Since I last posted. I'm back in Michigan for Memorial Day and I've got to say, there's really only one place that I can call 'Home.'
This blog has fallen to the wayside since I started working but I've decided to have another go at it.. actually it was Jana, the girlfriend of one of my best friends here, that mentioned that she read this and liked it, so I feel compelled to keep going.
My life in New York has gotten pretty comfortable. At my job, I'm no longer relegated to 'Intern' status and am considered a full time employee with a yearly salary. I'm contributing more and more, and for the last 3 weeks, I've been running the company since my boss is out of town on vacation. The company is really small; there's the owner, my boss, and me. The owner doesn't contribute too much to day to day operations. I've felt like it's been a never ending job lately because I've had to cover my boss's responsibilities as well as mine, but that will be coming to an end soon!
My apartment is sweet, it's a seven bedroom with 4 guys and 3 girls. It's a good mix of people, and I'm realizing that I like living with girls. The apartment tends to stay cleaner and a lot of entertaining banter goes on. I've got a few local dive bars I like and am starting to delve into the music scene.
Things are good. Life is good. But there is still only one place I call 'Home.'
Sunday, May 27
Thursday, March 15
Phase 2
I'm headed into the next phase of NY life. My job is good, it's gotten me into a good rhythm. The guys I work with are real laid back and chill. Money is coming in steadily and I still practice my thrifty ways... I haven't bought any celebratory items nor do I intend to until I put a dent into my credit card debt accumulated during my transition.
But I am moving. Downtown. Closer to work and closer to the amaziness which makes New York New York.
It's a 7 bedroom on the edge of Chinatown with a very diverse group of 20-somethings. Walking distance to Little Italy and Soho, short train ride to the East Village and Union Square.
The thing that gets to me is rent. It's so fuckin expensive here. It is almost impossible to pay less than $1500/month for a room unless I live in the ghetto. And I guess I'm cool with it.
But I am moving. Downtown. Closer to work and closer to the amaziness which makes New York New York.
It's a 7 bedroom on the edge of Chinatown with a very diverse group of 20-somethings. Walking distance to Little Italy and Soho, short train ride to the East Village and Union Square.
The thing that gets to me is rent. It's so fuckin expensive here. It is almost impossible to pay less than $1500/month for a room unless I live in the ghetto. And I guess I'm cool with it.
Thursday, February 1
10 Tips for Recent College Grads on Getting the First Job
1. At all costs, AVOID looking for a job between Thanksgiving and New Year’s. Companies are too distracted with family and the holidays to look for employees. In January, however, companies get a new budget and lofty goals for expansion, so this is the perfect time to be looking.
2. Once you’ve focused on a career path, don’t divert your attention into other possibilities. It takes A LOT of work to demonstrate your abilities and skillsets. Looking elsewhere means you have to start all over.
i.e. After a few setbacks, I tried getting a temp office job and had to prove a mastery of MS Office. They expect you to know every little detail of the programs and expect you to finish like 140 questions in 45 mins for each program… LOTS of prep work to ace that thing. Conversely, I’d been working on my portfolio for what seems like forever, so there were only little gaps that needed to be filled. So yea, I failed that skills test miserably!
3. See how you rank with your competition. Look online at other resumes, portfolios. Identify those who have “made it” and compare yourself to them. What are they doing? What do they have that I’m lacking? How do I fill those gaps?
4. Go waaay over the top in demonstrating positive attitude, passion, and commitment. It’s cliche, yes. But if you’ve chosen the right career path, you’ll automatically be passionate about it, so tell the company you’ll commit to their company because of this passion.
5. If applying to a job posting, read into the ad and make assumptions on what you think the company really wants. In the cover letter, address these assumptions and tell them that you are the embodiment of these traits with a proven track record. Reword your work experience to support the embodiment claim. Its ballsy, its cocky, and it grabs their attention.
6. If you get an interview, the cover letter worked and you’re probably right about their needs. They will spend a lot of time talking about what the company does and what they need done. This is your opportunity to tell them how you would fit in, and give examples of how you accomplished these things in the past.
7. Make sure to ask for the job before you leave the office. I read somewhere that most people don’t do this.
8. Send a follow up email restating their needs and how you intend to fill those needs (like in the cover letter, but more task specific).
9. Take it one day at a time. Every night, identify one thing you want to accomplish the next day and use that the get the ball rolling in the morning. If you’re unemployed and looking for a job, it gets increasingly difficult to stay productive (or even get out of bed) if you don’t do this.
I could go on and on… in the end it came down to a lot of personal development literature helping fuel the desire to keep going, learning what I gotta do to make it work, then doing it, trial and error, until it does work.
One last, very important thing I want to add:
10. Get over the sense of entitlement. I’m 23 and my generation has been dubbed “GenMe.” I started out this way, feeling as though people should be begging me to work for them. But the sooner I got over this, the sooner I got to being honest with myself, and the sooner I got to working to achieve this goal.”
2. Once you’ve focused on a career path, don’t divert your attention into other possibilities. It takes A LOT of work to demonstrate your abilities and skillsets. Looking elsewhere means you have to start all over.
i.e. After a few setbacks, I tried getting a temp office job and had to prove a mastery of MS Office. They expect you to know every little detail of the programs and expect you to finish like 140 questions in 45 mins for each program… LOTS of prep work to ace that thing. Conversely, I’d been working on my portfolio for what seems like forever, so there were only little gaps that needed to be filled. So yea, I failed that skills test miserably!
3. See how you rank with your competition. Look online at other resumes, portfolios. Identify those who have “made it” and compare yourself to them. What are they doing? What do they have that I’m lacking? How do I fill those gaps?
4. Go waaay over the top in demonstrating positive attitude, passion, and commitment. It’s cliche, yes. But if you’ve chosen the right career path, you’ll automatically be passionate about it, so tell the company you’ll commit to their company because of this passion.
5. If applying to a job posting, read into the ad and make assumptions on what you think the company really wants. In the cover letter, address these assumptions and tell them that you are the embodiment of these traits with a proven track record. Reword your work experience to support the embodiment claim. Its ballsy, its cocky, and it grabs their attention.
