Fifty Shades of Gray…Hair

On my last visit to the barber, I couldn’t help but notice that as my hair was cut away, that what was once black was now gray.   More than that, I was starting to look and consider whether I had more black or more gray hair.  This was a bit disturbing.

Proof I once had mostly black hair.

That was then, this is now.

I suppose I should be thankful that I am reaching a more acceptable age for graying – and that at least there is still a bit of pepper.

I come by it honestly, as my father apparently had his first gray hair at age 4 and had graying temples as a teenager.   I have few memories of my father without gray hair, and as I think fondly of my dear old Dad, my sensibility about gray hair may be more positive than others.

By most accounts, I am also lucky to be a man with gray hair as opposed to a woman.  People often say that gray hair on a man makes him look distinguished or even cool.   People are generally not as forgiving for woman in this area.

Then there is the big, profound question:

To Dye or Not To Dye? 

While it is completely acceptable for woman to dye their hair (even when they don’t have gray ones to hide), dyeing for men has more of a stigma.

I know of some contemporaries of mine who make the choice to dye and more power to them.

One of my issues with it is that if it isn’t done well, it looks awful.  Way worse than the gray hair.  Also, once you journey down that path, it can be difficult to return.

The stage between a person who has dyed their hair for a long time and then decides to return to their natural color can be a bit awkward.

I have some friends who say I am lucky and should be thankful that my hair is going gray and not simply going…

All of this has me thinking about what it means to age gracefully.  For a few years now I find myself sometimes complaining to my wife about getting old.  Her usual response is that if I’m complaining in my forties about being old, what will I be like at sixties (probably a gray haired grumpy old man).

As each year passes, I find myself trying to balance the need and desire to hold on to the charms of youth, while admitting and accepting the inevitable changes that come with getting old..er.

My father, who is in his late seventies, has said for years, he doesn’t feel the number of his age.  After all, age is simply a number.

Being in the marketing field, I am acutely aware that appearing youthful is at a premium. Between fashion magazines or Hollywood, the search for the fountain of youth is constant.   There are several billion dollar industries aimed at trying to keep us “young.” Organizations are often looking to hire fresh new talent (which is usually much cheaper) than retaining or seeking those with a bit more salt in their coif.

Is it better to hire a younger, go-getter or someone with more experience? I suppose it depends what the role is that you are seeking to fill and the make-up of your organization.   There are advantages to having team members who have not yet been molded in any particular fashion as you build internal culture. There are also huge benefits to having co-workers who can bring their experience to the table.

Of course, age is only one factor.   Whether hiring within your organization, or engaging a partner to work with, it is critical to look at the whole number of characteristics. Age certainly does not dictate attitude. As an adjunct professor, some of my students are positive, dynamic and engaged, while some appear negative and apathetic.   A friend of mine who has since passed away, was energetic and full of life at 85!   I joke that age does not equal maturity, which may explain why I get along with kids so well.  My dad is yet another example, as he plays he plays his drums with the same youthful enthusiasm I image he did 50 years ago!

Now that I have growing children, I find myself embracing both the aging process and remaining young at heart, even if my children won’t remember me before I turned into a silver-haired Dad.

I may not be as quick on the basketball court as I once was, but I’m still out there playing with gusto and enjoying the game.   Perhaps that is the point – enjoy the game – whatever your age.

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The Importance of Art in Advertising

Guest Blog by: Ricardo Burks

 

“We first see with our eyes and our brain processes imagery before we read type.”

 

-Avery Sohn

 

Da Vinci’s Flying Machine schematics

Art is finicky. It can be the most exhilarating thing or it could miss the mark for someone entirely. That being said art holds value in our daily lives. Without art, the Earth would just be meh. Cringing jokes out of the way, art does give meaning to life. Imagine a world without colors. What would a summer look like without a major blockbuster at the cinema? Better yet, what would life look like without the great artist whose ideas became real? Da Vinci’s schematics for the flying machine is a prime example. 

 

Granted it might have not made it off the ground, but he did create an idea that would be extended and molded until it became a real life contraption.

