There's Evidence…

For many years I've considered what it means to manage my own company, how to be an excellent familyman, and how to juggle all my other activities. But it just isn't as easy as I thought. There are many good things competing for my time! I love what I do, but there comes a time when I have to accept the challenge of balancing it out! The focus isn't changing on the creative side—that's my strong suit. The focus is going to change in my methods and time that I agree to dedicate to specific people, events and ideas along the way. But it's not my words that will display evidence…it's my actions.

Update—It's been a while!

In the past several months since my last post (which was in January and so much has happened since then!!), I've been trying some new ideas, looking for exciting opportunities, and enjoying the path God is leading me on as a husband, brother, son, teacher, employee, and freelance designer. I also want to brag on my wife, who, in June, graduated from The University of Cincinnati DAAP's Masters of Architecture program!

Below is one of those opportunities. I applied for a job in northern Virginia as a visual information specialist, and it challenged me with some interesting questions. The 1st statement/question is below in BOLD, and my reply is below in ITALICS. I'll be posting the other 4 statement/questions in the coming days. I don't claim to be an excellent writer, but saw this as an opportunity to explore a creative essay. Please read the statement/question and let me know if you think I answered it adequately or if I failed to entice you with a proper message.

Seeks out opportunities to increase knowledge sharing with others within the team or unit

Each person is equipped with the tools of verbal and gestured communication. It is by these that we have the capacity to share the knowledge of and foster an environment in which these ideas and information can be shared openly. It has been my experience in both isolated and open conversations that an innate factor of humanity is to share something enlightening and loving.

Many times I find myself intrigued by the new idea that crosses my path or I hear about from others, hoping that this will be the next thing to push me into a better position in life. I cannot be satisfied with where I am and continue to learn, seeking out fresh content with relevant consequences, that I may grow from the experience and help guide others through similar circumstances. I have heard it put many ways, but the basic idea, that “when one stops learning, he stops living too,” sets a solid principle—one that should be followed with adamant focus. I also recognize that without the help of family and friends, and other external sources, I would not be who I am today. I value friendship and the company of another person, who I can share my experiences with, as well as listen and actively participate in their life experiences. I believe we are more vulnerable when we isolate ourselves, and our knowledge, setting up barriers to expression and freedom for the company we work for and ourselves. However, I believe there is an appropriate way of communication that must be addressed in the workplace, especially if it is classified and/or confidential information. Therefore, when working with a team or unit, I try my best to communicate effectively, efficiently and truthfully. I strive to make it enjoyable and exciting for those around me. This does not mean I just fool around, but it means that I take pride in being an encourager to my coworkers and peers. I recognize what can and cannot be said around certain people, and I also recognize the power of words. What we say and how we say it can have an immense impact on the receiver—whether it’s sharing knowledge about a new gadget or gossiping about a coworker.

As a freelance designer and art director, I have the privilege of communicating new insights that help develop others in their professional lives. Over the past year and a half I have successfully initiated the importance of using updated equipment for the purposes of ministry within the church. Prior to my coming on staff, each staff member had only basic equipment and software on their outdated PCs. I brought in my MacBook and iMac and showed them how to do some amazing things, like the ease of iMovie and GarageBand, along with the simplified navigation and convenient, user-friendly tech support. I worked on Macintosh computers all through elementary and high school, and college, so I had a wealth of knowledge from the IT side. A keen understanding of the keyboard shortcuts, coupled with the education I received in college in Visual Communication Design, and suddenly Adobe didn’t seem so hard to work with either. Thus began the transition over to Apple products, simply by demonstration that they had the better tools to work with. I’m not anti PC, but for the projects and ideas that needed addressed in the creative environment, the outdated PCs were too far behind and logically Apple made sense.

Another part of sharing the knowledge is capturing the moments of bliss for someone to look back on over the years. I’ve had the privilege many times to both photograph and film an event in a way that, once edited to perfection, will instill appreciation and honor for the persons involved for years to come. Sharing knowledge is vital in most forms, and to that end I do my best to preserve those special moments, so that they can inspire new waves of sharing in the future.

