Feels good to be creative.

After days of "brain-racking" with my advertising group - we finally came up with a campaign for the Vitamin Shoppe.  I proudly display our first properly executed attempt at creating an advertisement. Although the assignment had initially caused a wave of anxiety to shoot up my spine, it just goes to show that with determination, hard work and many creative brains - great work is possible.


Passion feeds persistence - no other quality is as essential for success.

If I were an ant.

If I were to swap places with an ant, imagine the possibilities! We could put a stop to world hunger, leave the earth somewhat intact, live in close-knit communities, save scientist’s time and energy and see the world from another perspective - that of a tiny ant. 
Imagine with the ‘abundance’ of resources we have as humans, how abundant the resources would be as ants – all could share and all would work for their livelihood. It would take millions of years if that before our natural resources began to show some wear, but as ants we are happy to eat the goodness of nature and the goodness of nature is happy to be recycled - the world would be our organic supermarket, DIY store and energy supply company.  
We wouldn’t roam the earth in our international police forms, symbols of status and suits of authority - as an ant these egoistic traits would be peeled from our very skin restoring clarity to our once "blurred" vision - now we can truly see in an unbiased manner. Imagine how many opportunities to learn and the endless adventures we would encounter. Perhaps we could understand why ants are such hard workers, how they manage to keep a utopian society and the secrets of the forest. But apart from learning, imagine the beauties that the human eye leaves untouched - the drop of water that turns into a sea, a bridge provided by a fallen leaf and a few blades of grass that create a lush forest. Ants have the amazing ability to see the world at its greatest. Perhaps as ants we would finally come to appreciate the intricate networks of the world in which we live in  - and most importantly obtain a different perspective. 


Watch this and you'll understand: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jrW_TTxP1ow

Gaga Monster

GAGA Monsters! Lady Gaga is everywhere; a day does not go by when I do not hear Mama Monster’s name or see her outrageously blond hair. The Gaga we love is the one who struts down the street in a summer blue romper, cherry cherry boom-boom blonde with skin a shade of orange that Snooki can only dream of but now she’s channeling that inner demon, bleeding all over the stage and wearing meat slapped across her body. I think Gaga needs to return to her fun ways again and forget about the fake blood, my tummy is starting to hurt from all this high-fructose corn-syrup-based stage stuff anyway.

Is the grass greener on the other side?

Is the grass really greener on the other side? We like to think so. Human nature acts almost irrationally in the way in which it forces us believe that if only our circumstances were different, we could achieve our highest potential.  We spend so much of our lives wondering what could be rather than focusing on what we can we do in our current situation or position to enhance our opportunities for success, and as a result, we sometimes miss the opportunities that wave silently in our faces. Malcolm Gladwell in his book Outliers spends much time on this theme within his novel. Sometimes we just got to buckle down and do with the best we have got. Naturally, we remember all the good times; a holiday on the beach or a picnic in the park - the past remembers the fun. Many find it hard to focus on the positives of the present and are quick to attach negative meaning. Being negative is easy - all you need to do it say "no", and that's the end of it - a dead end street with nowhere to turn. It is all about the psychology. The trouble is that the greener patch of grass that we cannot seem to grow implies that we wants thing that we do not have. Most people value what they want or hope to achieve in the future rather than what they have in the present.  You can waste away the goodness of life by focusing on the lack of.  The past is hard to get to, the future will come with time, but when you live in the present, you make good use of your assets.  

SMART(Y) PARTY

This is going to surprise most of you, but if I could choose any car that has been manufactured, it would have to be the SMART.  It provides a practical solution to most daily hassles involving automobiles.  Firstly its size makes for easy parking –horizontally, vertically, laterally – the choices are endless.  Its lack of space makes for an easy way to avoid being the designated driver - no one wants to be squashed in the back seat - no cleaning required and no one taking advantage of your ‘love for driving.’ Although looks may be deceiving, it is quite nifty on the road, especially for dodging in and out and zooming past the reckless drivers on 75. They are cost effective, meaning that its small engine size benefits my wallet as well as being environmentally friendly.  Alright they may not be the most practical car for families but for young, free loving singletons – it’s the one and only. The colours and choices of patterns are endless – it is like driving a fashion accessory – as cute as a celebrity pooch.  This car is a perfect fit for my personality and just goes on to show that greatness exists in every shape and size, and that first impressions might be deceiving.

