posted by Apprentices

Feb 03, 2012 @ 7:00am

On childhood dreams.

When you were young, what did you want to be when you grew up?


 Cathy Monetti
I only remember NOT wanting to be a nurse. Ever.

Teresa Coles
A Barbie doll fashion designer. Evening gowns were a specialty.

Kevin Smith
I wanted to drive an ice cream truck.

Ryon Edwards
An architect.

Julie Turner
A medical examiner just like Quincy.

Will Weatherly
Frontman for a world-renowned rock band.

Kevin Archie
An artist, according to the drawing I made in first grade.

Jody Piland
I wanted to be a lawyer. I could argue, no matter how wrong or right I was, until I was blue in the face.

What did you want to be?

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posted by Kevin

Feb 01, 2012 @ 11:16am

Consider Your Audience

My mom recently told me a story about one of her 4th grade students interrupting class to ask about a picture of her on Facebook. Other students immediately chimed in as well, revealing their extensive knowledge of her family, where she went on summer vacation, what she did on her birthday last week, her favorite inspirational quote, and so on and so forth. Her profile — which she thought was set to private and could only be viewed by friends — was Facebook-stalked by a bunch of 10-year-olds with nothing better to do.

It’s scary to me how easy it is to make our personal lives public in today’s digital world. We market and brand ourselves daily via social networking sites like Twitter and Facebook without truly considering our audience. With over 400 million people connecting to Facebook every day, we now have the chance to share our personal lives and opinions with an audience 10x greater than the one President Barack Obama had for his recent State of the Union address. These onlookers could include anyone from your grandmother to your future boss to your creepy next door neighbor who strolls to the mailbox every morning wearing nothing but a bath robe, so it’s comforting to know that there are options available to minimize how much of our lives we share online.

However, the method of securing our privacy through these social networking sites is constantly changing: either being made simpler for the sake of clarity or more intricate for a more personal approach to your privacy. While it is beneficial for companies to update their policies for the sake of the user, it can often lead to consumer confusion in the process. For example, I helped my mom update her Facebook settings and found the new options far too verbose and confusing. By the time I’d finished, I wasn’t even positive that I’d checked the right options.

Google recently updated their privacy policy by getting rid of 60 different policies and combining them into one that is more concise and easy to understand. Perhaps some day other companies will follow suit. But until that happens, I think we should all take another look at the information we are sharing with the world — literally, the world.

To see just how much the internet has invaded your personal life, click here and type in your name and city.

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posted by Kevin

Jan 16, 2012 @ 3:00pm

Métro Signage

The Métropolitain – Paris’ rapid transit metro system – has 245 different stations within 34 square miles of Paris, many of them exhibiting unique interiors that set them apart from the rest. I had the opportunity to witness this firsthand on a recent trip to Paris several weeks ago.

Abbesses – Its chipped tiled type contrasts well with these round yellow chairs that could have been pulled straight from a Herman Miller catalog.

Concorde – A 100+ year old stop with a grid of letters spelling out the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen, a fundamental document of the French Revolution (wall of type=revolutionary idea).

The Métro signs at each entrance also differed from each other at different stops. These variations were not nearly as widespread, however, and their usage seemed random and non-specific to location. I did some research to find out why.

This is one of the 83 original surviving art nouveau entrances and is seen as an iconic symbol of Paris. It was designed by Hector Guimard in 1900 and its style caused much surprise and controversy. This is the primary stop we used on our trip (Abbesses) and it’s also one of the three remaining entrances with a more elaborate glass canopy.

This simpler version, a metal balustrade accompanying a “Métro” sign crowned by a spherical lamp, could be found in early stations around 1910.

This one has a similar type treatment to the previous, but is simplified even more with its stronger sans serif lettering placed onto a stone wall.

Signposts with just an “M” have become the norm since the 1970′s to present.

To see more pictures from the trip, check out my Flickr feed.

 

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posted by Apprentices

Dec 16, 2011 @ 7:00am

On jobs and money.

Would you rather be poor and work at a job you love or be rich and work at a job you hate?

Pete Anderson
Poor/job I love.

Julie Turner
You can’t fully enjoy bathing in one hundred dollar bills if you loathe what you do for most of the day. I’d choose poor with a job I love.

Kevin Smith
Of course I’d choose to be poor and work at a job I love. I specialize in being rich without actually having any money.

Kevin Archie
If you can find a job you love, I think you’re lucky to be there regardless of pay.

