Brave Kids on the Block

Brave Thing #2: Sing
And not the lame Celine Dion/Eric Carmen stuff you do in the shower. We're talking about going public. Professional performers need not apply; we're talking about the vocal wallflowers of the world (not to be confused with The Wallflowers, which features the delicious Jakob Dylan.)

It can be as easy as singing along to the radio when carpooling, or for the gutsy, there's always the wide, wide world of karaoke.

And of course, there's caroling. Outside of a karaoke bar and maybe those chain restaurants where they make the staff sing a rendition of "Happy Birthday", the bravest of the brave award will have to go to carolers.

I saw these guys on a trip to San Francisco:



Now, judging by the fine quality of their costumes, I would venture to say that these were not amateur performers. Still, as I watched the red one not-so-surreptitiously toe the tip hat closer to the crowd, I'd still say they were at least just a smidgen out of their comfort zone.

Personally, I've been jamming on Rock Band 2 for the last three days. With my best friend (stage name Toko Oh-No!) on lead guitar and me (Sporky Not-A-Fork) on vocals, we've been a musical sensation hitting nations all over the (virtual) world. We'd still be in Sweden at the Stockholm Synthdrome if we hadn't decided to take a short cookie and juice box break. However, if the crowd requests we perform "Carry On Wayward Son" one more time, I think I might smash some guitars for real. I never thought I'd end up sympathizing with Kansas, but well, Steve Walsh, here's lookin' at you.

So there it is, kids. Singing. And as a church music director once told us at Mass: "If you think God gave you an awful voice, go ahead and punish him with it."

MAIPing up is hard to do

My dear sensei, Mr. Jonathan Car-miyagi has been helping guide a flock of San Jose State advertising students on their way to the golden ticket that is the Multicultural Advertising Internship Program.

On his blog, Carmonize, he asked us MAIPers to reflect on the application process and tell everyone what we learned. This was my response:

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It's a matter of perspective.

I'd started off looking up at the MAIP as if it were some type of Greco-Roman temple where the Quaker Oats guy and the Geico Gecko held the keys to the World of Advertising. If I got in, Leo Burnett and David Ogilvy would each hand me a scotch on the rocks and my wardrobe would instantaneously become a combination of dirty hipster shirts and uptown cocktail dresses. And if I didn't get in (God forbid) I'd be ruined and forced to live in a ditch somewhere, gurgling in the oil-slicked water and shooting up expired hot sauce packets with a bunch of failed English and sociology majors.

Then I woke up from that dream and decided not to mix anchovy pizza with mint ice cream before bed.

The truth is that what I've learned most from this process is that it is ever-evolving while still sticking to its basic principals, kind of like Madonna, sans Kabbalah. And like Madonna, I don't need committee of heads telling me if my stuff is cool enough to be part of the club.

There will always be kids from distinguished portfolio schools who can rock Illustrator out of the water while I barely make a ripple. And there will be kids who should probably stay accountants. Or HR reps. And they will all get into the MAIP while I tried and didn't.

For as many people who will be entered into the Pantheon of MAIP, there are more that haven't even heard of it, and still have succeeded.

The important thing is that I can evolve too. I will still be there to one-up them, to bow down, to chew bubble gum and kick ass when I'm all out of bubble gum.

So, after all the hard work, I'm done anticipating. If I get in, awesome. If I don't...

Oh, who am I kidding? HEY COMMITTEE PEOPLE PICK ME NOW PLEASE I'M BEGGIN' YOU! I CAN'T HANDLE SPICY AND I'M ALLERGIC TO GUTTERS!

Brave New Thing

So, it's been a little while. There has been a brief, but noticed hiatus from "real" blogging after my father's degrading health finally led to his Eternal Rest in early September, but the Powers That Be have determined that I shall. keep. blogging.

In order to celebrate life, rather than the unfortunate alternatives, and the vitality of the human spirit, I'm starting something new. I'm calling it: Brave Thing a Week.

It'll sound catchier once it catches on.

The idea behind Brave Thing a Week (or Btawk as it will soon commonly be known) is to show case one brave thing.

Weekly.

Get it?

Rules:
Brave-ability:
Of course, they can't all be Things like climbing Mt. Everest or amending the Constitution. These will be brave things everyone can do, like finally going to the gym in shorts, or telling Excited Mommy that her baby ain't as cute as the pictures indicated. Brave can be silly, but it's still brave.

Brave ≠ Douche Move
Think of it this way: it's funny when you see a grandma falling over on America's Home Videos. But if someone pushed your MeeMaw? Not funny! Being brave doesn't mean having to be considerate, but it does mean having a decent amount of respect for other people. My Excited Mommy example only works because EM has been deceiving other people with her photoshopped Olan Mills portraits and still won't stop talking about them.

Now as to whether using a douche is brave, I'll go with the American College of Obstitricians and Gynecologists and say it's all around a bad idea.

Everything is Relative
I'll aim for every Saturday, but sometimes there is just so much bravery there will be Things a week. Some Things may seem less brave than others. Whatever, the milk's still good.


And how will this involve you, the reader? Drumroll please...submissions will be accepted! Yes, now, you too, can tell the Blogosphere about how brave you were to ask the couple next to you in the theatre to please scoot over one.

So, here is my entry this week:

Brave Thing #1: Visit Your Local Comic/Tabletop Gaming Store
Yes, the geeks can be greasy and the scent of microwaved basement burrito can permeate the air, but sometimes you'll find jewels. Shake off the trail of Mountain Dew and you'll never have to worry about being followed home.

I always spin off course.

I agree with AgencySpy, this needs to be in a Nintendo commercial ASAP.