Last week I went to a D&AD workshop on digital briefs and it was basically some great presentations by the companies involved and some agencies, helping out by giving ideas on what to do and some of their past work. Some of the past work included Bacardi and their beardyman, Nike + (black pencil award winning stuff) and Nokia Vine, which I only actually learned about the day before!

I loved the fact that it was free! I only had to pay to get up there, so it was all good. It was a fun day out and even ended up in a D&AD/university/industry discussion about the changing advertising and design world to something a while lot more digital. I had some input, but soon realised I was just a little out my depth with not very much knowledge of what goes on behind the scenes…

The day got me thinking about finding the key insight into getting the perfect idea from a brief.

It may seem a bit late to start pointing this out, but at uni the brief seem to be flying at us left, right, center and from above, with last week having up to three briefs to present ideas. This does not seem ideal if we are at all to have a chance to find that crucial insight. But I think I will have to struggle on.

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But it servers us well to remember that they’re still rats. Some climate scientists have been open about the fact that they think this scandal is a disgrace. This is admirable. But in order to do this, you may not yourself be implicated in the scandal, like a certain Mike Hulme. He says that maybe the IPCC has played out it’s role, and he is right. What he fails to realize is that he should go with it.

Mike Lawler

Mike Lawler worked for Runde’s full-time while he went to high school.  After graduating, Mike went off to college, but he still comes back to work here when he comes back home.  While Mike was here for the Thanksgiving weekend, we took a few minutes to chat with him and find out what college life is like.

RAC: Where are you going to college?

ML: Western Illinois University — It’s about two and a half hours away.

RAC: And do you have your own car?

ML: Yeah, a 2000 Cavalier Z24.

RAC: Nice.  Aluminum wheels?  Air Conditioning?  Cruise Control?

ML: Yes sir.

RAC: Prodigious!  Do you like college so far? You’re going to the school in Macomb, IL right?

Western Illinois University

ML: Yeah the school’s nice.  Macomb’s a smaller town – I think it’s about 20,000 people.

RAC: Runde’s sells a lot of vehicles to people from Macomb.  Do you see any cars that you maybe got ready for pick-up or took pictures of?

ML: I definitely see a lot of vehicles running around with Runde stickers.  I can’t tell for sure if there’s one that I prepped or washed, but yeah there’s probably a couple.

RAC: What are you majoring in?

ML: History, I plan to get my teaching certification.

RAC:  So you want to be a teacher?  What for, high school?

ML: Yeah high school, why are you looking at me like that?

RAC: You want to deal with high schoolers?

ML: Yeah, I’d rather deal with them than little kids.

RAC:  Have you seen the new Twilight New Moon movie that came out this past week

ML:  Definitely not.  No.

RAC:  What do you think of the whole Michael Jackson glove sale price?  Would you ever pay that much for just one glove? 

ML:  No.

RAC:  What are your plans for Thanksgiving.

ML:  We usually head over to relatives in Dubuque.  My mom, her sisters, and my grandma all pitch in to cook the meal.  After Thanksgiving weekend, I’ll head back to school to finish out the semester.

RAC: What’s your school mascot?  Isn’t it the Saluki’s.

ML: I think the Saluki is the team name for Southern Illinois.  Western’s team name is The Leathernecks.

RAC: Do you play any sports up there at the school?

ML: Nope.

RAC:  What do you think about the whole Brett Favre thing?

ML:  I wish it would just go away.

RAC: Did you come back for any East Dubuque Football games or anything?  They had a great season.

ML: A couple yeah.

RAC: Did you see the video of their last pep rally where that dads of the players dressed up like cheerleaders and performed a routine?

ML: Yeah, yes I did hear about that, but I have not actually seen the footage of it.

RAC: You will have to look it up online, there’s like 3 takes of it out there.

RAC: Do you feel like older now that you’re finally in college? … now that you are in a place like a university.  It’s like the universe of information, the Mecca of learning.

ML: I don’t feel that different, there is probably a little difference I think.

Resemblance ???

RAC: History Major eh?  Who is your favorite president?

ML: Probably Abraham Lincon

RAC: Abe? Honestly?  I would have to say that he is my favorite too when you survey the history of this country.  Do you have any skill that you learned at Runde’s that you use in the real world or at college?

ML: Umm, I think I developed better people skills here if anything,

2010 Chevrolet Equinox

ML:  I think it’s a big improvement.  I like it a lot … very nice interior and nice design. RAC: If you could say that there was one like college dream vehicle, what would it be like? The ultimate college car …

ML: For me it would have to be something fuel efficient, because I drive back and forth from home. Are you talking about like the coolness of it or what?

RAC: I don’t know… I’m just asking. So your talking, for you personally it would be a vehicle where you could fold the 3 rows of seats down and pile the whole world in it, and still get 40 miles per gallon?

