tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-64443567045280233982024-02-19T16:36:29.710-08:00franzeseinklingsBits and pieces from a fractured mind.Michael Franzesehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11568379549346439656noreply@blogger.comBlogger105125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6444356704528023398.post-85606150169579388912014-03-17T09:03:00.001-07:002014-03-17T09:03:17.223-07:00Moving Forward<div style="text-align: left;">
Finally, another post. It's hard to chronicle daily life, shit, weekly is just as tough and I am now into bi-yearly I think. Too busy living the life, I suppose.</div>
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So here we are, together again. Me writing about the trials and tribulations. Okay, people in poor countries around the world might disagree that rehabbing a second house in America is not really a trial or a tribulation or even a minor annoyance, but there we are.</div>
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Before we dive right back in, let me post a pic of my wife's new bathroom. Because why renovate a farmhouse when you have a perfectly good apartment at home to destroy. First World problems, right?(I will be providing more on this recent renovation in a future blog if you really care.)</div>
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Beautiful isn't it? My contractors Piotr Dach and Bartek Kluzik did an awesome job with some really challenging pieces, including a some beautiful San Francisco BART tile from Heritage Tile of Oak Park (http://www.oakparktile.com) and a persnickety art director that just "had to have things his way!" If you like what you see and are looking for good people to work with drop me a line and I'll relay their info to you.</div>
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Once more unto the breach.</h2>
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Our story begins with a short 90 minute commute or as Sam likes to call it, the "worst traveling Karaoke truck" in the midwest, from downtown Chicago to Baroda, Michigan. Nestled along the Western Michigan Wine trail sits our lovely money pit!</div>
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And a cartoon! Our friends Robert and Jeanne provided us with a wonderful reminder of what we've actually gotten ourselves into and "how" with an, oh so fitting, New Yorker cartoon. </div>
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The caption has the woman saying, "I'm bored---let's buy a house in the country with a lot of problems." </div>
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I'm not sure which one of us said something similar to this, so I will blame on our friend Dave Camp. He was instrumental in bringing us our latest project. Need a real estate agent in Illinois or Michigan? He's your guy. Look at me plugging all my friends! Sign up now to find your name in the next post!</div>
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A perfect discovery! Kudos Robert! And kudos Dave!</div>
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Now, back to our regularly scheduled programming.</div>
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<b>The Kitchen.</b></h2>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsNd-18sUpOR0aXi3DlxNFiFxqyG9GfJBrv6hNzAQ79-9oFuGDlD-plm0LjZSsAdZrTTqcbYphPUJzrzz2rwNFlVxkwX1LtT82kb6wBuJwD49i_NG5N-sp99_5WbuUehz4pp5x1M8ozmZ2/s1600/2014-01-11+10.59.48.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsNd-18sUpOR0aXi3DlxNFiFxqyG9GfJBrv6hNzAQ79-9oFuGDlD-plm0LjZSsAdZrTTqcbYphPUJzrzz2rwNFlVxkwX1LtT82kb6wBuJwD49i_NG5N-sp99_5WbuUehz4pp5x1M8ozmZ2/s1600/2014-01-11+10.59.48.jpg" /></a>It's time to renew this old kitchen. I started with the removal of the old cabinets. There weren't many, it's a small space. A guy down the road who has become a friend, Mark Shutke (sp?), who used to live in the house told me they were hand built by his Uncle. It's tough to see in the picture, but the grain in the wood matches from drawer to drawer and door to drawer. Quality work from another time. The other interesting piece is the "green formica" wall coverings? I'm replacing that with drywall. Fashions do change. </div>
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It's interesting what you can find when renovating an old house. This tasty tidbit was beneath the far right end of the cabinets. Another friend remembered this as a candy he enjoyed once as a child. He is over 50.</div>
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Apparently, parental mice don't want their kids filling up on candy. I decided not to have it carbon dated and both Sam and I passed on giving it a taste, but it did look yummy. This joint is in the country and mice are a reality. A reality I will battle like Charlemagne in the Saxon wars, but a reality nonetheless I am told. So far none have been discovered in the house. We found the remains of an old nest, but nothing fresh to date (fingers crossed). Maybe they were on vacation. Or hiding from my awful writing and singing?</div>
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Now that the cabinets have been removed (and hauled away by my friend Mark for an upcoming bonfire he will be having) I added some sublflooring and vapor barrier for underneath the cabinets to further seal the basement from upstairs. Did I mention there's a basement? Small, but serviceable. More on that project in an upcoming episode.</div>
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Now, about that wall.</h2>
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Ah, the wall in between the kitchen and the living area. Well, we decided that that should go away. This will open up the kitchen to the dining room giving the house a more open and airy feel. I also have an idea for "separating" the bathrooms and "master?" bedroom from the kitchen and this will help.</div>
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Hey look at that, old wallpaper! A pretty jungle pattern that my contractor thinks is from the 40's. </div>
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A fun find, almost as fun as the candy. Yes, I brought in a contractor for this heavy lifting. A man has got to know his limits.</div>
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Ah, freedom.</div>
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And so we now have greater access to the kitchen! Dining problems solved. Okay, still a ways to go, but these guys did a great job of opening up the wall. All I had to do next was create another wall to hide the fridge and separate the bathroom and "master bedroom" from the kitchen. I also figured I'd add anoither door to the master giving greater separation to the bath. I haven't framed out a door in a while, but, eh, this'll do.<br />
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Now for some
finishing touches. Countertops, sink, cabinets. All from Ikea,
which, in a future post will surely take a beating for how they make
larger cabinet doors and their return policies.</div>
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HOLY CRAP! I haven't hung a door in approximatley 30 years, but
apparently I've still got it. I was really surprised this worked out. How about a little video? </div>
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Now onto what most of my friends think is my biggest problem.....TV.</div>
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Cheers! </div>
<!-- Blogger automated replacement: "https://images-blogger-opensocial.googleusercontent.com/gadgets/proxy?url=http%3A%2F%2F2.bp.blogspot.com%2F-bwCrDiL9vR4%2FUxu6nA-fgUI%2FAAAAAAAAAbA%2FWoBu9Y6zDLk%2Fs1600%2F2014-02-25-07.51.13.jpg&container=blogger&gadget=a&rewriteMime=image%2F*" with "https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhObO88UR55NGyP69X2crT-A1g-YihbD6FUGBOB44M53PuuHNTRBUZIxbrfuO94dpLQ6dDvRZeOt-ApkDRRHT6LjskkjcAFUjtMuiIYnOyvBj8uJbAqujO9oJIYwPhIS65hyphenhyphenibE_vHIL8PV/s1600/2014-02-25-07.51.13.jpg" -->Michael Franzesehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11568379549346439656noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6444356704528023398.post-43731437367351284982013-11-20T21:10:00.001-08:002013-11-20T21:10:22.627-08:00Week 1 (or so) or better yet WTF!Well, well, well, here I am after spending a few days on the "Cottage Project" as I have taken to calling it and things are going along swimmingly albeit slowly. Apparently, my day job gets in the way of my toys. It can happen with older houses where things were put together to last. This nail and a few others were pulled out of the wall holding up some cabinets.<br />
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As with any project, scheduling is quickly proving to be the key. I haven't commuted, and by that I mean driven to a job through traffic and such versus hopping on a bus for a few minutes, in over 30 years. And I've never done it with a time change in the middle. See Illinois is on Central time and Michigan is on Eastern. That adds a whole 'nother wrinkle, especially when the snow comes in.<br />
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Anywho, let's get back to chatting about the project. It's cold out there.<br />
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<h2>
Phase 1: Destruction!</h2>
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Tearing out ceiling tiles is not the cleanest job, but a smooth drywall ceiling will be much prettier. It's also a pretty simple job for a simple man like myself. As I tore tiles off the ceiling I got to thinking about many projects I've worked on in the past where we needed to literally tear apart the old to make the new better. People do it all the time in their house, but design and advertising (see this is a design blog after all) clients and agencies seem to just keep adding layers to brands instead of removing the detritus and cleaning things up. A mani-pedi is also a good analogy, I think.<br />
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<h2>
Phase 2: Floors</h2>
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My bride (of 17+years) and I couldn't decide exactly what to do about the floors. There used to be carpeting in the house. It seemed to have been here for a while and let's just say it didn't smell the best. New hardwood floors would be the order of the day, but we aren't quite sure what kind we want and the costs of doing it is not something I want to get into before we hang out here.<br />
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So, we'll go with option 2. My own brand of subflooring that I've done in other apartments with a similar flare. 3/4" birch plywood is only a few dollars more a sheet and the grain looks nice, but it's not quite right.<br />
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In the existing living room there is 5" pine board.<br />
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What to do, what to do?<br />
Well, I am an art director and this is a design blog so can you guess?<br />
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That's right, draw boards on the floor with a Sharpie! Oh, I know what you're saying, but what could it hurt. It's just subflooring. And after a little stain and polyurethane what could happen?<br />
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That's right, beauty! Eat your heart out HGTV! And if you're an art director you might even force people to look at them in the "right" light.<br />
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<br />
So that was this week's project.<br />
<br />
<br />
Next ceilings, painting and a whole lot of other crap. Welcome to my nightmare. At least I have an able bodied assistant.<br />
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<br />
<br />
<br />
Cheers!Michael Franzesehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11568379549346439656noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6444356704528023398.post-7293687104260102582013-10-23T07:43:00.005-07:002013-10-23T07:43:58.408-07:00Crazy, sexy, cool!Crazy, yes.<br />
Sexy, maybe.<br />
Cool, most definitely!<br />
<br />
After a few short years of nothing particularly interesting to say my wife and I found a few projects, I think, could be fun to share. I hope you, dear reader, agree. At the very least you should get a few chuckles out of our insanity.<br />
<br />
It begins with a small farm, includes the launch of a new brand and encompasses all the pitfalls, fun, highs and lows of the next few (hopefully 6-8) months of my rehab and advertising craziness. I hope you will find it interesting or at the very least distracting.<br />