6. If you get an interview, the cover letter worked and you’re probably right about their needs. They will spend a lot of time talking about what the company does and what they need done. This is your opportunity to tell them how you would fit in, and give examples of how you accomplished these things in the past.
7. Make sure to ask for the job before you leave the office. I read somewhere that most people don’t do this.
8. Send a follow up email restating their needs and how you intend to fill those needs (like in the cover letter, but more task specific).
9. Take it one day at a time. Every night, identify one thing you want to accomplish the next day and use that the get the ball rolling in the morning. If you’re unemployed and looking for a job, it gets increasingly difficult to stay productive (or even get out of bed) if you don’t do this.
I could go on and on… in the end it came down to a lot of personal development literature helping fuel the desire to keep going, learning what I gotta do to make it work, then doing it, trial and error, until it does work.
One last, very important thing I want to add:
10. Get over the sense of entitlement. I’m 23 and my generation has been dubbed “GenMe.” I started out this way, feeling as though people should be begging me to work for them. But the sooner I got over this, the sooner I got to being honest with myself, and the sooner I got to working to achieve this goal.”
Friday, January 26
I'm here to stay
I received my first job offer! I will be an Industrial Design Intern for Elseware, Inc. For the next five weeks, I will be fleshing out the details in an innovative human powered vehicle and responsible for building a full scale functional prototype. At the end of five weeks, the prototype will be reviewed by the investors and if given the green light, a production model will be built and shown at the Bicycle Show in Vegas.
BOOYA!
BOOYA!
Tuesday, January 23
Great Design, Generic Brand
Everybody knows the design initiatives of Target. The generic Target brand has employed the help of Cooper-Hewitt to manage their design department with the strategy, Target: Design for All. It's resulted in forward thinking, real style, and high design at very affordable prices. Office Max has rolled out a similar strategy with Gravity Tank of Chicago to "create a pen with outstanding performance and clean, sophisticated design, a precision, high-end instrument offered at an everyday price." They call it 'Tul.'
I think they done a good job with it. What hooked me was a graphological test, or a handwriting analysis, built into their website at www.tul.com that tells you what your handwriting says about you, as well as recommend the perfect pen to fit your handwriting style and your personality. Check it out!
I think they done a good job with it. What hooked me was a graphological test, or a handwriting analysis, built into their website at www.tul.com that tells you what your handwriting says about you, as well as recommend the perfect pen to fit your handwriting style and your personality. Check it out!
Thursday, January 4
How Do I Get To Point D? Get to Point C and 1/2
Point A: Academic Life
Point B: Graphic Artist for UMHS, Department of Radiology, Media Division/Freelance Industrial Designer
Point C: Unemployed in New York with increasing debt
Point D: Full time Industrial Design job
Point E: Business Owner
To get to points D and E, my chances increase a millionfold if I stay in New York rather than relocate elsewhere (meaning move back home). So moving point C to point D means I need to stop increasing my debt and find a sustainable lifestyle in New York. Staying in New York is my only mission at this moment in time.
To stay, I will get a job of any kind. Options include temp work, waiting tables, record stores, book stores, retail stores, electronics stores. It doesn't matter what it is, as long as it pays the rent, puts food in my stomach, and gets me a MetroCard. Nothing else matters at this point in time. Not any business scheme, not my social life, not my portfolio. A meaningless job is all that matters.
This is Point C and 1/2.
Point B: Graphic Artist for UMHS, Department of Radiology, Media Division/Freelance Industrial Designer
Point C: Unemployed in New York with increasing debt
Point D: Full time Industrial Design job
Point E: Business Owner
To get to points D and E, my chances increase a millionfold if I stay in New York rather than relocate elsewhere (meaning move back home). So moving point C to point D means I need to stop increasing my debt and find a sustainable lifestyle in New York. Staying in New York is my only mission at this moment in time.
To stay, I will get a job of any kind. Options include temp work, waiting tables, record stores, book stores, retail stores, electronics stores. It doesn't matter what it is, as long as it pays the rent, puts food in my stomach, and gets me a MetroCard. Nothing else matters at this point in time. Not any business scheme, not my social life, not my portfolio. A meaningless job is all that matters.
This is Point C and 1/2.
Tuesday, January 2
New Year's Resolutions
I spent the holidays back home and it make you realize exactly what it means to be "home." Its the place you come to relax/reenergize/recouperate after being away for a while. Things are easier because everything comes naturaly. You fall right back into that old groove and nothing has changed at all. The family relations, the friends, the bar runs.. nothing has changed and in that you find comfort and safety.
But one cannot live a fulfilling life finding safety and comfort. We thrive on the challenges, the changes, the excitement. Seth Godin's Small is the New Big is a hodgepodge of small articles and rants that reads much like a blog. Each blurp is just long and poignant enough to be thought provoking, but that's about it. One that stood out is the concept of a Local Max vs a Global Max.
Each individual starts at point A. After a certain period of time, they rise up to point B. This is their Local Max. In the Pursuit of Happyness, Christopher Gardner has a lab job at a hospital in San Francisco. This is where his path from the military led him. A decent life in California. The Sun. The Beach. The Girl. Yet no where to grow to. This was his Local Max.
In the distance, higher levels of success are visible. In the Pursuit of Happyness, this was the stock broker driving the red Ferrari. In his 'success graph,' he is at point E, or at his Global Max. What does he do? How did he get there? These are important questions, but not the most important.
The money question is, What did he SACRIFICE to get there?
For Christopher Gardner, he sacrificed his wife, his apartment, and the wellness of his son for his chance to reach his Global Max. He was homeless and carried all his belongings with him to work. His son even slept in the bathroom of the train station. This is point C on the success graph. You start at point A, work up to point B, then fall down to point C before rising above B to point D. Sacrifices have to be made and hardships must be had, but you'll emerge from the fire ready to rise to point D, then E, the Global Max.
I believe I am at point C of my graph. Life is not grand in New York, and that is because I sacrificed home for this opportunity. I've left the safety net of my parents, the companionship of my friends, a good job, and a person who seems to always know how to crack open my heart.
