Archive for the 'Inspired' Category

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Getting Old, Are We?

Published on February 20, 2008 | 12 Comments

I’ve noticed a strange trend in the music I’m listening to lately. Most of the musicians and albums getting the most replays on my iPod fall under the category of Adult Contemporary. I’m drawn to acoustic guitars and songs about disenfranchisement or lost love or spiritual journeys. I’ve been paying more attention to politics. I find myself being more comfortable with long sleeve button-up shirts, pants, and nice shoes without laces.

My Netflix queue is suspiciously filled with documentaries, classics, and art house films. My mornings start off with hot mugs of coffee. I vote. I organize my workspace and my room. I’m reading books about Capitalism and Foreign Policy. I’m listening to lectures about Greco-Roman Moralists and talking about men like Lucian, Epictetus, and Philo. I look forward to signing contracts, setting meetings, and updating my calendar.

This is the grown-up world I find myself in. And yet I still feel like a kid.

That’s a good thing, right?

Cartoon, Inspired and Sketchbook

Our Troubled Foreign Policy

Published on January 31, 2008 | 6 Comments

I’ll be presenting this large scale illustration to my class today for a critique, among other political pieces. I wanted you all to get a glimpse of it first.

Tomorrow is the Big Day

Published on January 28, 2008 | 6 Comments

Everyone who personally knows me or who has visited this website for the past few months knows that I will vote for Dr. Ron Paul tomorrow in the Florida primary. It’s hard to miss the giant graphic on the right side of my page or the bumper sticker on my car or the signs that I post on my windshield when I park. A few of my friends have teased me, other’s have politely nodded, and other have even honestly engaged with me in the discussion about Dr. Paul’s message of personal liberty, sound money, and a humble foreign policy. All of these discussions have brought a great joy to me because what matters is that these topics are addressed.

For the past 2 weeks I’ve been canvassing my neighborhood, talking to my neighbors about the primary and who they would vote for. You know what the most surprising thing is? More than ninety percent (90%) of the people I asked had no idea who they were voting for. Mind you, these were registered Republicans! In a way, I can understand the confusion among them when the only info presented to them by the media is a mishmash of approval ratings, spin rooms, attack ads, and rhetoric about “front runners” without ever really addressing the issues.

And so I present the video above to the YouTube generation. I think it beautifully paints a picture of who Dr. Paul is and the message he’s sharing to those of us who are disenfranchised by both the politicians in Washington and the politicians in the Media. I have been so encouraged by this message that I have started considering a possible career in politics so I can help bring a positive change to our country, as many other young inspired Americans are doing right now.

And so I urge you to think about and research who you will be voting for tomorrow. By this time next year we will have a new president. It’s up to us voters to wisely think about the kind of person we want to entrust our country to. I will be proudly voting for the Champion of the Constitution.

Inspired, Recentisms and Ron Paul 2008

Classes in the ’08

Published on January 9, 2008 | 5 Comments

Today marks the beginning of the end for my undergraduate school career. Come December, I will have finished all my classes and received a bachelor’s degree in fine art â€“ graphic design. In the meantime I am taking the following classes this semester:

History of Graphic Design â€“ an in-depth examination of graphic design’s origins, evolution, and impact over time. I’m extremely excited about this class.

Senior Project â€“ this is where I will finalize my portfolio and prepare for my BFA show at the end of the semester.

Technology & Process â€“ it’s a fancy name for a packaging class. I’ll be developing brands and packaging for a number of products and fictional companies. I’ve had a similar class in the past. Time-consuming but fun.

Ideas & Styles â€“ graphic design projects in the realm of print. In the past we have designed swatch books, posters, album covers and so on. I wonder what’s in store for us this time around.

