love is bigger

Well, it’s starting to get some media attention.

There are few things I am more proud to have been a part of than making this ad. I’m about to do some epic name-dropping, but it’s entirely necessary. I am on the creative team that dreamed the whole thing up, I wrote the first script, played a role in the revisions and sat in on the first voice over session, Jason Smithers and Jason Tucker headed up the voice over (that’s Tucker’s husky man-voice), the music was an original piece scored by Jared Kaelber with some oversight from Jason Smithers, the entire thing was shot and edited by Ryan Lynch with some creative assistance from the rest of us including Nick Lanciaux, and Kyle Gray was hugely influential in the whole process. And of course, the creative freedom was given to us by our boss and management team.

Really, it’s tough to call what you do “work” when you get to work with such talented individuals. And it’s even cooler to see people react to what we’re producing.

Cedar Creek shows pride with ad: foxtoledo.com

…I’m not sure we can be friends.

Someone I follow on Tumblr posted this image today. I chuckled when I first saw it this morning, and didn’t think much of it. I went along through my day, doing what I do (working mostly, spending time with family, blowing people’s heads off in Call of Duty, and watching some NFL, Dexter and Walking Dead, a pretty full day).  Somehow, this image kept coming to me and I started to laugh about it a little more.

Why? Because I realized it was obviously made by someone in college.

I am a thirty year old man, who through the experience of living thirty years understands that college-years are anything but the best years of your life. College years, you’re still in beta, still learning and figuring out what you’re going to do and be. I’m not saying you ever come out of beta, hell I’m still learning from stupid mistakes to this day, but I know this… I wouldn’t trade my life now for my life then for anything. The things I thought were important back then, man… I was ridiculous =). And pretty much to a person, everyone I know my age or older would agree with me.

Truth is, life is what you make of it. If you refuse to settle for the ordinary, do what you love and are passionate about, and most importantly do life with someone you love (or not, some people aren’t meant for long term relationships and that’s perfectly okay, but community is still important) then life post-college is ANYTHING but a hang over.

It’s an adventure.
It’s unpredictable.
It’s amazing.
It’s beautiful

I consider myself a pretty intelligent guy. I may not have finished college, but I know more than most. I am cultured, I am passionate, and I don’t settle for ordinary. I listen to ESPN Radio AND NPR. I play video games AND read both fiction and non-fiction books. I own my own business, and I work for others. These things, when combined with an incredible family, small community of friends I love doing life with, and not one but TWO jobs I love, and yeah… that picture just makes me laugh =).

I don’t mean to down-talk college kids at all. The person who posted this is from what I can tell a very bright, creative, and wonderful person. But, it’s all they (college kids) know so far. You can only see the error in that sentiment when you’ve lived long enough to experience something better, something more real, and something more authentic. The image CAN be true, if you settle.

So I guess my advice to the college-age kids who actually think that image is true, is to never settle for the ordinary. Don’t be afraid to be poor to do what you love. Nothing worth having in life ever comes easy. Do the work. Never ever be afraid of hard work. Grow up, yes… but never stop dreaming kid-sized dreams. I’ve included my own image below, one I took at a conference I attended a few months ago that just about sums it all up from this creative’s standpoint.

Get involved.

In case you didn’t already know, Sigur Rós are simply better than everything and everyone else. They released a new live album today, which will more than likely be the last piece of art (yes, art) they ever release. Go get it. Now. Thank me later.

christypolek:

I LOVE the Holstee Manifesto. I even have it hanging on my wall. I’m sure you’ve seen it before:

Well, they’ve turned their manifesto into a video. And it’s just as inspiring.

You’ll be hard pressed to find something more awesome than this. This poster also hangs in “the lab” (my home office).

At some point, this stops being about football.

Joe, if you recognize you need to retire at the end of the season, then how can you defend staying on even that long? There is too much blame to go around for anyone to keep their job. If the University President is probably getting canned, there is no earthly reason why JoePa keeps his. This video below absolutely hits the nail on the head.

I’m sorry, John Butler Trio, for forgetting how truly awesome you are.