But because I've made these sacrifices, I see paths before me. I see opportunities I do not have at home. I can see how to get to point D.
So, my New Year's Resolution is simple. I've already made the sacrifices, now GET TO POINT D.
But one cannot live a fulfilling life finding safety and comfort. We thrive on the challenges, the changes, the excitement. Seth Godin's Small is the New Big is a hodgepodge of small articles and rants that reads much like a blog. Each blurp is just long and poignant enough to be thought provoking, but that's about it. One that stood out is the concept of a Local Max vs a Global Max.
Each individual starts at point A. After a certain period of time, they rise up to point B. This is their Local Max. In the Pursuit of Happyness, Christopher Gardner has a lab job at a hospital in San Francisco. This is where his path from the military led him. A decent life in California. The Sun. The Beach. The Girl. Yet no where to grow to. This was his Local Max.
In the distance, higher levels of success are visible. In the Pursuit of Happyness, this was the stock broker driving the red Ferrari. In his 'success graph,' he is at point E, or at his Global Max. What does he do? How did he get there? These are important questions, but not the most important.
The money question is, What did he SACRIFICE to get there?
For Christopher Gardner, he sacrificed his wife, his apartment, and the wellness of his son for his chance to reach his Global Max. He was homeless and carried all his belongings with him to work. His son even slept in the bathroom of the train station. This is point C on the success graph. You start at point A, work up to point B, then fall down to point C before rising above B to point D. Sacrifices have to be made and hardships must be had, but you'll emerge from the fire ready to rise to point D, then E, the Global Max.
I believe I am at point C of my graph. Life is not grand in New York, and that is because I sacrificed home for this opportunity. I've left the safety net of my parents, the companionship of my friends, a good job, and a person who seems to always know how to crack open my heart.
But because I've made these sacrifices, I see paths before me. I see opportunities I do not have at home. I can see how to get to point D.
So, my New Year's Resolution is simple. I've already made the sacrifices, now GET TO POINT D.
Friday, December 15
On Design and Entreprenuership
As an industrial designer, you are asked to solve a problem. It might be as simple as increasing the usability of prescription pill bottle, or as complex as creating a sustainable model for a recyclable automobile. Let's compare this to the entreprenuer.
According to Mark Cuban (I don't like quoting him, but he's right on this):
"Few businesses only have one opportunity. Every entrepreneur's mind goes crazy with the new and exciting things they can do beyond the new and exciting things they are already doing. The risk is that you can drown in all these opportunities. Far too often when an entreprenuer hits a rough patch or competitive challenge, the temptation is to "turn on the thinking cap" and find something new for the company to do. "
This type of thinking is equivalent to the brainstorming and research phase of the design process. Therefore, design and entreprenuership both draw on the same prerequisite of the individual being a visionary. Observe situation/problem, see opportunity/solution. The objectives, however, may be quite different. Designers look to help the lives of people by creating products of value, making a buck off their services. Conversely, entreprenuers look to make a buck for themselves and those around them by creating products and services of value.
Mark Cuban describes an entreprenuer's emotions to a T:
"There are few things more exciting than starting a business and getting things rolling. The fear, the adrenalin, the excitement, the hope that every entrepreneur feels, are all intoxicating. In fact, very often they are TOO intoxicating. Very often, along with some success comes the feeling of invincibility. I have been in situations where I have told myself that Im smart, I know what Im doing, that I will figure things out as I go, so its OK to take on this new opportunity. "
These are the EXACT same emotions a designer feels. You get a project that you may or may not be completely sold on, but you get started on the brainstorming and research. You learn about the market. You map out the user's lifestyle and habits and you begin to see how you can solve this particular problem... and then you become consumed. You live, breathe, and sleep design. And every step of the way, you'll hit a roadblock of some sort. It strikes fear straight to your core, planting the seeds of self doubt. Then stroke of genius will hit as you're falling asleep, jarring you out of bed and to your sketchbook. Or you'll be riding the subway and something about the train's door and window configuration gives you a new perspective to your design. It is both exciting and intoxicating to experience this process from sketchpad to storeshelf.
Why is this? Read Brian Kim's opinion:
"Is it any wonder why adults envy children so much? They are untainted. They are free. They live life the way they see it, with no worries. Children had the power to create their world because there was no negativity surrounding it. Nobody frowned upon them for doing so. Fast forward years later and most adults lost that power due to the negativity surrounding that exact same power and as a result, have become bitter and jaded at life.
Yet, that choice always remains within all of us. We do have the power to live life the way we see it. It’s just that we lost the map to that power of choice, that power of creativity, the power of dreaming and it is only up to us to find it again, but the longer we wait to reclaim it, the further down it sinks into the abyss. Sure you can yank it up every now and then, but it will just start sinking again once more. The power that was slowly stripped from us must likewise be slowly restored. You’ve got to pull it up little by little and reclaim the very essence of our being, the power to create our own world."
Within the context of the working world, design and entreprenuership are occupations that set you free. They are the rare jobs that allow you to create all that you can dream.
According to Mark Cuban (I don't like quoting him, but he's right on this):
"Few businesses only have one opportunity. Every entrepreneur's mind goes crazy with the new and exciting things they can do beyond the new and exciting things they are already doing. The risk is that you can drown in all these opportunities. Far too often when an entreprenuer hits a rough patch or competitive challenge, the temptation is to "turn on the thinking cap" and find something new for the company to do. "
This type of thinking is equivalent to the brainstorming and research phase of the design process. Therefore, design and entreprenuership both draw on the same prerequisite of the individual being a visionary. Observe situation/problem, see opportunity/solution. The objectives, however, may be quite different. Designers look to help the lives of people by creating products of value, making a buck off their services. Conversely, entreprenuers look to make a buck for themselves and those around them by creating products and services of value.
