Livin' like Vinny Chase

If you've ever watched Entourage on HBO, you'll get the reference in this blog's title. Vince is a movie star on the show who very much lives the good life at his sprawling LA pad, sitting around his pool during the day sipping yeasty beverages and puffing on a... uh. yeah. Must be nice, huh? Anyway, with a little bit of down-time this afternoon and a little time on the beach on the horizon, I thought I'd pull a Vince and work on my tan, or lack thereof. Granted, I rock the Twilight look better than anyone I know, but a week in the sun with no epidermic conditioning beforehand is risky business any way you cut it.

Now, the voice gods in their infinite wisdom always know when you've planned some time for yourself, even if it's just laying out in the sun for an hour. If you're lucky, they'll leave you alone. But more often than not, you'll get interrupted with something pressing. I consider it a hazard of the job. Maybe the same phenomenon happens some form or fashion in other lines of work but I can't say for sure. I suppose being in demand (at least for that moment) is a good thing. Even Mr. Chase accessorizes himself with a cell phone while pool-side. However, as the sun doesn't shine at night and we haven't figured out how to make the day longer, I'm resigned to multi-tasking my tanning and my sessions. Which is a good problem to have but is admittedly not very movie-star-like. Then again, neither is my skin-tone.

It's funny. There are lots of things I can think of to complain about with regard to being tied down to my job and life in general for that matter. And yet by all standards, I live a charmed life. No, I'm not a millionaire like Vince. I have a modest house and a good amount of debt to go with it. But that same house provides both a roof over my head and a place to ply my trade. I eat well (could certainly do with less), drink clean water and have a beautiful family that loves me. My car runs. Friends and colleagues are more than generous with their time and support. Most days, I can hardly wrap my brain around the problems other people in third world countries deal with. Even here in the states, I could easily be digging ditches somewhere. Which on second thought would probably provide a killer tan and some good muscle development to go with it. But would still probably suck. Though I would bet there's a few ditch diggers with a grin on their face. It's all a matter of perspective.

The good life is different for everybody. The timeless image of the movie-star lounging by the pool with a margarita in one hand and a hot babe in the other doesn't always ring true. You can find happy, content people in all walks of life and all levels of the earnings ladder. I'm still working on that and some days, it seems like I have it figured it out. Other days, not so much. Need a starter course? 

I'm writing this post to remind myself that my "good life" is right here, right now, no matter what the circumstances of the day. Time to live it up.

If Don Draper designed Facebook ads

Isn't it funny how quickly things change with the times? Much of what was fashionable even a few years ago is notably out of place in today whether in music, fashion or advertising. The 1960s are pretty much ancient history by those standards. A Brazilian ad agency thought it would be fun to put together some print ads in the style of that era, a la Don Draper from AMC's Mad Men. What a different world.

Teleport here.

VO conference in Portland

If you do voice-overs for a living and have the weekend of September 11th open, you might be interested in this conference with a twist.

DLF Voiceover Lab video

The closest I ever came to meeting Don LaFontaine was at a Promax session in New York two years ago, during which Don was piped into the room live via internet from his home in LA. But you didn't have to spent time in a room with Don to figure out that he had a generous heart.

Recently, the Screen Actor's Guild raised the curtain on the Don LaFontaine Voice-Over Lab which will further Don's legacy of giving back by helping beginner voice-over actors. Here's a video worth watching about why this type of thing is so important.

Thanks to George Whittam for the link.

Fun at Venezuela & LeBron's expense

It's always fun to build radio imaging that goes beyond the usual positioning statements. Especially when there are character voices involved...

Vocal self-discovery

Every so often, I find a tool in the box that I didn't know I had. Or maybe I'm the tool, I dunno.

Tip for email marketers

Here's a tip if you run send out email blasts to subscribers. Don't send it from your main email address. (e.g. jim@jim.com) Use an alternate one. (e.g. list@jim.com)  That way, when someone like me sets up a filter or rule that sends your marketing email to my bulk mail or possibly spam folder, you'll still be able to send me a direct email if you ever feel the need, since only that backup email from where you send out your bulk-mail will be on my blacklist.

On that topic, I'm getting hounded lately with lots of voice over spam that I never signed up for. Some of it doesn't offer an unsubscribe. Some of it does, but one particular sales pitch offers you to unsubscribe, but then continues to send you junk regardless. It's sure annoying that this industry has its share of spammers that despite having had no prior personal contact with me, put me on their lists to try to convince me to buy a service that looks pretty sucky to begin with. Life's too short for spam, regardless of topic.

-Joe

Star 94 Imaging Showcase

Props to production maestro Doug Miller for making me sound half-way good in Atlanta on Star 94. Here's our "best of".

A new approach to motivating

Check out this video when you have 10 minutes. Killer creative and some cool findings about motivating people.

Can you quilt?

Sorry for the lack of action here lately. Wanted to share something by Seth Godin that a buddy of mine linked to. We've all had those days when we wanted to throw in the towel and quit. When that happens, why not quilt instead?

-Joe