Aug 20, 2008

Joker’s 20 on 20 -- Thinking in Vain--



Have you ever had a great idea? I mean an idea that would pretty much solidify your existence as noteworthy in any context? Have you ever had that idea ignored? Then you're not alone. One of my daily reads is a blog with enough curiously random information to fill up a Ripley's digest. It's a fun read and I find out about so much miscellaneous news that I can't help but find myself clicking yonder every so often. Also, it shows that good writing and interesting posts can come even from the most committed of designers. So TIV, keep up the fun work and remember that as long as you give us something from your brain, it shall never be in vain. This is our session of Joker 20/20.

1. How often do you think with a purpose?

Mostly at night and on the weekends.

Interesting how some of our best ideas for work or not come when we're not AT work. I think it's a sign that to be productive we need to work less, but I might be wrong... as if it'd matter :D


2. What does your twin do for a living?

Sometimes I still don't know. She's a Reconciliation Specialist and she's doing Tax Reconciliation now, but she's done Flex, COBRA and Cash Reconciliation too. She uses words like variance and lots of acronyms that she thinks I can remember… I try though.

Variance.... that's like the band name of some trashy euro band that sponsors cranberry flavored soda. But hey just checking because I think it's interesting to note the career paths of the people we love. My brother's? One appraiser the other a banker. My sister's in law are a doctor and in marketing and my sweet Mrs. Joker is an AE in advertising. Out of that bunch, guess who are the two most jaded.

3. Ten things that inspire you?

Archeology
Driving
Cooking
Gardening
Music
My camera
Thunderstorms
Conversation
Blogs
Slinkies

Note to self, always add why to the questions lol. :D Been a while since I played with a slinky though.


4. When did you say to yourself that you wanted to be in advertising?

I never did. I still haven't. I went to school for illustration with a minor in education. I ended up with a photography degree and a design internship. Somehow I landed a job at a local agency and well, here I am. The only time I thought I'd do anything like this was briefly when I was in high school – I really, really wanted to design CDs/album covers.

Egads, you feel in by accident? Well that's better than purposely getting into advertising like some random joker man I once knew. As for designing an album cover, Jetpack gave my non existant band a name, why so serious... what would you put on the cover of the eponymous debut?

5. You design best when______?

I'm at home. I can get quiet and think. I try to design on the computer, but I have to draw it out first or it just looks like crap. I think better with a pencil than with a mouse. I also need to stare into space a lot or close my eyes, things that I don't feel comfortable doing at work. I also like thinking about things while driving – there are tons of back roads where I live. This was easier when gas wasn't so expensive.

I'm weird, depends on my mood the sugar intake in my system and my overall state of being regarding when I write best. Then again if anything has ever characterized me it's being inconsistent or so I keep telling myself so I keep pushing myself. As for thinking better with a pencil than with a mouse, one tip... NEVER lose that.
6. Ten news events you remember vividly?

There was a huge flood here when I was 4 years old. I still remember standing on my toes and looking out an upstairs window at the water swirling around the house.

Exxon Valdez – my older sister and my now brother-in-law were big environmentalists back then and I think I tried to write a letter or something.

San Francisco Earthquake – the images I remember on TV were horrible.

Persian Gulf war – we had a family friend who was a mine sweeper and I was only about 9 or 10 but I was terrified and didn't understand what was going on.

I'm lumping these together – the deaths of Shannon Hoon, Kurt Cobain and Jerry Garcia. No comments about Jerry Garcia. I can't help it, I had a friend obsessed with The Grateful Dead and that's all I heard about. I think we even tried to contact one of them via Ouija board one night. God, I can't believe I admitted that.

Princess Di's death – I just do. My older sister loved her and I think I did a book report on her once. We were watching some movie, the one with Anthony Hopkins and the bear. My sister came over and insisted we turn the movie off and watch the news. And I was bored and mad because I wanted to watch the movie.

Columbine – I came home and was watching it live on TV. I was such a little shit too. I remember a bunch of us using a backpack left in an upstairs hallway as a reason to skip school.

