Blog Directory
Blog Search Engine
Blog Catalog
Blog Search Directory
Bloggapedia, Blog Directory - Find It!
So for the past week I have dove into the world of Leonardo Da Vinci. My interest was peaked while writing my post about Golden Ratio. It turns out there is a lot of controversy as to whether or not Leonardo Da Vinci used it or not. As you may have seen in the post, I assuredly make the claim that he indeed was obsessive about it.
I intend there will be a few skeptics on here that will come back with their objections for that statement; however, I am privvy to information that no one has seen yet that validates my point.
While researching into Golden Ratio and how Leonardo Da Vinci potentially used it, I uncovered a key aspect of his paintings that has been overlooked - by what I can tell, everyone. It's fairly significant, so although I don't want to hold out on everyone, I must take it through the proper channels first before exposing it.
It will, however, undeniably prove Leonardo Da Vinci's use of Golden Ratio, unlock more insight into his unusual methods, and also put some validity into aspects of the 'Da Vinci Code' novel (might I mention that this book is based on somewhat distorted factual history told through the use of fictional characters and plot).
I think it would be appropriate to mention, that Leonardo was very compulsive about his methods, including the fact that he checked his work through the use of a mirror as he believed it allowed a painter to observe his work from almost a third-person point of view since everything is reversed - and therefore unfamiliar.
I am currently reviewing this method in correlation to what I have discovered to see if there are any new aspects it unlocks.
Nonetheless, I am drained from the research and I feel I have become obsessed with my new findings. I have been dreaming of geometrical shapes, his paintings, and weird symbologies I have run across in my research. It's interesting, mystical, and inspirational to me as an artist.
I will end on the note that Leonardo Da Vinci's works are 1) of an absolute complex beauty that hasn't been fully realized, and 2) the most impressive display of mathmatics to art I have ever seen.
Once I have made my conclusions to the best of my abilities, I will be presenting these findings at the TED conference, if they will gratiuosly accept my presence.
I intend there will be a few skeptics on here that will come back with their objections for that statement; however, I am privvy to information that no one has seen yet that validates my point.
While researching into Golden Ratio and how Leonardo Da Vinci potentially used it, I uncovered a key aspect of his paintings that has been overlooked - by what I can tell, everyone. It's fairly significant, so although I don't want to hold out on everyone, I must take it through the proper channels first before exposing it.
It will, however, undeniably prove Leonardo Da Vinci's use of Golden Ratio, unlock more insight into his unusual methods, and also put some validity into aspects of the 'Da Vinci Code' novel (might I mention that this book is based on somewhat distorted factual history told through the use of fictional characters and plot).
I think it would be appropriate to mention, that Leonardo was very compulsive about his methods, including the fact that he checked his work through the use of a mirror as he believed it allowed a painter to observe his work from almost a third-person point of view since everything is reversed - and therefore unfamiliar.
I am currently reviewing this method in correlation to what I have discovered to see if there are any new aspects it unlocks.
Nonetheless, I am drained from the research and I feel I have become obsessed with my new findings. I have been dreaming of geometrical shapes, his paintings, and weird symbologies I have run across in my research. It's interesting, mystical, and inspirational to me as an artist.
I will end on the note that Leonardo Da Vinci's works are 1) of an absolute complex beauty that hasn't been fully realized, and 2) the most impressive display of mathmatics to art I have ever seen.
Once I have made my conclusions to the best of my abilities, I will be presenting these findings at the TED conference, if they will gratiuosly accept my presence.
This post is for the graphic designers, photographers, architects, and other "form" designers reading my blog.
If you haven't heard of the Golden Ratio (Also known as: Phi, Golden Section, Golden Number, Golden Cut, Golden Proportion, Golden Mean, Extreme and Mean Ratio, Mean of Phidias, Medial Section, Divine Section, and Divine Proportion. Whew!) then you should really take a moment to review this post, as I will be sharing information and resources pertaining to the Golden Ratio.
For simplicity, I will refer to it only as Golden Ratio in this post.
Since discovering & researching the Golden Ratio, I can sincerely say that my aesthetics has improved dramatically! Not to mention (by utilizing some of the tools I'm about to share with you) the improved productivity I have experienced!
So what is the Golden Ratio?
Golden Ratio is an irrational mathematical constant that represents the ratio of one quantity to another quantity. Golden Ratio is given the value of 1.6180339887... and continues on infinitely. You can find this value in nature, universal bodies (such as galaxies), artwork, architecture, literature, and many other areas of interest. To some it is merely an insignificant coincidence, to others it is a number of vast importance - interconnecting life, matter, and the universe.
In this illustration, you see a large rectangle divided by it's Golden Ratio. The smaller of these areas is then
divided by it's own Golden Ratio. This continues until you get the resulting divisions of the original rectangle.
