Saying Goodbye.

As the night goes dark, a new day arrives, thus marking 2005, the last year I will live without being a father.

Yep. These 26 years have been quite an adventure. Scarred chins and bike flips. Sports teams and acne creams. Prom King, college ring, marriage zing! This last hour of the year I find myself playing Domino's with my in-laws while eating chocolate chip cookies with ice-cold milk. In about 6 hours we'll be on the road back to Atlanta ready to start the next quarter on Monday.

At least I got to be an Uncle before the year ended. I'm not sure I could have handled TWO major events in one year...wait a minute...I'm having a baby in May AND I'm graduating in October, holy cow!

R.I.P. Patrick Crenshaw

Patrick Crenshaw
Originally uploaded by jtpuck.

Most recently known for his role as "Blue" in OLD SCHOOL, Mr. Crenshaw, 86, died Wednesday at his Fort Worth home. Lyndsey was looking through the Ft. Worth Star Telegram when I noticed the obit. It seems like this guy was in everything, or at least he stood out in everything he did. Back in the old days he had guest appearances in ALICE, DIFF'RENT STROKES, and MORK & MINDY. There aren't too many 'seniors' that can steal a moment from Will Ferrell the way Mr. Crenshaw could. Rest in peace.

Parenthood.

The Baby
Originally uploaded by jtpuck.

I think you've seen my brother, Chris, once before, well now you get to meet Danielle, his wife. Last night; actually, this morning they witnessed the birth of their first child. In the nursery, Chris mimes through the window that Spencer is 6 lbs. 13oz. After his first bath, the baby gets to visit mom for the first time since delivery. Un-friggin'-believable.

I Am Spencer.

Spencer Thomas Puckett
Originally uploaded by jtpuck.

And you can call me Uncle Jason. Meet Spencer Thomas Puckett, my first nephew. The first grandchild for my folks. They've told the story 3 or 4 times already and have nailed the wording and inflections. Mom, dad, and baby are all doing well. Lyndsey and I are excited to be aunts & uncles and have a new perspective on our forthcoming birth in May. Just being in the waiting room, and checking out the other newborns, listening to them cry and watching them stretch and yawn was surreal. Congrats Chris and Danielle.

Waiting.

WaitingRoomPan
Originally uploaded by jtpuck.

That's why it's called the waiting room. There's nothing else you can do. I guess you could read a book, access the web via wireless connections, or sleep. We got the call at 2:45am, Danielle's water broke and she was 6cm dialated. Did you know that my brother and his wife were expecting?...today? We got to the waiting room around 3:30am, the baby was born at 4:26. This panoramic is also a test in the digital capabilities of our new camera, a mighty good Christmas present. 3 shots, 'stitched' together.

Movie Ketchup.

Before the holidays began I had been a little behind in my movie watching; I still am actually. But this time off has allowed for a little more movie time. The strange thing is that now I'm on the verge of fatherhood and my perspective is starting to skew.

Take 1: DVD's. I rented "The 40-Year Old Virgin" and "Mr. and Mrs. Smith" last week; both pretty good. VIRGIN was hilarious, with defintely some classic moments. It was the Unrated virgin, uh, version so I'm not sure what was new to the DVD, but it was more raucous and vulgar than I had imagined. 3 years ago I might not have said the same thing. SMITH was smart and had some well-crafted action sequences; but I couldn't help but wonder, "Could Lyndsey be a hired assassin?" She always comes home tired after work and has a propensity for lists of detailed wonder. Hmm?

Take 2: In Theaters. Had a 2-for-1 day with "The Chronicls of Narnia" and "Syriana" last week. NARNIA I really had no interest in seeing. Hadn't read the books, and the previews didn't tell me what anything was about. It had done so well, and the timing was perfect for my 2-for-1 day that I had to check it out. Great. Great. Great. I was sucked in immediately through the conflict and misunderstanding of the 4 children. No one believes Lucy and her adventure in the wardrobe, Edwards constant bickering with Peter, and his introduction to the White Witch just killed me. The idea of the Witch luring Edward into her carriage with candy made me think of all those horror stories of child abductions. "Come here little girl, I'll give you a ride home." OH MY GOD! My Parental Guidance level shot through the roof. Needless to say I got way too involved in that film but it was a great ride. SYRIANA was a completely different type of film. A great film, yes, some extremely intense moments and excellent writing. In one scene, and I'm not really giving anything away, a child dies in a swimming pool with a loose electrical circuit. A Child. A Swimming Pool. Scared me to pieces! Lesson: Do not go into a swimming pool at night that does not have a light on inside of it. A complicated picture about Oil and Foreign nations, and this is the scene that struck me.

Take 3: King Kong. Though their aren't necessarily any kids in this movie, one could easily argue that KONG is just a big kid in this picture. That moment on the cliffside when Ann Darrow (Naomi Watts) does her vaudeville routine for KONG was sheer pleasure. His giddiness, his laughter, his playful side is done so well, I couldn't help but picture myself cooing and giggling and making faces for our little baby and watching the joy in their eyes. I mean, I do that when I play with our dog, Ranger. It's fantastic! Their are truly some precious moments in this delicate and adventurous film. 3 years ago I might have said the most pleasurable moment was the Kong v. T.Rex fight...that was actually the 3rd best moment.

Critique Mystique.

So I'm down to one last project to finish before critique tomorrow night. It's my chair. It's a chair. One I've designed about a largely controversial topic amongst the shy. Interaction. Discovery. The fear of the next step. I've been in an out of this phobia all my life. Generally after a major step, I hide, until I build the strength to do it once more...which is 2 minutes, 2 weeks, or 2 years.

I've kept this final part of the quarter to the end hoping my Architectural skills will spring into place and knock out these final drawings. There are some sketches on the table, a phase One model, and a mind soaked in anticipation. Time to take that next step.

Family Matters.

As I post tonight after a long hiatus from blogging, a pumpkin pie bakes in the oven, 3 dogs sleep in the basement, my wife's parents and my dad sit at the table watching the nightly news while Lyndsey and my mom have crashed for the evening. It must be Thanksgiving! Actually, this is the first of its kind. Since Lyndsey and I have moved into our new place, much bigger than before, we decided to host Thanksgiving lunch this time around. The news of our latest creation caused no sign for argument; in fact, Lyndsey's 3 grandparents chose to join us as well. This means not only quality home cooking, but the added pleasure of grandchild-in-law spoilage. I guess my school projects will have to wait till...sometime.

