Where the heck have you been?!?

Good question! Since the last week in February (over a month) I've been traveling all over the US shooting TV spots for Subaru. It's been a lot of hard work, and fun at times, but haven't been home much and the title to this entry is a question I've heard A LOT lately. Let me just say it's good to be home!

Over the past month I've been in sub-zero temperatures, seen the Atlantic and Pacific Ocean (at times within the same week), been frostbit and sunburned, sick, been on more plane trips than I care to imagine, standing on cliffs, beaches and deserts waiting for the perfect shot ... even saw a few celebs along the way. It's been a wild ride!

All in all, mission accomplished and we got some good TV spots shot. Now we just need to put them together, sell them in and get 'em on air.

Well I've decided to share the past month's adventures with a few pictures below. Just click on each set "title" below to see more pics in each collection, or just click here for the full thing.
(For the interweb non-savvy, click on individual pics below to make them bigger.)

MAINE





NORTHERN CALIFORNIA

BIG ASS TREE

The Goonies?


SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA



Me and Wally Pfister (Batman himself. This is the Director of Photography who shot Batman Begins, The Dark Knight and the list goes on. Nicest guy in the world!)

Back in MPLS

I'm FINALLY back in MPLS, and loving it.

Okay truthfully I'm exhausted, but it's good to finally be done traveling for work and be able to sleep in my own bed.

Pictures of my adventures are to come...

Sick Of Traveling

Been doing A LOT of traveling for work this month with getting 7 TV spots shot ... in a month.

Click below to see the, rather hilarious, Ze Frank explanation of how traveling sucks.



If you are unfamiliar with Ze Frank's video blog. Familarize yourself here!

Busy with a Crackberry

Well, I've been super busy at work lately traveling all over the US and going crazy to get 7 TV spots flimed inside of a month. I've come to the realization that seeing the Atlantic Ocean (Maine) and then the Pacific Ocean (California) within 3 days probably qualifies as too much travel. Well got 2 spots down and 4 more to go. Whoopee!!!

However, what adds injury to insult is that last Friday I was given a Crackberry ... err, I mean a Blackberry at work. While, seemingly cool at first (taking your email, and the internet with you wherever you go) it quickly becomes the WORST THING EVER as you learn that you now NEVER leave work. Your email and phone calls come with you wherever you go. NOOOO!!!! And it's all at the ease of your fingertips so you have to check that email every 5 seconds. "What's that I got a message? WHAT?!?! I have to get 'x' to John by 5pm? And it's a Saturday? Sh*#!"

Word of the wise, if you are given the option of getting a Crackberry at work. Turn it down! You'll be happier.

Not too uplifting of a post, I realize, but hopefully by beggining of April I'll be able to post some pics of the TV shoots and my travels and be in a better mood.

Later all!

Time for an Update

Well I figure it's time for an update for all the family and friends out there.

Well here goes ... started a new job (a different ad agency - downtown MPLS) on Jan. 31st. Been several weeks now and so far, so good. I'm working for Carmichael Lynch on the Subaru Car account. So far everyone I work with is great, my boss is hilarious, and the clients are super nice. A HUGE difference from my last job. So I'm liking it. Only thing is it's a bit crazy right now as I have to get 7 TV spots shot by end of March. So tomorrow it's off to Maine for a week and then after that 3 weeks in California. Could be worse.

As you may or may not be aware, I've been sick off and on for the past 7 months. Whenever I go off antibiotics I get a crazy sore throat and a bunch of other symptoms. It sucks!! Well the doc finally decided it was time to put a stop to things and I'm officially getting my tonsils and adnoids out. I'm scheduled to go under the knife on April 18th, once the craziness at work dies down. Hopefully, I won't be in too much pain. I've been told it can be pretty bad as an adult, but I need them out so I'm ready.

Other then that, things are good ... can't complain.

Random Quote of the Day

"Why you hatin' on that bear? He didn't do nothin’ to you?"

I was walking in the skyways downtown MPLS yesterday when I passed an African-American woman and her little son. On the floor was a GIANT floor graphic of a cartoon bear advertising some upcoming event. The little boy yells out, "I'm gonna get you bear!" and starts to stomp all over the cartoon bear in a display of young male testosterone. Then the mother asks, "Son. Why you hatin' on that bear? He didn't do nothin’ (pronounced – nofin) to you?"

It was truly a random and wonderful moment and I burst into laughter on the spot.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Happy Valentine's Day everyone! Tell someone you love them.

Best News Ever!!!