However art when it comes to advertising is seen as this negative thing to some folks. Some folks tend to believe that when it comes to advertising, art is forced to become this impure idea that diminishes the value of the art. Industry professionals have a different take on the notion. Deborah Racono, an art director and advertising professor at Temple University, said that art serves as an “inspiration to advertising”. This is abundantly clear when professionals are asked to list some of their favorite artists. Classics like Claude Monet and Van Gogh are brought up but also switch hitters like Ray and Charles Eames who are architects at heart. Even if these artists were contacted to draw up an ad, it would still be tasteful as art and advertising share a special dance.

Claude Monet’s Weeping Willow

 

The Artist Waltz

Advertising is about sharing an idea to the world so you can make a sale. With that in mind, a client has to choose the right artist for the job so that it can still be pure. That is what’s really going to stick in people’s heads. The artist has to then make sure that they communicate the ideas well and build a strong case for your vision and why it works. It needs to be strategic. It needs to hit all of the communication objects and there has to be a reason why the designer chose a certain color and not just because they don’t like that shade of purple.

Yet, we all know a good piece of creative when we see it. Despite being subjective, sales and the emotions an audience feels when viewing a piece of art, whether it be a timeless piece or the Tide ad commercials, are key indicators are how successful a piece can be. One professional mentioned that even if an ad doesn’t sell directly translate to sales, the ad can still be successful if it was a clever piece of creative. As long as the creative leaves a lasting emotional connection, it may influence the later purchasing decisions of the consumer due to it always being in the back of your head.

Advertisements can definitely be considered art. The goal of it is to share our ideas to do something. If that isn’t art, I don’t know what is. 

Elephant by Charles and Ray Eames

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Stop and Smell the Photo Op

I have had an interest in photography since I was pretty young.  I even won a photography contest in high school (true story).

(Left: Here’s the photo that was voted the favorite from the school community.)

I later went on to serve as the photography editor for my college newspaper.  I was fortunate to learn and engage in the old school processing of negatives and printing photographs with smelly chemicals in a dark room.  Effects such a double exposures or filters on images were often cumbersome and difficult- time consuming and rewarding.

Now I am proud to call myself a Google Trusted photographer and I focus on the power of visual content in my work life.

While I am not a traditional ‘professional’ photographer, I still enjoy snapping images to share on social media and with family and friends.

With the rapid growth of social media and the fact that almost everyone carries a camera around in their pocket in the form of a smartphone – everyone is now a photographer.

There has been a shift in the ease with which people can capture a moment in time. Of course, just because everyone can take photographs, doesn’t mean they should take (and share) photographs.  While social media has catapulted individuals that may never had the opportunity to showcase their photographic talents, there are now billions of images are shared – 24/7, 365.

Has the incredible volume of users taking and sharing images hurt the standard expected of photographs being shared?  Are people thoughtful about what they decide to snap and share?

I believe my amateur photography skills have been diminished due to the fast paced, instant gratification, multi-tasking nature of recent times.  Often, we don’t even stop long enough to capture the moment – we are simply too busy.

Capturing a moment in time is powerful in photography.   Photography allows us to capture and freeze a moment so it can be referred to at another time and repeatedly.  With much of life being ephemeral, images in time let us remember and relive history or provide a window into a life we have not experienced first hand.

Personally, having photographs of loved ones from that past is a way for me to connect with their memory and keep them in my life.

My wife Nita is a wonderful photographer.  She has a keen eye and a creative mind – which is a good combination for a photographer to have.  Part of her talent lies in her natural curiosity and her incredible patience (which continues to come in handy as we raise our three kids).

Despite the advent of digital photography and the snap happy culture of Instagram, there are still many times when we think to take a picture and then let the moment pass.  There are always distractions.

Have you ever had the experience of driving in some picturesque place and seeing a beautiful vista and thought – we should stop and snap a picture? How often do we actually pull over and do so?

This past summer I found myself in this exact situation – driving on a country road in northeast Pennsylvania.  I was headed home and still had quite a drive. As I glanced out at the countryside, I didn’t think too much of the beautiful landscape.  That was until I drove down a hill and stole a glimpse of a pond to my left.

Although it was likely only seconds, there was a conversation in my mind – wow – that’s an incredible reflection in that pond.  I should pull over and stop and get a picture of that. You now what? I am going to pull over.

