You are currently browsing the monthly archive for August 2009.
I planned on making this weekly post related back to some sort of advertising, but realized, WOW. How cheesy is that? It’s tragic, however, that I make this first post for YRBK Music Monday about the passing of Adam “DJ AM” Goldstein who passed away this past Friday . I never really met the guy, but sometimes he’d be the DJ at the Vapors & BPM events. I remember the first time I heard an AM mix tape was in Milhouse’s Mini “Cooper” and his tape was banging an Oasis’ Wonderwall over a breakbeat. The track sounded something like this:
Years later, I had the pleasure of seeing him live twice, once with Travis Barker at Avalon and another time at the second or third week at Banana Split Sundaes at LAX. Phenomenal DJ. RIP.
It’s SARAP. (it’s a wrap).
In Big Bear right now doing the MANCATION weekend with Da MeN. Bidjo games, BBQ, Fight Night, and Poker in FULL effect. This night is sponsored by Tacate and only the best Mexican Currency. The popular quote for the evening is “Hey fuck you bitch!” haha Alekhine’s last stand…can we get any older?! Cheers.
It’s almost midway through the break and I still have to do a lot. I’ve been working out regularly, but unfortunately I had to drop out due to my budget. Need to update my portfolio pieces and finish up that stuff for The Munkey King. Also, took a class in Blogs with Jen O’Sullivan. She offered some great advice on improving my blog. I’m working on getting onto that asap.
My buddy Alekhine has his bachelor party coming up and I’m nearly all bushed out growing my “mancation moustache”. Most of the guys on the trip are growing out our mustaches in order to make this all a little bit more “manly”. haha And those who can’t grow said facial hair will be provided one either by dry erase marker or otherwise. We’re all going up to Big Bear and doing manly things like chopping wood, mountain biking, bear wrestling, and mountain lion wrangling. Sound be loads of fun!
Kicked off my term break with a private training session with Tee Trainer Extraordinaire in Encino while nursing a hangover from partying too much the night before. Ugh, I’m getting to old for partying…either way, good times and yet again have triumphed in drinking way too much. At least I had some sort of control when it came to portion, but not too late as I soon found out by throwing up and passing out on my friend’s couch.
This morning was no forgiveness for me neither. Tee showed me some core workouts that I have yet to master. Yea, that shit is hard shit. So I’m going to be going to him two a week during break and probably once a week during school. I figured that if I can handle the mental workout and fatigue of Art Center, then I can direct that same focus to my physique as well.
Right now, I’m waiting for my buddy Chic to pick me up so we can go shooting at LAX. We’re also going with our buddy Dave. Both of them are photogs and hopefully we’ll be able to learn some technique from each other. Werd
I’m bitching tonight because I had the chance to go and visit some old friends at a birthday party and ended up that I couldn’t because I needed to stay home to get the rest of my work done for finals. It sucks. A lot of my old colleagues would have been there, especially my first mentor Junk One. I’m stuck at home and dead tired, and quite frankly, at times like these it’s hard to see the point to all of this.
On another note, I feel fat as fuck because I haven’t work out in like a week, my nutrition has gone to shit, and I’m sexually frustrated. If only I can get through this week I will be better. Ya, right now I’m just frustrated as fuck. I know I’ll be better if I like eat something or drink some Coke or some shit. But ya, can’t see the point of all this right now. It’s a moment of pure hopelessness. I wonder if anyone can relate? This fucking sucks. FML moment number 4,080.
Five down, one to go. I have two days to get this last final done. Things have slowed down significantly, and I feel like I’m not in such a rush rush rush to finish this for tomorrow. Thank God!
Had a good final for AdCon2. Finished up three campaigns and set up a good presentation.I did an Avante Garde piece for Intro to Copy, pushing the envelope to display a street campaign. Sarah, my instructor, loved it. TV Concepts was excellent. Did a full presentation with integrated cross-promotion within my advertising. Now just finishing up work for submission to the gallery that is due by tomorrow morning.
This term was altogether tough. As much time that I put into my work in these last weeks, I had a pretty tough time getting myself off the ground at the beginning of the term. (Plus, I had the Munkey King on top of all that!) I can honestly say that six classes ain’t shit anymore. I’ve knocked it out the park dammit! I felt like I’ve grown a lot; understanding my own creative process and how that comes together with my experience in marketing and promotion. I feel like it’s all coming together a bit. Creatively, I don’t feel like I’m blind pissing in the dark anymore. Branding Strategies and AdCon2 helped with my focus. All in all, this term brought unexpected results.
I feel like this term was all about “ugly” for me, or rather and exploration into the somewhat Avant Garde; finding the capacity to not make everything so goddamned perfect all the time. Because to me, everything I see looks so fucking perfect all the time! This was really a personal exploration into the unknown, and for me to really experiment with the threshold of “making”. I discovered new philosophies like Jeet Kun Do (believe it or not) and with the help of other instructors, I feel like I’ve really grown this term as a designer, and a person.
