Servin Tha GoodStuff Commercial

Hey we are back with our newest commercial which highlights of two newest tees. Many thanks goes out to our longtime friend Jesse Young (director) from Advanced Eye Productions. Please feel free to share, & Enjoy!!!

Mediocre Doesn't Cut It Anymore

If all you are willing to do is what your friends are willing to do, then by definition you are mediocre. Mediocrity is safe, comfortable, and certain. It is also a recipe for nothing more than competitive equality. You don’t have to pursue mediocrity, it will pursue you, and if you are like most people, you have already surrounded yourself with it, it has already caught you.

So don't waste time on being mediocre. You are too valuable to be marginalized into an oblivion.

To paraphrase a good friend of mine; Everyone bought into mediocrity, but no one kept the receipt.

Jobs & Life

Since the lab has been pretty busy lately, sometimes I need an "upper" to get me through the night. And, when I talk about an upper it doesn't come from a "can of caffeine" or from a pill; It is usually through music or videos. Last night's inspiration came from Steve Jobs 2005 commencement speech. Personally, I found his speech to be very motivational, so I wanted to share it with you guys.

Win a Free T-shirt!

Thanks to everyone that submitted an entry so far. The response has been great! We didn't expect to get this many responses. So for everyone who is late, Don't miss a chance to win a free t-shirt! Send your entries to contest@weargrits.com with your basic info. One winner will receive a free t-shirt of their choice from our upcoming release! This contest ends this Friday, July 30th.

EXTRA EXTRA– Read all about it!

I don’t ever want my customers to feel like they’re just buying a t-shirt. With the packaging, design, exclusivity, and experience set aside – I want you to feel like you’re a part of a club, a clubhouse, a family. So I figured, what's better than to just expand The Chattabox to print. Here is a sneak peek of The Chattabox Zine. We will be distributing them at our booth at the upcoming H-town Sneaker Summit this Sunday. We will also be including a couple in every online order after August 1st, free of charge. So feel free to share with your friends!

The War of Art

As I get closer to a deadline, there is always a fear of not shipping on time or even not at all. Shipping is always fraught with risk and responsibility. When you launch a new product or design you expose yourself to criticism, but these are the negative consequences that come with launching any idea.

Its no wonder when launching you experience anxiety.

But, you don't have much choice. Would you rather not do anything or do something "less risky?"

Since we are going to do it anyway, why bother aiding our anxieties?

So, If you have the same issues, I just finished a book that may help. It definitely gave me a kick in the ass. Its called the "War of Art" by Steven Pressfield. I recommend it to anyone trying to get pass their own creative hurdles.

Tools of the Trade

Plenty of late nights can make you crazy or make you a genius. This is what it takes to operate on the same level of Pharrell (If you don't know who that is. Wiki Here)

In order to do that, we don’t get to hate our job. We don’t get to be indecisive. We don’t get to daydream about one day getting a better paying job. No, we’ve got to be totally into it from Day One. No slackers allowed.

No Grits No Glory

Do you remember?

Reading Rainbow. This show was best for all us latchkey kids. For a half an hour we sat down with LeVar Burton and learned that our imagination was freedom and books were the door to uncharted worlds. Well at least for 30 minutes, then it was on to the next thing.

I dont know if the children today have anything similar to the show. But, I know one thing for sure; if you grew up in the 80's - early 2000's you knew this theme song.

Goode Grits

Honestly, I love Houston. I love being here, from the horrible freeways and mass transit, down to the casual friendliness that most people have here. So naturally, all my shirts have some connection with my hometown. One my favorite local restaurants around town is Goode Company BBQ. As a graphic designer, I've always loved the logo and branding of the company. So when it came time for a line of shirts, I had to tip my hat to the Houston Landmark.

He we go yo...

It's never too early...

There isn't a week that has gone by, so far, that a friend or random person hasn't asked me, "How do you do what you love to do? and what could I do to do the same?"

I always have the same answer, "Start right now. Do it now." Don't act like you are an artist, writer, or a consultant. Be an artist, writer or a consultant. Whatever you apply your energy to, apply it fully.

The earlier you start on your path, the easier it will be to actually create something and pull it off. It's never too early to start.

No Grits No Glory

Grits Contest!

For those who haven't seen this character, he has been hanging around Grits for sometime now: Appearing at meetings, events, and somehow in our ads। Anyway, after much discussion, we made him our unofficial mascot. So today I make it official, he is on the roster. But, the only problem is we don't have a name for him. So instead of us doing all the hard work, we figured you can do it for us.

We are taking suggestions for a for our new friend. Send names to contest@weargrits.com with your basic info. Our 5 favorite submissions will be featured here on the Chattabox. One winner will receive a free t-shirt of their choice from our upcoming release! This contest ends July 30th.

Keep it creative!

Living for "Stuff"

"It’s mediocrity, fear and confusion in disguise. It’s neither doing nor not doing. It’s the wobbling compromise that makes no one happy. Moderation is for the bland, the apologetic, for the fence-sitters of the world afraid to take a stand. It’s for those afraid to laugh or cry, for those afraid to live or die.” -Dan Millman

I am not that old. But, I've noticed the longer I work, the more I see fellow co-workers in their 30's, 40's, and 50's, who have kind of hit the wall in their career, but somehow need the money more than ever. You know, to pay for all that “stuff”: Big cars, big houses in the suburbs, golf clubs, social status, all that kind of "stuff".

They're disgruntled. They're bitter and they hate their job, but they love their “stuff”. They rationalize that they don't have a choice. They have children, rent, mortgages and responsibilities, that kinda "stuff." But, they also have a lot of “stuff”, which requires ever more time and energy.

I figure the more time you invest into "stuff," the more energy is needed to compensate for the fact that basically, you hate your job... That you never liked your job... That all along, it’s always been about the “stuff”.