Mark Cuban describes an entreprenuer's emotions to a T:
"There are few things more exciting than starting a business and getting things rolling. The fear, the adrenalin, the excitement, the hope that every entrepreneur feels, are all intoxicating. In fact, very often they are TOO intoxicating. Very often, along with some success comes the feeling of invincibility. I have been in situations where I have told myself that Im smart, I know what Im doing, that I will figure things out as I go, so its OK to take on this new opportunity. "
These are the EXACT same emotions a designer feels. You get a project that you may or may not be completely sold on, but you get started on the brainstorming and research. You learn about the market. You map out the user's lifestyle and habits and you begin to see how you can solve this particular problem... and then you become consumed. You live, breathe, and sleep design. And every step of the way, you'll hit a roadblock of some sort. It strikes fear straight to your core, planting the seeds of self doubt. Then stroke of genius will hit as you're falling asleep, jarring you out of bed and to your sketchbook. Or you'll be riding the subway and something about the train's door and window configuration gives you a new perspective to your design. It is both exciting and intoxicating to experience this process from sketchpad to storeshelf.
Why is this? Read Brian Kim's opinion:
"Is it any wonder why adults envy children so much? They are untainted. They are free. They live life the way they see it, with no worries. Children had the power to create their world because there was no negativity surrounding it. Nobody frowned upon them for doing so. Fast forward years later and most adults lost that power due to the negativity surrounding that exact same power and as a result, have become bitter and jaded at life.
Yet, that choice always remains within all of us. We do have the power to live life the way we see it. It’s just that we lost the map to that power of choice, that power of creativity, the power of dreaming and it is only up to us to find it again, but the longer we wait to reclaim it, the further down it sinks into the abyss. Sure you can yank it up every now and then, but it will just start sinking again once more. The power that was slowly stripped from us must likewise be slowly restored. You’ve got to pull it up little by little and reclaim the very essence of our being, the power to create our own world."
Within the context of the working world, design and entreprenuership are occupations that set you free. They are the rare jobs that allow you to create all that you can dream.
Tuesday, December 12
Education
School has always been a contemptuous point for me. I never liked it. I didn't like the feeling of obligation. I was obligated to attend class. I was obligated to take notes. I was obligated to do the assignments. I was obligated to get good grades.
When I was little, I did well in school because I was smart kid and if I didn't.. well, I heard it from my parents. But somewhere along the way, my parents stopped going to my parent-teacher conferences and stopped looking at my report cards all together. They knew the expectations I placed on myself and trusted that I'd meet them.
When that happened, I began to devalue education on a subconsious level. Maybe it was because I had a problem with authority. Maybe it was because I wanted to break every single rule and stereotype. I don't really know, but I entered college at that level of maturity and never really took it seriously. There wasn't a single semester that I pulled it all together. I simply went through the motions to do just good enough... never exceptional, and never failing. I crammed the night before exams, I pulled last minute all-nighters at the art school, and skipped an endless number of classes.
In spite of all that, somehow I developed a passion for learning. I've always seen myself as an entreprenuer, but since I've moved to NY, I've slowly become extremely committed to my talents as a designer and artist. I can see what path I'm going to take to succeed, and it is one as a designer, artist, and entreprenuer. Never as only one or the other, but as a combination of the three. It also makes me realize how much further I have to go, how much more I have to learn, and that I cannot stop until I learn it all.
When I was little, I did well in school because I was smart kid and if I didn't.. well, I heard it from my parents. But somewhere along the way, my parents stopped going to my parent-teacher conferences and stopped looking at my report cards all together. They knew the expectations I placed on myself and trusted that I'd meet them.
When that happened, I began to devalue education on a subconsious level. Maybe it was because I had a problem with authority. Maybe it was because I wanted to break every single rule and stereotype. I don't really know, but I entered college at that level of maturity and never really took it seriously. There wasn't a single semester that I pulled it all together. I simply went through the motions to do just good enough... never exceptional, and never failing. I crammed the night before exams, I pulled last minute all-nighters at the art school, and skipped an endless number of classes.
In spite of all that, somehow I developed a passion for learning. I've always seen myself as an entreprenuer, but since I've moved to NY, I've slowly become extremely committed to my talents as a designer and artist. I can see what path I'm going to take to succeed, and it is one as a designer, artist, and entreprenuer. Never as only one or the other, but as a combination of the three. It also makes me realize how much further I have to go, how much more I have to learn, and that I cannot stop until I learn it all.
Tuesday, December 5
Progress
Slowly, but surely, I'm making progress. I've gotten the rendering portion up and running on Rhino3d and have finally figured out the ins and outs of getting a hot rendering out of that program.
I have three networking resources ahead of me. I met with my freelance guy's contact and he's setting me up with two giant Industrial Design firms sometime in January. I also met this guy who knew a girl from his high school that does ID. He got in contact with her and passed her info along to me. Apperently she works with some UMich people, which is a crazy coincidence.
Anyhow, I feel the momentum building. This rendering thing is HUGE. Networking is definately way easier than applying to every job posting I see. And after getting myself reacclimated this weekend, I spent all afternoon/evening pumping out renderings left and right. It's like I'd been wandering the streets the NY on foot then hijacked a Ferrari in front of a highway. I can feel things coming together in terms of my design skills, networking, and my life here in general.
Now, if only I had more than $4 in my wallet...
I have three networking resources ahead of me. I met with my freelance guy's contact and he's setting me up with two giant Industrial Design firms sometime in January. I also met this guy who knew a girl from his high school that does ID. He got in contact with her and passed her info along to me. Apperently she works with some UMich people, which is a crazy coincidence.
Anyhow, I feel the momentum building. This rendering thing is HUGE. Networking is definately way easier than applying to every job posting I see. And after getting myself reacclimated this weekend, I spent all afternoon/evening pumping out renderings left and right. It's like I'd been wandering the streets the NY on foot then hijacked a Ferrari in front of a highway. I can feel things coming together in terms of my design skills, networking, and my life here in general.
Now, if only I had more than $4 in my wallet...
Wednesday, November 22
It's only a matter of time.
New York is massive. It is gigantic. The sheer amount of people in this city creates an entirely different social dynamic when compared to Michigan. At home, I've found that my social network seemed to be limited in size, but everyone was a lot closer and tightly knit. Here in New York, I get the feeling that it is the complete opposite. The number of people I can meet and know are endless, yet I understand that these circles will never be quite as close as those in I had in Michigan. So, when in Rome, do as the Romans do; take advantage of this new dynamic.