9/11 – I was in Photography class and one of the theatre guys ran up to us after we were leaving the dark room and was shouting that a plane had hit a building and it was on a large screen in the auditorium. I thought he was confused, until I got home and realized what was going on.

Tsunami in Malaysia – One of my best friends was over there when it happened. Her family and I were frantically calling the hotlines trying to find her. Turned out she was fine, but she'd been on the beach the day before the tsunami hit.

VA Tech – I was in the hospital waiting room while my mother was being prepped for surgery watching the news as it unfolded. Her surgery was pushed back while the ORs were made ready for the victims being flown in. Sons of friends were Engineering students, family knew the Engineering professors, and friends of friends were first-responders. I quit holding a lot of grudges that day. Life's too short.

Definitely shocking events that would change anyone's life by simply hearing about them. The Exxon spillage is only one of variuous spillings that have dissapointed me to no end with a world that is addicted to petrol, me included. SF earthquake was just crazy because like 911 you almost have to ask yourself if what you're seeing is real because it's just toon much to take in. I remember hearing about 9/11 while driving, suddenly I understood why about 20 cars had pulled over. As for musician's deaths, I hurt the most from Shannon's. Don't get me wrong, I loved Nirvana, but Blind Melon still means a lot to me in my life for always managing to make me crack a smile. Columbine and VA were just two events that I don't think should have ever happened for numerous reasons namely the ease in which these people got hold of weapons. Normally we refer to nuclear bombs as WMD's, but seeing an event like this devastates society to no end because it's really a wonder how messed up we are as a world.The tsunami just scared me to no end and Princess Di's death... well I actually have a chip on my shoulder with that one because everyone remembers her death since it was untimely, but no one remembers that Mother Theresa died as well.

On a weirder note. A guy's last wish was to have a wake wihle his body was exposed... standing up.

Now people are requesting to be exposed on top of a motorcycle or inside cars.... as if the world wasn't crazt enough already.


7. When someone asks you what your aspirations in life are, what do you answer?

To be a good person. I think most everything else falls into place with hard work. Well, I would like to learn how to do wet collodion process.

Thank god for wikipedia or else I wouldn't know that was a photo process lol. :D

8. How often do you doodle? Are there any recurring themes?

Anytime there's a pencil in my hand. Mostly I draw swirls and plants.

Scan a few someday. You might be the next kick ass background on my desktop:D

9. What prompted you to create your blog?

Where's My Jetpack. I was blogging random things on MySpace and I linked to a blog post of his one day – Everyone's A Creative. He told me that if I started a blog he'd link to me. I told him I couldn't write and I couldn't imagine anyone reading what I wrote. He told me everyone was a writer and here I am.

He and Fred reading and commenting gave me the confidence to keep going.

Then to Jet and Fred, may you live long and prosper.

10. How strong is your bond with your sister?

I'm not even sure how to describe it. She's so much my best friend and just a part of my life that I forget she's my twin. She's… just, there. I can't imagine my life without her.


11. Three things that have changed your life?

My mother.

My high school band director. It pains me to write it. He was an asshole and ran the marching band like an army division. But I learned how to work hard when I didn't want to and to compete against my personal best and not with other people.

A photography exhibit of Virginia photographers. I turned a corner and saw Sally Mann's photograph and fell in love. I could sit and look at that photo all day. (see attached photo)




12. It's your birthday, what do you want to do to celebrate?

Ideally I'd spend all day at the pool, go to dinner with friends, go to a show, then go and relax with everyone in my backyard with the beverage of your choosing.



13. What is your favorite candy?

Ooh, anything with peanuts/peanut butter and chocolate. So Reese's Pieces, Reese's Peanut Butter Cups and Peanut M&Ms are well, yummy. Peanut butter cookies are awesome too.

White Chocolate Reese's cups.... myaaaaammm

14. What are the things you miss the most about college?

The support system I had. There were only 10 of us in the art program and we were all friends. It was nice to know at any time of the day you could find someone to bounce ideas off of or get opinions from. And it was genuine. It was such a creative environment. Much more so than any agency I've been in.

I also loved being in the dark room every day and not having to get up until 10. Oh, and eating anything I wanted because I walked everywhere.


