Courtside with T-Wayne, the clown, guy who got hot sauce in his eyes, and the elephant.

73. Bergan's "alarm" not going off while asleep on my futon at 5am.

74. Playing Nati Ball in the street with random objects with all roommates.

75. After hours Mama's trips with Todd and his ever appearing Nati can.

76. Rico growing out a MACstache and dying it black.

77. Collecting about 500 beads on Mardi Gras with Mich and seeing the guy dance to "Single Ladies" at CI.

78. Wine time at CI with Fitz and Charlie.

79. Jess telling a guy on Halloween Eve that he looks like a person from A&E's Intervention.

80. Don and Cindy's grind session on the Fun Bus to "Hot and Cold"

81. The Nati Yacht, by Jordan.

82. Leah Carey's 21st, including her white pants.

83. Alex Elkins's 21st, including his epic slide down the bar at Pawpurrs.

84. Ryan getting a guy to go up to Jen at Broney's and tell her he was her biggest fan, "YOU'RE JEN HEUP?!"

85. The death and destruction of 93's television mid-March.

86. Getting yelled at by the manager of 19 South for Mark being too drunk to work the door of our fundraiser.

87. Gina's martian themed birthday party and the martian cum shots.

88. Watching the Louisville vs. UC lacrosse game with Mel.

89. Jordan jumping into two recycling binds filled with empty beer cans and falling. Don't worry, practice makes perfect, he eventually stuck it.

90. Ali's unhealthy obsession with salt at Broney's.

91. Roger the owl, the one and only pet at 93.

92. Ian in our poster crit talking about why he chose to put his poster at City Hall, "I mean, it is what it is. Where else better to put your face?"

93. Dynamic warm-up at the junction in homage to Steve Lawrence, on the Paid to Party Shuffle.

94. Townies sitting on living room furniture at Strouds.

95. Nathan telling us how we all suck at design at our class fundraiser. And on our first crit. And on our second crit. And on our final crit.

96. The townie who waltzed into our house the day of Halloween with a bottle of alcohol and telling Hallie he was "That Guy". Then Hallie watching him get arrested minutes later outside our house.

97. Holtz getting hit by a car on Court Street on GBD while doing push-ups in the middle of the street.

98. The text from Elkins the last week of school that we all woke up to, telling us how much he loved us, and reminding us of a possum in a box on our porch.

99. Don stopping every design class from sophomore studio on up to show everyone the "I'm on a Boat" music video on the projector.

100. Jayme Levy's epic return to OU and the morning after at the diner when Aurora, Tiff, Mel, Jayme and myself couldn't remember anything. Except puking.

reCHARGE

So I'm feeling bits better after taking a mini-vacation to Athens yesterday/today. It was really good to get my head out of the job search and just cool down. It was the first time I was a hobo at OU since my official visit in 2004. Not having a house or dorm room there is just plain odd. It's like going back to the house you grew up in as a child and seeing the new owners and all the changes they've made to the house. Weird. Even better, it was great to see some friends, especially one of my roommates from the past year. I really do have a fantastic group of friends all over this world. Highlights from yesterday/today include:

1. Big Mama's Burritos, baby mama chipotle ranch burrito tasted so good at the time, but later on made my stomach a little woozy.

2. Seeing new construction on Court Street, including the street work on Carpenter. Athens is like Mexico. At all times someone is always cleaning, building, or fixing something.

3. Visiting my old house, 93. There are FLOWER POTS on the stoops. Unacceptable. At least the landlords got them a new mailbox.

4. Playing Mario Cart at 2am with Cliff and continuously falling off the face of the earth.

5. Snagging NINE cups from the CI. When I get my first apartment I want to open my cupboard and have nothing but CI cups to drink out of.

6. Walking about what felt like 15 miles to the new Summit apartments, while dropping my cups every 10 steps.

7. The game Q102 played on the radio as Cam and I were driving through Adams County. 6 songs all with something in common, basically a guessing game. All the songs we heard had the word "All" in the title.

8. Running into Leah and watching intervention on A&E. It was with a set of twins that were anorexic and since had no souls.

I think that's about all I can gather for now. It was a pretty rock solid night. Today is for recharging. I am turning my cell phone off, taking a hot shower, and reading. Okay, and catching Conan too.