<h2>
<b>The Farm</b></h2>
Baroda, Michigan is a quaint little village on the west side of the state just a few miles in from Lake Michigan. Our project begins here. To paraphrase the title of a Matt Damon cinematic vehicle from a few
years back, "We bought a farm!" Not a farm with livestock, but five
acres of farmland with a little house. It sits on the "Wine Trail" of
western Michigan.We will be raising bees at some point, but animals, besides dogs, may or may not be part of this little adventure.<br />
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We will be rehabbing a small house into a weekend respite and rental opportunity. I think the Three Stooges-esque happenings in the weeks and months to come should provide some amusement. Remember every time I hit my thumb with a hammer an angel gets its wings.<br />
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The day we closed on the house we decided to rip up the carpeting and see what lay beneath. Might as well start with the floors and build up from there! Our four-legged assistant showed us his disdain for carpeting by relieving himself in one of the bedrooms. Not sure if he really hates carpet or was telling us this was a really shitty house to have purchased. Aw, what does he know!<br />
<br />
There are 3 bedrooms and 1 bathroom at this point. An unfinished
basement and a ton of work, but this is where it gets fun. We have plans
to update the kitchen, rework the floors and add a monster deck outside
to sip wine and enjoy the countryside. <br />
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<br />
Beth, Sam and I have been planning for the last week or so and the work gets started tomorrow. If you're in the neighborhood shoot me a text or an email and if I'm there we'll share a beer and I'll put you to work!<br />
<br />
In our next episode: A New Brand Begins (While we update the latest from the farm).<br />
<br />
Cheers! Michael Franzesehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11568379549346439656noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6444356704528023398.post-86965521144152939322011-06-23T15:40:00.000-07:002011-06-23T15:40:41.186-07:00Just for fun!Shot a video for my favorite client and posted it to YouTube! 8000 hits in just a week! Sweet.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dydAL6qL5Ve2JLtRW4s4-rxvDZrodBqu51cUIinz8dQjmh9O5td1Sq1z7YlFaYXk_b-Ta9tVfjgCJei8E6JeA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br />
If I've already forced you to watch it. read an old post or head out to somewhere fun.<br />
<br />
Thanks for coming!<br />
<br />
Cheers!Michael Franzesehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11568379549346439656noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6444356704528023398.post-10071347946302963092011-05-02T11:10:00.000-07:002011-05-02T11:10:11.466-07:00Go sale-ing with Hilton!I'm not a sailor. To be honest, I don't like the water much. It probably stems from seeing <i>Jaws</i>, <i>the Posiedon Adventure</i> and <i>Lifeboat</i> as a child. No, I'm not much of a sailor, but I do understand tacking. The act of sailing in a diagonal pattern to move forward against the wind.<br />
<br />
I went out on a friends boat once and he showed my how it works. I probably couldn't do it, but I understand it. In sales and advertising you could define it as "changing ones course or conduct to get to the a desired point". At least, that's how I think of it and how it will matter within the framework of this post. And yes, it's kind of a funny story to my sense of humor.<br />
<br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"><span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="background-color: transparent; color: #333333; cursor: default; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 1.25em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: static;"></span></span>I went to NYC this weekend with my wife. We love to go and see a play or two, see a museum or two, hang out in a good restaurant with some good food. It's a quick way to get out of Chicago without the pressure of a real vacation. Just a couple of days to ease a mind and not think about work or all the things I should be fixing around my house.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCblLZBG_nwXooWtk59q04JyCj_CPKIhen_K_INa9J2LmmBCU03jufniRWuxKUGc8wwDOi9hmhCrJHP3hzncWkE0SWQZ9xdAo4ejRz_StFi-KcdgsbGLgkRoB368JUvpeUQ8-RRHk0w-rg/s1600/setinstyle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCblLZBG_nwXooWtk59q04JyCj_CPKIhen_K_INa9J2LmmBCU03jufniRWuxKUGc8wwDOi9hmhCrJHP3hzncWkE0SWQZ9xdAo4ejRz_StFi-KcdgsbGLgkRoB368JUvpeUQ8-RRHk0w-rg/s320/setinstyle.jpg" width="248" /></a></div><br />
This weekend was no exception. Had a great time seeing "Good People" with Frances McDormand and a great exhibit at the Cooper-Hewitt Design Museum "Set in Style: The Jewelry of Van Cleef and Arpels". I was fascinated by how detailed the design work is that goes into fine jewerly making. There was also another exhibit at the Cooper-Hewitt on Sonia Delaunay that was also fascinating, but I digress.<br />
<br />
How does the Hilton and sailing relate to my general ramblings on design and advertising? I'll get there, but first a little background. I stay at a lot of Hilton properties. I have been a member of their rewards program for years and have gotten a lot out of it. I find hotel reward programs work way better than airline programs because hotels are expensive and a $400 a night room multiplied by two nights is a bigger savings than a flight to New York. The rooms are always clean, their staff are always nice and in general I always have a good stay.<br />
<br />
My friend Brian Ahearn blogs and his site "<a href="http://influence-people-brian.blogspot.com/">Influence People</a>" relates information on how to properly and ethically influence people. This story will give an example of how NOT to do this. I should have titled the post, "How to never sell anything to an ad guy or anyone else with half a brain."<br />
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We arrived ion Friday afternoon. After checking in we decided lunch was in order, then off to the Cooper-Hewitt Design Museum and a nice walk through Central Park. It was a beautiful day. Maybe a cocktail on a terrace somewhere later. Good fun.<br />
<br />
On the way out of the hotel we were stopped by a nice woman asking if we were reward members. I said, "Yes". She asked if I would be interested in a "free" breakfast if they could take up a little of my time. Not being completely stupid I figured they would be trying to sell me something, but she was offering free breakfast and, get this, $125.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuwoyqXr6ZHtEcnT_S4NdDU1B4-m14BUIHTCMlCGNX3kaCQTgH3S4QN8CVNLsK2e5kQPrnE9wd9eMQUhml7zoTE2JEjyRQZsDc28WONu9CXfdTO6_fnscL2VDX3sX19aP0rINZ08ruT8AL/s1600/goodpeople.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuwoyqXr6ZHtEcnT_S4NdDU1B4-m14BUIHTCMlCGNX3kaCQTgH3S4QN8CVNLsK2e5kQPrnE9wd9eMQUhml7zoTE2JEjyRQZsDc28WONu9CXfdTO6_fnscL2VDX3sX19aP0rINZ08ruT8AL/s320/goodpeople.jpg" width="208" /></a>As a freelancer $125 for an hour or so of my time is good money. I told her she could sign me up, but that I hadn't made a lot of plans for the weekend and wasn't going to guarantee that I would be there. If I showed up, I showed up, but don't hold your breath. She gave us an invitation and off we went.<br />
<br />
The next day she called to confirm my coming, on Sunday morning, to the breakfast. I reminded her that I didn't guarantee anything and wouldn't again. In fact, her calling was making me not want to go, but it was her job to call so I didn't bust her too much for it. "Fine", I said, "maybe I'll be there. Once again, don't wait on me."<br />
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Saturday came and went. Another beautiful day in a beautiful city with plenty to do and see.<br />
<br />
Then came Sunday morning. I tried to sleep in, but at my age that's a fading dream. It was around 9:30 a.m. when I got up. The breakfast was scheduled to start at 11 a.m. and was a few blocks away on the way to the airport. My wife and I figured, $125 bucks, some free food, listen to something and we're out. Let the fun begin.<br />
<br />
When we arrived we were asked "What do you know about time share?"<br />
<br />
Ah, so it was a time share deal from Hilton. "Not a lot." I said, playing my role as the hick who just got sucked into a time share sale for $125 dollars. Would there be steak knives? I got a little excited. Don't really need steak knives, but wouldn't it be great? My wife and I shared a laugh and got on the elevator.<br />
<br />
Upstairs we were greeted very warmly and offered coffee. Looking good, free stuff already. We laughed again and waited patiently for "our representative" to come get us and explain this "exciting new program". We laughed some more. Okay, in for a penny, etc.<br />
<br />
Our representative came out and greeted us, once again very warmly, but the poor boy seemed confused.<br />
<br />
"Where ya from?" he asked.<br />
<br />
"Chicago." I replied.<br />
<br />
"How long ya been there?" he asked.<br />
<br />
"25 years." I said.<br />
<br />
"You like it?" He asked.<br />
<br />
What? Do I like it? I've been there for 25 years. If I didn't like it wouldn't that make me some kind of martyr or idiot? Maybe he didn't hear me. "Sure, I like it."<br />
<br />
"Are you married?" he asked. Obviously not noticing my wedding ring, wife or the one set of luggage. The last time somebody asked this my wife replied, "Do you mean to each other?" I prepared for the joke, but she didn't bite.<br />
<br />
"Yes. For 15 years." I said.<br />
<br />
"Do you like it?" he said.<br />
<br />
Really, what kind of an ass do you take me for. Even if I didn't like it was this a test to see if I would say something in front of my wife? Did I like where I lived? Did I like being married to who you assume is my wife? Was I going to break down in front of you and say,"God no, I hate my life. Please, Mister, take me away! Take to this fabulous place called Hilton!"<br />
<br />
I glanced at my wife, and we shared another laugh. Was this guy for real?<br />
<br />
He escorted us to a desk. The place was full of desks and lots of people were at them signing paperwork and discussing all the great things time share could do for them. He showed us where the food was, my real reason for being here since I assume they weren't going to show me any cash until the end. We got something to eat and sat down with him at his desk. Let the pitch begin.<br />
<br />
"This is not about time share." he started. Really, that's not what your girl at the front desk said. "What if I could show you an opportunity..." At this point my hackles went up. Everyone in advertising knows the word "opportunity" means "a way for you to eat a whole lot of crap with little or no reward". It's a word an account guy uses when asking you to do a favor for a client. It's the word your boss uses when a client puts his business up for review and you know as the incumbent your odds of keeping the business are 100-1.<br />
<br />
He asked more questions.<br />
<br />
"How often do you travel?" "How much do you think you spend on hotels?" More questions, at the end of each reply he repeated my answers back to me in the form of a question as if he didn't know what I said and he needed to check. Some were valid questions and I just adored how every time I gave him an answer he checked it with my wife to see if I might be lying to him. At one point asking my wife if what I was telling him was true.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-No1n6HyE-2FifTrfsHAZq56DN447ff3y14xfVMe02SqnklFlrXKmbFE1pymIf-1MOPdNr1I4-NC_b53pwejFTaCD1ihY7t-HzMqVn0lXlpX0O84NZu0ZWKJjscPGwi1bNSapUd1XjSsA/s1600/glengarry-glen-ross-alec-baldwin-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="261" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-No1n6HyE-2FifTrfsHAZq56DN447ff3y14xfVMe02SqnklFlrXKmbFE1pymIf-1MOPdNr1I4-NC_b53pwejFTaCD1ihY7t-HzMqVn0lXlpX0O84NZu0ZWKJjscPGwi1bNSapUd1XjSsA/s320/glengarry-glen-ross-alec-baldwin-1.jpg" width="320" /></a>Then came the question about "making a decision today". My wife told him, very pointedly,"we don't make decisions that way. We won't sign anything today." I agreed. "I don't do business that way." I said, "People don't do business that way." ABC, a friend reminded me "Always, Be, Closing!"<br />
