Of course, I'm not literally talking about "a little black dress", but rather the equivalent of it. I had to do some wardrobe updating today. It all started with Eleanor looking for something new to wear to Rya and Todd's upcoming wedding. I pushed her into getting a new "little black dress" and then followed it up by getting her some new black CK pumps (another classic must have for a woman). This, of course, led to picking up accessories and such. This led to her asking me, "what are you going to wear?"
Good question. Since the wedding is in the evening the smart play is to wear a dark suit and I just so happened to have a nice dark pinstripe Kenneth Cole Reaction suit I've been looking for an excuse to wear. This made me think about what to wear with it. Over the years I've gone through the standard style cues of trends of the time. This included the black on black/no tie option, the monochromatic shirt/tie combo (think maroon short/maroon tie, and so on), the suit jacket with jeans/I don't give a damn look, the texture on texture shirt/tie options and so forth. After giving it considerable thought I decided to not try and make a fashion statement and stick with a tried and true option - the white shirt.
Years ago, as a younger me, I would normally shun this option as being too vanilla. I'm a designer damn it and I need to show my more risky, creative side! No more. The last couple of years I've embraced that less is more with all that I do. I did purchase a nice Brooks Brothers version with french cuffs a few years ago during my cufflinks phase. It's a nice classic, cotton piece. Well made. Keeps its shape with no wrinkling. Spread collar. Simple and effective.
Eleanor made me go through all the options of the past that seemed to do well, but I kept going back to the white Brooks Brothers dealio. I paired it with a silver Calvin Klein tie to go with the dark pinstripe suite. Clean and modern. Out of curiosity I put said shirt with a couple of other suits/coats and ties for other upcoming occasions. Again nice results. So I'm sold.
A little older, but wiser I've embraced the man's version of the "little black dress" wholeheartedly. All those fashion experiments over the years and I have come back to the basics. Nothing beats the feel of a crisp, white shirt.
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
Thursday, June 09, 2011
Alot has happened in the past 2 years...
Tonight I decided to water the garden and lawn by hand vs. using the sprinklers. It had been a long day and I guess I needed the quiet night air. Weird how a cool breeze after a long, hot day at dusk can put you somewhere else. It had got me thinking about the past two years and where I had been.
I missed alot of what I did on a regular basis as a way of journaling what had been going on with me and my family. TWO YEARS. I know I:
1. Missed putting entries into my blogger
2. Working with my hands (as evident by the sudden compulsion to immerse myself back into home projects)
3. Understand that I work hard (too hard sometimes?) and forget to take a breather
4. Glad to be back in Charleston closer the people that matter most to me
5. Am enjoying my weekends much more now that I... (see #3)
6. Am contemplating where my career will lead me to next (am I a designer or am i entrepreneurial restauanteur?)
7. That in some ways I still miss Florida (the Gulf beaches, the diversity of GOOD "hole-in-the-wall" eating joints)
8. How much has changed in my career so quickly
...amongst other things. SO what's the next logical thing to write about? How about where I left off after I resigned after 10 years at the Golf Channel.
1. I resigned TGC after 10 years of dedicated work to pursue and grow as a designer
2. Got hired on as art director for Caldwell Group during which time I immersed myself into rebranding and conceptualizing a whole new face for Golden Living.
3. 4 short months later after GL cut the budget from Caldwell I was hired on directly as their art director in which again I immersed myself into helping develop and grow a fledglling internal marketing department.
4. A year later because of personal reasons I decided to move my family back to Charleston, but not before informing my boss that I was thinking of resigning.
5. My boss then asked me to stay on board and work remotely from Charleston (to which I am currently doing)
6. I move to Charleston and sell my home in Orlando all in the very short span of two months later
7. I am back to my roots and quite happy.
There you go. So now about my family...
My wife, Eleanor, was offered two position before we moved to SC and chose to work with her old alma mater Medical University of South Carolina. We now have occasional weekends and nights together (we hadn't actually had any QT for the past 4-5 years after we had kids). My children, Isabella and Nicholas, are cute little knuckleheads whom I adore immensely. I consider myself quite lucky in this regard. They're fantastic kids. I still have my old pal, Bailey, with me. He's been a good dog despite that we don't quite give him the attention we lavished upon him in Florida prior to us having children. Poor guy.
Lately, I've been doing some research in two areas of interest regarding my career. Do I continue on in the field of design (starting over here in SC)? Do I go back to agency life? Do I go freelance? Do I start my own studio? I've got the equipment. I've got the experience, knowledge and skill. I've got the desire to do so.
OR
do I continue exploring my other love - cooking? Anyone who has followed this blog knows my past history and dreams of reactivating my passion in the hospitality field. I have a plan in mind. I've got a solid concept and partners in the wait. It's currently in the planning/development stage. Can;t say what is yet lest I jinx myself.
Ahhh choices, choices, choices. The next question is will I continue down this path of blogging??? I used to enjoy (maybe I still do), but my time to devote to something like this is already limited. I use(d) Facebook, but it's become something of a passing novelty now. I even "cleaned house" a few months ago of "friends" and left only the ones I actually still read or communicate with on a somewhat frequent basis. Social media has its place, but I find it tempting to pull the cord on my FB. There's something liberating about minimizing my personal memos out in cyber land and only including those who know where to find me (here, for example).