I pull over and walked up the side of the road to the edge of the pond.  It was worth stopping. There was a moment in time, when the sun was shining onto the pond resulting in a stunning and blinding reflection.  It created a mirror effect in the landscape in the water…. Snap. Snap. Snap.

It could have been a “postcard” picture.  In my reverie I didn’t notice that the owner of the property had come down from the house and was now standing beside me. He asked what I was doing and I explained.  I told him how I had caught the view as I was driving past and wanted to stop and capture the moment.   He seemed a little dubious, but as I showed him the images on my iPhone, he nodded in understanding.

I offer this story as a metaphor for one’s life.   We all rush through life, and while we are not always driving down a country road, there are many opportunities to pull over and stop.  It may lead to capturing a beautiful moment.

One of my guiding beliefs, that I reference often, is that we regret the things we don’t do much more than those we do.  The next time you find yourself having that internal conversation, I hope you listen to the voice that encourages you to indulge your curiosity and take action.

Happy holidays!!

Interested in why STORY MATTERS and creating compelling content for your marketing? Contact Geoffrey at Geoffrey@ninedotsmedia.com or call 267.999.9149

Want to find out more about nine dots, check out our website.

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Little Red Baseball Hat

Author’s note: This blog was written several years ago, but not widely shared. As someone who promotes the repurposing of content, when I happened upon this blog, I thought the sentiment was very much relevant today – plus, I think it’s a good story! Thanks, Geoffrey

This post is inspired by true events that I am sure anyone who has experience with young children will appreciate.

As a parent we believe that our goal is to teach lessons to our children about life. Often, however, it is they, who teach us lessons, although not always on purpose.

I was having a very busy second half of the workday, so when I came home to the usual frenzy of activity, I had a little bit less energy than perhaps I might usually. My mother-in-law had stopped in along with a heavily pregnant friend. Dinner was in full swing as my twin daughters had an evening social activity to attend with friends from their school.

One of my 7-year-old daughters approached me and asked innocently enough “Did you find my hat?” This triggered a memory from earlier in the day – at breakfast my daughter had said that she could not find her “cherished” red baseball cap. She implored me to look for it and I did say I would try. Of course, what we both failed to realize was that as I was on my way to work and there would be little time for me to look for it during the day. What was also not communicated was how important it was to my daughter to find that hat for that evening’s event.

As I told her I had not had a chance to look for it, I could see the pain in her eyes and she began to struggle to control herself from an oncoming meltdown.

I quickly said I would take a look for it and spent the next ten minutes frantically searching for the red baseball hat. I was unsuccessful. Every parent needs to be resourceful, so before returning to my patiently waiting daughter, I collected a few alternatives to the “Red baseball hat” in the vain hope that it might suffice and quell the impending hysteria.

I had a smaller version of the “red baseball hat” that belongs to my son, but this was too small and would not be suitable. I also presented a blue baseball hat, a grey baseball hat, a purple baseball hat, and two black baseball hats. None would do.

The sadness in my child’s eye was heartbreaking – ridiculous, but heartbreaking. But this was the first part of the lesson – to understand that another’s perspective can be quite dramatically different to your own. Although I thought it quite silly and inconsequential that my daughter wears her hat to the evening activity, let alone that it had to be a particular red baseball hat, for her, the importance was significant and real.

This is true for adults too, whether in personal relationships or in the business context.

There are certainly times when friends appear to be making a much bigger deal about something that you think is justified. Or perhaps a client or business partner is getting all excited about something you think is not a big deal.

First, one has to appreciate that for the other person it is a big deal to them. Second, you may not have all the information to understand why it is important. The lesson being, to have a little patience and consider that there may be more than meets the eye.

This was true in the case of the “little red baseball hat.” What I didn’t know and was never told was that my daughter had promised a friend from school that they would both wear particular baseball hats that night. There was clearly a discussion and for the two of them, it was of the utmost importance. While I didn’t understand the reasoning and did not know the circumstances, what was clear was that this was of great consequence to my daughter.

So, I decided to have one last look. Lo and behold, I found the little red baseball hat. It was not anywhere that I thought it might be. Another lesson to be learned. The answers are not always in the obvious places. Sometimes solutions come from unexpected sources.