<br />
<br />
Her tactic seemed to befuddle him. "I walk into Best Buy, not really wanting anything and sometimes I buy things right there on the spot." he said.<br />
<br />
"I buy gum that way, sure. I don't buy property that way." I said.<br />
<br />
We argued a little more about the virtues and vices of what to buy and when, suddenly coming to the realization that we were in the middle of a Mamet play heading towards Kafka. (See the link at the end of the post)<br />
<br />
Finally, he asked a good one, "Why are you here?"<br />
<br />
"Me, I'm here because you're worth $125 to me. Beyond that I don't mind listening to people if they have something to offer." I laid it out on the table fondly remembering Alec Baldwin. "What's my name?"<br />
<br />
Now, I'm not the best negotiator in the world, but after the 30 minutes of back and forth I expected him to realize why we were there. I expected him to tack. If he had half a brain in his head he would have changed his tactics, dropped the used car salesman bullshit and talked to me like a person about their deal. After all "I walked on the lot".<br />
<br />
I was willing to listen, I wanted the money and frankly, they started this. I just didn't want to have to wade through his schtick to get there. My wife told him as much. We own our own companies, she was in sales for years, drop the schtick and get to the deal. Tack, son, change your behavior to keep the sale going.<br />
<br />
He was undeterred. Just like the telemarketers that get thrown when you interrupt their reading of a sales pitch. He stopped and went to consult his boss. We laughed. He's probably in the breakroom regretting his decision to pick us as his rubes for the day. He'll probably change tactics and we can move along.<br />
<br />
Wrong again. He came back and launched into the same spiel of asking me questions designed to get me to agree with him. "Do you think it's smart to throw away money?", "Do you think it's smart to get something for nothing?" Do I think it's smart to put a gun to my head and pull the trigger? Do I think it's smart to burn $100 bills while dancing naked in traffic? Who was this genius?<br />
<br />
I said, "I get what you're trying to do. Fine. Yes, to all of your questions. It is much smarter to not throw money down a toilet. I agree. Move on to the sale. How much and what do I get for it?"<br />
<br />
"Well, I'm not trying to sell you anything." Really? "I'm offering you an opportunity." Again with the "opportunity". It had now become comical.<br />
<br />
"Fine. What is the opportunity?"<br />
<br />
"Let me ask you a question..." he started, I cut him off.<br />
<br />
Fine, I'll tack. "I have a plane to catch, you have about 20 minutes to get through all this." I said.<br />
<br />
"What? You committed to 90 minutes." he said.<br />
<br />
"No, I didn't "commit" to anything and if you can't get to the deal without another question we can call it right here."<br />
<br />
"Let me ask you...." Done.<br />
<br />
We stood up. "Look, we're done here. You have my email, if you send me the information, I'll go over it and let you know." At this point we knew we weren't going to see our $125, but we did get free coffee, and a nosh. Still in the win column for me.<br />
<br />
Will I still stay at Hilton properties? Sure, they're everywhere. Will I still try and get free steak knives if someone offers them to me? Sure, I'll bite. Will I see through your used car salesman bullshit and call you on the carpet for trying it with me because I find it insulting? You're damn right I will. I've seen how these guys were trained <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-AXTx4PcKI">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-AXTx4PcKI</a>. Thank you Mr. mamet and Mr. Baldwin.<br />
<br />
Tack, Hilton. Change the direction and adjust the course next time if you want to keep the sale alive. Next time you may be able to close.<br />
<br />
Cheers!Michael Franzesehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11568379549346439656noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6444356704528023398.post-20198571913567192582011-04-05T09:41:00.000-07:002011-04-05T09:41:59.233-07:00The Blank PageIt stares back you. Haunting in it's vast emptiness. Like looking into a blizzard without the excitement of motion. The Blank Freakin' Page.<br />
<br />
Like a horror movie it can do you no actual harm, but it can give you chills and instill in one a feeling of despair. I have stared at a lot of blank pages in my life. At it's basest level it is my job.<br />
<br />
As a creative professional my job begins with the gathering of information. I talk to clients, read way too much information about their business, pore through vast amounts of information that has everything and nothing to do with their business, get my mind in a whirl about anything and everything "them". Stir up every bit of excitement and energy about who, what, where, when and why they are. Then I sit down with a blank sheet of paper and fear sets in.<br />
<br />
That's usually a great time to go to the movies.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVB1wFZgnjoLcIty1_eeRWzmvMgKdpofxwEsYSUQsgvh3JPrsHI9wewX8LVnQIbMJmASvp8gXk8K6PrTz6q992y3E34_zIyrZmzc4TOzSo1PQbIvLuMkGmJ8Ts5PNBasgqxjbjpwi9tew2/s1600/doodles.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVB1wFZgnjoLcIty1_eeRWzmvMgKdpofxwEsYSUQsgvh3JPrsHI9wewX8LVnQIbMJmASvp8gXk8K6PrTz6q992y3E34_zIyrZmzc4TOzSo1PQbIvLuMkGmJ8Ts5PNBasgqxjbjpwi9tew2/s400/doodles.jpg" width="288" /></a></div>I read a book once a long time ago, not my only book but this one was important to me. I have no idea what it was called or who wrote it and if you do, let me know because I would love to have a copy of it. It was an old book about creativity and how to get your thoughts moving in the right direction. It was short, maybe a hundred pages or so. It talked about filling your head with as much information as possible surrounding what you were working on, get your brain whirling as I said earlier, then walk away.<br />
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Walk away and allow your subconscious to process all of that information. After a little time the ideas would come more naturally because your brain would have assimilated all of the requisite info and your conscious self could then sort the relevant from the irrelevant and help you process the interesting from the dull.<br />
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You'd have to ask my clients whether or not they think the technique works well for me, but I haven't heard any complaints so I'll assume it's doing pretty good.<br />
<br />
This technique doesn't solve the problem of the blank page, but it does help to calm the fear that pervades those initial instances.<br />
<br />
I had a serious case of "creative block" a few years ago. I was working with a new partner (and it had nothing to do with her, it had set in a few days earlier) and I tried to tell her, but it was hard to explain. She thought it was her and her ideas that I couldn't come around on. That was not true. Her ideas were sound, but no matter how I tried I could come up with none, zero, nada ideas, nor could I come up with anything resembling a workable layout. It was, as they might say in Boston "wicked scary". I felt miserable. For me and for what it did for her.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjidgWTM45orixbL8hGZz0wqTUOG_GeWP27j6hvv4tBuTosdKxBg4_73WjCzMvf-EKYy7NnDOOPBSX0uJ_KdcECvySrVWhyphenhyphen6yc3wvoAtt2adxBVsHrD_rZlK0Fp-ffM4TayVp0OP0erFdDK/s1600/stockbrokers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjidgWTM45orixbL8hGZz0wqTUOG_GeWP27j6hvv4tBuTosdKxBg4_73WjCzMvf-EKYy7NnDOOPBSX0uJ_KdcECvySrVWhyphenhyphen6yc3wvoAtt2adxBVsHrD_rZlK0Fp-ffM4TayVp0OP0erFdDK/s400/stockbrokers.jpg" width="290" /></a>It lasted about two weeks (which seemed like an eternity) and no matter what I tried nothing came into my head. It was as if I couldn't think properly. Everything I knew had gone out of my head. I actually thought my career might be over. Panic set in one day on a bus ride so bad I almost cried. Almost.<br />
<br />
I got home that night pulled out a blank piece of paper and started drawing. I wasn't drawing anything. It was more like scribbling. I took a pencil and just created shapes, scrapes, scratches on the page. I tried to fill the page up, to cover it completely, to wipe out the blank page and replace it with an image, any image. I didn't care what it became I just had to erase the blank page.<br />
<br />
Well, the scribbles and scratches, turned into doodles, which turned into more pages of doodles which turned into some figures and some little cartoons. (The examples here are not from that time, but just representational). Nothing substantial had come of any of the drawing except that the next day I had some thoughts. Not big ones, but enough to get back to work with my partner, create a few layouts and get through a meeting. The ideas went to the client, but did not sell. That honor went to a competing team, but the block had been taken down (notice I didn't say destroyed or eliminated, because it is always there hanging in the periphery waiting for it's chance to return) and I was back to creating.<br />
<br />
Whew, crisis averted.<br />
<br />
Well, look at that. I just covered up another blank page.<br />
<br />
Cheers!Michael Franzesehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11568379549346439656noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6444356704528023398.post-56606594258576427332011-03-31T22:36:00.000-07:002011-03-31T22:36:05.182-07:00Opening day and some other bits!Hello All,<br />
<br />
Tomorrow, or I guess today is opening day for baseball season.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIMPREEc9EMQACi4i_wqy55Jvzn_qpw6ncYxiCxn0Ft_KfQ-g2gbWpWM9rvBBR9sXhAyKEaEvvHSkLCklMUSbJgdB3U-dYExRk1blP4lkvBF-AizwUnrWxw1XWXYZmPljccoQJPy1FqS1F/s1600/DSCN1569.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIMPREEc9EMQACi4i_wqy55Jvzn_qpw6ncYxiCxn0Ft_KfQ-g2gbWpWM9rvBBR9sXhAyKEaEvvHSkLCklMUSbJgdB3U-dYExRk1blP4lkvBF-AizwUnrWxw1XWXYZmPljccoQJPy1FqS1F/s320/DSCN1569.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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I've never been much of a fan of the game, but I do love all of the peripheral drinking that goes on whether it is at a game or just sitting in a bar "watching" it on TV. As I've discussed here before I do like a cocktail now and again.<br />
<br />
I live in Chicago right near Wrigley Field , the home of the Chicago Cubs and I like to think of this as the silly season.<br />
<br />
Everyday I walk my wife halfway to work. I turn around and she continues on. Then she walks home. Some days I meet her on the walk some days I stay at my desk, it all depends. We call it the silly season because we used to walk our great danes Hank and Pearl to work a lot during the year and if there was a game on things got silly. Any time you walk by a bar full of people having a good time with over 300 lbs. of dogs people are bound to comment.<br />
<br />
The dogs have both passed away, but it was funny to hear all the requisite jokes. "Hey, you got a saddle for that thing!" "Damn, that dog's big!" "Can I get a ride?" No, seriously, dunk dude, I never thought of that! Annoying, but now without the pups I do kind of miss it.<br />
<br />
So baseball is here, Spring can't be too far behind so I guess my thoughts will turn to advertising.<br />
<br />
Used to be the springtime would bring a little extra work through the door. Clients apparently would get antsy and need to ramp up the pitches, refresh the pool, some folks would go on vacation. Things would just speed up a bit. It was nice.<br />
<br />
This year things are picking up a little. Not as fast as past years, but I do think people are loosening their wallets a scoche. A lot of big accounts have certainly started moving around. Could be good news for many of us on the front lines, but I try never to get my hopes up. We'll see is always a healthy attitude.<br />
<br />
Got a nice note from my friend Steve the other day about turning this blog into something helpful to others which is what his blog does (you can find him @ <a href="http://thunderclapcg.com/">http://thunderclapcg.com</a>/). His company is dedicated to driving new business for agencies and I like a lot of his thinking. Check it out if you get a chance.<br />
