creativity

A busy week… lets work it out.

by aileen on December 6, 2010

This week is one of ‘those’ weeks. One where I have what seems like a million things to do. I’m still playing catch up from last week and it would be easy to sit here and feel overwhelmed. I confess by the end of last week I did feel that way, but today I have a schedule. I have it all planned out. I know what I am meant to be doing and when.

I know today won’t go as I have planned, they never do – and life would be very dull if they did – but having a plan enables you to think about one thing at once, and get it done (or at least further towards done).

Sometimes we look at our ‘to do’ lists and there are just too many things on them, we spend precious time just worrying about how we will fit everything in. Grab a calendar instead and block out times to work on the different things we have to do. Guess how long they will take, once we sit down, focused, most things take less time than we thought.

Today I have a plan, I know what I must get done, what I should work on, and what I want to do. There has to be a balance. Some of the things you want to do should always be included. Life has to be fun, you have to get to BE YOU. Consider moving some of the things that you think are ‘extras’ into the ‘must’ category. This week working out is in the ‘must’ column. I know that will make me more productive, more focused and have more energy in the long run. It’s an essential. It’s just as important as any project. Too often we skip the things that are best for us because we think there are more urgent things. Nothing is more important than your health – it is the key to everything.

So have a great week, I have an appointment in the gym now.

Aileen.

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BE YOU- THE WHOLE TRUTH – John Herrera

by aileen on December 3, 2010

John Herrera

John is the owner of JuuJ Coiffure on Kaliste Saloom. He is one of the coolest people you will ever meet, and I’m not just saying that because he often has scissors just inches from my throat. He is one of those people who is doing exactly what they are meant to be doing, and I love people like that. John manages to combine a mischievous grin with a total air of calm. He is professional but never predictable and that makes me smile.

What was your first job?
My first job was at Baskin Robbins as a senior in high school. I can make a mean banana split.

Describe a typical day in your life.
I usually start with a 5:30 WOD at CrossFit Lafayette. Then I take my daughter to school for 7:30. I get to my salon by 10 AM and take anywhere from 8-12 clients till about 7 or 7:30 PM. I’m home just in time to hang out with my wife and 3 kids for about an hour, then we say prayers and tuck the kids in around 8:30 or 9. I try to get to bed before 10:30 so I can wake up and do it all again.

What advice would you give the younger you?
Live like you were dying.

What values do you live by?
Family, balance, passion,

What living figure most inspires you?
My wife. She challenges me to live “eternity-minded.”

What was the best advice you were ever given?
“Know when to hold ‘em, Know when to fold ‘em, Know when to walk away, Know when to run” Kenny Rogers.

What book would you tell everyone to read?
Power of a Praying Husband, Wife, etc. by Stormie Omartian

What is the best thing about where you live?
Hospitality.

How do you “let the good times roll”?
Cow tipping.

What did you want to be when you grew up?
I wanted to be a surf shop owner.

What is your motto?
Right is right, even if no one is doing it. Wrong is wrong, even if everyone is doing it.

How would you like to be remembered?
As someone who made a difference in at least one person’s life.

What do you say to yourself when you doubt yourself?
Just keep swimming! Picture Dory on Finding Nemo.

What three things are vital to being you?
Music, Laughter, and Ambition.

Which words or phrases do most overuse?
Seriously…I use it as a question, a statement, and an exclamation. Seriously? Seriously. Seriously!
and Ridonkulous.

What is your favorite word?
JuuJ. The proper spelling is tzsuj; it’s a Yiddish verb that means to tweak, finesse, or make better. It’s also the name of my salon, JuuJ Coiffure.

What do you collect?
I would like to have a watch collection someday, but I have too many mouths to feed at home.

What food could you live on for a month?
Mexican, but the kind you get from any place in California with ‘bertos in the name-Alberto’s, Filberto’s, Roberto’s, etc.

What would you change about yourself?
I probably would get rid of my tattoos. I’d be bringing wholesome back.

Describe yourself in five words.
Blessed, amicable, independent, optimistic, fun-loving.

What is your idea of happiness?
Spending time with my children.

What is your favorite movie?
Pulp Fiction, one of the best quotable movies EVER.

What music defines who you are?
I’m a huge fan of DMB, but I grew up on punk rock and reggae.

What do you most regret?
I regret some of the things I did in my life, but what I regret most are the things I did NOT do.