A New Addition.

lil_PuckettCrop
Originally uploaded by jtpuck.

So they say a picture is worth a thousand words. This one says a million! And in this case, what you're reading is every...bit...true, and we couldn't be more excited. This ultrasound was taken at 8 weeks, and as of today, Lyndsey has completed her 1st trimester. We're expecting the baby at the end of May. Wish us luck.

MoMA Walk

MoMA Walk
Originally uploaded by jtpuck.

Since I missed the previous group photo, I took a self-portrait in the rollercoaster-length line at the MoMA. Saw some truly great work there including some highly-regarded chairs. I never thought great design could bring tears to my eyes.

Two Guys With Glasses.

4 Eyes
Originally uploaded by jtpuck.

It worked out that while in New York, Manny was able to meet up with us from Brooklyn on 2 occasions. Wearing Dave's hat I had a Michael Stipe moment; and in true architect form, Manny sports well crafted lenses for purely aesthetical reasons. Don't tell his date.

New York Trip

NY Group
Originally uploaded by jtpuck.

Did I tell you I was going to New York? Again, I'm talking about Hank's class. On October 25th & 26th, class convened in Manhattan and we had to get there, put ourselves up, and pray for an agenda. Above you'll see half the group in line at the Museum of Modern Art New York with 350 other people. Target sponsors Free Entry Friday's from 4-7pm and we were jumped at the chance. A couple others got there before we did so they missed this paparazzi moment. From left, John, Christine, Kathleen, Nick, and Boris. Over those 2 days we visited 7 design firms of all shapes and sizes. Extremely inspiring, great work spaces, cultures, and good times on the side.

The Waiting Test.

Part of taking Hank's class is a lesson in patience. Patience with research. Patience with ideas. Patience in waiting...actually, patience IS waiting. My teammates and I have been patient with Hank this morning as we sit on the steps of school under the orange shine of telephone posts. It's 7am. Class starts at 5:30am. Hank is not here and his voice mailbox is full. Now is the time to take action. A few of us have begun talking about a book we're reading, WISE BLOOD by Flannery O'Conner. We've discussed our chairs and the background stories that have inspired them. It's clear who cares about this class. So far, there's 3 of us...3 out of 10. Sure, we've only done 100 sketches, haven't really gotten into project 2 (out of 4, and we have 7 weeks left); but those sketches had no meaning. In fact, there was so much emptiness in our sketches that only ONE person actually showed them. It's a lesson in patience.

You probably have some preconceived notion of our Chair Design project. Whatever that may be, throw it away. It boils down to this. Research a design movement, in my case the Swiss International Style of the 50's and 60's, study it, soak it in, establish relationships and discover motives and principles for that movement during that historical period of time. Somewhere in that discussion, make a connection between them and you. This connection becomes a story, with a central concept, that is then embodied through the design of a chair. Ponder this next time you sit down on what was conceived as "a chair." It's a lesson in patience.

Another 5:30 Morning.

Well, I guess it's about 6 now. Hank drove up a bit late, it's about 55 degrees and I didn't watch the news in my 9 hour run of homework time overnight. But the Astros and White Sox each won in fantastic games. It's hard readjusting to a new class and work schedule, homework load, and family time. I know most of you probably won't understand, but that's ok. You've been reading this journal for a while now and better be familiar with how things work at PC. Next week I'm off for New York with $20 in my wallet. Is that enough?

Soul Explosion.

And by that I'm not referring to a new Aretha Franklin album, I'm referring to the start of my 5th quarter at Portfolio Center. Unbelievable. 4 classes. Corporate Communication - evaluating style and function and the essence of a brand; Message and Content (first class is next week); Adobe inDesign - a multiple page layout program that is finding its way into the industry; and Modernism Theory & Criticism, a.ka Design History, a.ka Hank's class. Hank Richardson, the president of our school and highly respected individual in the field. We met this morning at 5:30am, yes 5:30, A.M...and we continue to do on Fridays. I have never taken so many notes in a single class on a single day and felt so motivated afterwards. We've 5 books to read over the course of the quarter, 4 large projects, and a trip to New York to visit some firms. This class is a PC staple I'm glad to have found my way into.

SNL on LA

The new season of Saturday Night Live is underway with Steve Carrell and Kanye West in the hosting and musical guest chairs, respectively. Man, they have already touched on today's hot topics. Bush, Jet Blue, and now Katrina. This sketch is admittedly, hilarious, primarily taking aim at celebrities, or as SNL says "rich people helping regular people." Woah. I think it's great that anyone can help in any way possible; but I also expect to laugh at anything possible while watching SNL. I can't wait to read how the rest of the world will react in the papers tomorrow. And that Al Pacino imitation was dead-on!

And now, a Girls Gone Wild spoof on Katrina and Rita....wow, that is insane, and quite funny.

Mike Myers and Kanye West once more...brilliant.

The Audience is Key.

Sure, Borders is primarily a book store, but I am primarily a movie and music person; so working upstairs in the Multimedia department is fine with me. I get to open all the new release boxes, put our security cases on them, and shelve them on the popular New Release wall. The titles are specific to certain areas of the wall, but ultimate placement is up to me. So naturally, I put things I'd like to see sell on optimum eye-level shelves. In the end however, the target audience will seek the album they came for. Take for instance this week's music new releases. Top selling artists in Rock, Pop, Country, R&B, and Classical categories are all represented, and what I thought would sell the most in the first 3 days, didn't sell much. Once again I got the demographics all wrong....but so did corporate. (quantity sold/on-hand inventory.)

5/20 - Ryan Adams - "Jacksonville City Nights"
0/13 - Renee Fleming - "Sacred Songs"
6/8 - Toni Braxton - "Libra"
4/4 - Neil Young - "Prairie Wind"
0/14 - Gretchen Wilson - "All Jacked Up"
2/60 - Sheryl Crow - "Wildflower"

Critical Critique.

SouthwestLogo
Originally uploaded by jtpuck.