Don't know if you've been to the Como Zoo lately, but if you have it's quite the depressing adventure. Sure it's practically free, and you can get really close to the animals, but there's a reason for that. The animals have VERY SMALL habitats, which in turn have driven most of them insane and stir crazy.

I went to the Como Zoo back in late October and one of the exhibits that made me the most depressed was the Polar Bear exhibit. The area in which the Polar Bears, "Buzz" and "Neil", currently live in obviously has made them crazy. You can tell this as they keep pacing to the point of repeating the same actions over and over and over again. It truly is quite the depressing adventure!

Well, there's some good news to this tale. I was extremely happy today when I read a Star Tribune article that tells of the Polar Bear exhibit getting an overhaul and will end up being 4 times the size it currently is. Good news indeed! Perhaps not perfect, but a dramatic improvement. In the interm it looks like Buzz and Neil will hang out at the Detroit Zoo for a while, until it's ready in 2010. Finally a piece of news that isn't depressing.

You can check out the Star Tribune article by clicking here.

New Job

Next week I start my new job. I was contacted by a neighboring advertising agency in MPLS around late December/early January and they presented me with an opportunity I just couldn't pass up.

I'm sad to leave my last ad agency. I was fortunate to work with some wonderfully talented and passionate people. However sometimes certain opportunities look us right in the face and we know we can't ignore them. This was one of those.

I'll most likely have a tough road ahead of me in my new job, but what in life that's worth having is easy?

Wish me luck!

Random Thought #77 - Wes Anderson Films

As I was getting ready for work this morning I was thinking (and quoting) movies, as I often do. And I quoted a great line from the movie Rushmore.

Max Fischer: "So you were in Vietnam if I'm not mistaken?"
Herman Blume: "Yeah, that's right."
Max Fischer: "So you were in the shit?"
Herman Blume: "Yeah, I was in the shit."

This made me remember how much I LOVE Wes Anderson films! He's easily one of my top 10 favorite directors. However, my favorite film of his is easily Rushmore. It's the first film I saw of his, and in the theater, and I instantly loved it watching the whole thing with a great big smile on my face. Everyone always says that their favorite film of Wes Anderson is The Royal Tenenbaums. I disagree. It's a great film, but I like Rushmore so much better.

Anyways, that's my random thought for today.

Someone cue the song "Making Time" by Creation. Rock out!

Happy New Year!

It's that time to write '2008' on all your checks now (if you still use them).

I'm not quite sure how it can possibly be 2008 already, but somehow it is. So, I celebrated the coming of 2008 last night in style with a few good friends over at my friends' Mike and Aimee's house in Apple Valley.

Here's a few pics from the night's festivities. Enjoy the photo adventure!

The Gang





James displaying his Wii Bowling Skillz







Happy New Year, everybody. Goulet!!

Wii

We'll I got lucky in the Christmas presents department this year! I actually some nice gifts, but the shining gem was a Nintendo Wii.

Man, is this thing addicting! Came with Nintendo Sports, and I also got Legend of Zelda too. Both really fun! Then I went out and purchased a couple of other games as well (Super Mario Galaxy, Rayman 2) along with a few other controllers (which were practically sold out everywhere too).

All I can say is if you can track one of these Wiis down; I highly recommend you pick one up.

Thanks for the Wii, family!!

Vacation

I'm officially free for over a week from the confines of work. Over a week off of work!?!?! What will I do with myself? I'm sure I'll find something.

Until Jan. 2nd, it's party time!

Year in Review

The Good

• Found love, my girlfriend (Mary). :) Hard to believe it’s been 6 months already that we’ve been together. Time flies!

• Having good friends and family close by.

• Got to travel to Santa Monica (LA), CA on a TV shoot for work and hang out, see stars, shoot commercials. Good times were had! (Best moment was going for 3-mile run along the beach as the sun was setting against the ocean.)

• Took a most enjoyable camping trip to Bemidji State Park with some good friends in July.

• Enjoyed being out on my friend’s boat on Prior Lake, as I always do, in the summer! (Side note: Summer never officially starts for me until I get to go out in my friend Cory’s boat.)

• Finally bought a bike (however, only used it a couple times. Needs a tune-up.)

• Went to my 10-year High School Reunion, and it didn’t suck. (Except for Jake Schmidt, read a few entries down.)

• Saw Andrew Bird in concert, and it was FANTASTICAL!

• Saw a billion and two movies, as I normally do.


The Bad

• Got sick … A LOT!

• Got put on “the hell” account at work.

• Been working too much!

• Never took any real vacations. A goal for 2008!

• Didn’t buy a new car, HDTV, or Digital SLR camera as I’d been planning, perhaps sometime in 2050.

