Vario Creative Blog

John & Kate… Who CARES!!

Jill Adamy — Fri, 29 May 2009 19:33:09 +0000

I’m frustrated today. After a great morning with my networking group and then getting some much needed errands done, I thought today was gonna be a great day. And then I turned on the computer to get some work done. I’m stoked… ready to get to work. But first, let me check a couple of my typical news sites that I like to read to make sure I didn’t miss something important in the world today.And there it is. All over the place. I can’t escape it. It’s on every single freakin’ site out there: “John and Kate + 8.” Some ridiculousness about this family of who the hell knows and how their marriage is falling apart, the husband is a philandering creep and child labor laws. Holy crap people! Do we have anything better to do than to worry about this stupidity and what goes on with this “media whore” couple?C’mon already. How are these idiots news-worthy? I don’t get it. I really don’t. I can’t get over that people honestly follow this stuff and have opinions on it. It simply amazes me…Another amazing thing: I read today that Mayim Bialik (”Blossom”) thinks she’s special because she’s raising her kids using the “Attachment Method.” What the hell is that, you ask? Oh, she doesn’t have a nanny or child care. The poor thing! She must be exhausted. However does she do it?Ummm, welcome to the real world, lady. It’s how most of us non-Hollywood kids are raised. It’s not called “Attachment Method Parenting.” It’s called, “Having a normal childhood.”

Music Video Friday: Salute to the Armed Forces

Jill Adamy — Thu, 21 May 2009 11:00:45 +0000

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bbCqictwmLk

Funny story today…

Jill Adamy — Mon, 18 May 2009 19:53:35 +0000

Thought I’d share a cute little story on this pretty dreary Monday afternoon. Might perk up the spirits considering the subject matter: Babies and kittens.Who doesn’t love babies and kittens, right?So my little one has recently become OBSESSED with cats. Cats of sorts: stuffed animal cats, real live cats, TV cats, books about cats… you name it. She is crazy about them!!! Whenever she sees a cat, she starts yelling, “Ba ba ba.” Okay, okay… she’s only 10 months old so she hasn’t figured out the correct word yet. Anyhow, we spent the weekend looking for little stuffed cats for her to play with. My 9 year old niece ended up finding 4 little buddies at the local toy store and since then, Charlotte has been out of her mind playing with these little stuffed animals. Have you ever seen such a happy kid?!?!?

Best Photographer….Ever!!!

Jill Adamy — Mon, 18 May 2009 11:00:29 +0000

Last week a colleague of mine asked if she could take some informal shots of my little one to add to her photography portfolio. ”Sure,” I said. I figured that she’d take some cute pics but I never expected such stunning results. Of course, I’m biased on the subject matter. But see for yourself. These photos are just incredible… and I’m thrilled to be able to recommend Ever True Studios for all of your photography needs. Recently, I’ve worked with them on several projects for websites and trade show materials (Builders, Auto Body Repair, etc.) and not only are they professional but their quality of work exceeded any of my previous photography experience. I am so thrilled to have found a photographer that understands my design style and accommodates the needs and budgets of my clients. The final result is incredible, no matter what the subject!For more on Ever True Studios and to visit their blog, check out: http://evertruestudios.blogspot.com/

Music Video Friday: Depeche Mode

Jill Adamy — Fri, 15 May 2009 11:00:27 +0000

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=48JFIv9LZ2w

Can we talk?

Jill Adamy — Wed, 13 May 2009 19:40:26 +0000

I have to admit… I am still reeling from the fact that Donald Trump made Joan Rivers his Celebrity Apprentice. It’s taken me days to get over my anger enough just to sit down and write this without spewing so much venom that my screen disintegrates. Putting it mildly: I’m disgusted that this horror show of a woman gets such glowing praise despite her being such a foul spirited and purely nasty individual. Let’s also get one thing straight right up front. I’m no fan of Annie either. She was a jackass too. I was pulling for good ol’ Jesse James. Quiet, determined and a good worker. Heck, I woulda taken Hershel Walker in the finale too.But Joan Rivers. And her disgrace of a daughter too. Ugh… the thought of those two cackling plastic faced gargoyles just makes me sick. Who the hell do they think they are? Seems to be that they’re above the rest of us regular folks. Gets my blood boiling just thinking back to that spoiled little hag Melissa pitching a fit and squawking like a spoiled child when she was fired off the show. I wish she’d just wake up and face reality: You’re nobody. You’re Joan River’s daughter. Nobody gives a shit about you and your pitiful little fits about how you’re so wonderful, and talented and smart and blah, blah blah. Whatever. The one thing I’ll think of when I hear the name Melissa Rivers: Her creepy mouth and the way her lips don’t cover her teeth when she’s speaking. Oh, and that tone of voice… like nails on a chalk board.But back to that class act of a mother. Sure, she’s funny. Sure, she’s been around forever. And I’m sure she’s got more fans than a lot of other celebrities out there. But I can’t get past the fact that she was voted the Celebrity Apprentice simply because she had “endurance” as a 75 year old. Puh-lease. Endurance is great and all but it all boils down to the way you act. I’m sorry… but having the event planner quit both teams because she was so offensive is to me, game over. That’s it. You’re all done. Oh, and the fact that the other team raised over twice as much money in the final task. C’mon… let’s be realistic.Okay, I’ve gotta stop or I’m going to give myself an ulcer just thinking about it. Donald, you should be fired. Where’s George???

