He’s far too nice. But I appreciate the nod. Click here to check out the full article.

The storm is upon is.

And in this desperate time, I’m afraid chaos will rule the day. I tremble thinking about Sandy’s icy wrath raging across the Eastern Seaboard, leaving millions without power, sending floods roaring through the streets. Supplies and hope will both be in alarmingly short supply. And inevitably someone, somewhere, will die fighting over a slice of bread.

Yes, it’s clear that people will be deprived of many things during this catastrophe — food, shelter, power — but there is one thing that they will be without that especially breaks my heart.

The opportunity to attend class.

Yep. Missing school. So, so tragic. Something must be done.

So my call goes out to you, students of the world — UNITE! Out of respect to those desperate students stuck in the eye of Hurricane Sandy I propose we stand together. I propose we show them that we too will sacrifice, if only for their sakes. Let’s show them what our generation is made of. Let’s show ‘em what we stand for, dammit!

What I’m saying is…

I think to truly prove our unity as a nation we should skip class this week. 

An honorable forfeiture, I know.

In this time of maddening fear and widespread panic, we will move about our respective cities doing whatever we can to help those affected by Hurricane Sandy — by going to the movies, eating ice cream, playing video games, and drinking tequila shooters at 2 in the afternoon.

All of this in the name of that sacred institution we call Education, and to honor those ill-fated kids forced to go without. Also, for equal rights. And testicular cancer. And many other respectable causes.

They need us right now, guys. They need us. What do you say, will you join me?

Join me as I officially declare this week:

The Great Sandy Skip.

Just think how delighted the destitute schoolchildren of New York and D.C. will be in simply knowing that their brothers and sisters across the nation are skipping school just for them. I wouldn’t be surprised if they shed a tear or two out of pure joy. It’s moving stuff, y’all.

So stand together!

Do it for those poor kids who are unable to attend class, no matter how much they might not have wanted to. For those battered souls who won’t be able to listen to their 200 level history lecture tomorrow — so what if they were going to stare at their laptops and cruise facebook/watch cat videos for the majority of the period. So what if they were planning on skipping the next few weeks anyway and cramming for the final exam. So what if they’ve only been to one class this semester. So what, I say to you.

That’s neither here, nor there. At the end of the day all that matters is that the maniacal b*tch known as Sandy is depriving our peers of their education and THAT’S NOT OK.

We’ve got to do something about it. 

The only way to show our support of the hurricane victims is to skip class. Hit the bars bright and early tomorrow… show how committed you are to standing with the victims of Hurricane Sandy. Take one for the team — hell, take as many as you can for the team. Guzzle down a full case of red bull and a liter of vodka before dinner if you have to. Whatever it takes.

Do it for the kids. 

Years from now make sure you can look back on this time with pride. Do the right thing today, so you can remember this time and think,

“Wow. We really stood for something then. The Great Sandy Skip was something pure and real — something bigger than ourselves.”

Skip this week and show the generations behind us what it means to band together. To fight for what you believe in and aid those in need.

You know in your heart what you need to do.

Happy skipping.

/grant

PS seriously, stay dry Easterners. The rest of the country is here for you, even us land-locked fools in the Midwest have your back. This round’s on us.

Despite this, I’ve desperately tried to stay out of the political fray as much as possible this fall. It’s been an absolutely toxic environment filled with accusations, half-truths, outright lies, elephants, donkeys, and a ton of mud flying from both corners. Honestly, it’s sickening.

And there’s one topic that’s really pissed me off. One I just can’t keep silent about.

The Minnesota Marriage Amendment.

I’m not gay, my rights won’t be infringed upon or affected by this law. But I have gay friends. And this affects them, it affects our state and our community on so many levels. I don’t want to rehash an issue that’s been beaten to death in the press and blogs, however, I do need to get a few things to get off my chest.

NOTE: If you want to get fired up go read about Chris Kluwe kicking ass for the NO vote, or this beautifully written op-ed piece from Pat Fallon, a legend in the advertising industry. Helluva guy.

1. Even if you support this amendment, don’t be hateful. The devil isn’t going to swallow up my gay friends and use their bones to pick his teeth (he already has excellent dental hygiene, using human bones as floss would be ridiculous).

