Since moving to our new house, I have spent weekends outside trying to reclaim our historic domicile from weeds, limbs, overgrown bushes and the like. Not only has my family benefited from my willingness to confront the various forms of poisonous ivy and death-infused spiders, but some eastern bluebirds benefited too.

One afternoon, my son Bergen (who is crazy about birds) and I put our heads together to create a much desired birdhouse.

Materials used:
2 pieces of awesome-looking reclaimed barn wood
Scrap piece of an old crusty leather glove

Tools:
Super annoying/cheap drill
Old rusty nails from barns that are falling down
Small tacks
Screwdriver
Random brass handle
Strapping forearm muscles
Beard (optional)

Time:
Depending upon tools, 2 hours or so

Shortly after making the bird house, Berg crafted a small sign that reads “Home Tweet Home”.
It hangs underneath the entrance.

Have recently set out a bird feeder or a bird house?
Who are your visitors?

I don’t know what kind of addictive and mind-altering drug McDonald’s puts in their Japanese Happy Meals.
Maybe it is something like catnip for kids?
Whatever the case, just be glad these kids aren’t showing up at your kid’s next birthday party.

Did you ever get that excited about anything?

One of the best things in the world: being left for dead, but your friends on the force hand you over to high-tech doctors who replace 98% of your body with robotic parts – hence becoming Robotic Officer.
One of the worst things in the world: as Robotic Officer, your OS is Windows 95 and you are hacked by a guy named Xing from Cambodia who makes you say “I love Hello Kitty and dirty movies” when you are trying to stop a robbery.
I hope that writing “dirty movies” doesn’t cause my blog to be hacked by someone named Xing.

Not long ago, we invested in some chickens.
They were quickly dispatched over the course of a week by a clever fox or a chupacabra.
With that in mind, and after recently acquiring more chicks, I created a hutch using mostly reclaimed wood and other materials.

Now, I only have to wait something like 14 years before these tiny chickens start making some eggs for me.

Materials Used:
3 old wooden palettes
1 piece of scrap plywood (2′x4′)
Other random pieces of various old barn wood
Chicken wire
3 hinges
2 handles
1 latch hook

Tools:
Hammer
Screwdriver
Heavy-duty hand-powered/hand-debilitating staple gun
Super annoying/cheap drill
Nails
Random screws
Staples
Good music under moonlight (I built it in an evening)

Time:
About 4 hours depending upon frustration level and hand/forearm cramps

Have any of you successfully raised baby chickens?

Sometimes, you just need it.
You can’t deny it – you just need your Hall and Oates fix.
Rich Girl, One On One, Private Eyes - do I need to continue?
Dubbing their own music as “rock and soul,” these guys still have a grip on budding musicians today.

Case in point: Nicki Bluhm and the Gramblers.
Enjoy, but don’t watch whilst driving (leave recording a music video and driving to the pros).

Since becoming a full-time creative professional, I have struggled with brand.
Ironic, since it’s what I do.
The struggle isn’t with what branding is, it’s more with how I handle my own brand.
Not just my brand, but the brand of my company – but that’s still my brand, right?

My associate and I have talked about starting a blog for Bottlecap, but should we start another blog? Should we instead write our own blogs infused with the highs, lows, comedies and tragedies of running our own branding firm?
And if so, how does that work with the other stuff that I want to write about?
Mancode?
Lumpkin Watcher?
Random and obscure humourous offerings?

I almost feel that if I start blogging, Tweeting, Facebooking for Bottlecap in addition to my own stuff – I am going to split myself into several not-as-effective pieces (as shown by my lack of posts here).

Have any of you encountered this problem with your personal brand and professional lives?
If so, what are your thoughts?

By writing this post, I could get kicked out the Man Club.
Scenario: While on a casual week-long survival expedition, you encounter a bear. Being just a short outing, you have only the necessities: nothing but the clothes on your back.

Mancode #327: While some might venture into the woods hoping to never encounter a bear (going so far as to adorning themselves with bells – something that any man with a beard would never do), a real man welcomes the encounter with such wildlife. You see, to a man, a bear encounter is a chance to test his mettle. While you may have been told by the park ranger to never run away from a bear, in one sense – he’s right. Mancode #327 will tell you that the correct approach is to run toward the bear. This action should be accompanied with loud wails and yawps. Usually this is enough to cause the bear to flee in terror, but on the off chance you have encountered a bear with a bit of a bold streak, he may run toward you as well.
Even better.
The sound of a bearded man’s body colliding with an enraged bear is music the likes of which angels sing. Once you are sufficiently entangled with the bear, you must first whisper in it’s ear that you have respect for it and that you are sorry for what you are about to do. Next, you place both hands on the back of the bear’s hide and pull swiftly (creating an instant coat for yourself). Lastly, you must thank the stunned bear as it “falls asleep” in your arms and as your beard grows even thicker.

Sometimes, nay – most times, I am my own worst critic.
I draw, I toss.
I sketch, straight to the trash can.
My worst days, I am too paralyzed with fear to even pick up a lousy pencil.
That’s when discipline kicks in and I have to suck it up.
And draw.

Check out this video, and let us know about those dark creative days.
How do you power through?

A soon-to-be-genius, 9, laughed himself to death after a particularly hilarious moment on Three’s Company. He was also known for drawing lifelike unicorns on his friend’s folders. No doubt he would have been President of the United States and traveled everywhere on a hovercraft. After serving as an ace pilot in the Navy, he would have married Stefanie Powers of Hart to Hart.

“He always used his glue responsibly, ” said his teacher.

________

The boy with the feathered hair, 11, died from embarrassment after breaking wind during an all school assembly for Veteran’s Day that was held in the gymnasium. The solemn moment was literally broken when Keigley tried to “push one” into the carpet pad he sat upon. Had he survived the incident, he would have been the first BMX pro rider on the moon. Known for his “radical” tricks – the bunny hop, the kick-out and the slight wheelie, he would have been every kid’s idol.

He is survived by several cassette tapes, a box of GI Joes in a camo-decorated box he crafted himself, and many burned items to which he set fire after his parents went to bed.

________

Renaissance man and lady-killer, 17, was killed after putting on a fake concert in his living room as he listened to The Doors. Though he nailed the performance of Jim Morrison in every way, no one found him for hours since all of the lights were off. A year away from knowing everything, he was ready to move out and strike it rich in baseball cards.

“He no doubt would have taken my coaching position before he graduated,” sobbed his soccer coach.

________

Most hilarious man in America, 24, met his untimely end while being a youth minister martyr. It was obvious that he was closer to God than anyone else in his church, and he would often sigh accordingly. Feeling the tremendous weight he alone had to bear, he met weekly with a handful of kids over pizza and some radical new way of reaching young people. His goatee and cross necklace were his trademark and he was quick to play a praise song using his diverse 3-chord approach to music.

In his honour, the church mounted a bronze plate on the last pew, just below the other plate recognizing Jonesy Mitchell.

What about you?
Pick a year and define yourself.

1. If you stretch your left arm out as far as you can right now, what can you touch? Is it awesome?
2. Are you an “early-to-bed” type or a “night owl”? Whichever one you are, what is the other missing?
3. What was your childhood nickname, and would you still want to go by that handle?

Come on down to the comment section…