A cool tool to be curious

Hey all - so have you ever heard of www.stumbleupon.com? I love this program - you create a profile, and then you can choose everything that interests you. Then download a toolbar on your browser where you can "stumble" throughout sites from around the world, always bringing you new ideas, peoples thoughts, pictures, or other information. It's crazy how sometimes an amazing thing shows up on your screen that you never thought about. I put in "creative projects" and a lot of really cool projects came up that I want to try.

Here's one cool site that I just stumbled upon 45 Astonishing Examples of Long-Exposure Photography 

Enjoy! Jules

What is a Real Job? - seriously, just do what makes you happy

Hey all - it's Jules. So, I'm finishing up my last MBA class and just accepted my first job. I was telling a girl about it and she asked me "oh so when are you going to get a real job?" I was kind of taken aback by that, not sure when i haven't had a "real job" - but for this post I thought I'd talk about this.

So, about the position, it's with an internet marketing consulting firm (help companies build up their web presence and increase the leads and website visits), they also have a new social media program that has awesome potential. The company is only about 8 months old and has two employees. I'll be focusing on business development (finding leads, building relationships, making sales), and then I'll grow with the business and when I help it reach a certain point I'll be able to move up quickly. Also, I can work from home on my own hours and it's almost 100% commission. Uh oh, maybe that last part is what means it's not a "real job"

So, I "google" everything - and I searched for 'real job' and found this site called Life Reboot: It takes courage to reinvent yourself and there was a post 'what is a real job exactly'. Here's some thoughts

According to those I’ve asked, a real job is…

1. a full-time job with set hours.
2. a job in my major/field/area of specialization.
3. a job that pays more than minimum wage.
4. a job that pays salary.
5. a job with health insurance/sick leave/paid vacation.
6. a job with room for growth/advancement opportunity.
7. a position with a job title and description.
8. anything that’s NOT a temp job.
9. anything that earns a steady paycheck.
10. something that will make me feel like going into debt for a degree was worthwhile.

What’s fascinating about these responses is how nearly all of them focus exclusively on job details. That is, there is a common expectation for the job to satisfy the requirements for being “real.” The exception is #10, where the responder believes how they feel about the job is more important.

This exception among the typical responses made me wonder: Why don’t all people think this way? When asked to describe a “real job,” why don’t people concentrate on the feeling they’d get from it, rather than the actual job? Wouldn’t it be inspiring to hear people describe how a real job is…

1. a job that’s fulfilling!
2. a job that’s stimulating!
3. a job that’s challenging!
4. a job that’s rewarding!
5. a job that’s enjoyable!

In other words, shouldn’t the single defining factor of how “real” a job is be determined by how it makes you feel? After all, you listen to your feelings when you decide which jobs aren’t real — and it makes them easy to identify because jobs that aren’t real feel wrong.

So, I'm excited to work with a small business to help it grow. I think I'll be able to take my creativity to a whole new level. There's no hierarchy to go through when I think I have a novel idea. As I'm on commission I can do anything in my power to be successful, there's nothing holding me back - if I do the work to make a ton, then I'll get the money and not be set back by a salary. The company that hired me feels that I will be vital to them and they can see all the skills I can offer and they're EXCITED. That makes me feel good and that's what I want from an employer. So, I HAVE a real job thank you very much :)

Why do we feel sorry for creative people?

When I was six I was shy beyond words - literally. During kindergarten and first grade I wouldn't say a word in class or to my teacher. One day we were talking about what we wanted to be when we grew up, our teacher talking to us one by one. I went to a long curtain and twisted myself up in it so she couldn't talk to me. My teacher came over and sat down on the floor, saying that she really wanted to talk to me and really wanted to know what I wanted to be when I grew up.

For some reason I got a sudden struck of bravery, I began to unroll myself in the curtain, and then I peeked my mouth out a little bit and whispered a ballerina. My teacher giggled and hugged me in the curtain, saying oh how cute. Obviously I never became a ballerina. But I always wonder what if..