2. At the end of the day we’re simply fighting for equality. That’s all. That’s not too much to ask, I think.

3. We’re probably going to look back at this whole gay persecution era as 100% ludicrous (no, not the rapper). In the same way we scoff at world where women didn’t have a right to vote, one in which you sat at the back of the bus if your skin wasn’t white. In 2030 our kids will look up at us puzzled and ask “Gay people couldn’t get married when you were younger? But why not?!”

4. Life’s too short not to spend it with the people you love.  Everyone deserves love.

5. Mess with my friends, you mess with me. I’ve got my friend’s backs, like I know they’d have mine. So leave my friends alone.

That’s all. I don’t have the energy to launch into a 27 point rant with 3 subtopics and corresponding precedents. The truth is, I shouldn’t need to tell you why to vote NO, a vote for equality is one that should come naturally.

And If the vote is yes… damn. I thought I lived in one of the most progressive cities in the U.S. — I thought we were leading the way in terms of equality. I thought we were a state filled with compassion. Minnesota Nice, right?

Prove me right, Minnesota. Please.

I hope you have an awesome day, whoever you are.

/grant 

PS I made a poster. Vote NO.

If you want to download the pdf version and print it out, click here.

ZOOMED IN

I started writing last night, at a time I can’t be sure of, and I didn’t stop until now. I’ve always been inspired by the night, but never like this.

From a most unlikely trigger.

It began as I was cleaning up some of my project management software, I use Basecamp, and I realized I had accidentally upgraded an account I didn’t need. So, naturally, I deleted/canceled the account. At which point this email was delivered to my inbox.

Received at 1:03 A.M.

The rest is sort of a blur, honestly. My reply started as a joke, the sort of thing I loved to see when I was fielding Customer Service emails two summers ago for CarSoup.com. As a customer service rep you get excited when someone shows a bit of personality. It adds flavor and humanity to what can be, at times, disheartening and monotonous.

So it started small, cheeky.

And it grew. And it got the wheels turning in my head. And it kept growing.

I just wanted the customer service responder to have a really great day. Maybe a chuckle.

For some reason the thought of her happiness made me reflect. I made a decision, over the last couple of years, to be happy. To be relentless in unearthing happiness. And it’s been exactly that. A constant pursuit of fulfillment, purpose, joy.

I’m surrounded by people who I’ve forged genuine relationships with along the way — friends, family, co-workers, mentors. People I care about that create happiness with me. They inspire me.

Every day is a new opportunity to find that happiness, wherever it may be. Not everyone is so blessed to have such supportive people in their life — I am so, so lucky. But I believe everyone can still seek (and find) happiness.

And last night I thought maybe it was time I articulated my feelings in writing.

So I started typing and I didn’t rest until I felt like I’d gotten it all out. It was draining. And fulfilling. And my hands are insanely sore.

And here it is. A somewhat vulnerable thing, a scary piece of raw thought and emotion that I poured out of my head for you to examine. Plus it’s a little bizarre and I haven’t slept and I’m… well. Yeah. It is what it is. You may think it’s ridiculous, perhaps even stupid, but I’m hoping even one person can find meaning in it, like I found in writing it.

My response

Hey there,

Don’t worry, Basecamp. False alarm. Breathe easy. I’m still hanging with you, I was just canceling a redundant account no longer in use.

The simple truth is I think you have a great prouduct and I’m a happy user/customer. Hooray!

–

On another, less business-related note:

I hope you (yes, you!) have an absolutely spectacular day. Whoever is reading this right now (even if you’re not the original recipient) deserves to have a really fantastic day and I’m hoping you’ll decide to have one, if only for my sake.

I don’t know you — your name, family, economic status, romantic life, etc. — but I do know that you’re reading this. I know that you’re alive and breathing. I also know enough from my few short years on this planet to tell you that life is a strange, stressful and intense journey. It can be sad and angry. It can be up and other times it can be really, really down. But through all of that, you deserve to be happy.

Happy.

It’s a common word, but an elusive feeling. In my opinion it’s far too slippery for far too many people. Especially when it needn’t be, when we have the ability to grab hold, if we really want to.

Even if you don’t believe me, I’d like to ask you a favor, reader. I hope you might consider it, at least enough to keep reading, no matter who you are or how you feel right now.

