THIS IS bULL5|-|17

On a typical Wednesday, you would come to my blog and find a wrap up of last nights SYTYCD. I would be commenting on the lack of energy during the Nutcracker Suite ballet routine, or the OMFBALLS that number with the two guys and the music from District 13 which was striking! 

But no. 

Instead, I am completely frazzled because for some RIDICULOUS reason, iTunes USA does not have the new Robbie Williams single, "Candy", available for purchase! WHAT  THE FRAK!?!?! COME ON! Argentina can get it. Vietnam can purchase, no problem. LAOS and FRAKING Brunei can get this FRAKING SONG AND I CAN'T!!!>?!?! You know, Cuba and North Korea are the only two countries that don't sell coca-cola... BUT I BET THEY COULD BUY THIS SONG!

asdf;lkjasdf;lkjasdfkl;jasdfl;jksadfkl;'fdsjalk;'fdskaal;fdksl;fdklsa;fkdjls;fdksl;a!!!!!!!!

You can get THIS song on iTunes, but not Robbie Williams "Candy"?!?!

This is BULLShizz.

See RW sticking out his tongue here? That's pretty much what it feels like. "Hey G, you can't legally buy my new single. You'll have to wait for the album in November. HAHAHAHAHA"

You're kind of forcing me to get your song illegally Rob, do you realize this?

If the YouTube to Mp3 converter site had not been pulled, I would have already done it. As it stands, I have to wait for someone to upload it. I'm not saying I'll steal it... but it's that or I have to wait until the full album is available for purchase. 

*sigh*

Sorry Trish.

The Power of Three

Thanks to my three readers, I’ve found the thief who stole my mug. I’m not going to say who did it, (TORRENCE!) but you know who you are (TORRENCE!) and I very much hope that you’ve learned your lesson. (TORRENCE!)

See? It’s a pretty ugly mug. Well, not ugly, but just not for me. Glo gave it to me… therefore I love it. And as you can see, it holds a $*(@#) amount of coffee.

And that thing behind it is my special Hawaiian Menehune; which surprisingly, is also a gift from my Mom. Huh. I'll have to tell you more about that story later.

And a Disco Ball... Proportionately Sized

When designing your new workspace, or "Career Stations" one must think of all the items you would want to have if the sky was the limit.

Career Station Space
- Table that can seat 8, hardwood, smooth surface
o To be used within the career stations as a collaboration zone for proofing mechanicals, going over workflow, creative brain-storming… so that if we need to answer our phone or get to computer, it’s easier than locking ourselves in the control room

- Touchscreen with internet connectivity on the enclosed wall space
- Paper Recycling station!!!
- Digital color printer / scanner
- New leather office chairs that are ergonomically built for our career station
- Selection of plants (at least one per person)
o Because oxygen and color and living things are good

- Marketing only smallish refrigerator – that can hold OUR food not to mention back up insulin – this is huge because we can’t trust our meds to the common room fridge
- Mini bar that we could have a cocktail on Friday evenings or a glass of wine
- If they remove the file cabinets along the walls, we need our own file cabinets – in a BIG way


Common area
- Three cushy sofas and/or chairs plus a low coffee table
- Hi-definition SMART television, with cable, with internet access
o To access Bloomberg TV and CNN

- Remote keyboard and mouse system
- Magazine rack and a newspaper rack to hold our advertising materials
- Pop up – like what we take to events to display collateral
- Three Floor lamps, strategically placed so that we can turn off the overhead lights
- Three floor pillows
- Multipanel screen that can be placed across a gap for added privacy – note: not permanent, but like a Shoji screen
- XBOX 360 w/Kinect - for team building, letting off stress
- Wii gaming system, along with an assortment of team building games like Wii Sports
- Dartboard
- Disco ball – proportionate to the space
- Plastic plants and Festivus pole
- 40-gallon Aquarium with live fish
- Assortment of games like Pictionary (along with standup easel that is whiteboard), CLUE, RISK, Stratego, Battleship, Scrabble

I don't think that's too much to ask.

