The Neighborhood

// TO BE OR NOT TO BE…A NEIGHBOR

By Jordan Childs .
08.18.10 // The Neighborhood

View Comments / Aug 18.10 / The Neighborhood / by Jordan Childs

// MISSED OPPORTUNITIES ARE FOREVER

By Jordan Childs .
07.03.10 // Missed Opportunity

View Comments / Jul 03.10 / Missed Opportunity / by Jordan Childs

// isolation

By Jordan Childs .
06.11.10 // Secret Identity

View Comments / Jun 11.10 / Secret Identity / by Jordan Childs

// Organic Idea: Coming from a natural and original place

By Jordan Childs .
05.22.10 // Organic

I’m honored to have been a part of a distinguished project that is going to change the way the we solve problems. I suppose this falls into the organic category in that this idea came from an original place, through the work of the incredibly dedicated people at WORK Labs and a number of other brilliant minds. If you’re reading this, then you’re a potential member.

LAB RATS will feature 25 “Alpha Rats,” a group of well-known brand marketers and creative thinkers who are experienced in all facets of brand management and brand development, from account planning to brand strategy and from ad writing and art direction to the digital space. Beyond that group will be a much larger group of several hundred “Lab Rats,” the majority being graduates of the prestigious VCU Brandcenter, the number one advanced degree advertising program in the world. The core of the project will be made up of an army of disruptive thinkers contributing their thoughts and ideas to solve problems.

Maybe the prize for the best advertising agency doesn’t go to the one with the most awards stacked on a shelf, or the biggest client roster or the largest media spend. Maybe it’s not about that at all.

Maybe it’s much smaller than that.

Maybe it’s about you. And who you are. And what you believe. And what feels right to you.

Maybe you are joined with others who question the status quo. And the questions are What if’s, Why not’s and How come’s. Maybe we aren’t talking about an advertising agency at all.

The hunt for new Lab Rats will never end. If you’re interested in joining Lab Rats and want an application, or if you need more info about Lab Rats, we want to hear from you. Shoot me a note or go here to sign up.

* We don’t typically use Blommit as a platform for outside projects but as the staff will be members and every reader has the opportunity to apply, it seemed like a harmless addition.

View Comments / May 22.10 / Organic / by Jordan Childs

// Last Minute

By Jordan Childs .
04.25.10 // Your 75th Birthday

View Comments / Apr 25.10 / Your 75th Birthday / by Jordan Childs

// The Genuine Article

By Jordan Childs .
04.07.10 // Tantrums

View Comments / Apr 07.10 / Tantrums / by Jordan Childs

// Food for fuel

By Jordan Childs .
04.07.10 // Tantrums

View Comments / Apr 07.10 / Tantrums / by Jordan Childs

// Food for thought

By Jordan Childs .
04.07.10 // Tantrums

View Comments / Apr 07.10 / Tantrums / by Jordan Childs

// THOUGHT ABOUT IT

By Jordan Childs .
04.07.10 // Tantrums

View Comments / Apr 07.10 / Tantrums / by Jordan Childs

// Perpetual Booyahsity

By Jordan Childs .
03.18.10 // Booyah!

View Comments / Mar 18.10 / Booyah! / by Jordan Childs

// INVINCIBLE

By Jordan Childs .
03.15.10 // Best Day Ever

View Comments / Mar 15.10 / Best Day Ever / by Jordan Childs

// Status Please

By Jordan Childs .
02.28.10 // Status Updates

View Comments / Feb 28.10 / Status Updates / by Jordan Childs

// Concision is next to Godliness

By Jordan Childs .
02.16.10 // Post-It Notes

View Comments / Feb 16.10 / Post-It Notes / by Jordan Childs

// The Negative Effect Of Adult Routines

By Jordan Childs .
02.09.10 // Firsts

View Comments / Feb 09.10 / Firsts / by Jordan Childs

// THE MOST POWERFUL PASSWORDS IN THE WORLD

By Jordan Childs .
02.05.10 // Passwords

View Comments / Feb 05.10 / Passwords / by Jordan Childs

// THE LAZARUS REFLEX

By Jordan Childs .
01.28.10 // Orgasms

View Comments / Jan 28.10 / Orgasms / by Jordan Childs

// From every pore.

By Jordan Childs .
01.15.10 // Sloppy Drunk

ddd

View Comments / Jan 15.10 / Sloppy Drunk / by Jordan Childs

// hi vs. low

By Jordan Childs .
01.10.10 // Resolutions

View Comments / Jan 10.10 / Resolutions / by Jordan Childs

// During this holiday season

By Jordan Childs .
12.28.09 // Highlight Films

During this Holiday season, it seems my family is the recipient of a multitude of annual highlight notices from friends and family. I am speaking of course of the annual tradition of over sharing through the medium of Christmas cards. Individuals who feel the need to share the most personal thoughts and details of the past year shower others with long, moderately articulated correspondence recounting the year that has passed. I am constantly baffled with these pieces of personal editorial and the amount of unnecessary candor each one brings. Below are the highlights of one such piece. The names have been changed to protect the authors.