4th quarter is complete, and I must say that this has been one of two very detailed critiques I've experienced so far. On the whole, my work was received about 50/50 with a couple of items working well and others...not so much. All 4 panelists agreed that my rebranding of Southwest Airlines was the strongest, which I was very happy about. In fact, I should have photographed some of it before I turned it in. Above you'll notice the logo, a new way of looking at SW. I interpreted the Prickly Pear Cactus, the official state cactus of Texas, for the look. A cactus that stores water over long periods of time allowing the flower to bloom even through droughts; not unlike SW's 32 continue years of profitability even post 9/11. That's also where the colors came from. The letterhead suite, luggage tag, ticket sleeve, airplane, and in-flight snack pack I designed followed the same look of safety and service. A couple of my other logos were highlights, as well as a book I did on Alcoholism. Type issues, thoughts on 'see/say' (what you say is what you see), and wrong audience were the weak parts of some of my other pieces. I just got a little too conflicted. Tomorrow, it's moving day.

Pack or No Pack?

As of midnight last night, my 4th quarter projects are complete. The final critique is tomorrow evening so I've got some presentation prep time. Lyndsey and I are also moving into our new duplex on Thursday, so it's not like it's lazy time around the apartment. We still have plenty of item to pack and get ready for when the movers arrive. Moving is such an insane event. What do you pack first? What do you still need to use until moving day? (of course that answer is "everything.") If you pack the kitchen, then you can't eat. If you pack the DVD player, you can't watch movies? If you pack your bathroom, you won't be clean for a few days. These are thoughts that run through my mind; and therefore, even if we have already packed 20 boxes, it still feels like nothing has been packed. Moreover, I forsee attending this same event many more times in the future. It's a show Lyndsey loves to experience. But I still have 2 days with a little Final Critique in the way.

Who Am I Going to Call?

broken cellphone
Originally uploaded by jtpuck.

I've promised some of you that I would call you back, or you've probably called me, not left a message and wondered why I haven't called you back. Well the answer is simple...as you can see. The broken inside and outside screen on my cell phone, though a beautiful piece of artwork, does nothing positive for me. Luckily I can still receive calls; but it makes me wonder, how exactly was life before we all carried cell phones?

Did I really get frustrated not being able to call friends and family at the flick of a thought? Did I actually have numbers memorized since there was no digital storage bank? Are we this needy? I think the answer is yes. I've never been much of a phone talker, but if it's in my hands at all times, there's never been an excuse. I could call mom, or my brother anytime I had a question, wherever I was, wherever they were. After just typing that, another question came to mind, since when have we been anxious to be contacted whenever, wherever we are? Seems like quite a nuisance. Anyway, give me a call, we'll talk about it.

Wake Me Up When September Ends.

So I'm smack dab in the middle of Studio week and of my 2-year tenure at Portfolio Center. This time we have one extra studio week and one less week of break because of the AIGA Design Conference in Boston. Many students and instructors would be away from town for a week and therefore disrupting work and critique time. This change is both good and bad. An extra week never hurts, although it also means more time to tweak...and tweak...and tweak some more. This can easily get out of hand. The plan is still to complete the work as if the situation were normal and still take the standard break off; after all, Lyndsey and I have a whole apartment to pack by Sept. 22nd. So far, it shouldn't be tough...but I'm still planning to take my time so the craftmanship stays top-of-the-line. Critique is Wednesday, the 21st. and 7pm. 7 Logos, a Poster Trilogy, a Pop-up Book + Case, and an array of items for Southwest Airlines rebranding model. Wish me luck.

Where the Streets Have No Name.

Canal St. after Katrina
Originally uploaded by jtpuck.

A view of Canal Street, 3 blocks from Bourbon St., on August 30th, 2005, after Hurrican Katrina hit the shores.

City of Blinding Lights.

Bourbon Street
Originally uploaded by jtpuck.

A view of Bourbon Street, 3 weeks ago, Friday, August 12th, 2005.

Movie Maturity?

It's funny how your tastes change as you get older, more mature. Tap water become Perrier, while others switch from regular coke to Diet. Back seat to front seat; front row to back row in a theater; Dr. Seuss to Socrates. For me one of the most obvious changes has been in my taste in film. It's gone from scenery to story. As much as I love visual effects, production design, and gross out gags, I find myself questioning their validity. How does it help the story? What is the story? I bring this up because of 3 films I saw over the past week for the very first time.

"The Incredibles", from Pixar Animation, had a wildly imaginative story, very clever, and answered all my questions leaving me wanting more. "The Terminal" on the other hand did not. Mind you, I'm not one to ever question Steven Spielberg, until now. (and I haven't seen War of the Worlds) There were too many stories being told in the film, and I only really cared about one: Would Viktor Navorsky get out of the airport and into the U.S.?" I didn't care about the love story, I cared about his friends a little, and I really didn't care why he was visiting. Anyway, it was a beautifully shot movie, but there were too many things going on that didn't matter. Lastly, "The Brothers Grimm" from visionary Terry Gilliam. Bad first half, great second half, tons of great scenery but not enough story. I had too many questions here that made it hard to enjoy until the action really started halfway through....but then I just wanted to see action as the story got lost. 11 years ago, I would have never questioned that sort of thing. 11 years ago I also closed my eyes when John Travolta stabbed Uma Thurman in "Pulp Fiction."

The Swamp Man

The Swamp Man
Originally uploaded by jtpuck.

Last weekend in New Orleans turned out to be a blast! The W Hotel was modernly beautiful. Bourbon street was packed, the architecture was detailed, and the swamps were, well, swamps. The coolest swamps I never thought I would ever enjoy. Hungry alligators, huge spiders, and Devil's Horse Grasshoppers. Great tour Captain Derrick! Everyone should do this next time there in New Orleans.

The Big Easy.

In a couple hours I'll be on my to New Orleans to visit some friends and celebrate the end of bachelorhood for one of my high school/college buddies. Should be a blast as it always is when we get together. I haven't seen most of them in a year now since we've moved to Georgia. Got a couple errands to run today before driving to Birmingham for my Southwest flight. Hopefully I can do some research on the airline while I'm in the air for my branding class. Pretty much have my logo nailed down to a couple of choices. I'll try and post them next week for any feedback.

Right now I'm waiting to meet with a prof for my 'official' logos class and for the third time in 5 weeks, he's running 40 minutes behind schedule. Not good on a time tight day like this one. See you in a few days.

