www.madebysurvivors.com

joke of all trades

first!----nothing matters until you watch this;

Our designer left about 2 weeks ago to move back home to iowa to start a cookie company with her parents. She went to a one week cooking school in texas. She’s been dating a guy for 5 years. He lives in Chicago. She now lives in iowa.

This chicks dad:

“you’re not getting any older, ryan is a good guy… either marry him or dump him. And if you dump him you’re going to end up dating divorceeees with 3 kids.”

I guess I have a different opinion. I don’t see marriage as the underlying commitment, the goal, the point of all of this… i really don't think that's a misconception, either. i really really don't. i have things in my life that make me feel something extraordinary every single day. i wouldn't trade my life for 5 seconds to be a hopeless romantic. gross.

Someone posed these four questions to me a few days back(dif scenarios of course, i just found it interesting)----

M: “wouldn’t you want to get married if you’d been dating someone for 5 years”

JW: “uh, no actually.”

M: “well, don’t you like to bake?”

JW: “uh, no actually.”

M: “you could always move to Cleveland.”

JW: “uh, no actually I literally can’t.”

M: “I think it’d be okay if you coasted for a little while, you know.. served til you figured out what you wanted to do.”

JW: “i always know what i want to do. i'm DOING it. not to mention, you couldn’t pay me to be any sort of waitstaff at a restaurant. Oh, except a bartender. And that’d last one night and I’d be bored.”

I read this at work last week:

http://www.esquire.com/women/women-issue/funny-facts-about-women-0510#ixzz0neShBDgA

with the conclusion: i'm totally, absolutely and completely wired like a male.

however, i did agree with the following;

No. 497: We like whiskey. And beer. —Maura E. McGill, 29, New York

No. 587: Suggesting breakfast out in the morning is sometimes just a nice way to get you out. We have lives to lead. —Davian den Otter, 32, Ottawa Ontario Canada

No. 579: Never underestimate the power of your hands. —Kimani Rabess, 29, Brooklyn

No. 224: Call us on our shit. We need it. We shall call you on your shit. You need it. —Rhiannon Falzone, 26, Chicago

No. 818: We judge you based on how you treat us when we're sick. —Penelope Ruth, 24, Ann Arbor, Michigan

No. 228: The most chivalrous thing a man can do is listen when we talk. We don't want to be asked the same question three times in one night. —Kerri Theodore, 28, Tampa, Florida

No. 632: We sweat just as much as you do. But we make sure we keep our deodorant and perfume handy. You should do the same. —Sheila Marie, 25, Pensacola, Florida

No. 242: Dressing nicely doesn't make you look gay, it makes you look like you're no longer in college. —Hannah Friedman, 29, Baltimore

No. 714: Even the most cynical, Valentine-hating girl would secretly love to have flowers sent to her at work. —Lindsey Simpson, 23, San Diego

No. 758: What's with the spitting? No. No spitting. Especially no making that hawking sound before you spit. —Hannah Friedman, 29, Baltimore

No. 421: Sometimes, when we're not sure about you, we look at your shoes to decide whether or not to sleep with you. Just good to keep in mind. —Sarah June Renschler, 30, New York

No. 618: Women like men who are confident enough in themselves to let the women they're with be brilliant. —Teresa Jusino, 30, New York

No. 171: Some of us — some of us — prefer movies with explosions or bad jokes. —Kt McBratney, 27, Omaha

No. 967: Yes, we'll have another glass of wine, thank you. —Meredith Blake Matthews, 26, Pittsburgh

No. 615: You can't brush your teeth too often. —Barbara Govednik, 46, Chicago

No. 192: We love tools. Tools are hot. Learn how to use more tools. —Haiyen Chin, 33, Brooklyn

No. 860: Knowing how much you don't know: that's okay. Attractive, even.Pretending you understand is the problem. —Jen Montminy, 24, Centre Hall, Pennsylvania

No. 905: We love working out with you. —Courtney Harper, 23, Sherman Oaks, California

No. 985: We are not all the same, thus you cannot use the same "game" on all of us. Adapt. Thank you. —Adrienne Jones, 42, New York

No. 897: There is zero correlation between how well we dance and how good we are in bed. —Jenny Harding, 30, Aliso Viejo, California

No. 940: Four words that will turn away our wrath: "How can I help?" —Judith Brodnicki, 50, Omaha

No. 110: It's not that we don't know anything about sports, it's that we know that you like explaining it so much. —Caroline Celano, 28, Cambridge, Massachusetts

No. 67: Women in their mid-thirties have to do everything for ourselves — drive our careers, pay the mortgage, fix broken appliances, assemble furniture. The only place we don't have to do it ourselves is in the bedroom. For that one small slice of the day, we'll actually give up control and let someone else own us. So, own us. —Suzanne Casamento, 28, Los Angeles

No. 76: I only like football because of the pants. —Sondra Gavaldon, 28, Brooklyn