To clarify: I don’t care if you’re in the furthest depths of depression, somewhere in-between, or legitimately happy — even if you’re a complete, total, 100 million percent, feeling-it-in-your-heart-and-screaming-it-from-the-top-of-a-mountain brand of pure happy — I have a task for you.

I challenge you to be happier.

Because we’re all capable of being Happy. Seriously.

For me, Happy manifests itself as a long, steady exhale. It’s a warm sensation that spreads through my body and conquers even the most severe cold. It’s the force that magically turns the corners of my mouth into a grin. Is Happy hard to define? Yes. But I think you know what Happy is to you. And if you don’t, we can figure it out.

Happy begins with just a pinch of perspective, a dash of patience, a touch of intention and a few deep breaths. The result is a renewed view of the world and a truer sense of your place in it. Then, you get to the good stuff. Happy.

It may seem like I think this is an easy practice, being Happy.
Believe me, I don’t.

On the contrary, I think happiness is remarkably difficult to attain — the act of discovering and sustaining Happy is an undertaking that can rebuff even the strongest among us. It’s surprisingly easy to be sad, while being Happy is, on the other hand, a more daunting effort. The problem is, Happy has no tactile “on” and “off” switch. It can’t be forced, faked, or fleeced into being.

No, Happiness is a true feeling you must discover through real and sustained effort.

But fear not, faithful reader, if this sounds like a bigger bite than you were hoping to chew, all is not lost.

Let’s crawl before we try to walk.

See, the thing is, happiness can become a habit for anyone, as long as you genuinely try (even though sometimes you have to try really, really hard).

You start by adjusting your lens, little-by-painstaking-little, every day. You behold each day as fresh and new. You absorb each moment as a contribution to the whole. You listen when others talk — honestly listen, processing what they have to say and responding thoughtfully. You keep an eye out for little drops of Happy scattered along the way (they can be anywhere!).

Eventually your eyes will adjust to the new lenses. You will notice a refined focus, once blurry, now crisp and clear. You’ll begin to discern your experience, your life, with varying perspectives — from the eyes of an ant, to those of a human, from the Earth to the Universe.

There is an unavoidable truth in this exercise; we are faced with the actuality of how very tiny we are. Relatively speaking we’re Lilliputian, minuscule, teensy.
And Earth is really just another pebble in the sprawling cosmos.

From the perspective of the Universe everything seems much smaller. Disconcertingly so, at first.

If this notion causes you distress, fret not my valiant reader, for our lives do not lose meaning proportionately with the sliding scale of the stars. Instead, the same scale that ignites awe should inspire us to view actions and reactions as part of the grander macro picture, while intensifying our awareness of the impact we have within our own micro picture, in our personal lives and the lives of those we interact with.

On any scale we can discover happiness. We can enjoy the nuances in what is often considered the hum-drum of daily living — in our commutes and cubicles, in little leagues and television programs. In coffee, emails and chit-chat.

We can discover happiness on any scale, on the human scale, because the “what” of our experience isn’t important. Instead, it’s the awareness and intention — the Pursuit — that matters. Happy hides itself in every facet of our human experience, if we would only search more vigilantly for it. If we would only keep our eyes open and searching.

You may be scrubbing toilets, selling vacuums, designing skyscrapers, or directing movies. Whatever it is, take pride in your work. Consider everything on a relational scale to keep perspective. Revel in all the people, all the life and motion and purpose around you. In the drops of Happy that are just waiting to be consumed.

And hell, if you can get that far, you can smile. What do you have to lose now that you know it’s possible? Show this crazy world what you’re made of and wear that smirk from ear-to-ear. And please, if you can keep going, don’t stop there — fill your life so thoroughly and utterly chock-full of Happy that your bucket brims and overflows.

Eventually, if you do all these things, your life will be so damn bright it will impossible not to squint — despite the discomfort in your eyes, you’ll be comforted by the knowledge that there’s nothing to fear. You’re in control. And hey, if you can, save some of that excess light for the dark days, you might just need it.

And here’s where I tell you the truth.

You can be Happy. I promise.

Because in the end, Happy is nothing more, or less, than a purposeful existence. It’s the ability to find happiness, not as the final result, but in the Pursuit itself. Anywhere and everywhere.

