Obviously Ben Hughes

The Anonymous Package

noreply@blogger.com (Ben Hughes) — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 04:05:00 +0000

Tonight I received an anonymous @reply on Twitter directed towards my @ObviouslyBen account. It included a link to a crude map of the area surrounding my residence hall in Savannah, and depicted the spot where an anonymous package was supposedly waiting for me.

I called the police, who came and got information from me. Two officers went to the parking lot next to my residence hall, searched it, and were unable to locate any package. I don't know to what extent they searched, or if they even looked in the right place, but they found nothing. I was told to return to my room and not to look for the package. I did as I was told.

Upon returning to my room I found the Twitter account and TwitPic had both been deleted. Luckily I screen-captured them both as evidence. They are below.

Above, the Twitter account that contacted me. Click for a larger version.

Above, the crudely drawn map guiding me to the anonymous "package". Click for a larger version.

A Message to Oprah - Uncultured

noreply@blogger.com (Ben Hughes) — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 07:50:00 +0000

I truly, firmly believe that anything is possible. Whether that be raising thousands of dollars to build water purification systems via the Internet, or connecting with the most influential woman in media today, I know it can be done.

Join me on my quest to get Shawn Ahmed, the creator of The Uncultured Project, to the Oprah Winfrey Show.

Oprah, if you're watching, you have the ability to change lives around the world. We know that you also want to reach fans through YouTube, Twitter, and other new medias. This could be the perfect marriage of two things you love: media and charity.
Please bring Shawn to your show. It would mean more than you know.

Uncultured:
http://youtube.com/unculturedproject
http://uncultured.com
http://twitter.com/uncultured

=========================

Question Of The Day:
- What "stunts" could I do to promote this idea?

=========================

Website
http://bit.ly/OBHsite

Twitter
http://bit.ly/OBHtwitter

YouTube
http://bit.ly/OBHyoutube

Facebook
http://bit.ly/OBHfb

DailyBooth
http://bit.ly/OBHdb

Call or Text!
(508) 436-4246

=========================

Super Bowl XLIV Commercial Review!

noreply@blogger.com (Ben Hughes) — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 02:31:00 +0000

Welcome to YEAR FOUR of my Super Bowl Commercial Review! Let's get into it!!

=======================
-- Keep Your Hands Off
Advertiser: Doritos
Hilarious way to start off the commercial line-up! I really liked the kid they used in the ad - was it the same boy from the movie Role Models?
I just watched it back and it was even better the second time!!

=======================
-- Massage
Advertiser: GoDaddy.com
Godaddy didn't out-do themselves this year on this ad - perhaps there will be another one later in the game? This particular ad most likely won't get too much traffic to their site considering that we could see she was wearing a tank-top under her overshirt.

=======================
-- Game
Advertiser: Snickers
Snickers always seems to have creative ads - this one was no exception. Very nicely done!

=======================
-- Mr. Burns is Poor
Advertiser: Coke
I don't have a definite side that I'm on for this ad. I could either take it or leave it. I do like the level of detail that was employed with this ad though - the Coca-Cola logo on the bottles was crisp and, of course, ever-recognizable.

=======================
-- Casket-Full
Advertiser: Doritos
It didn't really make much sense to me - fake your own death so you can watch the game with a ton of Doritos? Uhh... Not cool.

=======================
-- Auto-tune
Advertiser: Bud Light
This was a welcome look at something that's been in our pop-culture for the past year or so. I'm glad a company took the subject on, and did it well!

=======================
-- Fiddlin' Beaver
Advertiser: Monster.com
CLASSIC! I found myself smiling all the way through (maybe because I love fiddles in the first place) and can see this kind of commercial becoming a series for Monster. Nicely done!

=======================
-- Painted Sonata
Advertiser: Hyundai
Fantastic, simple ad that just works. I love watching the production process of anything (cars especially) so this was a nice sort of "How It's Made" commercial. Plus, coupled with elegant piano works, it can become a thing of beauty.

=======================
-- The Boost Mobile Shuffle
Advertiser: Boost Mobile
I could have easily done without this. And I don't think anyone will be going online to find the rest of your "jam" anytime soon. It kind of made my skin crawl.

=======================
-- Bark Collar (Crash The Super Bowl Finalist)
Advertiser: Doritos
I was getting really mad seeing the way that guy wanted to make the dog bark - I'm glad the dog gave it right back to him!

=======================
-- Human Bridge
Advertiser: Budweiser
Another really effective ad from Budweiser. I didn't think that it would be memorable in the beginning, what with the "Billy's stuck in the well" tone in the air, but by the time everyone was linking together to make a bridge I was hooked. Also, it was nice to hear the people in the bridge go, "ooh!" when the truck drove over as if they were getting a massage.

=======================
-- Worst Super Bowl Party Ever
Advertiser: Late Show with David Letterman
A nice, timely commercial that used the recent debacle between Jay Leno and the rest of the world to its own advantage - plus, OPRAH'S IN IT! It HAS to be good!

=======================
-- Casual Fridays
Advertiser: Career Builder
This was the first of two back-to-back underwear themed commercials, and I think this one was just ineffective. I understand that it's explaining how Career Builder will help you find a more comfortable job, but as I'll say for the next ad, I don't think men are really willing to see other men in their underwear usually.

=======================
-- I Wear No Pants
Advertiser: Dockers
I don't think that Dockers targeted their demographic very well with this. Mostly men watch the Super Bowl, and they're not usually willing to see men walking in their underwear with close up shots of their rears and such. This was a definite miss for Dockers.
Update: I was texting my dad (50 year-old cop, Marine, and father of two) and he said, "Seen enough men in underwear though." Spot on!