Unfortunately, it's usually these people who are the first on the cutting block. Their bosses always end up getting rid of them, but only after dragging them around and sucking them dry of their enthusiasm and creativity.

So, please decide to love what you do and most importantly, Do It. The sooner the better. Don't let your creativity go to waste. Devoting your life to "stuff" is really no way to live.

No Grits No Glory

Do you remember Captain Planet?

Do you remember the cartoon Captain Planet and the Planeteers? I used to watch it all the time when I was kid. For those who didn't get the opportunity to experience the show, The Planeteers were like the cartoon equivelant of the Benetton ads from the 80's. All the races get together to save the world from the evils of pollution.

The Planeteers consist of Kwame-Earth, Wheeler-Fire, Linka-Power of Wind, Gi-Power of Water and Ma-ti-Power of Heart. Everybody wanted to be fire and nobody wanted to be heart. Poor Ma-ti. It was the equivalent of being picked last for the basketball game. Anyway, when the Planeteers found themselves in situations they could not solve individually, they would combine their powers and summon Captain Planet; like the Earth's own version of Superman. Despite his vulnerability to pollution, He would always put the bad guys away.

I wonder what Captain Planet would do in the midst of the BP Spill? I am sure that He would put BP's CEO Tony Hayward (Looten Plunder) in jail.

I miss cartoons like that, especially the theme music. Matter of fact, lets jam.

"The power is yours!"

Decisions, Decisions

In 1995, a printed magazine (yes I said printed magazine), called The Fast Company, published a manifesto that I didn't understand, until recently. It read “Work is personal, Computing is social, Knowledge is power, Break the rules.” It was written by the founding editors of the magazine, Alan M. Webber and William C. Taylor. They proposed a new world of leaders/creatives, rewriting the rules and challenging mediocrity.

Personally, I felt Creatives were the catalyst for these changes. But it seems like mediocrity has created the circumstances in which we currently find ourselves. Fortunately for us, the odds are in the Creatives' favor. I guess there's only one question you should ask yourself, "Am I challenging the status quo or am I a cog in a machine?

No Grits No Glory

Grits X Oven Fresh Dreams

Anyway I love working with people with passion, the type of people that pursue what they feel without abandon. One, in particular, is Carlos of Oven Fresh Dreams. I can't even remember how we first met, but however it happen doesn't really matter. He loves baking. I love drawing. He loves cupcakes. I love Grits (particularly cheese grits.) So naturally we had to get together on a design.

In the coming weeks I will give you a sneak peek of our collaboration. Unless, of course, there is big response before then. Then maybe just maybe I would feel kind of obligated to expedite the design. But until then, y'all have to wait.

Anyway check out Oven Fresh Dreams, this brother is on the grind.

No Grits No Glory

Carlos and his best Dr. Evil impression.

Just a reminder....

.... a clothing line does not happen automatically. Not even close...

but when you find something you love. You do it. You put in work. So there will be times when work will consume you, but that's part of the fun.

From what I gather from friends, it kinda sounds like the businesses of pretty much every self-employed or creative person I know.

Work pretty much consumes their lives, right now. And mine. Would my friends have it any other way?

Of course not.

"No Grits No Glory"

TOEACHIZOWN

Your passion, your new purpose will change you. Great ideas do that. But eventually, you will encounter friends, family or even random people who don't agree with your great idea. Believe me, it's inevitable. But that shouldn't discourage you. They are not mad at your great idea. They are disgruntled with the fact that you made a conscious decisions to break from the status quo. They are seated in discontent toward you, because when you change it forces them to change. Hell, its human nature. I am sure if the shoe was on the other foot, you would do the same.

Learn to recognize mediocrity. (The "resistance" will always be there.)
Learn to move forward in spite of it.
Learn to say "TOEACHIZOWN."

Slow Boogie: Houston

Do you remember Garbage Pail Kids?

In elementary school, I absolutely loved these cards. We all used to trade and show them off to each other on the playground. The Adam Bomb card was my personal favorite. If you are/were a collector, I'm sure you all remember your favorite character. Hell I love them so much I include cards in every shirt along with a thank you note from yours truly. I guess thats my gift to you. So have fun with them, trade and enjoy!

The Free-way

As the 4th of July weekend comes to an end, I can't help but think about how much energy we put into celebrating freedom: The Freedom of Speech, Freedom of Religion, Freedom of Creativity.... A large part of a creative's life is learning how to preserve your freedom. So ask yourself how much freedom you need and be downright unsympathetic about protecting it. You have a "freedom-to" and a "freedom-from". Choose wisely.

For all those who want to pursue their passion....

Escaping the tyranny of a conventional 9-5 life isn't easy. So, I drew this picture just to remind me what's important. If you don’t decide for yourself what you want to get out of life, someone else will probably end up deciding for you.

Houston Streets, Texas Eats: Bubba's Texas Burger Shack

One way I can tell that a burger joint is dope is when I hear lots of good things about it from friends. So naturally, to satisfy my curiosity I took a trip to Bubba's and had one of their burgers and have been hooked ever since. Now the name itself is not an exaggeration. Bubba's Texas Burger Shack is definitely a shack. The staff is always inviting and the interior is very memorable. Not sure quite how to explain it other than to say they are PROUD to be an American and Texan. There are lots of Texas decorum in this place and some very humorous bumper sticker’s including my favorite, ‘I'm from Texas. What country are you from?’

If you haven't eaten here yet, you should definitely check it out. The place is virtually a landmark. The shack is located literally under the Westpark Tollway. We went north on 59 towards the loop and exited Chimney Rock. Go south on Chimney Rock to Westpark and take a left. You can't miss it. It is the only place out there.