Joker

Random thought or rant? You tell me. I've been working in a shared office space for the last two years. It's the same concept as a wework space just a different name. In the two years I've been here I've had plenty of shared bathroom experience to walk away with several head-tilting thoughts. 1. The number of men leaving the shitter and not washing their hands is mind boggling. In a week I will witness at least a handful of men walk up the sink (where I'm washing my hands, like a fucking hero) and fix their hair, rub their hands on their face, fix their shirt or whatever... then leave without washing their hands. I've seen several guys not wash their hands after wee-wees either but nasty doesn't bother me so much, probably because I do it from time to time, especially when traveling on the road and have to piss at a truck stop. It leads me to wonder: are parents not teaching their kids to wash their hands after poopy-doos? Or are these grown men just so damn busy that they can't be bothered to clean themselves? Or is there some weird social media hand washing backlash that I'm not aware of? 2. I've witnessed (or rather heard, I guess) several men walk into the shitter, stand there and piss into the toilet, then sit down for poopy-doos. Like... is there something wrong with sitting down to pee before poops? Do guys think someone might find out they're a wizz-sitter and think they're legit gay? What's happening here? 3. Conference calls on the shitter. Fucking c'mon, dude. Really? Gross on so many levels, but do these guys think no one can tell they're in the toilet? Especially when they flush!?!? This is easily the thing I witness most often. 4. Pubic hair in the urinal. There's either one guy or several but I would imagine by now they're smooth as a baby's bottom down there with the amount of pubes that are piled up in the urinal. It's like a wet pile of kindling. Not to mention... are they fucking grabbing gobs of hair when peeing? And grabbing soooo much and tugging hard enough to rip it all out seems so weird. Every dark hair guy I see in the halls I think to myself "Are you the one with pubic alopecia?". 5. Used paper towels on the floor. Alright... what's happening here? You're one of the good ones who washes their hands after touching their naughty bits, you pull down some paper towels to dry off, and then what... you can't be bothered to put those used towels in the bin not 24" away from you? You just throw them into a pile on the floor next to the bin. I'll give you the benefit that maybe the towel fell out of your hands before you reached the bin. Awwwwwwww, that fucking sucks, man. Hey, here's a thought... grab another paper towel and pick it up. Quit being a lazy pile. 6. And finally, I don't understand how so much water gets on the floor and mirror. Are, like, two guys in there each at a sink at the opposite end of the counter and having a splash fight a couple times an hour? Are they washing their hands and then flicking the water at the floor/mirror to dry them off instead of the towels? I'm so confused.

Count me in

I’ve had the Sennheiser PCX 550-II wireless over-ear headphones and the Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 4 earbuds for about a year now. My take is the sound in both headphones are absolutely incredible. The over-ear headphones are so damn good that I might be in a long state of mourning when they eventually die. They’re comfortable on my head for hours, battery life is really good, noise-canceling is great (especially on the plane), and controls are perfectly placed. I love that volume control is sliding my finger up or down on the outside of the ear cover… simple, but I’m easy to please. The earbuds are just as good for all the same reasons mentioned above but I will say the one thing that bugs me is that no matter what size silicon ear tips I use the right side ear bud unseats with the slightest jaw movement. That’s clearly an issue with me and not the tech but it still bugs me. Highly recommend both.

The two bottles that I'm currently taking my time with. The Kentucky Owl is really, really good. And the Black Maple Hill I had one night while at a local theatre (that has a bar inside) waiting for a friend. I saw the bottle, never heard of it, saw that it was local so I decided to give it a try. Fell in love with it. I believe they eventually sold to a bigger distillery so while still small batch I've heard it's not the same. I bought two bottles before the sell off so I haven't tried the new stuff yet but I'm hoping that it's just folks perception and not reality.

A lot of Yacht Rock. Like, a lot.

Almost done with season 1. Pretty good so far.

At the moment: For art's sake I'm working on a sculpture. 18" tall, 3D printed for the concept, just need to bond the pieces together, sand it, and paint it. The goal is to create a mold that can be used to cast from. We'll see. My motivation for art has been lagging lately. For design sake I'm mostly working on stadium retail design I just finished the San Francisco Giants team store at Oracle Park. Currently, working on the San Francisco 49ers stadium store, Tennessee Titans stadium store, the Everton team store in the new Everton stadium in Liverpool, and just kicked off the stadium store for the Baltimore Ravens.

Nope, didn't work on that. But I do remember the shirt, now.

Hmmmm... now I can't remember if I worked on that or not, I don't even recall what it looked like. I've done a handful of things for 12oz but right now the only thing I can recall was a poster - and that was a very long time ago.