=======================
-- 2020 Super Bowl
Advertiser: Hyundai
I'm actually surprised that they got Brett Favre to join in this ad, but I suppose that he's aware of his age difference from others in the NFL. It wasn't a stand-out ad, but it was still well executed.

=======================
-- LOST Spoof
Advertiser: Bud Light
This was pretty OK, and the only thing I would say that helped this ad was the timeliness of the whole LOST franchise. I just wish that was how the real show went - it'd be a lot easier to follow!

=======================
-- Dove Men Care
Advertiser: Dove (DoveMenCare.com)
VERY nicely done! Fast paced, a recognizable tune, and a subject that often is overlooked for ads. Plus the "little swimmers" in the beginning instantly grabbed the viewer's attention. They totally were able to target their demo effectively and make their point. Good job, Dove!

=======================
-- Flowers in A Box
Advertiser: Teleflora.com
The animation was really well done, and I'm glad the unappreciated girl got the better flowers, but I think this was a repeat ad from last year - am I right?

=======================
-- Little KISS
Advertiser: Dr. Pepper Cherry
Nice! I loved the mini-me versions of the KISS members - very cool and to the point.

=======================
-- Jason Glasby
Advertiser: FloTV Personal Television
Really simple and effective commercial. Favorite line? "How about lavender?" "How about not."

=======================
-- Sad Robot
Advertiser: Intel
This had me going, "Awww..." at least three times. I felt so bad for the robot! Now it would be amazing if a later commercial shows the robot getting back at the rude employee. Until then, though, this was just a mediocre commercial.

=======================
-- Where Were You?
Advertiser: FloTV Personal Television
I loved this commercial. Will.I.Am has had some incredible commercial appearances in the past few years, and this was no exception. It's also notable that there were two times the FloTV website were mentioned, and many people will be willing to follow through to it because of the music download.

=======================
-- Punxsutawney Polamalu
Advertiser: TruTV
Eh, another one that I could take or leave. It was nice and timely, but not terribly amazing.

===============================
HALF-TIME

Really? The Who? I suppose a lot of the more seasoned viewers will remember and enjoy them and their performance, but they aren't a really high-energy band when live. Also, why is the crowd SO far away from them? That's one of the best things about the Super Bowl, is that the fans rush the field and get to enjoy the performance. This year it seems that the crowd is separated from the band though. Disappointing.

Back to the game!

=======================
-- Hamsters With Afros
Advertiser: Powerball
I couldn't stop laughing through the whole thing, and the final line of "Ho

=======================
-- Screaming Chickens
Advertiser: Denny's
An unexpected advertiser this year, Denny's did some very effective advertising

=======================
-- Green One... Red One...
Advertiser: Volkswagen
This was HILARIOUS to me, and I have no clue as to why. I especially loved that Stevie Wonder was the one at the end who did the last punch. Blind jokes are funny.

=======================
-- Clark Griswald On Vacation
Advertiser: Homeaway.com
My entire family has a very big tradition of watching Christmas Vacation each year, so this was a very welcome ad in the line-up. It also shows that Homeaway.com knows its demographic well - people who'll remember the original Vacation and its successors, and also those that are likely close to entering retirement in coming years (thus needing to find hotels more often).

=======================
-- Safari Sleepwalker
Advertiser: Coke
Another fantastic Coke commercial. The earlier ones may not have been up to par, but this one is right up there with the fantastical vending machine and others. I just wish that it wasn't the third ad of the night with a guy in his underwear. It's becoming much too common.

=======================
-- Skyping Babies
Advertiser: E-Trade
I hated the baby boy in the original throw-up ad, but this one was just fantastic. "Milkaholic" may just become a common word if this subseries of the baby ads continues to develop.

=======================
-- Paris & The Crib
Advertiser: Google
Google usually has quirky, hand-made looking ads, but this one was not only professional but also touching. The simplicity of it led to easy highlighting of the many understated features that Google most often doesn't advertise. A fantastic ad from a fantastic company.

=======================
-- Best of The Internet on Your TV
Advertiser: Vizio
OH. MY. GOSH. This was the one commercial of the night that had me repeatedly going, "OH! OH GOSH! OH MAN!" with each new Internet meme that was shown. Tay Zonday, Numa Numa, Twitter, Flickr, DavidAfterDentist, Beyonce, Dramatic Chipmunk (which didn't look like a chipmunk... and was also facing the wrong way) and SO many more. This was the one commercial that I connected with the most - High five, Vizio!

=======================
-- It Rocks
Advertiser: Taco Bell
I don't know who that is who was pseudo-rapping, but it was simply OK. Not impressive, not memorable.

=======================
-- Tim LOVES Doritos
Advertiser: Doritos
Fantastic! I loved the chip-shuriken, the way the guy flopped to the floor, the samurai outfit, the way the chip thief screamed. It was really, really well done. Yay! Doritos has some great ads this year!

=======================
-- Birthday Cake
Advertiser: Denny's
Another ad from Denny's with screaming chickens. These are fantastic, just due to their unexpected popping in from the sides. I'm looking forawrd to seeing many, many more of these ads!

=======================

This was an amazing year for ads, and I have to include a big CONGRATULATIONS to The New Orleans SAINTS!! Congrats, congrats, congrats. You seriously deserve this win. I'm so proud and happy for you all!!

How I would change YouTube in 2010

noreply@blogger.com (Ben Hughes) — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 20:27:00 +0000

Youtube asked its community of users today what they would like to see changed in 2010 on the site. Below is the expanded version of my suggestion. What do you think?