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I think it's a good idea, helping people. I spent a lot of last year trying not to get bogged down in politics and doing a bad job of it. (Sidenote: if I post crap on my FaceBook page you can hide me and don't have to listen to me, but stop trying to pick a fight with me if you disagree with my viewpoint. I don't jump onto your page and post my leftie ramblings so don't do it to mine. nuff said. Sidenote over) Of course, I'm still looking for what exactly it is I'm doing here, but if someone thinks of something let me know. I'm definitely gonna work with Steve's ideas and new topics are always good.<br />
<br />
Helpful hint #1: Don't blog in the middle of the night.<br />
<br />
Although I'm not really sure when I'm supposed to do it. I started tweeting and I'm still a little unsure what to do there. Everyone seems to retweet fantastic articles, which is great except I can't seem to find the time to read them all and retweet them to others. I have two novels I'm supposed to be reading right now, so I can design their book covers, along with work (which as I said has picked up), taxes are coming (I've already had the accountant file an extension prophylactically), man, it's busy.<br />
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I suppose I shouldn't complain. I could live in Libya or some other hotspot that's getting the crap bombed out of it.<br />
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Helpful tip #2: Stop complaining.<br />
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Honestly, I'm not a coal miner or a revolutionary, I'm not getting shot at in Afganistan or Iraq and I'm pretty sure my wife still likes me so what do I really (and most people in this country) really have to complain about?<br />
<br />
That's enough helping for now.<br />
<br />
Here's a pretty picture:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh63TK6Z952Qg6zLso_K7IYBY9R6ZuCMD-WIAXVDM_t-twFodM0XhYVeWiC2Oe5LmdR3cT8gWFg45VrjXhn7ezbYqJKc7tt_h6bGyO5pmwSw1H_QzOo9RYXjTvfNZbX0TN2NivOKfhgBm4I/s1600/Franzese_Michael_Shaw_2007.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh63TK6Z952Qg6zLso_K7IYBY9R6ZuCMD-WIAXVDM_t-twFodM0XhYVeWiC2Oe5LmdR3cT8gWFg45VrjXhn7ezbYqJKc7tt_h6bGyO5pmwSw1H_QzOo9RYXjTvfNZbX0TN2NivOKfhgBm4I/s320/Franzese_Michael_Shaw_2007.jpg" width="232" /></a></div><br />
<br />
George Bernard Shaw. A very good writer. I like his plays a lot. He also makes a good subject for a drawing.<br />
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You may have noticed I did not (and will no longer) state that I am changing a subject before doing so. As I heard a long time ago, "Seques are for babies." Of course, "Segways" are for tourists, but I digress.<br />
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Cheers!Michael Franzesehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11568379549346439656noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6444356704528023398.post-41864729712490316392011-03-21T23:45:00.000-07:002011-03-21T23:45:09.252-07:00Father, forgive me for I have sinned...At least that's always the way it started when I was a kid. Confession, that is, for those of you who may not have gone to Catholic church when you were a child. I didn't go much and to say I'm a lapsed Catholic would be a slap in the face to every other lapsed Catholic on the planet. And no, this is not a religious post for I am not a religious man.<br />
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My sin has been letting this blog go fallow over the last few (okay 4) months. My sin was one of sloth I suppose against the new media of the world and myself. My sin has been learning to make time to actually sit, read, understand and comment on the world around me. I could say I've been busy, but most nights before I go to bed I generally waste a good hour or two reading HuffPo or playing Mahjong or doing something else equally wasteful.<br />
<br />
Last year I challenged to myself to draw 100 pictures in 100 days and to force myself to sit here , day after day and record whatever came into my oversized bald melon. It was fun, but it was also a lot of work. After that I had a lot of trouble getting back into it. I wasn't sure if I had anything to say. I'm still a little unsure. I'll tell you right now I'm not sure I have "found" a voice yet, but I have decided to once more pursue this social media angle and see what comes of it. No apologies, just a lot more rambling. If you tune in great. If you tune out, s'okay. If you freak out, not really my problem.<br />
<br />
My wife is an experienced blogger. I have friends who are always blogging. I like to read what they have to say and find interesting tidbits everywhere. I also find stuff I don't need, nor care about, but to me I enjoy the process of finding so whatever I come up with is a win for me.<br />
<br />
For you, maybe not so much.<br />
<br />
Subject Change!<br />
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I showed at an art show a couple of years back. Nothing big, a very large group show here in Chicago called "Around the Coyote". It was my first show and I was all proud of myself for getting in there. I sold a few pieces, not much, but enough to make me smile and pay for a few beers. Good show I say!<br />
<br />
One thing that sticks out in my head from that weekend was something my wife said. I'm not sure exactly what the words were, I have trouble remembering things exactly, but the gist was, "Well, looking at your stuff I'm not sure what your point is." She didn't mean she didn't like my art, or didn't see a "point" in creating it, she just didn't see my "voice" coming through on the wall.<br />
<br />
See, I had nudes, sketches, some abstracts and a bunch of other pieces all over the wall. I understood exactly what she meant and as someone who loves to buy art and look at pieces in museums I totally "got it". The entire wall was a jumble. It could have been a gallery showing ten different artists for as much as they had in common.<br />
<br />
The problem is that's exactly how my brain works. It's hard to explain to people and some might say it's a form of ADD or something, but in my mind I'm always thinking of something. Not something specific, not something that would save the world, cure cancer, help the poor, make a million dollars or even how to get through the day.<br />
<br />
It's a jumble that skips and slogs from one point to the next with no clear direction. Sometimes there are distinct end points like a job. You are asked to get a certain bit of work done, design this, concepts for that, strategic positioning for the other, whatever. You set out to begin the task and you know where you need to end the task. If you followed my work process on a map it would look like I was on a Sunday drive with my, "We're not lost, just a little misplaced" mother. I lurch this way, I turn that way, I clean a kitchen, I read the paper, work on other things and I flop around until I get to the end. I always get there and everyone seems happy with my work, but I'm pretty sure if they watched it happen inside my head it would scare the shit out of them.<br />
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It's one of the reasons I called this blog, "Bits and pieces of a fractured mind." It's kind of the truth.<br />
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Subject Change!<br />
<br />
What the heck is up with Libya? I know people are getting hurt and I feel for them, but man, I'm not sure we want to be a buttinsky again in another international conflict. I saw a post from a friend the other day that said a Tomahawk missile costs $600,000 dollars. That's a lotta money raining down on The dictator there. Just a thought.<br />
<br />
Speaking of politics, I'm not going to go into too much here. It's too easy to set people off. I'm going to try to stick to design and art issues, but every now and then something will come out of my head. It's not there for debate really, it's just what "I" think at that moment. If you would like to debate I will have cocktails with anyone who wants to debate, but I won't do it on the internet. Email me and we'll work something out.<br />
<br />
Subject Change!<br />
<br />
I saw this the other day, <a href="http://www.creativereview.co.uk/cr-blog/2011/march/japan-creative-response">http://www.creativereview.co.uk/cr-blog/2011/march/japan-creative-response</a> and wondered, "Really." Is everything an argument now? Some designers create artwork and sell it to raise money for the Red Cross in Japan and we're debating whether or not this is the way to help?<br />
<br />
Seems to me, if my house was on fire and my neighbor decided to sell tickets and beer to people while they watch, but then donated all the money to me to help me rebuild I wouldn't think twice. He was trying to help. He isn't a fireman, he couldn't put out the flames, but he did what he could and I was the beneficiary.<br />
<br />
That's the way I look at it. Artists can't fly over to Japan and help reset a nuclear reactor. Well, they could, but my guess is would be the best looking most dangerous freakin' place in the world and would still blow up, but it would probably make a very interesting statement as it did so, but that's not the point. They're doing what they know how to do and finding a way to make it work. They should be commended, not derided.<br />
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Some people brought up the comment of what you do with the poster or artwork. Should you hang it in your home? Is it a testimony to your goodness for buying one? I don't know. I think they should be put in history books to memorialize the moment. Back in the day they used to create memorials years after something happened and people raised craploads of money to do it. These days you can do it in an instant and send it all around the world in seconds. It's pretty powerful stuff if you think about it.<br />
<br />
They didn't raise money to create a memorial they created a memorial to raise money and help people they don't even know. Wow.<br />
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At least that's what I think.<br />
<br />
Comment freely if you want otherwise I'll see you back here very soon. I will try to be here once a week, but I may get sidetracked as I said earlier.<br />
<br />
Back to where we started, who might one confess to about social media neglect? Mark Zuckerberg? Jack Dorsey? Ashton Kutcher?<br />
<br />
Cheers!Michael Franzesehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11568379549346439656noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6444356704528023398.post-70778705780656024012010-10-26T13:24:00.001-07:002010-10-26T13:37:03.972-07:00Well, here we are in the midst of election season. Are you tired of it yet? I know I am. The name calling, bile spewing, lies and distortions make for great fun, but after a few years of listening to it I'm kind of done. Politics is a messy business full of people not smart enough or talented enough to get into the entertainment industry. I suppose they have to do something for a living and to keep all those 24-hour news channels going. Keeps people in business I guess.<div><br /></div><div>As one prone to doodling, today I have uploaded a few sketches done over the last couple of weeks. Inspired by the lovable antics of tea party hopefuls and the beautiful drawings of Heinrich Kley I post them here for your perusal. I posted the captions below because they can be hard to read.</div><div><br /></div><div>Enjoy!</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikB9XoBxaER9dSItaUDsTpb6mhD3ctktql4pDspIpW3XqrCUYlMEh85dxpZdTAoOxr34Z3ZEzjO0Avv06KyOOO82Pp7OoSXiFkqk_SIrdtPlMHvhuMndms_QBlz8JpIn6d692lUqC16eUa/s1600/UncleSmackdown.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 293px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikB9XoBxaER9dSItaUDsTpb6mhD3ctktql4pDspIpW3XqrCUYlMEh85dxpZdTAoOxr34Z3ZEzjO0Avv06KyOOO82Pp7OoSXiFkqk_SIrdtPlMHvhuMndms_QBlz8JpIn6d692lUqC16eUa/s400/UncleSmackdown.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5532453692419018386" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;">"How to Reform a Banker"</div></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjanNuxXnbxpioH5AiuqiXByc_JuyD1yqga3OBg9VZUc3uMFeofZOyuwS0mSoSmA1eeodcCVZP68N_I56kmScPT8XoyXUgkeAzqbyltPHTKMU2XsPfcpD6de2u02ZDDwHC3mcq67m33MQsz/s1600/TeaShot.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 293px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjanNuxXnbxpioH5AiuqiXByc_JuyD1yqga3OBg9VZUc3uMFeofZOyuwS0mSoSmA1eeodcCVZP68N_I56kmScPT8XoyXUgkeAzqbyltPHTKMU2XsPfcpD6de2u02ZDDwHC3mcq67m33MQsz/s400/TeaShot.