Facebook has become MySpace. I don't "collect" friends. I no longer need to validate my existence by having 350+ "friends". Who the hell actually KNOWS that many people? I can count my closest friends on my toes and fingers - not including family and relatives, of course. So overrated.
Alright maybe I will get back in the habit of posting my photos and memoirs here instead of blabbing it out on FB all the time. I kinda miss the nightly ritual of getting on here and just writing whatever...
Monday, December 14, 2009
Okay...I am officially a fan.
It started out as research for a website design on Google, which led me to this site, which led me to just read a sampling of his blog, which led me to become a fan of his blog. You rock, Dave Mance.
A sample entry for your reading delight...
Creative cleansing
Is it just me or is anyone else finding it increasingly difficult to get work through?
Presumably this is a result of the recession and clients being more cautious with their budget. Whatever it is, I’m finding I have to do increasingly demeaning and sordid things to sell stuff in.
It’s got so bad now that Mrs RMWLC always knows when I’m presenting work because I’ll leave the house in tight shorts and a low-cut top.
Which is fine except I’m beginning to wonder how much further I can go. Even as I type this I’m sat at my desk in nothing but a negligee and it’s well draughty I can tell you.
But those I present to are constantly baying for more, licking their lips then dropping pens on the floor and demanding I slowly pick them up going “oooh ahhh”.
So what’s the answer?
The more I think about it, the more I believe that this is a time when our industry needs a new breed of creative. One that is less focussed on the work and more focussed on pointing at it seductively and pouting.
You can see things are already going that way. Junior creatives today are at least 10% better looking than their counterparts from a couple of years ago. And students now are generally expected to include a few glamour shots in their books. Otherwise, how does the CD know what you’re capable of?
But is there an ugly side to the beautiful creative department?
Of course we're told there’s still a place for the old-fashioned ugly, talented creative in the modern agency. What they don't mention is that that place is generally dark and windowless.
Here at Partners, we use the bike storage facility. Briefs are simply slipped under the door and scamps are passed back a few hours later. Then, the more aesthetically-pleasing creatives can present the work and our creative Quasimodos can do their job without scaring clients or small children.
But I can't help worrying there's a price to all this. Once I lose my youthful good looks and my firm thighs have begun to sag, will I also be cast into the darkness? Anyone?
Posted by real men write long copy at 12:45 PM 1 comments Links to this post
A sample entry for your reading delight...
Creative cleansing
Is it just me or is anyone else finding it increasingly difficult to get work through?
Presumably this is a result of the recession and clients being more cautious with their budget. Whatever it is, I’m finding I have to do increasingly demeaning and sordid things to sell stuff in.
It’s got so bad now that Mrs RMWLC always knows when I’m presenting work because I’ll leave the house in tight shorts and a low-cut top.
Which is fine except I’m beginning to wonder how much further I can go. Even as I type this I’m sat at my desk in nothing but a negligee and it’s well draughty I can tell you.
But those I present to are constantly baying for more, licking their lips then dropping pens on the floor and demanding I slowly pick them up going “oooh ahhh”.
So what’s the answer?
The more I think about it, the more I believe that this is a time when our industry needs a new breed of creative. One that is less focussed on the work and more focussed on pointing at it seductively and pouting.
You can see things are already going that way. Junior creatives today are at least 10% better looking than their counterparts from a couple of years ago. And students now are generally expected to include a few glamour shots in their books. Otherwise, how does the CD know what you’re capable of?
But is there an ugly side to the beautiful creative department?
Of course we're told there’s still a place for the old-fashioned ugly, talented creative in the modern agency. What they don't mention is that that place is generally dark and windowless.
Here at Partners, we use the bike storage facility. Briefs are simply slipped under the door and scamps are passed back a few hours later. Then, the more aesthetically-pleasing creatives can present the work and our creative Quasimodos can do their job without scaring clients or small children.
But I can't help worrying there's a price to all this. Once I lose my youthful good looks and my firm thighs have begun to sag, will I also be cast into the darkness? Anyone?
Posted by real men write long copy at 12:45 PM 1 comments Links to this post
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Looking back briefly.
Going thru some older digital memory cards at work this morning and I found this picture. I'll always remember this moment - the look on Eleanor's face right after Isabella was born. Of course, we were both so happy and excited about Isa being born, but it was how beautiful and content El looked holding her first baby. I don't think I could ever catch another moment that will strike me as much.
Isa was awake for almost 2 hours looking around the room - not crying - but soaking in everything around her. I knew El wanted this moment so much. I was glad to have captured it.
Isa was awake for almost 2 hours looking around the room - not crying - but soaking in everything around her. I knew El wanted this moment so much. I was glad to have captured it.
Tuesday, December 01, 2009
New Shoes for the G35
As a 10 Year Anniversary gift Eleanor bought me these brand new rims for my ride. I later bought Yokohamas to pimp them out. I felt after all my hard work the past 2 years I wanted to treat myself to some feel-good time. I dig em. Not too flashy, but just enough to make them not look stock. Sick.
Happy 1st Birthday Nicholas!
On the fly Eleanor and I were able to plan a nice weekend for my parents and Cher and her son, Gabriel's, visit to Orlando. Since they had to leave suddenly after Nico got sick over Father's Day weekend I had hoped to have a redo of the Silver Springs trip.
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