Yesterday I met a young man visiting Denver from L.A. He was working as a secretary or assistant of some sort at HBO, doing the dirty work that no one else wanted to do. But he did it in order to be in the business and to pursue his lofty goal of being a director and screenwriter for feature films. He had received his undergrad in electrical engineering and then decided to follow his true love and pursued his graduate degree in film. He described the extremely difficult nature of the film industry, how you have to produce something to find a manager, and then earn the trust of your skills further in order to find an agent. He had both of these, and in his free time would write screen plays - with the plan to gain a reputation for those and then one day be able to negotiate a place as a director. Everyone in the room asked him why he wanted to do that, what if he didn't meet the right people, what if he never got his break, wasn't electrical engineering a better bet for a more predictable life?

This conversation sparked my memory of a talk I once saw on TED.com - a place with a variety of 20 minute talks from people that have an idea to spread. 

The talk was by Elizabeth Gilbert, author of Eat, Pray, Love, one of my favorite books. She described her similar dilemma as the young man I met last night - she said that it is completely possible that at the age of 40 that the best work of her life was behind her (Eat, Pray, Love was a memoir of her travels and was a unpredictable world bestseller). In her talk she asked- Is it rational or logical that anybody should be expected to be afraid of the work that they feel that they're on this earth to do? And why is it when we learn of someone choosing to pursue a creative venture that we have the instant worry for their mental health? 

I'm sure you have met someone like I did, someone with the ultimate passion to be a writer, an actress, an artist, a ballerina, or a comedian. Do you remember that slight sliver of pity for them, asking them if they were afraid they wouldn't succeed? Or maybe you were like me, with a passion that was the only word you'd say all year.

And then there are people that are actually doing it - like my dad. He used to be a director in a libertarian think tank in D.C. - now he is a thriving percussionist and drum instructor, going to finally pursue his Master's of Music. Long ago he had the same dream but decided he'd be more stable as a professor. I'm so proud of him for finally following his dreams

Just a thought to do what you love, and never feel sorry for someone that wants to truly be creative and make it their life's work. :)

Watch the talk here: Elizabeth Gilbert on nurturing creativity | Video on TED.com

Move away from "The Voices of Reason" - be your own kind of creative

“Today you are You, that is truer than true.

There is no one alive who is Youer than You.”
~ Dr. Seuss

Hey all, Jules here. I've always tried to be the kind of thinker and creative person in my daily life that takes peoples advice and criticism for face value, but not let it necessarily keep me from doing something that I think is a good idea. It's really hard to do this, mostly when you respect the people giving the advice. Things in our society move so quickly and its easy to stop being creative. Its hard enough to keep up with the new technology, the new internet sites, the new telephone applications, the new ways to teach, and the new ways to learn, to think of any new ideas.

In business school, we often talk about the trials and doubts that now-successful business owners had to go through in order to be successful. I think the hardest thing for a creative thinker is having people tell you right from the start that your idea is fruitless. This natural resistance from the "voices of reason" has occurred when folks look at only what currently exists to determine what can be. The change-makers were often the outcasts, fending for their creation, invention or vision with little support at best - and dyer, tortuous circumstances at worst. 

The following quotes, compiled by Mycoted, are examples of the push-back of status quo thinking felt by many a visionary and pioneer as they tried to introduce something new into the culture - whether in the world of business, science, academia, or technology:

• "Everything that can be invented has been invented." --Charles H. Duell, Commissioner, U.S. Office of Patents, 1899. 
•  
• "Computers in the future may weigh no more than 1.5 tons." --Popular Mechanics, forecasting the relentless march of science, 1949

• "I think there is a world market for maybe five computers." --Thomas Watson, chairman of IBM, 1943

• "There is no reason anyone would want a computer in their home." --Ken Olson, president, chairman and founder of Digital Equipment Corp., 1977

• "This 'telephone' has too many shortcomings to be seriously considered as a means of communication. The device is inherently of no value to us." --Western Union internal memo, 1876.

• "The concept is interesting and well-formed, but in order to earn better than a 'C,' the idea must be feasible." --A Yale University management professor in response to Fred Smith's paper proposing reliable overnight delivery service. (Smith went on to found Federal Express Corp.)

