MeaD's Blog

A Crappy Hand

mead — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 13:53:40 +0000

So I like to play an occasional game of poker. I like it. I’m not a big gambler in fact I don’t even remember the last time I played and money was involed. I just like the game. You put in your ante to be dealt in the game, you get five cards you put down money to stay in then you get to get rid of your bad cards to luckily get some better ones. In the end the one with the best hand wins. Thats the game in a nut shell. Its simple when you get down to it. There is some strategies involved to help your odds just like any game but for the most part its simple all you got to know is what cards are good. When to know you have a good hand.

I like using analogies something about comparing Poker to Life.

My life lately has been a continuous crap hand. A hand that doesn’t have the possibility of winning. When you get yourself a crap hand in poker you fold. When you get a crap hand in life… You can’t fold. So you deal. The past few days have been the worst crap hand I have ever had. Saturday Eve my dog was lost and we found her and had to put her in isolation. Sunday my other dog jack passes away. Sunday night I get rid of my goats. I come to the realization that I can’t manage a farm without Jack. He was the glue of my farm he watched over all. Without him my goats were not safe Eve couldn’t protect by herself. So Eve has become a inside dog. That is how I lose my farm in one day. Monday…sigh take my wife to the doctor and we get told she needs to go to the hospital. 2 days later here we still are. Is that a crap hand? (yes)

Its been bad. I have had some of the most rough days I think I have ever had. The one thing that has helped me is this.

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

- Philippians 4:13 (KJV)

You mean a scripture can help you just some words?

No. The scripture alone doesn’t help at all. This is what took me the longest time to realize. I mean fully realize. The words mean nothing. Its knowing the truth in those words. Saying it doesn’t help me. Its believing it. I believe god will get me through anything. He will not abandon me. He will heal my wife. She will be fine its just all waiting for the right time. All in gods time. I don’t care if you don’t believe me or you don’t believe in healing. This isn’t for you if so. Its for me. This is my vent. I have seen to many things to be disproven I have seen healing and been healed over night with no medical reason besides god.

So yeah when I get a crap hand like I have been dealt the past few days I just keep going. I ante in I get five cards I down money to stay in I get rid of my bad cards to luckily get some better ones. It seems like no one ever needs strong faith when everything is perfect but in my opinion thats when you need to build it up the most. Experience all the good things of God while things are good. So if God forbid something bad does happen and you get a crap hand you will believe Philippians 4:13 instead of just knowing the scripture by heart. That is what will be with you the nights you are sitting beside your wife in a hospital bed while you are typing on your computer. That will never leave you as long as you believe it.

Thats the key.

The only thing I can say is never fold.

-MeaD.

Bring on the Work.

mead — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 22:42:27 +0000

So I dont know why but this time of year is usually the best time for me when it comes to freelance work. I pride myself in the niche of people I help. People starting business or companies. I love helping build someone a brand. A brand is something you instantly recognize and know just what it is. Look! Golden Arches! yeah thats a brand. Helping a company have the look they want helping a small starter company the same visual edge as a big business. Its your God given right.. right? The great thing is how big the spectrum of people I help weather its a Shower Door Place that only sells shower doors and bathroom accessories to Bloggers needing a logo to their podcast. I love doing what I do. Its something always challenging and fun and plus what other time is better to update this blog on my iPad sitting here in caribou coffee while waiting for a potential client for a non-profit organization. Well I just thought I could waste a little time. so…
later

-MeaD.

I’m a Brand.

mead — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 02:55:33 +0000

Yeah I don’t have a generic business card for my freelance. Which is all funneled through MeaDsBlog.com I have finally came to the conclusion that I need to sell my self as a brand. When you are just one freelance guy your not really a business my clients are not buying into Half-Tone Studios which is my company that I funnel all the legal stuff through. They are buying into me… MeaD. So I have decided to take MeaD’s Blog to the next level and keep developing it into my brand I’m branding myself. So I have decided I need some generic business cards so I can hand out to potential clients just so they have my email and phone nothing to crazy. Then I started to create it and I was having fun with it. One side contact info nothing crazy like I said but the other side I have My perfect blue and My MeaD wordmark then the best part a nice little witty tag. Since I’m not a super serious person. I have came up with a lot of good ones and since I didn’t want them to go to waste I thought I would just post them here on my blog. So enjoy.