Every now and then you have a crappy day; today was mine. To make it even better, it was in the 50s and rainy. It's getting to the point where I am mentally exhausted from applying for jobs. I have searched high and low. I have used every social network, online and in person, and everything has led to a dead end. I have gotten nothing but great feedback in all areas, and have only gotten passed up by someone else for a job spot once. I've worked my ass off everyday and done everything you're supposed to do and then more. I don't know what to do! Literally! Where do I go? When I graduated it became exciting because for the first time in my life I don't have anything planned out. I don't know what I'm doing and it's gone from exciting to scary. The fact that 99% of companies aren't hiring and I can't control it. I don't know when anything is going to be better. My money from summer jobs of past isn't going to last forever, and I'm going to have to find a random part-time job to at least pay my bills. It would seem humbling, but in this point in your life you're supposed to be in the real world. Not in the high school world. It's okay to live at home when you get out of college, but right now this could go on for another year at least. Nothing good or worthwhile ever comes easy, I know this is true, and something will eventually come, but WHEN! At least you know out of high school some college would take you, hence back-up options, satellite campuses, etc. Here in the real world, back-ups are Blockbuster and satellite campuses are your grandparent's spare bedrooms.

I am so frustrated! Hopefully this crappy mood will pass when I wake up tomorrow. I'm clearly not giving up, I'm just lost in the woods.

HAPPY

Summer Unemployment Bucket List: Update

1. Learn a new language. Preferably German.
I'm slacking because of #3

2. Give away a bunch of clothes that I don't need anymore.
Done. I made a grand total of $7 off of about 20 pieces of clothing, thanks for nothing Plato's Closet

3. Learn more CSS.
Rockin with < div >s

4. See my grandparents in Florida.
Negative. Not happening either :(

5. Paint 3 pieces minimum in New York.
July 11-18

6. Sit as close as possible to an ATP Finalist during their warm-ups again, i.e. Federer '07 and Novak '08.
August 23rd

7. Work-out more than I lay-out.
Very valid. Ratio is around 5:1

8. Google Earth as much as possible.
Kind of.

9. Visit a friend somewhere.
July 19 Cleveland Kimber + Renee :) !!

10. Watch "The Big Chill" in honor of my college roommates/house.
I'll save this for September

Do Whatever You Want; Make A Mess

Rejection Letter of the Week

As Seen on Under Consideration

urbancartography.com
Simply brilliant infographics

Research for Author Websites

For my next freelance gig, I will hopefully be creating- from scratch- a website for a book/author. Here is what I have found in preliminary research. I like to call it The OK at Best, The Bad, and The Ugly.









if you find anything better... PLEASE let me know.

In Need

of a design project to work on in my spare time. Here are some of my ideas:

take a children's book that i have downstairs and re-create it, cover-to-cover. illustrations are 100% hand-drawn. make a web version as well.

take "oh the places you'll go" by dr. seuss and make a modern, personal version. hell, create a website too.

... more to come. it's 3:20am again suddenly and i need to actually sleep.

My Role Models

1. My Mom
2. My Grandma Pickett
3. My Aunt Marcia
4. My 5th Grade teacher, Genie Long
5. Jackie Kennedy
6. Wonder Woman
7. Michelle Obama
8. Anna Wintour, VOGUE
9. Katy Perry
10. Ari Gold, Entourage
11. Farrah Fawcett
12. Lucinda Heekin

i'm sure there's more but that's all i could come up with in 5 minutes.

i hear invoices 2

Clearly I have a lot of personal information on my invoice, so this is the closest you're going to get to seeing what it looks like:

i hear invoices

tonight i conquered creating an invoice template for my freelance services. i think i expressed my feelings the best on my twitter page:

Real World Cancun <3

I am so glad the newest installment of MTV's The Real World is in MEXICO! Cancun is a liiitle American and literally like Vegas, but I still love my Mexico! The Senor Frogs that they go to in the first episode is the exact one my four good friends and I went to the one night we visited the Mexican Sin-City. It was one wild and crazy night, so much fun, but I never want to go back to Cancun again. Why go to Cancun when you could go to the tiny island off of it, Isla Mujeres? It's non-commercial and beautiful. The hostel we stayed at cost us $6 a night. BEST. Side note: you know you're getting old when everyone on the Real World is younger than you. Thank you CJ for being 2 years older than me and saving my sanity.

*Little HAHA off of a Real World Cancun Cast Bio:

Emilee

Age: 21 -- South Hamilton, MA

Emilee is a sensitive girl who can let her emotions get the best of her, but as the daughter of therapists, she is also on of the few people in the house who is looking to learn and grow and change as a result of every new situation. And while she could probably have any guy she wanted, she's been trying to change her perspective on men, sex, and love. She says she's now looking for love and someone to settle down with. Will she find that in Cancun?

