Well, I don't think that it'll be all that extreme, I'm not resolving to lose 25 pounds and I'm not going to transform into a social butterfly overnight. Upon reflecting on last year's resolutions, I'd realized that I'd come to achieve many of them -- as a result, I was a bit flustered when it came to writing my new resolutions as, all in all, I find myself a fairly happy camper. However, once I looked a little deeper down I came to realize that of course that there's always more I can do, but this time I think I'm going to focus a little more on pampering me, rather than bettering myself for the sake of a resume boost. So, like last time, I've divvied it up into two sections. The resolutions are concrete ideas, which I have set to complete this year. Goals are broader ideas, more focused on a social and career-oriented mind rather than a personal ideal. 

Resolutions

+ Read More (Fiction)

 Last year I followed my resolution and set myself on a pack to finish a book every two weeks. Though I was successful in that order, not a single book that I read was non-fiction. In fact, approximately 75% of the books that I read pertained to advertising or the creative industries in some fundamental way (there were also some that I read believing would aid me in "hacking the system", though to no avail). Therefore, I think it would be a good break to try to read at least 3 works of fiction this year, I think the first on my list may be the tome that Stephen King recently produced, though I may opt for a smaller piece should I find it too formidable. 

+ Take Time Off

This goes hand in hand with the fact that maybe, sometimes, and only a little bit do I overwork myself. I think that putting some time aside, even if it's just one day a week to take my mind off of things, empty the Hulu Queue, and play a video game or two. I think it's something that's necessary so that I can stop the cycle of putting work over myself.

+ Create More

I'd like to put a weekly goal on myself, even if it's just once a week, to try and create or develop something portfolio worthy. Whether it be a concert poster, a redesigned bookcover, or even an ad assignment from a book, I'd like to explore more creative options outside of my schoolwork. It's something that I used to pursue actively when I had a less trying schedule and I wish I did more of it.

Goals

+ Revamp my portfolio

Obviously I haven't updated my online (and print) portfolio in a good 7 months or so. It definitely needs an update, and this is certainly the year to do it considering that I'm, well, graduating and all of that good stuff. Even if I don't get a job, I'd like potential graduate programs (here's to you Brandcenter) to at least think that I'm up to snuff.

+ Keep the Blog Rolling

This is a blog project that I've been working on since August of 2008. Though I'm quite happy with the layout and overall design of the site, I realized that the blog initially was mostly a link blog. Since I have since moved to my Tumblr account for such pursuits, I figure that I'd like to start sharing more important work, and providing deeper content. For example, in depth book reviews, present social media assessments, and perhaps new content and reactions to other people's blogging. In this sense, I hope to revitalize and strengthen the power of the blog.

+ Work on those people skills

Though last year I was able to come out of my shell a little bit and can now work a room full of strangers, I've yet to become, well, a social butterfly. According to my mom and dad (perhaps I can blame their topics of conversation), my facial expressions typically convey disinterest and/or anger. I hope that this does not come across to everyone that I meet, but maybe making a few more female friends would be a place to start with exercising my more social side.

I realize that I haven't written in several weeks. I will partly blame the metric ton of work that comes partnered with the end of any semester, with a dash of the furor of any homecoming, and some on the general burnout that I've been experiencing due to the perfect storm that comes when all of them are combined. But, Christmas is finished and tonight we are all going to be ringing in the New Year. In light of that, I've jumped on the bandwagon to write about looking back at 2009. (I will be writing about Resolutions, but you won't see those until 2010 is actually here!)

I think that it all started off well. Despite the economy being in the shitter, I was able to find the best paying co-op around, and was happily working at a familiar place with friendly faces. 2009 was a year for me filled with things that were new and exciting. I'd finally made some friends outside of Northeastern, some that shared some of the same passions, ideals (and work habits) that I had, people that I know to be dependable, good, reliable and true friends for whom I am very thankful for. I explored new ventures, wetting my toes with the conference experience, first by organizing ROFLthing and then suddenly playing the addict -- attending NYCC, SXSW and the 99% Conference in one fell swoop. Summer was a blast, with a family trip to Switzerland and scoring the internship of my dreams, I was content to be working. I'd decided to graduate early and even pursue graduate work, and returned to the cyclical environment of school. But overall, I would say it's a good year.