• Got another year older. Poop.

I’m sure there are quite a few things I’m forgetting to add to the list above, but that’s what comes to mind. 2007 had it’s share of ups and downs. However, the positive thing is that my list for good things is more than bad. Hopefully I can make the good list twice as long for 2008!

Merry Chrismahanukwazaka, everyone, and a Happy New Year!

Andrew Bird

I took in the Andrew Bird concert last night at The Guthrie downtown Minneapolis and what a great show! The girlfriend got us tickets for my B-day last week (thanks baby!) and I’d been looking forward to the concert all week.

I really enjoy Andrew Bird’s music and listen to him a lot. I've even made a couple attempts to go and see him but every time I do so far plans either fell through or tickets were sold out (which is usually the case).

Well the concert last night was truly worth the wait! The best way I can describe an Andrew Bird performance is best summed up as a musical ADHD performance ... that entertains wonderfully. I’ll elaborate ...

As he is playing his songs (he uses multiple instruments so ...) he uses a “looping machine” with controls down at his feet. And before the performance he took his shoes off to be more comfortable, so he controls everything in his stocking feet to play sections of his performance over and over. Then he keeps switching between multiple instruments throughout a song A LOT. Between his many violin, multiple guitars, whistling, electronics, farm animal kids toy and clapping sessions all switching back and forth, Andrew Bird manages to get so into his music that he dances with what I can only describe as "crazy legs" taking him dancing all over the stage, while he sways his head all over the place. The fact that he doesn't fall over it a feat in itself!

It may sound like a crazy messed-up performance, but what's funny is it all works harmoniously together and makes for one heck of a show. I was left stunned at this musical screaming genius. This guy is so freaking talented that I’m sure he’s has to have next to no social skills. (That’s usually how it seems to work, right? Gifted in one department or one side of the brain and not in the other. Maybe not, every time he spoke he didn't say much, but he did seem like an exceedingly nice guy dressed in his 3-piece suit.)

Well, the concert lasted for 3 hours; once Andrew Bird got into his performance he couldn’t stop! The songs went on forever it seemed, but still managed to entertain so you didn’t get bored.

Overall, just a wonderful concert and evening and I got to hear the two songs I came for so all is right with the world. Thank you Andrew Bird, you put on a most entertaining show. Don't be a stranger to Minneapolis, please come back to visit often!

Weekend Round-up

Friday, Dec. 7th

• Work wouldn’t end fast enough. I think the clock ticked backwards a couple of times.

• Picked up my 2 new pairs of glasses. One I liked. The other I probably won’t wear for a while. They look pretty fancy!

• Took a trip down to PL to see my friend Cory’s play on opening night called, “Noises Off.” It’s pretty funny, you should go see it! Only one weekend left! Put on by the Prior Lake Players at the old PL High School ... aww memories.

• Hanging out after the show with a bunch of friends at a local bar and ran into someone that I haven’t seen in 5-6 years. Well, I quickly remembered why I hadn’t seen that person in 5 years (very annoying). Umm … yeah.

• Overall an enjoyable evening. Took in a show, hung out with good friends, and enjoyed some good food and adult beverages.

Saturday, Dec. 8th

• Christmas shopping. Too many people, lots of annoying kids, and really frickin’ cold outside from the car to the stores. Winter sucks.

• Laundry ... accomplished. Sweet!

• Corey and Mel’s Holiday Party. Once again a success! Great food, great friends and overall a really fun evening. Thanks Corey and Mel!

• Lots of good food at the party, however Jamie’s chocolate chip cookies were once again simply amazing! The secret ingredient … vanilla pudding. Keeps the cookies soft and again … amazing.

• Later on that evening I had a conversation with Mel about our 10-yr high school reunion and ‘Jake Schmidt’ came up again and I went into orbit. I don’t know what it is, but every time that kid’s name is mentioned the rage comes out. What a jerk! (See entry below).

Sunday, Dec. 9th

• Happy B-Day to me! I’m now 29 and so I guess I’m officially willing to admit I’m in my late 20’s now. Kinda sad, but since I can’t get any younger may as well celebrate.

• Girlfriend came over and we celebrated.

• Saw the movie Golden Compass. Pretty good. My only regret, I don't have an armored Polar Bear warrior at my side. :(

• More Christmas shopping.

• Had dinner with the folks and they officially met Mary. It went well!

• Got presents: Tickets to Andrew Bird concert (Dec. 15th), money and BBY gift cards, Twins caps (always can use a few more), and a few other random things.

• Overall a good B-Day.

Monday, Dec. 10th

• Back to work … poop.

10 years later...