I think that there's one thing the people who are really involved in the community want to see: a non-biased liaison between both YouTube and the community who can act as a way for the users to communicate directly with the company itself. It was somewhat implemented with the YouTube Community Council, and something similar was created by user JustA11en.

What I envision, though, is this:
- a user who has no pre-existing ties to certain members of the community (not in a "relationship" with another YouTuber, not a member of an active collab channel), meaning that the person wouldn't be influenced more by one person than another
- someone who is passionate about the community and website created here on YouTube
- a person that understands the global impact that YouTube can have, especially when implemented in the correct way.

I've personally nominated myself in a previous video for such a position, and would be willing to advise YouTube on what they would need to do, and how to do it. And if the company didn't want to have me as the liason, I'd be willing to help them find a suitable alternative to me.

It's all up to you, though. I'm here and willing to help, and there's a lot of support for my idea. Now you just have to pick it up and help me run with it.

Click your mouse; change the world.

noreply@blogger.com (Ben Hughes) — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 17:26:00 +0000

Think that YouTube is just another website?
Not at all.

This is Shawn from the Uncultured Project. He's not only a friend of mine but the creator of his own charitable mission to end global poverty.

He needs OUR help. We all need to vote for his video, "A Message For Davos" to get him to the Davos Conference in Switzerland. He'll be able to meet world leaders, social innovators, and heads of major organizations. He also will be on a panel with leaders to talk about ending global poverty.

This could be the start of drastic change, but I need - WE need - your help and your vote.

Thank you everyone.

Cocaine Muffins!??!? Daily Vlog - 010310

noreply@blogger.com (Ben Hughes) — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 03:33:00 +0000

Today is day THREE of the daily vlogs - Welcome to it!

In this video i talk about most, if not all, of the following:
St. Louis, MO.
Calendars.
Cocaine.
Muffins.
Hands.
Chocolate.
Singing.
iPods.
Birthdays.

I hope you enjoy this video! Tomorrow will cover video games, documentaries, catch-phrases, and a friend of mine in New England!

=========================

Question Of The Day: Would you rather have a BIG hand? or a MUFFIN hand??

=========================

Website:
http://obviouslybenhughes.com

Facebook:
http://facebook.com/obviouslybenhughes

Twitter:
http://twitter.com/mustbebenhughes

DailyBooth:
http://dailybooth.com/BenHughes

Call or Text Me!
(508) 436-4246

=========================

Vlog w/ RHONDA VINCENT at Jekyll Island, GA!

noreply@blogger.com (Ben Hughes) — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 03:30:00 +0000

This is the SECOND of my daily videos in 2010. I'm committing myself to 365 (or more) videos this year!

Rhonda Vincent, a Grammy nominee & seven time IBMA Female Vocalist of the Year, sat down with me on her infamous bus, the Martha White Bluegrass Express. We had a great time making this video, and Rhonda even played you a song!

To see the second video (a tutorial on how to play Ashes of Mt. Augustine) click here:
http://facebook.com/obviouslybenhughes
or
http://facebook.com/rhondavincent

=========================

Question Of The Day: Do you like Bluegrass music?

=========================

Website:
http://obviouslybenhughes.com

Facebook:
http://facebook.com/obviouslybenhughes

Twitter:
http://twitter.com/mustbebenhughes

DailyBooth:
http://dailybooth.com/BenHughes

Call or Text Me!
(508) 436-4246

=========================

Daily Vlogging in 2010 - Welcome to Day ONE!! 010110

noreply@blogger.com (Ben Hughes) — Sat, 02 Jan 2010 20:03:00 +0000

[[[[[[[[SUBSCRIBE]]]]]]]]

I used to think that I would never do a daily vlog kind of deal, but I think it could be good for me. I hope you enjoy it!

I'm in Jekyll Island, GA tonight and I'll be here tomorrow as well. After this music festival ends we'll drive up to Savannah so I can get settled in my dorm back at school. I'm so excited about this quarter and my classes... but more on that tomorrow!

What do you think of the daily vlogs? Is there anything you want to see me do, or talk about?

=========================

QOTD: What's your resolution for 2010? You can read mine at my website!

=========================

Website:
http://obviouslybenhughes.com

Twitter:
http://twitter.com/mustbebenhughes

DailyBooth:
http://dailybooth.com/BenHughes

Call or Text Me!
(508) 436-4246

=========================

Reflection and Projection

noreply@blogger.com (Ben Hughes) — Fri, 01 Jan 2010 03:26:00 +0000

Reflection

Ten years ago I was a completely different human. To be honest, I don't think I really was anything formidable at all. I was still forming, creating my opinions, learning about the world, discovering myself, and seeking out the things that would make me into "me".

When I was 9 years old (eight days away from being 10 - omg double digits!) I had yet to lose my grandfather; I hadn't experienced the shock and horror of 9/11/01; I hadn't met the people I would call my friends, only to learn later that they were being horribly immature towards me and driving me to the point of wanting to just end it all.

I had yet to win Gold in Advertising Design at the SkillsUSA State competition; I had no clue that six of the next ten years would revolve around learning to dance and moving on to compete and form friendships with my fellow dancers; the different online venues that I use on a daily basis (Gmail, Twitter, YouTube, Facebook, MySpace, Blogger, Google, Wakoopa, Dailybooth) were either in their extreme infancy or wouldn't be existing for a few more years.

The good things and bad both shaped me in ways that are truly unique and worthwhile. I am the stone in the river while the experiences are the waters that rush past. I started out big and quite amorphous, but the experiences flowed around me to carve the person that is laying here, typing on a nice laptop a few days before the second half of his Sophomore year in college begins. I have no regrets, but only fond memories and suggestions to my future self.