ML: I don’t think that vehicle exists…

RAC: well it probably will in ten years.

We’re thankful that Mike came back to work for us over the holiday weekend.  He’s a good worker and we wish him the best as he continues his education at Westen Illinois. 

Click PLAY below to find out what Mike’s most thankful for.

Photographed by jbelluch

Oh, but there inside the house,
Upon the hearth, a lovely sight.
For there sat He, in quiet repose,
The One who keeps the flame aglow.
-Keeper of the Flame
by Patsy J. Lewis

– License

This is what Phill & Mike think I should do, because they are jokers.  Seriously speaking though, I am considering getting a tattoo.  It’s something I have always wanted to do, but it’s also something I have been somewhat reluctant to do because in the past, I’ve had ideas for designs and then changed my mind for a variety of reasons – I think that it is something that you really have to think through carefully.  Is it going to hold its meaning through the years? Is it in a place where you can hide it when necessary (e.g. job interview, angry grandparent)?  Is it personal and unique, or something that every Tom Dick and Chavvy has? Will the colours fade and the tattoo look tacky in time? These are all primary considerations for me – the pain doesn’t bother me at all (I have a high pain threshold, and I have had multiple injections in the roof of my mouth – WITH A NEEDLE before you get any ideas! – so I am not really afraid of needles nor pain. I can stand it).

So with that all said, I’ll unveil what I’m thinking off.  At the top of my right collarbone / shoulder, about an inch high (maybe less, but about that – so fairly discreet), I want an A. Because that is the first letter of my name.  Simple, personal (I am unlikely to change my name) and effective!  But not just an ordinary A! I toy about with various ways of writing my name during moments of boredom, and a few years ago I found a way of writing the ‘A’ that I like:

Ok, so you need to imagine this with the lines being straight as opposed to wiggly and uneven, and it would just be the solid black in the middle without the feathered edges, but you get the idea.  I think it looks edgy without trying too hard, and it is personal and unique without being outlandish or silly.  Simple, but effective – in other words.  On top my shoulder, its somewhere I can keep it hidden from people (and easily show-offable), but it’s not in your typical lower back / upper back / bicep region which could be passé / common.  I am quite excited – although it’s still only a plan I have and I haven’t made any kind of appointment, I know exactly where I would go to get it done, who to speak to (friends have recommended me), and Mike says that he’s up for going with me.  So it may well happen! Plus, since it’s just in black and not too big, it shouldn’t be too expensive.  I like this plan.

I just hope that a) when my mother / grandmother eventually sees it (which I know ultimately will happen), they won’t freak out too much; b) they will respect my right to choose to do what I want with my body.  I won’t feel guilty about getting it done, but I will feel sad about hurting their feelings, so I just hope that they will be mature enough to not let their feelings get hurt c) I don’t think it can be confused with anything stupid that I have somehow overlooked.  So it’s all systems go!  What do you think?

Tomorrow is my 10th anniversary, and no, we aren’t doing anything to celebrate tomorrow. We went out to eat Tuesday, though. Mike drank half a bottle of wine and then we went shopping… Not a good idea usually, but when you get something that you want for one of your kids, something that was rather expensive and Mike would have vetoed it had he been sober, you just have to run with it. So- yay! We started christmas shopping!

I had been telling him for a few days that Monkey hadn’t left me any ‘presents’ yet. Every other cat that we’ve owned growing up brought presents- dead (or, in the case of one cat, LIVING) mice and birds. Heck, we had a dog that would leave headless bunny corpses for us (not sure I want to know what happened to their heads… I’m perfectly fine imagining him lining them up as trophies in his doghouse rather than what is most likely the truth).

This morning, I woke up early to go shopping with Mom. I got what I wanted to get (yay!), Mom got what she wanted to get (yay!), and now it’s just filler for the boys. Then I came home to find…

A dead mouse in front of my kitchen sink, on the floor. First of all- it was Monkey’s first mouse. He was proud of himself, following me into that kitchen with a smug ‘look what I did’ look on his face. Now I know why he was hiding out in the lower cabinets and I had to let him out when I closed one of the doors. Second- I’ve found that I don’t like these presents, but I have to tell him that he’s a good kitty anyway, so he doesn’t leave them hidden behind the fridge or the stove for me to find when there’s a funny smell in the house. Third- I’m really glad that it was dead and Monkey wasn’t playing with it and that he had chosen the kitchen rather than the couch for the mouse’s ‘final’ resting place.

Yesterday, we had dinner with the inlaws and tomorrow we have dinner with my family. So far, I’ve made pumpkin dip and I’ll make crab rangoon for tomorrow, and then tomorrow morning, I’ll get up early and make cheesy ranch potatoes for dinner. I would have made crab rangoon for the inlaw’s, except that my Walmart apparently decided their shoppers don’t want egg roll or wonton wrappers. Or tofu, either. I even asked if they had tofu (because asking for ‘wonton wrappers’ requires me explaining that they’re usually by the tofu, and then I get the ‘eureka!’ light bulb moment when the employee says ‘tofu? why didn’t you say so?’), and was told that they don’t have tofu anymore. Oh-kay.