This past weekend I attended my 10-year High School Reunion. Quite the surreal adventure! It was hard for me to believe it had been 10 years already, but time really does fly. Truth be told I had a good time and I'm glad I went.

It was held in the ever classy VFW in Prior Lake, MN last Saturday. I decided I didn't want to fly solo, and I wasn't going to subject the girlfriend to a bunch of total strangers, so I called up a buddy of mine from high school. Strength In Numbers, my friends, Strength In Numbers!! My friend Ben was up for the challenge, so off we went to the PL VFW to re-live some Class of 1997 high school adventures!

Upon entering the VFW my ears were immediately hit with a deafening blow from a crappy band playing country music. I walk into the VFW to see a dance floor filled with couples in their 60s-70s dancing up a storm like it was 1920. What the heck? Did I go forward in time and not realize it? Did everyone get really old? Where's Marty McFly? Doc Brown? Delorian? Just then, I spot some friends and familiar faces on the other side of the room and realize the reunion was being held on the "other" side of the VFW.

Well to sum up, like I said, quite the adventure! All in all a good time, and more people than I expected showed up. I found enough time had passed where people had matured and had enough time to actually do something with their lives. Not everyone took that opportunity, mind you, but most did. Some people changed, some didn't, and about 60%-70% of the guys lost their hair. Those were the main take-aways. Also, some hot girls stayed hot, and most did NOT!

The one point to note from the evening is as follows. First off, there was this kid in high school that was constantly picked on. His name was Brian. In high school he was awkward, shy, had no friends, and constantly ridiculed and beat up. (Not by me for the record). Heck, I voted him most likely to show up at our 10-year reunion with an AK-47 and exact his glorious revenge! However, he did not. Instead he took the high road and showed up, mingled and enjoyed the evening. I talked to Brian for a bit. He was still awkward, but after college joined the Navy and defended our country, which entailed a 3-year tour in Japan, and another 2-years at Virginia Beach. I salute those in our armed forces. It is something I don't think I could do and I truly look up to those who defend us, our country and our freedom.

Which brings me to the other point of my story. Well with the underdog there inevitably has to then be a bully. Enter Jake the Snake. Jake was the kid throughout his school career (K-12) that was the class bully. Always a total asshole, and thought he was really cool. (I'm sure you know the type.) Truly the guy you (and everyone else) loved to hate! Well Jake showed up at the reunion (10 years later) and NOTHING had changed. Still the same asshole as ever!

Throughout the course of the evening Jake managed to pick about 5 fights, punch 2 people, knock over a lady spilling her drink, and get into a fight with his old girlfriend. All while being drunk and spitting chewing-tobacco everywhere. He even decided to make a classy wardrobe choice and show up in a well-chosen Mossy Oak camo hunting hat and baggy clothes. Way to go, Jake! Truly a modern-day Seabass (for all your Dumb & Dumber fans), if there ever was one. Just a TOTAL LOSER!

The part that really pissed me off in the night, however was this. I'm talking with Brian (the kid that was picked on in high school) and impressed that he made something of his life and more then that defended our country and our freedom. The freedom we take for granted on a daily basis. Then out of nowhere, Jake shows up (as we are talking) and punches Brian in the stomach and walks back to the bar. NO WARNING, NO REASON ... just a TOTAL ASSHOLE!! I was stunned, speechless. (I still am thinking about it.) I couldn't comprehend what just happened. All I could yell out was, "What the FUCK was that for you ASSHOLE?!?" But it was too late, Jake had left and didn't hear me and everyone was engaged in their conversations and drinking their beer. It was if no one had noticed the travesty that just happened. Brian shrugged it off like the gentleman he was, and made the best of the evening.

I still can't believe it. Here is a total loser (Jake) that has done nothing with his life except inflict pain and torment on others. And what does he do 10 years later showing the mentality of a 14-year old? Punches a veteran at the VFW. Someone who has provided him the daily freedoms he takes for granted. Someone that allows him the right to be an asshole and a drain on our society on a daily basis. I'm stunned!!

Well this post is turning into a novel and a rant, but that last particular incident was really bothering me and I had to get it out in the hopes it will quit angering me. Overall, believe it or not, it was an enjoyable evening and good to see old classmates. The only advice I can give is if you get the chance please DO go to your 10-year reunion, you will have a good time. And if you do see Jake stranded on the side of the road, please make an extra effort to swerve and HIT the bastard!

Class of '97 kixx ass!!!