The Sharing Box

Whilst drinking coffee in Starbucks this morning, I was inspired by a little red box that sat perfectly nestled on one of the countertops – it read “The Sharing Box.”  What a beautiful idea – to provide people with an insignificant piece of paper and pen to share with others some of their most treasured holiday traditions.   I feel that this example, although simple, flawlessly exhibits the core values of the holiday season – the beauty of sharing, heartfelt memories, appreciation and family togetherness.  With the commercialization of Christmas and urgency for mass spending, tradition is lost and replaced with great indulgence.  A gift in simple terms is meant to signify part of a person’s compassion – a non-invasive means for showing gratitude to someone you love or care for.  However, in the present day, the value of a gift is often judged by the price with which it holds or the quantity supplied.  In doing so, society has squandered the true meaning behind Christmas – to return to primitive ways, is to remain thankful for the simple but meaningful customs that have been buried beneath the gluttony of modern society. 

On a happier note, one of my most treasured holiday traditions is spending Christmas Eve in front of a roaring fire, snuggled up between my mum and sister, sipping Cadbury’s hot chocolate sprinkled with melting white and pink marshmallows whilst watching “Look who’s talking now.” 

Appreciate the small things in life

There was once a time when the great powers of the market set out on a mission to create a world of ease and comfort. They invented things such as computers, mobile phones, and portable music players that succeeded in delivering the promise of simplicity and convenience.  After all, a happy society is a digital one, right?  Well, not necessarily.

Whilst most of us will blatantly admit to owning these things (and they do indeed make our lives a little more convenient) the happiness gained from such tangible products isn’t a sustained one. I can honestly say that I love my iPod, and listen to it during my thirty-minute daily run, but for the rest of the twenty-three and a half hours that it spends turned “off” sitting on my desk, it’s not really contributing anything of significance to my emotional state. 

It appears that as technology has advanced, the pace of society has gotten faster.  But ironically, overall levels of happiness haven’t improved at all.  In actual fact, it seems that there is a greater occurrence of depression than there ever was back in the days of old fashioned scheduling dairies and telephones with cords. Or maybe talking about depression is more socially acceptable.  Regardless of the reasons, I believe that only very few people stop to take time out and enjoy the small things in life.  Life has become so fast-paced and focused on getting to meetings on time, responding to calls, and checking emails that most forget that there really is a world of beauty beyond our technologically advanced workstations.

It is important to honor the small things found in everyday life that can bring us appreciation if we just take the time to notice their existence – acts of kindness and small gifts of beauty that come from a place that technology has yet to discover.   Don’t spend your day trying to avoid technology. Instead, just set aside a few seconds to appreciate the things that come into your life on a regular basis – this can go a long way towards making you a happier person.

Do something you love

My sister is currently in the process of applying to university to study journalism. We both were checking out a list of universities and I pointed to Brown University, her eyes lit up and she hurried onto their website to check out their majors. ‘Anthropology, Space Music, Ethnic studies...’ it had everything but journalism or communication studies, but still, Brown is Brown and it has an amazing reputation but my sister sat there shaking her head and clicked the [x] without another look. I was suddenly curious, why had she set her heart upon studying journalism, and her response struck a chord with me. My sister has many concrete principals which she refuses to go against such as respecting animals, helping others and being a social critic – her essays always relate to depravity in some way. She is a fervent fundraiser for the WWF and stresses the importance of ethics within the meat and other industries involving animals, and so has wrapped much of her heart into this particular vocation. “Through journalism I feel as though I can focus my passion for these concepts into the lives of others.” Freud once said that literature and art were the substance of his thinking, the foundation of an intricate network of ideas which he interpreted. Does journalism really have an impact upon the way in which we perceive ideas? The answer is yes of course, propaganda is an excellent example of how effective a writer can be by softening the truth or simply distorting it. My sister wants to be a journalist to raise important issues, ideas that for particular reasons are left untouched but must be raised. She is naturally curious about the world – a human sponge hungry for knowledge. So where should she go? Somewhere she can write because the there is no point doing something you do not love.