Reflecting on last year's resolutions, I'd say that I tackled most of the list. For the reading goal I've read 21 books this year, which averages to about one every 2 weeks. Obviously I'm no guru, but I'm pretty happy with all of the information that I've consumed -- not to mention the increased information input due to RSS. I think that my blog, to date, especially when combined with my writing for the Huntington News and InputOutcast has allowed me to adequately expand my writing. In taking time off, I could still use some work -- it's an interesting thing to try and juggle while I'm home. I also believe that I tried my best,  in all of my endeavors, I do not look back on any of my work with regrets.  

Similarly, most of the goals (except starting a webcomic) were also achieved. The website maintained a strong design and I worked to update and reformulate my personal brand, this resulted in brand spankin' new business cards which have been such a success. I've finally learned to become more comfortable talking to people, especially those that I don't know, because of events like the Awesome Foundation parties and Information Superhighway -- they have proved to be both learning experiences and great opportunities to make new friends. The Would Buy Again endeavor was certainly an experience, but one that I feel that I grew and learned from greatly (first lesson: have a business plan, second lesson: test the UX). Lastly, I scored that sweet ad gig that I'd been dreaming of, and I finally have my foot in the door -- some of my work was even exclusively purchased! 

Overall, 2009 was great. I experienced a lot of growth, not in regard to my career, but also in my design and my personal experiences. I started dating someone who has been a constant joy in my life, in whose work ethic is a constant inspiration, and whose laugh always makes me smile. I moved in with my sister, and got to learn all over again what fun it is to have her around. For the first time I think I tried to really assert myself as an independent being, freed of the belief that my education, my background, or my family could ever hinder my growth. Though it's been hard, I think it's been most rewarding. 

Thank you all for an amazing year, I'm looking forward to the next one. 

(This is part of the weekly television column I write over at Input/Outcast. You can find the original post here.)

Now when I say "feel-good" TV, I'm not talking about your traditional situational comedy and variety shows meant to entertain and make you laugh. Recently, I've been noticing an increased number of television shows that are trying leave the viewer  with a warm and fuzzy feeling when the credits roll. This is something that we frequently see in the movie business, all the little strings of the storyline are pulled together to make a nice, pretty little package for the contented viewers to go home with. Television has started to pick up on this, and shows like Modern Family and Glee reflect the fact that , hey now, they've started to pay attention.

Glee speaks to people that, like the rest of us, can recall the awkward state that was high school. Sure, the nerdy ones of us were able to get the hell out and fly the hell out of that town with our middle fingers raised high in the air. But many of us (who weren't the members of that 5% social elite) can certainly relate to these events. We were down in the dumps, ostracized by everyone else -- but wait, here in this show we're presented not only with a smidgen of hope, but it's coupled with song, dance, and pep! Though Glee presents some similar dramas to those that we initially encountered in high school, each episode closes with a clean and clear messages -- I have friends, I have people who support me, social status doesn't matter -- it's your friends who count.

Modern family similarly presents this idea. Many of us can easily relate to the narrative of the show because of the awkwardness and actual reality that it presents (for me, this was encapsulated in the scene where the quirky son gets his head stuck in between the banisters of the stairs). Much like Glee, each episode closes with a heartwarming message. Characters talking directly to the camera, stating reasons why their family works, and why they love them. In the end, it shows you that despite how infuriating or aggravating you find your family to be, they're still the best friends that you'll ever had. 

I find this transition in television to be interesting, and in some ways more stimulating than the traditional narrative of television. Maybe this is because I've never found the traditional sitcom to be thoroughly entertaining (I've always been more attracted to Sci-fi storylines), and perhaps I tend to be more attracted to these "warm and fuzzy" storylines because I'm of the (oft quoted as) "more sensitive" gender. Who knows? What are your opinions on the advent of these kinds of shows? Will we re-enter a sterile period like the 50's and 60's? Will more shows move in this way? Will it not last because the lack of drama will fail to attract our interests?