I've done work as a freelance industrial designer and finally met the guy that I've been working for for the last year. It's interesting how the face never does quite match the image created from a voice on the other end of the phone. Anyhow, I have made several important business connections because of him.
I have a meeting with a guy he knows that owns a graphic design firm. I'm hoping this guy will be able to pass me along to another guy who knows someone that needs help. I read somewhere that a person is only four degrees away from a job. Outside of that, he has even more contacts to help me with any business venture I conjure up. Then another guy I met through my roommate is a wholesale distributor... meaning I have access to enough resources to do exactly what I want: get my own product developed, manufactured, and distributed.
I just gotta pull it all together.
I've done work as a freelance industrial designer and finally met the guy that I've been working for for the last year. It's interesting how the face never does quite match the image created from a voice on the other end of the phone. Anyhow, I have made several important business connections because of him.
I have a meeting with a guy he knows that owns a graphic design firm. I'm hoping this guy will be able to pass me along to another guy who knows someone that needs help. I read somewhere that a person is only four degrees away from a job. Outside of that, he has even more contacts to help me with any business venture I conjure up. Then another guy I met through my roommate is a wholesale distributor... meaning I have access to enough resources to do exactly what I want: get my own product developed, manufactured, and distributed.
I just gotta pull it all together.
Thursday, November 16
Conversations with a Bum
You see all sorts of bums and beggars in NY. Some of them come on the subway and rap, some are comedians and are hilarious, and some have a boombox and start popping and breakdancing - right there in the subway. The marjority, however, simply ask for spare change on the street.
Today, I had my first full length conversation with a pan handler. This guy was a war vet who served for 20 years, from 1975 to 1995. He'd been blown up, shot at, stabbed, and came out of service with two medals, post traumatic stress disorder, and diabetes. He had no family because his father died in the Vietnam War, his mother died in 1995, and he was an only child. His story was that he needed $4.50 to get a meal so he could take his diabetes medicine. He claimed he didn't do drugs, he can't drink anymore... all he said he needed was food for his medicine. In his hand, he did in fact hold a big Duane Reade (the CVS of NY) bag.
I declined to give him any money, like I always do, but I did offer him a person who would listen. I talked him through his options for making his situation better but I just felt this wave of negativity flowing out of this guy. Most likely he embellishes a lot of his story to play up the sympathy card, and that's the source of his entire problem.
This guy has become a beggar and spends almost every waking moment of his life telling people how bad his life is. When you do that, it becomes your reality. That's all you think and talk about, so that's all you see: dispair.
After he told me about his (brief) life's story, I told him I'd just moved to the city. Then he started telling me how much cheaper it is to live in Scranton, Pennsylvania. Then he rattled on and on about the girls there, his preferences in women, and a number of other things... but by the end of the conversation, he did said he felt better. I got him out of his negative mindset and he started dreaming and hoping for a better day again. I think that's all a person really needs.
Today, I had my first full length conversation with a pan handler. This guy was a war vet who served for 20 years, from 1975 to 1995. He'd been blown up, shot at, stabbed, and came out of service with two medals, post traumatic stress disorder, and diabetes. He had no family because his father died in the Vietnam War, his mother died in 1995, and he was an only child. His story was that he needed $4.50 to get a meal so he could take his diabetes medicine. He claimed he didn't do drugs, he can't drink anymore... all he said he needed was food for his medicine. In his hand, he did in fact hold a big Duane Reade (the CVS of NY) bag.
I declined to give him any money, like I always do, but I did offer him a person who would listen. I talked him through his options for making his situation better but I just felt this wave of negativity flowing out of this guy. Most likely he embellishes a lot of his story to play up the sympathy card, and that's the source of his entire problem.
This guy has become a beggar and spends almost every waking moment of his life telling people how bad his life is. When you do that, it becomes your reality. That's all you think and talk about, so that's all you see: dispair.
After he told me about his (brief) life's story, I told him I'd just moved to the city. Then he started telling me how much cheaper it is to live in Scranton, Pennsylvania. Then he rattled on and on about the girls there, his preferences in women, and a number of other things... but by the end of the conversation, he did said he felt better. I got him out of his negative mindset and he started dreaming and hoping for a better day again. I think that's all a person really needs.
Friday, November 10
The Interview
So I guess lied when I said I had a job already... they ended up shading out on me. I've had 3 interviews and know I didn't get the first two. I had another interview this past Tuesday.. I feel 50/50 on it. It's a high end residential sink manufacturer start up that has a product launch date of May 2007. There is a lot of work to do... everything from getting an actual functional product into the convention at Vegas to creating brochures, designing a trade show display, to designing a new office. Very demanding and work intensive because of all the outside responsibilities.
This company first put up a job posting in August and I've been speaking with them since then... didn't hear anything since September and got an interview request out of no where. This makes me feel good about my chances. But at the same time, I don't know if I thoroughly convinced them that I can do the job. They've interviewed other newly graduates from Pratt and Parsons whom they didn't like. The vast majority of Industrial Design graduates hope to work for a large consultancy.. they don't want to work for a small start up with 2 other people. I'll admit I'm the same way, but I understand that my skills translate better into a small start up environment and will be more useful there.
Anyhow, there is a lot of responsibility that falls onto an industrial designer. In a nutshell, we're responsible for getting a CAD file out to the manufacturer for mass production. The success and failure of the product (therefore, the company) falls on the designer's shoulders. Because of this, I realize many many companies are risk adverse and want somebody experienced. They do not want to take a risk on a newbie like myself, even though I know I'm more than capable.
This risk adversion is derived from the fact that design programs these days do not do a good enough job producing hireable graduates. On top of this, the creative nature of the profession attracts a lot of people... creating a mix of people who are both meant for this job and others who will never be able to pull it all together. I know I was not hireable straight out of school, I'll be the first to admit it. My experience at UMHS and the Flyclip definately prepared me for this next step.
I think one thing that I've failed to convey in my interviews is a blind, unheeded passion and committment to my potential employer. It's something I don't think I ever will get down pat, only because I will never, ever in my life be fully committed to somebody else's company. I have too many entreprenuerial ambitions for that. But I know what needs to be done at my next interview.