Brief History of the Golden Ratio
You can find the Golden Ratio in all corners of ancient architecture, literature, and artwork. However, discovery of the Golden Ratio is subjectively attributed to Pythagoras, the creator of Pythagorean Theorem. If you research into Pythagorean Theorem, you'll run across references to Euclid, the Father of Geometry, which also verified the theorem in his writing Euclid Elements. Coincidentally, this writing, Euclid Elements, provides the first definition of the Golden Ratio.
Below is a great example of the relationship between the Golden Ratio and the Pythagorean Theorem. I stumbled across this while researching and thought it was interesting.
The purple vertical that passes through point A represents the Golden Ratio of the bottom box. The top boxes represent the same area as the same colored areas of the bottom box. The Golden Ratio of this bottom box forms congruency with all areas as well as the Pythagorean triangle.
Golden Ratio, although not widely known by the general public like Pythagorean Theorem, has been used in structural design and art by architects, philosophers, and artists for thousands of years.
The most famous of these would probably be Leonardo Da Vinci. Looking into his artworks, you will find numerous correlations between his work and the Golden Ratio. I will display demonstrations of this later in this post which will present multiple artworks that apply Golden Ratio. First, I'd like to present why this number is so significant to all these great thinkers and philosophers of our past history.
Golden Ratio in Nature
You can find the Golden Ratio in many aspects of nature. Some say you can even find it in our own anatomical make-up. The distance from finger tip to the wrist in relation to the distance from the wrist to the elbow is very close to Golden Ratio. You can find similar representations of Golden Ratio throughout human anatomy.
Now, to fully understand the Golden Ratio in nature, you'll also need to have a little knowledge of the Fibonacci Spiral. I don't want to get too off topic here, but the Fibonacci Spiral is interrelated with the Golden Ratio very deeply. Below shows you how the Fibonacci Spiral is created using the Golden Ratio.
Building on the previous illustration of a rectangle divided by it's Golden Ratios, we have connected adjacent
corners of each rectangle with a one-quarter circle radius. This forms what is known as the Fibonacci Spiral.
A Nautilus Shell has similar properties to the Fibonacci Spiral
A cacti with multiple Fibonacci-like Spirals.
Spiral galaxies
The head of a sunflower has seeds which align closely to a Fibonacci Spiral.
Most of these examples are "close" to Golden Ratio, however none of them are precisely .6180339... There are also plenty of examples in nature that don't portray any relation to Golden Ratio. It is a matter of belief on how you choose to look at Golden Ratio. I however, do find it significant that throughout nature you can find a ratio that is VERY CLOSE to Golden Ratio.
Golden Ratio in Art
As you research more into Golden Ratio, you will conclude that this number was common knowledge all throughout our history. The Greeks, Romans, Egyptians, Chinese, and nearly every other civilization portray Golden Ratio in their artwork. Leonardo Da Vinci, who revolutionized art theory during the Renaissance, perfected it's use in every single painting he did. One would conclude that he was in fact obsessive about applying the Golden Ratio to his work.
Leonardo Da Vinci's Vitruvian Man displays the use of Golden Ratio in the human body.
Leonardo Da Vinci's Mona Lisa is probably the most well known and popular painting in
human history. It's no wonder - every single aspect of this painting was done in Golden Ratio.
The Great Wave Off Kanagawa by Japanese Artist Hokusai was drawn with ratios equal to the Fibonacci Spiral and Golden Ratio.
Ancient Egyptian Architect Khesi-Ra’s panel was carved to pass on his theories of
harmonious geometry. It elegantly displays numerous representations of Golden Ratio.
Golden Ratio in Architecture
Architecture is at the heart of human innovation. From the pyramids in Egypt to the Parthenon in Greece, there are many examples of the Golden Ratio.
The angle of inclination of the pyramid face on its base is 89/55 = 1.61818…
A representation of Golden Ratio in the Parthenon in Athens, Greece.
The Tahjmahal has various measurements that are of the Golden Ratio.
Conclusion
While some may dispute the significance of the Golden Ratio, it is apparent that through our history there has been a fascination with it. Many will speculate on the validity of it in nature, as well as in our history. It's important to realize that, while although some of these examples are in fact not quite perfect to Golden Ratio, there still is a significance to the approximate value. I have come to conclude that it is not the "holy grail" of numbers, but merely a great measurement to start from. There happens to be an uncanny appeal to the aesthetics of this ratio and I intend to keep using it in my works. If you are looking for an improvement in your own aesthetics, Golden Ratio will be a great resource.
Golden Ratio Resources
Here I have gathered a few resources that you can use to implement and observe Golden Ratio practices. If you have any others you would like to share, I will add them here. Enjoy!
Atrise Golden Section - http://www.atrise.com/golden-section
I love this tool as it allows me to utilize many different views. What this tool does is overlays a Golden Ratio grid (as well as a few other views) on top of all your windows and can be scalable to your liking. I particularly use the Ratio section view for any spacing I am doing with typography and/or geometrical shapes. This saves me a lot of time perfecting the spacing of elements in my design.
Phiculator - http://www.thismanslife.co.uk/phiculator
A great little calculator for quickly getting a number's Golden Ratio value.
