Rob Chiu...

The Ronin (Chiu's site)

A few posts ago I mentioned seeing an interview with Rob Chiu. He's just updated his site with his new reel, and I can't stop watching it. I'm not sure why I like it so much, but I definitely do.

via Motionographer

Saul Bass...

At work we're doing a promo that, probably more than references, but I'll say references the work of Saul Bass. I've never really taken a close look at his stuff, because I've always been a little turned off by the work that "references" his. Anyway, his stuff is killer and I'm sort of excited to work on the promo.



Here's a video of Saul talking about film titles... its long so I didn't bother to embed it.
Bass on Titles

a year later...

So I realized that it was one year ago this weekend that I left Birmingham. Years go by a lot quicker than they used to.

I thought about trying to explain in this post a little of what I was feeling or a little of what led to me leaving, but honestly so much has changed in the last year, that I just don't care to dwell on those things. It's not that those things don't matter, they do, and they're a big part of what has brought me to this point. They're just not worth enumerating in a blog post.

God has been really gracious toward me over the last year. I didn't think I would like it here. I honestly don't think I expected to find much of a life here, but God has given me more life in Philadelphia than I would have dared to hope for. I don't use the word much, but I really am awed by what He's led me to here and I think those things are definitely worth enumerating. God's given me a church that I'm growing to love, and a community of people that are open to doing the same. I was on a membership retreat for the church this weekend, and had so much fun beginning to forge what I hope will be meaningful relationships with such beautiful new friends. God's given me a job that's challenging. This past couple of weeks I've had to bust my tail to try to create and concept my own ideas for commercials and promos... and my ideas and concepts have been bad. I've felt like I'm terrible at my job... but I don't feel defeated. I'm a little down for sure... but for the first time I sort of understand what all the athlete guys I hung around in college talked about when they said they needed their coach to "rub their noses in the dirt and tell them how much of a sissy they were." It's making me better. It's making me not settle for my first idea, or not to settle for an easy development of that idea. I'm learning. God's given me new friends, and hopefully if all goes well a new place to live that's so close to all of them, in a neighborhood that I've loved from my first trip there. And I'm not sure if this is what tops it all off or if it's the ingredient that's mixed in throughout and makes all those things so sweet, but either way I'm so grateful that God has given me an amazing relationship with Haley...who really is the coolest person I've ever known.

God has been unbelievably gracious toward me, and I've seen that most clearly this past year. I've taken to not writing much personal stuff on here... but I'd be amiss not to, at least this once, in light of unbelievable year God's given me.

a modest list...

I'm not big on lists, but I've had my thinking on them challenged as of late. Here's a modest list of 27 things I'd like to do before I turn 28. I'm a few months late to the game, so take it easy on me for some of the easy targets on there.

1. Eat dinner in the trolley at the Spaghetti Warehouse.
2. Shoot guns at the firing range across Spring Garden from the Spaghetti Warehouse.
3. Master one delicious Mexican dish and cook it often. (Quesadillas do not count)
4. Visit Richmond Virginia.
5. Write a semi-complex but functioning Processing sketch.
6. Eat Ethiopian food in West Philly with Haley.
7. Play guitar more.
8. Learn more about tea and cheese
9. Do something at work that I'm not embarrassed to tell people I did.
10. Explore places outside the city once a month.
11. Bake bread.
12. Ride my bike to work semi-regularly.
13. Do personal projects.
14. Get soft pretzels from the place on Washington.
15. Go to the site of the Philly World's Fair.
16. Spend some time at home with my family.
17. Watch a Woody Allen movie.
18. Read Catcher in the Rye.
19. Cook with Granny and Pop and get some of their recipes.
20. Grow a few vegetables.
21. Move to Fishtown.
22. Make some sweet beats in Reason.
23. Play outside more.
24. Wash my car. (It's a bigger deal that you might think.)
25. Make some stencils.
26. Pray more.
27. Take a long trip.

six cents

Haley and I determined that some things cost more for Home Depot to sell than they do for us to buy. Bolts for '05 VW Golf battery clamps are one such thing.

Bolt = $ 0.06
Estimated Hourly Wage of Home Depot employee = $10.00
Number of Employees needed to ring up one bolt = 2
Time Elapsed during said ringing up = roughly 3 minutes

so...

[(hourly wage / 60 *to get money earned per minute)] times the number of minutes worked) times the number of workers = cost to Home Depot in Man Hours of Selling one bolt

And if my math is right that brings Home Depot's cost to...

[($10.00 / 60) x 3] x 2 = $1.00.

I admit after doing the math that's a little disappointing. A dollar. But we only paid six one hundredths of that dollar... that is impressive.

inspiration...

I like making stuff... I rarely do it outside of work. Work typically takes it out of me, so the thought of sitting down and spending long hours at home in front of my computer typing code, pushing pixels or trying to make music is usually pretty unappealing. Especially when I consider all the other things I could do with said hours. But... recently I've found myself wanting that time at my computer... wanting to make something I can care about. I like that feeling.

I found this site today and have watched several of the interviews... Rob Chiu, Chris Hewitt and Mate Stienforth in particular.

Last night I went to dinner with a bunch of folks and heard a guy talk about a lot of semi-heady stuff. What's sticking out the most is heroism. How we need heroes so that our imaginations can be engaged; to cause us to aspire to be more tomorrow than we are today. I've got some new heros now, maybe thats why I feel more inspired.

alabama...

I'm going there at the end of May... I'll be in good company.

Can't wait to see everyone.