Projection

I have no way to see beyond tomorrow, really, so it seems a bit pompous to assume that I'll know what kind of a man I'll be in ten years. It even seems arrogant to give suggestions to the "me" of a year from now. I suppose that the only way to talk of the future is to do so with no imposed time constraints or limits, instead giving the aspirations I'm about to describe a bit of leeway. They can happen soon, or they can happen in a few years. Just so long as there is some progress toward them in general. Here are the goals for the coming days:

Mind/Body
Give selflessly to others more than I do now.
Try to stop and realize the beauty of the things around me.
Take more photos. Capture every moment.
Take less photos. Live through my own eyes instead of through the lens.
Worry not about my imperfections. Instead learn to love myself.
Tell the important people that their important.

Online
Reach 1,000 subscribers on YouTube.
Get my blog out to more people.
Help others get farther. Nobody wins if everyone's fighting for them-self.
Be more open.
Be more safety-conscious (geolocation, etc.).

Real Life
Hug more people.
Make more phone calls, and make them meaningful.
Create an experience for someone else that they wouldn't normally immerse them-self in.
Listen to more music.
Laugh more.
Find someone to share the laughs with.

Success
Try my damnedest in school.
Stop procrastinating. Just stop it.
Remember the first impression.
Realize that it's impossible to give more than 100%. Sometimes it's just not realistic.
Admit when I'm wrong.
Celebrate when I'm right.

Those are my goals for the coming time I have here on the planet. They're not resolutions, they're not limits, and they're not checkpoints.

What are yours?

Project For AWESOME 2009!! St Jude Children's Research Hospital... is AWESOME!

noreply@blogger.com (Ben Hughes) — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 10:20:00 +0000

I'm finally creating a Project For Awesome video, and my charity to support is St. Jude Childrens Research Hospital.

More info on St. Jude Children's Research Hospital:
http://stjude.org

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE rate this video 5 STARS, leave a COMMENT (or twenty), and FAVORITE it! We need to get the Project For Awesome to the top of the charts, and this year is going to be the hardest yet!

THANKS everyone! Much love!
-Ben Hughes
http://obviouslybenhughes.com
http://twitter.com/mustbebenhughes
http://youtube.com/obviouslybenhughes

Dec 16th, '09: The Day of YouTube!

noreply@blogger.com (Ben Hughes) — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 21:23:00 +0000

Today certainly deserves the title, "Day of YouTube"!

First off, @ShaneDawson, @TheRealRyanHiga & @iJustine were in @USAtoday. Then @HankGreen & @AlanDistro were awarded Record Label Of Year, followed by two awards for @CharlesTrippy (Best Brand Use of YouTube, Video Of The Year) & one for @ShayCarl (YouTube Channel Of The Year). Hank, Alan, Charles and Shay were nominated and awarded by the Mashable Open Web Awards.

To top it all off, Shane reached one million YouTube subscribers last night during the 9 o'clock EST hour. He followed it up with an emotional and heartfelt video soon after which thanked everyone for the support he's received.

December 16th, 2009 definitely deserves the title of YouTube Day. If ever there was a doubt about the longevity and power of YouTube, those doubts should be quickly disappearing.

Congratulations to everyone mentioned here, and let's kick even more ass in 2010!

-Ben Hughes
@MustBeBenHughes
http://youtube.com/obviouslybenhughes

My newest idea: "Quest for @YouTube Partnership" video series.

noreply@blogger.com (Ben Hughes) — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 22:40:00 +0000

I just got the rejection email from YouTube which stated the unfortunate fact that I wasn't accepted into the Partnership Program. Sad. True. Let's move on.

Well... maybe not move on, but shift gears. If YouTube doesn't like what I do NOW, then I must be doing something wrong. I recognize that, and I'm willing to change to an extent to fit their style. No, ObviouslyBenHughes isn't going away - not at all. But in addition to the videos I create in my usual style I'm going to embark upon a new creative endeavor. This series of videos will be called the, "Quest for YouTube Partnership."

The biggest partners on YouTube all have their own style of video that they produce. Some play music, some talk about current events, and some advocate for change. I, on the other hand, will singlehandedly do every single one of these things. Want a more specific answer? Here you go:

Discuss topics in the style of Michael Buckley
Discuss topics in the completely different style of Philip DeFranco*
Dance to PHamous in the middle of a crowded public place
Record a song in the style of the amazing Meghan Tonjes
Interview people on the street like Kassem
Vlog like Fred
Make a Julia Nunes style ukelele music video

Morals of the story? First off, I'm not going away without putting up a fight. Second, I may be doing all of these things outside my comfort zone but as soon as I get partnered I'll be back to my same old self. And last, don't worry about my current video style going away. I love the content I produce and know that there's always going to be an audience for it, so it isn't going anywhere.

The overall goal? Partnership.
Side-note: I DON'T CARE about earning money with my videos! All I want, and the main reason I am so adamant about getting partnered is so I can have a banner on my YouTube page. That's IT! Anyone who's watched my videos for a while has heard me say that in them. Just give this designer guy a 960x150 pixel space to put a picture. The money would be a nice addition to that.

Who else is excited? Because I am.

*Who commented on my previous blog post from this morning. :)

California (Featuring @SamProof @PhillyD @iJustine @MysteryGuitarM @Nalts)

noreply@blogger.com (Ben Hughes) — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 11:06:00 +0000

6:06am EST: I'm supposed to be asleep right now. Instead, I've decided that it's more worthwhile to read through Twitter. (Beware, I get @Nalts -esque with my analysis of things.)