Sources of Information
Golden Ratio in Wikipedia
Pi, Phi, and the Great Pyramids
Golden Ratio in Geometry
Fibonacci Numbers, The Golden Section, & The Golden String
If you haven't heard of the Golden Ratio (Also known as: Phi, Golden Section, Golden Number, Golden Cut, Golden Proportion, Golden Mean, Extreme and Mean Ratio, Mean of Phidias, Medial Section, Divine Section, and Divine Proportion. Whew!) then you should really take a moment to review this post, as I will be sharing information and resources pertaining to the Golden Ratio.
For simplicity, I will refer to it only as Golden Ratio in this post.
Since discovering & researching the Golden Ratio, I can sincerely say that my aesthetics has improved dramatically! Not to mention (by utilizing some of the tools I'm about to share with you) the improved productivity I have experienced!
So what is the Golden Ratio?
Golden Ratio is an irrational mathematical constant that represents the ratio of one quantity to another quantity. Golden Ratio is given the value of 1.6180339887... and continues on infinitely. You can find this value in nature, universal bodies (such as galaxies), artwork, architecture, literature, and many other areas of interest. To some it is merely an insignificant coincidence, to others it is a number of vast importance - interconnecting life, matter, and the universe.
In this illustration, you see a large rectangle divided by it's Golden Ratio. The smaller of these areas is thendivided by it's own Golden Ratio. This continues until you get the resulting divisions of the original rectangle.
Brief History of the Golden Ratio
You can find the Golden Ratio in all corners of ancient architecture, literature, and artwork. However, discovery of the Golden Ratio is subjectively attributed to Pythagoras, the creator of Pythagorean Theorem. If you research into Pythagorean Theorem, you'll run across references to Euclid, the Father of Geometry, which also verified the theorem in his writing Euclid Elements. Coincidentally, this writing, Euclid Elements, provides the first definition of the Golden Ratio.
Below is a great example of the relationship between the Golden Ratio and the Pythagorean Theorem. I stumbled across this while researching and thought it was interesting.
The purple vertical that passes through point A represents the Golden Ratio of the bottom box. The top boxes represent the same area as the same colored areas of the bottom box. The Golden Ratio of this bottom box forms congruency with all areas as well as the Pythagorean triangle. Golden Ratio, although not widely known by the general public like Pythagorean Theorem, has been used in structural design and art by architects, philosophers, and artists for thousands of years.
The most famous of these would probably be Leonardo Da Vinci. Looking into his artworks, you will find numerous correlations between his work and the Golden Ratio. I will display demonstrations of this later in this post which will present multiple artworks that apply Golden Ratio. First, I'd like to present why this number is so significant to all these great thinkers and philosophers of our past history.
Golden Ratio in Nature
You can find the Golden Ratio in many aspects of nature. Some say you can even find it in our own anatomical make-up. The distance from finger tip to the wrist in relation to the distance from the wrist to the elbow is very close to Golden Ratio. You can find similar representations of Golden Ratio throughout human anatomy.
Now, to fully understand the Golden Ratio in nature, you'll also need to have a little knowledge of the Fibonacci Spiral. I don't want to get too off topic here, but the Fibonacci Spiral is interrelated with the Golden Ratio very deeply. Below shows you how the Fibonacci Spiral is created using the Golden Ratio.
Building on the previous illustration of a rectangle divided by it's Golden Ratios, we have connected adjacentcorners of each rectangle with a one-quarter circle radius. This forms what is known as the Fibonacci Spiral.
A Nautilus Shell has similar properties to the Fibonacci Spiral
A cacti with multiple Fibonacci-like Spirals.
Spiral galaxies
The natural growth of this plant is similar to a Fibonnaci Spiral.
The head of a sunflower has seeds which align closely to a Fibonacci Spiral.Most of these examples are "close" to Golden Ratio, however none of them are precisely .6180339... There are also plenty of examples in nature that don't portray any relation to Golden Ratio. It is a matter of belief on how you choose to look at Golden Ratio. I however, do find it significant that throughout nature you can find a ratio that is VERY CLOSE to Golden Ratio.
Golden Ratio in Art
As you research more into Golden Ratio, you will conclude that this number was common knowledge all throughout our history. The Greeks, Romans, Egyptians, Chinese, and nearly every other civilization portray Golden Ratio in their artwork. Leonardo Da Vinci, who revolutionized art theory during the Renaissance, perfected it's use in every single painting he did. One would conclude that he was in fact obsessive about applying the Golden Ratio to his work.
Leonardo Da Vinci's Vitruvian Man displays the use of Golden Ratio in the human body.
Leonardo Da Vinci's Mona Lisa is probably the most well known and popular painting inhuman history. It's no wonder - every single aspect of this painting was done in Golden Ratio.
The Great Wave Off Kanagawa by Japanese Artist Hokusai was drawn with ratios equal to the Fibonacci Spiral and Golden Ratio.