As a result of my discovering the little red baseball hat, I became an instant hero. My daughter’s mood transformed the moment she saw the hat and I became “the best dad in the world,” accompanying by a massive hug.

I was very pleased with myself, but the last lesson was yet to come.

We rushed out of the house, my daughter grinning from ear to ear with her little red hat fixed intentionally askew on her head.

As we arrived at the location, my daughter bounded out of the car with a beautiful skip in her step. A few moments later, my daughter came up to me as I was about to leave and handed me the little red baseball hat. She announced that she no longer required or desired it.

I was dumbfounded. How was it possible that something so urgent, so critical only moments ago could now be discarded without a second thought or care?

I searched my daughter’s face for the answer to this mystery when her friend from school came up to her. Clearing understanding my confusion my daughter simply smiled a cheeky little smile and said that her friend had forgotten her hat and therefore she didn’t want or need hers.

She and her friend skipped away, hatless and happy as can be. I stood there with the little red baseball hat in my hands and couldn’t help but smile.

I should have been annoyed or angry, but so is the affect of a happy child to a parent. The lesson here is that things can change in an instant  (especially in the context of social media)– in all types of circumstances. There are times when something might seem extremely significant, but then something changes and it dramatically alters their importance.

Life throws us curve balls all the time and we need to be prepared and flexible, with or without a hat on.

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Why I Am Doing a Juice Fast & Should You Care?

It is funny for me to think about the variety of responses I receive when I tell people I’m going to do a 9 day juice fast. It ranges from confusion to disbelief and from strong concern and caution to fervent support and encouragement.

Why am I doing this? Here’s the story. Since my high school days of wrestling and having to make a certain weight for competition (I was basically anorexic for four months of the year), I think I’ve been mindful of both the food that I eat and in my general health.

As I have gotten older (a relative term for sure) and my metabolism isn’t what it used to be, I’ve put on a few more pounds than I’d like and I’m not as careful these days about what I eat. I am generally healthy (having passed my last physical with flying colors), but I am looking to be even healthier.

Enter Donny Makower. Donny is one of my closest friends, who I met when we both studied abroad in Sydney Australia. Donny has always been interested in nutrition and health. And when I say interested, I mean he loves it and studies it. He reads and researches extensively, watches videos and goes all-in to understand the complexities of the world of health and nutrition in an effort to make it simple.

Donny is my de facto health advisor, whom I consult about different diets, foods, etc. I have to admit, I don’t always do what Donny suggests (as some of his advice would require significant lifestyle changes), but I appreciate his perspective and the data and evidence he has to support it.

About two months ago, when I was chatting with Donny, he mentioned he was about to do a juice fast.  Despite the popularity of juice fasting, I was not that familiar with it. He explained that he would have nothing but juice (mostly made from vegetables instead of fruit to keep sugar intake low) for about a week. He then suggested I watch a documentary from 2010 called Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead about an Australian, Joe Cross, who’s having some health issues, comes to America, and then drives across the country while on a 60 day juice fast! That’s right, nothing but juice for 60 days.

I watched the documentary, which is AWESOME, and solidified my decision not to eat solids, but to do a juice fast for a limited period of time. After consulting Donny, I purchased the Breville Joe Cross Juicer and started my prep for my 9-day juice fast – which starts today!! For those of you who are juicing experts, I’m aware that masticating juicers (as opposed to my centrifugal juicer) are typically preferred. By I prioritized speed and ease of use over maximum yield and less oxidation (forgive the juicer speak if you’re new to this world), which led Donny to choose this particular juicer for me. Plus, this is the same style of juicer that Joe used for his 60 day juice fast.

I made the decision to do a juice fast for a couple diferent reasons. Joe Cross describes the juice fast as a reboot.  At the start of the summer I found myself eating poorly. Too much junk and processed food. I didn’t feel good and decided I wanted to try a juice fast to see if I could reset not only my body but also my thinking about food. I might even lose a few pounds in the process – a common benefit to juice fasting.

In preparation, I started to incorporate juice into my diet last week. I had nothing but juice from the time I woke up until lunch. It’s already feeling great. So now it’s time to embark on the official juice fast – nothing but juice all day long.