• "Who wants to hear actors talk?" --H. M. Warner, Warner Brothers, 1927.

• "I'm just glad it'll be Clark Gable who's falling on his face and not Gary Cooper." --Gary Cooper on his decision not to take the leading role in "Gone With the Wind."

• "A cookie store is a bad idea. Besides, the market research reports say America likes crispy cookies, not soft and chewy cookies like you make." --Response to Debbi Fields' idea of starting Mrs. Fields' Cookies.

• "We don't like their sound, and guitar music is on the way out." --Decca Recording Co. rejecting the Beatles, 1962.

• "Heavier-than-air flying machines are impossible." --Lord Kelvin, president, Royal Society, 1895.

• "If I had thought about it, I wouldn't have done the experiment. The literature was full of examples that said you can't do this." --Spencer Silver on the work that led to the unique adhesives for 3-M "Post-It" Notepads.

• "So we went to Atari and said, 'Hey, we've got this amazing thing, even built with some of your parts, and what do you think about funding us? Or we'll give it to you. We just want to do it. Pay our salary, we'll come work for you.' And they said, 'No.' So then we went to Hewlett-Packard, and they said, 'Hey, we don't need you. You haven't got through college yet.'" --Apple Computer Inc. founder Steve Jobs on attempts to get Atari and H-P interested in his and Steve Wozniak's personal computer.

• "Drill for oil? You mean drill into the ground to try and find oil? You're crazy." --Drillers who Edwin L. Drake tried to enlist to his project to drill for oil in 1859.

• "Aeroplanes are interesting toys but of no military value." --Marechal Ferdinand Foch, Professor of Strategy, Ecole Superieure de Guerre.

• "Louis Pasteur's theory of germs is ridiculous fiction". --Pierre Pachet, Professor of Physiology at Toulouse, 1872

• "The abdomen, the chest, and the brain will forever be shut from the intrusion of the wise and humane surgeon". --Sir John Eric Ericksen, British surgeon, appointed Surgeon-Extraordinary to Queen Victoria 1873.

I often try to remember examples like this, that even some of the innovations that have literally changed the way we exist day-to-day were once seen as laughable. Then even the little things I want to do, that seem a little risky, probably aren't that hard to do. Everything just takes a commitment, and it will succeed if you have enough passion, you need to know that maybe you are the one to make it happen. Like the Dr. Seuss quote earlier, everyone is different and everyone has different abilities and capacities to make things happen.

Creating Harmony or Excitement with Color

I was watching a show on HGTV where the interior designer focuses on a color palate for design, and then creates the room around the colors. I thought this was really cool, and the concept of which colors to use can be useful in any type of creative project.

This post will focus on finding harmony with colors - if you want to design a room or art project that gives off that feeling. Thanks to colormatters.com for this information.

Harmony can be defined as a pleasing arrangement of parts, whether it be music, poetry, color, or even an ice cream sundae.

In visual experiences, harmony is something that is pleasing to the eye. It engages the viewer and it creates an inner sense of order, a balance in the visual experience. When something is not harmonious, it's either boring or chaotic. At one extreme is a visual experience that is so bland that the viewer is not engaged. The human brain will reject under-stimulating information. At the other extreme is a visual experience that is so overdone, so chaotic that the viewer can't stand to look at it. The human brain rejects what it can not organize, what it can not understand. The visual task requires that we present a logical structure. Color harmony delivers visual interest and a sense of order.

In summary, extreme unity leads to under-stimulation, extreme complexity leads to over-stimulation. Harmony is a dynamic equilibrium.

Some Formulas for Color Harmony

There are many theories for harmony. The following illustrations and descriptions present some basic formulas .

A color scheme based on analogous colors

Analogous colors are any three colors which are side by side on a 12 part color wheel, such as yellow-green, yellow, and yellow-orange. Usually one of the three colors predominates.

A color scheme based on complementary colors

Complementary colors are any two colors which are directly opposite each other, such as red and green and red-purple and yellow-green. In the illustration above, there are several variations of yellow-green in the leaves and several variations of red-purple in the orchid. These opposing colors create maximum contrast and maximum stability.

