America’s Favorite Animal Shelter

The America’s Favorite Animal Shelter contest is a chance for animal lovers everywhere to raise awareness of the need to adopt shelter and rescue animals while helping their favorite shelter win a donation. Our animal charity now has a page up, so please, if you have a moment, vote for us to help with much needed funds for shelters. We would really appreciate it, many animals can be cared for and it’s just something positive you can do to help make the world a better place. We all want to live in a better world, don’t we? I know I do!

Help Ruff HouZen Animal Rescue win $10,000 in America’s Favorite Animal Shelter Contest from Care2.com.

Vote for Ruff HouZen Animal Rescue

Just as important, THANK YOU for taking the time to participate. I sincerely mean that too.

Save-A-Stray!

in the meantime

I’m still working on various projects, both personal and freelance. Making time is hard to do. I’m trying to figure out my schedule for the coming holidays. I might go out of town to meet with a new client down South, but if not, it looks like I’ll be spending the next holiday in Boston. While I’d love to get to work with the new guys, I’d prefer to go visit my best friend for Thanksgiving. Great things are happening with my freelance work. It’s nice but it’s also not giving me much time for my own projects. There’s a cool photo project with my girl JES we need to get going. Hope to work out the details soon and get some cool shots taken for her. I don’t have time for it, but I really need to look for some new music. Does anyone have suggestions? I definitely NEED to go dancing soon and meet up with best friends Matt & Amber. They’re getting married in the spring and I’m the one that’s going to officiate the ceremony! I’m so excited and honored that they’d let me participate in the big day like that. LOVE them. Friends from LA are coming the first week in December and a best friend from Dallas and one from Ohio is saying they’re gonna move here at the beginning of 2010. YAY!!

Since the holidays are approaching, if  you’re considering a new pet, please adopt. Save-A-Stray! Other than that–PEACE!

 

American Salon, November 2009

My name is mentioned in the article about rarenyc.com. Thanks!!

i put my hands upon my hips

I blip, you blip, we blip. Yes, blip.fm is where I like to post the music choices that basically provide my life’s soundtrack. Throughout my life, I’ve always felt that music was my only friend. It made me happy when I needed it and provided solace when I couldn’t live without it. I’ve seen very dark days, but music was always a light. An instant escape, transporting me elsewhere when an alternate universe seemed like my only salvation. My tastes are always growing, just like most of my friends. My blip.fm account documents only a fraction of what’s going on with me. Here on my blog, twitter and blip.fm, you’ll notice that I’ve not been online as much lately. I’m ever vigilant to change that, but in the meantime, I’d like to share some music with you. Whether it’s a happy song to make you smile, a warm song to comfort, or even one that’s painfully bittersweet, I hope you find something you enjoy and that captures your mood appropriately. They’ve all captured mine.

Listen at: blip.fm/BryanViper

Advice Give and Take

The older I get, the better my advice is getting. Ahh, wisdom. I dish out advice via phone, text and email so often that it’s practically a third job. I don’t mind. I think it says a great deal about me in that I seem to be helping a lot of people. In a sense, it’s almost like another charity, and that makes me feel good. Good advice is worth its weight in gold; adversely, bad advice is only bad when it’s followed. What could be worse than bad advice? Not taking your own good advice, that’s what. Where is the wisdom now?! So, what could be the worst? Is it possible you don’t know what advice to give yourself or which to take from your trusted confidantes?

Confusion. I’m working on a problem right now and I’m not entirely sure what to do.

People who dish advice for a living aren’t necessarily the smartest people, but they usually have a vast wealth of anthropological information. They’ve either lived through experiences that provide that data, been close to them through personal relationships, are very well-studied or have an innate sense of the human condition (or any combination thereof). So, if someone gives good advice, with a little sleuthing work you might stumble upon some insight about the inner workings of that person. Hmm…

Anyway, I keep getting sidetracked because it’s about advice. I finally can’t give any to myself. I’m not sure what to do about something. It’s not even a huge, major issue necessarily, but it is an emotional one. I feel pressure within myself to figure it out and spit out the most logical solution for the least personal harm while balancing all the factors involved and being fair all around. I think the single most mitigating factor right now is time.

I don’t have the time to take on something else. I feel like the kid stuck at a family reunion buffet where relatives keep piling food on his plate as he moves down the line with no regard for his protests. Then he’s expected to eat it all. It’s been a turbulent year to put it lightly, and there are no signs of letting up soon. I’m busier now than ever but it’s mostly a good thing, but I can’t take on anything heavy right now in the emotional department. I need all those sensibilities working overtime to stay focused on what’s already on my plate. The plate is big, the helpings heavy-handed and everyone is staring impatiently as I try to finish.

There’s no room for dessert.

Pic post

The Forever Wild Program is an initiative of the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation to protect and preserve the most ecologically valuable lands within the five boroughs.

Forever Wild: Nature in New York City

Pic Post

When I don’t have time for anything else, I thought I’d at least post a picture that I’ve taken.

Busy Busy

While it’s fully my intention to keep writing my blog as much as possible, sometimes other things take precedence. I have been writing, but the focus this past week has been my ongoing movie script. I have many irons in the fire as they say but my goal of keeping the blog updated is definitely one of those irons. I have also been focusing lately on many projects for my client, RARE by Ruth Roche. Lots of exciting things are happening with her and her brand and I’m very thankful for having a part in it all. In addition, I have several potential new clients with whom I’ve met, so there’s been quite a bit of research and prep work involved with that. Another project that’s fallen to the wayside is my own website, bryanviper.com. It really needs a complete overhaul. In addition to a complete portfolio showing more of the graphic design projects I’ve worked on, I realize that I also need a complete services listing to really let people know that I do more than just websites. I also provide complete branding services that include logo design and accompanying printed materials. Also in the works is more photography. Yes, it’s still amateur and definitely still a hobby, but I’ve been doing more of it for clients and friends so I’ll be posting more about that too.