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5532453630774910290" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;">"The Tea Party aims... and shoots"</div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVy26Dp9jCd3nN5TnbaxKBC3nLPwN-LrZ9W1kXV4cZqzCcn-qHVsOlCMt50gURd8cp9kNKElpb9J7R7KF8M4OdHx0VpoGT8QaLeSWEo2NhwmlGQ1Ly-e8i1O3TFAVKlJHZvEVXERL6Eo6k/s1600/SharonsTea.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 353px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVy26Dp9jCd3nN5TnbaxKBC3nLPwN-LrZ9W1kXV4cZqzCcn-qHVsOlCMt50gURd8cp9kNKElpb9J7R7KF8M4OdHx0VpoGT8QaLeSWEo2NhwmlGQ1Ly-e8i1O3TFAVKlJHZvEVXERL6Eo6k/s400/SharonsTea.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5532453566538391170" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;">"Who Stole Sharon's Tea?"</div></div><div><br /></div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5t3A2hsNzoxiqJONKOAJSDJ5GHQ_zGAx2oO0B_rl265L1JrOqGlXBlXsbendPJp6zfjeVqzTV9nBKo5a_Y6CMoRAZZuMSbVBXFMO9_tjWo01h3pN4c2PRe-qqf2nd9ljAXgutdonKLt_J/s1600/Palladino.oops.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 299px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5t3A2hsNzoxiqJONKOAJSDJ5GHQ_zGAx2oO0B_rl265L1JrOqGlXBlXsbendPJp6zfjeVqzTV9nBKo5a_Y6CMoRAZZuMSbVBXFMO9_tjWo01h3pN4c2PRe-qqf2nd9ljAXgutdonKLt_J/s400/Palladino.oops.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5532453499303175250" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;">"Don't Cry Palladino"</div></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgza22R9s6qD0mylSzcVxSg4nJUNCtJrG4Kix0Yyx0qqgSHP7FreDk55zrkmu2a19CNdkZwoRRhEeHyz_x2OoPk9ut8Tw7D4paPCwLU0Fdhrw1Vvxv0E8wurUYC0Pwefun5nYj38YE9-l7B/s1600/Cont.Scholar.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 293px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgza22R9s6qD0mylSzcVxSg4nJUNCtJrG4Kix0Yyx0qqgSHP7FreDk55zrkmu2a19CNdkZwoRRhEeHyz_x2OoPk9ut8Tw7D4paPCwLU0Fdhrw1Vvxv0E8wurUYC0Pwefun5nYj38YE9-l7B/s400/Cont.Scholar.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5532453411405534866" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">"The Constitutional Scholar"</div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>I hope to get back into the "blogging" a little more in the future, but we'll see how everything goes. </div><div><br /></div><div>Thanks for hanging around.</div><div><br /></div><div>Cheers!</div>Michael Franzesehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11568379549346439656noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6444356704528023398.post-88277105477164051672010-03-19T13:22:00.000-07:002010-04-14T08:44:42.549-07:00Summary JudgementWell, here it is. My 100th barbarian image, inked and all. No, I didn't make it one hundred days, but I feel good that I completed the task (and 97 days straight was a pretty good run).<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4S1RMxxbCMg-q6Ll5im72YOVVBn9K3bo8mgPSSasI_9GgFH0RiUcjsRCCf1enHfx4_ZxXfD_ccrSTIpy2VJ7lL-YozeyuUW5Ziy8JuKVxwAmcKgfWTQYwm2c5WpN9Qbt35JVvVtGWTJmo/s1600-h/Barb.no100.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 383px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4S1RMxxbCMg-q6Ll5im72YOVVBn9K3bo8mgPSSasI_9GgFH0RiUcjsRCCf1enHfx4_ZxXfD_ccrSTIpy2VJ7lL-YozeyuUW5Ziy8JuKVxwAmcKgfWTQYwm2c5WpN9Qbt35JVvVtGWTJmo/s400/Barb.no100.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5450443052774822706" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYxNlBVyxNJWGDQApcjlyCY-z_tQSwd2lwaH_7uyRVTR7J31EI5EUmr0qEjETQqtvDXNh7F_wXVWcf-Kccs-aowiuEBaI3iQHmk7he4v-0zA-JaSpq0jgPVIEdo0u4VZk7WqQ0viQd_eu3/s1600/Barb.no99.5.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 306px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYxNlBVyxNJWGDQApcjlyCY-z_tQSwd2lwaH_7uyRVTR7J31EI5EUmr0qEjETQqtvDXNh7F_wXVWcf-Kccs-aowiuEBaI3iQHmk7he4v-0zA-JaSpq0jgPVIEdo0u4VZk7WqQ0viQd_eu3/s400/Barb.no99.5.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5460013188480979874" border="0" /></a><br />I posted the inked version and the pencil from the last post. I think I prefer the pencil. I am trying to work in ink, but keeping yourself loose enough to keep a sense of life in the image is something I still struggle with. I think it would also help if I drew smaller pictures. Whew, this one is about 20"x24" which is a lot of background to cover.<br /><br />That said, I'm pretty happy with the image as it stands.<br /><br />I have been very busy with work lately which is a good thing in this day and age. Although from the sounds coming out of my TV are telling me that things are looking up. I don't think we're out of the woods yet, but people are spending money, profits are up for oil and insurance companies, CEO compensation keeps rising. Heck, I think we're all gonna be fine.<br /><br />Life goes on, as they say. If we stop and actually consider all the ills in the world, all the things that can stop us from moving forward, growing and just plain living our lives, I think we would just curl up in a ball and cry. No time for that.<br /><br />I am always amazed at the heights and depths the human animal is capable of reaching. From the depths of hatred that can be seen across the world (easy Tea Baggers, I'll get to you in a few, be patient) to the outpouring of dollars and help given to Haiti. It is jaw dropping.<br /><br />I know that people can be passionate about things that they care about. I am. I get very riled up when discussing (some would say arguing) about things. I once had a very, mostly fun, but people thought it was real, argument about whether or not Santa Claus should be investigated for animal cruelty and discrimination due to his well documented abuse of Rudolf the "red nosed" Reindeer. I do love me a good argument, but I try not to feel "hate" towards my opponent and I hope they feel the same.<br /><br />The degrees to which rhetoric has come in this country truly makes me sad. We actually have people openly talking about rebellion as if we are some third world country run by thugs. What has turned people into this unruly mob? I would love to know.<br /><br />Now, this is not a set up to bash Tea Baggers. I actually think they make some valid points. People are scared. Their jobs aren't safe, they've overextended themselves and are feeling the crushing weight of not only their debt, but the deb Congress has raked up over the last few decades. But they also make some wild allegations, lies and ginned up conspiracies. And their "leaders", if you can call them that, are only stoking those fires. To me that is to their cause's detriment. If they actually came out to have an intense discussion on a topic instead of just "riling up the base", I might actually take the time to listen.<br /><br />I'll wrap it up for now, but I want to leave you with this thought for the day.<br /><br />It's easier to find a parking space if you turn the radio down and concentrate.<br /><br />Cheers!Michael Franzesehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11568379549346439656noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6444356704528023398.post-24135558748864047112010-02-26T14:38:00.000-08:002010-03-09T21:30:12.121-08:00So close!Okay, after way too long avoiding the inevitable, I am trying to get to working on this blog again. That said, I am going to try turning it into an image per week going forward. After 97 straight days of barbarians I crapped out. Below is the image I am currently working on.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrp8Zy_GpmW1D7OU27pzYr3mVdQqfq3_s6uomQogw_jS5bX4IsYYLxvgo0hdypSxmgKrbWjF4DlON5BWmtRbaq6oqne1G_XVoDmI2KiRDtKI1kZQl6DxhuYuPlqD2i8LKPtAY7fcd5diLV/s1600-h/Barb.no99.5.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 306px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrp8Zy_GpmW1D7OU27pzYr3mVdQqfq3_s6uomQogw_jS5bX4IsYYLxvgo0hdypSxmgKrbWjF4DlON5BWmtRbaq6oqne1G_XVoDmI2KiRDtKI1kZQl6DxhuYuPlqD2i8LKPtAY7fcd5diLV/s400/Barb.no99.5.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442685470600629122" border="0" /></a><br /><br />This could be considered the 99 and a half barbarian image. I have been working on it sporadically for a few weeks and I am going to start inking it this weekend. I thought I would post the pencil first since my inking may ruin the entire thing.<br /><br />Lately, I've been running my artistic life like Congress runs this country, sporadically, badly and mostly just not getting anything done. I could blame it on too much work. I could blame it on Republicans not allowing me to do my job, but the plain and simple truth is I have been lazy. Yes I have been working, but I have also been watching a little too much TV, drinking, hanging out with friends and avoiding art in general.<br /><br />Why? I don't know. I love to draw and the barbarians were a hoot to work on. Maybe I just burnt myself out. Who cares. I am now trying to get back on the horse. I hope some people are still paying attention.<br /><br />I won't rant on today because there's just too much to say, but I am ramping up and the rants are coming back. Healthcare reform, Liz Cheney, Walter Koenig's son, the Olympics and a recent MRI all come to mind as a starting point, but my thoughts are a little scattered right now due to some generic Vicodin that will help me sleep.<br /><br />As soon as the inks are done on this piece I'll post it.<br /><br />Cheers!Michael Franzesehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11568379549346439656noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6444356704528023398.post-44024399900304592142010-01-06T06:51:00.000-08:002010-01-06T06:54:01.358-08:00I'm workin' on itIn trying to create a last Barbarian picture I have become distracted and the holidays didn't help.<br /><br />As I say, I'm workin' on it, but until I can finish here's a quick article that made me smile. There are still good people in this world and we should all learn from it.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-good-samaritan-06-jan06,0,4136827.story">http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-good-samaritan-06-jan06,0,4136827.story</a><br /><br />Let's talk soon (I hope to try and finish something this weekend. )<br /><br />Cheers!Michael Franzesehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11568379549346439656noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6444356704528023398.post-10048133073179794762009-12-15T12:13:00.000-08:002009-12-15T14:49:36.131-08:00I'm just sayin'!Just a few sketches from the other night.<br /><br />I was sitting around watching TV and letting the pencil roam over the pages. In the second image I got a little more serious although I did stay very rough.<br /><br />This brings us to Image number 99 of the barbarians project. I guess that means I really need to do something special for the next one. Yikes. I had enough trouble getting this far I'm not so sure I can top it. Well, these days I have been taking more time with the images, so hopefully I'll have something impressive to show you.<br /><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPIZxyK_UmBQ6MuOL4H_oZVVK6sDpg5c1ppN2_wPZ1EfgxXCw9UeK3ypJaBaiArQP-0zWtt-i4T2nJuc7fLsP30OtDXCdskyDMMmH4PE1XoumKActZgBUvWx1j3-1rUGVCKLk_cqWSZ18W/s1600-h/Barb.no99.b.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 291px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPIZxyK_UmBQ6MuOL4H_oZVVK6sDpg5c1ppN2_wPZ1EfgxXCw9UeK3ypJaBaiArQP-0zWtt-i4T2nJuc7fLsP30OtDXCdskyDMMmH4PE1XoumKActZgBUvWx1j3-1rUGVCKLk_cqWSZ18W/s400/Barb.no99.b.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5415558823513560866" border="0" /></a><br />On to other topics.<br /><br />Well, last time we talked (or rather I talked you read, but hopefully you had some intelligent responses that you mouthed to yourself or grumbled under your breath) I mentioned trying to do at least one nice thing per day as a way to help me, and you, get over everyone being so angry and negative all the time.<br /><br />I truly believe that we have come to a point in this society where everyone only worries about themselves. I think ware truly in the midst of the "me" generation. Now, I don't want people to think I'm some kind of socialist. I understand wanting to get ahead, wanting to have a little more, but does it have to come at the expense of someone else?<br /><br />Example: Just today I was driving the car and came up to a "Stop" sign. Some !