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Even though we have a couple of months of winter left, the weather has made it feel like spring in these parts. Each year around this time (weather permitting), I get the itch to do spring cleaning, organize, and tidy up every part of my life and business to make way for a lazy, lounge-y summer.

The past few months have been filled with so many great experiences and new beginnings: I have started a couple of side ventures, gone on a few trips with family and with friends, and worked on some fun projects with existing and new clients. I'm just getting a chance to breathe and reflect on these accomplishments.

One development I'm particularly proud of is contributing to a client's book, in multiple ways. I not only designed and performed production of the paperback, Kindle, and iBookstore (ePub) versions, but also lent my branding and web development expertise in the form of an interview for her manuscript.

Jaunique Sealey is a former digital and social media marketing executive for Lady Gaga and other marquee brands and artists (I was lucky enough to participate in some of those projects), and now she's condensed the best of her knowledge into this handbook for artists, business-owners, and job-seekers looking to get recognition online.

Besides easy-to-understand how-tos for the most important social media tools and applications, Jaunique interviewed social media stars (Necole Bitchie, Paul Carrick Brunson) and behind-the-scenes experts (Ryan Babenzien, Jeremy Caverly, and me) for even more insight.

Piece of the Fame is available at Amazon (in paperback or Kindle format) and iBookstore.

Enjoy! And look for more updates about other projects... soon. ;)

I've been working on some exciting projects, both for clients and for myself. I am particularly jazzed about a new partnership with a couple of talented people, and I look forward to sharing more about that in the coming weeks and months as it develops.

Before you decide that I'm pathetic for not having written in about five weeks, I'll have you know that any (tiny bit of) writing energy has been going into some private projects--personal blogs, stories, and even some music, which I haven't done in ages. I am grateful for the energy and inspiration I have right now... and also thrilled to have so many meaningful collaborations with clients and partners at the moment.

There are a few updates in the portfolio, mostly in the hand-lettering section (1) (2) (3). More eye candy is on deck to be uploaded here, so I'll try to do that in the next few days.

Happy Thursday!

I'm sure everyone remembers their personal circumstances surrounding September 11. I could tell you where I was, whom I was with, how it felt when what seemed like a fluke accident became a realization that we were under attack... but my story is the same as millions of others, and there's nothing singular about it.

For a short time, we shared it all: shock, terror, confusion. There was subsequent grief and anger that eventually divided us into the overly vengeful and the overly government-dependent.

How do you describe that day's sensation of feeling both brotherhood for and suspicion of those around you, balancing sympathy for the terrified Middle Eastern gas station attendant with the logic that it's possible he was secretly joyful about the event?

Life changed for everyone. Some lost life or loved ones, and some, like me, lost their relatively innocent and simple view of the world. Although the horrific images and emotions of that time will never completely fade from memory, each time I revisit 9/11, I try to think about good things that may have grown from it. I understand the controversy of that statement, and it's not to lessen the gravity of that time. Whenever there is a large-scale tragedy--natural disaster that wipes out swaths of homes, a bombing that takes lives in the name of religion or politics, a freak accident that maims many--isn't it natural to pause for a moment on the preciousness of life and the good fortune to have escaped fate for another day?

9/11 gave me an opportunity to stop giving my soul solely to work and avoiding the biggest challenge of my life: loving without fear. In an instant, cliches like "Life is too short" and "You only live once" became gravely important laws of fulfillment. Minor relationship infractions--losing touch with old friends and flaking out on social commitments--suddenly became major trespasses.

While I can't claim that I immediately stopped struggling with working too much or being a good friend, I can say that my demeanor began to skew toward love, generosity, understanding, forgiveness... and not sweating the small stuff. I'm a different person--a better person--because of 9/11, and I hope that a periodic memorial isn't required to hold onto the principles that were given to me because of it.