Ancient Egyptian Architect Khesi-Ra’s panel was carved to pass on his theories ofharmonious geometry. It elegantly displays numerous representations of Golden Ratio.
Golden Ratio in Architecture
Architecture is at the heart of human innovation. From the pyramids in Egypt to the Parthenon in Greece, there are many examples of the Golden Ratio.
The angle of inclination of the pyramid face on its base is 89/55 = 1.61818…
A representation of Golden Ratio in the Parthenon in Athens, Greece. 
The Tahjmahal has various measurements that are of the Golden Ratio.Conclusion
While some may dispute the significance of the Golden Ratio, it is apparent that through our history there has been a fascination with it. Many will speculate on the validity of it in nature, as well as in our history. It's important to realize that, while although some of these examples are in fact not quite perfect to Golden Ratio, there still is a significance to the approximate value. I have come to conclude that it is not the "holy grail" of numbers, but merely a great measurement to start from. There happens to be an uncanny appeal to the aesthetics of this ratio and I intend to keep using it in my works. If you are looking for an improvement in your own aesthetics, Golden Ratio will be a great resource.
Golden Ratio Resources
Here I have gathered a few resources that you can use to implement and observe Golden Ratio practices. If you have any others you would like to share, I will add them here. Enjoy!
Atrise Golden Section - http://www.atrise.com/golden-section
I love this tool as it allows me to utilize many different views. What this tool does is overlays a Golden Ratio grid (as well as a few other views) on top of all your windows and can be scalable to your liking. I particularly use the Ratio section view for any spacing I am doing with typography and/or geometrical shapes. This saves me a lot of time perfecting the spacing of elements in my design.
Phiculator - http://www.thismanslife.co.uk/phiculator
A great little calculator for quickly getting a number's Golden Ratio value.
Sources of Information
Golden Ratio in Wikipedia
Pi, Phi, and the Great Pyramids
Golden Ratio in Geometry
Fibonacci Numbers, The Golden Section, & The Golden String
Today, I was given my orders for separation out of the military. In two weeks, I will finally be part of the civilian sector once again. What a journey the past three years have been! As the title suggests, I feel like I have been assimilated by the likes of the Borg, from the popular series "Star Trek".
The mindset of a soldier's responsibility to duty is very structured and not subjective to our own opinions. Almost in a way that goes unnoticed to me and probably most soldiers. We may not necessarily agree to what we are told, but ultimately "resistance is futile". Adapting to this new method of collective thinking was very difficult at first. From the age of 18 and up until I joined the military at 21, I worked for myself and if I didn't like something - I didn't do it.
Three years later, I feel the exact opposite.
Now, I struggle with my own individuality and creativity. Creative thinking is NOT endorsed, nor is it acceptable if it goes against the upper echelon's prerogative. This is how it is in the military. Luckily, I have been given time from my very supportive chain of command to prepare myself for civilian life. This has allowed me to work on new projects such as this one, as well as my side venture with Prepaid Legal. It has been very enlightening and exciting!
However, due to the security of the military - the fact that as long as I showed up and did my job, I will have food, shelter, and money, the idea of that going away can be daunting! Hell, I don't think I have made a personal effort to make a car payment my entire military career as it comes directly from my wages. I have to find the address to my financier, for crying out loud!
Regardless, I think I'm ready. I have been tirelessly establishing an infrastructure consisting of multiple income streams. I'm starting to realize how much fun I had setting up business models, methodologies, and practices in the past.
It's really my passion as a creative thinker and natural entrepreneurial spirit.
I like to turn intangible outcomes into tangible plans of action. So I'd like to outline my current projects to everyone reading this now. Maybe, out of coincidence perhaps, someone will comment and spark some form of outward thinking beyond my own perception.
Prepaid Legal
This one has been so much fun for me, I can hardly contain my excitement about it at times. I feel like a giddy school boy having gotten a kiss from the most beautiful girl in class. I have actually had to step back for a the past week or so because I was beginning to become a nuisance to my friends, and even myself about it. I have so many ideas to incorporate with their business model that I have to take a step back and re-assess my priorities with it. I highly recommend the service to anyone, and the business opportunity behind it is excellent. Robert Kiyosaki has said it is the best compensation plan he has ever seen. (Yes this was all an evil ploy to peak your curiosity so that one day I can sign you up - Live with it! =P)
Job Free Plan
This one is really cool for me. Inspired by my upline director's story with Prepaid Legal, we have decided to make a system around the idea. He was a typical 9-5 and joined Prepaid Legal over three years ago. He slacked on it the first year, the second year picked up his pace, and by the beginning of his third year in the business he was able to walk away from his job and work from home. What I love about the system we are setting up is that it's designed to be a lead generating MONSTER. The true desire of the system is for it to be a reward system for our associates. If they achieve certain success criteria through their own efforts, we reward them with many, many leads. On the other spectrum of the system, it will be a tool for our associates to use to promote the business opportunity to their own leads. Great stuff!