No. 111: When you offer to pay for something and we refuse, insist one more time. Always insist. —Cristina Luiggi, 24, New York

No. 382: Old Spice High Endurance Pure Sport. —Sarah June Renschler, 30, New York City

No. 21: Men drink coffee, not skinny double-pump soy macchiatos. Ordering the latter doesn't impress us; it makes us wonder if you'd rather be double-pumping your buddy Todd. —Kt McBratney, 27, Omaha

No. 403: You should be able to do anything Bob Vila can. Or that HGTV makes happen in a 30-minute episode. —Jennifer Davidick, 30, Hazleton,

No. 210: Even feminists want kitchens with stainless steel appliances. —Rachel Baron, 26, Chicago

No. 929: You should be more concerned when I stop thinking your jokes are funny than with how often I want to have sex. —Elizabeth Oporto, 26, Merrick, New York

No. 21: We understand the World Cup too. —Erin Dowding, 34, Brooklyn (of course i'd agree with this one)

I'm not really a kid person. (I don't get giddy about babies or pregnant people either). I don't understand them or really know how to talk to them. I'm coaching 9 year old girls soccer though and these chicks not only crack me up, but they sort of make my world turn. Seeing them progress over these last eight weeks has been one of the most internally rewarding things I've ever done. I see them do a back pass or yell "all right, let's get back into positions..." and I know I've done something. To have someone not only listen, but allow what you're offering to be instilled in their mind... and then using it as a tool, as part of them and their reactions to things...goddamn, it's a powerful thing.

I can't get over how people in offices of large companies don't speak to one another. It's so awkward. And I never feel awkward. I find it ironic that I learned more about my boss Michael over an hour at lunch than I know about the boss I've had for three years now.

oh. so, this was kind of cool. my boss looked at me yester when i got into the office and said "if you can make lester & lucy (letterpress portion) a profitable part of the company, i will hire you full time and even give you your own desk next to your press and inks." you bet your ass i'm going to do just that.

toured rohner for the second time this past week, angie remembered my face and the company i work for.

i'm thinking australia. yum.

take note;

>doesn't work until it does

>#foxtail

>coast-to-coast

>typeface on sale may 28th

>letterpresslove.com

>just be a programmer

>won both games last week

>babygurls tied their game 1-1

>"dude your legs could be a museum exhibit"-christian wise

>i put hashtags in text messages.

>outdoors; in every form and capability possible

>soccer tournaments around the WORLD.

>"hey this is my best friend and she's getting married, i'm just getting more cats"-leah dale

>"i know you think you're stronger than a 4 ton vehicle so i'm just going to put my hands on you and let you know when it's okay to cross the street."-ashten buxton

>turf grass came out of my notebook and onto a conference table in a meeting the other day

>every room in my entire apartment has soccer gear in it

I really am the worst at blogging. It's probably humorous how weird my posts are.

Don't ever let anything trump what's in front of you because life is too short to ignore what's in front of you. or to think you're better than it. or that you have it under control. or that it can't teach you anything.

simplicity takes the crown *-*

i don't have time to do this often, especially right now. i'm cramped for time. all the time. so, my blog is mainly for things i find interesting, the highlights and things i always want to remember. these usually have a lot to do with visual STUFFS. this post won't... but i hope (if i have any avid viewers) that you find something that reminds you of something important, entices you to think positive even if only for 5 seconds, makes you feel something worthy or just makes you laugh or.. goddamn, just makes you feel something.

here's where it's at>>>

turf grass fills my entire life; apartment, floors, bed, shower, clothes, laundry basket, bag, and HEART. awh.

the girls i coach have a record of 3-1. it's interesting coaching 9 year old girls. two of them scream the entire time... the smartest girl on our team looks at me yesterday, points to them and says... "THAT is why you don't sign up to coach U10 girls." I couldn't help but laugh. on that same topic, last week i watched them do SIX consecutive passes while scrimmaging and then my favorite girl on the team yells "ALLRIGHT GIRLS GET BACK INTO POSITIONS!"... there is a god. simply, there IS a god.

i've cut down from playing 5 nights of soccer/week to 3 nights. this is so i can;

a)graduate

b)give my shins a rest

c) be miserable

last week i made the switch from coffee to tea. i want to be hot my whole life. antioxidantsssssss... basically look for the crabby red head.

learned i'm in my friends' phone as jen w, jen chi, jen red, jen soccer... i HATE the name jen. if you know me, please try not to refer to me as a four year old.

walked through the downstairs of my work bldg the other day at LUNCH (your FREE TIME) and every single person had their head down to their blackberry or iPhone. SHOOT.

walked into a mcdonalds to get a coffee a few weeks ago... every single one of the workers greeted me WITH a smile and asked me how my morning was. even if it's only a ploy.. it's irony.

take note;

JL: you can make all that happen with just words

AB: great, now you're being cute and i have to give you ALL of it.

nicks beer garden

new soccer shop in wicker

OMNI

chuck: what is bff?