While doing this Twitter reading I came across a picture posted by @PhillyD of a group of friends at what appears to be a party. I recognize about half of them, but it wasn't until I looked closer that I recognized someone who not only knows me on a first name basis, but also is always willing to talk, give tips, etc if I need it. That person is the ever-amazing @SamProof.

Now, while I know that Sam has an active following on YouTube and that he has a sizeable amount of subscribers, I also have to admit that he never seemed to fall in to the category or class of YouTubers like @PhillyD, @iJustine, @MysteryGuitarM, etc. I'll admit that Joe, @MysteryGuitarM is also incredibly open and easy to talk to if I need something, but no one in that aforementioned photo has been so kind and generous with their time towards me as @SamProof. I'm not saying that Sam's work isn't just as high of a caliber, if not more, than any of theirs. That's not what I mean. I guess I was just so taken aback by the fact that Sam knows such huge forces in the online video world well enough that he hangs out at parties with them, yet I can call him a good online friend. Color me ignorant.

Then the true meaning of the situation dawned on me: Sam, Justine, Phil, Shane, Joe, Shay, Ben, and tons of others are in California. They know who's out there and thus are able to set up soirees like these. But where am I? On the East Coast, no matter whether it's at school or home. That, loyal readers, is the key to the problem I like to call, "Geographical Disconnect."

I'm not going to act as if living in CA would make me have more subscribers on YouTube, or gain me more followers on Twitter. But the chances of both of those things happening is proportionately greater with the less distance there is between myself and the LA/SF area of California. See, the closer I am, the more events I go to, the more times I'm likely to get asked to appear in another larger video maker's collaboration video, etc. All of that leads people inevitably back to my YouTube, and then my Twitter, and eventually my website if they're brave/bored enough. This is kind of like a reverse trail of breadcrumbs for the viewers and it leads them back to all of my various avenues within the brand that is Ben Hughes.

Does all of that make sense?

I'm not going to go deep in to the other reasons that I should move to California (the technology space in general is hubbed there, making connections that exist online become real is a huge dream of mine, I could probably find work in the field I enjoy) but there are at least a few I can run off at you. The pros definitely outweigh the cons.

I don't know what the Social Web is going to look like in two-and-a-half more years when I graduate. I have no clue if YouTube will even be around then, and there's no telling what user(s) will be the top dogs at that point if it is. All I can do is press on and hope that the Left Coast-ers take notice.

ShaneDawsonTV - "BAD (BRO)MANCE" (A Response and Thank You)

noreply@blogger.com (Ben Hughes) — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 02:09:00 +0000

Subscribe if you like what I do :)

This is not only a response to ShaneDawson's Bad Bromance video, but it's also to thank him for emailing back and forth with me, and recognizing that I'm not a bad guy, just a little frustrated.

THANKS everyone! Much love!
-Ben Hughes
http://obviouslybenhughes.com

Thankfulness, @Uncultured, & What I Want for Christmas

noreply@blogger.com (Ben Hughes) — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 20:06:00 +0000

Happy Thanksgiving everybody. I'm sitting here on the couch at my aunt's house after having devoured a great meal. A lot of you are probably feeling the same kind of calm and tire after this Holiday meal. It's a nice feeling, but it's one that always reminds me of those who aren't comfortable, and who have emptiness in their stomachs instead of a feeling of full.

I was talking with my mom and aunt while we waited for everyone, and I was asked what I wanted for Christmas. I've been thinking about that very question for a few months now so I knew exactly how I would reply when the time came.

I just came out with it; "I want a receipt."
My Aunt replied, "For what?"
"A donation made in my name for something I support called the Uncultured Project."

To say that my mom (who had already heard this from me a few weeks ago) and aunt were confused would be appropriate. Well maybe not confused, but just unaware and uneducated. They didn't know yet why I support the project so much, or why I would rather not get any gifts except a receipt.

For those of you who don't know, the Uncultured Project is an initiative started by Shawn, a former Notre Dame grad student who left his comfortable lifestyle as a student to work in the remote country of Bangladesh. He heard the talks of an author visiting his school and knew that his time would be better spent halfway across the world in one of the most disaster-ridden areas of today.

What makes me feel so connected to Shawn and his efforts? He is an avid user of the social web, which isn't only my own forte, but it's also something that I'm a major proponent of. Shawn set up a Twitter, YouTube channel, and website. His social media is all being used to help spread awareness of his efforts and of the situation currently faced by much of the population in and around Bangladesh. His YouTube has thousands of subscribers, and he uses the medium of video to show donors where their money is going. It's a really amazing way to see your own money at work. The videos allow donors to connect on a personal level with the people they help, which is a major boost to people who give their money.

So this Christmas I don't want gifts. I don't want an iPod. I don't want gift cards. I don't want to get my laptop cleaned. I don't want more shoes, jeans, towels, bowls of EasyMac, or theatre tickets. What I do want is a receipt showing an amount donated to the Uncultured Project. The same goes for my birthday, which is just fourteen days after Christmas on January 8th. I would rather know that people across the planet have mosquito nets, food, shoes, clothing, and/or vaccines.

On this Thanksgiving, reflect on all of the things you have in your life that you might take for granted. When you go and grab a fresh glass of orange juice from the fridge, remember those who don't have clean drinking water. While you take your shower tonight or tomorrow morning, try and remember how many people are sleeping on the dirt floor of their makeshift home, hoping that the rain-waters don't come in during the night.

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone.