Free Instant Comparison
This is sort of a pet project. I have had an interest in PPC and affiliate marketing for many years. I have never really gone down that road, so I thought it would be wise to gain some knowledge and experience; first, for my own income generation, and second so that I can begin providing advice to my readers. The basic idea is that most people like to make purchases online, but don't so much compare their options. Whether it be they get caught up in the sales letters or just simply don't want to take the time to do the research and comparison. So this site will provide quick-to-the-point comparisons of services they are looking for and ones that I am affiliated with. (It may sound deceptive; however, these leads are already prepared to purchase these services. I'm just interjecting myself in the middle of their buying process.)
First Venture
This one is still a secret! "Shhh," don't tell anyone I'm exposing part of the idea here. I'm currently developing a system to help people who are first venturing (hence, the name.) into internet marketing on how to get off the ground. It will be a phase-based system; first, providing my members with a simple product to market, second, expanding that product marketing into list building, third, taking ownership of the product and residuals, and finally, the blue print & additional resources to marketing their own products & services.
Independent Development Services
Of course I couldn't turn my back on a sure thing! Although, not my primary focus, I will be providing visual communications & web development services to those as they come along. Not much more to add here.
Charity Event
This is inspired by the recent Twestival charity event for Water is Life. I am organizing a music festival in my town of Fayetteville, NC to help raise money for the same charity. This project is very special to me, as my ultimate goal is to never work again and just travel the world helping people. This is sort of a prelude to that. More details will be posted here on this project.
Community Integration Project
My million-dollar idea! 10 years of difficult brainstorming and integration modeling. I'll never tell what it is. =D
Conclusion
I think that is it! As you can see, I have a whole slew of things on my plate. for the nay-sayers that will think its too much - First of all, one thing I've gotten efficient at from the military is multi-tasking to the extreme. Second, if for some reason it all backfires, I always have a guaranteed job with Raytheon.
"Resistance is Futile"
The mindset of a soldier's responsibility to duty is very structured and not subjective to our own opinions. Almost in a way that goes unnoticed to me and probably most soldiers. We may not necessarily agree to what we are told, but ultimately "resistance is futile". Adapting to this new method of collective thinking was very difficult at first. From the age of 18 and up until I joined the military at 21, I worked for myself and if I didn't like something - I didn't do it.
Three years later, I feel the exact opposite.
Now, I struggle with my own individuality and creativity. Creative thinking is NOT endorsed, nor is it acceptable if it goes against the upper echelon's prerogative. This is how it is in the military. Luckily, I have been given time from my very supportive chain of command to prepare myself for civilian life. This has allowed me to work on new projects such as this one, as well as my side venture with Prepaid Legal. It has been very enlightening and exciting!
However, due to the security of the military - the fact that as long as I showed up and did my job, I will have food, shelter, and money, the idea of that going away can be daunting! Hell, I don't think I have made a personal effort to make a car payment my entire military career as it comes directly from my wages. I have to find the address to my financier, for crying out loud!
Regardless, I think I'm ready. I have been tirelessly establishing an infrastructure consisting of multiple income streams. I'm starting to realize how much fun I had setting up business models, methodologies, and practices in the past.
It's really my passion as a creative thinker and natural entrepreneurial spirit.
I like to turn intangible outcomes into tangible plans of action. So I'd like to outline my current projects to everyone reading this now. Maybe, out of coincidence perhaps, someone will comment and spark some form of outward thinking beyond my own perception.
Prepaid Legal
This one has been so much fun for me, I can hardly contain my excitement about it at times. I feel like a giddy school boy having gotten a kiss from the most beautiful girl in class. I have actually had to step back for a the past week or so because I was beginning to become a nuisance to my friends, and even myself about it. I have so many ideas to incorporate with their business model that I have to take a step back and re-assess my priorities with it. I highly recommend the service to anyone, and the business opportunity behind it is excellent. Robert Kiyosaki has said it is the best compensation plan he has ever seen. (Yes this was all an evil ploy to peak your curiosity so that one day I can sign you up - Live with it! =P)
Job Free Plan
This one is really cool for me. Inspired by my upline director's story with Prepaid Legal, we have decided to make a system around the idea. He was a typical 9-5 and joined Prepaid Legal over three years ago. He slacked on it the first year, the second year picked up his pace, and by the beginning of his third year in the business he was able to walk away from his job and work from home. What I love about the system we are setting up is that it's designed to be a lead generating MONSTER. The true desire of the system is for it to be a reward system for our associates. If they achieve certain success criteria through their own efforts, we reward them with many, many leads. On the other spectrum of the system, it will be a tool for our associates to use to promote the business opportunity to their own leads. Great stuff!
Free Instant Comparison
This is sort of a pet project. I have had an interest in PPC and affiliate marketing for many years. I have never really gone down that road, so I thought it would be wise to gain some knowledge and experience; first, for my own income generation, and second so that I can begin providing advice to my readers. The basic idea is that most people like to make purchases online, but don't so much compare their options. Whether it be they get caught up in the sales letters or just simply don't want to take the time to do the research and comparison. So this site will provide quick-to-the-point comparisons of services they are looking for and ones that I am affiliated with. (It may sound deceptive; however, these leads are already prepared to purchase these services. I'm just interjecting myself in the middle of their buying process.)