Across the Pond

http://creativity-online.com/work/xbox-fable-iii-kingmaker/21471

If I were in London, and should I have an iPhone, I'd be running around the streets playing Kingmaker. How smart and interactive of an idea! Getting points that you can spend in-game, getting exercize too, and fighting for your team. I'm trying to figure out a way to work this into a revival of the Show Me Games, interactive bicycling.

Once Fable III releases, I know that I'll be back into gaming mode for a few days. Can't wait.

I will never forget the look on that chicken's face

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2VMF3R2-zxM

So many peeps have asked about 'Digest This', the original masterpiece from Adam Holmes, where I lent a hand in the creation process. Adam will be working in Pixar in the near future, I have no doubt of that. But to catch a glimpse of his beginning, where Mrs. Rosenburg was a nervous Matzo Mummy and my vocal skills were all a-twitter... wait no longer.

Simply click the link and be magically transported away to the animated solution to end world hunger.

Peaches, Ikea and Cubes... OH MY!

Learned quite a bit this week. And let's face it, if you aren't learning something new, then you aren't living, you're just surviving. And what fun is that?

According to NPR, the Peach business is going to boom this year. Due to rain and good seasonal weather, the word of the day is PEACH. Now how to make that payoff in your daily business, since I don't think Peach Farmers are on the NASDAQ... with the exception of baking up some nom nom noms Peach Cobbler, perhaps the overarching point is that The South is going to be profitable. And we're all going to be enjoying the fruits of their labor (pun intended).

Moving right along, I had a head-smack moment on my commute home. Driving by the Ikea on the 121, I noticed that the building was in blue and yellow. Sweden's flag's colors. Was this a DUH moment or what? Did you know it was founded by a 17 year old Swede? I knew it was Scandinavian, but didn't connect the dots. It was almost like the day I realized that Kay Jewelers tagline "Every kiss begins with Kay" was a double entendre for the letter K in kiss and the brand Kay. Why it didn't hit me until recently? I am embarrassed.

Speaking of driving, I have finally found my new car replacement for Gus the Wonder Bug. After test-driving a few this weekend, I've happily decided to purchase a Nissan Cube. No, I don't think it's homely or boxy. I dig it. It's a fun ride and has an intelligence chip. Being able to cruise around DFW, getting 30+ mpg, blue tooth and iPod downloads into the stereo's memory are freaking awesome. Not to mention, it's just fun to drive. (Insert Hitchhiker's Guide quote here.)

Alright peeps... make it a great day!

If we tweeted to Keanu to become a WWOOFer, maybe he wouldn't be so sad.

Couple of wacky/intriguing things I found floating on teh internets today.

New meme stemming from a Paparazzi shot of Keanu Reeves sitting on a bench alone, eating a sammich. He looks just a wee bit depressed. Not the - I’m going to pull a Heath Ledger - (too soon?) but more along the lines of the Sad Clown from the Circus. (Speaking of which, I haven’t mentioned clowns or zombies in a while… are we due for a G rant on Clombies?) Digression aside, Happy ‘Cheer Up Keanu Day’ everyone.

Next we come across a fun Twitter/webcam stunt involving a recruiter out of Chicago Ad Biz. Apparently, if you tell David what to do for the week, he’s going to do it (within legal limits and reason of course.) 24 hours a day, 7 days… whatever you tweet him, he’s going to do it. And in return, his boss is going to send him to Cannes. Not too shabby an idea if you ask me!

Finally… the WWOOFers. What is a WWOOFer, one might ask? Welp, basically it is traded labor for room & board on an organic farm. No money changes hands. You learn about working on an organic and sustainable farm for a few months, work minimum hours on the farm each day, and your hosts feed and shelter you. Want a getaway to New Zealand? Here’s a way to do it.

Later Gators.

Talkin bout Meh Generation!