Happy can start today, if you sincerely want it to.

And even if you’ve already discovered happiness in your life, I challenge you to reach out to someone around you — a friend, sibling, parent, co-worker, neighbor, cashier, lesbian honors student, astronaut skateboarder, professional ping-pong player, anyone at all — and make their day a little bit better. Do something good for them, on any scale, and remind them how easy it is to be Happy.

Your act should, in turn, make you happier.
And that, my faithful reader, is simple Happy Economics in action.

In an economy where supply will always meet demand, there’s nothing stopping you from being Happy.

I promise.

To summarize:

1. I am not really canceling my Basecamp account, just sort of.
2. Anyone who has actually read this long-winded email (that’s you) should a) be high-fived by anyone within reach for sticking it out and b) enjoy their day, maybe even their life.
3. We’re all capable of happiness. Really.
4. Happy starts with perspective and conscious effort.
5. We’re so, so small on the grand scale. But we can be huge for each other.
6. Happy is the Pursuit.
7. Happiness isn’t easy.
8. Happiness is worth it.

Anyway, I’m terribly sorry for diverging so thoroughly, not to mention rapidly, from the original subject matter addressed in your initial correspondence.

I hope that you still found my response satisfactory. And I hope brightened your day, if only just a smidgen. If only just today.

/grant

PS I attached a poster I made for you guys with a unicorn to reiterate my positive feelings about your product. Enjoy.

It does not reach its full potential on first blush. It needs to be refined, processed. It needs to be distilled down to its simplest, most powerful form. When it is all it can be and nothing more than it should, we’ve done our job.

An idea is the most powerful weapon, yet it can be inherently powerless. It’s a paradox wrapped up in gray matter, stowed away in perfection and tied with a big, shiny red bow.

What is an idea, to you?

/grant

I recently got some really fantastic news.

I’ve been invited to blog for Advertising Week in their student section. My first post went up yesterday, Life & Advertising: What Batman Taught Me.

I’m so excited and thankful for this opportunity. Along with the blogging/tweeting, I’ll be going to this year’s Advertising Week in New York City, October 1-5. Travel is one of my favorite things to do and after my recent trip to New York in May I’ve been itching to get back to the East coast.

Stay tuned for more writing, advertising, shenanigans and the like. Also, have a stellar weekend.

/grant

–

–

A couple of years ago Batman changed my life. Sounds silly, but it’s true. I was watching the Dark Knight and I was struck by something remarkable — not an epiphany, per se, but a profound moment that sent me into deep contemplation.

 
These deep thoughts were a result of two distinct scenes. In the first, Harvey Dent (now Two-Face) squares up with his first victim after going rogue. The man looks wide-eyed with fear at Dent’s deformed complexion. At 35 seconds of this clip, you see Dent’s “two faces” in all their twisted glory. Honestly, I shuddered when I saw him take the shot from the bar and throw it back, alcohol slipping down exposed tendons, through the gaping hole in his cheek.

 
It was grotesque and raw. Despite the make-up and special effects, in some ways, it was a very real. And it made me think… it made me truly contemplate what we are, as humans. We are flesh; bone, gray matter and we are oh-so-fragile. As resilient as we like to imagine ourselves, we are constricted to deteriorating mortal vessels. And this reminds me of a quotation from my favorite author, Chuck Palahniuk:

“On a long enough timeline, the survival rate for everyone drops to zero.”

This is the first lesson Batman taught me — we are all going to die. Furthermore, there’s no avoiding it.

 
This seems extremely morbid, I know. The truth is, coming to grips with one’s mortality isn’t fun. In fact, it really sucks. For weeks after “learning” this lesson I was distraught — faced with my own expiration date, wallowing in the idea that it’s not even a guaranteed expiration date, annoyed that I could go at any moment, anywhere, any way. I was convinced there was a bus with my name on it, just waiting for me to cross the street without looking both ways.

 
There’s another scene in that movie — it didn’t mean much to me for a while, but its true value was revealed later. In this scene, the Joker visits Harvey Dent in the hospital. He begins to rant about upsetting the established order, about anarchy and chaos. He refers to chaos as fear. It’s a horrifying speech. Two-face proceeds to go on a rampage as a jaded man, as a man with nothing to lose.

