Making noise

Parked Car

Mon, 23 Mar 2009 21:19:00 -0400

I work from home and this allows me some very nice creature comforts; I don’t have to go into an office every day, I can sleep and work on my own schedule and I don’t have to ask for the day off to celebrate my once a year Irish heritage. This St. Patty’s day found me meeting a good friend at his house to take a trip up to Bailey’s to watch some basketball games and imbibe in a few adult beverages. My girlfriend then made the ever so compassionate decision to pick my drunken butt up from the bar and drive me home later that night.

The whole way home we were figuring out how I could get my car from my friend’s house the next morning so I wouldn’t be stranded at the house all day… I’m embarrassed to say that thought made my chest tighten at the time.

Well, the next morning came around and apparently I had drank just a FEW too many Smithwick’s on St. Patty’s Day and I wasn’t able to make it out of bed when Katie left for work, so I had to make the tough decision! I would pick it up after she got home from work.

And you know what? The world didn’t end.

I didn’t miss a life changing moment (that I know of), I didn’t wish I had my car all day so I could get done all the things that I didn’t really need to do. I didn’t mind walking to Royal Oak to spend some time and do some work at Leaf and Bean. I enjoyed the slower pace and the chance to clear (the fogginess from) my head… and I had one of the more productive days in recent memory. I strolled on over to Zumba and had some food before I walked back home at the end of the day. When Katie arrived home from work, we went out and had dinner (the renovated Maria’s in Ferndale looks great, btw) before finally deciding to go pick up the car near the end of the night (WITH a $20 ticket, thank you City of Clawson).

All of this got me to thinking “how would I do without a car?” And I think for me, right now, it draws 4 questions that I hope to find the answer to.

What kind of an impact will my personal decision make on the environment?
What kind of changes to my life, routines and habits will I make if I am going to walk, find public transit or bum a ride every time I need to go somewhere?
How much will my friends hate me when it’s all over?
And maybe the best question; how will the City of Detroit step up to my challenge? How well does the current system of bus, cab, walk and bike stack up to the life and routine of a young business professional?

April 1^st to April 30^th 2009 I plan to find out.

It's Time

Sat, 28 Feb 2009 20:35:00 -0500

I left my position as Sales Director for evolve group, inc on Wednesday.

While those words feel very foreign to say, I know that it was time to move on. I had an unbelievable run there, made some money (multiple years of over $1 million in revenue), made a lot of new connections, learned more than I previously felt I could pack into my little brain (and I mean little), made some friendships, and became somewhat of a Bubble Hockey freak. Justin, you’ve got more skill and artistic talent in your pinky than I’ve got in my whole body and I really appreciate the friendship we’ve developed and all that I learned from you (however poorly, I officially now draw in perspective).

So the question now is “where to?” I’m going to take some time to think about it, I really think that now is the time for me to put all of my experience to use and “bet on myself” as the old cliche goes.

Stay tuned while I fine tune some details for the announcement!

Charlie Wollberg, who holds the coveted title of “Chief...

Wed, 11 Feb 2009 20:38:00 -0500

Charlie Wollberg, who holds the coveted title of “Chief Troublemaker” at Curve Detroit, a marketing strategy and creative design firm in Pontiac Michigan, says in his vlog that Michigan is on its way to a 3.1 billion dollar bailout!

If every shopper bought $20 worth of michigan made groceries every week, that’s how much money we’d keep in state every year! Not to mention less carbon emissions in shipping, less preservatives, less energy keeping it cold (coal energy) and fresher food on your table (did you know the average meal travels 1700 miles before it reaches your plate?).

Great video and I’ll certainly be taking some cues next time I go to the grocery store but, hey Charlie! Where’s McClure’s Pickles? They’re a favorite of the evolve crew.

Superbowl Advertising Dollars Down

Tue, 10 Feb 2009 08:57:00 -0500

Superbowl Advertising Dollars Down:

The spending on advertising for the Superbowl is a microcosm of what’s going on in the world right now. Companies are choosing to spend their money in areas where they see a slightly larger opportunity than trying to talk to Jim Football who’s sitting home on his couch watching tv.

- Did you know that 75% of customers enter a store knowing what product they need to buy?

- Did you know that only 25% of those customers know which brand they are going to purchase?

- That leaves a GAPING 50% of shoppers who know they need a product but are undecided on which brand they will purchase until they get to the store.

Who would you guess wins that battle? The product lined up on a shelf amongst a dozen others or the one that takes the care to provide a display that spells out the features and benefits and tries to connect with the customer?

There is market share to be won right now, the companies who spend money wisely will come out of the recession as the market leaders in their category. The companies who spend money trying to connect with their customer at the last 3 steps of the sale will win… The only time the consumer, the money and the product are all in the same spot.

While at Cadieux Cafe, The Muggs were playing and...

Mon, 09 Feb 2009 10:07:00 -0500

While at Cadieux Cafe, The Muggs were playing and visitdetroit.com came out to record a vlog highlighting Detroit’s best hang outs… Justin, his girlfriend, Johnna and I MIGHT make an appearance around the 1 minute and after mark (yeah, I had a speaking part… no big whoop).

