You need to watch this

...if you haven't already.

A while back, my sometimes very inspirational mother sent me the transcript from J.K. Rowling's commencement address at Harvard in 2008. I really love a great speech, and this is way up there.

I've read and re-read it a number of times, and it still makes me mushy inside. I actually feel honoured to share a birthday with her!

This is the video. Full transcript here

Blazing good conversation

Had a great chat with Iwan the other day after a spot of longboarding down the windy paths of Prospect Park. We just chilled on the grass and let rip with the craziest ideas for a good two hours. You know when all your shit is in sync - philosophy, creativity, similar viewpoints in life... A conversation like that really does wonders for your wellbeing. Need more of those.

New York rocks

Two reasons:

1) It looks like this when you enter a nightclub:



2) Even in the height of summer, if you turn the cold tap on you get actual cold water.

Dam-age.

My housemate John is Burmese and he struggles to say "dammit" if he stubs his toe or sees a hot woman in the street. Instead he says Dam-age..! Pretty hysterical, especially when he's referring to the latter. If you take a cruise around Soho on a sunny Sunday you will understand the damage being done.

Taglines

Imagine a world without taglines.

How would you judge brands?

Firstly, you would be forced to judge them by their names. A great brand name is a gateway to all manner of brand success (and I will definitely be sharing more of my thoughts on that). Secondly, you would be forced to feel brands - feel the unique composite of their vibe, and not be limited by only verbal communication.

So often a perfectly reasonable 30 sec TV spot has whatever decent message it just tried so hard to get across replaced by a perfectly rubbish few words flashed across the screen right at the end. A picture is worth a thousand words? Well the word equivalent of 7500 frames of genius cinematic production has just been replaced in the viewer's mind by, wait for it...

Ford. Drive One.

Why not just shut up?

Taglines are one of those things that people feel forced to create and compete on because the next guy just did it. And now we have a whole new sub-medium where the primary call to action is a fear that a competitor might occupy the same territory if one doesn't grab it first.

Anyhow, in terms of brand personality, judging a person by their actions and not their words is regarded to be better, and one would normally avoid making judgements of a person by what or who they say they are. Especially if they babble the same sweet nothings at you every time.

Really?

HP – Expanding possibilities
AMD – The smarter choice

Way decent:

Virginia is for lovers
Alaska - B4UDIE
Scotland the brand
South Africa - Alive with possibility
Nike - Just do it
The Independent - It is, are you?

Pinkberry with Terry

I totally just ran into an old buddy of mine, Terry Richardson, outside the Pinkberry in Spring Street.



I know!...right?!

I can dig this

Is there a name for this very extraordinary and, frankly, hot vibe?
Maybe someone on top of the fashion scene can tell me. For now I'm going with Pastel Goth.

Seen on lookbook



Or maybe it's the fact that she's not afraid to show off her branded take-away coffee that turns me on. I don't know.

Don't lie! Of course you would...

People I like

People try not to judge others, but we all do. A few days ago I was sitting on the train when I realised I think I know the way in which I judge people, when I first see them.

I judge people by whether or not they look like they are staying with or trying to break out of their allotted socio-economic place in life. You can tell, by body language, posture, expression on their face, or the way they speak relative to their apparent education.

On that train you may also see the relatively poor father of five, going to work a crap job, but he's dressed in the best suit he can afford, contemplating the day ahead. He wants to get that next promotion, and is thinking about what flowers to get his wife. He wants to get to the next level - even if it means being at the bottom of that next level.

But right next to him is the guy of the same age, same background, who has the same amount of money, but is dressed in tattier clothes, texting away on his cellphone, shouting at his buddy. He appears happy to be at the top of the lower level. Why? Because it's the top. He's happy there.

People who are prepared to constantly be at the bottom of a strata, be it socially or in their career are normally the ones moving up that quickly. Those who are out of their comfort zone most are learning the most.

People impress and interest me if they look like they're making an effort to get to whatever their next level is, or to be out of their comfort zone in some way all the time. How else do you learn unless you're at the bottom? For me it plays a big part in informing your general attitude towards life.

"A great man is always willing to be little." Ralph Waldo Emerson