First Venture
This one is still a secret! "Shhh," don't tell anyone I'm exposing part of the idea here. I'm currently developing a system to help people who are first venturing (hence, the name.) into internet marketing on how to get off the ground. It will be a phase-based system; first, providing my members with a simple product to market, second, expanding that product marketing into list building, third, taking ownership of the product and residuals, and finally, the blue print & additional resources to marketing their own products & services.
Independent Development Services
Of course I couldn't turn my back on a sure thing! Although, not my primary focus, I will be providing visual communications & web development services to those as they come along. Not much more to add here.
Charity Event
This is inspired by the recent Twestival charity event for Water is Life. I am organizing a music festival in my town of Fayetteville, NC to help raise money for the same charity. This project is very special to me, as my ultimate goal is to never work again and just travel the world helping people. This is sort of a prelude to that. More details will be posted here on this project.
Community Integration Project
My million-dollar idea! 10 years of difficult brainstorming and integration modeling. I'll never tell what it is. =D
Conclusion
I think that is it! As you can see, I have a whole slew of things on my plate. for the nay-sayers that will think its too much - First of all, one thing I've gotten efficient at from the military is multi-tasking to the extreme. Second, if for some reason it all backfires, I always have a guaranteed job with Raytheon.
"Resistance is Futile"
My name is Brett Dusek and you have landed on this page, maybe by fate or possibly by pure willfulness to generate supplemental income.
So lets get started...
My story:
My background is in web development/online marketing and I operated a business for 3 years that provided visual communications and marketing services to other design firms on a private label basis. In a nutshell, that basically meant I provided a quality visual product to other design firms and they got all the credit and applause from the clients for servicing such a nice-looking product!
Needless to say, it got old eventually.
I walked away from a decent income to join the United States Army. Whether it was out of boredom from moving to purely a management role in my business or just from outright frustration as an artist, who knows! I went from making a decent income to losing about 30% of my income and from sitting behind a desk all day to sitting inside a small little box we call "the van".
Can anyone please restrain me, I think I'm going to kick myself!
Fast forward 3 years, and my time is finally up in the armed forces. Onward to bigger better things right?
The feeling was exciting at first. Finally! I don't have to look at a black screen with green typography/symbology anymore! But then it dawned on me...
I don't have a plan b!?!
Sure I could start my business up again and eventually achieve the results I had before; however, that would take months of planning, networking, and most importantly money I don't have!
So what should my plan b...actually be?
Like the apple falling off the tree and Sir Isaac Newton having an epiphany for the Theory of Gravity, I had an epiphany!
Ok, well, not quite that exquisite, but I get lost in my exaggerations sometimes..my dreams!
A business associate approached me about doing a web site for him to help promote his Prepaid Legal organization. I went to a presentation to gain more knowledge and saw the product, and boom! Epiphany!
Ok, not quite an epiphany. More like...Opportunity!
"I'm in," I said!
Two months later, I'm near the director level and I have already generated $1,577.41.
That may not be much right now, but that pays for nearly all my bills for a month and gives me a little money to celebrate! That income represents only about 15 hours of effort! Yes! I absolutely want to celebrate a $100/hr income!
Its a philosophy, you see. The great speaker on network marketing Jim Rohn says it best.
I can now say I am working full-time on my job, and part-time on my fortune!
Thats exciting!
So I hope anyone who is reading this now will follow my story! I intend to help all of you from start to finish accomplish the same success I am determined to achieve.
May I be in your testimonials in the future!
God Bless!
So lets get started...
My story:
My background is in web development/online marketing and I operated a business for 3 years that provided visual communications and marketing services to other design firms on a private label basis. In a nutshell, that basically meant I provided a quality visual product to other design firms and they got all the credit and applause from the clients for servicing such a nice-looking product!
Needless to say, it got old eventually.
I walked away from a decent income to join the United States Army. Whether it was out of boredom from moving to purely a management role in my business or just from outright frustration as an artist, who knows! I went from making a decent income to losing about 30% of my income and from sitting behind a desk all day to sitting inside a small little box we call "the van".
Can anyone please restrain me, I think I'm going to kick myself!
Fast forward 3 years, and my time is finally up in the armed forces. Onward to bigger better things right?
The feeling was exciting at first. Finally! I don't have to look at a black screen with green typography/symbology anymore! But then it dawned on me...
I don't have a plan b!?!
Sure I could start my business up again and eventually achieve the results I had before; however, that would take months of planning, networking, and most importantly money I don't have!
So what should my plan b...actually be?
Like the apple falling off the tree and Sir Isaac Newton having an epiphany for the Theory of Gravity, I had an epiphany!
Ok, well, not quite that exquisite, but I get lost in my exaggerations sometimes..my dreams!