Wheels of cheese, dirt and a feather… sounds like a torture device.

Thanks to Phillip Swantek of Swantek Productions for the video.

This was created by a 20 year old female for the AARPU at 50...

Wed, 28 Jan 2009 09:04:00 -0500

This was created by a 20 year old female for the AARPU at 50 years video contest and placed second.

Second?!?! Second??? Are you kidding me?

If you think the GPS craze is going to die down soon, you either...

Wed, 21 Jan 2009 14:55:50 -0500

If you think the GPS craze is going to die down soon, you either live in a ping pong ball or you are over the age of 90 because it’s a wonderful solution to many of life’s problems (such as how can I avoid speeding tickets?). Click on the image above and see how the process of phones and personal computers becoming smaller and easier to use will benefit the navigation aspect of your everyday life and activities.

The most useful has to the be the emergency feature that will call the cops and set off an alarm. But the one that’ll get the MOST usage is no doubt the ability to find a clean toilet.

Now, if it could only flush the handle, turn on the sink and open the door on my way out.

dancing and / or talking children in commercials… proof...

Mon, 22 Sep 2008 20:42:00 -0400

dancing and / or talking children in commercials…

proof that for as long as their has been advertising, the quickest way to a person’s wallet has been through laughter.

Photo

Sun, 21 Sep 2008 08:59:00 -0400

The Fratellis were at St. Andrews Hall on Monday and evolve was...

Thu, 11 Sep 2008 11:37:00 -0400

The Fratellis were at St. Andrews Hall on Monday and evolve was out to represent.

I know their song is featured on an Ipod Commercial… and I firmly believe that once musicians go that route, they’ve chosen their place in music history… And it’s certainly not next to the greats who played only for the love (um, and the girls). But I gotta say, this was a great show… these guys rocked. And is it fair to hate on a band for wanting to get paid?

Also… I’ve been to a lot of shows in a lot of different places. And Detroit music fans are the best.

P.P.S. The drummer wore a Fratellis t-shirt. So. Yeah. Rock and Roll.

The Big Bang... Today

Wed, 10 Sep 2008 08:30:00 -0400

The Big Bang... Today:

While American scientists are busying themselves creating boners and hair, scientists in Switzerland are conducting an experiment that is actually worth a damn.

The re-creation of the Big Bang is being touted as possibly ”the most exciting thing since Einstein.”

From the article, “It is in a sense a time machine to look back to the earliest moments of creation and to be able to explain the present state of the universe and to predict its fate,” said David Winn, chairman of the physics department at Fairfield University.

Doc Brown was quoted as saying “Great Scott!”

Art for the sake of art… this is waaay too funny to not...

Sat, 23 Aug 2008 09:50:16 -0400

Art for the sake of art… this is waaay too funny to not share.

The front of the ever evolving Museum of Contemporary Art...

Fri, 22 Aug 2008 10:13:00 -0400

The front of the ever evolving Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit (The Mocad).

Let me tell you a little bit about the Punchkick! It was...

Fri, 01 Aug 2008 15:47:00 -0400

Let me tell you a little bit about the Punchkick! It was invented by a friend of mine in Colorado, and it has become words to live by for many, many people nationwide.

The Punchkick! motto:

While I have always believed that the punchkick is funny, I only recently realized its importance to a larger movement of fun-seeking buzz-riding thrill-types in our wider society. Sure I could work for the man, wear a tie, fake tan, and drink wine-spritzers all day while talking to my buddies in minute detail about the physical prowess of Phil Mickelson’s Master’s win two years ago. I could put a penny in the ol’ penny loafers before strolling out of the house to walk my purebred dog in my pre-fab post-taste suburban sprawl of a neighborhood with my neighbor Cliff or Bobby. I could do all of those mainstream, don’t look at me, I’m still original activities. But no. Nope. That is not for me. It is fine for someone else, but not this guy. This guy believes that life is an adventure that sometimes rides me up high on a perfect wave at sunrise, and sometimes knocks me so low into the mud that I have to truly struggle to get back out. And in either moment, for the same reason, I let out a PUNCHKICK! to ensure that I still have the right attitude to do what it takes. Let’s hear it for the PUNCHKICK! Because it’s inherent jovial spark of righteous happiness tastes great with any meal, looks great with any pair of pants, and feels awesome to behold.

Here’s an image of me Punchkicking in downtown Chicago, notice the PK sticker on the sign…

Drink it in… it’s so smooth.

Freitag

Fri, 01 Aug 2008 15:32:32 -0400

Freitag:

This is awesome… a Swiss company is using old tarps off of trucks to make a multitude of bags for your liking.

The coolest part, they show you the tarp and you design the bag yourself using multiple parts that haven’t yet been cut off for other bags. If someone else has used a certain spot, your out of luck.