(comma)

JW: now i'm just walking around taking things that i want

LD: ummmm that's your usual..

LD: you have to be careful with these guys, they don't even know what girls are.

NB: i stand by my belief, if you're not doing what you love every day, or at least working toward it.. what the fuck are you doing?

two weeks ago, my boss: oh, by the way we want to make this friday thing permanent. and we want to pay you. and here's a key to the office.

RP: you've got good cleats, right? I mean... I KNOW YOU HAVE DAMN GOOD CLEATS.

jan: chuck said to look at the girls portfolio with red hair. the one with the REAL RED HAIR.

jw; "i guess i don't like it because the exclamation point is one of my least favorite punctuation marks."

kh: well, i'm officially taken

jw: oh. um..WHY?

last sunday was the best day i've had thus far in 2010. i didn't do anything special, didn't see anything ground breaking and certainly wasn't traveling. a friend of mine who moved to boston a little over a year ago flew in and we spent the day analyzing the city and enjoying each others company. you know, you know when things just.. work? they're simple and they're easy. isn't that the most important part? to me, that's the most important part of it all, of everything. after that, things don't taste the same anymore. what was BOLD before, no longer isn't. the things that used to stick out, now fade into everything else. the symmetrical turns asymmetrical. it's the thing that makes you throw your hands up to the sky.

the other day i remembered exactly why i was a designer. i haven't felt such an extreme in a while and i knew it'd come to me this quarter and i was just waiting for it. i was in a classroom after my class had already finished with about 3 other students and the most well renowned professor i've ever had. he walked over to my computer, grabbed my mouse, moved a few things around on my 20 page brochure, looked at me... touched my arm, smiled and said.. "you're fine. you're going to be fine, you know that?"

today, i spent the day at a design conference. i was given the opportunity from that same professor to show my portfolio during the "intermission lunch." some of the speakers were extraordinary. here is what you need to know (and what i want to remember).

Stacy Benson of Dotomi:

Have a solid creative contact.

An extension to an in-house team.

Always explain.

]Look at the results.

Grow; BE A SOLUTION.

Jana Kinsman - Crate & Barrel

"I only work in Helvetica now, so I don't remember these things."

VOICE FOR THE BRAND.

Dave Pfulgar - Burton Snowboards

Hang Tags. Burton logos on Sketchbooks.

Sketches>focus on the core of the idea rather than the color and type.

>re-invent the wheel every two years, completely start over.

"opening a box is like starting a conversation.."

Mike Segawa - Walt Disney

"too much paper, you know..."

Lawyers for creative arts

"watercolor class... you can't turn in a painting of donkey kong, you know?"

"I did a photoshoot thing, and i mean that's always really sexy."

"Next thing I knew, I was a Production Artist NINJA."

STAY VISIBLE.

It was his dream job to work for Disney. "....after, i just went home and got drunk."

>>have an art COMPASS.

and, here's the big part. i say this all the time but i'll say it again. life is so incredibly simple. i'm grateful for every day and i like pretty much everything in my life. i have a capability of handling situations in a strong and realistic manner. i try to think with my head more than my heart. sure, i like layers... i mean my whole life is a layered texture. that's probably the best way to describe it. but there just isn't any reason to complicate things or... "act like a girl" as i would generally refer to it as. i guess it's the answers we're not willing to accept that make it complicated. i've been through 500 trails of difficult things, but it doesn't blur my actions or reactions. someone once said to me "you just know how to deal with things" or something along those lines. i don't know, really, i honestly just learn things as i go. but i think it's working because i'm happy.

that was a preface to the big part. this is the actual big part;

i've been at the company i'm currently with for three years. it's an incredible firm that has provided me with extreme flexibility, promotions, credibility, references, and a ton of fascinating opportunity. throughout my three years there, i've been promoted three times and offered two full-time salary positions. the first one was unofficial, i was asked if i'd take it and i turned it down.

the other one was just recently. it was to take over my boss' position. i'd be overseeing four database systems and managing a team of twelve people. i'd have health insurance, a salary and a great experience. i applied. i got caught up. i floundered.

it took an incredibly inspiring talk and a gut feeling when i was handed the offer letter, but i turned it down. i declined-respectably and with great appreciation. that was wednesday. the rest of the day was "off." to be honest, after i had the "thanks, but sorry" meeting- i got drunk. much like the guy from disney i guess. everything felt off, nothing matched up. i sat up on roof at the wit hotel and then went out with friends to celebrate cinco de mayo---never celebrated that or st patricks before... a bunch of hooligans. however, we had a blast. i had a blast for sure. anyway, the important part is (as cheesy as it sounds) i feel it all over my body that i made the right decision. in the past 48 hours, i've witnessed about 50 things that have made me completely secure in knowing this was absolutely the right thing for me. ......and i think that's where it's at.

have to get ready for a game-