A business associate approached me about doing a web site for him to help promote his Prepaid Legal organization. I went to a presentation to gain more knowledge and saw the product, and boom! Epiphany!
Ok, not quite an epiphany. More like...Opportunity!
"I'm in," I said!
Two months later, I'm near the director level and I have already generated $1,577.41.
That may not be much right now, but that pays for nearly all my bills for a month and gives me a little money to celebrate! That income represents only about 15 hours of effort! Yes! I absolutely want to celebrate a $100/hr income!
Its a philosophy, you see. The great speaker on network marketing Jim Rohn says it best.
I can now say I am working full-time on my job, and part-time on my fortune!
Thats exciting!
So I hope anyone who is reading this now will follow my story! I intend to help all of you from start to finish accomplish the same success I am determined to achieve.
May I be in your testimonials in the future!
God Bless!
This project was a collaboration with a local design firm in my home town, Plainfield, Indiana. Darksyd Designs and myself produced this web site as a portal to the town's community, government, and business resources. Development took approximately six months and is continually being added to. Since joining the military, I am no longer involved in this project.
This web site was launched in 2005. Since then, some of the design principles I had implemented have been dilluted. It is unfortunate, because originally it was a very user-friendly web site. Degradation has gotten the best of the web site's scalability.
I will be contacting the town for a revamp in the coming months.
www.townofplainfield.com
This web site was launched in 2005. Since then, some of the design principles I had implemented have been dilluted. It is unfortunate, because originally it was a very user-friendly web site. Degradation has gotten the best of the web site's scalability.
I will be contacting the town for a revamp in the coming months.
www.townofplainfield.com
Free Instant Comparison is an affiliate linking farm I am currently building. The idea is to bring together my affiliations to one network and promote them through Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and Google Adwords. The benefit to the user is they will get an instant comparison of these services, including features & benefits, as well as cost to purchase.
I just launched this web site on March 1st, 2009.
www.freeinstantcomparison.com
I just launched this web site on March 1st, 2009.
www.freeinstantcomparison.com
If you like my work, and would like me to do something for you, feel free to contact me.
Web Design
I have 10+ years of web design experience. Professionally, I have been involved in web development for 3 years. I have typically tried to keep it as a hobby as it is a true passion of mine and I did not want that to disappear.
Graphic Design
I have 10+ years of graphic design experience. I've done everything from brand identity, logo design, business cards, advertisements, and other miscellaneous print work. My passions are in designing personal works for others, such as wallpapers, backgrounds, photo touch ups, etc.
Copy Writing
I love to write! I do my best to bring a sense of style, creativity, and excitement into my work. I have a tendency to bring the "Ah ha!" moments to my readers by following the KISS mentality. Keep It Simple Stupid. If it's difficult to portray in a literal sense, I can take your pile of thoughts and organize it into a concise message for your own viewers.
Consultation
I recommend anyone who is hiring a creative professional, to consult with someone like me to help choose the most appropriate skill set. This is a personal mission of mine as I hate to see individuals throw their money at someone who just isn't right for the job. If you need to determine whether the professional or company you have in mind to hire will be effective on your project, I highly suggest you contact me. I will review your project, assess the scope, and compare it to the provider. Please do this, I will do this simply out of gratitude for reading my blog, but do not waste your money. Pretty please? Don't make me bring out the cherry.
Web Design
I have 10+ years of web design experience. Professionally, I have been involved in web development for 3 years. I have typically tried to keep it as a hobby as it is a true passion of mine and I did not want that to disappear.
Graphic Design
I have 10+ years of graphic design experience. I've done everything from brand identity, logo design, business cards, advertisements, and other miscellaneous print work. My passions are in designing personal works for others, such as wallpapers, backgrounds, photo touch ups, etc.
Copy Writing
I love to write! I do my best to bring a sense of style, creativity, and excitement into my work. I have a tendency to bring the "Ah ha!" moments to my readers by following the KISS mentality. Keep It Simple Stupid. If it's difficult to portray in a literal sense, I can take your pile of thoughts and organize it into a concise message for your own viewers.
Consultation
I recommend anyone who is hiring a creative professional, to consult with someone like me to help choose the most appropriate skill set. This is a personal mission of mine as I hate to see individuals throw their money at someone who just isn't right for the job. If you need to determine whether the professional or company you have in mind to hire will be effective on your project, I highly suggest you contact me. I will review your project, assess the scope, and compare it to the provider. Please do this, I will do this simply out of gratitude for reading my blog, but do not waste your money. Pretty please? Don't make me bring out the cherry.
Do not be the willow tree in the great plains of life. For your weeping loneliness can be seen for many miles. The way you hold yourself saddens even the happiest of flowers. For they only have this one tree to look up to.
Do not be the rotting grape upon the vines of fruitfullness. For your caretaker may dispose of you quickly. Your vines are ripe with nutrients, yet your stem is damaged without healing. Open yourself now or your treasured kin will too begin to sour.