I'm too upfront about myself and my character. I'm too honest about who I am... I tell them 100%, rather than tailoring it to the 60-70% that will relate directly to that specific company. Much time in the interview is about learning about the company. They talk about what they do, where the company is going, and what they need done. At that point, the only thing that I need to be telling them are the specific examples in my work experience and portfolio that demonstrates I can fulfill their needs. Because in the end, it's all about creating that connection with the interviewer - not trying to convice them how smart or talented or potential filled I am. This emotional tie will do much more for my odds in getting the job, even if there is somebody more qualified available.
This company first put up a job posting in August and I've been speaking with them since then... didn't hear anything since September and got an interview request out of no where. This makes me feel good about my chances. But at the same time, I don't know if I thoroughly convinced them that I can do the job. They've interviewed other newly graduates from Pratt and Parsons whom they didn't like. The vast majority of Industrial Design graduates hope to work for a large consultancy.. they don't want to work for a small start up with 2 other people. I'll admit I'm the same way, but I understand that my skills translate better into a small start up environment and will be more useful there.
Anyhow, there is a lot of responsibility that falls onto an industrial designer. In a nutshell, we're responsible for getting a CAD file out to the manufacturer for mass production. The success and failure of the product (therefore, the company) falls on the designer's shoulders. Because of this, I realize many many companies are risk adverse and want somebody experienced. They do not want to take a risk on a newbie like myself, even though I know I'm more than capable.
This risk adversion is derived from the fact that design programs these days do not do a good enough job producing hireable graduates. On top of this, the creative nature of the profession attracts a lot of people... creating a mix of people who are both meant for this job and others who will never be able to pull it all together. I know I was not hireable straight out of school, I'll be the first to admit it. My experience at UMHS and the Flyclip definately prepared me for this next step.
I think one thing that I've failed to convey in my interviews is a blind, unheeded passion and committment to my potential employer. It's something I don't think I ever will get down pat, only because I will never, ever in my life be fully committed to somebody else's company. I have too many entreprenuerial ambitions for that. But I know what needs to be done at my next interview.
I'm too upfront about myself and my character. I'm too honest about who I am... I tell them 100%, rather than tailoring it to the 60-70% that will relate directly to that specific company. Much time in the interview is about learning about the company. They talk about what they do, where the company is going, and what they need done. At that point, the only thing that I need to be telling them are the specific examples in my work experience and portfolio that demonstrates I can fulfill their needs. Because in the end, it's all about creating that connection with the interviewer - not trying to convice them how smart or talented or potential filled I am. This emotional tie will do much more for my odds in getting the job, even if there is somebody more qualified available.
Monday, October 30
Strangers on the subway
Halloween was pretty fun, I was a crooked cop and went around arresting people with my plastic handcuffs. But I need to learn when to keep my mouth shut on the subway. I took a beer onto the subway on my way out Saturday and took a seat next to a bum. I looked over and he had a large can hidden in a McDonald's bag. He looked over at me and saw my bottle in a brown bag. Then we both started laughing.. what are the chances of that? He started talking to me about how he'd been hanging around this theatre in Midtown and saw all these workers running around the last two weeks. Turns out, the Rolling Stones are playing there and he was utterly in awe. But if you're a loudmouth on the subway, other randoms take that as an invitation to start talking to you as well. Which is kinda cool.
Monday, October 23
"Yea, it's my sub."
The great thing about New York is that you step outside your apartment, and there are always new faces to see on the streets, in the local food joints, and on the subway. There are always new, different people to talk to. Just now, I met a Haitian lady at the Chinese place around the corner who was mad that her 16 yr old son didn't pick up her phone call. Then she started telling me about her $500,000 house on Long Island, her house in Florida, and her house in Haiti. Everyone's got a story and they're all looking for someone to listen. It's entertaining.
There's this deli next door to my apartment that makes the greatest Philly Cheese Steak sub for $3.50. The only problem is that they take a good 5-10 minutes to grill up.. but it's so worth it. Anyways, I went in there for lunch today and it was kinda empty, but in those 10 minutes, the place got jacked. Like 5 people rolled into this tiny place at once.
So I'm waiting and waiting and my sub finally comes up. I grab it off the counter and this girl, probably in her late teens, is staring like I just grabbed her sub or something. Just glaring. Real intense. So I say something to the effect of, "Yea, it's my sub." And she just blows up.. "Did I SAY something to you?"
"No, but you were lookin'."
And this chick goes off, spouting about how she can look at whatever she whats, who do I think I am to say that to her... on and on. I shrug it off like its nothing, because it was an honest comment. I walk away from her (she's still muttering to herself), pay for my sub and leave. She eventually gets so flustered she walks out of the place.
Mind you, Morningside is not a bad area, but it's still predominantly black. Most people are cool with me being here, but occasionally you get people bugging out at you. It's like she'd never seen an Asian American - one that's educated, speaks perfect English, and talks back. All I thought was that she might've thought that I was stealing her sub when in fact she was just outright staring rudely so I called her out in front of a bunch of people. I got to her so bad that she took off out of embarrassment.
Ah, the joys of button pushing!
There's this deli next door to my apartment that makes the greatest Philly Cheese Steak sub for $3.50. The only problem is that they take a good 5-10 minutes to grill up.. but it's so worth it. Anyways, I went in there for lunch today and it was kinda empty, but in those 10 minutes, the place got jacked. Like 5 people rolled into this tiny place at once.
So I'm waiting and waiting and my sub finally comes up. I grab it off the counter and this girl, probably in her late teens, is staring like I just grabbed her sub or something. Just glaring. Real intense. So I say something to the effect of, "Yea, it's my sub." And she just blows up.. "Did I SAY something to you?"
"No, but you were lookin'."
And this chick goes off, spouting about how she can look at whatever she whats, who do I think I am to say that to her... on and on. I shrug it off like its nothing, because it was an honest comment. I walk away from her (she's still muttering to herself), pay for my sub and leave. She eventually gets so flustered she walks out of the place.