Let's Talk about Minimalism.

Minimalism is a rediscovery of the value of empty space. A radical elimination of everything that does not coincide with a program; extreme simplicity. And if I didn't have an emotional attachment to most of my stuff, I would be a complete minimalist. Ask me what kind of shirt I tend to buy, and I'll say a 'solid color.' Favorite kind of architecture? Simple, linear forms. One thing I do most at our apartment? Throw stuff away. Even in design, my heart yearns for simplicity and cleanliness. So how do I get rid of items that I haven't even looked at in a year? How do I toss those posters I haven't put on the wall since college?

Next month Lyndsey and I just might be moving into a new place, a bigger place, with room for me to work and not spill out all over the apartment. Our goal is to really cleanse ourselves of meaningless items. It'll help in our move, and make us feel better about our new place. Why trash up a perfectly clean abode with useless materials. I've already consolidated my CD's and DVD's into Case Logic books, ridding myself of plastic cases and 'most' liner notes. Hopefully Lyndsey and I can work something out with the rest of our junk (treasure?).

The Cost Factor.

Prototype Infill Housing Project
Originally uploaded by jtpuck.

Being a full-time design student, part-time Borders lackey, and excited married man doesn't bode well on the pocketbook. Am I the only person who feels like the rest of the world has no concept of money and prices? Why should we have to PAY for good design when it should be inherent in our everday lives? Just for tonight, let's talk about housing; apartments, townhomes, condominiums, lofts, single-family homes, et. al. I'm a renter. A design enthusiast, with a little architectural training, and dreams of a unique, functional, living space for me and my family. I also subscribe to DWELL magazine, a fantastic publication made for someone like me, but with money.

Pictured above is half of a small 4-unit project in Dallas that excited me. A dream concept by an experienced architect who wanted to "bring the single-family home back to the urban infrastructure." He adds, "Homes that are still somewhat affordable." Hopes rose from the grave until he mentioned they were $275,000. Ok, so I guess that is somewhat affordable for a 2/2 townhome, with 1,700 sq. ft. in the city. BUT it's not affordable for me, and that's why I'm writing here tonight. Isn't there anyone out there willing to take a risk for the young couples tired of wasting their low-salary wages on pet deposits, shared water meters, and rent that shows no return?

I know this is just a soapbox rant, but I'm tired of overpriced housing. I'm tired of overpriced good design. Good design should be for everyone.

The Slide House

SlideHouseBrownsville
Originally uploaded by jtpuck.

In my previous post about the Top 5 Observations of Brownsville, I mentioned this house. The first house I have ever seen in Brownsville, Texas with a built-in water slide (lower left). This is a huge house with tons of east facing windows along the back. I'm pretty sure it's designed by the owner of this new firm in town. There's a large billboard in the front yard advertising all the features they can provide which also happen to be in this house. Things like a workout room, two-way built-in fish tank, porch water fountain and pond, built-in safe, audio/video system with electric projection screen, 3-dimensional artwork in the children's bedrooms, oh, and the slide. Also note the cubic wonder under construction next door. That may be the first of its kind as well.

Deep Sea Fishing Fun.

BoatTrip
Originally uploaded by jtpuck.

Did I mention that we went Deep Sea Fishing while on vacation over the 4th of July? It was a blast, except that 4 of the 7 of us got sick. I wasn't one of them. This photo is on the trip out to the deep. We were heading 20 miles out, went through some 8 ft swells, and got nailed with water blasts. It was awesome. From left you'l see Lyndsey, my brother Chris, and Danielle's half-brother, Andrew. He puked bigtime.

End of Week One.

School has started back up again this week, now in my 4th Quarter. Here's where things really take a turn for the serious. The lingering thought of graduation, creating my final portfolio, and the lackluster impact my work has had so far (according to me), it's time to delve a little deeper. I've only got 4 classes this time which means one thing: RESEARCH. Arguably the most important aspect to good design is knowing the who, what, where, when, why, and all that stems from research. So even though I have 400 logo sketches to bust out this week and I've only done 30, the important thing to remember is the research. I'm going to take a stab at rebranding Southwest Airlines, which will then include a new look on stationary, ticket sleeves, luggage tags, inflight meals, steward uniforms, and the plane itself. Also have a 4-project class that will include a Pop-Up book (completely by hand), and 7 new logos will be created for my Symbols, Logos and Metaphors class. So enough of this, time to get back to sketching.

Bridge Over Troubled Landings.

Just returned from my 4th of July break in Brownsville and South Padre Island (SPI), TX and heard an interesting story for the very first time. The Queen Isabella Memorial Causeway, a 2.5 mile bridge connecting Port Isabel with SPI, was originally designed to be a long, straight [read boring] structure. When the owner of the land where the bridge was to meet the island discovered this, he was furious. It was going to take up precious commercial space and devalue the property. Somehow he managed to convince the powers that be to move the point of contact further south, off his property, changing the path of the bridge. Now, the causeway is a more sensual, curvilinear road with varying views of the island, adding just the right amount of anticipation to the approach. One of the true design marvels in the Rio Grande Valley.

Top 5 New Brownsville Observations.

5. Houses, Houses, Houses. All the empty fields around town when I was younger are now being filled with residential developments; for better or worse.

4. Amigoland Mall, the older and less developed shopping center is now defunct. The University of Texas at Brownsville has purchased the building and has developed new labs, classrooms, and facilities for existing departments. The tire lube center on the campus is now the Mechanics department. This is also in addition to new buildings around the back of the existing college.

3. Hooter's has arrived and is now accepting applications. Oddly enough, it's located just down the street from Stiletto's, a gentlemen's club.

2. In a new neighborhood under construction, a monstrous custom home is being built on a resaca (oxbow lake). From the other street, looking into the backyard, you'll see the cities first built-in waterslide going from the second floor balcony into the pool, complete with steps back up. This house will probably be at least $350,000.

1. Muchas Taquerias. One new one in particular around town called
"Betty's Taqueria." The sign says their tacos are 'Betty, Betty, good.'
Welcome to Brownsville.

Kong Krazy.