Dearest Friends and Family,

I had decided that my phrase in 2009 was going to be…”It is, what it is.” Then I read somewhere this is one of the most annoying sayings of the year, so I am still working on a new one…lest anyone miss the significance of this year’s photo Christmas card, let me explain now.

On my fifth birthday, my Grandpa Schivitz gave me a newly hatched turtle. She was presented to me in a green bean can and I named her Little Bits. About three years later, my parents switched her for a turtle they found near our home and tried without success to convince me the imposter was my Little Bits. I knew better…I named the failed stand-in, Two Bits. If I had any foresight that I would be writing about this 50 years later I might have considered more creative tortoise names. I thought of having a 50th birthday day party for Little Bits, but things got off track. So I decided to feature them in this year’s photo in lieu of that party- truly whom would they invite anyway? There is a little more to it than that…I found it’s not as easy to corral everyone together for a group photo. I have also been told I have control issues, but I am working on that…

As I was considering how to segue from tortoises to my annual Christmas letter it dawned on me that we share a major commonality- both species dig holes. Turtles live in the holes they dig for protection. People too seek protection in caves and holes. Not being a biblical scholar, it was news to me that Baby Jesus’ manger may have actually been in a cave. I had always thought of caves as dark and frightening places with bats and spiders. What a wonder if the brightest light in the world shone forth from a cave. What a wonder it is too when we as people emerge from the holes we dig for ourselves.

We have a lot to be thankful for and a lot to highlight this year. I was especially thankful Alan took charge of the Thanksgiving meal from start to finish. He likes to keep busy since he retired in April. After the family shared lunch, we divided the feast sending food home with Jill and Eric and then Frank and I took dinner to Live Oak. Aunt Dorothy has an eight-month-old yellow lab that likes to dig holes too! Happee is a little too playful and big to suit Peaches who cowers and growls. I am still working and often have a buried under feeling. Jill and Eric celebrated their second wedding anniversary with their family of two dogs and two cats. Stewart is still a student and has traveled a little- I think he most enjoys his guitar, which also travels with him.

Alan and I need some expired warranty surgeries. Alan has curled toes and I have carpal tunnel and shoulder issues. It seems kind of like when you make that last car payment and then the repair bills begin to fill in the void keeping the world in balance. Stewart has some shoulder and knee surgery pending resulting from the activities of youth (which I equate to giving a new car a test drive to see how fast it will go).

As I type, I often think of who the recipients of this letter will be. I recall some of the highlights of life we have been able to share. I recall too the tears and prayers we have shared. It has been a year of gain and loss. For some of you this will be the first Christmas season without loved ones. I am comforted knowing that the ever-growing heavenly crowd of witnesses is cheering us on in our earthly trials and victories.

Although Little Bits and Two Bits hope you enjoyed their photo op, the birth of our Savior is our real focus this Holiday Season. Praise God, from Whom all blessings flow; Praise Him, all creatures here below.

I believe this speaks for itself. No further comments from me needed.

Happy Holidays

View Comments / Dec 28.09 / Highlight Films / by Jordan Childs

// ESSENTIALS

By Jordan Childs .
12.16.09 // The Man

(THE AUTHOR IN NO WAY CLAIMS TO POSSESS ANY OF THE ABOVE TRAITS. ALTHOUGH HE PRETENDS SOMETIMES AND IT’S REALLY QUITE SAD.)

View Comments / Dec 16.09 / The Man / by Jordan Childs

// the portrait of plain a woman

By Jordan Childs .
12.10.09 // Hand-Me-Downs

View Comments / Dec 10.09 / Hand-Me-Downs / by Jordan Childs

// Gonzo Baby

By Jordan Childs .
12.05.09 // Tripping

View Comments / Dec 05.09 / Tripping / by Jordan Childs

// The Answer Is Right In Front Of Us

By Jordan Childs .
11.29.09 // Prodigy

View Comments / Nov 29.09 / Prodigy / by Jordan Childs

// Our dependence on foreign substance

By Jordan Childs .
11.22.09 // Coffee

View Comments / Nov 22.09 / Coffee / by Jordan Childs

// AWKWARD SILENCES POST #2

By Jordan Childs .
11.03.09 // Awkward Silences

VERSION UNO

VERSION DOS

View Comments / Nov 03.09 / Awkward Silences / by Jordan Childs