California Christmas

For a change of pace this year, our family decided to forego presents and rent a beach house in California. We just happened to settle in Capitola, California, about an hour south of San Francisco. I had never heard of it until we came here. But I"m glad we came.

There's something about the coast that keeps calling my name. People are more friendly in a small coastal city like this because they seem to be more content with their lives. Example number one is the drivers. They are more than willing to wait a little while longer while a group of 9 people and a baby stroller cross where they aren't supposed to. Then they give you a smile and a wave. I could get used to that. 

I think more people would appreciate that sort of behavior. The world would be a much happier place if we all started living that way. So if I don't see you sometime soon, consider this my smile and wave. 

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Warming of the house

I have a few weird traits. Maybe alot. And one of them is a love for unpacking. Moving somewhere new, and figuring out where I'm going to put things. I can't figure out why I like it so much, I just know that I enjoy myself very much while doing it. Know what I mean? I consider it one of my pleasure pains. You know the type of thing You love to do but are never really sure why you keep doing it. Like having a bruised fingernail, for example, and continuously pushing on it even though you know it will hurt. As if for a split second you convince yourself the pain actually feels good. Because it hurts so good. 

In my recent move to a new house, I've had the opportunity to fully embrace my corkiness. I'm sort of a pack rat, and I love to collect all sorts of useless junk. I might need it someday, you never know. It's also a somewhat bitter sweet feeling. I'd like to just dive in and solve the puzzle or game of tetris, but I know that the sooner I do so, the sooner it's over. Then I'm just an ordinary guy living in a different location again. Like the feeling of reaching the final hundred pages of a really good book, and even though you want to get answers, you don't ever want it to end as to face the reality of life without being able to read it anymore. Anyone who watched the TV show LOST probably knows the feeling.

 As for right now, I'm still "moving". Which, again, seems more fun to me. I'm sure my roommates are not thrilled about this side of me. I have spilled out into the living room with all of my belongings. Clinging to the last few items that remain to be put away. I'll get around to it. I really will. I guess I like change. 

Just give me a minute.

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Get used to it

I walk past it every morning on my way to school now. The aroma is intoxicating. And I debate stopping every single time. I may have to find a new way to campus

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Creativity

From Hey Whipple Squeeze This:

“Creativity is like washing a pig. It’s messy. It has no rules. No clear beginning, middle or end. It’s kind of a pain in the ass, and when you’re done, you’re not sure if the pig is really clean or even why you were washing a pig in the first place.”

The creative process is basically chaotic at its core and, for me at least, the washing-a-pig metaphor works on several levels.

 

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Life on the road?

I've always kind of wondered if I could actually pick up my life and live out of a suitcase. After a 2 week vacation from coast to coast, i'm starting to second guess myself with that kind of lifestyle. I think there is a reason why people started going on vacation rather than just moving from place to place. It feels good to get back home and have some order in my life and not have to eat out every single meal. Or maybe I was just exhausted after 2 weeks of non-stop tourism. Although my wallet took a hit and got a lot smaller, so did my bucket list. I think a simple list of everything I did should suffice for the rest of this:

Road trip to San Fran

Client pitch to Haagen Dazs

Cal Berkley campus tour

Lombard Street

Fisherman's Wharf

Car robbery (Sorry Jeff)

Japan Town

Haight/Ashbury

Agency visits with DDB and Goodby, Silverstein, and Partners

Authentic Mexican Food.

US OPEN

Drive home

NYC flight

Central Park

Tom's Restaurant

Statten Island Ferry

Rocaway Beach

Lost on the Subway

Brooklyn Bridge

H&M

Movie in Bryant Park

Canal Street

Strand Bookstore

Donut Plant

Times Square

Jersey Boys on Broadway

Stardust Diner

South Street Seaport

Puma City

World Cup game

Coney Island

Agency visits to Ogilvy and BBDO 

Manhattan Temple

Rockafeller Plaza

NBA Draft

NYU

Washington Square

La Guardia Airport - 17 hours, no flight

Try again

Chicago

Green Bay

Lambeau Field

Lombardi Trophy

Chicago Airport - 13 hours

Home.

I never thought I'd be so happy to go back to work and have a regular schedule again. Yikes.

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He does it again

I spend every 2-3 years waiting for Jack Johnson to release a new album. 

I'm not going to take a stand about downloading music off the internet (and by downloading, I mean without paying), but there are certain guidelines when it comes to favorite musicians. I am definitely paying full price for this album. No stealing. I feel like anyone who considers themselves to be a musician, even in the slightest sense, needs to do the same. The best part is that he is donating 100% of his concert tour profits to the Johnson Ohana Charitable Foundation.

For some reason, Jack took some grief for his last album, but I still loved it. It's more than just the music, it's the feeling and attitude that comes with it. Well done on this latest album, Jack. Well done. I love it already.

Jack is back. Life just got that much better.

You can listen to the new album here: http://www.spinner.com/new-releases#/1

 

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Best spot ever?

For any company to claim that something they have just produced is "among the best they have ever done" is no small statement. And for a company like Nike, who is known for captivating TV spots and other advertisements, to make such a statement sparks an interesting question. If you haven't seen the new spot produced by Weiden + Kennedy, Amsterdam, here is the link: http://adage.com/article?article_id=144010. 

So what do you think? Is this really among the the best Nike has ever done? The spot is no doubt very well done. In fact, it may actually be one of my favorite spots, personally. But why would Nike go out on a limb and make a statement like this before the spot even launched? 

Here's one reason I thought of—what was your first reaction when you heard that Nike itself thought it was the best? Did you want to see it? Did you think to yourself, "I'll be the judge of that?" If you are anything like me, you made sure it was the first thing you watched when you woke up in the morning. My guess is that millions of other people around the world will do the same thing. Nike made a believer out of me. 

I don't want to suggest that this was only a tactic used by Nike to increase the exposure of the ad, because maybe they really do think this is one of the best. If it is, then the statement solidifies their position as a brand and the impact it has over sports fans worldwide, and the spot will become an instant internet sensation. Well done, Nike. Well done, Weiden + Kennedy.

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