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posted by Apprentices

Dec 13, 2011 @ 10:33am

Publicité & Graphisme

“A poster, unlike a painting, is not and is not meant to be, a work easily distinguished by its manner—a unique specimen conceived to satisfy the demanding tastes of a single more or less enlightened art lover. It is meant to be a mass-produced object existing in thousands of copies like a fountain pen or automobile. Like them, it is designed to answer certain strictly material needs. It must have a commercial function.”

-AM. Cassandre, translated by Michael Taylor

AM Cassandre, "Dubonnet" - 1932

In a few days I will be traveling to Paris for a vacation and I wanted to familiarize myself with the history of French design, but I found no books or blogs on its history. This is, perhaps, due to France’s overwhelming amount of cultural history in painting, cinema, food, and fashion. Though French design seems to play a smaller role in France’s cultural history when compared to so many other facets of artistic expression, it’s advertising (publicité) and typographic (graphisme) legacies are by no means insignificant to a broad popular culture. (1) Below you will find an assortment of beautiful French posters that represent a rich cultural history of French graphic design.

 

Toulouse-Lautrec, "La Chaine Simpson" 1890's

Roland Ansieau, "Berger" 1935

Raymond Savignac, "Autorail Paris" 1937

Ramond Savignac, "Cigarettes Collie" 1952

Bernard Villemot, "Orangina" 1953

 

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posted by Apprentices

Dec 09, 2011 @ 9:28am

On billionaires.

Congratulations, you just won the hypothetical lottery and you’re now a billionaire. What will you do with the money first?


Jody Piland
First I would buy this,

and then I would pay off my student loans.

Pete Anderson
Purchase a Major League Baseball franchise. And maybe the Jacksonville Jaguars, depending on how much of a billionaire I’ve become.

Julie Turner
Become an anonymous benefactor of as many schools, nonprofits and community groups as I can feasibly support.

Kevin Smith
I thank the lottery and get the money safely in the bank. I’d then invite my co-workers to my house for an offsite planning session (with drinks). Our session would be titled: “Finally rich, a strategy and implementation plan for Kevin.” It would be based on a $1 billion budget. Riggs Partners’ strategic planning fees would be 20 percent of my overall budget.

Ryon Edwards
$250 million spread equally between non-profits in our state (earmarked for marketing budgets, of course)
$150 million to invest, start a few foundations, etc. (through CCCF)
$75 million for a startup business
$25 million to share with my facebook friends
$50K cash just to carry around in my wallet.
$50K for a new car
Remainder would probably be taxed, and I’d probably be OK with that.

Kevin Archie
I would start an online film processing business similar to Netflix that would allow people to send in film and get awesome prints back for cheap. Either that or I would buy out Kodak or Polaroid and make them good again.

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posted by Cathy

Nov 17, 2011 @ 12:35pm

Big RP Party Today. Join Us!

 

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posted by Apprentices

Nov 11, 2011 @ 10:00am

On burning houses.

Your house is on fire. You can take five things. What are they?

(for more inspiration visit www.theburninghouse.com)

Kevin Smith
1. Cloud painting I bought when I couldn’t afford it
2. Mixed media collage over my mantle I found at a junk store in the Village
3. Landscape painting I knew was of the South when I saw it in New York (turned out to be a field in Decatur, Alabama)
4. Green lamp from Chelsea flea market
5. As many of my dining room chairs as I could carry

Jody Piland
I would take my camera, laptop, cell phone, mom’s pearl necklace and old family photos that I have not yet made copies of. Actually, I’d leave my phone behind so I could get the new iPhone.

Kathryn White
1. the Bible I’ve carried (and written in) since 2006.
2. all my old journals.
3. a series of small, abstract paintings done by my uncle, a slightly famous Cuban painter.
4. my computer, because I am terrible at remembering to back-up.
5. my grandmother’s quilt.

Kevin Archie
1. My first Bible.
2. My MacBook – it has ALL my work on it.
3. My Weblos hat – because randomly finding it at a thrift store after my mom gave it away deems it lucky.
4. My bike James – he’s technically inanimate, or so I’m told.
5. My iPhone – I’ve had it for less than a month and I’m already addicte

Ryon Edwards
kitchen table built my great grandfather – (would need help getting that out of the house)
family photos/album
framed artwork from my daughter
framed artwork from my son
iPhone

Julie Turner
The flying pig painting
My kids’ stuffed animals, Lamby and The Ghost Bear
iPhone
Laptop
The Haywood-Wakefield chair that’s closest to the door

Teresa Coles
Box of Julian’s baby pictures
Wedding photos
Laptop and external hard drive
File box with stuff that should be kept in the safe deposit box
Black jewelry box

Pete Anderson
As long as I could grab my phone, keys, and wallet, I’d be just fine. I don’t really own anything all that great. Thanks for reminding me, Kathryn!