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A CHALLENGE (or two)

by aileen on December 1, 2010

I know it’s only December 1st – but it’s a great time to get a head start on those New Years Resolutions…

Challenge 1

By reading on you are agreeing to accept at least one of these challenges (us writers are tricky like that). I am going to be doing it right along with you

I challenge you to pick one of your new year resolutions and start it today. Think how good it will feel to celebrate Christmas and already be fitter, or slimmer, play the piano better, start using Facebook more, give up cupcakes, stop smoking, start taking singing lessons or whatever it is you are planning to start next year.

Whatever you are going to do use December as a ‘practice month.’ Practice is great — there is no pressure to be perfect, you can’t fail, and whatever you do, you are ahead. You will also have proved to yourself that you can do it, and that’s going to feel great on New Year’s Eve. Whatever you do is lagniappe. Extra. A bonus. A slip or two doesn’t matter because it’s only a practice month.

I am going to get back into my exercise routine. I have let it slip a bit lately and need to get refocused. There now you all know, you can all hold me accountable. It’s here in black and white. It helps if people know, share what you are doing with your family, with your co-workers or you can email me and tell me. You are not in this alone. We are all practicing together.

The only rule is you are not allowed to give up, this is a rehearsal. You can have slip-ups and bad days but you are just practicing, you just get back on track and practice some more.

Challenge 2

Find at least one thing you want for Christmas that isn’t materialistic and encourage your children to do the same. It’s only one thing on your list but it may turn out to be the most important thing. Something you want to do, or learn, or experience. If each member of your family came up with one thing imagine the fun you would have together helping them get what they wanted. Would you like game night at your house, a walk in the park on Christmas day, a family photo album, homemade decorations, to start a new tradition, a once a month dinner club with friends. Pick something and put it on your Christmas list.

Challenge 3

Yes I know I mentioned only two challenges, but while I’m on a roll I may as well push my luck. Think of something you want to do next year, just for fun and make some plans. I want to go paddleboarding. You know, where you stand up on a surfboardy looking thing and paddle. I am already excited. I’m thinking spring in Florida. Find something that makes you smile and plan to do it.

Yes I know it’s only the beginning of December but there is only one time to start living your life, and that’s now.

This article appeared in my column “That’s what she said” in The Advertiser on 30th November 2010

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There is no prize.

by aileen on November 25, 2010

I saw this on my friend, Angie Hargett’s facebook page and just had to share it.. inspirational words.

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Do something..

by aileen on November 24, 2010

I don’t know how I missed it but last Wednesday was Guinness World Records Day. All over the world people attempted strange things in order to hold a world record. A 90 year old man in England became the oldest man to wing-walk, in Germany they broke the record for the most nationalities in a sauna, and in the USA they gathered together the most dogs in costumed attire. Records were also created for juggling (both underwater and on land), catching arrows, making mosaics from rice, standing on one leg and of course I can’t forget the new record for the most stairs climbed while balancing someone on your head or most concrete blocks broken while holding a raw egg.

People all over the world are wonderfully strange. I haven’t met any of these people, and although I would love to sit down with them and find out what makes them do these things, I know one thing for sure. That each one of them went home happy that night.

You only have to spend a few minutes on Facebook to see people’s accomplishments. There are photos or status updates that show people at 5 and 10k races, winning honors, playing in sports teams, passing tests, and generally sharing their news. It is human nature to strive for more. I’m always proud when I see one of my friends achieve something. It pushes me to want to do it too.

In the early 1920’s when George Mallory set out to attempt to climb Everest he was asked why, and he simply answered “because it’s there.” He didn’t make it but his quote has become “the most famous three words in mountaineering” and applicable to so many things we do in our lives even today.

We are human, we strive to be better. It’s easy at the moment to be discouraged. Ten minutes listening to the news, or dwelling on all the negativity around us and we can start to wonder. I know everything will be fine. Better than fine. While people are still pushing their own comfort zones, while we are attempting new records and trying new things we will all be just fine. If you ever doubt that, just go and check Facebook. Or even better find something that you want to achieve and start working on it. You don’t have to climb Everest, just take a few steps in a direction you want to go in. You will feel more alive and more positive.

If you followed last week’s advice and surrounded yourself with positive people then this should be easy. If not, do it now. Find those that are pushing themselves and join in. It’s never too late to start.

As we get to Thanksgiving we start thinking about Christmas and tend to plan a lot of the next month away, don’t put this off until next year. Don’t tell yourself you’ll make it your New Years Resolution. Do something, and do it now.

You don’t have to break a record, just expand your comfort zone.

This article appeared in my column “That’s what she said” in The Advertiser on 23rd November 2010

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Technology Tuesday… square

by aileen on November 23, 2010

I love square.