@#$%^ pulled up alongside me and tried to fly by on the right. As many of you know, I'm not one to remain calm during this type of situation and gunned my engine to stop him from cutting me off. In my dream of dreams he would run headlong into the beer truck that was at the corner, but I was denied. I'm not going to sit here and pretend I was being mature, but I'll be damned if some immature idiot is going to pull that crap on me and everyone else who was waiting patiently at the crosswalk. Of cousre, just to teach "Leadfoot" a lesson I also drove the exact speed limit until he got fed up and turned, giving me a farewell salute that I heartily gave right back.<br /><br />I have to admit, I've had it. People in this country are so self-centered, so worried about how they might be put out by anyone else that something has to be done. This may just make me angry enough to go into politics. Although as we all know my background would never stand up to the piousness of the voting public. Of course, these are the same geniuses (me included) that vote into power every year another egocentric, power hungry self-obsessed moron that just goes to Washington or the state capitol to get a better view on how to screw over the population.<br /><br />Here in Illinois the papers are constantly stunned when a politician gets his/her hand caught in the cookie jar or up some young woman's skirt. I say to the newspapers find me a politician that isn't trying to screw us over and then I'll read a story with my mouth agape.<br /><br />If I have to watch one more interview with an idiot from the previous administration blaming the current one for all the problems the last three administrations caused I'll puke and while I'm down there I'll remember how the current crop of morons in Washington can't seem to get anything done because they're all up there attempting to protect their powerbases instead of doing the job we're paying them for, which is to get this country fixed and get our armed forces back where they belong. Hey Joe Lieberman could you be a bigger jagoff?<br /><br />Ugh. Well, thank God that rant's over. Too much coffee and NPR I suppose. I should probably go back to drinking too much and being oblivious. Which reminds me Friday's coming. Woot!<br /><br />Okay, not the greatest of days to be writing on my blog so I'll take a breath and come back to you with something worthwhile. Maybe a short story or something.<br /><br />Thanks for letting me vent.<br /><br />Cheers!Michael Franzesehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11568379549346439656noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6444356704528023398.post-19585888985230694072009-12-09T09:52:00.001-08:002009-12-09T23:15:58.225-08:00OMG! Finally.Well, I am finally back to finish up these Barbarian images. What a month it's been. First let's start with today's image(s). There are two, but I'm only counting them as one since the actual barbarian image was drawn off of the first.<br /><br />Friends of mine recently had a baby. Ray came into the world a little early and has to remain in the hospital for a few weeks, but it looks like all will be fine and his parents are able to get a little extra sleep before he comes home.<br /><br />Anyway, my friend Susan asked me if I could draw a funny picture of him and I did. After seeing it I thought it would make a great barbarian baby shot. You be the judge, but I find it amusing. Of course, I also enjoy watching YouTube videos of people being hit in the head. What are you gonna do?<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9OGA7Aaqp1wfeiV4Te_Gf96R9fKpKU3nHIv-jw2xvx6BPEbAZ5bj5-Kt8orAjHx-MY_O1qru8pqEVXFhg6LJUZsDnmOssEa0NDsKKcMFqu3xjz7JFk0L25fV9CetP_Kk6CHptPK1lG6xN/s1600-h/Barb.no98.b.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 288px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9OGA7Aaqp1wfeiV4Te_Gf96R9fKpKU3nHIv-jw2xvx6BPEbAZ5bj5-Kt8orAjHx-MY_O1qru8pqEVXFhg6LJUZsDnmOssEa0NDsKKcMFqu3xjz7JFk0L25fV9CetP_Kk6CHptPK1lG6xN/s400/Barb.no98.b.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5413297109292626626" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIrctDgp9mrYwb8_DwiIXtKb7Eo4OaDZ3H7OwXPWzjBS6M-jUUYeNuZJKemCqs0C51dNvAGqBEmt41X0zfD7VC_BK0AJWI4heKp9QvjqvsJ6rDW5JebZkIR7pFf59ncSJ3IkZjpA4gBHxl/s1600-h/Barb.no98.a.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 289px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIrctDgp9mrYwb8_DwiIXtKb7Eo4OaDZ3H7OwXPWzjBS6M-jUUYeNuZJKemCqs0C51dNvAGqBEmt41X0zfD7VC_BK0AJWI4heKp9QvjqvsJ6rDW5JebZkIR7pFf59ncSJ3IkZjpA4gBHxl/s400/Barb.no98.a.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5413297046398052050" border="0" /></a><br />So that now brings us to number 98 of my 100 Barbarians project.<br /><br />Well, what has kept me busy for the last month or so that I haven't been posting? I would like to say that it was trying to get a healthcare bill through the House and Senate, but those of you that know me know that I trust my government to get those kind of.....Aw, c'mon we all know that's not gonna happen. Democrats and Republicans couldn't come together to help anyone in this country except themselves even if we paid them. Oh, that's right we do.<br /><br />No, I haven't been busy working on large issues, but I have been busy working and a little burnt out. I traveled a lot around the Midwest in a car talking to people in the yarn industry, I did a some freelance work, had a lovely Thanksgiving Day weekend, made a lot of phone calls and generally felt to overwhelmed to draw. I just had too much trouble putting pencil to paper. Call it artists block or artists complete avoidance or just plain lazy.<br /><br />But that's over now. It's time to get back into the groove, draw a lot of pictures, rant and rave about whatever comes into my big, bald melon and basically stir up a few provocative thoughts. Okay, that sounds like a tall order, but I promise to do my best.<br /><br />Let's start with X-mas? Has the war against it started yet? Or do we have something real to argue about this year? I, myself don't necessarily celebrate Christmas. Nothing against it and my wife and I exchange small gifts, but we don't get into it the way others generally do. If you celebrate, great, if you don't great. Please tell Glenn Beck I couldn't care less.<br /><br />This year we are headed to Virginia to celebrate with my 92 year old mother-in-law. I think I've mentioned Mary before. She is a wonderful lady. She's losing some of her mental acuity, but her spirit is still there and so is her sense of humor. We'll have a quiet dinner because Mary can't handle too much excitement, but we always have a pretty good time.<br /><br />Frankly, these days I can't handle that much excitement. I have tried to stop watching the news, driving in Chicago gives my blood pressure a rise and if I see one more act of littering perpetrated by anyone over the age of 4 they're going to get a real beating. People under 4 tend to be exempt becasue they're new here, but I might give the parents an earful.<br /><br />What is it with throwing things away properly? Why is it so hard? Why can't you take your stupid Starbuck's cup and walk it the extra five feet to a garbage can? Why must you always leave them at bus stops, next to the curb or on top of a newspaper box? Did you grow up in a cesspool? (I use the term "you" to encapsulate all litterers, not "you" the people reading this....unless of course, you are litterers, then, well, you get the point).<br /><br />Why don't we try this: Everyone try and do one nice thing a day. Just one. Help an old lady cross the street, pick up some random trash, give that person with a lost look directions. It is my belief that if people tried to do this on any given day, just one random act of selflessness they might see that it makes them feel just as good as it sounds when you hear of someone else doing it.<br /><br />Moving on, well, actually it's moving on to sleep. Once more I have waited until late in the evening to post my random thoughts and am too tired to slog on with the rest of them.<br /><br />Provocative thought of the day: If Dick Cheney can call the Barrack Obama a traitor on national television does it make him seem more or less pathetic as a human being?<br /><br />Until tomorrow, pick that up!<br /><br />Cheers.Michael Franzesehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11568379549346439656noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6444356704528023398.post-57918772092251353022009-10-26T22:14:00.000-07:002009-10-26T22:18:07.500-07:00Trying to keep upHello,<br /><br />Just a quick post of a sketch I did today. Man it is really hard to keep up with this drawing business when your real life becomes busy.<br /><br />Number 97 Enjoy!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdFG5qweX4KigMiHjp7p5PCXE5j9Te30c7ek3kn7cf-e44vhSpWyx3azh99ulAGrcbENHjTSF9uKMcY4eCnUyiNmGZO4Fo-DFELJIt6aFhyphenhyphenaSFj4btY359a_UIwq_7Np0pRTACK11rLKr5/s1600-h/Barb.no97.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 308px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdFG5qweX4KigMiHjp7p5PCXE5j9Te30c7ek3kn7cf-e44vhSpWyx3azh99ulAGrcbENHjTSF9uKMcY4eCnUyiNmGZO4Fo-DFELJIt6aFhyphenhyphenaSFj4btY359a_UIwq_7Np0pRTACK11rLKr5/s400/Barb.no97.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5397144690718834946" border="0" /></a>Michael Franzesehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11568379549346439656noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6444356704528023398.post-2115337818154783312009-10-22T22:26:00.000-07:002009-10-22T22:42:45.919-07:00Hello All,<br /><br />Tonight I have what might be considered a special treat. I have 2 sketches (Barbarians 95 and 96 for those keeping count) the first is just a guy I sketched during a meeting today and the other is a sketch I did at lunch while remembering the prologue to a story I had written last year. It was supposed to be the opening pages to a graphic novel and someday it just might be, but tonight I thought I would post the images and the prologue from that story for your amusement.<br /><br />Enjoy!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4uvS4BlRMKHXSF4yCgU_gJnXozANVM4Ri84Mwxq2A4VPnlKS1Bj-6cRJq5ty-OaHDfMnIHqLCbU7Oz92qo9UEnOg4gwg9E5POTdAlgkagwLqTnbqAedys_wSTQWCsjOgvlPVXqPCSrAxF/s1600-h/Barb.no95.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 280px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4uvS4BlRMKHXSF4yCgU_gJnXozANVM4Ri84Mwxq2A4VPnlKS1Bj-6cRJq5ty-OaHDfMnIHqLCbU7Oz92qo9UEnOg4gwg9E5POTdAlgkagwLqTnbqAedys_wSTQWCsjOgvlPVXqPCSrAxF/s400/Barb.no95.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5395666272064185602" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgAcfzePXwcPn57vrW5eb7VqYc_H8EqTlOxbym41EMwkwrkrtkQLGsDYfHdg3DXD0dZbWC4NdK_2Hle9krgdCXdlEXfcz1qZ7ODqsPBlZFY7zAjBtjsQLT7aoMRYLWlTHHHttMD2A9n0jx/s1600-h/Barb.no96.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 304px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgAcfzePXwcPn57vrW5eb7VqYc_H8EqTlOxbym41EMwkwrkrtkQLGsDYfHdg3DXD0dZbWC4NdK_2Hle9krgdCXdlEXfcz1qZ7ODqsPBlZFY7zAjBtjsQLT7aoMRYLWlTHHHttMD2A9n0jx/s400/Barb.no96.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5395666391270868466" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><blockquote>Prologue<br /><br />She looked down at his naked body and thought about what she was about to do. A smile crossed her face and a laugh began in her throat. She had almost loved him, this man. This pure, beautiful, naked man that lay before her.<br /><br />She had known of him for only a few short years. Before they met she had heard the stories of his adventures. All the stories told in beer halls and courts across the Great Continent. She had heard the stories and wondered if any one man could have been that brave, that pure, and that beautiful. The very first time she saw him she thought all those stories might just be true.<br /><br />It was shortly after the Great War. He was sent as an emissary from his King with orders to make peace with her newfound country. He was so strong. When he entered the room everyone turned to look. He commanded it. He deserved it. He was the epitome of strength and honor. She was taken aback at their first meeting. She hadn’t expected that.<br /><br />The queen was a beautiful woman. She was so beautiful that men, even without her enchantments, usually fell over at the sight of her, but not him. No, this one was a different breed. She had tried to seduce him. Why not, she thought, to bed a king’s messenger was not new to her, but he would not be swayed. When she tried to cast her spells on him he sensed them and was powerful enough to resist her. This excited her even more. Here was a man that would take some doing. Here was a man that might actually be worthy of her.