| Brand Failures I. |
[30 Apr 2008|04:25pm] |
Being a slave to the retail arena is certainly not a very sustainable career choice. But it does give you some perspectives and experiences that you would not otherwise have. Today I'll present some products that we sell in our store that genuinely piss me off. Products that I tactfully consider "Brand Failure" and otherwise totally fucking loony. I have to find this stuff amusing, since branding is kind of what I went to college for, right?
Specimen 1: Watt's Up?
What it does: Displays wattage and electrical usage of any electric appliance. You can also download tables and charts into your computer, which is somewhat useful I suppose.
Why It fails: It misses it's target audience by a mile and then keeps on going. I can see the thought process of the marketing guys here. I imagine it involved a little too much Budwiser.
PS: There is also a power meter named "Kill A Watt" that causes an equal amount rage whenever it comes into contact with my eyes.
Specimen 2: Ka-Bling (get it? KABLING?)
What it does: This should be pretty obvious. Comes in two colors: PINK and HOT PINK. Amazing.
Why it fails: Quote from box: "Where cables and bling come together."
I'm sure there is plenty more products that I loathe selling, but I won't spam any more for now. For those of you whom are interested, I got my degree situation all sorted out, and will be receiving my diploma in two weeks :).
Current Mood:  Confused
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| ARGH |
[26 Apr 2008|12:18am] |
What a crappy week this has been! First I get sick all week, then I work from 4PM to 5:30AM on Wednesday for inventory and then I just learned on my lunch hour today that my university has sent me paperwork claiming that there are three upper-division units missing from my major. Thus, my diploma will not be mailed until the situation is cleared. I was pretty infuriated when I got the call (it was from my mother, actually, who's address must be on file somehow from the university) as I visited an adviser and a degree auditor before graduation. It still makes me nervous that my degree is on the line, so to speak.
Ironically, if the department head hadn't lost the paperwork for my internship units, this would not be happening. I didn't even need the units to graduate, but now I am somehow down by three!
Oh well, I can't really let it get me down I suppose. Gotta move forwards as they say, it will be fixed by Monday.
Current Mood:  Angry
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| Has anyone recieved any of the new 5$ bills yet? |
[12 Apr 2008|09:39pm] |
I have. I thought it was some kind of cruel joke at first. They must have just been minted unless I'm behind the times, which is a possibility.
Is that big-ass "5" really necessary? I suppose if it was just that large it would not be a problem, but it's purple as well? We got these nice, ornate/etched numbers and then suddenly, out of nowhere, we are blitzed with a gigantic purple sans-serif five.
Remember those baby building blocks? the ones with the letters and numbers on them? Yeah, those are going to be our coin soon enough.
(oh, and this is a rather hillarious rundown of the new bill. I just love how dramatic it is! http://www.moneyfactory.gov/newmoney/flash/5Currency/unveil5new.html?detectflash=false )
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| Pointless Spending Extravaganza |
[12 Apr 2008|06:08pm] |
Well after months and months of tight conservative spending, today was one of those days. The kind where you spend large sums of cash on useless crap that you already have, and that still works fine. Trivial as it may be, stay tuned to hear my ignorant justifications!
First I bought a new wireless laser mouse, to replace my old wireless optical mouse. What a spending necessity that was! But in all serious, my current input device of choice is having some trouble with tracking on my desktop, and I've been waiting for this particular model to be released for some months now. I almost passed it by, really, as I was exiting Best Buy. And there it was, on sale for 35$, when it is usually $50.
The second thing I bought was a new scanner. There is nothing wrong with the old one, based on image quality. It works and it works rather well. The problem I had with it is space- it is a monstrous thing, with nowhere to fit on any desks. This lead me to store it under the bed all the time, which is a pain in the ass if I want to hook it up to show someone progress on a drawing or use it to quickly image something. The power cable is also problematic and incredibly annoying.
I picked up a Canon LIDE 90 for 70$ which really is not a bad price for a compact scanner- and it comes with a vertical stand!
So there you have it, $110 spent to fix two minor inconveniences. Those of you who know me well are also likely thinking I'm going to bitch and moan about spending money on crap for days, which would probably be accurate. I hate spending any form of money on myself, but i suppose I am making a decent income, and should just enjoy what I have :).
And hell, why not throw a picture in here too.