I'm glad there's only about 5 months lefts until Peter Jackson's new movie, instead of almost a year for Ron Howard's "Da Vinci Code." This is about the standard, not-too-ridiculous amount of time to build a buzz about a bigtime, unbelievable, can't-wait-that-long kind of movie like "King Kong." And you can see the eagerly awaited first trailer for the film at www.volkswagen.com. I've never said this before, but I actually adjusted my evening schedule of packing, booted up my laptop, and stared straight at the television until the end of tonights Fear Factor, just to watch the debut trailer. And let me tell you, it was worth it. If Steven Spielberg is the master of the cinematic "push", Peter Jackson is the master of the "pull." When Naomi Watts screams, and we pull back from the cave as Kong screams...absolutely terrifying. Is it too early to promote Jack Black or Naomi Watts for an Oscar? (and she doesn't even 'speak' a word in this trailer) Perhaps. Am I crazy about this trailer? Yes. Kong looks phenomenal. This film will be huge. This film will be great. This film will blow your mind. I will probably try to see it more times in the theater than I did "Jurassic Park" in 1993....and that will not be good on the pocketbook. When you read tomorrow that over 50 million people logged on to watch the trailer again, I hope you think of me. God bless you, Peter Jackson.

Confirmation Affirmation.

I know we had something printed out. I remember seeing it. Lyndsey remembers seeing it. Sometime in mid-April we had made reservations through Travelocity.com for 2 roundtrip tickets from Atlanta to Brownsville, June 28th-July 4th. It wasn't until yesterday that we discovered we had, in our names, nothing of the sort. What we did have was a confirmed cancellation of an existing reservation due to credit card errors. At least this is what the people at Travelocity told us. Also, apparently we were to have received an automated email about such errors, which Lyndsey did not have, and she hasn't deleted a single one since 1998. Needless to say, Travelocity's attempts at retribution were short and hardly worth mentioning. This trip was to be our First Anniversary gift to each other, in celebration of using Travelocity a year ago to purchase our honeymoon. Now we're celebrating by paying 30% more for our trip 2 days away. I could have sworn we printed out a confirmation.

The Cruise Hasn't Sailed.

If I was a journalist on the 'Today' show interviewing Tom Cruise, my first question would have been a little different. "So, Tom, don't you have a little film coming out next week? And doesn't it involve one of the greatest masters of filmmaking and his greatest film subject? Tell me about it." And now that I'm thinking about it, my last question would have been a little different as well. "So, Tom, how's Katie doing? Did you think Christian Bale pulled off the character?" I think it's great that he's in love (again). I commend him for wanting to share it with his friends, even if those friends include Oprah's tv show, I don't care about his religious beliefs or what he says. I only care that he continues to make good movies with great people. I wish an interview, news segment, or magazine article would tell me about friggin' "War of the Worlds." I want to know. And you can add me to the statistic that will still see the film regardless of the mumbo jumbo. So, Tom, what do the aliens look like?

The Masthead

activityMasthead
Originally uploaded by jtpuck.

Here's the masthead for the magazine I concepted in my Publication class as described in the previous post.

Magazine Prescription.

I nearly had a heart attack at Borders this past Sunday. But to tell you that story, I have to first tell you this one:

I took a Publication class this quarter. We had to concept a new magazine, design a masthead (logo), 3 covers, a 3-spread feature, table of contents, editors letter, and a few department spreads. I first created "homeREC", a DIY recreational mag. that mixed "ReadyMade" with "Sports Illustrated"; but, I was having too many issues with the content and everyone would always laugh and say "home wrecker". So I changed it, turned it into a recreational mag that simply promotes getting off the couch. I called it "activity". The departments were based on the senses, ACT, SEE, EAT, HEAR....these are things you do when you go out, when you do something. It was for singles and couples, 20-40, that would have talked about Disc Golf, sports on a date, beach fun, museums, concerts, even had an article on new Rollercoasters coming out this year. Anyway, the concept and the masthead succeeded in critique last Tuesday night, but my layouts were weak and conflicting.

So...

At Borders, I was cleaning up the magazine rack and saw the July/August Premiere issue of "Weekend" magazine (weekend.net), 'the new magazine that makes the most of the time we call our own.' It talks about different things to do for a great weekend, home or away. It has an aesthetic style very similar to "Real Simple", feminine, for families, clean, and a good read. THEY STOLE MY IDEA! Or at least, the generalities of my idea. There was even a blurb about wooden rollercoasters around the country. How unbelievable is this? So I bought it, and I'll probably prescribe a year's worth of the mag to make me feel worse.

Beginnings and Endings.

Summer films are always filled with sequels, prequels, and somewhere-in-betweenquels. Luckily, I've been able to catch 2 of the big ones. "Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith" completes the new trilogy, confirming the creation of Darth Vader, and finishing the 6-film landmark saga. This film is emotionally heavy, action-packed, and filled with darkness; in turn, making it the best of the prequels. Everyone takes their acting up a level, except for Natalie Portman, and especially Ian McDiarmind as Senator Palpatine/Darth Sidious. Everything comes full circle and blends into Episode IV without a hitch. The only question that remains is, in what order are we going to show our kids?

"Batman Begins" resurrects a dying comic book favorite from neon hell with a new star, new director, and everything in between. This film is absolutely brilliant. Roger Ebert was right on the money when he said, "This is the movie I did not realize I was waiting for." The history, the skills, the Wayne family, all the who-what-where-when-why are here without question as to the creation of Batman, and I believe it. Christopher Nolan and David Goyer convinced me. Christian Bale as the new masked avenger convinced me, and I've never been more excited about the character. This new Batman is emotionally heavy, action-packed, and filled with darkness; do we see any similarities? I'll probably write the same thing for Spielberg's "War of the Worlds."

New Look.

Well, it's the end of my 3rd quarter at Portfolio Center, and the beginning of something new. No, you have not accidentally typed in the wrong website, this is still the slow and sarcastic blog life of Jason Puckett, but a new Jason Puckett. One with a little more design knowledge under his belt. One with a better understanding of hierarchy. One who knows better than to use u.t's burnt orange as its primary background color, when I am indeed a graduate of Texas A&M's maroon and white. "But Jason, what's that orange rectangle in the upper left corner of the screen?" Well, I'm glad you asked. First off, it's part of the template, a template I think is phenomenal. Secondly, orange is blue's complimentary friend and therefore very pleasing to the eye, so I think I'll leave it right where it is.

