Coworkers

So, I this month marked my one-year anniversary working for Group/Simply Youth Ministry. I love my job even more than when I started which, I think, is pretty rare. Usually, stuff starts to suck after a while, but this has been different. I really, really love it.

I get to design book covers, web sites, brochures, catalogs, pretty much anything.

One bummer thing is that I don't get to work with the other designers on a daily basis. Granted, we are on Skype all day talking about about things like How to Teach Your Infant to Swim (I mean really. The child looks comatose and the mom keeps flipping him and dropping him underwater. This is far worse than spanking.) in between meetings, so most of the time it feels like they are a desk away. Anyway, every few months I'll fly out to Colorado for a few days for a design-binge with Veronica and Storm. That's the best.

My Condo. My Project.

If I wasn't a graphic designer I would be a furniture designer...or a plastic surgeon, but that's just way too much school. So, I'll stick with furniture designer as my runner-up career choice.

It's tricky making my little condo in Lake Forest cool..but here's a look into my condo and how I've attempted to cool it up on a limited budget and limited space.

I bought this old carpenter table at a local consignment store. I've seen tables like this go for almost 5x what I paid for it. Makes for a really unique wine table.



I found these glass window tile things at a liquidators store back in Texas for like $10. So I drilled some shelf hinges on the wall and they make for some some cool, modern shelves. Easy and cheap.



I saw a buddy of mind do this in his office (Thanks, Ty) I tracked down some vintage marquee letters, nailed some picture hanging wire and PRESTO, a cool wall hanging. The letters (which I have about 500 of...way more than I needed) cost about $60 on ebay and the nails and wire weren't more than $7 at Home Depot. This whole wall was done in under 20 minutes. So fast and easy.



Lastly, I ran across this awesome truck tarp table/ottoman at Anthropologie at the Spectrum. It's was too cool to pass up. It was a bit of a splurge, but very cool nonetheless. I mean, come on, how often do you find a table/ottoman made out of old Brazilian truck tarps? Almost never.



So, that's some of the stuff I have done to my condo to make it more cool. If I think of anything else that creative or interesting I'll post it. That's all for now.

the 4th

The 4th is one of my favorite holidays. Since I've moved to California I have always had memorable 4th of Julies...Julys?...I have no idea how to spell the plural form of July. Anyway, you get it.

This year was no different.

My top 5 things from this 4th are as follows:

• the sound effects game - try imitating a bunny being attacked by a coyote
• lighting non-dairy creamer-filled balloons on fire - disappointing results
• the Mission Viejo fireworks - beware of the faux finale
• Brian shooting potato salad out of confetti poppers
• my friends