<br /><br />Over the next few weeks as lower diplomats argued and worked out small details, they would take long walks together and discuss the bigger parts of the peace plan. It was on those walks that she saw where the stories had come from. Here was a man that was not to be taken lightly. He knew his way around her flirtations as well as he knew his way around a battlefield. She would push, he would pull, she would pull and he would turn. The verbal jousting they did was as exciting to her as an evening of passionate lovemaking. How could she ever forget a man like this, this man that lay before her now?<br /><br />As she remembered those weeks her eyes lingered over his muscular body. His body was a roadmap of his life. The adventures, the wars, the barroom altercations, were written in the scars that covered him. A sword cut on his lower back, a burn on his forearm from an errant spell, discolored tissue around his knees that would never heal, the hairline cut from an assassin’s blade along his jaw line. Looking at the wounds she wondered if he was in constant pain. If he was he never showed it. His life was a life filled with violence. A life he was born to, but never seemed completely comfortable with. Pity, she thought, this man would have made a great king.<br /><br />The knight lay there naked before her. The troll that had accompanied her had stripped him of all his armor and clothing. The queen held his weapons and holy symbols in a pouch in her hand. She would leave him here, stranded, thousands of miles from anything he was familiar with. She knew she could not kill him, no, she actually did have feelings for him, but he would not be allowed to interfere with her plans. <br /><br />She began to recite the spell that she had worked on for so long, a spell that had cost the lives of a thousand slaves. As she whispered the incantation she saw the world trembling in her grasp. Yes, this was the moment of her greatest victory. As she finished the spell she knelt next to the handsome knight, licked his ear and whispered, “You were divine, in your time, warrior, but now you are just a man. Now and forever I will remember you, but you…will merely forget.”<br /><br />With that she stood up, barked an order at the troll that was standing a few feet away. He came over to her and she cast again. This spell would take her back to her kingdom a half a world away. “Goodbye, Knight Commander. We shant meet again.” And with that she was gone leaving him with nothing. She had his armor, his weapons and his holy symbols. She had taken everything from him that made him who he was.<br /><br />Or so she thought. </blockquote><br /><br /><br />Hope you enjoyed it, maybe I will continue to post the story with images to go along. Let me just finish these barbarians first.<br /><br />Cheers!Michael Franzesehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11568379549346439656noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6444356704528023398.post-8535405071143582932009-10-21T23:03:00.000-07:002009-10-21T23:27:50.591-07:00Finally!I'm back in! For the last few days Blogspot has been keeping me out. Who knows why? Computers get temperamental I suppose.<br /><br />Sorry for the time away (if anyone was really worrying about not getting enough ranting and barbarians), but I have been on the road, got a little sick and couldn't figure out how to post from my Blackberry™. Now though I'm back and here are 4 images for your perusal. That brings us to 94 barbarian sketches. So I didn't really make it 100 days in a row, to be technical, but I'm going to be close and what more could you ask from a humble art director?<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1k3JGoYR-vDrpCDINdd0zAt_cKdrqEH9UXHHsqqMRv6puGeRnNIMYguoBqvYXZrzBawApyPTO2W0or_pA8MmlFzh0EJotAscfWKobVrfHABRFne0HTOlKUe_2-bao92CAgPtSGItwQMlM/s1600-h/Barb.no92.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 291px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1k3JGoYR-vDrpCDINdd0zAt_cKdrqEH9UXHHsqqMRv6puGeRnNIMYguoBqvYXZrzBawApyPTO2W0or_pA8MmlFzh0EJotAscfWKobVrfHABRFne0HTOlKUe_2-bao92CAgPtSGItwQMlM/s400/Barb.no92.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5395303917715185730" border="0" /> </a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinQ35uDDIEjP8WoKY0Oborhuy9oppYkdfaMLwDQ5p1wrhkq6jGbSIU8BiCVfNXX-Yc_aT0wJ2yOY1oWO-xfognNf3pzDdXjFqXgq1qwqW9_OxsYQKZFNbtc3NGof0Mp7VcmjZXQsPJRMUi/s1600-h/Barb.no91.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 291px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinQ35uDDIEjP8WoKY0Oborhuy9oppYkdfaMLwDQ5p1wrhkq6jGbSIU8BiCVfNXX-Yc_aT0wJ2yOY1oWO-xfognNf3pzDdXjFqXgq1qwqW9_OxsYQKZFNbtc3NGof0Mp7VcmjZXQsPJRMUi/s400/Barb.no91.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5395303841047794802" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2exa-d8o8ELzgl8IzbTGaBXxwcRSMW8_AkfHdvs1n313Qb3Ll7frFyDcORaA10k4AdQJcWCpxzjbNrnJVj9IenMa-lM8GdutZcpEauhC90La_sMxlNMD9DHxHwyZFAy1NZ5s6NVl-vBs4/s1600-h/Barb.no94.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 291px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2exa-d8o8ELzgl8IzbTGaBXxwcRSMW8_AkfHdvs1n313Qb3Ll7frFyDcORaA10k4AdQJcWCpxzjbNrnJVj9IenMa-lM8GdutZcpEauhC90La_sMxlNMD9DHxHwyZFAy1NZ5s6NVl-vBs4/s400/Barb.no94.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5395304045858587746" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzcEy-X3U6Ob0DtXK-gPLcY0R1dEchJNEa9lAPChUURlsloYzbbu2BLG67il0VoxQc4v579pJWQaS25fOFPpbYtzgkZg1ab6KuTTnkPH0CnoFz5_5lDJ5h4a096n7ly1mMfZf4BFVVjx6c/s1600-h/Barb.no93.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 314px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzcEy-X3U6Ob0DtXK-gPLcY0R1dEchJNEa9lAPChUURlsloYzbbu2BLG67il0VoxQc4v579pJWQaS25fOFPpbYtzgkZg1ab6KuTTnkPH0CnoFz5_5lDJ5h4a096n7ly1mMfZf4BFVVjx6c/s400/Barb.no93.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5395303981867971810" border="0" /></a><br /><br />The first two pages are some sketches I was working on while on the road and the other two I did over the weekend. Very rough, but finding the time to draw gets harder with each passing day.<br /><br />I don't know about you, but when I was 25 or so I didn't have a lot to do. Running regular errands, doing a little work, keeping up with friends and such, but days weren't really jam packed. My wife and I laugh that right before we met neither of us had a whole lot to do. Now, neither one of us can seem to get a few minutes to relax without having something come up that needs attending. And we don't even have kids!<br /><br />I can't imagine how busy a person's life is with children. I have a dog and that seems like too much responsibility some days.<br /><br />By the way, on days when a Great Dane has digestive problems you'll wish you picked up that cute little chihuahua you saw and thought was too little to be a real dog. Ugh.<br /><br />Busy, busy, busy, that's life. Speaking of which I picked up a few days of freelance work and they expect me to show up at a reasonable hour so I have to shuffle off to sleep. Enjoy the pics and I will definitely be back here tomorrow.<br /><br />Cheers!Michael Franzesehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11568379549346439656noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6444356704528023398.post-56947171954373187042009-10-07T21:19:00.000-07:002009-10-07T21:21:57.728-07:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp88piPN8nf5x34N6Laes0LwBiL7g71yO0DtHAgQ8hkPvPaBjic7FI73O0yPd-yFyO-ThSJ42SQqXUjllBXOFjbGmMqHP7C39pfTmx9uRH5qmrSfRN4oS6lhr_5W1gcdsp0H8w2gW_MBsX/s1600-h/Barb.no90.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 329px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp88piPN8nf5x34N6Laes0LwBiL7g71yO0DtHAgQ8hkPvPaBjic7FI73O0yPd-yFyO-ThSJ42SQqXUjllBXOFjbGmMqHP7C39pfTmx9uRH5qmrSfRN4oS6lhr_5W1gcdsp0H8w2gW_MBsX/s400/Barb.no90.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5390079072591001170" border="0" /></a>What is the point of telling a website to remember you when it refuses to? Facebook and Blogspot seem to be the biggest culprits of this little annoying habit. Ugh.<br /><br />But enough complaining, here is number 90 and I'm going to let you enjoy it without all the pomp and circumstance of my ramblings because I'm tired and I don't feel well.<br /><br />Until the 'morrow old friends.<br /><br />Cheers!Michael Franzesehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11568379549346439656noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6444356704528023398.post-24529629960061647932009-10-06T22:42:00.001-07:002009-10-07T08:05:01.357-07:00Two for the price of oneWell, here you go. To help me catch up on "100 Barbarians" today you get two images.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIj6HjpxAwxHgv9-lyzFH7qs6_AVfAz4YsA1qMk2GJZ-hmpOxkur6qLpHohu6T5jwaqCUbIO-JZEvHcwwPeFwdsn2i_yK7OKDK3xjkG_wVWD7D7Gt6p3r7aGT7oIUkhl5lCM-xPRfkxxYy/s1600-h/Barb.no89.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 243px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIj6HjpxAwxHgv9-lyzFH7qs6_AVfAz4YsA1qMk2GJZ-hmpOxkur6qLpHohu6T5jwaqCUbIO-JZEvHcwwPeFwdsn2i_yK7OKDK3xjkG_wVWD7D7Gt6p3r7aGT7oIUkhl5lCM-xPRfkxxYy/s400/Barb.no89.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5389729462848836930" border="0" /></a>Both imagined in the same session. Two images from probably the same fight in my head. One sketch a little rougher than the other, but I think you get the point.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNnRDVu_EgdjxPOmD38KQxV3G5_BDUK4sPXkcxd5IpNl0L4MJtaM-tp6920OnM6ehFSqVK1J7xyrxLXRR8SEBrjDeDrbC_8cYlJaZ9R0byP9r7U4ntRMXptRhZyYEmX7bFKq35_ABEVF_7/s1600-h/Barb.no88.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 302px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNnRDVu_EgdjxPOmD38KQxV3G5_BDUK4sPXkcxd5IpNl0L4MJtaM-tp6920OnM6ehFSqVK1J7xyrxLXRR8SEBrjDeDrbC_8cYlJaZ9R0byP9r7U4ntRMXptRhZyYEmX7bFKq35_ABEVF_7/s400/Barb.no88.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5389729395186571666" border="0" /></a><br />Now I'm down to eleven more images of barbarians and will keep posting this week, but it looks like next week I will once again be on the road so there me be another slow down. I know, I know, "What ever will I do without your daily drawings and observations, Michael?" is the question millions of people are asking themselves. My guess is you'll go on with your life as usual and good for you. You're probably spending too much time in front of a computer anyway. Get outside and smell the crisp fall air.<br /><br />Oops, I thought I posted this last night. Obviously the cold I am fighting has creeped into my brain.<br /><br />More tonight.<br /><br />Cheers!Michael Franzesehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11568379549346439656noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6444356704528023398.post-64585238408654212672009-10-06T07:47:00.000-07:002009-10-06T07:58:50.427-07:00This image I actually did earlier last week for my friend Brian at <a href="http://influence-people-brian.blogspot.com/">Influence People</a>. His post this week is about giving sincere and honest appreciation. You should check it out.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiyG2FH6SrcKfjQYrIEwkQ26ExY5OE_zrbcGRcUYqEvIFg7I-xmf0zDHt4E8wORWkyQS7ZbR3NK-gE-WJoq8VxSA1a3soAwhDYMFslsqr41_dZ6jb7-tp0shgtLcE-YvdYlRHTrEfmv-bI/s1600-h/Barb.no86.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 385px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiyG2FH6SrcKfjQYrIEwkQ26ExY5OE_zrbcGRcUYqEvIFg7I-xmf0zDHt4E8wORWkyQS7ZbR3NK-gE-WJoq8VxSA1a3soAwhDYMFslsqr41_dZ6jb7-tp0shgtLcE-YvdYlRHTrEfmv-bI/s400/Barb.no86.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5389498838977946946" border="0" /></a><br />Speaking of appreciation, I will only say it is a good thing. I know I work harder and try to do better if I see people appreciating what I do. I've also seen it work for me when I show people how much I appreciate appreciate them.<br /><br />I used to take people out for lunch after we had finished a long or especially hard project. It was fun and a good way to let off steam. I've always thought it was an inexpensive way to show people how much you cared. You spent a little on food and had some great conversation, then it was back to the salt mine.<br /><br />Day 86 of our 100 barbarians! Woot! Now I've got to do 3 more posts (I think) to catch up so I am off to do a lot more thinking to go with my drawings. I'll post another one later this afternoon. Still got to go to work y'know!