You can follow along as I document the experience and maybe it will inspire you to do something to be healthier – or maybe it will convince you never to do a juice fast. Thankfully, I’ve got Donny on speed dial.

Why Should You Care?

People have been curious about the concept of a juice fast when I mention it to them. My pre-fast vlogs have received positive feedback. As you are reading about this, you may be thinking “Great, he’s doing a juice fast, so what? What’s that have to do with me?”

My goal is always to capture the attention and engage with my audience. My hope is that my content provides some “edutainment” – either providing a bit of a break from the glut of less compelling content that is constantly bombarding us, or perhaps sharing some nugget that helps in some way.

There are a few reasons why this process may be of interest to you.

Overall, this juice fast could be used as a metaphor.  What are the nutritional ingredients you are putting into your life or business. Is it the equivalent of processed junk? Or is it micronutrient rich?

Watching me go through through the juice fast process may be amusing – or motivating. If you tend to like my content, in particular my vlogs, then this is in line with that content. This is also an example of Gary Vee’s concept of documenting rather than creating. For those looking to create content (and that should be everyone) the idea of documenting the daily happenings of your journey can be both authentic and appealing.

Perhaps this will be an inspiration to do something that you’ve thought about doing, but didn’t proceed because of the naysayers. Naysayers are great at criticizing and providing all the reasons NOT to do something. Prove them wrong.

I believe in imperfect action. Trying to create the perfect [fill in the blank] can paralyze you from doing anything.  I believe it is better to take action and go for it. You won’t connect with everyone, but if you do nothing, you are certain to connect with no one.

A final note – THANKS. I appreciate you taking the time to read this and to share in my latest journey. As I document the long and winding road of my life and business, hopefully there will be something of value that you can use in your life or business to make it a bit better – whether it is a simple smile or the motivation to take the leap towards a richer life.

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I Am British (Aren’t I?)

I am British. OK, let me clarify. I am a dual citizen (British and American). It is debatable whether I can call myself British. In fact, my wife Nita, who was born in England and hence authentically British, argues I am decidedly NOT British.  Even though I lived in Manchester, England for 10 years and have a British passport. My three children were born in England and are also dual citizens – are they British? Sadly, their accents would say otherwise. We do hang a dual British-American Flag outside our home to represent our family duality.

Although Britain and America are on friendly terms, celebrating the 4th of July last week reminded me they weren’t always. Living in Philadelphia and passing by Independence Hall from time to time symbolizes this previous struggle of the colonists and their oppressors.

Living in England for 10 years did rub off on me in some ways. While I never really picked up an accent, my father reminds me that I still say some funny words (rubbish being a favorite or should it be favourite).  I recently created an infographic showcasing some of the different words each nation uses. The odd part for me, now having lived back in the States for nearly five years, is that I sometimes can’t recall if a word or phrase is British or American.

From my time living in England, I did notice some general differences in the way Brits and Americans approach the world.  The stereotype of Brits being conservative, stiff upper lip types did hold true in some sense. There were times I felt in business Brits were more half glass empty and saw obstacles more than opportunities. Like with all generalizations, there were plenty of exceptions, but the “can-do” positive spirit of Americans definitely feels more prevalent on this side of the pond.

In spite of our differences, our nations seem to be fascinated with the other. While living in England, people would often ask me to simply speak, as they liked to hear the American accent. I would be peppered with questions from friends and strangers alike about what America was like (and why would I not want to live there). On the flip side, people often comment on Nita’s accent and enjoying her say anything and are fascinated by stories of happenings on the small island.

In England and Manchester in particular, what football/soccer team you support is extremely important.  With two major teams in Manchester (United and City), I was asked very often by people “Who do you support?” For ten years, I would give the same answer – The Eagles, which always returned a curious look. Hey, you can take the Eagles fan out of Philly, but you can’t take the Philly out of an Eagles fan!

The point of this all, I suppose, is to encourage that we all get along and recognize we are all more alike than different.  It is with inclusion and tolerance that enables better relationships, whether in business or personally.

On the cusp of England playing in the semi-final of the World Cup for the first time in nearly 30 years, I feel an inexplicable pang in my stomach as I root for them to win. Perhaps this is the Brit in me!

 

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