So far I’ve only attended the History of Graphic Design class and it was excellent. There are a total of 4 students in the class, including myself, which makes it more like a graduate seminar. Professor Georgette Ballance, formerly of the prestigious Cornell University, is a sweetheart and very knowledgeable. And it doesn’t hurt the she edited a book on the subject. All in all I think this is going to be a great semester. I have to make sure I schedule myself well as I work on my projects. It would be nice to work on projects without the element of procrastination. As self-motivated as I am, it’s time I recruited an external control to hold me accountable on these projects.

On a similar note, I’ve already started thinking about graduate school. It’s a bittersweet subject for me, because I hate the idea of having more homework in the future, but I’ve fallen in love with a particular school. I somehow stumbled upon a video of St. John’s College and was mesmerized about 20 seconds into it. Imagine a school with no textbooks. Instead, the curriculum surrounds around the Great Books of the Western World. I’m going to look further into the school and make a decision about when I will visit.

Inspired, School rant and Sketchbook

2008 Begins

Published on January 1, 2008 | 6 Comments

I suppose in the blogging community it’s almost mandatory that you write on the first of the new year. So here it is. I’ve met my quota. Many thanks to all the folks who read, commented on, and subscribed to my blog in 2007. Some of you have been reading this stuff since I began Sketchism in 2003. You guys rock.

A few milestones for the year: Participated in the Blogathon, bought a scanner, went to 4 places outside of Florida as I planned, got braces, got my Associates Degree, and I can’t remember anything else right now. I’m sure there were plenty. If there’s something in particular that I failed to mention, post it in the comments.

My biggest advancement on Sketchism in ‘07: posting sketches. Seems like it’s something I should have been doing since day one, but it’s better late than never. Buying a scanner definitely helped.

I am in the process of listing my goals for 2008, so keep an eye out for that. Tell me, are you making any goals? Mind you, I mean written goals, not wishful unwritten resolutions.

Inspired, Sketchbook and Typography

When Your Mind’s Made Up

Published on December 21, 2007 | 2 Comments

In my last entry, I recommended listening to the soundtrack of the film Once. Well here’s a scene from the film where they perform one of my favorite tracks When Your Mind’s Made Up. The video quality is terrible but this one had the best audio version. Sit back and enjoy.

Inspired, Music and Video

Christmas Is Coming

Published on December 20, 2007 | 1 Comment

I’m definitely looking forward to this weekend. Tomorrow is the company’s annual Secret Santa gift exchange followed by the Christmas dinner in the evening. We’ll be heading to Dave and Buster’s for a night of billiards, greasy meals, and arcade games. But wait, there’s more! Later at night I will embark on a mini road trip with 7 other friends to Lake Placid, FL, for a weekend of home-cooked meals a la Maroo and hopefully a few games of Manhunt (a.k.a. group hide-and-seek). Anyone who knows me well can vouch for my unbridled passion for a good game of Manhunt. I’ll play that anywhere, anytime. The only trouble I ever have is finding other like-minded people to join in on the fun. Now we’ll have an entire house and wood to run around in.

We’ll return on Sunday afternoon, just in time for me to hop on another trip up to Orlando with my family where we will spend the week together for Christmas. The cousins and I will most likely end up going to one of the many theme parks where we will dine on expensive snacks with our Disney Dollars. I’m not quite sure yet, but I may have to travel back down to Miami on Wednesday to work a few days before driving back up to Orlando to spend New Years with the family. Either way, it doesn’t bother me. I enjoy being on the road, listening to albums and audio books. I’m trying to decide whether to purchase the audio version of A.J. Jacobs’ The Know It All or Bill Bryson’s A Short History of Nearly Everything. Either audio book runs at least 15 hours long in an attempt to cover a world of data.

I’d say it’s a nice way to end one year and begin another: Food, friends, fun, and a whole lotta facts.

On a completely unrelated note, please check out this soundtrack for the Irish indie film Once. It’s wonderful.

I don’t know if I’ll have much internet access after tomorrow, so enjoy the weekend and Merry Christmas!

Cartoon, Fun Stuff, Inspired and Travel