Fashion is not something that exists in dresses only

"Fashion is not something that exists in dresses only. Fashion is in the sky, in the street, fashion has to do with ideas, the way we live, what is happening.” – Coco Chanel

Fashion and style is not simply a description of how well you dress or convey a sentiment through articles of clothing. Fashion is also the way in which you interpret nature, what you perceive as beautiful and or how the world appears around you. In a society dominated by materialism, the actual definition of fashion is shadowed and forgotten. Fashion can be the current way in which you live, the business of creating or studying styles and finally the way in which you act. Nature has its own fashion, it behaves in a way that it perceives as natural – the flowers growing weary each night, the birds puffing and singing glorious little songs, the sky turning from pink to blue and the waves slamming against the shore. In today’s society, the whole ‘oh to be green’ lifestyle has conquered many and has been deemed fashionable as well as physically lucrative. Simply, fashion does not stop at clothing styles or New York Fashion Week; it is much greater and complex than that. Through fashion or through the fashioning of an idea and casting it among the populace, we can raise awareness for abstract or ignored subjects such as emphasis on endangered species, global climate change or American consumerism. It is like anything, it is what you do with it that makes it unique. 

Yoga

Yoga denotes unity.  Its significance is “to come together and make whole.” It emphasizes that everyone and everything is connected, there is no division between mind and body, matter and consciousness, or heaven and earth.  Its practice recognizes harmony, accord and union.  Since there is no separation between mind and body, everything you think, feel and experience will have an affect on you internal biological functioning.  Your body remembers well - past transgressions and positive experiences can manifest into physical symptoms and as a result, health is often a reflection on your emotions, attitudes and perspectives.  Negative emotions, unresolved grief and jealousy manifest into tension, which can leave you vulnerable to many physical and psychological problems – when you don’t feel well, whether it be body or mind, you can more easily withdraw, get hasty and critical; all qualities that separate you from yourself and others.  It is through the practice of yoga, with recognition of the spirit, body and emotions that you are provided with a toolbox to help understand and embrace circumstances and life in a more holistic manner. 

Understanding your life’s journey, its spiritual significance, and shifting perceptions can displace the physical and emotional tension to allow healing, insight and peace. With each practice of yoga, moving your body and synchronizing with the breath releases tension – a process that allows you to feel and connect with your inherent vulnerability. Vulnerability is what opens you to surrender, and it is only through this level of availability that you can truly understand one-self and others. 

NESSIE

Most of us dismiss the concept of monsters as fairytales or silly myths not worthy of our attention. Yet many serious scientists have spent years in particular hope while studying the truth behind the sightings of a monster in the Lochness Lake in Scotland.

Nessie, the nickname of the strange but mysterious creature that resides in the serene location of the Loch is one of the most debated myths in Scottish history.  Sightings of this monster can be traced back as far as the 7th Century - when a local Saint by the name of St Columbia was believed to have interacted with the monster by giving him strict orders not to touch human beings - the reason why Nessie is only seen on rare occasions. Earlier sightings were recorded in the year of 1933 when two different individuals reported descriptions of the same occasion - a creature loitering on the road but quickly disappeared into the lake after being seen.  Many of these reports were mere verbal descriptions that cannot be relied upon scientifically, yet many presented photographs and videos to back up their claims. With advancing technology, many of these recordings were found to have some deliberate or unintentional flaw that gave the impression of the Lochness monster but in reality they were other objects or animals – remember that picture that looks more like several car tires?  In addition to these amateur findings, several sonar expeditions have been carried out to detect any unusual movement beneath the lake.  On many occasions it was found that some unexplained big object was moving beneath the surface of the water which could not be explained by the known objects or animals in the Loch.  The conclusions drawn from a variety of studies are still the same – there is no substantial or innovative evidence for the existence of the Lochness monster.  Many believe that it could be an ancient animal such as the Plesiosaur which has been long extinct (or so it seemed) but resembles the accumulated descriptions of Nessie.  Only time will tell whether it is true or not, yet the mystery still remains and will continue to inspire people to search for the answers. Questions are raised however, should we mess with a creature that for many years has failed to disrupt the human cycle?

Want to go on your own Lochness Monster search?  Here is what to do:

1) Sit along the waters edge of the lake with a pair of binoculars and a camera - make sure to bring plenty of sustenance as you may be here for quite some time
2) Rent a boat and spend the afternoon fishing on the lake - who knows what you will find?
3) Set up webcams along the shore - this way you won't miss a thing
4) Go scuba diving - the lake is freezing but that's what a wetsuit is for
5) Finally, spend enough time to enjoy the beauty of the Loch and its mystery may be unraveled.  

