The rock that hit our car
May 24th, 2010Part I
On May 8th, my mom and I headed to Battle Creek to visit Grandma Sailor. My mom was driving her Ford Taurus and I was riding shotgun and we were just heading out of Lansing heading west on I-496.
Just before driving under Grand Ave. I noticed three teenagers underneath the overpass and thinking they shouldn’t be there and wondering what the punks were up to. They must have been 12 or 13.
Just as I noticed them there was a tremendous bang and clunking noise.
My mom didn’t see the kids, but told me she saw something come flying out of the air out of nowhere, and said it was a large rock the size of her hand. I didn’t see it, but I knew the kids must have thrown it. If we weren’t on the freeway I was ready to have my mom stop and ready to chase them down.
The rock fell just in front of the car and bounced up underneath the car. It sounded terrible I thought surely something must be broken, but everything appeared fine.
My mom was confused to where it came from, having not seen the kids. I called 911 immediately and reported them to the police and we drove on.
I was seriously bothered by it having heard terrible stories of a**holes throwing things over overpasses before and hitting cars, and we were lucky it didn’t go through the windshield.
My frustration passed and I didn’t think about it. A couple days later my mom drove back home to Baraga.
Part II
Last week I was walking downtown Lansing with some friends and we were right next to I-496 and one bridge away from where this whole thing happened. So I told Khalid and some others about the rock that hit our car.
I noticed I missed a phone call while I was telling this story and it was my mom who had been trying to get a hold of me for a couple days, saying she had an amazing story.
I got my mom on the phone and she said that she had just brought her Taurus to the shop to get the brakes checked out. When my dad went to pick up the car he noticed a big rock sitting on the service counter and proceeded to ask the service manager what the rock was all about.
The service managed responded “We found this rock lodged under your car.”
The rock that the kids through bounced off the pavement, up under my mom’s car, breaking the inside of the grill, and sat in the same spot for another 600+ miles of driving.
When the whole incident happened I was wondering if my mom was exaggerating the size of the rock, saying it was the size of her fist. Then she sent me the photos of my dad holding the very rock that hit us (below).
We were indeed lucky the rock didn’t go through our windshield. My mom decided she would keep it.
It was sure strange that she happened to tell me all of this when it was the only time I’d ever walked down there, and I had just told my friends about the story.
Illustration
Here’s an illustration showing the Google Streetview of our location and the rock that was found inside the car at the garage.
Click the graphic below for a larger version.
Detroit is on Lake Michigan
May 12th, 2010While on Facebook earlier today I noticed this ad:
I’m not from Detroit and have spent very little time in Detroit for being so close to it throughout college and the last year, but that doesn’t mean I don’t have a considerable amount of Detroit pride to go with my Michigan pride.
Regardless, I was offended that a company (groupon.com) was using this to reach people about Detroit. Really? You’re using this?
Detroit is a rad city, but last time I checked it’s beach life wasn’t one of the high points. And I’ve been around the Great Lakes enough to know that there aren’t many places where you can find water that green (perhaps at Picture Rocks National Lakeshore).
It aggravated me enough to click the ad and contact the advertisers.
I wrote:
I would like to learn more about why this image was chosen for a Detroit advertisement. I’m offended that this is how you think you need to reach Detroiters. What does this image have to do with Detroit?
I was surprised to get a response so soon (this is where it gets good)…
Hi Justin,
I just heard back from our marketing department and they said “Those are the beautiful turquoise waters of Lake Michigan.”
:)
Really?! The last time I looked at a map Lake Michigan was still 170 miles from Detroit.
I’ve done a lot of Facebook advertising for various clients and personal projects. It’s an amazing tool. Props to them for doing some regional targeting, that works really well. But to anyone else spending money on Facebook ads I suggest not ending the targeting at the headline. No doubt I want to have “Fun in Detroit”. But back it up with a graphic that screams Detroit, not a tropical paradise. And take time to include it in the copy as well. This ad’s copy just sounds like generic copy that was used to target every region in their campaign.
Finally, please get your facts straight, especially if a potential customer who just visited your site is making a complaint. Lake Michigan is on the clear other side of Michigan. Detroit actually sits on Lake St. Clair and really doesn’t even touch one of the Great Lakes. Here is a handy map for reference.
– Rant is end –
Rock on Detroit!
A community ignited
March 10th, 2010Back on September 25th I attened my first Ignite Lansing, version 2.0. At the time I was still relatively new to Lansing, I didn’t know many people and was starting a new career. But when I heard about this event I was intrigued. Despite not really knowing much about the event I signed up to be a speaker. Insert all the cliches you would like, because my life changed that night.
I walked in to a building buzzing with energy, a club atmosphere with lights and bass bumping. Word on the street was that 450 people were about to show up. My nerves skyrocketed. Eventually it was my turn, I did my thing. Despite at least one error in my talk and one embarrassing moment earlier it no longer mattered.
Afterward a loud applause erupted and suddenly I felt like a rock star. I’ve never had an applause like that before. But that hardly tells the story. As I mingled about after I had several people I’ve never met come up to me and congratulate me, encourage me and shake hands with me. I realized this whole thing was a big community event to encourage other people and support them. It wasn’t me that was kicking ass and chewing bubblegum, it was Lansing, and this community is doing it everyday.
No other even has gotten me so intertwined with the community. September seems like an eternity ago now and ever since I’ve eagerly been waiting Ignite Lansing 3.0
On Friday night that long wait came to an end and I was happy to attend Ignite Lansing 3.0. And wow was I blown away. This time I was able to sit back and enjoy even more without the nerves of getting in front of everyone to present. About 600 people walked in the doors Friday for a free event hosted in a building that few have ever set foot in. Downtown Lansing was rocking and I for one had an epic night.
