Yesterday, Mobile Loaves and Fishes rolled out a new fundraising and marketing campaign. Mobile Loaves and Fishes is a homeless support non-profit in Austin. What's the big deal?
The big deal is that it affirmed my future. This campaign is so well done, so professional, so moving, and so fully integrated that it made me 100% sure of my decision to attend Advertising Graduate School in the Fall. It make me 100% sure that work I want to do is not only possible it is attainable in my own city.
Here are links to peruse:
http://www.iamheremlf.org/
http://www.iamheremlf.org/the-project/how-it-happened/
http://issuu.com/octobercustompublishing/docs/12baskets_magazine_april2010?viewMode=magazine&mode=embed (this is the best digital magazine I've ever seen)
http://www.statesman.com/blogs/content/shared-gen/blogs/austin/charity/entries/2010/04/27/danny_and_alan_living_on_a_bil.html?cxntfid=blogs_charity_chat
So, what makes these materials so effective? Is it the gorgeous portrait photography? The muscular, moving prose? Is it Alan and Danny sitting on a billboard on I-35? It's all of these things put together. Put together in a way that makes people feel responsible, a little ashamed, a little shocked, and absolutely empowered.
I can't wait to get started. Having direction is so gratifying. Finally!
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
epiphany at Chevron
Last night I was filling up my gas tank, sitting in my car, and watching a homeless man standing by the convience store entrance. This particular homeless fellow looks really homeless. He is super tan, has a matted beard, really ill-fitting (probably because he is so skinny) and soiled clothes. His face looks like he is 100 years old when he might only be 50. I never question his status as a desperate and downtrodden man like I do some of the clean-cut, overweight beggars.
This particular man has asked me for change on several occasions. I have never obliged. Not once. I don't necessarily believe in supplying folks with a couple of dollars to get them through today. I believe in giving people the tools to dig themselves out of even the deepest holes, which, I can't do as I race past him downtown.
I watched this man reach into the trash can and pull out a Wendy's bag. He went through the bag, carefully unfolding the wadded up burger packaging and found nothing. I watched him squeeze the remnants of ketchup from two spent ketchup packages into his mouth. He scraped those packages with his teeth like he was eating an artichoke with lemon and butter.
As a lady approached the convience store entrance he looked ashamed and quickly tried to hide his found treasure in the trashcan, never taking his hands off it. When she was out of sight, he brought it out again and continued digging.
About this time, a car rolls up and is either broken down or out of gas. The homeless man looks up and sees this car about to roll backwards into a post. He waves his hands, drops his Wendy's bag and runs over to this car. He helps the driver of the car (who was wearing an Ed Hardy shirt) push the car out of harms way and into a parking space.
Now, I immeditely assumed that he would ask for money for his deed. He did not. He just smiled the most beautiful, sincere smile and walked away.
I watched LIFE on Discovery on Sunday. This was the episode with the chimpanzees. In a particulary moving scene, one chimpanzee lends his tool for craking nuts to a fellow chimp who doesn't have one. Chimpanzees not only comprehend sharing, they can be kind. I thought this was so sweet and so wonderful and blah blah. But, sitting my car last night I was not as kind as a chimpanzee.
This homeless man can not help himself but he can help others. He may be eating leftover kethcup under the ugly flourescent lights of a Chevron but he was proud to help someone. There are few moments that make you think of the universe differently and, for me, this was one of them.
I will try to be as kind as that chimpanzee. I will try and be as kind as that man who has nothing but kindness to give.
This particular man has asked me for change on several occasions. I have never obliged. Not once. I don't necessarily believe in supplying folks with a couple of dollars to get them through today. I believe in giving people the tools to dig themselves out of even the deepest holes, which, I can't do as I race past him downtown.
I watched this man reach into the trash can and pull out a Wendy's bag. He went through the bag, carefully unfolding the wadded up burger packaging and found nothing. I watched him squeeze the remnants of ketchup from two spent ketchup packages into his mouth. He scraped those packages with his teeth like he was eating an artichoke with lemon and butter.
As a lady approached the convience store entrance he looked ashamed and quickly tried to hide his found treasure in the trashcan, never taking his hands off it. When she was out of sight, he brought it out again and continued digging.