I did find egg roll wrappers at our local grocery, and they’ll work in a pinch. I’ll just have to cut them up and make slightly smaller crab rangoon.

We knew how much you loved Edward’s grey pea coat in “Twilight” (it was a custom design). And we bet you already own a version Bella’s blue hooded jacket (made by BB Dakota) — but with “New Moon” comes a whole new shopping list. So, starting today, we’ll look back at the making of the movie’s wardrobe with costume designer Tish Monaghan. First up: Edward (Robert Pattinson) and Bella (Kristen Stewart).

BEGINNING THE PROCESS
“There was already a particular look in place, so the first thing I did was find out from the studio and the director, Chris Weitz, if they were happy with the looks of the characters,” recalled costume designer Tish Monaghan. “Were there things they wanted changed? Once I got those instructions — there were only minor adjustments to be made.” Bella’s presentation from “Twilight” was kept consistent. “[The studio and Chris] liked that she was a tomboy and that she was in earth tones and was a little bit out of place. So I picked up on all of those comments, and when I did all of my purchasing for her, I stayed more or less in that world unless there was something specific that was required in the script.”

EVERYTHING OLD IS NEW AGAIN
During a interesting (to say the least!) double “date” with Mike (Michael Welch, left) and Jacob (Taylor Lautner, right) Bella wore the “Signe Smocked top” by Joie and American Eagle jeans. But the most notable part of her outfit is her token accessories — the turquoise bracelet and moonstone ring, which, according to Tish, were the very same trinkets Kristen wore in “Twilight.”
Get the look: “Cute Options Embroidered Smocked Peasant Top” from Target ($27)

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READ MORE…

créditos: Danilo

créditos: daniel

Buona partita per i ragazzi della Cancelleria, che riescono a pareggiare 5 a 5 con una delle capoliste. Nonostante il divario di età (13 anni di differenza!) e la differenza di preparazione atletica le favecerchiate tengono il risultato è si fanno raggiungere solo nel finale, quanto ormai la “birra” era finita! Per la cronaca in goal Mike (4) e Guru

Star 69 and Duplex team up together to bring you brand new remixes of Celeda- The Underground to help celebrate the 10 year anniversary! Remixes from D-Unity, Richard Grey, Abel Ramos, and Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike !

Its been a while since Celeda- The Underground first came out 10 years ago and Duplex (along with Star 69) brings it back and up-to-date! It arguably has been played by more DJ’s than almost any other track in dance music history and not only put Celeda on the map but helped introduce NYC-based label Star 69 Records to the world. Support from Erick Morillo, Bob Sinclar, Roger Sanchez, Avicii, and more !

All mixes went straight to the Beatport Charts

BUY NOW:

https://www.beatport.com/en-US/html/content/release/detail/198245/The%20Underground

It’s amazing how useful Campaign is!

Teaching me about all the latest ideas produced around the advertising industry.

The latest thing is insideyoursearch.com by WCRS for Weetabix.

The idea behind it, is obviously how to show the effects of having Weetabix in the morning. But I do think that it has had an influence by the very popular viral from a few years ago – subservientchicken.com.

The idea of seeing an old librarian lady behind the scenes at Google is quite fun, but interacting with this is not as good as with the chicken I feel. Certainly as you search for something she does move around quickly and there are some specific search terms that make the animation slightly different, like searching for the weather for a certain area etc., but this has something missing. It is a nice touch to have a reversed image of a search page and results, but I tried typing the same search terms in both the site and in Google at the same time and sadly, they did not come up with exactly the same thing. This is something that people who come into contact will try and I feel that it is missing out on, but even worse, the time it takes to search is longer when it is through insideyoursearch.com, even if only half of a second, I feel that this is a part which doesnt actually meet the proposition.

Otherwise this is a nice idea.

x

Tomorrow I’ll be cooking Thanksgiving dinner by myself, and for the first time! But, I think it’ll be fun and turn out really good!

I’m making a ton:

A maple-apple glazed turkey
Sweet potato casserole
Mashed potatos and gravy
Stuffing with celery and onion
Green beans with cranberries
Crescent rolls (pre-made; I’m not that brave!)
A pumpkin pie, of course!
Chocolate covered cream puffs

I’m hoping it’ll all turn out great! I’m a little nervous, but this is Mik’es first Thanksgiving away from his family, and I want to make it special and great for him! I spent a long time cleaning the apartment today, and set the table with a cloth and everything!

I’ll post tomorrow night with how everything turned out, and of course, pictures.

♥Sierra

Just came back from the Celebration not too long ago for the boy Mike Gordon at Taj!