Mind you, Morningside is not a bad area, but it's still predominantly black. Most people are cool with me being here, but occasionally you get people bugging out at you. It's like she'd never seen an Asian American - one that's educated, speaks perfect English, and talks back. All I thought was that she might've thought that I was stealing her sub when in fact she was just outright staring rudely so I called her out in front of a bunch of people. I got to her so bad that she took off out of embarrassment.
Ah, the joys of button pushing!
Wednesday, October 18
Lost in Transit
I had my first major "New York" experience. Last night around 10pm, I left my apartment to get some stuff printed at Kinko's. In New York, you have to plan your route through the subway. I like to jot it down a piece of paper along with an address, intersection, and phone number. In this case, for one reason or another, I wrote down a second location as well.
When I first got down to the subway, I let the first train go because it wasn't the one I wanted. Then I realized there's only part time service available.. so I have to adjust my route and make a couple transfers. But it's also night so you have to wait up to half an hour between trains.
I get to the first Kinko's and it turns out that it's only a FedEx drop station! Back to the subway I go. The second location was at 34th and 2nd ave.. but this location is closed for renovations and it reroutes me up to 37th and 3rd ave. By the time I make it there, it's midnight and Mr. European is hordeing the color laser printer with his 500 page booklet.
$120 and 1.5 hrs later, I'm ready to head home. But what I'm realizing is that there is no easy route to get from the East Side to Morningside in West Harlem. It have to take the 7 from Grand Central to the Times Square, walk the tunnels over to Port Authority and finally hop on an A or C to get me home.
The train takes a good 30-40 minutes at Grand Central and another 10-15 at Port Authority. I'm so relieved to see a train that I hop on, blindly. But the next thing I know... I'm in effing Queens! I'd gotten on the E train!
I wait another 30 minutes to get back over to Midtown and say Eff It, I'm taking a $15 cab ride home. In bed by 4:30 am. Starving because I was supposed to eat while getting stuff printed but got lost instead.
But ya know what, none of that phases me. I woke up at 8 this morning, put on a suit, a pair of shiny black shoes, a nice belt, then proceeded to talk my way into a job at my first interview in NY! Lady said I more than demonstrated that I was qualified for the job, will fax my resume over to her client, and will contact me midweek next week with more details. The office is on 43rd and 5th ave, real close to Times Square. It's an industrial design job that deals with corporate sponsorship within both pharamceauticals and high end electronics.
The secretary said my name even sounds like a high end designer.
I moved here Sunday, spent Monday in Philly, and really only started "NY Life" on Tuesday. And I have a job already. Amazing.
When I first got down to the subway, I let the first train go because it wasn't the one I wanted. Then I realized there's only part time service available.. so I have to adjust my route and make a couple transfers. But it's also night so you have to wait up to half an hour between trains.
I get to the first Kinko's and it turns out that it's only a FedEx drop station! Back to the subway I go. The second location was at 34th and 2nd ave.. but this location is closed for renovations and it reroutes me up to 37th and 3rd ave. By the time I make it there, it's midnight and Mr. European is hordeing the color laser printer with his 500 page booklet.
$120 and 1.5 hrs later, I'm ready to head home. But what I'm realizing is that there is no easy route to get from the East Side to Morningside in West Harlem. It have to take the 7 from Grand Central to the Times Square, walk the tunnels over to Port Authority and finally hop on an A or C to get me home.
The train takes a good 30-40 minutes at Grand Central and another 10-15 at Port Authority. I'm so relieved to see a train that I hop on, blindly. But the next thing I know... I'm in effing Queens! I'd gotten on the E train!
I wait another 30 minutes to get back over to Midtown and say Eff It, I'm taking a $15 cab ride home. In bed by 4:30 am. Starving because I was supposed to eat while getting stuff printed but got lost instead.
But ya know what, none of that phases me. I woke up at 8 this morning, put on a suit, a pair of shiny black shoes, a nice belt, then proceeded to talk my way into a job at my first interview in NY! Lady said I more than demonstrated that I was qualified for the job, will fax my resume over to her client, and will contact me midweek next week with more details. The office is on 43rd and 5th ave, real close to Times Square. It's an industrial design job that deals with corporate sponsorship within both pharamceauticals and high end electronics.
The secretary said my name even sounds like a high end designer.
I moved here Sunday, spent Monday in Philly, and really only started "NY Life" on Tuesday. And I have a job already. Amazing.
Tuesday, October 17
Settled
I moved into my apartment Sunday and I'm never driving that much again in my life! I went from Detroit to Pittsburgh to Philadelphia to New York to Philadelphia to Jacksonville to New York to Philadelphia and finally back to New York. Don't get me wrong, I had a blast seeing the country, visiting Alex, and doing whatever I wanted, but man.. those 14 hr trips on I-95 sucked.
The worst was Saturday night. I was just south of Washington DC and the highway split. It was 11pm and I'd been driving since 1pm, having stopped only twice for gas, and there was a split in the highway. A little dazed by random muscle cramps and hunger, I went on the wrong side of the split then immediatedly decided to stop for the night because of it. The motel I stayed out turned out to be in the shadiest part of DC. At the Wendy's, dude was making a deal out of the drive through window. The gas station had a cop chilling in the parking lot. At the motel, it was a non stop flow of hoodrats and their women rolling in and out. The motel office had a barred window to serve their clientele.
In the morning, the parking lot was clear of the old Impalas with unproportionally large tailpipes and the restaraunt was filled with senior citizens. Go figure.
Otherwise, I made to New York and have started looking for a job.
The worst was Saturday night. I was just south of Washington DC and the highway split. It was 11pm and I'd been driving since 1pm, having stopped only twice for gas, and there was a split in the highway. A little dazed by random muscle cramps and hunger, I went on the wrong side of the split then immediatedly decided to stop for the night because of it. The motel I stayed out turned out to be in the shadiest part of DC. At the Wendy's, dude was making a deal out of the drive through window. The gas station had a cop chilling in the parking lot. At the motel, it was a non stop flow of hoodrats and their women rolling in and out. The motel office had a barred window to serve their clientele.
In the morning, the parking lot was clear of the old Impalas with unproportionally large tailpipes and the restaraunt was filled with senior citizens. Go figure.