So much for "productive". (Apologies to all)

noreply@blogger.com (Ben Hughes) — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 06:37:00 +0000

I'm sorry to everyone who wrote me an email, sent me a tweet, commented on my recent videos, or left a note on my Facebook wall within the last two weeks. I've been really, really selective with who I've been replying to and that's totally not like me.

I know that my blog isn't a place for apologies when it comes to this stuff, and I agreed with both @doycave and @filljoyner when they mentioned that apologies should be left out of blogging altogether during their joint Geekend session. But, since this is a very effective communication tool for me and I know that a lot of people will be drawn in by the "apologies" mention in this title, I figured that it's acceptable.

I won't bore you with reasons, but to quickly fill you in I'll just mention that I not only had finals and all of the hubbub that comes with that, but also had to pack up my life for the past thirteen weeks and move a lot of it with me back home, where I'm going to be until right about New Years day. I also realize that this coming week is going to be highly unproductive what with the American Thanksgiving, so in advance I also apologize to those who try and get in touch during it.

On another note, here's the exciting things that I can tease you with in the coming five weeks:

I'm going to try my hand at green-screen shooting on some of my future videos. Very exciting stuff for me.
I'm joining a collaboration video with some other much larger YouTubers, parodying a popular TV ad out right now. How fun is that?
I'm launching the new site design. I know, I've said it since late September, but this time it's coming quickly. The project itself has been codenamed "OBH 2010", so that should give you an idea of when it should debut...
I may - *may* - post a video of myself singing, and I would be doing all of the parts of a song. All harmonies, etc. Heavy emphasis on "may", though. It would have to be the right song.
I'm going to be partnering with a great new company to offer a download from the site of a nice application that will allow you to see all of my new posts right on your desktop. That's a big thing to look for soon!
I have a video in my head for the holiday season that, hopefully, will be able to go viral. Really, really good stuff... Now I just have to write it and invite people to take part! :D
I may be starting a new job at a new, small company based way far away from me. I wasn't hired immediately, but I may be brought on the team soon. The company, and the presmise of the job, are both very exciting to me.

There you have it. Lots of fun things to come for me, and a few more projects that are so fresh in the beginning phases that they don't even exist yet. I may be on Winter break, but this is going to be anything but relaxing. It's exciting, though, right!?

Thanks for being understanding about the belated responses you'll be getting from me if you made contact at all within the past two weeks. Like I said, crazy life-ness got in the way. I'm human. You can fogive it. Time to move on.

I'll talk to you all soon. There's an inbox with my name on it, and it's just begging for an ass kicking!

Why am I so productive while traveling?

noreply@blogger.com (Ben Hughes) — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 14:02:00 +0000

I woke up this morning at 3:15am, after getting about 45 minutes of sleep. The night before I got three hours of sleep after drawing a self-portrait for Drawing 2. According to all standard reasoning, I should be completely asleep, not able to move, and ready to stay in bed all day.

So why am I so productive today?

I woke up, answered the call from my pre-arranged cabbie, and then got picked up at 3:45. I made it to my gate at the Savannah airport with about 20 minutes to spare, right after I bought a Venti sized Starbucks Peppermint Mocha Frapuccino. (which is bigger than any drink I ever got before)

I got on my plane and had the pleasure of meeting and chatting with @USCBsandsharks both before and after our simultaneous in-flight naps. *Side-note: she got way more sleep than I did. I got like ten minutes...*

When I arrived at my half-way destination of Charlotte (where I am as I write) I sat right down next to the ONLY plug in sight and got to work on my laptop. I posted a DailyBooth photo, edited a video, uploaded said video, chatted with a LOT of people on my Twitter, and then closed up shop and got some breakfast. Now I'm sitting here munching on yogurt with granola, a muffin, and an egg-and-cheese bagel sandwich. Writing this blog post. I'm even being productive during my sacred meal time.

So the real question I keep coming back to is this: Why in the world am I always productive when I'm traveling? It really confuses me. It makes me want to sleep even more than before, because just thinking about the things that I've been doing is exhausting. And yet, I keep on trucking.

Is it because I want to "look cool" with my MacBook Pro out and in-use? Is it because I can finally escape to a place where I can work, without distractions that normally come with my dorm, or my house at home, or anywhere else I try to get work done? Or is it just the minty caffeine in the huge Frapuccino I had? (the last one is doubtful, since I snoozed on the plane right after downing the whole thing...)

Have you ever found yourself overly-productive and active for no reason and wondered what was making all of the glorious progress happen, and so efficiently at that? Let me know... Otherwise I might not stop and just stay here in Charlotte International Airport working away!

SCAD Student folds CHAIR from cardboard sheet!

noreply@blogger.com (Ben Hughes) — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 04:28:00 +0000

Subscribe if you like my video!

WOW!
This was such a fun project, and the whole design just kind of flowed out of my head without much effort. It's something I'm quite proud of, and I got a 95% on the project! How AWESOME is THAT!?
I'm a Sophomore at SCAD, and this was my final project for 3D Design class.

Want to download the .PDF of the cardboard plans? Here's the link!
http://kimag.es/share/31933263.pdf

-Ben Hughes
http://obviouslybenhughes.com

MrChiCity3's "YouTube is Dying (YouTube Exposed)" // OFFICIAL SELF-NOMINATION for YTA

noreply@blogger.com (Ben Hughes) — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 07:48:00 +0000

Subscribe if you feel compelled. Comment if you feel moved. Think - no matter what you feel.

YouTube user MrChiCity3 recently released a video (very well made, might I add) that explained a LOT of things that he has supposedly found out about YouTube, and talked about actual "rules" which were allegedly sent to him from the company itself.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V0bGs-hhenI
Here's my thoughts on the entire video, and what I think of the situation at hand.

