Wednesday, February 08, 2006

Funny little groups of 4


My buddy Ward from The Ward-O-Matic tagged me in his recent post. He posted a meme, or a "list"–as us blog-retards, such as myself, would call it. It's basically an excuse to record your favorite things in numerical groups. Since I'm tagged, I guess I gotta' reveal my answers...and apparently, this meme is to be answered in groups of 4. Personally, I prefer groups of 3's (especially in decorating), but today it's all about the number 4!

Four jobs I’ve had:

1. Store Sign Designer for Kroger Groceries: I bagged groceries for two weeks, until my manager found out he could pay me the same rate to design signage for products in the store. The result was cartoon drawings of smiley food items with arms and legs saying things like, "EAT ME, I'M A GRANNY SMITH APPLE, I'M DELICIOUS!" I worked alone and unsupervised in a small room with plenty of toxic-fume emitting, industrial markers. I think this detail reveals insight into my chemically altered mind and my career ever since.
2. "Christmas Artist" Specialist for The Becker Group: for two years, I drew reindeer and elves all year long, designed layouts of Santa Reception Areas, and decorated trees and garlands in malls across America...just for Christmas.
3. Broadcast Designer for Primal Screen: My best job ever! I worked at a great studio in Atlanta designing storyboards, logos, and animating comercials for television! It was my longest job ever, and I worked with some of the coolest, creative people...such as Ward, mentioned above.
4. Compositor on a 3-D animated Barbie movie: This was my first job in NYC. I rationalize perpetuating the Barbie brand by saying, "hey, at least the Barbie in this movie isn't built like Pamela Anderson. She's built like your typical flat-chested teen." I'll be happy as long as I never have to see that particular shade of magenta-pink ever, ever again.
Now, I'm unemployed...just kidding, I'm doing various freelance work...

Four movies I can watch over and over:

1. Labyrinth (I rented this, like, fifty times when I was younger)
2. Pee Wee's Big Adventure (it's STILL my favorite Tim Burton movie...because it's the strangest)
3. The Great Muppet Caper (The soundtrack to this always makes me sentimental...I guess I'm just a big kid at heart.)
4. It's a tie between Heavenly Creatures (dark, moody thriller about two girls who fall in love and let their imaginations get them into BIG trouble) or Six Degrees of Separation (a witty, shocking drama set in NYC, about a gay man who attempts to con his way into the New York social elite)

Four places I have lived:

1. Greenville, South Carolina: where I grew up from age one until fourth grade
2. Atlanta, Georgia: both before art school and after art school
3. Baltimore, Maryland: home of John Waters, his films, and where I ended up going for art school
4. New York City!!! (well, I've lived here for three months now)

Four television shows I love to watch:

1. Liquid Television: the first show I remember being completely intoxicated by...I had to tape every single episode
2. Strangers with Candy: possibly THE strangest television show I've ever seen period...I'm amazed it aired
3. Sex and the City: It's just so addictive, and easy to watch over and over
4. Project Runway: You're either IN or you're OUT!

Four places I have been on vacation:

1. Montreal, Canada: surprisingly European, very modern, and very artsy
2. Paris, France: Amazing. I went with my boyfriend in college...it was simply amazing.
3. Los Angeles, California: I got into trouble in West Hollywood...
4. Las Vegas, Nevada: My bro got married!!! It was a blast!!! Completely insane place!!!

Four of my favorite dishes:

1. Pad Thai: yes, I know it's a standard, but it's SOOO GOOOOD when it's prepared right!
2. Grilled Salmon with rice: it's delicious and good for you
3. Pizza and Coca-cola: goes great with a movie
4. Tikka Masala Chicken: My fav Indian dish

Four websites I visit daily:

1. The Perry Bible Fellowship: cuz I like to laugh
2. Ward-O-Matic: because I'm a do right friend.
3. hulaseventy: because I'm a do right friend.
4. Blog of War: because I'm a do right brother.

Four places I would rather be right now:

1. On my way to a fabulous new design job in Soho
2. On a jet to Tokyo to release my new line of toys
3. In a hot tub with Heath Ledger and Jake Gylenhal, discussing how they both happen to be in love with me
4. In a pool of cherry-red Jell-O

Four bloggers I am tagging:

I can't think of four, but if YOU have the free time to answer these questions and want to post them, go for it!

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

J-
You are welcome to come over anytime to watch my copy of Labyrinth along with my copy of Dark Crystal and Legend (pre couch-jumping Cruise, very hot).

LW

andrea said...

oh, you are so fun. so glad you decided to hop aboard the ship to memesville! join in the fun with the rest of us meme dorks! yay!

this was fascinating to read. and here's four things that I have to say about it:

1. primal was SO LUCKY to have you. you are so missed.
2. love 'heavenly creatures'... I can watch that one over and over again, too.
3. can't believe I overlooked 'sex and the city' on my own tv list! I only watch it like 17 times a day.
4. you know you're eventually going to have to write about your crazy west hollywood story, right? I mean, it's just too good not to share.

Ward Jenkins said...

Justin! This was great to read! Thanks for partaking in our blog-retardedness. It can be fun if you just let it in.... be one of us... one of us... one of us.....