Honestly, I don't think that's a bad plan @Mercer. Taking a cruddy home in a good neighborhood and bringing it back to life is a good investment in itself, and is basically the same as putting money in a savings/retirement account. It's incredible how someone can spend $100k in materials and supplies to fix up a broken down home and get double that investment, if not more, in return. Being able to do the work yourself makes that small investment go even further. Between our last house and this one I've become a lot more confident in taking on projects myself instead of hiring them out. Drywall and mud & taping used to scare the crap out of me but I forced myself to do it in my last house and realized that it wasn't as hard as I thought. I mean, I'm not nearly as fast as the pros but I can get pretty good results on my own. It's saved me a lot of money. And Youtube has been a savior for tutorials on how to do things as well as tips/tricks. Our first home we bought in 2002 for $125k. That same home today is worth $600k, and looking on Zillow and Google street view I can see they've done absolutely nothing to the interior or exterior since we sold it. So they've basically made $475k for doing nothing. Wild.

The 401k IRA thing is so important if you're not savvy with stocks and trading and Bitcoin or whatever is the thing of the moment... or are lucky enough to be born into family money. I'm not smart at all when it comes to this kind of stuff so I rely on folks who are to build my wealth for me. It's the best option that has been working for me. To put it in perspective, with my current employer I was able to immediately start contributing to a 401k on my first day of employment. After six years of contributing pre-tax dollars every paycheck my balance is over $100k... for doing nothing but showing up to work. I contribute 12% of each paycheck - mostly because I learned this lesson late in life (20 years ago) so I'm playing catch up, but if you're young you can start with 4% and trust me - you won't notice it coming out of your check. I have an IRA I've been contributing to for about ten years as well but I'm just talking about the 401k since most employers match up to 4% of your contributions (some do more, but most are at 4%). Meaning, if your annual salary is $50k your employer will contribute money out of their profits in the amount of 4% of your salary to your 401k, every year. Sure, that's only $2,000 but that's a free $2,000... for doing nothing. The shit part about all this, because we're talking money after all, is if the market crashes your accounts lose money. Not a lot but enough to make you angry. I feel like there should be a new thread about retirement savings. LOL!

Same here @Mercer. I could sell my home and move to middle America and buy a house outright, and afford to fix it up and make it mine, and have no mortgage payment. However my wife is a coastal gal so she needs to be within driving distance of the beach so I've had to shift my thinking. Which brings me to my thoughts on this: If you want to own a home you have to make that goal a priority. If you have debts, pay them off and start saving every spare dollar you have. You don't want ANY DEBT going into home ownership. Most lenders will let you know that up front and tell you that you need to pay off your debts before they'll lend you money. If that's not a possibility but you have a job and have been contributing to a 401k look into borrowing from your balance. Some 401k balances offer great home buying downpayment loans that is to your advantage. This way you're paying yourself back and not a bank, kinda. There's several first-time buyer programs out there as well that can help you fast track the process from saving to purchasing, a quick Google search for first time home buyer programs will give you a wealth of information and a good place to start. Hell, even taking the time to chat with a mortgage agent or a financial advisor (yep, adult shit) can help you reach your goals. I definitely understand that things are very different from when we first purchased our first home (23 years ago). The cost of everything has gone up and wages haven't kept up with that. So if your wages are the excuse for not getting you to a place where you can afford a home, but owning a home is a goal, then you have to create a plan to get there. It might take five years to get there (that's how long it took us to save for a downpayment) but if that's your goal then you have to focus on that. If it means living in a three bedroom apartment with others so that you have low rent, driving a cheap car that is paid off, and eating cheap food all to save as much money as you can, then that is the path. And if you're not interested in buying a home, or even care to, please... I'm begging you, start saving NOW for your retirement. If you work somewhere that offers a 401k start contributing to it now. Like, now. At least contribute the amount that they match (most companies are 4%). It comes right out of your paycheck and you'll barely notice the difference. Trust me. And if your company doesn't offer a 401k look into opening an IRA with a brokerage company like Charles Schwab, Vanguard, or Fidelity. Doesn't matter which one, just start now while you're young. And once you're fully invested in your 401k don't give in to the thoughts of cashing it out. If you leave the company to go work somewhere else find out if they offer a 401k program and then transfer your balance to the new one. And if they don't offer a 401k then transfer your balance to an IRA with a broker like one of the ones listed above. I'm absolutely serious with this. If you're expecting to survive on social security when you retire you're dreaming. Start saving when you're young. And fucking floss your teeth, you animals.

Okay, imagine I'm 8 years old and I have a couple grand to invest... explain this bitcoin or ETH, or whatever it's called, to me so I know where/how to invest my monies in the right place. This is all assuming the world will still be here in five years.