3am I must be lonely

well it's my first saturday night at home in months, and i have to say i don't mind. when you're unemployed all of the days weld together. i often find myself having to check a local source to find out what day of the week it is so i don't miss any haircuts, lacrosse pick-ups, etc. speaking of lacrosse, tomorrow i am getting a pick-up game together. it will be one of the first times i've played lacrosse in way too long. hopefully there is a good turn out so i can refine my mad skills. lacrosse has/hasn't always been there for me when design and life are hectic. it truly is an outlet. i say it hasn't been there for me because i went to college to play lacrosse (and of course become a designer) and it was cut short. the athletic dept ran out of money, long story short, and i choose to stay and become a designer than transfer because of the game. i have had to be creative in ways to stay connected to the game, but luckily i still can play occasionally.
i have the assistant coaching job at my old school, sycamore, for the 2009-2010 season. i am seriously looking forward to becoming a coach. i'm sure there are area varsity head coaching positions open for the upcoming season, but there is no way in my first year out of college that i can handle being a head coach. i'm sure i could, but i want to focus on #1 which is being a graphic designer. maybe next year. i love teaching girls how to play and spreading the game. i've been so fortunate to play with other players with such passion, zeal, and skill. my high school team was the most passionate group i've ever been apart of, and the chemistry was like an out-of-body experience every time we played. my club team was coached by a world cup player along with girls from all over the country; from california to florida. my team at ou was the most fun and outrageously entertaining group i've ever been around, and also the most emotionally tough (especially after what we went through in 2007). i love following how all of my old teammates from high school, club and college do today, especially the super sweet ones that are played in this year's world cup in prague.
i hope that when i coach i have fun, and that the girls have fun. my teammate of 7 years told me yesterday how no matter if you win or lose, if you love your team, you don't care. of course you always want to win over losing, but it's about the people. i'm excited to start a club team one day with my old teammates and take girls to places they've never been and possibly get them noticed by college coaches. if it wasn't for my hs coach and even my club coach, i wouldn't have been at ou.
bottom line: i'm very grateful what lacrosse has brought to me in the last ten years, and i look forward to what it brings me in the future, on the side of my usual design life :)

Will Staehle

Lately I've been spending more time at Barnes & Noble than I have in the last 8 years of my life now that I have free time, and I always come across Michael Chabon's "The Yiddish Policeman's Union". The book cover is listed as one of the 30 Novels Worth Buying For the Cover Alone on AbeBooks.com. I stopped to open the book and find out who the genius was behind the book design and came across Leah Carlson-Stanistic and Will Staehle. Leah and Will are both art directors for Harper's Publishing. It is very reminiscent of Chip Kidd's work, but almost with a little more splash of vibrant color.

I went to Will's website, http://willstaehle.com/, and couldn't really find much of his work. He listed clients such as Disney, but I was redirected to lonewolfblacksheep.com which does commercial work. Check it out!

FB Friends with Someone Famous!

And I'm not just talking about JestyBeatz!

As I near 1,000 friends on Facebook, I am thinking my latest request will be one of my coolest friends. Currently I would have to say that my internet "friendship" with former UK Basketball standout and NBA stud, Kelena Azibuke would be the coolest, but he has since dropped off the 'book, leaving me without any totally rad celeb friends. Until today when I was reading a blog by one of my favorite authors of all time, Laura Weisberger. She is credited with Devil Wears Prada and Everyone Worth Knowing. The latest masterpiece is Chasing Harry Winston, which unfortunately I have not gotten the time to get through (although I bought it the opening week!). She just joined the 'book and wants everyone to request her as a friend. Maybe someday I can design a book interior/cover for her! It's all about networking these days!

index pages as of 7pm

CSS

Today was the day I tried to crack down on CSS, and right now my brain is on serious overload. I got onto lynda.com and was reading my Dreamweaver book at the same time. I think I need to just focus on one or the other and start from the beginning. I really want to be able to create rockin' websites, and need to learn it the right way. Today I learned to use frames successfully, as well as rollovers, and menus bars. I feel like I'm getting a bunch of puzzle pieces and I need to be able to put them all together. CSS and Dreamweaver are so much different than any sort of print design program, and I never learned any of this in school. I guess I can use this unemployed time and buckle down on it, and in the end hopefully I will have a wide knowledge of it all.

German phrase of the afternoon

Effort to Learn German

Until I receive Scott's generous Rosetta Stone in the mail, I will be using Michel Thomas's "Speak German". I had three options at the library:

1. 6 Casette Tape set (I actually checked it out first, then had to return it once I realized I wouldn't be able to listen to it)

2. 2 CDs, with no design, just librarian handwriting of title on case

3. Michel Thomas's 2 disk-set. Apparently, he has used this system to teach languages to people like Mel Gibson, Woody Allen, and even Princess Grace of Monaco.

Here goes nothing, ya?

Daytona 500 + Bounty

This is what is on shelf now











These are one pillar of sketches I created for the project:

This project was definitely a challenge in trying to take graphic elements from the Daytona 500 logo and incorporate them into Bounty packaging. A lot of big brands have seriously strict branding guidelines in their manuals. This leaves seemingly little room to show creativity, which is the real challenge. Turns out checkered patterns are very successful in conveying NASCAR!