(This is a reaction to Alex Jarvis' post on DC characters, original post is located over at InputOutcast)

Sorry to interrupt the typical broadcast of TV commentary, but as the official "one who reads Marvel" on the podcast, it seems that the responsibility has fallen to me to pick up the remaining bits and defend it. Once I saw Alex's (somewhat brilliant) post, I knew that I had to stand and defend my first love: Marvel Comics. Though I tend to doubt that I have the seemingly endless knowledge of the canon that Alex seems to have (I blame ~6 more years of consistent comic book consumption), I still am equally passionate about each of these characters and would love to see an expose on each of them.

1. Daken The Son of Wolverine who not only inherited his father's gift of healing, but also his temperament. Though his origin story is touched on during the larger story arc of Wolverine: Origins, his character (with a penchant for violence, a distinct lack of morality, and overwhelming desire to separate himself from his father) makes the perfect fodder for a one-off trade of some kind. His childhood is torn -- having never known his father and having lived with foster parents who, after the birth of their own child, plot to get rid of him. Daken is a character on par with Phoenix in terms of psychological instability, and that my friends is what makes him so great. If you want to see some previews of his character in action -- Marvel has recently added some memorable scenes in the latest of the Dark Reign series, that's just a taste of what he can truly be like.

2. Medusa Okay, so Medusa did get "Ultimate Medusa", but for one that's part of the Ultimate universe -- something totally different, and two, it's only because Black Bolt had one. Medusa, queen of the Inhumans and wife of the ever-silent Black Bolt has an interesting story to tell. Only partially revealed during the Secret Invasion set, the love shared between herself and her silent husband is one seemingly beyond human comprehension. Though she has no psychic abilities, she is able to communicate with and on behalf of her husband. This choice of her character is not simply based on their love story, but actually because I feel that the Inhumans have one of the most interesting "other worlds" that the humans are in contact with (the others being of course Atlantis and The Savage Land) with a diverse culture and complex political society. In my opinion, Marvel more often than not ignores this part of their canon. Why? I have no idea.

3. An Atlantean that's not Namor Did you ever notice that we've never seen any focus on Atlantis outside of the controversial reign of Namor? Sure, we saw a bit of storyline in the death of his betrothed, Dorma. But what about what the everyday life of an Atlantean is like? Perhaps some sort of plan for mutiny, stories of civil unrest, the next great hero?! Nothing. It hasn't been since the beginning of the Bronze age that we've even scratched the surface of other possible character or rulers (I'm looking at you, Vashti). Atlantis is a kingdom that is filled with advanced technologies and genetically enhanced peoples, surely there's some fodder for a story in here somewhere.

4. Domino Again, please remember that I'm talking about characters that deserve their own book, not a paltry limited series with 4 issues, this woman is a firecracker. Domino, a major player in the beginning pieces of the Civil War, the now-sometimes lover of Deadpool, and the smokin' hot merc that can alter the odds of anything. So, if you shoot a bullet at her, the 1 in 1000 chance that you will miss is altered in her favor. Talk about a girl that I'd love to take on a gambling mission. Though her origin story is interesting, she has the potential to gain her own storyline in the role as the head of some sort of super mercenary team. Deadpool gets the luxury of standing alone, why can't she? I lament that there are far too few strong (badass) women at the head of Marvel. I will be the first to admit that Vertigo does a much better job at this.

 5. Mystique Actually portrayed incorrectly on the side of Magneto during the X-Men films, this woman has a lot more to offer than scaly skin and a penchant for nudity. Surprisingly enough, in her storyline she's the mother of Kurt Wagner (the one that we've all come to know and love as NightCrawler), and at one point in time has played foster mother to the indelible Rogue. That said, though she has played a major character throughout the X-Men storyline, there has yet to be a book that focuses strictly on her, part of her origin story have been tucked away in issues of Sabretooth (of all things -- who really wants to read that?). Why don't we break this gal out and show her from a different perspective, eh?