<br /><br />Cheers!Michael Franzesehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11568379549346439656noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6444356704528023398.post-30701548285550721022009-10-06T07:36:00.000-07:002009-10-06T07:47:22.090-07:00As I mentioned last Tuesday I went out of town and was computer deficient since last Thursday. I kept drawing, but could not publish. I tried it from my Blackberry™, but had no luck.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo5i5hBVd83Ydj3KncMKIPfTIHZYKlJmE7a9nvvr0ZzI9ECOWQthH9v1ij-XHCkBxWsGS7mVMXizWRlTkXWkWVujvGzASCgnv9-ujCg8yPHbd3c-GV4pjuRGfJYiz5DKaA-HJ8gSTbmsag/s1600-h/Barb.no85.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 301px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo5i5hBVd83Ydj3KncMKIPfTIHZYKlJmE7a9nvvr0ZzI9ECOWQthH9v1ij-XHCkBxWsGS7mVMXizWRlTkXWkWVujvGzASCgnv9-ujCg8yPHbd3c-GV4pjuRGfJYiz5DKaA-HJ8gSTbmsag/s400/Barb.no85.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5389496592008444226" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />Now I'm back, baby and full of...well, I'm not really full of a whole bunch of new stories and opinions, but we'll see what I can come up with. This image is for Day 85. Just 15 days left in our "100 Barbarians in 100 days" postings.<br /><br />I think after the "100" I'm going to try and branch out a little. I have been seeing some wonderful still life's lately and may try my hand. I did a little still life painting a few years ago, but my attention span just couldn't seem to keep up.<br /><br />I went off to Wisconsin last week on a sales road trip. It was fun. I enjoy getting out into the world and meeting real people with real jobs. I've spent so much time in advertising and "meetings" that I think I may have forgotten what a real conversation can be.<br /><br />I also like being on the road. It can be peaceful. Driving around letting your mind wander (while you try and read directions off a MapQuest™ printout and try not to hit and large farm animals). All in all good times.<br /><br />I also saw a couple of good plays over the weekend. Although I will say the Eugene O'neill, depressing! Dude had some serious family issues.<br /><br />Okay, enough for the first post back. I'm onto number 86.<br /><br />Cheers!Michael Franzesehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11568379549346439656noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6444356704528023398.post-33266413722457381362009-09-30T22:33:00.000-07:002009-09-30T23:09:55.394-07:00Careful!You might slip and kill somebody! Oh, looks like you already did.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6YXW9scM-kEhjQoWELG40DT8IucxjD8S6hZAnm20V8V1kWgYz2kWURDkhqOmMPeMUykYLjyrEy5R5VTwhgbBuHDuq5Rh6I_kf8TNVA6rWFW_7-C8R_bGZt-Xsx8VwR34TcvdAlz1Uvhws/s1600-h/Barb.no84.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 260px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6YXW9scM-kEhjQoWELG40DT8IucxjD8S6hZAnm20V8V1kWgYz2kWURDkhqOmMPeMUykYLjyrEy5R5VTwhgbBuHDuq5Rh6I_kf8TNVA6rWFW_7-C8R_bGZt-Xsx8VwR34TcvdAlz1Uvhws/s400/Barb.no84.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5387501255170226706" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Accidents do happen, don't they?<br /><br />Speaking of accidents I almost ran over a bicyclist today. It's not the first time. Cyclists in the Chicago area tend to not pay attention to street signs or stop lights. The odds of hitting one have to be pretty good for the amount of times I have jam on the brakes and yell profanities at them.<br /><br />Thankfully, I am leaving the Chicago area for the weekend. My wife and I are going to Wisconsin to see some theater and take a little break.<br /><br />We are headed to American Players Theater (APT) in Spring Green, Wisconsin. We'll spend Friday in Madison having a nice dinner and perusing the farmers market on Saturday morning. Then it's off to the theater.<br /><br />APT is a wonderful outdoor amphitheater that hosts 5 (I believe it could be 6) plays all summer long. They have an ensemble cast that performs all the plays throughout the summer and fall and they always do a fantastic job. We've been going for years. If you ever get to Wisconsin you should look it up.<br /><br />Speaking of looking up, did you hear there is water on the moon? Not a lot, but someday we may be able to use it as a launching pad for future exploration. <span style="font-style: italic;">Space 1999</span> anyone?<br /><br />(And around the barn we go.)<br /><br />I don't like slacks that have the pockets too far down on the sides. My keys are always falling out and I can never seem to get my hands in them to retrieve anything.<br /><br />Dropped off some artwork for the Ravenswood Artwalk this weekend.<br /><br />Made guacamole yesterday. I like tomatoes in my guacamole. Some people don't.<br /><br />Have to remember to cash some checks and make some international phone calls.<br /><br />(I'm back)<br /><br />Anyway, besides bicyclists behaving badly I must say I am seeing more and more graffiti and littering popping up in my neighborhood. For some reason those two offenses are death penalty material for me. I' not sure why. Maybe it's the lack of respect for other peoples property. I don't know it just irks the heck out of me.<br /><br />But enough rambling for this evening let me leave you with this thought:<br /><br />Does the price of tea in China really have anything to do with anything and why should I care if I drink coffee?<br /><br />Cheers!Michael Franzesehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11568379549346439656noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6444356704528023398.post-29418153378525618092009-09-29T23:20:00.001-07:002009-09-30T14:17:58.996-07:00Portrait of a killerThis portrait is from the movie "The Man Who Laughs". It is an old German (I believe) film that Bob Kane used as a prototype for Batman's nemesis The Joker.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQEP8A9OuwbsgrZlUlrc_bvcDpjRg0EZtOQ4XvCyUvJVFoHt5GVNTsK3Q2gj0Ej-DHe9LFNM3gt9YnIBfjb1mCtBJ5Pgmd5GzhE_TOF0WsB_7YJ7rSjpoIMU0iVTN9tPFEU-POmuRAnSQi/s1600-h/Barb.no83.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 314px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQEP8A9OuwbsgrZlUlrc_bvcDpjRg0EZtOQ4XvCyUvJVFoHt5GVNTsK3Q2gj0Ej-DHe9LFNM3gt9YnIBfjb1mCtBJ5Pgmd5GzhE_TOF0WsB_7YJ7rSjpoIMU0iVTN9tPFEU-POmuRAnSQi/s400/Barb.no83.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5387141488304263762" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />I was sketching it out knowing I had to draw a barbarian and then thought, "The Joker is pretty barbarous." My house my rules. It counts. It also gives me some breathing space to create more guys killing each other.<br /><br />I am going out of town on Thursday and will have to try and sketch on the road, find a Kinko's and upload from there. We'll see if I can actually get it done. If not I'll post them all next week so I will still have completed a barbarian a day. That or I'll change the rules to,<br /><br />"One hundred barbarians in 100 days (but not in a row)."<br /><br />We'll see how it goes.<br /><br />Cheers!Michael Franzesehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11568379549346439656noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6444356704528023398.post-75283187853027026322009-09-29T06:43:00.000-07:002009-09-29T07:19:39.458-07:00Shorter daysToday's image is kind of fun. It was inspired by my friend Brian's post on Influence People. He had a post about criticizing others as a no win situation due to the push back you get from the person you are criticizing (and I had some reference of a couple of sumo wrestlers). He ran this image on his post so I wanted to run it after he did.<br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtF_vUCay8a5DMlZbRoBkSWp0yQ4zjbs9L6Z1eL5cbtNgJw0TSDC8BA_0Y4pxkC-BRm6FdwilDEe18WdWvNlqq_1xA8HigpB2oq7gUapA2gzZpPc7HEoDR-kP4lGBmfhD-0rbBiIBYYKra/s1600-h/Barb.no82.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 342px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtF_vUCay8a5DMlZbRoBkSWp0yQ4zjbs9L6Z1eL5cbtNgJw0TSDC8BA_0Y4pxkC-BRm6FdwilDEe18WdWvNlqq_1xA8HigpB2oq7gUapA2gzZpPc7HEoDR-kP4lGBmfhD-0rbBiIBYYKra/s400/Barb.no82.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5386884833580468162" border="0" /></a><br /><br />It's funny where you come up with ideas. They seem to be all around if you're looking for them, but hard to capture when you actively try to chase them down. At least it is for me. Every time I sit down at the drawing board to come up with an idea my mind seems to go blank these days. Creativity is a tricky thing.<br /><br />It's probably one of the reasons I've been posting images and just little short messages lately. I'm not going to apologize for it, but I would really rather do some bigger critical thinking on this blog and fitting it into my recent schedule has been quite a chore. I've been trying to stay out of the political realm because that's a zero sum game. I will come up for more of a direction for this blog soon, but for now please bear with me as I mill about directionless to see where the ideas go.<br /><br />(Subject change. Hang on)<br /><br />I have always found the word opportunity to mean one thing to myself and another thing to people in advertising. In advertising if anyone approaches you with an "opportunity" it usually means there will be no money, no creative control and usually a whole lot of work. I've decided recently that I will no longer be responding the same to these "opportunities". It's time for a change.<br /><br />It's not that I don't like working hard, but the no money/no creative control option that people keep coming up with doesn't really fit for me. I was always under the impression that if you wanted someone to do something for you for FREE you offered them something in return. Apparently the rules have changed and I was not cc'ed on that memo.<br /><br />My friend Brian understands this. He emails me with some thoughts and just asks if I have any images that might go with it. He leaves the creative part up to me. It's a fair trade. He helps me with the ideas and lets me be completely creative trusting that I am not going to offend his readers by being crass. We both benefit. That's an opportunity I enjoy.<br /><br />Large charities seem to work differently. I have done more pro-bono work in my career than I care to admit and I have not been happy with one piece of it. I have never been able to use any of the work created to further my career. After the groupthink of some board of directors or "marketing" department gets involved the pieces are so mindless and uninspiring that I usually ask for my name to be removed and I throw them away.<br /><br />The next time a charity asks me to do something they will have to give up something. I know they don't have any money, but what is it with giving up creative control? Do they think I am going to just put together a completely offensive piece to see what I can get away with? Do they think I value my own creativity so little that as a creative professional and communicator I am just going to throw all my knowledge out the window to do something "cool"? It's laughable that they would think so little of me.<br /><br />I've got to run now, but we will explore this topic a lot tonight. I finally have an idea for a post, but time has run out for me because I have to be in a meeting in an hour.<br /><br />Talk amongst yourselves. I'll be back this afternoon/evening.<br /><br />Cheers!Michael Franzesehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11568379549346439656noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6444356704528023398.post-49249842671065957232009-09-28T06:22:00.000-07:002009-09-28T06:23:17.298-07:00She's a witch!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg3iR9FibfIQZyGCIRCnJP_lY0yH1H8uhJPwnaae2JRZwJJABRdMtDGmRSGBRhjLOpwq5dp_UGTBF4zSMs0k0JJ3_DfIdRs3EDUOdiejt3hykL-dEdLET6MHxOeDT8YS1VkgqL992P1itx/s1600-h/Barb.no81.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg3iR9FibfIQZyGCIRCnJP_lY0yH1H8uhJPwnaae2JRZwJJABRdMtDGmRSGBRhjLOpwq5dp_UGTBF4zSMs0k0JJ3_DfIdRs3EDUOdiejt3hykL-dEdLET6MHxOeDT8YS1VkgqL992P1itx/s400/Barb.no81.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5386508094262466370" border="0" /></a>Okay, more of a witch than a barbarian, but she'll do.<br /><br />Cheers!Michael Franzesehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11568379549346439656noreply@blogger.com0