Technically, I fall at the tail end of Gen X, which is considered the 13th Generation in the United States (1961 - 1981; directly following the Baby Boomers, this is the 13th Generation from Ben Franklin.) So many movies and books refer to this grouping (Douglas Coupland, Reality Bites, etc.) I just don't relate as well as, say, my brother or older cousins. This was the time of Grunge (yes, I bought Teen Spirit just like everyone else) and MTV. I was still watching Animaniacs and having sleepovers. Am I Gen X? I don't think so.

Here's a brief history of some of the named Generations.

Lost Generation - Those that fought in WWI. Kinda sad name actually. "Hi, I'm in the Lost Generation... and I don't mean the TV show.")

Interbellum Generation - Those born at the end of the 19th Century into 1915 (This would be my Grandpa Ignatz "Happy" Heppler. German immigrant and farmer.)

Greatest Generation - Those that fought in WWII, born 1916 - mid 1920s. Tom Brokaw named them in a book and it stuck. A little pompous in my opinion to say you are the GREATEST Generation, but they lived through the Depression and fought a serious war, so I'll shut up about that.

Silent Generation - Born between 1925 - 1945. These are generally the ones to young to fight, the Depression had a profound impact on them, life was hard. My Mother and Father were of this group. Although, my mother does not remember much of the War, her older brother was an enlisted Navy (lied about his age) and in Europe.

The Baby Boom- Yeah, I think we all know about these guys. 1945 - 1965. Thanks for the sweet music, art, political movements and more. Please take your vitamins and watch your cholesterol.

Gen X - Already discussed. Holla Yuppies!

Gen Y (Millenials, Generation Next) - The fact that they can't agree on a name, or dates, pretty much sums it up. Some say it's late 1970's to early 2000... other say 1981 to early 21st Century. The advent of the Hipster. Are you wearing your Hush Puppies with a sardonic t-shirt?

Generation Z (Digital Natives, Gen Tech) - These are the Noobs. They don't remember the days of Crapple 2e computers, no internet, cell phones bigger than phone books (Hello Zach Morris!) These are the kids who are smarter, faster, more connected and with less privacy.

So where does that leave those of us kids born in 1976 - 1981? We're a little bit of the misfit toys. We can easily jump between groups. Hanging with Gen X and relating to watching 90210 and Friends... and then hopping down to Gen Y & Z with our iPhones, iPads, iPods and rocking out on the XBOX for ultimate Rock Band supremacy. I hate to say it, but John Mayer might be the poster child for this small segment. We should get a special generational name for this transitional period.

I'm still trying to think of a good name though... Generation Meh?

Warning to the squeamish!

Now, I am the first to admit that I am NOT a horror fan. The most comfortable I can get is a 'Shaun of the Dead' and that is more for Simon Pegg than anything else. However, I do respect and am fascinated with the craft of making something unique.

That being said, do not click on the links below if you are not comfortable with scares, horror, knife-wielding maniacs... et cetera. I myself may watch cartoons before bedtime tonight. Don't say I did not warn you. Regardless, this is a redirect from Art Producer Extraordinaire, Adrienne Tucker, who has always brought me new creative concepts to chronicle... in this case, Photographers who layer without using Photoshop.


***
Just discovered this “horror” photographer, Joshua Hoffine. I recommend looking at his website, but his blog is especially great. He shows behind-the-scenes/making of pictures of each set that he builds. He tries to capture as much as possible in camera, rather than use Photoshop.

Website:
http://www.joshuahoffine.com/

Blog:
http://joshuahoffine.wordpress.com/

***

White copy on a black shirt

One of my favorite web comics is 'Questionable Content' (thanks to Rhett for recommending it a few years ago.) Each day, I take a few moments to immerse myself into the world of Martin, Dora, Hannerlore and more... my recent favorite addition is Marigold, who WoW geeky and introverted as she is, also is learning to take chances and try new opportunities.

To add to your feed, go here: http://questionablecontent.net