EDIT: Returned the mouse. To be honest, it was a disappointment. The buttons seemed clunky to me, the mouse-wheel was so stiff that it hurt to click the middle mouse button. Even moving it around felt awkward, and sometimes I noticed it was even less responsive than my current mouse, which feels better to me.
The scanner is a tremendous success, however!
Current Mood:  Spendy
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| Meme Time |
[09 Apr 2008|01:32am] |
I figured I'd post this separate from my other journal, even though nearly the same. I suppose that's a fancy way of saying I forgot to stick it in there and am too lazy to hit the edit button!
Stolen from ![[info]](http://p-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif) thrivis, the Coffee Meme! I'm sure a certain red drake is going to appreciate this :p.....
It's.... a little strange, but It fits, for sure- I am very much indecisive, but eager to please!
Current Mood:  Wierd
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| Miscellaneous Job Bullshit |
[09 Apr 2008|12:45am] |
I apologize in advance for the somewhat depressing tone of this journal I typically don't like to write, or post anything about myself when I am feeling negative. Lately I have been rather stressed, however... I figure it couldn't hurt to vent just a little :).
Besides the obvious other situation bothering me, I am rather distraught about my position job-wise. I work at a major electronics retailer where everything is backwards and counter intuitive, and where overtime is a part of my daily schedule. It isn't too hard, or really that bad, to be honest. I just get the impression that other, more mature retailers have a better understanding of the customer, and what he/she wants (Target, for example). My only real issue is that it kills my evenings, where most every single person I speak with appears.
The issue I am having now is that my job is obviously not following my career path. Being an alumni and college graduate, obviously I am on the hunt for bigger and better things. There is a company that is interested in me, where I really thought I could be happy. Starting my interviews with them was relatively painless, and they were very impressed with my portfolio... Unfortunately, I've learned that they are very indecisive. I went through about 6 different people before speaking with the CEO himself, who basically flat out told me that I was inexperienced, and did not think I could do the job.
After a number of weeks not hearing back from them, I finally got the call this morning with a job offer. It was a low offer, at 35,000/Year. Of course, they tried to butter me up a bit. Frankly I am not impressed with them anymore, though I will not go into details about the red flags. Every single person, including my mother and father, has told me not to take the job, and I think I'm going to listen to them. It makes me sad, as the pay is still better than my current job, and the schedule would be a hell of a lot better for sure- It's just too much of a risk.
Anyways, I thought I'd plug something here that actually made me quite happy when I was feeling down. winterblueart happened to be my Early-AM savior after struggling to get some sleep, and linked me something he had made a long time ago! I think it deserves a good look if you are not feeling that great, as oftentimes we forget about the little things in life that make us happy. So check it out here!
http://winterblueart.deviantart.com/art/Feel-Good-v1-1-24827625
Current Mood:  Upset
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| April Fools |
[02 Apr 2008|01:09am] |
Just to clarify from the onset, this is not a joke or admission that I've been some kind of trickster this April 1st, but merely my thoughts about it.
I don't like April Fools as a holiday really, it seems so shallow to me. one that allows others to pray on fears of the weakened and unaware. Thus, I'm relatively happy that there were no workplace shenanigans this evening. There were several opportunities by customers and employees alike, but things seemed very smooth!
Thankfully, I can safely say that there are other ways to trick an individual that can result in the amusement of both parties. Today was a hilarious day for surfing the web- I especially appreciated YouTube RickRolling anyone innocently clicking videos on the main page. The pranks that go on around the web are genuinely amusing at times- well, most of them, anyways. They don't really targeted on a single individual I guess, but a mass of individuals as a whole, and usually something general and unimportant.
I also got a present from Mnementh and OrangeDragoness, much to my surprise! I really love it, and will be using it here on LJ as an icon! So thanks so much for the gift, I rarely get much of anything nor commission much of anything. Hence my horrible lack of icons >.=.>
Everything else aside, I don't have much else positive to say about my life...so poof I go! =D I've been REALLY BUSY and I know a lot of you are wondering when I have last signed into AIM but hopefully I'll get a breath of fresh air soon.