Finals, Finals, Finals

Finals, you fall at greatest time of year! You have me reading textbooks instead of drinking Chai lattes and enjoying the pre-Christmas sales. You leave dark puffy circles under my eyes and extra inches around my waistline – just a few of the joys to be had!

But don’t be discouraged, here are five tools to make it through: 

1. Classical Playlist: So, most of us don’t have an assortment classical music mixed in with our usual Gaga songs on I-tunes. But this is exactly what is needed for optimal studying. Studies show that classical music is connected to improvement in mental tasks - in simple terms, it makes you SMARTER! 

2. 24-hour establishments: If you are going to be up all night, you need resources – coffee, food or other essentials - so choose your location wisely!  

3. Leggings: 
real clothes during finals? Ridiculous! After being up all night studying or writing papers the last thing on everyone’s mind is dressing themselves in morning. To make it easier, everyone should invest in a pair of leggings. They are truly the perfect finals attire: comfortable to study/sleep, but still socially acceptable to wear in public – PERFECTION!

4. The right source of caffeine: As much as I love coffee for the "BUZZ" factor, the effects only last a couple of hours leaving you feeling drained and lifeless. To adequately combat sleep deficiency, tea is most useful - try it british style: Tetley's tea-bags, 1 spoon of sugar and a splash of milk. 

5. Brain Foods: There’s something about finals that just triggers the body to crave the most fattening foods but resist the temptation! Greasy foods make you sluggish and slow your brain down. Instead snack on healthy foods such as grapes, nuts, yogurt, granola, & popcorn – they help keep you energized and alert.  

10 Reasons why I love ORGANIC

1. GET THE NUTRITION YOU NEED & ENJOY TASTIER FOOD - SIMPLE IS BETTER

2. REDUCE HEALTH RISKS 

3. PROTECT FUTURE GENERATIONS - SUSTAINABILITY IS THE KEY

4. PREVENT SOIL EROSION

5. PROTECT WATER QUALITY

6. SAVE ENERGY

7. SAY "NO" TO CHEMICALS 

8. SUPPORT THE LOCAL FARMERS

9. PROMOTE BIODIVERSITY

10. AND FINALLY, HELP TO BEAUTIFY YOUR COMMUNITY

What Expiry Date?

After witnessing the vast quantities of waste after the Thanksgiving holidays, I began to question the rationality behind throwing things away.  It is a known fact that modern society fuels frivolous spending and carelessness.  We are quick to accept the consequence of waste in order to maintain our desired standards of living.  However, what people fail to recognize is that they are ultimately increasing spending by disposing of items rather than finding practical alternatives for its use.  Maybe its because they lack the imagination to see beyond the concrete functions or maybe it is pure ignorance.  Ultimately, an expiration date on a food item or an empty bottle does not constitute an invaluable product. Instead, it presents a list of endless possibilities.  Have fun with it and create something unexpected.

Take this for example: a fully functioning chandelier made out of recycled glass bottles - GENIUS! 

Creative Process.

The phrase "creative process" is a popular discussion topic in my advertising class.  Although, I am not an expert and have no idea what my personal creative process looks like at this stage in my education, I thought that it would be fun to imagine it instead. After a lot of thinking, I stumbled across the most simplistic way to describe my "imagined" idea generation process - a tree (I personally took this picture). The roots provide a network of resources and create a safe environment from which one can explore.  Each main branch signifies a unique idea, which then splits and fosters the generation of even more ideas. The round seeds represent the most developed thoughts - the "good" ideas. But the seed that actually completes the journey and successfully germinates represents the "great" idea - the "wow" factor.  Here is my creative process in a "nutshell"
IMAGINATION ROCKS!

Cooking.

Cooking gives you the freedom to invent new possibilities, new dishes & new tastes. There are no rights or wrongs, precise measurements, or step by step instructions.  Instead, it is a matter of intuition, communicating with the senses and being at ease with ambiguity.  See it as a journey, starting with a number of small and insignificant elements that blend together to create a greater whole.  The ability to create something of worth does not always require careful planning or the following of specific predetermined steps, instead it is the outcome of flexibility, spontaneity & simplicity - that of a natural process. 


Keep it simple & trust your instincts.