It’s a great way of accepting credit cards on your iphone and ipad.

You sign up for an account and they send you a little cute white square thingy that plugs into your microphone jack. You can then swipe credit cards straight into your device (I believe it works with droid too).

It saves me having to jump through hoops to get a merchant account and the fees that brings. It’s like paypay, they take a %, for me, its worth it. Every sale that I would have lost if I couldn’t take credit cards makes me smile.

So far it has worked seemlessly, the client signs on screen and enters their email address to get a reciept. Simple and secure.. and beautifully designed. I’m a fan.

This review is purely my opinion. I was not paid for it, nor do I have an affiliate relationship with the company (although I would jump at the chance)

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Technology Tuesday.. soundnote

by aileen on November 16, 2010

I love my ipad. I’ve only had it for about a month and am still working out which apps are the ‘absolute-unlivable-without’ ones.

My first vote would be for Soundnote. I have always liked the idea of recording while I take notes. Somewhere I have a livescribe pen, I used it for a while. You take notes on special paper and it records, playing back exactly where you were in a conversation when you click on a word. I thought I would use it forever, but I would forget the (bulky) pen, or the notebook, or leave it to run out of charge. It was soon another good idea that was kept in the back of my drawer.

Enter Soundnote – It lets you type or draw and record. Click on any point on your page and it plays back the recording from that point. I only have to remember to have my ipad with me, and that’s pretty easy.

I love this because I can pay attention to the people in a meeting, rather than taking notes. If I hear something I want to play back later I quickly doodle something to remind me, knowing I can hear what was said at that point. I take notes much better with drawings.

This is a perfect example of technology improving face to face communication. And I’m all for that.

(this is an unpaid, just what I think review, I have no affiliate links or payment for this product)

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What if they ask me to talk about…

by aileen on November 15, 2010

It’s one of the main questions I get.. What if they ask me to talk about (insert name of something you know nothing about). There are a number of answers to this:

1. Why would they ask you to talk about something you know nothing about? If it is something you really should have an opinion about then get one! Remember they often want your opinion, they may value what you think. It may be that you just get to ask questions… “I like others, have found the talk about this very confusing, can you outline the main reason we are doing this.. “.

2. You can practice impromptu speaking. In fact I love to do it. You can think around a subject if you know you are to be involved in a discussion about it, ask yourself every question you can think about it. If you want to be confident about talking about any subject then join your local toastmasters club. The tabletopics session, where you are asked to talk for a couple of minutes about any subject without notice. It is a fun, safe way to learn and with a bit of practice you will improve quickly.

Never be scared to give your opinion, people like to hear different points of view, and you may mention something that they haven’t thought of. If someone asks you what you think, they probably want to know what you think. They don’t need you to be clever or entertaining, but they do need to hear your views.

If you are generally nervous about speaking up, and terrified of speaking out you may want to work with a coach. I know a good one!

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BE YOU – THE WHOLE TRUTH – Kody Chamberlain

by aileen on November 12, 2010

Kody Chamberlain

Kody is a comic book creator and illustrator. He is a quiet creative powerhouse often to be found in the local coffee shop (typically Americas coffee at the moment) sketching or planning. While he manages to stay relatively anonymous in Lafayette he is quite a big deal in the the world of comic books, having most recently produced his own comic, Sweets, which is getting people talking all over the country and has just signed a deal with MTV Geek. There is even has a Wikipedia page about him. His success is due both to his talent and work ethic, a lethal combination.

What was your first job?
Besides a bit of grass cutting, my first real job was scooping ice cream and making sandwiches at a small shop in Thibodaux, Louisiana. I used to ride my bike about 5 miles to get there.

Describe a typical day in your life.
My wife is a school teacher, so we normally wake up around 5:30am and I get to the studio around 6:30am. I’ll often walk over to Americas Coffee House in the morning to get the blood flowing and do a bit of writing, email replies, an any paperwork that needs to get done. Then I walk back to the studio and start making comics. That involves lots of penciling, inking, coloring et. I do try and do one full page of comic book art every day, but that’s not always possible, so I do still work a lot of nights and weekends to get i done. It’s fun work, so I don’ mind much, and I have a very flexible schedule.

What advice would you give the younger you?
I would tell a younger me to bet big on the Saints in the 2010 Superbowl. And I’d also tell a younger me to start drawing and reading comics a lot earlier in life. Since I started drawing around the age of 18, I was a bit behind and it’s taken a while to catch up. Most of the other professional artists I know have been drawing and reading comics all their lives. I wish I had as well. But in a way it may be to my advantage because I have an outside’s perspective. Time will tell.