(This is my weekly TV piece which I write over at InputOutcast)

With my entire family packed into my apartment for the general gorge-fest that is the Mercer Thanksgiving, the main complaint was (surprisingly) not the company -- but rather the fact that my sister and I don't have cable television. Of course, being the technologically savvy girls that we are, I managed to entertain my dad with a couple of seasons of Numbers on Netflix and hooked up the computer to the tv for some full HD viewing of Dancing with the Stars (my grandmother's personal favorite program). Well, with a lack of "family friendly" shows to choose from (my parents don't share my love of sci-fi thrillers and the Office) I decided to introduce them to my favorite new sitcom: Modern Family.I was surprised, it went better than I initially anticipated. After one episode (unfortunately, it wasn't the pilot -- which was what certainly got me hooked) they demanded another, and another until lo and behold we'd consumed every episode that had been released. Beyond that -- they'd been laughing their butts off at each turn of events. My dad found the grumpy grandfathers quips to be comedy gold, while my mom laughed when the awkward husband bumbled in covering up his golfing excursions, and my grandmother seemed to be the most entertained by the gays.

Personally, I'd been hooked from the beginning because I noticed some key events that happened in my life being played out here on the silver screen (namely, getting my head stuck in a staircase and my parent's penchant for an eye-for-an-eye punishment methods). But the nature of the show I think could make anyone giggle a little bit. If you think about it, the show packages all of the awkwardness of family reunions without having to actually be there. These are the stories that are playing out which would take many of us 6 months to be able to laugh about over drinks and dinner (heck, I'm still bitter when my parents tell the bologna sandwich story). Not only does this show cause laughs amongst all ages, the warm message at the end (yes, those fuzzy family messages where perhaps someone has "learned a lesson") leaves everyone feeling just a bit closer. This, coupled with it's distinct sense of reality in a world filled with all-too-fake reality TV and overly dramatic releases like Trauma make it the most appealing new family comedy on the circuit. I know that my family for sure has signed on board.

As a kid, though I was unable to play the games that were deemed to "mature" for a child my age (I was about 5 or 6) I still was incredibly interested in the medium. So much so in fact that, more often than not, you would be able to find me sitting next to my Dad watching him play through a particularly difficult level in Quake or Time Crisis -- because hey, a contact high is still a high, right? My family purchased their first game console for my 8th birthday, the Sega Genesis and from that point forward I was hooked -- this love carried over into the PlayStation and thereafter the Xbox Franchise (sorry, we never owned a Nintendo console until the Wii -- much to the detriment of my credibility as a geek).

My interest waned when I got to college, where I realized that I had neither the time nor the cash to invest on the activities that I once did, though every winter break one would find me slobbering over the latest game trade magazines and playing every new release I could blow my Christmas cash on. I even worked at Game Stop for a summer, mostly for the added benefit of being able to take even brand-new games home for "testing" (and of course the .25cent pay hike that I received because, well, I had boobs.)

More recently, I made the return to games during my down time -- as a necessary "off period" where I can take a breather from my (very hectic) daily life, and kick back for a set amount of time. In doing this, I've noticed several reactions to games which seem to be intertwined with my everyday life. I hold a strong belief that "growing up gamer" has effectively changed how I interact with the world on a daily basis through three key elements of gaming: Task-Setting, Competition, and Collection.

Task-Setting

In mostly every game that you've ever played (except for the occasional puzzler), the player is confronted with a series of goals to overcome. In RPG's like Oblivion or Fable these are "Quests", in FPS's such as Call of Duty or the Halo Franchise these are "Missions", but the blanket term I'm going to use to refer to them is objectives. Because of this set structure, and eventual pursuit and accomplishment of each objective provides the player (myself) with the Serotonin reward packet delivered to your neuron receptors that comes paired with achievement.  

For me, this task-setting applies to my every day life in objects like to-do lists and other more abstract constructs such as task organization -- viewing the big picture of my end goal (the quest) and breaking it down into easy-to-digest bite sized bits which allow me  to tackle each one at a time (objectives). So not only does gaming allow me to effectively apply goal-setting methods for myself, but also provides me with the basic idea of how to break it down in order to tackle each point. The sense of achievement in the end comes paired with the second aspect of gaming that affects my everyday life, competition.

Competition

With the advent of being able to play your games online, and through new features such as "Achievements" -- game makers have essentially tapped into the naturally competitive nature of human beings. As a self-proclaimed completionist, this typically leads to what could be considered obsessive acts of competition such as unlocking every achievement in Oblivion, or purposefully working to not have the lowest score in the rosters for Geometry Wars. One of my friends frequently refers to my lifestyle (and overall mentality) as a "gotta get more points" set of values.