This Week in 3 Weeks.

Couple of exciting things happening this week, one of which happened today. SEINFELD Season 4 is released on DVD today and Thursday marks the opening of Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith. The mere mention on this website reflects the level of importance and anticipation I have for the subjects. Only to be followed with a quick sigh at the thought of not being able to partake in such greatness (or possible greatness for Sith) for a few more weeks. The clock ticks down on the spring quarter at school and my work load peaks as final projects filter from my sliced fingertips. What is a Seinfeld/Star Wars fan to do? Absolutely nothing, hoo-ah! Just have to be patientl. The Junior Mint, The Outing, The Implant, The Contest – all have to wait. Even Anakin has to wait a few more weeks before Darth Vader can rise. In fact, I invite all you out there to join in the waiting process. Let's do this together. Ah, who am I kidding.

Belated Birthday Greetings.

So I'm mentally in the dog house for not mentioning to everyone that my beautiful wife, Lyndsey, celebrated her 25th birthday last Thursday. I had planned to talk about it earlier, but didn't want to give the plans away in case she were to peruse this online periodical. It was a great evening. I surprised her with dinner at Benihana's, the fantastic Japanese hibachi grill, both our favorites . Our fellow Atlanta-Texans, Chris and Jana Duke joined us and I must say the Shrimps were top notch! I want a Benihana chef at home. Lyndsey opened only one gift Thursday morning after she woke up, a pair of pants that were too big and a blouse that was too small. Hey, it's my first birthday shopping trip as a husband, someday I'll get it right. The other presents she had already received within the prior three days. I couldn't help myself. Lyndsey, I love you, congratulations on another great year, this next one should be just as great. Although, we did get married during this past birth year...

Slice of Life.

Yesterday I found myself at a friend's house printing out a copy of a poster I'm working on. He was finishing some work for the same class that afternoon. I borrowed his Ginsu sharp X-Acto blade to cut my poster together. It was a different type of blade, never seen one like this before, with a subtle curve along the blade. The Grim Reaper of X-Acto blades, and likely so, for as I began my first cut, my right hand slipped from the surface and slashed straight through the soul of my left index finger. One, two, bleed. A homemade wrap worked overtime to keep the blood from rushing down my arm. We went to class and my peers were instantly shocked at the red Bounty around my finger. So I presented, got feedback, and headed towards the hospital. Of course I had called Lyndsey and her sister, since it was still bleeding, the ER seemed like the right decision. I've got three stitches and am heading back tomorrow for a check-up, hopefully it's healing well.

Package Tests

PackageTests
Originally uploaded by jtpuck.

In my Packaging class, I've chosen Hanes Premium brand socks to redesign. They're only sold at Target in packs of 6 and in those blasted plastic bags. The Hanes Premium brand is said to promote comfort and durability so well, "your feet will forget that they live such a rugged lifestyle." I kid you not. Does the plastic bag promote a rugged lifestyle? or a Premium sock? I don't think so, and that is the challenge that lies ahead. The photo depicts a few physical packaging experiments I developed this past weekend. Obviously, some are NOT to scale. One of them though, with further development, may be in the right direction. We shall see.

The Wheel of the Woodlands.

Just a quick note really fast. Lyndsey and I were watching Wheel of Fortune when they introduced a woman, Amy something, from The Woodlands, Texas. Of course, you all know The Woodlands is where I used to live and work near Houston. Fancy that! Well, come to find out, she blows all the contestants away by solving every puzzle in the game, including the final one. Amy walked away with $55,000 in cash and prizes including a trip to Turkey. Lucky her. Oh, and she collects worms.

Bookmaking: Week One.

Books
Originally uploaded by jtpuck.

Wednesday night I have a Bookmaking class where we do as the name says. Make Books, different types, with unique binding ways and styles; and we'll do a new set each week. A viable topic in the curriculum of graphic design, bookmaking is one of the most important aspects of any multi-page document. How will it be bound? Why did you choose that particular way? These are questions that will come up in our critiques, and it has to work right, have the correct meaning.

This is a collection of Single Section Pamphlet books that could used for a number of things. Small promotionals, note taking, journals. They were stitched together and I have the scar to prove. After this class, I'll never look at a book the same way again. Instead of opening it up to read the content, I'll be checking out the binding. Maybe you will too.

100 Ideas of Peace.

Last night we had our first Seminar for the quarter. Our guest was Josh Chen, principal of Chen Design Associates (CDA) in San Francisco. He told us a great story of his upbringing from Singapore to Belgium, Paris, and eventually to Springfield, Missouri. His interest in art began from painting ceramics in kindergarten to his week long field trip to a castle in Belgium sometime in the 3rd or 4th grade. Yes, we gasped too. Elementary in Europe seems much different than the states. Chen covered some of his firm's projects including a recent book they designed and printed called "Peace 100 Ideas." A brilliant collection of ways to practice or preserve peace interpreted through words and image by the firm. Inspired by a project from the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation, CDA has created a welcoming piece with thought-smiling illustrations and mind stretching exercises. For more info on the book and to send your own e-peace card, check out www.peace100ideas.com. My personal challenge is #58. Clear Your Mind. What's yours?

Type is Mass.

That is the subject of my second class, learning to give character and meaning to large amounts of body copy. Taught by a great instructor, whom I had my first quarter. She's very talented, organized, demands a lot from us, and pushes us in new and creative directions. Perfect. The project this time around is to use a movie, play, musical, or opera as a subject. Find the text of our favorite scene, we'll be using this as visual fuel in our designs. One poster, a playbill (minus ads), a direct mail piece, and 3-dimensional version of the poster in the form of a mobile that would potentially hang inside the theatre. Very exciting, very emotional, and lots of sketching to do. Just the motivation I need.

Lyndsey and Ranger

Lyndsey and Ranger
Originally uploaded by jtpuck.

So I'm trying to work out the kinks in posting photos to the blog here. Thought I'd try it out with this image of Lyndsey and our dog, Ranger. Just after a freeze this January they sat by the window looking at the ice outside. Don't worry, those aren't jail bars outside the window, just the railing across the door.

3rd Quarter. Day One.