A color scheme based on nature

Nature provides a perfect departure point for color harmony. In the illustration above, red yellow and green create a harmonious design, regardless of whether this combination fits into a technical formula for color harmony.

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Color Context

How color behaves in relation to other colors and shapes is a complex area of color theory. Compare the contrast effects of different color backgrounds for the same red square.

©Color Voodoo Publications

Red appears more brilliant against a black background and somewhat duller against the white background. In contrast with orange, the red appears lifeless; in contrast with blue-green, it exhibits brilliance. Notice that the red square appears larger on black than on other background colors.

Different readings of the same color

©Color Voodoo Publications

If your computer has sufficient color stability and gamma correction (link to Color Blind Computers) you will see that the small purple rectangle on the left appears to have a red-purple tinge when compared to the small purple rectangle on the right. They are both the same color as seen in the illustration below. This demonstrates how three colors can be perceived as four colors.

Observing the effects colors have on each other is the starting point for understanding the relativity of color. The relationship of values, saturations and the warmth or coolness of respective hues can cause noticeable differences in our perception of color.

Creative Dates

With five sisters in the family, we know a lot about going on dates. Be it with a husband, boyfriend, new guy or  friend-date, there's so many creative things to do, and they can be really cost effective too.

Living in DC for three years my boyfriend and I would have the best days just going on walks through the city. We'd stop at random shops and cafes, sit in parks and read and people watch, or go down to the national mall for the free Smithsonian museums. Another thing that we love to do is paint together. We usually save this for more special occasions but sometimes just randomly pull out the paints and canvases. We'd use little ones, like 5"x4" as they don't take too long. Also, going to the gym together or on a run is a great way to bond and be healthy together.

You can always go online to see events going on in the city. Right now in Denver its Restaurant Week, you can go to certain restaurants for two people for just $52.80 total - you get a four course meal and a drink. Great deal! Check it out for your city at opentable.com

I found this site that had some fun date ideas. Below is a list of some:

	Bowling, a fun activity, is the perfect first date and can be done as a couple or in group outings. Even if you've never been or don't know how to do it, bowling is a great fun date because....
	The best date ideas are the kind that last for hours and are tons of fun. For a full day of fun in the sun, head to anamusement park to enjoy rides, games and much, much more.
	If you're looking for a fun date idea, a night at a comedy club may be the answer.
	One great date idea for the middle of the week is going to a Happy Hour. Enjoy some drinks and food together with none of the pressure of a formal date.
	Whether you’re skating on an indoor rink or a pond in the snowy outdoors, ice skating is a fun date idea that allows you to become close to one another.
	For an original and fun first date, head to a local club to not only enjoy a musical performance, but drinks and dancing as well.
	The perfect way to spend time with one another, mini golfing is a fun date idea that allows two people to bond in a fun, active environment.
	An educational and entertaining experience, going to a museum is not only enjoyable for older couples, but, as far as fun date ideas go, is considered one of the best.
	What’s the perfect date? Try going to a sporting event! From football and soccer in the fall to basketball in the winter and baseball in the spring and summer, there’s always a sporting event going on.
	For those who prefer creative dating over the mundane, then a trip to the video arcade is definitely up your alley. Filled with old and new games, video games provide hours of fun and...
	One of the best date ideas is going to the zoo. Filled with exotic animals, the zoo is a great place to spend time together while admiring and learning about....
	If you’re looking for an exhilarating original date idea, why not try skydiving? Though the activity is definitely not for the weak of heart, skydiving is a great way to bond with a love one while trying something new and adventurous.
	The standard dating fare of movies and meals are good for most dates. An idea for a fun date for those times is horseback riding. Taking a ride with a date is a fun and romantic way to spend time together.
	One cool date idea is to spend it at a casino. There are times when a quiet, romantic date is the best choice. Then, there are times when a date calls for a little excitement. A casino date...
	One exciting date idea is to go to a gun range.Unconventional dates are sometimes the most memorable ones. On the surface it may not sound very romantic, but an exciting date is always a romantic one.
	One fun date idea is to take your date sailing. If you live near the water, there are many opportunities for fun and exciting dates. Sailing is a romantic activity by its very nature.
	One extreme date idea is to take your date skiing or snowboarding. Have a date who loves extreme sports? Sitting on a park bench or a quiet dinner at home might not be the right way to impress this date.