This sense of competition has carried over into how I've tackled classes at school. My first semester at college, I was neither ready for the intensity of studio classes, nor prepared for the overall time commitment -- and essentially found myself stuck in the not-so-hot-less-than-3.0 GPA range. Determined not to lose my scholarship, I decided to take a new tactic in each of these classes -- much like viewing other's badges in XBox Live, I'd compare myself to other student's work in the class. If I wasn't in the top 10%, I'd rework my concepts and try to come back with something better, if the grade reflected a change, I'd reward myself (with a movie, dinner out, or a party on both Friday and Saturday night). In this, I was able to effectively hack myself to apply a gaming logic -- and I have to admit it's worked (I am now .02 GPA points away from graduating Magna Cum Laude). These competition (and achievement) aspects of gaming are also directly coorelated to the final element: collection.

Collection

Practically every game developed over time includes a collection element, whether it be Rupees in Zelda (wealth), XP Orbs in Fable (Experience), or Blue Bouncing Mental Health Points in Psychonauts (health). So, not only is my character's development dependent on collection on these items, but their worth is as well. This is further reinforced by items such as FourSquare's Badge System, the XBox's Achievement Point System and Halo's Medaling Actions in multiplayer mode. These systems essentially serve as a platform for your credibility as a gamer -- anyone with less than 5K gamerscore surely can't refer to themselves as such, and your fully-unlocked achievement levels command the respect of others.

Similarly this applies to many other aspects of geek culture and life. In comic books, you can collect hardcover compendiums or single issues, and the first box of comics is seen as a milestone in your development as a collector. For my worklife, this desire to collect perceived achievements has lead to relative levels of success. We have a form at Northeastern where your boss must fill out a final evaluation -- checking off various things from work ethic, to communication skills, to overall hygiene and appearance (what?). These are all ranked on a 1-5 scale, with 5 being the highest, and I strive for at least 90% 5's in the final evaluation (because you know what, I don't care how fancy I dress -- I'm going to wear jeans sometimes). In the end, the system typically works.  

(This is my weekly TV piece written for Input/Outcast, the original can be found here)

As someone who had never before experienced the original iteration of the Prisoner, I was incredibly intrigued by the prospect of the remake. With the knowledge that the newer version was coming around the corner, I decided to avoid the original and experience the re-imagining for what it was (much like how I’m in the midst of consuming Battlestar Galactica right now). It seems that this has been very much a mistake — for it seems from all of the reviews that I am now looking at, that the original was a far more comprehensive and interesting experience.

So, now you know. My analysis of this piece will simply be an observation of the work as a standalone piece, and not in a comparison to the original. Frankly, all I have to say is that I’m disappointed. I am the kind of person who is drawn to shows (such as Dollhouse, Fringe and V) because I believe that they are based on strong concepts, ideas that are not only appealing but in some ways compelling — and I thought that the Prisoner would touch on those things. With the idea that a man has been taken from himself, and been suddenly placed in a Dystopian (or Utopian, depending on how you view it) environment, where everything seems just slightly off. One would think that this would provide the opportunity to not only construct a solid storyline, much like how JJ Abrams does in many of his works — I think he is one director who has managed to at once confuse and thrill the viewer, while in the end neatly packaging it up into one little mystery box.

This rendition, however, does no such things. Yes, it is beautifully art directed — akin in terms of quality to AMC’s other hit series Mad Men. But in many ways it lacks one of the qualities that makes Mad Men so great, the art of storytelling. The miniseries throws you in in a no-holds-barred fashion, thrusting you suddenly into a confusing world where you feel just as lost as the main character, perhaps this is to better relate to him, or perhaps they’re trying to revolutionize the narrative — but in either case it seems to fail. My confusion remained all the way up until the 6th and final episode, where it seems to all come together and make sense. But really it doesn’t.

If one were to wake up in the middle of the desert, in an oasis utopian society where everyone’s names are numbers — and you were simultaneously aware of the modern world — wouldn’t a series of logical questions come to your mind? For me, there were many.