All right. It's time to get back into the swing of things at Portfolio Center. Picked up my schedule for the quarter, even added a 5th class to bulk up my time, four just seemed to little. Tonight was a Packaging class. From the sound of it, it's going to be a winner. Choose an existing product, research the hell out it, become the product, become the target market, concept a re-design and do it. 5 pieces for the final deliverable. Tons and tons of conceptual work will be done on this one. I'm going to try something new, something I haven't done before, something I'm...dare I say it...afraid of. God help me.

Free Film Finales.

Knowing quite well I'd miss most of the big summer season of films this quarter, I tried to catch a few this weekend. Thursday, I had tickets to a sneak preview of "The Ballad of Jack and Rose", a coming-of-age drama with Daniel Day-Lewis written and directed by his wife, Rebecca Miller. It was the first time Lyndsey and I could make it to a sneak preview, since I didn't have class. The film was great! A rough and sensually shot story about a dying father, his innocent daughter, and how their lives change when he invites his girlfriend and 2 sons out to their commune to live with them. With a great performance by Daniel Day-Lewis, "Jack and Rose" will make you uncomfortable and sympathetic for the characters. That's what drama should do.

Friday, I headed out to see Frank Miller's "Sin City", a comic book translated almost frame by frame to the big screen by Robert Rodriguez and an amazing cast. Compiling three of the comics, pulp fiction style, Rodriguez brings the high contrast black and white stories to life with visual gusto not scene in a very long time. Sin City is violent, hilarious, and sensual with powerful characters who believe revenge is a dish best served right away, their way. Mickey Rourke, Bruce Willis, Jessica Alba, and Brittany Murphy give the best performances with short shining moments by Alexis Bledel of The Gilmore Girls and Josh Hartnett. I loved the film's style, humor, structure, and the short bit with Josh Hartnett that bookends the film is classic film noir and the perfect way to set the film. I read the graphic novels before I saw the film, and was still excited how it worked on screen.

Now, if all goes well, we have a pass to a sneak preview for "Sahara" with Matthew McConaughey tomorrow night. This will probably be the last flick I see till Star Wars, May 19th. Hope it's fun.

2718 Grams.

3 Entertainment Weeklies, 2 Communication Arts, 2 Dwell, and 1 HOW magazine were set aside during the last month while I tended to my final projects and the end of the second quarter. 2,718 grams of intellectual and entertaining bliss sat there, neglected. Now that my two week break has come, it's time to catch up and not just on those mags. Between forward-thinking education at Portfolio Center and working part-time at Borders (NYSE: BGP) my interest in books and reading has serviced a major overhaul. I used to only read my email and Totino's cooking instructions, now I find a new book everyday at work. Some of which I should have read in high school, like "The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy." The movie comes out in May, the preview looks so fantastic, and I want to read it before I see it. Any other time before last fall, and you would have never heard me say that. Why ruin a good movie by reading the book first? My first experiment, "Sideways" by Rex Pickett. I read it at work a few weeks before I saw the film. Absolutely hilarious! Couldn't believe I enjoyed it so much. Saw the movie trying to forget I read the book. Enjoyed it very much too, outstanding characters, great story; but part of me was disappointed that some great moments from the book were not in the movie. I had become literate, and understood what my peers and English professors constantly mentioned with every film adaptation. Thankfully I read the Lord of the Rings trilogy after I saw the films...not disappointed in those, but they followed the books rather well.

Last week I finished the 3 graphic novels used in Frank Miller's "Sin City", a new film by Robert Rodriguez with a plethora of great actors. Very, very cool stories, lots of great moments, and Rodriguez is codirecting with Frank Miller to shoot the film practically panel for panel from the comic. It looks amazing and I simply cannot wait to see. 2 other books I'm trying to finish during the break: "blink" by Malcolm Gladwell about thinking and decision making controlled by our unconscious and "The Substance of Style" by Virginia Postrel discussing how the rise of aesthetic value is remaking culture and the marketplace. Anyone else have a suggestion? Maybe I'll get to it during the next break. Oh and out of those 8 mags, I have 3 left to finish.

Happy Easter to Everyone!

Thought I would drop that in while there's still time. Lyndsey and I had a great time today, probably the first time we have not spent an Easter with other members of our family. We found a church we like in the area, third one we've visited. Didn't realize we were that picky, but they did have the best cookies! Although the first church we visited had sausage biscuits so we really couldn't be that picky. The sanctuary was nice, people seemed normal, and it felt right. Enjoyed lunch at a restaurant we had never been to, BRIO tuscan grille, absolutely the best side salad I've ever had (the chopped one), and spent the day relaxed at the apartment surrounded by lightning flashes and thunderstorms. Enjoy your week.

The Sophomore Slump?

When bands release their second album, or a director makes their second film, the sophomore slump is usually feared by everyone, myself included, except this time it was for my Second Quarter Critique (crit). Having my projects completed one day early meant 2 things: one more day to prepare my presentation, and one more day to worry about how possibly negative this crit could turn out. Set for Tuesday at 8pm, I got a call that day to possibly come in at 6:30pm, apparently they had to juggle some other crits that people might have asked for extensions on (didn't think that was possible?). Packed up, went to school, waited to get called. Lyndsey came too. My projects this time were more realistic and less abstract which meant 'easy to pack.' Books, brochures, letterhead suites, posters, very manageable.

Panel Crits just like last quarter, 4 people, one of which was in my panel last time and was one of my instructors this quarter. The other three were 2 women, one I was familiar with, and another guy I didn't know. I felt good, the presentation was sound, felt positive about almost everything and before I knew it, I was done. The one guy I didn't know voiced his opinion first with a strong positive statement in a sad, underwhelming tone. "Well, I'm glad to see that you didn't stick with a particular method or style with your projects. It's good to see that you've experimented with different things so all your work doesn't look the same." CHECK, that was a primary goal I hoped to accomplish this time around. Then he counters, "but I don't think these were the best solutions to your design problems." SHUCKS. He continued in a depressed manner that I didn't approve of very much but I nodded and smiled. Then the lady I didn't know. She was reading a book I made with a personal story on Alzheimers I wrote, called "memory" (my favorite piece) She stopped and said, "I wish I had more time to read this, you're a very good writer, and this is my favorite piece of yours here." Would it have been inappropriate to embrace her at this time? And so was the consensus for all. Half was liked, half disliked. One person didn't care for a logo, and someone else said I nailed it. Welcome to the world of design.