Cathy Monetti
1. portrait of Eliza, age 5
2. my mother’s china
3. my grandmother’s silver
4. my old journals
5. the file box with the folders “Things I love” and “Eliza”

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posted by Cathy

Nov 09, 2011 @ 4:00pm

A Good Night’s Sleep

This is quite a special day for me. After a great morning meeting with our spectacular Greenville-based client, Goodwill Industries of the Upstate/Midlands SC, I am spending the afternoon/evening enjoying one of my favorite locales on earth: Main Street Greenville, SC. What’s more, my daughter—a college student I no longer see often enough—is driving from Clemson University to meet me for the night. We shall stroll the West End, windowshop, eat a fabulous dinner somewhere along the way (Who can say where? There are so many remarkable options along this famed route.), then enjoy Gavin DeGraw and David Cook at The Peace Center.

Later, perhaps after coffee and dessert, we’ll make our way back to the Poinsett Hotel, where we’ll talk late into the night about all the goings-on in her life, which has no doubtedly changed significantly since she made the transition from high school student to college girl this fall.

When I planned this outing, I recognized what a Life Moment it would be for me, and hopefully, for her. I intentionally chose this historic hotel, and sitting here in the room, waiting for her to arrive, it feels just right. The bellman was courteous and helpful, check-in was a breeze, and the room is Exactly What I Wanted.

doesn't it make you want to slip in and curl up?

Even the ride up the elevator was worthy of note. A sweet lady who had been working in the lobby rode up with me and offered this perspective:

Wait ’til you feel that bed. It is heaven.

Here’s what I find interesting. How many centuries did it take before the hotel industry realized a comfortable bed is a vital part of their offering?

Today there is a comfortable bed war going on between many national chains. Not only that—many, including Hampton Inn,  now sell their own branded linens, pillows and comforters. The Westin has gone so far as to brand theirs the Westin Heavenly Experience and describes 10 layers of pure comfort, 1 extraordinary sleep experience.

I think a hotel branding the bed, and the sleep experience, is a smart, smart move. And I’ll let you know if their promise holds true—assuming my Eliza and I don’t stay up all night talking.

Comment (4)
posted by Teresa

Nov 07, 2011 @ 9:58am

Nonprofits Must Position Themselves for Pro Bono

I had the opportunity to attend a thought-provoking session in DC on Thursday hosted by Taproot Foundation, one of the nation’s strongest voices for pro bono service. It came on the heels of the launch event for a Billion + Change, a national movement to mobilize a billion dollars (now 2 billion) in pro bono services from American corporations by 2013. I sat on a panel alongside leaders from global corporations such as IBM, Dow Corning and HP who talked about their corporations’ pro bono and skills-based volunteering efforts. I was there to talk about CreateAthon® as an example of what a small company can do to build scale around its pro bono efforts.

Taproot’s founder and champion of all things pro bono, Aaron Hurst.

In the Taproot session that followed, there was much discussion around the fact that companies are sometimes reticent to develop pro bono programs for nonprofits because the nonprofits are not ready. That is to say, nonprofits may not have seriously considered or strategically planned for receiving pro bono counsel from professional organizations.

Why on earth would a nonprofit not be ready to accept pro bono services? Consider these stark but unfortunate truths:

The nonprofit has not developed a strategic plan of any kind. Professional service organizations will be wary of committing their employees’ valuable time to work for a nonprofit that has no idea of where it’s really heading or how it can possibly get there.

The nonprofit is not ready to execute the recommendations provided to them. Companies that provide pro bono consulting services to nonprofits offer highly sought-after, professional solutions, and nothing is more frustrating than to see smart planning sitting on a shelf. A nonprofit must have adequate resources —time, money, manpower — to carry out the counsel delivered to them.

The nonprofit is scared of letting “outside” consultants critique their work. Let’s face it: some people just don’t want to hear they have been doing it wrong or could do it better. Could it make them look bad in front of their boards? Heaven forbid.

The pro bono tide is rising, as evidenced by the commitment of A Billion + Change movement. Nonprofits will be wise to consider how they can strategically position their organization to be a worthwhile investment of time for companies that are actively seeking pro bono opportunities in their community and throughout the country. Don’t let tactical shortsightedness get in the way of what can be transformative progress for your organization.

 

 

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