Current Mood:  Happy
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| If I were an alcoholic beverage… |
[16 Mar 2008|05:50pm] |
I would totally be this:
My sis got me a 25$ gift certificate to BevMo and I don’t really drink an awful lot. But this was too good to pass up! I figured I’d try it and see how I like it. It suits me well, and it’s even a pleasing shade of blue! The label says that it is “An Exquisite Blend of Premium Vodka, Fine Cognac, and Natural Tropical Fruit Juices.” Well apparently I’m a berry sort of dragon anyways so suits me well!
Current Mood:  Amused
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| And Now, For Something Different |
[13 Feb 2008|12:59pm] |
If you have been in contact with me recently you likely know what is going on: The end of a four to five year relationship. I won’t go into much detail, because it is still a sensitive issue for all those involved… And yet, I think the support of all my friends have really pulled this through for me. I’ve spoken with friends both new and old, every single one being a tremendous support. I’ve even been invited to AnthroCon, Imagine that! Thus, thank each and every one of you, for your continued support. I would list you all here but it would probably take an entire page.
Ironically, during this mess, I finally got accepted to Blue Cross of California for health coverage, shortly after landing a job at Fry’s Electronics selling motherboards and computer accessories. Finally, something that I can do well!
While I have this abundance of time, it is most likely that I’m going to start picking up on my art again. You can find my page at www.furaffinity.net/user/hypnoticdragon . The gallery itself is sparse at the moment, but will soon grow. I have long been neglecting it, but it has given me focus.
Thanks to everyone again, the dragon is recovering.
Current Mood:  Recovering
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[15 Jun 2007|04:12pm] |
RAWRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR CHOCOLATE
Current Mood: devouring candy in a corner
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[04 May 2007|11:37am] |
Byzil’s vacation with me is at an end; and it was much fun while it lasted. I’d like to thank the silver dragon for dropping by, and giving me a much-needed good time :P. I’m sure you all are curious as to what we did, and I can assure you there was much mischief! If you see him around, bug him to draw. He really wants to work on his drawing and I think he has a lot of promise, and even purchased a book that offers assistance on drawing dragons. He seriously needs the motivation though, and I’m sure just about anyone at all could help! Commission him; offer an art trade with him.
I only regret that we didn’t follow up on going to hooters in O RLY shirts :(.
In some unrelated business, does anyone remember those Super Nintendo games, the driving one with tons of loops and insane shit that made you say “wow?” Or perhaps a game named “Whiplash” that was released for the PC sometime in the nineties? Every once in a while, I enjoy a romp through loops and corkscrews with an engine on steroids. This concept isn’t very new (Continuing through with games like Rollcage and Wipeout for the playstation) but once in a while I find something to satiate my insane desires.
If you are like me, you might want to check out a simple (in every sense of the word), free game named Trackmania Nations, as the latest in this kind of craziness. Weighing in at about 250 megs, the concept is to take the core aspect of Trackmania Unlimited,ditch the track and vehicle variation, and make a free game where you can either complete a 90-track single player “puzzle racer” as I call it, Completely make your own track from scratch using it’s editor, share those tracks using it’s built in peer-to-peer client and race individuals from around the world that represent their individual countries. I really have to wonder why more American developers don’t think of these sorts of innovative ideas.
I would not expect this game to grip me and yank me in (though it has for a large population of players) so if you are expecting something terribly complex then you may be disappointed. It comes down to the arrow keys, and the arrow keys alone. However, it is a refreshing change of pace from the norm, and an easy pickup and play.
And if you skipped the wall of text, a shameless plug, and don’t like this kind of shit, Then you need not apply.
Current Mood: 
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| New Markers |
[05 Apr 2007|07:40pm] |
I recently acquired a few Copic markers from University Art (For all you Sacramento folks, they are 20% off at this particular location year-round). They are an interesting new medium for me to use for art and sketching endeavors. Unlike other markers, they feel very much like a paintbrush, with a soft-tipped nib. The reason I enjoy them so much is not only the variety of the colors, but the quality of the stroke and ink used within them. Generally they are used for caricatures and Magna.
As for a recommendation, I have to say go for it if you are in the market for some pens. I give them a 9/10, points off for being $5.80 per marker. They come in three types: Classic, Sketch and Ciao. Go with the sketch, which has the brush nib. You will have fun with these.
Current Mood:  Artistic
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| Journal Nuked |
[05 Apr 2007|07:30pm] |
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This journal will still be updated. Curious as to why I nuked everything? See comments.
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