About this time, a car rolls up and is either broken down or out of gas. The homeless man looks up and sees this car about to roll backwards into a post. He waves his hands, drops his Wendy's bag and runs over to this car. He helps the driver of the car (who was wearing an Ed Hardy shirt) push the car out of harms way and into a parking space.
Now, I immeditely assumed that he would ask for money for his deed. He did not. He just smiled the most beautiful, sincere smile and walked away.
I watched LIFE on Discovery on Sunday. This was the episode with the chimpanzees. In a particulary moving scene, one chimpanzee lends his tool for craking nuts to a fellow chimp who doesn't have one. Chimpanzees not only comprehend sharing, they can be kind. I thought this was so sweet and so wonderful and blah blah. But, sitting my car last night I was not as kind as a chimpanzee.
This homeless man can not help himself but he can help others. He may be eating leftover kethcup under the ugly flourescent lights of a Chevron but he was proud to help someone. There are few moments that make you think of the universe differently and, for me, this was one of them.
I will try to be as kind as that chimpanzee. I will try and be as kind as that man who has nothing but kindness to give.
Monday, April 19, 2010
cleanliness is godliness
I equate a good dentist check up to being a good person. I feel a personal responsibility each night and every morning to Dr. Meeks. One of my top 5 worst nightmares would be for him to think I wasn't doing due diligence in my dental hygiene routine.
I had my 6 month check up today. It was my best check up EVER. No cavaties, no calculus (the gross hard stuff), and minimal plaque. Also, the hygienest said I was funny, which is a huge win for me.
Dr. Meeks said I had gorgeous teeth to match my gorgeous face. I'm aware he was bullshitting me. Regardless, I don't think I've ever been so pleased with myself. I think going to the dentist affirms (or denies) my ability to be a responsible adult human. Dr. Meeks sees me twice a year and I'm always at the top of my game when he does. He doesn't know that I stayed up until 3 am watching Lockup Raw and didn't get my work done. He doesn't know that I didn't work out last week. He doesn't know that I'm dreading going to work. He doesn't know that I am falling behind on personal obligations. He doesn't know that I am questioning whether or not I will ever be sure of anything.
He always sees me and my teeth at their best. And that's why I love going to the dentist. I can hide all the real stuff and just be praised for doing my due diligence. Which is all I really want anyway.
Is this insane? Probably. And I don't care.
I had my 6 month check up today. It was my best check up EVER. No cavaties, no calculus (the gross hard stuff), and minimal plaque. Also, the hygienest said I was funny, which is a huge win for me.
Dr. Meeks said I had gorgeous teeth to match my gorgeous face. I'm aware he was bullshitting me. Regardless, I don't think I've ever been so pleased with myself. I think going to the dentist affirms (or denies) my ability to be a responsible adult human. Dr. Meeks sees me twice a year and I'm always at the top of my game when he does. He doesn't know that I stayed up until 3 am watching Lockup Raw and didn't get my work done. He doesn't know that I didn't work out last week. He doesn't know that I'm dreading going to work. He doesn't know that I am falling behind on personal obligations. He doesn't know that I am questioning whether or not I will ever be sure of anything.
He always sees me and my teeth at their best. And that's why I love going to the dentist. I can hide all the real stuff and just be praised for doing my due diligence. Which is all I really want anyway.
Is this insane? Probably. And I don't care.
Thursday, April 1, 2010
thank heavens
I've been thinking a lot lately about gratitude. I don't necessarily mean the 'leap out of bed in the morning and thank God you are alive" kind of gratitude. I mean more like the "this taco is really good and I'm grateful" or the "no one sent me a rude email today and I'm grateful" kind of gratitude. So, even though it's not Thanksgiving, I thought I'd make a short list of everyday things that I am grateful for.
- Good coffee and cold half and half every morning
- A computer that works
- Being accepted into graduate school
- Having a car that is nice
- Having friends, colleagues, and family that are encouraging
- Not being married to the first idiot that came along
- Not having babies, yet
- Crushed ice at Sonic
- Tiger's Blood sno cones with cream
- The found ability to say what I mean to people, even if it hurts their feelings
- New apartment complete with courtyard and serenity fountain
So, these things are mostly lame. But, I've decided that loving and appreciating little things about where you are right now is important. I've decided that every day you wake up your life is a little more complex, a little more involved, than it was the day before. It will never be like it is right now again.
Enjoy.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