Otherwise, I made to New York and have started looking for a job.
Beach Hermit
I've decided that I want beachfront property. It's amazing. It's summer here for like 11 months out of the year. It's crazy. If I ever get sick of living in New York, I'm moving to the sun. There is no doubt about it. I'll be a straight up beach hermit... well beach dweller, because it'll be a beach house with a huge porch.
I think it's the climate that generally keeps people happier. In Michigan, everyone is depressed and dreary by the end of February. I go to CNN and see that there're 2 feet of snow in Buffalo and think, WOW. That's all I can say, WOW. It's freezing in some parts of the country and all I know is that it's straight up tropical down in Florida. This is what attracts me to places like this.
I think it's the climate that generally keeps people happier. In Michigan, everyone is depressed and dreary by the end of February. I go to CNN and see that there're 2 feet of snow in Buffalo and think, WOW. That's all I can say, WOW. It's freezing in some parts of the country and all I know is that it's straight up tropical down in Florida. This is what attracts me to places like this.
Thursday, October 12
FLA
Northern Florida has an interesting mix of people. It is definately the south. There are people who have weddings at old plantation houses and drive around in cammo 2 seater pick up trucks, then there are the educated well to do types. Jacksonville also lacks the influx of senior citizens and Hispanics found in much of southern Florida. Southerners also put up a different front compared to Northerners. New Yorkers have a 'Stay out of my way, I've got places to go' front, while down here people are either really friendly or have a 'Don't mess wit me or I will kick yer ass, boy' front... but everyone's got a slight drawl.
Alex's place is cool. It's part of a housing development that tried to maintain some of the natural vegetation. So within this 3 village apartment complex, he has an end unit apartment that is tucked away into a corner. There is a maintenance shed that distracts people from realizing that there is common public space right next to his entrance. His apartment is way back there, the last window on the bottom level of the building.
Alex's front door is beneath these steps in the corner. This tennis court and gazebo has been forgotten, now officially Alex's 'front yard.'
Through the gazebo is a wooden pathway that leads you through the woods and to the pool.
In the afternoon, the tall trees allow the sun to only shine down at the end of the pool. As the afternoon wears on, the shade begins to take over until there is only enough space for one lawn chair to get sunlight. I didn't realize this until somebody else walked up to the pool, looked around, and walked home because I had that one spot.
Alex's place is cool. It's part of a housing development that tried to maintain some of the natural vegetation. So within this 3 village apartment complex, he has an end unit apartment that is tucked away into a corner. There is a maintenance shed that distracts people from realizing that there is common public space right next to his entrance. His apartment is way back there, the last window on the bottom level of the building.
Alex's front door is beneath these steps in the corner. This tennis court and gazebo has been forgotten, now officially Alex's 'front yard.'
Through the gazebo is a wooden pathway that leads you through the woods and to the pool.
In the afternoon, the tall trees allow the sun to only shine down at the end of the pool. As the afternoon wears on, the shade begins to take over until there is only enough space for one lawn chair to get sunlight. I didn't realize this until somebody else walked up to the pool, looked around, and walked home because I had that one spot.
Saturday, October 7
Vagabond indeed
After meeting my housing appointments, I set up a move date of October 15, leaving me with a good nine days of extra time to do whatever I may please. So I decided to visit my buddy Alex down in Jaxsonville, Florida. Google maps told me the 850 mile trip from Philadelphia would take 17 hrs and 55 min. For me? 13 hrs and 45 min, and that includes two half hour meal breaks and getting stopped in rush hour traffic!
In Maryland, I'm cruising along at 80mph in the left lane and see a cop tailing me. I go into flip out mode and merge into the middle lane. The cop pulls up next to me and and I'm sweating bullets. He blares his horn for a second to get my attention. I look over and he's making a hand gesture. "Pull over?" I ask. "No, slow down.." Lucky me
I've never heard so many country or church FM stations in my life. The cheapest gas I found was $2.02 in Richmond VA. I hit rush hour through a construction zone in North Carolina. It's stopped for a good half hour, 45 min and I look in front of me, behind me, and next to me, and all I see are these people smoking cigarette after cigarette. It would also be important to point out that this was just outside of Tobaccoville, North Carolina.
Speeding buddies are the best way to get through a long drive. There are people on the highway (like myself) who like to speed but are reluctant to do so on their own. They need a speeding buddy, somebody else who is driving across the state and wants get there fast. It becomes a game. You maintain an 83-90mph agreement and it's follow the leader. If they get stuck behind a couple of slow moving cars, you go around them and take turns being the leader. Its an interesting highway relationship. I stuck with this Explorer from North Carolina all the way down to Georgia. If I were a truck driver, I'd make friends with all the other truck drivers.
My ride gets amazing gas mileage. It takes less than 20 bucks to fill up, taking less than 10 gallons per fill..
In Maryland, I'm cruising along at 80mph in the left lane and see a cop tailing me. I go into flip out mode and merge into the middle lane. The cop pulls up next to me and and I'm sweating bullets. He blares his horn for a second to get my attention. I look over and he's making a hand gesture. "Pull over?" I ask. "No, slow down.." Lucky me
I've never heard so many country or church FM stations in my life. The cheapest gas I found was $2.02 in Richmond VA. I hit rush hour through a construction zone in North Carolina. It's stopped for a good half hour, 45 min and I look in front of me, behind me, and next to me, and all I see are these people smoking cigarette after cigarette. It would also be important to point out that this was just outside of Tobaccoville, North Carolina.
Speeding buddies are the best way to get through a long drive. There are people on the highway (like myself) who like to speed but are reluctant to do so on their own. They need a speeding buddy, somebody else who is driving across the state and wants get there fast. It becomes a game. You maintain an 83-90mph agreement and it's follow the leader. If they get stuck behind a couple of slow moving cars, you go around them and take turns being the leader. Its an interesting highway relationship. I stuck with this Explorer from North Carolina all the way down to Georgia. If I were a truck driver, I'd make friends with all the other truck drivers.
My ride gets amazing gas mileage. It takes less than 20 bucks to fill up, taking less than 10 gallons per fill..
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