Executing designs and getting away with it

Congratulations you just won a business card!

He’s Horrifyingly Awesome at stuff!

Why? I’m pretty sure he doesn’t even know why…

4 out of 5 Doctors don’t know him.

this is the pretty side flip for the ugly side.

Executing Designs and Murdering animations. buuuahhha haa ha.

His cards come in a new flammable format (just apply to open flame)

He just gave you a business card. He’s nice like that.

The General agreement is the last one. So thats why I ordered.

-MeaD.

I WILL

mead — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 16:34:45 +0000

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD , “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Jeremiah 29:11

I have this written on a eight foot white board across the top of it in my office. I read it every day. I really believe its truth I have been through a lot recently and Its hard not to get discouraged. So i read that and believe it. You ever feel like you have something big on the horizon. I do. I know something big is going to happen to me and its just a matter of time. I know I’m going to prosper and my kids are going to prosper and christina is going to prosper. Its just a matter of time. Its always hard to wait but as long as I keep believing i know it will happen. I think the big difference in dreamers and well i guess you would call them realist is that dreamers believe and they act like its already happened its just a matter of when. I’m a dreamer I believe something big is going to happen. I’m not a very material guy. I really don’t care if I have the biggest and bestest and shiniest. The one thing I have always wanted is a Corvette. I’m not even a car guy don’t know about much under the hood. I really don’t care. I know I like Corvettes I always have. Every time I see one I know I WILL have one one day. I think the big difference between realists and dreamers is that one word WILL. I know i will have one. I think a realist says i wish or I want one of those one day. Thinking that maybe it could happen. So thats why I remain hopeful. I really don’t know why I’m writing this but sometimes you just need to give yourself some encouragement.

-MeaD

I’m not dead!

mead — Mon, 22 Aug 2011 19:49:02 +0000

Yeah so… I started my new job at a church. I thought going in this should be great. Lax hours don’t have to work Monday’s and work 4-10 hour days. Woo hoo!

Then I started…

Wow. I don’t think I have ever been so busy. That’s not a bad thing either. Every day I work just flies by. I am responsible for so many different things and I’m constantly busy working on different things. I thought news was a fast paced environment. HA! Try working for a church. It some of the most busiest and most rewarding work I have ever done.

So there have been a lot of BIG I mean size 200 font BIG changes in my life. I’m a DaD to the seconded power now. My wife gave me another miracle. His name is Ian Thomas MeaD. So I have had NO i mean NO time at all but I have put this site back on track and I will be updating it as regularly as I can.

Some of the big changes you will see is well… It really doesn’t look like the old blog at all or it really doesn’t look like a blog.

correct.

I have had this thing going since 2008 and its been in a constant flux since then. I am very indecisive and never got it to the place to where I was happy. I think I’m finally here to my happy place. There has been a lot going on in my life and I have decided thru everything I have done I always used this to vent so here it is let the steam pipes open. Plus I needed a place for my creative flow be placed. I need to animate, illustrate and edit or I’ll go nuts so I’m doing it. There is going to be a lot of family stuff. I’m proud of my babies and I want to show them off. If you have a problem with cute… Go Away! Till you read again…

-MeaD.

Abominable Snow Monster

mead — Fri, 11 Mar 2011 05:42:13 +0000

Movin’ on Up.

mead — Wed, 23 Feb 2011 02:47:26 +0000

So I am about 2 weeks into my new job. So far… Good. Actually better than good its been pretty great. I am now the new Graphics & Visual Media Manager for Faith Life Church. Yeah I work at a church now. I am not officially in the non-profit realm. Its a pretty huge change. Going from working with clients like Cleveland Cavs, American Dairy Association, Lane Bryant and others to now just working on stuff for a church. To some I guess it cold look like a bad thing. Me on the other hand. I couldn’t be more happy. I finally feel like I am some where that I can make a difference. They told me before I took the job this is a position that finds you. They said its really more like mission work. I don’t know how to explain it but it really just finally feels like I am finally doing what I have all along needed to do. (if that makes sense) My new role is a crazy one. Even though I am now in non-profit I am still going thru the same stuff as I alway have. Doing Motion Design, Graphics, Layout, Illustration. I don’t think I could have taken the position if I wouldn’t be able to do all the things that I do. Its me its what I love. I still have deadlines and I have a lot more responsibility now. its quite hard to explain but I have more a lot more to worry about but I have less stress. This environment is so calming even in the craziest scenarios its nothing to the pressure I once was under. I am still trying to balance out the blog see what I can make of it. I really like the idea of a weekly challenge. Some type of drawing challenge for people to do with me. I might have to link up with other bloggers but I really like the idea. Anywho… I’m out time for me to hit the sack.

