brian blevins

Whenever I get too comfortable living near Hollywood, thinking I’m pretty normal, just like everyone else, I need to remember today. Today I saw fake superheroes, cartoon characters, movie stars and miscellaneous riffraff taking pictures with (and donations from) tourists who have more dollars than sense while standing in line to be in the audience for the 1,000th episode of “Jimmy Kimmel Live!”

The show hasn’t even aired here on the West Coast as I write this…but the show was a hoot, complete with silly sidekicks; exotic animals; bad political humor; an anxious host; a video starring Richard Simmons, Jimmy and Sam Elliot that will be the talk at the water cooler in the morning; Richard Simmons wearing a crystal-encrusted workout shirt, pimping “Sweating to the Oldies” 20th Anniversary DVD and trying to get physical education put back in schools; Eva Longoria Parker telling Jimmy about how much fun it is fly to another city just to fix your husband dinner (and then fly back to shoot “Desperate Housewives”); and Kid Rock trash talking his marriage to Pamela Anderson and then rocking the “Pontiac Garage” stage out in the parking lot.

I’m not a fan of any of these folks (okay, except for Sam Elliot, who I had the pleasure of working with years ago) and had never even seen a complete episode of the show, but it was definitely a fun experience and where else can you do stuff like that? Okay, maybe New York (if you like “Regis & Kelly”) or Chicago (if you’re into “Oprah”), but Hollywood gets my vote. Especially since it’s practically in my back yard.

And if pretty isn’t your thing, how bout a shot of some crazy shoes from the ’80s? I found them at an estate sale a friend of mine is doing in Beverly Hills. Vintage Versace!

Between juggling a new part-time gig, some freelance projects, an art class, and trying to have an active social life and get in shape, I haven’t had much free to write for public consumption in a while. So how bout a pretty picture to make up for my lack of verbage? It’s worth 1,000 words, or so I hear.

Recipe: Stick of Incense, Camera, Flash, Shutter Remote, Photoshop & Lots of Patience

In honor of Valentine’s Day, I have rekindled my love for the late, great Leo Buscaglia’s book Love, which was first published in 1972, the year I was born. If you’re not familiar with him or his work, Leo Buscaglia was a professor at USC who taught a non-credit course on love. He may have been one of the original touchy-feely “gurus” from back in the day, but his work continues to bring a smile to my face and a warm feeling to my heart. Call me corny, if you must. ;-)

Happy Valentine’s Day all!

This is what happens when, sidelined by a pesky flu bug, I have nothing to do but stay home, rest and ponder how to put an old point-and-shoot to good (mis)use. Maybe it’s the antihistamines I’m on, but I rather like the spinning view of my front windows.

Considering it’s officially Day Five, I’d hardly call this “breaking” news, but the rumors are true: I’m sick. Oh, I don’t believe there are any rumors, just some fever-induced paranoia. The story began just before I went on a fun- (and adventure-) filled roadtrip to Vegas with Tony. My neighbor had had the flu for a few days and I started feeling a little tired. So I spent a day vegging out at home and made it through the Vegas experience unscathed. (Though there was a close-call while we were downtown…why do parades celebrating MLK, one of the most peaceful men in history, have to end with someone shooting a gun?) When I got home last Tuesday afternoon, I felt like I needed a nap, but that’s nothing out of the ordinary after a trip.

Wednesday, I was busying catching up on work and preparing for a podcast recording session for one of my clients when I got a headache that just wouldn’t go away. Sinuses, allergies, I figured. I took a Claritin and went to bed. The next morning, I woke up with a sore throat, stuffy nose and a slight fever. So I cancelled my podcast recording and took the advice of my wise and sage client by getting back in bed and resting, right after taking a few vitamins and antihistamines that usually do the trick. Unfortunately, they didn’t work this time. Friday was worse than Thursday. The only productive thing I got done was a couple of loads of laundry. Then, I slept close to 20 hours in my personal sick celebration of TGIF, still having done very little work all week.

Saturday morning came around and I felt almost human again, still sleepy and tired, but no fever and even my throat felt better. They always say third time’s a charm, so I figured Day Three of the Ick was my lucky day. That’s when I started getting cocky. I ended up doing a bunch of work on the computer (not resting, but not exactly exerting either, I told myself), paying bills and watching movies.