Do not be the homeless man freezing on the streets. For he feels hopeless and cannot find the drive in his heart. He wishes for another chance in time, but time moves on without him. His tears are the only warmth he feels now, but soon they will begin to dry up, leaving him cold and lonely once more.
Do not fear, for fear leads to failure.
The fierce winds of yesterday trouble the willow tree for days to come, weeping for its weakness. The rotting grape does not let today's rain saturate, for last week was too dry. The homeless man does not see a future because he cries over the past.
But I say to the willow tree, today is beautiful and sunny. The flowers are in full bloom and yet you still droop from yesterday. Lift your branches so that your deepest leaves can feel the sun. Become more like the Oak and grow tall so that the flowers can follow and become great sunflowers.
I say to the rotting grape, open your pours to the rain, because the rain is what makes your juices tasteful. Do not let the droughts of last week ruin your destined future. For you are the grape that makes the wine, and the wine is most enjoyed by your caretaker.
I say to the homeless man, be not troubled by time for it will not stop for you to catch up. Make your mends now, stand up. For today is all about you, and only you can push back the tears. Overcome your burden and inspire the ones who shared your burdens in the cold. For they know not of a future but through the man who fights and comes back to them with new clothes, a giving hand, and tears of happiness.
Understand that time makes no exception, and has no choice but to move forward. It has no choice but to leave the past behind.
It wastes nothing of itself and needs nothing but itself.
Become like the time on a clock and always be working toward the next second, the next minute, the next hour, and nothing more. For you are your greatest treasure. Why should you let one more moment waste away like the willow tree in the plains, or the rotten grape upon the vine, or the homeless man on the streets?
May your lonely, sour, and cold times be something of the past and realize your future is all that matters now.
Do not be the rotting grape upon the vines of fruitfullness. For your caretaker may dispose of you quickly. Your vines are ripe with nutrients, yet your stem is damaged without healing. Open yourself now or your treasured kin will too begin to sour.
Do not be the homeless man freezing on the streets. For he feels hopeless and cannot find the drive in his heart. He wishes for another chance in time, but time moves on without him. His tears are the only warmth he feels now, but soon they will begin to dry up, leaving him cold and lonely once more.
Do not fear, for fear leads to failure.
The fierce winds of yesterday trouble the willow tree for days to come, weeping for its weakness. The rotting grape does not let today's rain saturate, for last week was too dry. The homeless man does not see a future because he cries over the past.
But I say to the willow tree, today is beautiful and sunny. The flowers are in full bloom and yet you still droop from yesterday. Lift your branches so that your deepest leaves can feel the sun. Become more like the Oak and grow tall so that the flowers can follow and become great sunflowers.
I say to the rotting grape, open your pours to the rain, because the rain is what makes your juices tasteful. Do not let the droughts of last week ruin your destined future. For you are the grape that makes the wine, and the wine is most enjoyed by your caretaker.
I say to the homeless man, be not troubled by time for it will not stop for you to catch up. Make your mends now, stand up. For today is all about you, and only you can push back the tears. Overcome your burden and inspire the ones who shared your burdens in the cold. For they know not of a future but through the man who fights and comes back to them with new clothes, a giving hand, and tears of happiness.
Understand that time makes no exception, and has no choice but to move forward. It has no choice but to leave the past behind.
It wastes nothing of itself and needs nothing but itself.
Become like the time on a clock and always be working toward the next second, the next minute, the next hour, and nothing more. For you are your greatest treasure. Why should you let one more moment waste away like the willow tree in the plains, or the rotten grape upon the vine, or the homeless man on the streets?
May your lonely, sour, and cold times be something of the past and realize your future is all that matters now.
Well, I've avoided this for many years; however, the temptation has become overwhelming, so without further do, here it is. My "official" blog. Yes, I know it's almost a sin to be so involved in social media and not have a blog. I figured with my experience in web development, visual communications, life, and rebellious behavior, that I may be insightful to those who decide to follow me.
So what changed?
My discovery of Twitter and its addictive platform has made me realize there are a lot of individuals on the internet who have no clue where to begin, whether it be web development, design, internet marketing, etc. I find myself trying to help those who just haven't quite pushed their mind into motion in what is involved. I'm really here to inspire new thinking and help establish fundamental practices into their efforts.
So, I implore you to look around, check back regularly, and correct me in my errors! There will be a lot of great, insightful information to come and I look forward to the criticisms of the grumps, the chumps, and the curious.
Enjoy!
So what changed?
My discovery of Twitter and its addictive platform has made me realize there are a lot of individuals on the internet who have no clue where to begin, whether it be web development, design, internet marketing, etc. I find myself trying to help those who just haven't quite pushed their mind into motion in what is involved. I'm really here to inspire new thinking and help establish fundamental practices into their efforts.
So, I implore you to look around, check back regularly, and correct me in my errors! There will be a lot of great, insightful information to come and I look forward to the criticisms of the grumps, the chumps, and the curious.
Enjoy!