On The Way Out

CDs and DVDs have been something of extraordinary significance in the past decade. Cassette tapes and VHS tapes became almost totally obsolete. In fact, I read somewhere that, even if our parents and grandparents would hope, the latter two types of media really only have about 5-7 years of life to them before they start decaying. Maybe that's why when you tried to watch the video from your childhood you found that the tracking was bad and then, to your dismay, the VCR ate your tape. Or when listening to some oldies (but goodies) in your tape deck, all of a sudden it began making weird noises, like it was digesting your tape instead of reading it back to you.

Yes, Cassettes and VHS tapes are almost gone now and soon CDs and DVDs will join them. This, according to Yahoo! Personal Finance. The article is about what not to buy in 2010. I really think it's okay to buy most of these items, and they'll probably be available for another 5 years, but with software like iTunes, YouTube, and DVRs in your cable package, it just seems more efficient and economical to get something via the web.

"The days of going to a video shop to rent a movie are at an end. In September, Blockbuster (BBI) said it plans to close roughly 22% of its stores by the end of 2010; meanwhile, third-quarter revenue was down 21% from the year-ago period." And, "when was the last time you bought a CD or even walked into a record store? The past decade was one of the worst for the industry. In the beginning, there was Napster. Then came iTunes, which was introduced in 2001 and offered affordable pricing and easy accessibility. Face it, CDs aren't coming back.Record stores are feeling the pinch. Most Virgin Megastores in the U.S. have shut down following declines in sales and revenues. In 2004, Tower Records entered bankruptcy and by 2006 most locations had closed."

There are many options for saving/exporting files. "External hard drives are one option, but an up-and-coming alternative might be simpler and save you another transition down the road. Online backup services, like Carbonite.com or Mozy.com, allow users to back up data over the Internet."

As a designer, we must create a lot of files, and be able to store those files. My personal favorite is the external hard drive because it lets you open files and resave them with little to no effort or time. DVDs are a great backup to your ExHDs. But, you can only put 4GB on them and in this age, 4GB isn't much. However, in the event that something happens to your computer or ExHD, having DVD backup is a plus.

Go ahead and read the article and keep in mind who it effects most (it won't be your grandparents). Technology is ever-changing and to keep up is trifling. Innovation is a must as we uncover new ideas and knowledge. Yet, we must persist and perform in order to sustain and live.

Year's End: Now What?

I'd like to formally say that 2009 has been an exciting and blessed year for me. It had many highs: Engagement to my wife on a mountain in Phoenix, AZ; Co-directed an new Easter production; Another nephew joined the family; Spent an unbelievable amount of time with my family; helped my church get through a variety of changes brought on with renovations of the Nexus Pavilion, Impact Center, and the main Sanctuary; Married Katherine Search on August 15th and honeymooned in Seiverville/Pigeon Forge/Gatlinburg—which is also where I discovered that Longhorn Steakhouse is my favorite restaurant of all time; Filmed 10 weeks worth of announcements; Spent an even-more-unbelievable amount of time with my in-laws because they're awesome; Joined with UC Collegiate Ministry on their Greatest Ever Winter Retreat at a lodge in Gatlinburg; co-directed another Christmas contada. Yep. It's been a joy to do so much and to work with everyone on these endeavors. I'm proud to say that 2009 was a great, fulfilling year.

Yesterday my wife and I celebrated our official 2 years of being together (I asked her out Dec 30th, 2007 @ 11p). She planned the evening: we went to see Sherlock Holmes (loved it!) and then went to Longhorn for a delicious dinner. As we were driving home, it occurred to me that I've spent a quarter of my life in Cincinnati. I was 18 when I came down here for college, and now I'm 24. 2010 will be the year I turn a quarter century old. Wow.