The other thing I talk about is the YourTubeAdvocate channel here on YouTube.
http://youtube.com/yourtubeadvocate
It was an incredible idea in the beginning, but it seems that a lot of personal vendettas and interests got in the way of staying true to the original idea. This video serves as my official self-nomination to be the NEW YTA, and hopefully get to the level of serving the community that JustA11en once envisioned for it.

Please, more than any other video, I want to hear from YOU, the users of the community that we all, no matter what, have helped to grow and succeed overall, whether you believe so or not. Take a moment and let me know what you think in the comments or as a video response. I gain nothing from doing all of this, except to help a community which has the appearance of declining come back to the original state of awesome that it once had.

Thanks everyone. Seriously. This is kind of a big deal, whether you realize it or not.

-Ben Hughes
http://obviouslybenhughes.com

Nick Cave performance!

noreply@blogger.com (Ben Hughes) — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 01:45:00 +0000

Mobile post sent by ObviouslyBenHughes using Utterli. Replies.

Mobile Post!

noreply@blogger.com (Ben Hughes) — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 01:34:00 +0000

Mobile post sent by ObviouslyBenHughes using Utterli. Replies. mp3

#Geekend Day 2, @MajorNelson's Keynote!

noreply@blogger.com (Ben Hughes) — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 00:27:00 +0000

Day two was the meat-and-potatoes day of Geekend. Six timeslots, two or three presentations during each. Yes, admittedly, I missed the first session because I was sleeping (bad Ben!) but the ones that followed were mind-blowingly good. Some of them got me thinking to the point of wanting to launch a new venture... More on that down the road.

Building Whuffie: Reputation and The Future of the Social Web
This presentation talked about concepts and ideas that blew me away and made possibilities open up in my mind that I had never considered or conceived before. Truly awesome. Done by @kplawver

Why the @#$! Aren't You Blogging
I found myself nodding my head in agreement more in this session than any other because it talked about things that I've been experienced with for the last three years or so. The interesting part, for me, was talking with both @doycave and @filljoyner afterwards and getting their perspectives on things I'm doing right now. Outside input is always a good thing! Thanks for the great presentation, you two.

I'm My Own Boss! Now What?
Jen and Frank gave an amazing presentation on how they started their own company and joint venture, and what they realied along the way down the road towards success. Their "Tale of Two Products" was really worth considering, since there's the one hand with one project which has had so much effort put into it, and yet still isn't launched, and then the other case where they made a tiny product within a short time span and it launched with a lot of hype.

Digital Trends Among Digital Natives
Not so much a "here's what and how to do something" presentatio, but more along the lines of presenting facts and figures. All in all, though, @sloanekelley presented some incredibly stimulating statistics that I had never stopped to wonder about or question. Really incredible stuff, and I hope to talk with her more about it down the road.

How To Be A Great ~~Interrogator~~ Designer: What They Don't Teach You In Design School
This panel-style presentation had the four speakers, Andrew, Cari, Ariel & Janna, talking about the things that you need to think about when entering the design field and how you should approach clients to sustain not only your own business, but also a living. I got to talk with Janna after about some opportunities in the future and it should be interesting to (hopefully!) work with her here at SCAD.

Saturday Keynote: Major Nelson
Larry Hryb, more commonly known as Major Nelson (his Xbox Gamer ID) gave a really fun presentation that centered around the job that he does at Xbox and Microsoft and how he does it. I talked with him later and had a really nice photo taken with him, which I'll insert below. The thing that struck me, and I told him this, was that he wasn't ust spouting off facts and figures from some pre-made Microsoft sheet of PR. He was a real, relatable, personable guy who greeted everyone well and had no problem talking with all sorts of people. He also twisted my arm a bit toward getting an Xbox system... What can I say, he's just that nice. Hah!

All in all, a fun day of events that will be great to expand upon tomorrow at the Unconference, lead by Kevin Lawver. I'm heading out to the Geekend Block Party (a whole section of Montgomery Street is blocked off with fun stuff!) so I'll be posting more about tomorrow... well, tomorrow!

Thanks for reading! :)

#Geekend - Friday Keynote (AND A COOL PHOTO!!)

noreply@blogger.com (Ben Hughes) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 18:05:00 +0000

Hello all!

I'm going to be liveblogging the Friday keynote of Geekend here at http://obviouslybenhughes.com
Follow along below!

The Keynote opens with the creators of Geekend talking about the way the conference came to be, and the people who were supportive of the endeavor.

Sloane Kelly talks to us all about the vision they had for this conference.

The Keynote speaker Aaron Draplin is giving us a presentation (Adobe PDF) about his adventures and the ways that he came from Michigan to become a Graphic Artist. Starts with awesome type-based slides which are incredibly funny.

In an unexpected turn, he mentions that David Carson was supposed to be the speaker, but he isn't here (of course) "So F*** 'em."

Talking about Growing up in Michigan, then in Oregon, and now talking about different projects that he worked on when he "didn't know" he was a graphic Designer, "because no one ever told me"

Moved to California and got his first real job as a designer while living in Laguna Beach, then was "rescued" back to Oregon, "back home again".

Now talking about "What I do"
"A lot of the guys that I sat with on a chairlift are now making things and heading up companies..."

"Working within very tiny budgets, what could we make?" "We were just about showing our friends and the ways these kids wore their hats and jackets." "99 out of 100 won't do what the pros do" (in ads) "but they will be" (lounging around, being normal, relatable to the real life people who are seeing the ads)

When he started Snowboard Magazine with friends he was trying to relate it to the 99 percent of people, the ones who wont be doing the insane tricks and such.