God is good.

-MeaD.

The Wait is Over.

mead — Wed, 26 Jan 2011 03:58:53 +0000

Well I know I have been eluding to something. I really couldn’t discuss it due to the fact of what it was. I was looking into another Job. I applied to a job as a Graphics Manager to a Church. Yeah a church. I feel like its a good time for a change in my life and this is the best thing that can change it. I have been struggling with what kind of blog this is what I should post about what I should talk about. I know I am very random but thats MeaD…me. I do know this I am going to put everything down. I am going to talk about my faith in God. I do have a strong faith in God. I am kinda glad that my new job is in a church so I can grow as christian. So this new position is going to be a great thing for me. I will be in charge of several brands and making sure that they are consistent. Its going to be good. I’ll discuss more about the new job later. Just wanted to get it off my chest.

And the Disease Spreads

mead — Wed, 19 Jan 2011 02:15:19 +0000

So it has come full circle. Noah is still sick. Christina is sick and the consolation prize goes to…. MeaD. Yes and I am sick. I am pushing threw this thing. I feel horrible. I have been working like a dog at work which isn’t helping me. I just want to stay home and not work for the rest of the week. You know the feeling. It just sucks. I can’t stand the feeling of getting light headed when I stand and keep wanting to just lay down on the ground and not wake up. Yesterday I worked a super long day preparing a set for a shoot I had today. I didn’t get home till 11:00pm and was super tired. The day sucked then I had today which was just as long and got home at dark. Sucked a ton. Its the industry it happens time to time. The only thing that sucked the most about the whole thing Christina was sick Noah was sick and I was at work. I couldn’t help anyone. Not even myself. Even though I put my self at the bottom of that list. I just haven’t been able to spend any time with my wife or my son. Suck. The only word for it. Haven’t had any time for any design work either.

-MeaD.

Sigh.

mead — Mon, 17 Jan 2011 03:45:00 +0000

Have you ever just been let down. You look forward to something and you think this is what God has for me. This is it. This is what he has planned it is just working out to good for it not to be his will. Then BAM it turns out it might not be. We experience a whole lot of that this weekend. Things we were looking forward to just slapped us back in the face. But the door is not closed and the wind just blew it closed till it was just cracked waiting to see if it is what we need. Any way enough about decisions. I haven’t posted in a few days cause its been that kinda day the past few days. So busy so slammed and not feeling good on top of it. I have been feeling a little bit of a scratchy throat that past few days and fighting it off. Then Friday night Noah starts to get feeling bad. So he was up all night with a fever and a bad cough. I was up with him every few hours. Then Saturday was Bill’s Memorial service. I missed it. I wish I didn’t but Noah was sick and I thought it was more important for Christina be there for her grandmother then me being there with a sick grumpy baby. So I stayed home with him trying to get some work done. Didn’t happen. He was a grump and just wanted held. Didn’t feel good and all I did was hold him. (not complaining) I felt his pain and felt good cause this is the first time that he has been sick and he has wanted Daddy. Typically its only mommy that can do the comforting not daddy. But I had some good cuddle time with my little man on the couch not doing anything but just sitting there looking at small toys in our hands. Christina’s Uncle brian came down from cleveland (mentor on the lake) to be there for the memorial. I got to spend some good time with him. He’s a good guy we are a lot a like and I get along with him better than most people. He’s a No BS guy. My kinda guy. Then Sat Night visited a new church still don’t know if we like it or if its something that would make a good match for us. But we haven’t given up on it so we will see. Sunday we got up early wish I regretted then we went to have breakfast with brian and elane before they left back to the north. Went to church and then came home to seeing dad outside working so I went outside and worked with him for a good chuck of the day. I enjoy working with my dad its not a lot of talking more working but its a good company thing. No BS once again. I like it that way.

I’m tired…

-MeaD.