Transforming Summer dresses into Winter Sensations

Hey all, its Jules. Sorry for the late post, have been sick all weekend. But was watching Project Runway in bed and got inspired for my next post.

Since quitting my professional job and going back to grad school, I've really had to find creative ways to use my wardrobe throughout the year. I love living in Colorado, because the weather always surprises you - it can be warm during the day and chilly at night, and usually always sunny. I only wear dresses in the summer, so I really needed to find a way to wear them throughout the winter. 

I have discovered tights, knee high boots, scarves, and cardigans. Just a few new items can allow you to use all those summer clothes all year round.

I found an article on Yahoo that gives some good ideas.

Step One: Throw on a boyfriend cardigan.  Lucky for us, fall’s influx of long sweaters isn’t going away any time soon. Leave the cardigan unbuttoned, then use a skinny belt to cinch the waste.

Step Two: Layer with tights. If you don’t have any fun hosiery in bright colors and luxurious textures, definitely invest.  They’re an easy and inexpensive way to refresh a tired outfit and add warmth.

Step Three: Add a cute pair of boots. A comfy pair of boots goes a long way in transforming a summery style into a cool-weather sensation. We love over-the-knee boots for instant glam and warmth.

Step Four: Add some sparkle. Once you’re dressed, finish the look with a statement necklace, a cross-body handbag, or both. The sparkle adds a festive accent just in time for the holidays.

Step Five: Top it off with a cute hat. This chilly-day staple signals you’re ready for a walk in a winter wonderland. Reach for hats that are worn close to your head, like a slouchy beret or a 1930s-inspired cloche, or shop our picks for the top 10 hats of the season.

Foreign Currency art projects

I went to my friends house yesterday, and saw this piece of art that her mom had done for her with all of the money that my friend bought back from her travels in Asia. I thought it was such a cool idea - instead of just throwing it away or keeping it in a jar, make a piece of art out of it. I think the piece is really contemporary, and the colors are great - it can go with any other decor - and has a great story!

I thought it would be cool to find some other ideas that you could do with foreign currencies, as a "free" souvenir from travels.

mmmCrafts had a cool idea for a coin charm bracelet. Just drill holes into the coins and get bendable metal to hook onto a chain bracelet.

Instructables.com shows how to turn coins into fridge magnets

AHC arts & crafts, has a ton of great project ideas for children and teens - browse to find some of your own ideas!

Fun and Easy, Fancy French Dinner

Hey all, it's Jules. Hope you're enjoying Martin Luther King, Jr. day.

This weekend my boyfriend and I decided to cook a fancy dinner and invite some people over. I had a French "Look and Cook" book that his mom had given me for Christmas, and my handy "Cooking Light" magazines. We browsed through them and went shopping for the ingredients. It was pretty easy for how good it was!

I'll show you some pictures of the process, and I found the recipes online if you'd like to make it yourself!

First course was Roast Chicken with Potatoes and Butternut Squash

I used chicken breasts instead of roast chicken, so I didn't have to cook it as long as the recipe said. It was really easy, just make a combo of salt, pepper, garlic and sage and rub it on them before putting on the broiler and in the oven. I'm going to use a similar rub anytime I make chicken, the spices were perfect and would go with anything.

For a side we made Creamy Potatoes (from my French Look and Cook Cookbook, I'll post the recipe later). They were soooo good! Would be great for thanksgiving for Sunday Dinner. The potatoes were creamy and slightly sweet as they had some nutmeg in them.

And then to finish it off we got a nice and fluffy loaf of french bread. Nate cut it down the middle and put in some melted butter, fresh garlic, italian seasoning - rubbing it all over the side. Then we put it in on broil for a few minutes.

The final products!!

The next day....