You already know, another year, another Conquest!

Look for us to be taking over a few things soon…

So I totally don’t feel like updating this “first post” thing right now, but I needed a place-holder till I could get it done!

So I’m going to do my Thanksgiving post instead, but check back to this one

♥Sierra

I missed yesterday’s post, so to make up for it, here is Chris “Mad Dog” Russo joining his former partner on the Mike Francesa Show from October.

I thought that my responsibility ended when I called and won the Thanksgiving dinners.  I was wrong.  Someone had to pick the certificates up at the radio station in town.  Me!  And guess what?  Kat’s coworker Bill won the same prize on Thursday.  Could I pick his certificates up at the same time?

I bussed downtown to pick up the winning certificates and I thought my responsibility was over when I dropped them off with Kat.  I was wrong.  The dinners were at the GFS in Monroeville which was on the other side of town.  This news did not amuse Kat.  She told me that there was no one else who could pick up the food, I HAD to do it.  Thanksgiving depended on it.  Mike and I drove across town, through the late evening rush hour traffic, in the pouring rain to retrieve the dinners.  Now, I was grumpy.  I called ahead and the manager had the approximately 140 pounds of food boxed and ready to go when we arrived.  We loaded all the food in the trunk and headed back across town to deliver it.

We drove to Kat workplace and as soon as we pulled in, we were spotted on their security cameras.  Kat and Bill helped unload the food and rewarded us with gifts, a bag of popcorn, a small drink and a cigarette for Mike.  That’s right, I work for peanuts.  At least, I don’t have to cook dinner or clean for guests.  Kat still has the hardest job.

I ran the Route 66 Half Marathon on Sunday. It was wonderful. Perfect weather, I was happy with my time, but the best part was hearing my babies (Mike included) cheering for me.

I had told Mike that if the kids woke up in time and he wanted to get everyone to the race that was great, but not to feel obligated. I wasn’t doing the girl thing of saying the opposite of what I wanted, I really meant it. The race started at 7:30 and I totally know how hard it is to get everyone out the house before 8:30, let alone find a parking spot, unload both kids, walk downtown, and fight the crowds at the finish line. So I didn’t get my hopes up that they would be at the finish line.

Hearing your husband scream your name, while simultaneously holding your four year old up so he can see you, snapping pictures and holding the double stroller containing your sixteen month steady with his knee is a beautiful beautiful sight.

A couple steps down the line, my parents (my mom kicked booty in her 5k by the way) were cheering me on.

I was smiling so big crossing the finish line it hurt.

To say I feel lucky sounds so cliche. I have a husband who cheers me on, supports me, encourages me and most of is proud of me. I have a four year old that after my race told me, “You were so fast, you did so good. You were so great, you even got a medal!” I have a sixteen month old that does the happy grunt when we sees me and wants to hug me, sweaty pig tails and all. I have parents who got to the race 3o minutes earlier than they needed to be there for my mom’s race (when you are talking about waking up at 5:30 am, 30 minutes is a lifetime!) just to be there for my start.

I have legs that run. I have a heart that beats. I have a healthy family. I have happy kids. I have a loving husband.

Sometimes you have those overwhelming moments that knock your breath out in a good way. Today was one of those days. I observed my life from a distance and really liked what I saw.

We started werewolves last night. It’s kind of like Mafia but better. It’s like a middle ages version, I guess. Theres a seer, witch, cupid, townspeople, werewolves, thieves, vampires ect… Each character has a role in the game. The best part? It’s real-time/Live action and we’re playing for a winning of 100 dollars. That’s a lot when you’re in college. The point of the game is to deceive, or befriend to gain alliances which will ultimately help you get further in the game. But much like the reality TV show Survivor – You’re playing for yourself, in the end. Personally? I’m a townsperson - I pretty much do nothing except vote people out (again like survivor). Boring? Not so much, you have nothing to hide but you get to fool around in the politics of the game. Mike, my roommate, is Cupid – he makes people fall in love and those people thus become “lovers”. What lovers are is actually pretty inhibiting. If one lover dies the other automatically dies too. challenging as it may be, it adds a lot of politics too because a lover can also be a dual role of, say, a vampire or a warewolf which causes them to be somewhat of a double agent. Ultimately, a lover would play for and with a lover in hopes to keep both of them safe. Lovers put themselves over their other affiliations. Neat, huh? Look it up on google – maybe they’ll give full instructions.
In other news, Thanksgiving break is here and God do I feel like I need it. I’m not feeling well at all and it’s been going on for about 5 days now – I’m assuming it’s just homesickness, but it feels a bit more physical than that. Mike is playing Fallout 3 – I started it. It’s fun so far – I like V.A.T.S. Anyway, I should get packing for my trip home.

Beatus Vir Qui Suffert Tentationem

.Rin.