A couple days later a blog entry came out by John Schneider saying that Ignite Lansing has “flamed out” (which is what inspired this whole blog entry). It was followed by 60+ comments, and then this, this, this and eventually this. There was no doubt in my mind that Lansing was indeed ignited.
It’s now been a couple of days since the storm as passed and I’m thinking about what has transpired. (Thanks for reading more than 1/3 of the blog and making it this far.)
What’s taking place is a growing community in Lansing of people (both young, old, and a variety of demographics) that is endlessly motivated to make a positive impact on both the city and Michigan as a whole. Ignite Lansing is not just about the presenters. In addition to them Ignite Lansing is a room full of entrepreneurs, catalysts, creative leaders, and community builders. The people I get to talk with at Ignite are starting new businesses, improving the businesses they’re working at, starting new clubs, and congregating people to make an impact. In short, they are the future of Lansing. They are quick to defend themselves (hence the comments and feedback to the blog entry) because of their passion for this place.
And as a side note, it’s no exaggeration to say that Lansing puts on one of the most inspiring Ignite events that we’re aware of. The crew that puts it together is phenomenal. The Lansing “hipperati”, creative class, or whatever else we’re called is alive and well, and growing.
Sometime between Ignite 2.0 and 3.0 I talked with an inspiring business executive about Lansing. And while I was gone for a few years it told me all about how Lansing has changed in the last couple years alone. He told me about a new found energy in the city and a community of people looking to make positive impact.
What’s neat is that this isn’t unique to Lansing. I know it’s happening in Detroit. I hope it’s going on in Ann Arbor and Grand Rapids and the Upper Peninsula. I’m not just talk about Ignite events, but a blossoming community brought together from similar events and all the creative and innovate things the attendees are up to.
After 690 words I’m all about out of them seeing that it’s 3:11am. To conclude I can’t say enough about how stoked I am to have been welcomed to this community. I’ve found an amazing group of people that are support and encouraging of the wacky ideas I come up with and eager to hear what I hope to do next. I see them support the ideas and projects of those around me.
During dinner with a friend tonight I regurgitated something I always conclude about my trip. As much as I would love to be living near a large body of water or mountains it is insignificant to the people you are surrounded by. It is truly about the people.
Thanks Lansing for encouraging me to kick ass and for kicking ass and chewing bubblegum along with me.
The first #LansingBreakfast co-op art project
February 3rd, 2010At Lansing Breakfast club this morning at Flap Jack I was looking down the entire table of people. We had one long table with about 16 people on each side and buzzing with great energy. Then I thought, aha! We must create a masterpiece, we will all draw one thing on the back of my placemat and pass it on to the next person. These are the brilliant results…
(click for full size)
Make your skill set work for you
January 13th, 2010For a week I’ve been thinking about web designing bowlers
I think of people who come to me and ask how I come up with these ideas for projects and what inspires them. It’s nothing more than my skill sets and interests in life. They’re all deeply rooted in stuff I love to do.
Think of being an incredible bowler. That’s great, there is some opportunity there, but a lot of people with the same skill set.
Think of being an incredible web developer. That’s great, there is some opportunity there too, but a lot of people with the same skill set.
Now, think of being an incredible bowler that’s an incredible web developer. All of a sudden the opportunities you can create for yourself increase dramatically and the number of people with the same skill set suddenly decreases.
What if said bowler has an incredible knack for socializing and networking and tops it off with a lot of personality? If you ask me, the bowler has a new career. Now it is completely feasible that this bowler can be the Gary Vaynerchuk of bowling rather than wine.
Merge your skills for 2010
Whatever your skills are, I challenge you to merge them, mix them, and mingle them for 2010. Take three of them and figure out what can be created from those. When you’re not working on that, what’s a new skill set you can learn and pick up on the side? I know there are a few things I’m hoping to learn such as using the Getting Things Done process and using video more.
Combine a few skills and you’ll stand out in a crowd, you’ll crush your competition, and increase your likelihood to succeed.
How I’ve combined my skills…
I’ve done pretty well my little projects in life, Hometown Invasion Tour, Daily Fruit, Yooper Steez, Beer With Branson, and there are a whole lot more I’d like to work on. I thrive on these.
Combining skill sets is what made them work. The Hometown Invasion Tour (HIT) is the best example. When people ask me what inspired it or what made me want to do it, it’s all because of a collection of interests.
When I graduated from MSU I had two degrees, sociology and advertising. On the other hand I have always been passionate about photography, web design, travel, and had been keeping some form of journal most of my life. The HIT was my chance to merge everything I love to do into one. I was driven to make my skill sets work for me and not just go into advertising.
- I was able to use my sociology degree as I stayed with 100+ households I had never met.
- I was able to use my advertising degree to help find sponsorship to fund the trip and spread the word
- I was able to use my photography, web design skills, and love for writing to document all of it.
With only couple skills it still would have been great, but the more skills I was able to work into the trip the greater it became, the more unique it became, and the more I was able to standout to sponsors, press, etc.
The HIT was not some big creative idea, it was just the most logical way to combine everything I love to do and merge it into an ultimate sort of dream job.
On the other hand there are many other skills I wish I possessed that would have made the trip even better: podcasting and interviewng, video editing, organization and planning skills.
However, it’s all about the skills you do have, and how you can make those skill work for you.