While looking through the cookbooks we saw some yummy breakfast ideas, so the next morning we made this Jalapeno, Sausage, Jack and Egg Breakfast Braid. It was so easy - and it was perfect for a sunday morning. Just enough spice, and the bread was just pre-made pizza dough. You could probably make all varieties of this.

Pic from Cooking Light.com

Paper Beads!! Easy and make cute, funky jewelery

I was trying to think of a craft project that I used to do that I'd like to take some time to do. I love jewelery and remembered making paper beads with friends. I thought that I could really make some funky jewelery to wear that wouldn't look childish.

Here's what you need:


Materials:

• shiny magazine pages, preferably with colorful pictures
• modge podge
• toothpicks or small twigs
• scissors
• small paint brush

Directions:

1. Cut the magazine pictures into long, thin triangles. The width of the shortest side of the triangle will become the width of the finished bead.
2. Wind the triangles around a toothpick, small straw or twig. You may need a touch of white glue or modge podge to hold the point of the triangle on the newly formed bead.
3. Brush the entire exposed surface with mod podge. Let dry.

You now have a nice, colorful, glossy bead which can be strung just about anywhere!


There are tons of how-to's on this throughout the internet with step-by-step pictures, such as blog.craftzine.com - but its really so easy and you can make a ton of them in little time. If you don't have old magazines you use anyother thin paper to make the beads. Some examples are newspapers, gift wrap, Valpak coupons (that come in the mail), gift bags, or scrapbook paper. The key is to have the paper be lightweight and not thick like cardstock.

Travel Photos - taking great, timeless photos

Hello again! It's Jules, it's been a few weeks since I posted - thanks for my sisters and the guest writers that took over my spot. I spent an amazing three weeks traveling throughout SE Asia for my International MBA program. I always love looking back over my photos, and I notice that there are also those few that stand out, those that really show the essence of the place that you visited. I hate photos that look really touristy or unartistic, and aren't something you want to look back at many years later.

When I own a home and can decorate it, I want to have photographs everywhere. Traveling is inspiring and I want to continually remind myself about the experiences and what they taught me.

It's tough to take great photos when traveling, and it takes a little more thought to look for a different perspective than to just point and shoot. So I'll try to show some examples of mine, and also quote some expert opinion.

Taking pictures of yourself and travel mates

I like to have pictures of myself in famous places, but I don't think its necessary to stand in front of everything you see. Also, I've noticed that too often you or others looking at the picture look at the subject and not the surroundings. Or you think you look bad and don't want to show it to other people. When I was traveling in Croatia this summer, my friends and I set up this picture, and I love it. We wanted to document how random it was that we were all wearing the same color, so we propped up the camera and put on the timer, then we just let ourselves laugh and be random for the photo. I think it really captured a great moment that is more classic. It would be much more boring if we were just posing and smiling. So be creative!

- Step back, and look at the subject with a different perspective

I have a few pictures of this vibrant market in Dubrovnik, Croatia. But this picture with an ancient arched doorway in the foreground gives it a unique perspective. It offers more scale and replicates more of the actual experience of walking through an old town and finding this colorful market. Before snapping, just look around and see if you could make the photo a little more relevant to show the experience.

- Doorways - don't let them pass by

 I was recently at a friends home for New Years, and her parents had a whole room of images of doorways. I'm not sure if they took them or purchased them, but I always loved doorways and was excited that I had documented them. These images could go in any room and any one would love the silent images. Just make sure you find a unique way to crop it. Perhaps have a bit of the sidewalk or corner, and see how to fit in windows or plants/bikes that may be near the doorway.

- People as subjects, showing the beauty of the culture

I always love the famous travel photographs of people and children smiling at the camera, sharing their culture and life with the photographer, but I've never been brave enough to take a picture like that with anyone knowing. So I tend to take pictures of people involved in their daily lives, and not noticing me taking a quick snap of their life. I think these images are the most appealing though, really showing an image that is unaffected by me.

Most of these photos I have I really just snapped while walking or driving by. They're not always perfect, but a quick crop or some color adjustments really help to make them standout. Just always keep snapping - if it catches your attention and moves you, it will always be memorable to you or others. And try not to get random tourists in the picture!