Sorry, forgot to share my fave tee

I typically wear black t-shirts. It’s just something that has been part of who I am since high school. I do have white t-shirts but I don’t wear them as often. I have recently ventured into the mustard yellow realm, which is a big deal for me, but I’m kinda liking it. Long sleeve is my jam. Obviously when it’s 90* outside I’m not wearing a premium long sleeve shirt, but I live in the PNW so I can wear long sleeves most of the year. One of my favorite shirts you’ve done is the one posted below. Mine is falling apart, the white ink cracked a hundred times, but I still wear it. I love that shirt. heavyweight. Feels more premium and to be honest that’s how I see EVERYTHING 12oz has produced. High-level, quality merchandise. the chubby old man in me says standard fit. this is a little harder to answer. I’ll admit that when I order something from Rapha and it arrives to my home in a nice box, I open it and there’s a beautiful brand card, my gear is wrapped in a nice branded bag… it goes on. It makes me feel good about the amount of money I just spent, like I bought something special. that being said… it all goes directly into recycling/garbage. So while I like the presentation it’s not necessary. Some presentation is great (maybe just the bag the merchandise is in?) as noted above I consider 12oz Prophet to be a premium brand and anything that is released I would expect the execution to be of that level. As a consumer I realize this comes at a cost but it’s a cost I’m willing to pay. If a premium level of execution applies a $5 “fee” to my order I’m not gonna bark at that. It’s like buying a nice pair of brogues or oxfords… they come with a storage bag but who the hell uses it (well, I do but I’m a weirdo), but you appreciate the thought. Again, makes you feel like you’ve bought something special. alllllllllll that said, do what you feel is right for your brand.

Close, but I don't wear vests. The makeup and hair is spot on, though.

Finally had a chance to move around the app last night. The only thing I noticed immediately is there is a 3-5 second lag once I tap forum thread or the back arrow or next page arrow. Basically any movement from one page to the next there is a short lag before the next page loads. All that said, I just tested it again right now and it seems to be working fine. Love that it works really well, and looks and feels just like the desktop version. Nicely done @misteraven!!

@misteraven- Having known you for quite some time, this stood out for me: "I have a tendency to over think shit and often take it way too seriously from jump street, which in turn has a tendency to bog things down and become over built and top heavy. I'm trying my best to reign that tendency in and treat it as something just fun and informal." While I felt that when reading it, I know that it is that overthinking, that attention to detail, and wanting to make something perfect that has made everything you've been part of stand on its own. There is no equal. I don't think it's any secret to anyone in this forum, or anyone familiar with just the 12oz Prophet brand, but you have single-handedly shaped how Graffiti books, magazines, websites, and other forums look and feel. Your aesthetic isn't a reaction to what others are doing but more what your heart tells you to do, and I know we all appreciate that level of dedication. I think this is one of the many reasons why 12oz Prophet has always had a loyal following... because we know that even if it takes years for a new drop we are confident that it will be very much worth the wait. If it's a book or magazine or shirt we know that if we don't act as soon as it drops that product will no longer be available due to being sold out. I say all that to convey that I will always show support for 12oz Prophet, the forum & website, and the 12oz Prophet Collective. Podcast: There are quite a few Graffiti/writer/artists podcasts out there and they're all basically the same. They interview a well-known writer, dive deep, and keep it about 60-90 long. Granted, there are some that are damn good and I enjoy them but I'd like to see a different perspective. I'm honestly not sure what that perspective is because any writer tuning in to hear what a respected writer has to say is hoping to hear about writing, their history, good stories, etc.. So maybe it's the interviewers that shake up the format? Thinking about podcasts like Smartless where you have three hilarious fellas interviewing their peers (for the most part), and the format is similar to hundreds of others but it's the banter back and forth between the three that is entertaining. Mobile app: Curious to see how this affects viewership of the forum. I'm just wondering if not having a mobile app up to this point has been what is keeping folks from coming back. Everyone seemingly lives on their phones, not their laptops/desktops, so I'm hopeful this will increase traffic.

I may have posted this already...

So damn funny. Thanks for the good words! I think my work in the Toys Post here thread is because I come from an era where most toys had a mentor who helped learn the basics, then guided them along to perfect their craft, and for the most part we no longer have that. Toys come into the game and use the web as their inspiration and have no idea how any of this works, or better, how it should work. Yes, there are some hard-set rules letters and flow that are never going to go away, so it's our job to find our own path in how we make those rules work for us. If you've got no one to guide you then your work is going to suffer, you'll most likely get frustrated because you're not improving, and eventually you fall off because the little bit of feedback you're getting is from the same place you're getting your inspiration and it's fucking brutal. Writers are easily the most crucial to their own when it comes to feedback, so getting it right should be a priority. Getting it right requires guidance.

Easily the most comfortable shoes I've ever owned. On a recent trip I wore them everyday for almost three weeks and walked at least five miles in them everyday. Work with dressy clothes as well as casual. Cole Haan GrandPro Topspin Mid in Chestnut

I have to admit, by the end of episode one I was saying to my wife "Oh yeah, she did some shady shit and is trying to get away with it".

LOL! Rap letter grown up table... too funny. Being completely honest, it has taken me years, I mean years, to come to grips with the "pioneer" label I've been given in regards to abstract Graffiti, so you'll have to cut me slack. I know I have expertise, not the best, but plenty to get by and share with those wanting help. I know @cancelculttourist, I know, but Susan (who has run ArtCrimes since day one) was/is a good friend so it was tough to pull one over and not feel guilty about it.