What event in your life most shaped who you are now?
There are several of those moments that come to mind, but the event that’s had the most impact so far was the death of my mother. We never really bonded or had a real connection, so instead of living with regrets, I’ve been working hard to build better relationships with family and friends ever since.

What values do you live by?
I don’t always live up to my own standards, but I try to be honest, respectful, hard working, and a true friend.

What do you most appreciate?
My wife.

What is your favorite journey?
I love learning, any chance I get to learn something new, I embrace it. That’s always the best journey of all.

Where is your favorite place to be alone?
I’m usually alone in my studio, so that’s the easy answer. But since I work alone most days, I enjoy taking breaks and interacting with the people as much as I can.

What living figure most inspires you?
I’m most inspired by art, and my favorite living artist is Martin Scorsese.

What was the best advice you were ever given?
My college graphic design professor one told me that in the real world, results count, not effort. That’s been a real inspiration for me in many ways.

What book would you tell everyone to read?
To Kill a Mockingbird.

What is the best thing about where you live?
The people around me.

How do you “let the good times roll” ?
Dinner and a movie.

How would you like to be remembered?
I’d like to be remembered as someone that gave more than they took.

What do you say to yourself when you doubt yourself?
I rarely doubt myself, but when I do, I remind myself there are people far less intelligent than me doing what I’m trying to do.

What three things are vital to BEing YOU?
Family, art, and music.

Which words or phrases do you most overuse?
I probably curse too damn much.

What is you biggest fear?
My biggest fear is not knowing whats coming next, but it’s also my biggest thrill.

What is your favorite word?
Storytelling.

What food could you live on for a month?
Raisin Bran

What literary, movie or cartoon character do you most identify with?
Don Draper, but without the adultery, smoking, and alcohol.

What is your idea of happiness?
Hitting a deadline and heading to New Orleans for a weekend away with my wife. Those are the best days.

What question do you wish I’d asked?
What are you working on now?
I’m currently writing and drawing SWEETS for Image Comics available online, in comic shops, and on iPad/iPhones. I’m also illustrating PUNKS for MTV Geek, which should be available late this month.

The BE YOU questionnaire by Aileen appears in The Times of Acadiana every Thursday.

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TWSS – we are all in this together

by aileen on November 10, 2010

This week has been a strange one, full of reminders that life doesn’t always go as we plan. It’s all very well people like me telling you to find your passion and follow it but sometimes it seems life has other plans.

We don’t live our lives on pieces of paper, we live them in the real world where things go wrong, where people lose their jobs, family members suffer, accidents happen, children get sick, and we sometimes need to put ‘making a living’ above living a dream.

It’s a scary world out there sometimes.

It’s times like these that bring out our strengths and show us who we really are.

This week I attended a funeral of an amazing local lady who, although I didn’t know her well, has left a lasting impression of lessons on how to live a life. She lived life to the fullest, she spoke her mind (oh boy, did she speak her mind). The stories that people told were full of acts of humor, of incredible compassion, and most of all, of an unrelenting passion for life and love. I know people always speak good of the dead, but this was different. No one had to exaggerate a tale, no details needed to be changed to make her sound better, the stories were the same as they told when she was alive.

It was a wake-up call for me. If I wanted people to be that honest about me when I was dead, I had better make sure I lived the life I wanted them to talk about.

Following your passion or going after your dreams doesn’t mean that life won’t get in the way. How you live your life is just as important as what you achieve, the way you approach the things you don’t plan for is often who you really are.

In today’s society, we tend to think the bigger the goal, the more valid it is, but that just isn’t true. It’s about living the right life for you. It’s about following your own instincts and passion and not anyone else’s. Yes, there will be times when you have to adjust your plans, times where you feel like giving up, but you never get to give up on being you. It’s just too difficult to be anyone else.

This week is just as important as every other week in your life. Whatever you are facing, you get to be who you are. Something you do this week may well create a story that someone will tell after you are dead, something that they thinks portrays who you really are. It’s the things that test us that show us our own strengths.

As you go through life this week, remember, we don’t know what people are going through any more than they know the stresses we are facing. Lets look at the bigger picture, that we are all just people trying to live our lives in the best way we can. We all have different dreams and goals, different passions and different personalities but we are all in this together.

“That’s what she said”, a communication column by Aileen Bennett appears in The Advertiser every Tuesday.

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