Music Video Friday: Eagle Eye Cherry

Jill Adamy — Fri, 01 May 2009 17:50:37 +0000

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V8Z_6FCX2×0

Creative Logos

Jill Adamy — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 19:20:19 +0000

My favorite blog, TheGraphicDesignBlog.org wrote a wonderful post today with some examples of very creative and fabulous logos that often have unnoticed hidden meanings or characters. Some I’ve noticed before, while others I didn’t even realize! Check it out here:http://www.graphicdesignblog.org/hidden-logos-in-graphic-designing/

A Branded Little Town

Jill Adamy — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 13:00:54 +0000

I recently posted about a trip that my family took to Buffalo, NY this past weekend. Over the fields and through the woods to Grammy’s house we went. Each time we visit, we stay in this adorable little town called East Aurora, NY. Ummm… where? That’s what I first thought. But then I found out, it’s the home to Fisher Price toys. Who knew? Of course, we had to visit the Fisher Price campus off of downtown and let me tell you: There is a Santa’s Wonderland. I can’t imagine a happier place to work! Even the street that it’s on is called, “Little People Lane.” But that’s neither here nor there. The other thing that was about the coolest thing I’ve seen is that the entire town of East Aurora is ‘branded.’What do I mean?Well, every shop, office, building, sign and more has made use of the Roycroft font. From the sign in front of the dentist’s office to the banners waving in front of the downtown shops, everything is Roycroft. And what’s even cooler, is that the font bears the name of the old hotel in town, none other than the Roycroft Inn.

Amazing

Jill Adamy — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 19:37:39 +0000

This past weekend I spent in the car driving to and from Buffalo, NY. Long, long, long drive but lots to look at once you get onto the Thruway and over the Massachusetts border. I love seeing all these little towns and farms along the way. Most look like something out of the early days of America with falling down towns and barns and old pickup trucks. But it’s something that always leaves me curious and wondering: “What do these people do for work if they don’t own a farm?” Sometimes in these little towns, you’ll see large companies. Take for instance, Canajoharie, NY. Not much to see, but the home to Beech Nut Foods. Who knew? It’s a tiny little town that looks like something out of The Outsiders. But right smack dab in the middle, is the Beech Nut factory.As we exited the Thruway and followed 20A through more small little farm towns, we were struck with a vision that we haven’t seen before during our many trips. Windmills. Lots and lots of windmills. As far as the eye can see in both directions, there were wind turbines pumping continuously over the Western New York skyline. As we got closer and closer, these behemoths grew larger and grander until we were driving right next to them. What a sight!! I was absolutely mesmerized by them.So I decided to do a little research on these bad boys and share it with everyone. Interesting stuff, I tell you. From what I saw, each farm had 2-4 on their properties. And from reading up on this project, each windmill can bring in between $5,000 - $10,000 per year. This helps the economically challenged upstate farmer purchase new equipment, products and even college educations for children while providing a renewable resource. Wind turbines are huge! They’re approximately 320 ft. high (the height of Big Ben or Giants Stadium football field). Absolutely gigantic! From what I’ve read, these 230 MW wind turbines generate enough electricity to power 68,000 homes for a year. Wow!!I’m just in awe. They are stunning. I’m sure that a lot of people probably look at them as eye sores and cutting into their view of pastures and vistas. But for what these incredible things can provide, I think they’re so worth it. Not only as being a positive impact on the environment, but because they bring in more revenue for the folks that have leased out their land to these wind turbine companies.

Wow! Check this out!

Jill Adamy — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 14:11:57 +0000

I was just perusing through some of my Twitter buddies and what they’ve posted over the past few hours and came across this. Jill Sylvia is an artist who ’sculpts’ using ledger paper and creates the most intricate designs. She’s done creations of The White House, The Capitol Building as well as some other pretty interesting items. Check out the gallery who features her work here: Eleanor Harwood Gallery.

Music Video Friday: Susan Boyle

Jill Adamy — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 11:00:23 +0000

For any of you who haven’t heard about this lady from Scotland who tried out on Britain’s Got Talent… watch this. She’ll knock your socks off. Made me cry, honestly. I hope she goes far!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9lp0IWv8QZY

Your Business Card is CRAP!

