An honest dialogue about love, life, and everything in-between...

Friday, September 11, 2009

Be Careful

2:50 PM |

Tell that you girls if you want to...


So I was listening to the radio and I heard the new song by Ryan Leslie, Not My Girl. I like the song. It's entertaining. And on a whole, I think it's a message that needs to be said to women because many confuse lust with love and attention with commitment. So the chorus puts it very plainly. But let me just caution you fellas, tell girls that if you want to, but be aware that a good population won't get the message. You'll get yourself stuck in a situation you had no idea you were getting into and the next thing you know you'll be at a repair shop getting the damage fixed on your car. Draw clear lines, and even after those lines are drawn be prepared for what will happen when those lines get crossed.



Typolution

12:15 AM |

Typographic animation....

This is one of my favorite animations out there. I have even incorporated the idea into one of my class projects. Enjoy.



Thursday, September 10, 2009

A Dying Art

7:27 PM |

honoring CD album art...

With the rise of digital music and albums for download, we are slowly but surely losing the art of the album cover. I know there was talk of the lost art when the vinyl made its departure from the main stream. But once again we are facing the demise of this interesting art form. I know that there will still be album art available with the downloaded music. But there is something special about fighting your way through the plastic on the cover of a fresh new cd. There are so many different ways to package it. Cover choices, papers, plastic, size, double or single stacked cds, posters, etc. So I've collected a few of the ones I remember that I liked from the artist I feel have good, interesting or thought provoking album art work. Feel free to add your own to the list.

The Roots:











I love the roots album art. It's always thought provoking and sometimes harsh to look at. They did several versions of their Things Fall Apart album.

Lauryn Hill:












This album was so amazing. Her voice was too beautiful for words. And the videos she created for the songs off the album were just inspirational to effect lovers like me. I know she is all about her family and doesn't care so much about this fame game, but your fans miss you.

Common:












So I love this man! I love his album art as well. It's not the most innovative I've seen, but the quality of the pictures and the graphics that accompany it make them some of my fav.


Gnarls Barkley:












I could go on forever about this group. Just amazing with their videos and I like the graphics in their album covers as well.


Kanye West:














Really. What can I say. I loved the whole cd package for this album. The fold out, the illustration of Takashi Murakami, the story the images told, the colors, everything. This album art and color scheme was the inspiration for the redesign of this blog.

Outkast:














Now if we're being honest Outkast has had some HORRIBLE album art. But I've chosen two of my favs from them. One featuring the artwork of Andre and the other I loved because if you got the album early, it was a hologram. Hold it one way see Dre, the other see Big Boi.

Honorable mention to Jay-Z's Kingdom Come for the hologram changing from hood to boardroom and Pharrell with his variations on his album art/poster collection. Now are these the absolute greatest? Not at all. These are just some I enjoy.



Wednesday, September 9, 2009

Memories of Fine

2:47 AM |

I miss fine.
I'm not talking about the super model, actor, musician kind of fine.
Not the manufactured for our viewing pleasure kind of fine.
I mean the every day kind of fine.
The walk down the street turn your head kind of fine.
The driver in the next car over deep sigh kind of fine.
The cutie in the grocery store silent "damn" kind of fine.
You remember that?
The make your stomach hit your feet kind of fine.
The stop all conversation and action kind of fine.
The take your breath away as they pass kind of fine.
The damn near walk into the wall cause you're staring too hard kind of fine.
I'm talking about that.
The almost pass out from the eye contact with that kind of fine.
The heart racing, beating out of your chest that kind of fine.
The your fine status increasing with that kind of fine on your arm kind of fine.
It's been a while since I've seen that.
I'm no longer sure of the existence of that kind of fine.
Been in the grocery store, no longer running into that kind of fine.
On my trips down the highways and bi-ways I no longer drive pass that kind of fine.
The mall these days only have the illegal minor kind of fine.
And that's not that kind of fine I'm looking for.
Where'd you go fine?
Have you turned into the I'm already taken kind of fine?
The I got nothing going for me but my looks kind of fine?
The I'm cute but I'm a jack-ass kind of fine?
Maybe my kind of fine still exists.
Perhaps you need more in my eyes to be that kind of fine.
Need to be employed and self-sufficient to qualify to be that kind of fine.
The intelligent mind to go along with that body kind of fine.
The I know how and when to speak properly kind of fine.
That must be it.
I must have more qualifications that make someone that kind of fine.
But every now and then, it wouldn't hurt to walk past a "damn" kind of fine.
The butterflies in your stomach kind of fine.
The I don't care what your name is just kiss me kind of fine.
We don't have to get married.
I just like to look at fine.
It makes my day a bit brighter to see that kind of fine.
Puts a smile on my face when I pass that kind of fine.
Gives me hope that I may one day get that kind of fine.
Come back to me fine.
I miss you.



Tuesday, September 8, 2009

Football 101

11:14 PM |

Football 101 for women...Part III

So ladies, again, football season is upon us. Once again it's my mission to help you not be an annoyance to you man during the games. Because I'm sure you all have bigger things to argue about than why he's ignoring you during NFL Sunday. I've already discussed the offense. I've discussed the defense. Now it's time for the special teams.