Ok, Ok, Ok...

So I noticed it's been a while, and people have reminded me that it has indeed been a while (Aldo!!), but I didn't realize it had been THAT long. When I read that my last post was over 5 weeks ago, I nearly spit coke all over my laptop. Thank goodness I didn't. Lots of things to talk about, and I know you're all excited to find out how my second quarter finished up. Let's get to it.

My mom and aunt came to visit during Studio Week, the week before my final critique where I meet one last time with my instructors, go over final designs and commense final production on all projects. I had about 12 different pieces of work to complete and was frantically worried about balancing project time with family time. Lyndsey and I had it all figured out. We would rent the guest apartment at our complex for our visitors (cheaper than a hotel), and when they were in bed, I'd be able to work all night. We booked it a month in advance, and when I went to pick up the key, all mouths dropped when we found out they had just rented it out to someone else that MORNING! I am Jason's Heart Attack. Nonetheless, they stayed with us, I worked and attended class in the morning, we toured the city during the day, and I worked after they went to bed. Ended up completing my projects a day early....go figure.

One Week Less.

I was aghast today in class when we were discussing the rest of the quarter. Apparently we only have 2 weeks left of class before studio and critique week. UNBELIEVABLE. For some reason, I thought we had 3 more weeks of class left. Plenty of time to complete final concepts and really get my designs straightened out before taking them to print. Have I mentioned my mom and aunt are coming to visit during their spring break? This also happens during my studio week. I'll be working and celebrating a lot during that time. It's crunch time for this second quarter. For those of you out there expecting phone calls, letters, or long emails....expect short and succinct. See you at 3am.

Movie Break.

I'd like to take a moment here to talk about the recent Academy Award nominations. In my history of film appreciation, I have never missed so many films in one year as I have in 2004. I've always looked forward to the awards season from nominations to online contests and finally the show itself. This year, I don't feel like I can honestly say anthing should win because I haven't seen anything! In fact, let me mention it one more time, I haven't seen any of the big nominated films this year. From the top nominees, I've only seen one, "Sideways." This was a fantastic film, also a hilarious book, and I will pick up the DVD when it comes out, but it won't win Best Picture...probably just the screenwriting nomination. "Million Dollar Baby", "Finding Neverland", "Ray", "The Aviator", "Closer", "Hotel Rwanda", "The Incredibles", and "The Passion of the Christ" are all big movies this year that I've missed. Thankfully 2 of my favorites this year made some of the categories, "Collateral" and "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind." Perhaps I'll still be able to catch at least The Aviator before the big show. Props go to Jamie Foxx, Natalie Portman, Brad Bird, "Super Size Me", and Thomas Haden Church...hope some of you win next month. For a complete listing, go to www.oscars.org.

End of Week Two.

School is now challenging on an even higher level than last quarter, so for those that still don't quite understand what kind of stuff I'm doing here, I thought I might fill you in a bit. Grab a coffee, and enjoy.

Type II. After Type I, I thought we couldn't get into any more detail with Typography, but that's because I didn't know better. Here we're breaking type down to the parts of a letter, what they mean, type styles based on these letter parts, how they work, typefaces that can work together and why. I will never look at Helvetica the same way again. Final project here will be a 10-14 page brochure for something not yet announced to us.

Design II is about identity systems (logos, letterhead, envelopes) and promotions, plus we picked an Artist out of a hat and all our work revolves around the style and promotion of that artist. I reached in the cup to find that Frida Kahlo chose me. Yes, our instructor believes that WE don't choose the artist, they choose us. It really has proven true based on my classmates and the artists' that chose them. Deliverables are the identity system above, a poster, and a promotional product with packagaing.

My Color + Communications class revolves around seeing color, understanding it, breaking it down, and seeing how color palettes are used in projects, buildings, and aesthetics to communicate the idea you want. We've chosen a 'place' around town (for me it's the Starlight Six Drive-Inn, go figure), shot photos, developed a 20-30 color palette, and will develop a box of cards, a set of 12 or so with 5 or 6 different designs, promoting the place using the color palette of the place.

I've got a Photography and Writing class team taught by 2 profs, 1/2 the class is photography - learning the camera, depth of field, shutter, telling a story with a photo, etc. Different assignments each week that will lead to our final project. Other 1/2 of the class is about writing, learning metaphor, simile, dialogue, narrative, telling the story with words, utilize the senses, engage the reader to create a picture. Wonderful in class 20-min writing prompts, homework are writing examples, short stories, based on a single statement, or character, etc... Final project will be a hardbound, accordian fold book, one side photography, other side writing, telling a story, which we will create, most likely something personal. They really push developing personal life stories in our projects, the angels and the demons.

Lastly, Quark II, a page layout class. Had Quark 1 last quarter, no project, just learning the program. This time, more details, really learning what it can do and how to use it, also a bit of Photoshop tips and tricks for cool details. A huge project on this one. Create a target audience for a fictious extended-stay hotel which we'll develop, concept the amenities, location, name, then create a logo, a 12 page Brochure/pamphlet selling this place, and packaging for a product at this place (restaraunt menu, bar soap boxes, postcards, whatever).

So, that is what my quarter looks like. 5 classes, huge projects, 10 weeks. Wish you were here.

Jason and the Giant Peach.

For the first time in my life I saw the PEACH drop. That's right, peach, not million dollar crystal ball. Here I am in Georgia, some would consider the east coast. After spending my whole life in the Central Time Zone, you wouldn't believe how excited I was to experience a New Year time change in official EST, what the networks consider el primo tiempo zono. Lyndsey and I had a couple friends over for dinner, drinks, games, and to watch the ball drop. 3 out of 4 isn't that bad. In Downtown Atlanta, 40,000 people gather to celebrate the new year by watching a Giant, non-million dollar, orange fruit drop from a tall post. I know, just watching anything drop from the sky to celebrate a new year seems ridiculous, but the New York special was nowhere to be found on Atlanta television. No Regis, no history, just a peach and the local newscasters. The only highlight of the show were some great tunes provided by Sister Hazel. So I want to welcome everyone to 2005, a year of new beginnings, exercise programs, and many creative directors using the the 2 and 5 creatively and interchangably in many programs, brochures, and posters. Have fun everyone!