Mid-May!


Posted by joann

Holy Guacamole, Batman — we’ve missed Cinco de Mayo! I’ve skipped two months of updating on here, so anyone looking for a snippet of my day will need to visit my often terse and always sporadic posts on Instagram (@joannttran) and Twitter. It’s not much (in fact it could very possibly be less), but wasn’t that the go-to motto in the minimalist 90s/before narcissism became a thing?

Biggest updates: A) That radiation-shielding cell phone sleeve I’m developing B) Assisting at Toute la Nuit Loungewear! C) Co-directing FAME‘s fashion show came and went!!

All will be separate posts, as they are that important to me and yet I haven’t had the decency to share…soon, lovelies!

In the meantime, even though I have this little baby of a website, I set up another landing page About.me! But in the spirit of not talking about myself on my own website because I’m too busy living, loving, and learning, here’s a picture of a tequila drinking cat (aka me, living, loving, learning!)

Feliz Catorce de Mayo, compadres!


Love as Work


Posted by joann

“For fine tobacco and real smoking enjoyment, there’s nothing like bread and butter.”

Quotable: Memo from Leo Burnett (about smoking Marlboro, a client’s product), via Harvey Bailey

First of all, this quotation is a bit like one of my favorite The Office moments:

A bit on Harvey Bailey: one of my favorite instructors over the years. He is a remarkable advertising and marketing mentor with over 30 years in the industry. He always likes to play devil’s advocate with the students and knows more than he would ever let on — there’s too much to tell you all at once. To me, he’s the old neighbor sitting quietly around the corner on his porch, the guy you go to when you want to talk and get the advice you didn’t know you needed (Tuesdays With Morrie, much?). All the kids on the block know he’s there, but they don’t adore him as much as they should. His blog, The Daily Harvey – which dependably publishes an entry about advertising and marketing each morning – is one of my favorite websites nowadays. Contained there are the stories of war, memories of youth, and lessons of life that I’d love to compile for my dad. I’m glad that now as a graduate, instead of our once a week class, I can read a little gift he shares every day.

Harvey Bailey, Barbara Tuchman, and Leo Burnett are all right about love (or loyalty) for your subject, but I also think it’s about loving the people around you – the bread and butter for the soul.


Liquid Luck!


Posted by joann

Sugar, spice, and everything nice…With St. Patrick’s spirit in the air and talk of McDonald’s Shamrock Shake, I figured I could make a version for my sweet midnight treat with what I already had on hand. Ladies & leprechauns, please welcome:

  • 2 Girl Scout Thin Mints!
  • 3 spoonfuls Three Twins Dad’s Cardamom Ice Cream
  • half a spoon each Hershey’s Chocolate Syrup and Hershey’s Cocoa Powder
  • 1 cup milk

The milkshake ended up being nice and light, with just a hint of mint complemented by the distinct cardamom flavor cutting through the chocolate. I love all things (all)spice, and this dairy concoction hits that classic-but-ever-so-unexpected spot. Next time, I’d love to add mint extract for a more powerful burst, but in the meantime, with this sweet drink at a sweet deal, I’d say magic’s not so hard to make after all.


Luck, Pt. 1


Posted by joann

I’ve had some thoughts and projects a brewin’ on the idea of luck and fortune, the first of which is aptly timed for St. Patty’s Day and executed via nail decor!

Pot O' Gold Nails

Pot O' Gold Nail Color

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I did a base coat of American Apparel’s Hunter green with half moons in FACE Stockholm’s gold glitter. The accent nail on my right hand pulls from many a trend in nails today, but especially resonates with me as a nod to the Right Hand Ring campaign from diamond company De Beers. It’s about girl power, being good to yourself, and creating your own luck, because my “right hand says, ‘I love me, too.’” (The gold bow Kate Spade ring has been the reminder – diamonds will have to come later…)

Now, luck may come a bit from here and a little bit from there, but it definitely exists! Today a coworker sent me chain mail to pass on – the first I’ve received in years – all in the name of garnering a little luck (and who doesn’t need a nice visit from that lady while  Mercury is in retrograde?). So on I passed it, and don’t ya know, now I’ve got a ticket, via random lottery selection, to The Creators Project on Saturday, St. Patrick’s Day.

Here’s to believin’!