Walker Art Center

I'm a lover of art. I truly enjoy going to art museums and looking at paintings, sculptures, and photography. I even enjoy attempting to create some myself. However, I'm not sure I really 'get' Modern Art, as most of it seems to me somewhere between the artist wasn't even trying and/or the playful attempts of a misguided kindergartner.

On Saturday, the girlfriend and I, headed out to the Walker Art Center to check out some Modern Art, and more importantly the Frida Kahlo (paintings) exhibit that's being advertised all over the place.

Well the modern art exhibits I have seen before at the Walker. There are a few particular pieces that I really enjoy and remember seeing from when I was a kid, but for the most part most of the exhibits went over my head and had my girlfriend saying, "That crap is art? I could do that!"

However, the Frida Kahlo paintings were worth the trip! Frida Kahlo the Mexican (unibrow lady) artist had a troubled life that inspired some really creepy paintings. Typically, the paintings that you see advertised or that she is most famous for are her self portraits (again the unibrow). What would seem like pretty "safe" and "acceptable" paintings. However, this was a woman that was constantly sick, had a number of miscarriages and marital problems, quite the difficult life and as thus inspired her very morbid and strange painting style.

The majority of Frida Kahlo's paintings involved ghastly and morbid images of sickness and death. The paintings were a bit creepy, but I REALLY enjoyed them. What I didn't enjoy however was the billion and two people trying to get into the exhibt along with Bob the misunderstood artist who was so misunderstood he hadn't taken a shower in a century. (Oh Bob, you don't need to reek to get attention. You are supposed to do that with your art!) Oh well, I'd say the exhibit was still worth the trip, and dealing with a few stinky artists. Check it out!

As I was prohibited from taking pictures at most of the exhibits I don't have any pics to share there, but below are a few pics of areas I could take pics of at the Walker. Enjoy the adventure!

Modern Art!

Como Zoo ... a depressing adventure!

Took a trip to the Como Zoo last weekend, and I had a good time however it was quite a sad experience. No I’m not schizophrenic, I’ll explain. I hadn’t been to the Como “free” Zoo since I was a kid. Probably about 13 or 14. Back then all the animals, and especially their cages and exhibits looked BIG.

Well fast forward 14 years to today and I’m all grown up. The girlfriend and I, being the animal lovers that we are, decided to go to the Como Zoo since we’d been to the Minnesota Zoo about a month ago.

Well, we had a good time at the zoo, but the sad thing is now that I’m grown up I’m able to properly evaluate ‘spatial relationships’ … meaning … the animals cages are WAY TOO SMALL!!

As we walked around I quickly noticed that most of the animals cages were way too small, which lead the animals to succumb to boredom, malnutrition and more commonly … insanity. It was quite sad!

One exhibit in particular made me just about want to cry. It was the Silverback Gorillas. Contained in the indoor exhibit was one male and two females. All just sitting and laying down in an exhibit barely big enough for one gorilla. Bored and confined I watched as one of the females lay against the floor next to the glass and watched me with bored sad eyes. Meanwhile, families of annoying kids tapping the glass and amateur photographers flashing blinding pictures of the caged animal passed by. All I could do was stand there and imagine this animal’s sad pathetic existence. It made me so sad.

I’d go on but the stories were much of the same and well I’m bumming myself out. If you ever get a chance to make a difference tell your friends and family that the animals at the Como Zoo need help and more space!

On a lighter note, since the animals were closer it made for some good pictures. Check ‘em out.

Random Pixs

Random picture day. Here's a few pics I took on a walk around Lake of the Isles on a nice fall day last weekend.

Happy Halloween!!

BOO!

A Devil and his Angel

Halloween is probably my favorite holiday. As a kid, it's simply amazing! You get to dress up like your favorite scary monster or superhero and go from door to door and get showered with free candy. How is that not the coolest thing ever?!? Well I still can't get enough of Halloween and love to get dressed up and party...and this year was no exception.

This year however, I actually did a 'couples' costume idea with the girlfriend. I was the 'classy' devil and she was my angel. And they turned out to be pretty good costumes if you ask me. My costume was complete with classy dress-up outfit, horns, skull cane, and 'red' eye contacts to freak everyone out...and they did! I even had a couple of girls who refused to look me in the eyes cause they'd get creeped out.

Well we partied it up at a friend's place ... kudos Cory!! And got our Halloween party on! Below are a couple pics of Mary and my costume and some others from the night. Look below or if you want to see more pics click here.

Can't wait for next year!! (My only regret is I missed the James Annual Halloween party. :( Next year, I'll be there!!)

The Devil
A Devil and his Angel

Clark (Superman) & Lex Luthor - Smallville
Evil Incorporated
Happy Halloween!!!

Random Picture Day