Jill Adamy — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 17:46:09 +0000

I’m still chuckling thinking that this dude spent $4.00 per business card on an oversized, over printed, over designed mess that only seems to impress him. Sure, a beautifully designed business card is one thing and can be an effective form of marketing oneself. But to spend that kind of money on something like a card is plain ridiculous. I need this guy as a client STAT if he’s going to throw his money out the window!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4YBxeDN4tbk

Music Video Friday: Low

Jill Adamy — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 11:00:31 +0000

This is a huge internet sensation as of late and I wanted to keep it going. This kid is a riot!! What a great way to start the weekend. Enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pn9mE-VvOwo

You’re FIRED!

Jill Adamy — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 11:00:13 +0000

I used to be a huge fan of The Apprentice when it first started back a bunch of years ago. I loved all the projects, the tension, the running around and excitement during each of the tasks. All that marketing stuff is right up my alley! And seeing these ‘up and coming’ hipster contestants made me wish I had the guts to try out for the show just to work with some of the all time greats, like Donnie Deutsch. But somewhere along the line, Trump lost me. Maybe it was when he decided to get rid of two of my favorites (George and Carolyn) and replace them with his snotty, useless kids. Or it could most definitely be when he chose Celebrity Apprentice over my tried and true fav.

Now, I’m all about change and keeping up with the times. Sure, you’ve gotta freshen things up once in a while when they get stale. Maybe having celebrities vie for the apprentice position to win money for various charities was a decent idea a few years ago… but now? C’mon. Seriously. Who the hell wants to see Joan Rivers and her plastic face squawk about what should be done during each task? And her daughter? Creepy. What’s wrong with that chick’s mouth? Oh yeah, she can’t keep it shut about how she’s a producer, and she produces, and she’s a famous producer and she is an award winning producer and blah, blah, blah.I used to really enjoy watching the whole boardroom scene when Trump and his henchmen would completely dissect the teams and then ultimately fire one of the players. Back then, he’d fire based on performance or lack thereof. He’d typically axe the person that did the crappiest job and deserved to go home. Until now…Sunday night’s program hit an all time low. He fired two people; one of which completely didn’t deserve it.

Now, if you saw the show, I’m sure you’d agree with me that you really shouldn’t volunteer to be put up on the chopping block in order to stand behind someone who really does deserve to get canned. But when you’re up against some of the other idiots that are so called “celebrities” that completely F up a task, that should be about the last reason to get shemped. For some stupid reason, Trump decided to go after one of the only people on the show that seemed to have a clue: Tionne Watkins from the group TLC. As he stated, he fired someone else for “volunteering for execution” a few seasons ago and he couldn’t seem to get past that point which is why he fired Watkins. Okay, fine. She volunteered and that was a stupid move. But seriously?? You don’t fire Melissa Rivers? If someone deserves to get fired from that team, it’s her. Sure, they did a decent job on making a viral video simply because of Jesse James intentionally bad acting and the sheer comedy of the routine. But she lost control of the message and didn’t meet the client’s needs with the final product. Isn’t that what should be a deciding factor to fire someone from the team? But I guess not… especially since he didn’t fire Clint Black.And that’s just a complete sham, if you ask me. That guy not only deserved to get fired, but doused in gasoline and pissed on by Dennis Rodman. Who the hell does this guy think he is? Your tasked with doing and viral commercial video for All Detergent and your focus is on masterbation and sexual innuendo? WHAT?!?!? Talk about taking the wrong off-ramp as project manager. Holy crap… I am still horrified that this guy not only had the guts to try and pull it off, but that he did it himself without including anyone else on the team. Sure, his team sucks and he was probably trying to keep headaches at bay by keeping Joan Rivers out of earshot, but still…It was a horror show. An absolute horror show.

But I think the worst, worst, worst thing about the whole thing was that Trump didn’t fire his ass… he fired Chloe (or Khloe, spelled the white trash way) Kardashian for having some DUI to deal with. Hey, I’m all about getting rid of that chick because she’s a complete load and doesn’t do anything productive. She’s useless and is riding the skirt-tails of her famous (what the hell is she famous for anyway?) sister, Kim Kardashian. Sure, fire her because she’s a drunk on the job, like Rodman. Fire her because she’s a complete stooge and can’t even string together 2 words. Fire her because she’s a dope. But to fire her for something completely unrelated to the task at hand when you had someone put together a commercial that was borderline “pornographic” is completely ridiculous.If you’re going to fire people for reasons that have nothing to do with the show, then fire Playboy chick for being naked too much. Get rid of Hershel because he has absolutely no command of the English language. Axe Brian McKnight for having crappy songs.I’m sure you can tell by now that I’m on an anger bender over this entire thing. I’ve gotta admit… I’m seriously considering not watching this stupid show anymore if it’s going to be a popularity contest.

And please… we all know who’s going to win. She could light Trump’s hair on fire and he wouldn’t axe her. She could run around stabbing baby pandas at the zoo and he’d give her another chance.My wish: Jesse James. He keeps his eyes open and his mouth shut. He does his work, keeps his opinions to himself (except for Rodman’s drunk escapades) and doesn’t get into any drama or nonsense with the other members of the cast. So here’s to Jesse… may you go far in this charade of characters and hope that you come out with half a brain cell in your head.