I was sick and tired of being sick and tired and I decided not to take a nap, even when my body told me I needed one. Stubborn. Yes, I am. And I started paying for it, in sweat and tears (just like Debbie Allen lectures in Fame), around 7:30pm. Sweat from another fever coming and going. Tears from trying unsuccessfully to cough up a lung. The fever and coughing continued through the night. It didn’t help that I had watched a weird documentary about William Eggleston before I passed out. I had heard of the famous photographer, but didn’t know much about him or his work. My dreams were filled with his haunting images of the extraordinary ordinary, which I also find myself drawn to when I’m out shooting. I woke up sweaty and cold, having weathered too many photos and fevers.

So Sunday, Day Four, was the day when I finally admitted to myself I have the flu, not just some nasty cold or upper-respiratory infection. The Flu. And judging from some of the nasty things it’s capable of doing, I have a fairly mild case. My fever never got above 101 and thanks to reminders from friends and family (and a patient, loving boyfriend who isn’t sick and will remain that way if I get my way) to drink lots of water, I’m on the mend again. I’m trying not to get cocky like I did before. It’s just boring as hell to sleep all the time, not be able to go anywhere or do anything, waiting for things to get better. I would go see a doctor if I thought it would help. But I don’t.

I’ve probably got another day or two to go, so maybe I should do a little research on patience. Talk about preventative care.

Until I bought an iPhone a few months ago, I had no idea how helpful (and fun) podcasts could be. I’ve spent countless hours watching short tutorials and listening to longer commentaries, expanding my knowledge of graphic design in general and Adobe software in particular. It’s almost like taking a design class, but without the tuition (podcasts are free), time requirements or pesky prerequisites.

Whatever you want to learn how to do, there’s probably a podcast out there for you. Below is a list of some of my favorite podcasts for designers and photographers, all available via iTunes:

VIDEO PODCASTS

• Creative COW Adobe After Effects Tutorials Podcasts
  cowcast.creativecow.net/after_effects
• Layers TV
  www.layersmagazine.com/tv.html
• lynda.com Video Training
  www.lynda.com/podcasts
• Peachpit Author Tips
  www.peachpit.com/podcasts
• Photoshop Killer Tips
  http://www.photoshopkillertips.com/
• Photoshop User TV
  http://www.photoshopusertv.com/
• PixelPerfect with Bert Monroy
  www.revision3.com/pixelperfect

AUDIO PODCASTS

• boagworld.com: web design podcast
  www.boagworld.com/podcast
• Design Guy
  designguyshow.blogspot.com
• For Graphic Designers Only - Podcasts
  www.forgraphicdesignersonly.com/podcasts  
• Inside Digital Media Podcast Series: Photography
  digitalmedia.oreilly.com/podcast-photo
• Rookie Designer
  rookiedesigner.com/rookie

If you know of any other podcasts I should check out, please drop me a line.

As part of my “Less is More” approach to 2008, I cancelled my DirecTV (and beloved TiVo!) and bought a so-called “amplified antenna,” which sucks. It’s going to take some getting used to, but I have so much I want to do. And spending endless hours in front of the boob tube would be counterproductive.

The New Year is just a few hours away and I can’t quite wrap my brain around it. Where did the time go? The past 365 days have flown by, much like a rollercoaster, complete with lots of thrills and a few spills. I won’t bore you with the details, but let’s just say I won’t soon forget 2007.

The end of each year puts me in a weird mood, reflecting and planning, caught in the net of a mind game I like to think of as “Year Tennis.” I don’t make traditional resolutions per se, but I do enjoy starting the year out with a goal or two…something to focus on and work towards. Over the next year, I’m going to learn how to make do with less–less food, less stress, less debt–in order to make room for more–more health, more love and more time to think and do and play.

Above is a photo of a seagull I saw on the pier in Aptos, California. I just got back from a roadtrip to Santa Cruz County yesterday, visiting friends. It’s such a beautiful, relaxing place to visit. The skies were mostly gray and gloomy the day I took the photo. The wind chilled me to the bones. But the seagull looked cautiously confident, in spite of everything. That’s how I want to begin 2008…cautiously confident, no matter which way the wind blows.

Maybe, just maybe, the rollercoaster ride will be smoother this time around.