Their motto? Freitag: It’s Your Fault.

in the movie High Fidelity (which is one of the best quote laden...

Fri, 25 Jul 2008 09:13:02 -0400

in the movie High Fidelity (which is one of the best quote laden movies of all time), John Cusack’s character gives his advice on the forever defunct, but glorious in its day, Mixtape:

“To me, making a tape is like writing a letter. There’s a lot of erasing and rethinking and starting again. A good compilation tape, like breaking up, is hard to do. You’ve got to kick off with a corker, to hold the attention (I started with “Got to Get You Off My Mind,” but then realized that she might not get any further than track one, side one if I delivered what she wanted straightaway, so I buried it in the middle of side two), and then you’ve got to up it a notch, or cool it a notch, and you can’t have white music and black music together, unless the white music sounds like black music, and you can’t have two tracks by the same artist side by side, unless you’ve done the whole thing in pairs and…oh, there are loads of rules.”

I’ve found an incredible website at www.muxtape.com where you can make your own muxtape… the great thing about it? You only get 12. And I know that, like Rob says, I’ve gotta grab your attention… I couldn’t place certain songs next to each other… I wanted to start you off slow, then really kick it up as we got towards the middle, then bring you back down again… and really leave you with a thought provoker.

So… here it is… my way of using someone else’s creativity to show you how much I care and how cool I am.

http://thedibbler.muxtape.com/

oh… and you don’t believe me about High Fidelity? try this one for size…

“What came first, the music or the misery? People worry about kids playing with guns, or watching violent videos, that some sort of culture of violence will take them over. Nobody worries about kids listening to thousands, literally thousands of songs about heartbreak, rejection, pain, misery and loss. Did I listen to pop music because I was miserable? Or was I miserable because I listened to pop music?”

how’s your mind? blown?

perfect summer time dinner! take one potato (one per person) and...

Thu, 24 Jul 2008 19:20:00 -0400

perfect summer time dinner!

take one potato (one per person) and slice it into 1/2 inch strips.
put the potato in a bowl and pour one tbsp olive oil and season with salt and pepper and toss in the bowl (just use your hands and mix).
preheat the oven to 450 and cook for 20 minutes, flip, and give it another 15 - 25 minutes depending on how crunchy you want them.

cook a dog on the grill
cut two pieces of tomato and put next to dog
chopped onions
mustard
a spicy pickle from McClure’s Pickles! www.mcclurespickles.com
slightly salt

and enjoy! i’ll never eat a hot dog with just ketchup and mustard ever again!

Joe Louis, the Brown Bomber, was born in Alabama on May 13th...

Wed, 23 Jul 2008 23:23:31 -0400

Joe Louis, the Brown Bomber, was born in Alabama on May 13th 1914, and moved to Detroit as a young boy (age unknown) where he spent his youth and early days running the streets of Detroit.

Louis is the greatest champion in boxing history, holding the title for a record of 11 years, and defending it successfully 25 times.

Joe’s most notorious fight came in a rematch with Max Schmeling, where he became a national hero during WWII. Max had defeated Joe for his first loss ever (after meticulously studying Joe and seeing that he had a “weakness” of dropping his left glove after throwing a jab). The rematch was one of the biggest fights in the history of boxing, after Adolf Hitler claimed that Max’s first victory was proof of Arian dominance in the world and said Max’s earnings from the second fight would be used to purchase tanks for the Third Reicht (altho Schmeling himself never joined the Nazi Party, and later refused any kind of acclimation from Hitler himself… earning himself accolades amongst the Germans after WWII).

Before the fight, FDR told Joe, at the White House, “Joe, we need muscles like yours to beat the Germans” and Louis took responsibility upon his own shoulders, telling the media many times that the American people were counting on him and he wouldn’t let them down.

On June 22nd, 1938 Joe Louis knocked out Max Schmeling in 2 minutes and 4 seconds… and shortly after the fight, coined the phrase “Everyone has a plan until they’ve been hit.”

Joe joined the Army and toured Europe from 1942 to 1945, died on April 12, 1981 and is buried at Arlington National Cemetery as a national hero.

I love this statue, it’s the much less seen one of Joe in downtown Detroit in Cobo Arena (the location of the Auto Show every year)… the other is a suspended 24 foot long arm and black fist of Joe’s right in the downtown center off of Jefferson Ave, to represent the strong punch of Joe both in the ring and outside of it. The fist faces South to represent his efforts to fight the Jim Crow Laws.

Like so many of our heros… Joe died poor, and at one point owed more than 1 million in back taxes.

i think the microwave people and the oven people need to get...

Sat, 14 Jun 2008 11:24:00 -0400

i think the microwave people and the oven people need to get together and determine who’s going to handle the responsibility of telling the kitchen what time it is.

as it stands, every minute there’s about 25 seconds there where i can’t tell if it’s 11:21 or 11:22.

this is one of the most famous images of the detroit...

Wed, 23 Apr 2008 11:14:00 -0400

this is one of the most famous images of the detroit skyline… from across the river in windsor.