 
There’s a nugget of valuable truth in all of that, especially when viewed through less of a transgressive, subversive lens — let go of fear. When you have nothing to lose, you have nothing to stop you from being spectacular.

 
And then something incredible happened. After weeks of this near-manic disappointment… I let go.  I let go of my fears — failure, death.  My agitation simply floated away. And then something even more incredible happened — I started living more passionately than I had ever lived. I threw myself into my interests, into my relationships and my work. Since then I have learned SO much about myself and I have enjoyed each day more than I ever have.

 
There’s truth in this concept not only as a general life principle, but from an advertising perspective as well. Fear is debilitating when it comes to doing breakthrough creative work. If we limit ourselves to the edges of fear, if we keep the bold ideas to ourselves, not wanting to look foolish, then we will never reach our truly extraordinary potential. As advertisers and marketers we owe it to our clients to give them our big, audacious ideas. They deserve our best work and we have an obligation to present it.

 
Sometimes we need a reminder that life is ephemeral. That we’re not here forever. It’s scary and it’s difficult, but once we accept that, truly accept it, we free ourselves from the shackles of fear. When we let go, we excel. They say life begins at the edge of your comfort zone — I would argue you that it begins at the edge of fear as well.

 
Batman taught me to let go and start truly living. You too can find inspiration in unexpected places, as long as you’re open to it.

 
Carpe Diem. Grab today and do something great with it.

/grant

Recently I came across a FastCo Design article about an incredible new project from Bruce Mau Design. If you’re not familiar with BMD, you should be. Bruce has been a personal design hero for a couple of years now. This new project reeks of his aesthetic — simple, bold, strategic, easily recognizable, extends across platforms.

First, the short video they produced with Studio 360:

The task was to rebrand Canada, a “brand” that has become cliché and outdated (see: maple syrup, mounties, igloos). BMD produced a really smart insight though…

Canada doesn’t need a redesign — America needs an education.

According to their research, Canada has an enormous amount to be proud of, but many of these things are thought to be of American origin. So, they set out to redesign the perceptions America has of Canada. They used those iconic red bars of the Canadian flag and crafted a campaign that was highly flexible and executable across mediums and subjects.

Really freaking awesome work, if you ask me. Here are a few more images from the campaign. (the full 96 page brief + creative book can be found here)

I’d love to hear what you think, eh? Some people are in love with the “Know Canada.” campaign… others have criticized its simplicity and style. What do you think?

As always, make it a killer week!

/grant

Spolier alert: we are all completely ridiculous. And our decisions oftentimes seem rational, but are quite the opposite.

His research is absolutely fascinating — from a sociological, psychological perspective, yes, but also from a marketing perspective. How can we apply the principles of predictable irrationality to our marketing? How can we use our knowledge of decision-making processes to influence the purchasing pattern?

And even from a personal development perspective — how can I better understand myself by recognizing self-delusion. By acknowledging illusion and working to improve my decision making.

You’re on my site, so it’s safe you are currently experiencing the new identity I put together. It is by no means a final product, so I’d welcome any and all feedback. Some examples of feedback I’m not looking for:

“Holy sh*t you suck.”

“Meh.”

Some examples of feedback I AM looking for:

“I think  the site could be improved by _____.”

“You might want to try _____ to the logo.”

“I don’t like the way ____ is displayed on _____.”

You get the point. Also, try looking at the site on your phone — it’s responsive, so the design adjusts according to your screen size. Yeeee haw.

 Also, here’s a business card concept I’ve been working on. General thoughts? Which one do you prefer? Do you want more info? More design?

1.

2.

Don’t worry, I’m still the same old Grant you know and love. But I’m growing up… it’s time to start shopping at Hugo Boss instead of Hollister. My aesthetic is maturing. New Grant is simple, clean and bold.

I’m also looking to stay more committed to documenting my journey through this lovely, wild, and remarkably complex life. That means more blogs, content, designs, etc. I’m living super passionately and I want to share that passion with as many people as I can.

So, any feedback on the new stuff is SUPER appreciated. You will be paid in Karma, and potentially beer. Comment, tweet, email, carrier pigeon, smoke signal. Whichever medium you prefer is just fine with me.

Kick some ass this week.

/grant