1. If everyone’s names are numbers, how do you quantify anything?
2. How are goods manufactured? Wouldn’t there be some sort of outside supply — especially considering that there is no arable land around?
3. How are jobs assigned? What even resembles the economy here? (I saw nothing resembling transactions of any kind).
4. How did we get here, if there’s no way out? People have to come from somewhere.

This is just the tip of the giant iceberg of questions that no character really chooses to explore. In this, I think that the writers of the Prisoner failed to connect with their audience. To be honest, after watching the first two episodes I had no further incentive to explore the show, except for the hopes that somewhere along the way it would either decide to start making sense, or actually bring substantial plotpoints forward. It does neither of these, though the final episode reveals all — the return was not any greater than the 8 hours I feel that I wasted on this. Especially when the big “twist” at the end hardly proves to fill any of the giant questions left in the viewer’s mind, or even address some of these key questions.

In the end, it seems that the core value comes of this piece comes from the wonderful acting brought forward by the ever-amazing Ian McKellen and (my 10th grade crush) Jim Caviezel. McKellen manages to outshine every other character, in part due to the incredible depth of his acting abilities, and also due to the writing of the show. In the end, my assessment is that each episode serves as a major point attempting to link a plotline, but as a whole it fails. It fails to be entertaining, engaging, or even thrilling. I recommend that others out there who though that the concept was amazing (those like myself) turn to the original instead should they want to consume their media wisely. One good thing I do have to say overall, is that AMC launched a very interesting Online Graphic Novel, which is far more in depth and portrays a completely different storyline — should you have the time, browsing through that would prove a treat — perhaps Alex and I will talk about it in future episodes because it may very well be the future of how we consume comics.

Now when I saw that my favorite guys from the Barbarian Group (Noah Brier and Rick Webb) were throwing what can only be described as a party of epic proportions over the release of this book, I had to pick it up. With the advertising business limited to those illusionary books such as Hey Whipple Squeeze This and Ogilvy On Advertising (which is now older than myself) I felt the need to pick up something fresh and, you know, relevant (something that also wasn't screaming OMG SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING on the cover either). 

I realize that when I previously mentioned AdLand in my blog, I shit a proverbial brick on the video. Which I think was partially based on my misinterpretation of the big picture, the lack of context for the presentation of those questions can easily explain the basis of said misinterpretation, though I still maintain that it is more about the user's choice than the product itself. In the book, it's actually presented as an idea to a class -- are you passionate enough about advertising to pursue ALL of these goals -- which I think is entirely different from the argument initially presented in the video. 

Anyways, to the meat of the matter: what I thought of the damn thing! Right off the bat, I was excited because the man graduated from Northeastern. I know this really shouldn't matter to me, but the fact that someone became a successful adman after attending this joint is pretty damn exciting, because I've been going here for 4 years with design teachers telling me that there would be no hope for my sold-out ass. So, despite the fact that the first third of the book mostly describes the adventures of a man who had a cushy job at a big agency during the days of big spending and fat expense accounts, it's still a ton of fun to read -- and interesting to someone who wants to understand what it's like to be at a big agency. 

It's the latter 2/3 of the book that actually hit to the meat of the matter. Not only is there a discrete analysis on what the future of advertising could be (with a little help from my genius dudes over at the Barbarian Group), but there's a close study on what things like improved analytics and statistics are doing to improve the effectiveness of different ads. After that, we get taken through what can only be a magic world of mini-shops, interactive agencies and digital directives that are not only constantly churning out what I will refer to as "badass shit" -- this includes tour descriptions, interviews, and a description of work which leaves you drooling every time you turn the page. For me, the most difficult part was to read the final 15 pages, which describes VCU's Brandcenter facilities, which seem to me to be heaven fallen to earth on a platter and in the form of campus buildings. As someone who is in the middle of applying to the programs, the work certainly seems daunting -- but oh my gawd, the classes that he's describing seem like more fun than I could ever have in my lifetime. 

All in all, the book was a good read -- anyone who wants to get their finger on the pulse of what's going down in advertising these days should probably just pick it up to skim through the second half. Big-eyed kiddies like myself should definitely check it out, as the descriptions of Cannes will likely send you into shock from how damn exciting it sounds. Think of it: it could really be spring break (+burning man) for the ad world, akin to the SXSW Interactive experience for Techies. Do you realize that I like this by now?