Well, here's to 2009 and the great decade it came with. I heard a friend say that "Dubya ruled politics" for the 2000s, and I'm satisfied with that. It's been a good decade for me.

So to you and yours, HAPPY NEW YEAR!

The Eerie Truth, But Good Wisdom

I ran across a posting from a designer friend on Facebook, that I quickly found funny and true in the same moment. This particular post was from another website, and it commented on how horribly difficult it is to get friends and family—the ones generally asking for favors, all the time—to cough up some change to pay you for your services. But, as the posting also illustrates, it's a reality that Graphic Designers must endure, until we hit the big time. This website actually has a variety of humorous satirical work, along with some exciting resources for design gurus and geeks.

So aside from being enthralled with the reality that "fully 92% of your time will be spent on unpaid favors", what happens when you actually get paid for some of those favors? Well, I guess you're now above average, as long as you can keep it up. Yet as we all know, Freelancing is a roller coaster. A big client here, small client there, no client for a month, then they all come running to you for 2 weeks.

I wonder: in the hours we spend educating ourselves, but then the client pushes us to learn more, to fulfill their ideas: Is this ever a bad thing?

No. It's actually a good thing. I believe that the client isn't always right, but also that the demands of the client should be heard and addressed when designing. They are important (for more than just the pay) and you as the designer need to always respect them. Part of that respect is also knowing when to speak up, and add in your sentiments (from past experience), and it's also a good idea to make sure you understand their objective, so ask them to clarify. The best way that a client can be sure you're clear about what they want is when you repeat it back to them after you've written it in your notes, and then you also send it in an email after the meeting, so that everyone is "in the same boat" (on the same level). Only then can you assure them and be sure of yourself that you know what needs to be done before the next meeting, and what the end may look like.

Knowing that most of your work will be unpaid may seem hard to take in, but if you love what you do, and you can convince your clients that you are better than average, act on it, do the work, and know that you've done a good thing. You'll always have someone who can't afford to pay you your proper fee, but sometimes, doing the pro-bono stuff is more satisfying.

Hmmm. Let's think.

Innovation. What's in it for Print/Graphic Designers today? What's in it for Consumers? It's a new way of experiencing a culture coming out of recession, into better financial positions. Entrepreneurs, artists, and designers are all working creatively to meet the increasing demands of a young, cyber-conscious, media-conscious society.

In a society where young & hip is where the money jingles, is it also any wonder that the design profession is quickly advancing and finding itself in the midst of so many toys to solve so many different problems? Adobe has posted a really cool link to show just what design professionals can offer in this eclectic society: http://studenteditions.adobe.com/?sdid=EVRQN#
Once you're there, it'll take a little bit of time to load, but move around in the virtual environment and find the JOB FEED and take a look. As of this posting, there are currently 30,198 jobs available that require some form of Adobe software knowledge. What's more is that Adobe is one of those "toys" I mentioned earlier. You can't really be an effective designer in this society and not have any knowledge of the main 3 programs Adobe has created: Photoshop, Illustrator, & InDesign. We have the unlimited ability to work creatively and efficiently with the world of computer technology.

Thankful

Thankful hearts are cheerful hearts.

On this Thanksgiving Day, 2009, I want to share my list of 10 things I'm thankful for:
1) to God for another day of life and celebration
2) for my beautiful wife and being able to spend our first Thanksgiving together
3) for my close-knit family and parents that have endured through time (and 6 kids), and whose marriage is inspiration to many
4) for my in-laws who put up with my silliness
5-6) for an exciting job, designing for my clients
7) for a home to live in
8) for all my friends in Cincinnati, Continental, and all over the world
9) for our freedom to worship freely in this great country
10) for my education from Continental schools and the Art Academy of Cincinnati

I could keep listing, but I'm getting a strong wift of the stuffing and turkey.

Be thankful for what you have and you'll be able to enjoy life better. A thankful heart IS a cheerful heart.