15. Define potential.
The stored energy that we aren't using. We all have the ability to do the things we want, it's just whether or not we're willing to put the energy towards it. Hard work goes a long way and most of the students I deal with are too lazy to realize their abilities.

16. In an 8 person table, you'd love to have dinner with these people:

Am I the eight person? Sally Mann, Paul Rand, Ansel Adams, Edward Weston, Art Bell (shut up!), Graham Hancock (shut up!), and um... Chris Cunningham.

Writers and photogs, interesting selection.

17. Finish this sentence: if I had all the time in the world:

Wow, um… I'd go back to school. I love learning and being in that environment. I'm such a nerd.

Nerds rule no worries ;)

18. What's your favorite type of weather and why?

I have three types of ideal weather.

Cool, foggy mornings – so I can photograph them.
Those moments right before a summer thunderstorm where the wind is blowing hard and everything takes on an eerie, pink light – because it's awesome.
Sunny with big puffy clouds, 75˚ with a constant, cool breeze, preferably with the tress in peak color. Why not? Perfect weather for hiking, sitting outside, sitting in a window doodling, eating soup.

I love it when there's light or no wind, rainy and damp and surf is just super lovely.

19. Your life would not be the same without?

My family and friends. Work doesn't really care about me, they do.


20. Ask me anything you want, I promise it won't be in vain.

Hmmm… when's your book coming out and when are you doing another post on albums you like? I need some new music to listen too. :)



Not sure when my book is coming out. I'm still 11 chapters short though I'm going to be working on it hard to begin the transcription. We're also thinking of doing a WAS book and might have something else in store which would all happen in 09 and 2010.

As for posts of new music, it's been a while so I'll work on that soon but I can let you know that you should DEFINITELY buy the new Sigur Ros record (if you're into Sigur Ros)and that if you've never heard of the American Analog Set, it's high time you checked them out. Also try and check an Australian band called Dead Letter Circus. It's kind of like Circa Survive which is also a band you should check out. More on the tunes later. I'm actually hanging out at a friend's house and much music should be shared these next few days so you're timing is impeccable :D As for my sex novel, that might happen sometime before I'm 40 hehehe

7 comments:

RFB said...

Yay, Kymberleigh. I'm honored that I inspired you to blog. Now I need you to design some CD packaging. (I'll use Oasis CD out of Sperryville so you can feel at home.)

And funny, tomorrow I'm giving a presentation at work on the theme "Everyone's a Creative."

shaun. said...

very nice...yet again.

Thinking In Vain said...

Joker: Do your siblings have artistic tendencies? My sister is an AWESOME painter - she just doesn't think so. I have her paintings in my office.

Slinkies are awesome and mindless, the perfect thing to play with while you're thinking.

Thank you for including me in your list. :)

Jetpacks: You're right after Fred, then Joker's. ;) I think I still get a crack at the Oasiscape logo too, right?

I love that blog post.

Justin said...

Loving this whole series... awesome.

I'll second the Sigur Ros suggestion for new music. If you can see them in concert, they're amazing (I'll be seeing them for the 2nd time in Sept).

Anonymous said...

Check out Heima the movie from Sigur Ros too. Very cool.

Anonymous said...

You should scan in your pictures too and send them! They are amazing! *Oh, can you tell I'm her sister?*

Joker said...

@ jet: How did the presentation go????

@ shaun: many thanks though if certain hooker thoughts had an email to write, they might have a crack at 20/20

@ TIV: my oldest brother wplays the piano, the guitar and used to be great at drawing. But something happened along the way and he insists he can't do lots of things. Now he plays golf but when he gets behind a piano, good things always happen. As for the other one, he's the reason why I surf and he can still REALLY kick my ass.

Bless slinkies.

Thank you for saying yes to me sending the questions.

@ justin: you bastard. I saw them on reverb long ago and would love to see them live. definitely a band to enjoy live and recorded.

@ Bill: Own the DVD and second the motion. It's really beautiful and you can see how making that film affected the new album.

@ cat: convince her to send 5 pictures and a post and I'll make a $50 donation to your charity of choosing. No joke and no the thinking in vain foundation does not count as a charity lol.

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