Tips for the ways he designs: don't "muck" with the photo. leave it alone. let the beautiful girl just be naturally beautiful, don't lay type over her face, just show the products and don't make it overly complicated

"So here I was working with my friends, on stuff that wasn't that big, and then going out and selling this stuff to the big box store."

Now were getting to the stuff I do that didn't make one penny, and I just love to work. I work a lot. This is my favorite project of the summer months: Richmond Fontaine type/jacket/disk CD design project, and he did it because he's been in love with their music for a really long time.

One of my favorite things is making logos. Making identities. Some of them are 5-grand, but some of them are nothing. (Writer's note: it's nice to see that he doesn't mind doing projects for people who might not be able to get them done well, and that the big-name brands and the small ones all get the same amount of awesomeness in their designs)

"That was a job. I wasn't really in to it, and the reason it's next to the logo for M&L (couple who got married) is because I just wasn't as "in" to it as much." (talking about his Nike Air Max 360 logo)

Favorite Logo: Cobra Dogs
Funnest Logo: Redwing Farms (Logo done for John Hughes, without him ever knowing that it was anyone other than "Mr. John", until after the job was finished)
Biggest Logo: The Stimulus Package and TIGER logos

********My laptop's battery died then, and the guy working the event wouldn't let me plug in my power cord. Gawsh.********

All in all it was a really informative, well thought out, provocative Keynote that made me think about he design that I do and how I want to change my point of view.

Oh, and here's Aaron Draplin himself lifting me up for a photo op. Yep.

Good night everyone. See you all at the conference tomorrow!

Just a quick #Geekend update...

noreply@blogger.com (Ben Hughes) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 17:37:00 +0000

I just checked in to Geekend over at the Hyatt and I am SO SO SO SO SO EXCITED! I don't think many of you will understand me when I say that, so I'm going to break it down for you. My family can tell you any time I'm really excited about something that's going to happen I get really smiley, I jump around a lot, I make really funny high-pitched noises of joy, and I have this wave of happiness wash over me that is incredible.

That's how I felt as I walked up to the Hyatt just now, and it increased as I walked through the door... as I walked into a sofa in the lobby (blinded by enthusiasm, apparently)... as I found the table and check in... It just kept building, and building, and getting more intense. I soon found myself outside standing at the edge of a crosswalk, digging through the bag of goodies (mainly coupons and ads and such), sounding like a complete lunatic to the people next to me as I kept going "ahhhhhhHHHHH I'm SO EXCITED!!" out loud.

Here's another context for you: I felt like this when I went to see RENT in Boston. I felt like this when I got my acceptance letter to SCAD. I felt like this as I walked up to the Apple Store in Boston for the first time so I could buy my laptop. I felt like this when I nearly left my parents a block behind me after running in front of traffic to get to the 5th Avenue Apple Store. Come to think of it, I've felt like this during the absolute happiest times of my life. I can now add to the list that I felt like this right before I attended my first social media/technology/internet/GEEK conference. That's awesome.

Psst... I'm going to be live-tweeting the entire conference (at least the sessions I attend) over at my Twitter... won't you follow?)

Geekend 2009: My Schedule

noreply@blogger.com (Ben Hughes) — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 15:19:00 +0000

Geekend! Savannah's first major Social Media conference for geeks (like me!) is starting tomorrow at the Hyatt on Bay Street. To say that I'm excited would be a massive understatement, but I'll spare you the details (let's just say that I bought 100 business cards... you know... just in case). Insteaed I'm going to take you through my plan of attack; my session obsession; my schedule. Let's dive in!

Friday Nov 6

8-9pm, Opening Keynote
David Carson
Harborside East/West, Hyatt
9pm, Performance by MK2 and Hula Hoop
Harborside East/West, Hyatt

Saturday Nov 7

9:30-10:15am, "Technology For The Greater Good"
Murray Wilson, TPS Consulting
Tony Jordan, A.W.O.L.
Scarbrough Ballroom, Hyatt
10:30-11:15am, "Building Whuffie: Reputation and the Future of the Social Web"
Kevin Lawver, Music Intelligence Solutions
Harborside West, Hyatt
11:30-12:15pm, "Why The @#$! Aren't You Blogging?!"
Phil Joyner, Paragon
Doy Cave, Richmond Hill Media
Scarbrough Ballroom, Hyatt
2-2:45pm, "I'm My Own Boss! Now What?!?"
Jen Consalvo, Shiny Heart Ventures
Frank Gruber, AOL & Shiny Heart Ventures
Harborside West, Hyatt
3-3:45pm, "Digital Trends Among Digital Natives"
Sloane Kelley, BFG Communications
Scarbrough Ballroom, Hyatt
4-4:45pm, "How To Be A Great ~~Interrogator~~ Designer: What They Don't Teach You In Design School"
Andrew Davies, Paragon
Ariel Janzen, brightwhitespace
Cari Clark, Clark Creative
Janna Hicks DeVylder, Savannah College of Art and Design
Scarbrough Ballroom, Hyatt
5:30-6:30, Keynote Session
"Major Nelson" AKA Larry Hryb
Harborside East/West, Hyatt

Sunday Nov 8

10-4pm, Geekend Unconference
Scarbrough Ballroom, Hyatt

This is my first Social Media/Design/Technology/Geek conference and I'm STOKED. Plus a pioneer in my own field of Graphic Design, David Carson, is the keynote speaker on the first day. Imagine how amazing it would be to get to meet him! I hope I hope I hope... :)