Special teams are those men that are on the field kicking the ball. They can serve as offensive or defensive and they are only seen randomly throughout a game. Most special teams players are second- and third-string players from other positions. But don't get it twisted, just because it's not your typical all star players on the field at this time doesn't mean they're not important. A special teams play determines where the offense will begin each drive, and it has a dramatic impact on how easy or difficult it is for the offense to score.

Special teams include a kickoff team, a kick return team, a punting team, a punt blocking/return team, a field goal team and a field goal block team. Many times when you kick the ball you are either trying to score or send the ball down the field to the other team. So what are the positions? Here they go

Kicker
Handles kickoffs and field goal attempts, and in some leagues, punts as well.
Translation:He kicks the ball. Typically it's to get it through the field goal and to start off the game.

Holder
Usually positioned 7-8 yards from the line of scrimmage, he holds the ball for the placekicker to kick. The holder is often a backup quarterback or a punter.
Translation: He holds the ball for the kicker to kick. The holder is often a backup quarterback or a punter.

Long snapper
A specialized center who snaps the ball directly to the holder or punter. Thirty-one, of the Thirty-two teams have specialized players just to long snap.
Translation: He tosses the ball to the holder or the punter.

Kick returner
Returns kickoffs, generally is also a wide receiver or cornerback.
Translation:He catches the ball after it's been kicked and runs. Generally is also a wide receiver or cornerback.

Punter
Kicks punts. In leagues other than the NFL, the kicker often doubles as the punter. He's different sometimes from the kicker. When he punts the ball, he gets it directly from the long snapper and kicks it as far down the field as possible during the game.
Translation: He also kicks the ball. Sometimes it's the same guy.

Upback
A blocking back that lines up approximately 1-3 yards behind the line of scrimmage in punting and kneel situations. His primary job is to act as a second line of defense for the punter. Upbacks can receive a direct snap in fake punt situations.
Translation: A guy that keeps the big guys on the other team from hitting the punter so he can kick the ball.

Punt returner
He catches the ball after the punter kicks it. Often the same player as the kick returner, although not necessarily so.

Gunner
A player on kickoffs and punts who specializes in running down the field very quickly in an attempt to tackle the kick returner or the punt returner.
Translation: The fast guy who runs down the field to tackle the guy that catches the ball.

Wedge Buster
A player whose goal is to sprint down the middle of the field on kickoffs. While ideally, their goal is to reach the kick returner, their immediate goal is to disrupt the wall of blockers (the wedge) on kickoffs, preventing the returner from having a lane in which to get a substantial return. Being a wedge buster is a very dangerous position since he may often be running at full speed when coming into contact with a blocker.
Translation: This guy's job is to keep the big guys on the field from letting the kick returner run too far.

Hands Team
Used only during onside kicks. Onside kicks give the kicking team the possibility of getting the ball back. The members of a hands team are responsible for preventing the kicking team from recovering a kick, usually by recovering the ball themselves.

Now that all the teams are covered, we'll need to talk about the game itself. Next lesson: What the f*@% is going on in the game???



Thursday, September 3, 2009

Making Friends

11:09 AM |

Where's the playground for adults??


I always joke about how I need new friends. It's not that I hate the friends that I have. They have all just moved into different phases in their lives and we no longer share as many of the same priorities and interests anymore. The joke has turned into more of a real question. When you are grown, how do you make new friends?

When we were younger there were plenty of opportunities. Parents set up play dates. School. Camps. Sports. But as we get older, we don't have that available resource anymore. Many of my friends have started connecting with people at their jobs. They work in positions where they are around people of similar age, at a similar place in life, who share their interests. Me, I teach. My fellow teachers are in all different phases. The people I talk with the most are my cool work people. I may invite them and their significant others out when I have a formal birthday dinner or housewarming. But I can't imagine just hanging all the time. They're "married". One has kids. The other is my boss. The rest are just associates. So for me the work place isn't a place really to make that type of friend.

Others say church. Well. I don't go to church. And even when I did, the friends I made there were church friends. Not necessarily the type you want to call up and say "Hey let's get some martinis after work on Friday!"

So where do you go? I guess at some point friends fill specific roles in your life. They are your martini bar friend. Your football game friends. Your lunch during work friends. Your married couple double date friends. Your play date with the kids friends. But as you get older, do you lose the friends that you feel you can share every aspect of your life with? The ones you confide in? The ones you go to for advice? I guess if you all are progressing through life together at the same speed then no you don't. But what if you are the one who gets left behind?

I'm not really sure. But luckily for me I've still got 4 people I really feel like if things really fell apart I could talk to. If they go then I'm in this thing alone. Funny, I used to say I don't need anymore friends.....



Tuesday, September 1, 2009

Thoughts on the Dawn of 30

12:00 AM |

So it's 4 minutes till the end of a decade for me. Funny, while I never thought I wouldn't make it to 30, I also didn't believe I'd see it either. Well, not as soon. Not that turning 30 is as big a deal as it was when I was younger. But it's still an odd feeling. Kind of euphoric.

Every birthday I become very introspective. Today at work I just zoned out. Perhaps it's because I'm not fully where I'd thought I'd be. But I'm not in a bad place. I always have to remind myself that. I just had so many aspirations, goals and things I wanted to do. I now feel a bit frantic with the flow of all these ideas and desires rushing to me in this final hour. I can't let where I am be where I stay. It's time to get it!

Either way, it's here. 12:00 am, September 1. Happy birthday to me!



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