Me and some other Ad Munkeyz visited Mikio today after his AdCon1 class at South Campus. I love that guy! He gave us the werd on The Agency and what it took to submit work there. He gave us some helpful advice and let us know that 5th term is tough, we might have to wait it out a bit before applying. Although, I do feel like I am ready to take on the task, I see that my schedule has filled up pretty fast. I remember writing to Mikio at the beginning of this term to thank him for such and awesome class. He wrote back and remember he told me to “be brave” and to continue to take chances with my work. I took his advice to heart. Henceforth, the Avant Garde. I mean, really put my best foot forward and stepped out of my comfort zone like Indiana Jones in “The Last Crusade” where he put his put forward and stepped on that faux ledge. This, my classes, new philosopies, the Munkey King, really made my term all the worth it.
But what has made this half-time experience at ACCD so worthwhile are my colleagues. Even as I type this, my buddy Timothy Chen has just scored an Internship at McCann in Taiwan. Unfortunately for me, I’m postponing my trip until Winter. But man, it would’ve been dope if we both went.
But yea, I feel like I’ve really had a really good experience with the people in my term. It’s so true that it’s your fellow students, not your instructors, that really raise the bar for everyone. This term my colleagues did not disappoint. Josephine’s “Everything I touch turns to gay” vid, the animatics in TV concepts, Suzanne’s “24 Hour Terror” campaign signs, Tim’s Bose gatefolds, Euan’s Chocolate Obsession montage, and Mindy’s Proactive newspaper ads are just some of the awesome things my colleagues had contributed in my creative thinking this term. I feel entirely fortunate.
My friend Alain showed this vid to me today. Way cool. Low and behold, it’s a Converse commercial!
Recognize these guys? Fresh out the gate from Nike, the “Hyporize” ad with Kevin Durrant, Andre Iguidala, Mo Williams, and Reshard Lewis. Track by DJ Quik.
Okay, I’m burnt. I’m so looking to these next three weeks to do absolutely nothing. I went to the LA Arboretum to take some picture today. I thought the place was so peaceful and undisturbed. I couldn’t wait to spend my lazy days of break there.
So Taipei is officially out of the picture. I’m pretty bummed about it. I was really looking forward to going, but now I’m just not looking forward to really anything. Well, except Khine’s bachelor trip to Bear. Other than than, no real trip to speak of. I should just go up North and keep going until I get to Canada. That would be kinda fun actually. But still thinking about it.
It feels like my insides are eating me whole. I have the worst heartburn ever. Does overworking really do this to people? It reminds me of when I used to work for HIN and had to take tums everyday to settle my stomach from all the stress. This sucks! Well, guess this is it! Last week of pain until break. I’m already not caring.
At midnight last night I got a unexpected yet pleasant reminder from my calendar on my iPhone. It’s my 2 year stop-smoking anniversary! That’s right, 2 years ago I decided to change my life, my health, and everything that defined me. I believe it was the right decision. As I write this, I’ve been smoke free for 730 days, 17 hours, 20 minutes and 6 seconds. Cigarettes not smoked are 14,615. Lifetime saved is 3 months, 21 days, 15 hours. And finally, money saved is $4,751.50.
I couldn’t imagine my life being like this 2 years ago. I mean, its a pretty dramatic change. I have a renewed sense of purpose in life, new goals, and new direction. I don’t worry any more on how I’m going to get where I’m going. I simply think now of the fun I’ll have getting there. Definitely a more positive outlook in everything I do. I believe it all started with quitting smoking.
So today I commemorated the occasion with a run at the Rose Bowl, although I had just run several hours prior. That made it two workouts in the same day! Does that make me officially a workout whore? haha maybe, but it felt good doing it. Although I’m relatively the same weight (and was even a little chubbier a few months ago as when I quit smoking), I often ponder how much more weight I would have gained if I didn’t run this whole time. I’m nothing but thankful about the health I’ve gained and continue to gain as I run, as I grow stronger physically and spiritually. It’s only now that I’m beginning to reap the benefits of these two long years. I’m giving myself another year to wait for the “wow” factor.
Academic finals are done and last projects of the week are wrapping up for my ADV studios. Its nice to have a night like tonight to actually sit and think about shit. Don’t know how I did in my academics classes yet, but I’m sure I did alright. Have to get on the ball tomorrow and catch up with all the assignments. Have four more final projects to go, yet somehow the task doesn’t seem too daunting in the light that for the next couple days I’ll be free to work on stuff.
I was thinking about just hitting the gym tonight in order to catch up with my workout regimen. For the past two to three weeks I’ve been trying to make time in order to at least run around the Rose Bowl once. I’ve gotten away with two days or so, but I’m beginning to feel a bit sluggish. My diet has definitely sunk. I feel as if I’ve picked up anything in order to stay awake.
As for the trip, I’m contemplating still going to Taipei, although the cost is way too high and I’m afraid that I still haven’t found anyone to go with. I’m going to give it another day, and if I can’t find anyone, then I guess I’m left with an option to just postpone the trip to another time. I’m still seeing about this.
After this week I’ll officially be on my way to 5th term. Wow how time flies! And it’s only been a year.
A thought has been running through my head for the past several weeks or so, and it goes something like this: “I don’t really need to be here, I’m just here for the __________________________.” And so is the open statement that has bothered me somewhat in my time at school. Somewhere in the mix, my head came up with it and now I’m desperately trying to find the answer, or even answers, to this gut question that spawned from my head.