Trying to have your cake and eat it too seems like it’s a job in itself. Of course, many people would say that you can’t have it all, but really I’m not trying to have it all. Like every other hard-working person, I just want to reach my goals and not limit myself in regard to accomplishments. Various mentors have always told me to “dream big” but trust me, the dreaming part is the easy thing. In the coming weeks, I plan on interviewing as many of my clients as wish to participate. I hope to bring some insight into their dreams and goals, what drives them and their opinions about their respective fields.

I also have an upcoming post regarding Twitter and the whole #FollowFriday rage. It seems rather repetitious to list all the people I follow each week into infinity, so I plan on writing a blog highlighting my favorite people that I like to follow, a little about what they do or what they are all about and why I follow them. Of course, some entries will be more detailed than others, but at least this way I can mention them and give them the props they deserve. And I can just refer to the blog each Friday. Knockin’ em out by killing two birds with one stone. Hey–it’s a busy world and I gotta keep my task list down as much as possible.

SO…thank you for reading my blog and showing some interest in the things I have to say. Let me know how I’m doing if you like, but I will be here writing even if you don’t. Have an incredibly awesome week!

South Street Seaport

Last week I met with a potential new client, Charles R Schwartzapfer RA, PC and his staff. They are an architecture, planning and interior design firm located in the South Street Seaport area of Manhattan. It had been years since I spent any time down there. Years ago, during my first trip to New York, I ended up there and had my first NYC slice of pizza at the Pier 17 mall. Yes, I know–total tourist trap, but I wasn’t in the driver’s seat and I was just so happy to be visiting the city I had dreamed about for years. Anyway, the meeting was a short one but it brought about that warm feeling of nostalgia whenever you take a trip down memory lane.

One of the things I discussed with the architect crew was along the lines of social media, but also about community involvement. The area looks part small New England town and part urban commercial development. I didn’t have much time to spend there but knew I wanted to know more. I took to the internet to do a little research and yesterday I spent the day walking around the neighborhood. The area has gone through a ton of changes since my trip way back when and there are more changes on the way. Much more than tourism is being brought about. Big plans to revitalize the area have been underway for a few years and more, even bigger plans are on the way.

In 2005, the Fulton Fish Market was relocated to the Bronx after a 183 year run. They converted the spaces into what’s now known as the Fulton Stall Market (fultonstallmarket.com). They’ve opened the groundbreaking Bodies Exhibition there on Fulton Street, in addition to the South Street Seaport Museum that’s been there since 1967. Also in the hood is @Seaport, a former retail space transformed into an indoor venue for free creative programming, bringing art, short films, creative performances, and live comedy and music to the Seaport.

Then there’s Pier 17’s major overhaul. I’ll let you read more about it for yourself at TheNewSeaport.com but it will include demolition of the boxy Pier 17 mall and restoring and moving the historic Tin Building as well as preserving much of the historic neighborhood. So far, that’s what my research of the neighborhood has uncovered, at least the fun parts. Of course, many of the plans were made before the major financial crisis went down this past year and there are many articles online focusing on financing, community groups for and opposed to the projects, etc., but for my purposes of tying in the new client with the community, there’s a lot to consider. I’m hoping to brainstorm with them on ideas of how to incorporate the development of the neighborhood with plans for their own involvement. They really love the area, see its potential and want to connect with the community on a personal level. That leaves me with more thinking to do, so I’ll leave you with these pictures of the new South Street Seaport as envisioned by General Growth Properties, Inc. (GGP), the developers of the project.

NOCC Fundraiser

Next week, from September 22-26, 2009, RARE by Ruth Roche/Pureology Salon’s NOCC is holding a fundraiser benefiting the National Ovarian Cancer Coalition (NOCC).

FOR A $25 DONATION, GUEST WILL RECEIVE THE “NOCC HYDRATE MASSAGE CONDITIONING TREATMENT”. This intense conditioning treatment delivers long lasting hydration, while natural ingredients restore dehydrated hair and maximize colour retention. Participating guests will also receive a complimentary Pureology/NOCC reusable travel kit containing EssentialRepair Shampoo, HairCondition, and a teal Pureology bandana.

Clients can add on the “NOCC Hydrate Massage Conditioning Treatment” to their existing appointment or book as a standalone service (appointment available on a first come, first serve basis).

Book your appointment today – call 212-343-9133 and mention the NOCC fundraiser! RARE by Ruth Roche/Pureology Salon is located at 317 Church Street, New York (Tribeca), NY 10013

The NOCC’s “Break the Silence on Ovarian Cancer” campaign is an education program created to increase awareness and encourage public dialogue about the symptoms and risk factors of ovarian cancer among women and their physicians. To learn more log-on to pureology.com/nocc.

Click this link to view the invite: RARE by Ruth Roche/Pureology Salon’s NOCC Fundraiser

Pureology is also offering a product promotion called “Break the Silence”. This package contains their PureVolume Shampoo, HairCondition & ThickeningMist. It’s being offered at RARE for only $54 (a $75 value). Pureology will make a $25,000 donation to the NOCC in conjunction with this promotion.

Help support the National Ovarian Cancer Coalition & the fight against ovarian cancer!