Digging up the past

Now that I know you're a real person, and you exist, and breath and all of that stuff that pegs us as human beings, I thought I'd ask you some things. Pick your mind so to speak.

I found your site through Lynda, (you know which Lynda, I leave out her last name because I can't spell it, and don't want to get scoffed at). I'm noticing that you, Lynda, Bruce Heavin, Don Barnett, and a handful of others are all connected in one way or another, either through ACCD or through your careers or whatever. I'm nominating you as a spokesperson for this group, because I know you're there, somewhere, somewhat.

I'm just a kid (well, 22, but I haven't gone to school or anything responsible like that yet). And I'm full of ideas, all the time. I design for the web, and I want to further my skills.

Hey Joe, it's me, Michael Buffington.

One time I emailed you, and asked you a whole bunch of questions about you and your group of friends, and you never got back to me. It's ok that you didn't, I understand people get busy. I've been busy too.

To: mike@pricepulse.com
From: Joe Maller <jmaller@pop.dti.net>
Subject: Re: hey Joe
Cc:
Bcc:
X-Attachments:
Message-Id: 6070
content-type: text/plain

Michael Buffington:
>
>One time I emailed you, and asked you a whole bunch of questions about you
>and your group of friends, and you never got back to me. It's ok that you
>didn't, I understand people get busy. I've been busy too.

I'm not big on excuses, so i won't bore you with stories. I'm sorry, I remember you, and I remember your letter, and I wrote you a lenghtly reply--that i was hoping I'd sent. I guess I didn't. I'm glad you wrote again.

I'm sending the letter I wrote in reply to yours, with yours completely quoted. Conversations with long delays sometimes need cheat sheets.

>
>I wanted to stop by your site, see what you're up to. I noticed your
>wedding invite photo. From the looks of it, I'd say you're getting married
>soon, or already have. Congratulations. Marriage is a good thing. I'm
>engaged myself. Going to be married in July.

Marriage is great. My wife and I had been together for six years before we got hitched, now I sometimes wonder what we were waiting for. No regrets at all.

On the advice of several friends, we submitted the invitation to Communication Arts for possible inclusion in the 1998 design annual. They must have really liked it, the photo is printed half-page on p.164 of the Design Annual. The issue should be in stores Friday.

>
>I hope you don't find it odd that I write to you. I feel that I in some way
>know you, through your site. You may find it odd, but I often times go to
>your site for inspiration of a 'Joe Maller' sort, knowing full well that I
>can never reproduce your style of creativity, but at the same time, coming
>away with a renewed motivation for my own project.

Someday I'll have to share all the horrible creative blocks and self-destructive behavior. ;)

I've been moving towards short film-ish things, the video pieces are becoming more narrative and self-contained. I'm working to finish one up now that I hope to post to the site as a work in progress tonight or tomorrow. My plate is definately full again.

>
>Hope you're doing well, I am. Just quit my job and sold an idea to
>investor, and myself and a partner are making it work. (www.PricePulse.com).
>It's not easy, but it feels good working for myself.
>

Wow, you did pricepulse? Is it back up yet? I saw the initial version on MacCentral a month or two ago and was wondering what happened to it. It must be quite an undertaking, and will surely generate insane traffic once it's been around for a month or two.

>Congrats and best of wishes on your marriage!

And the same to you. Engagement is much harder than marriage. Even though I'm not a fan of her, Martha Stewart's Magazine Wedding issues are the only thing we could stomach to look at. (NOT her book, the magazine; the book is good for a laugh however) In the end, it's all worth it.

Again, my apologies for not responding before. The other letter is coming too.

Joe Maller

To: mike@pricepulse.com, Joe Maller <joe@joemaller.com>
From: Joe Maller <jmaller@pop.dti.net>
Subject: August letter, August reply, in November
Cc:
Bcc:
X-Attachments:
Message-Id: 6071
content-type: text/plain

OK, here it is, the complete, yet brief history of our communications. There is a subtle tinge of irony in reading this now. I made only two minor changes to my reply, and there are some brief notes at the end.

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Your letter:
--------------

>Wow, you're speedy.
>
>Now that I know you're a real person, and you exist, and breath and all of
>that stuff that pegs us as human beings, I thought I'd ask you some things.
>Pick your mind so to speak.
>
>I found your site through Lynda, (you know which Lynda, I leave out her last
>name because I can't spell it, and don't want to get scoffed at). I'm
>noticing that you, Lynda, Bruce Heavin, Don Barnett, and a handful of
>others are all connected in one way or another, either through ACCD or
>through your careers or whatever. I'm nominating you as a spokesperson for
>this group, because I know you're there, somewhere, somewhat.
>
>I'm just a kid (well, 22, but I haven't gone to school or anything
>responsible like that yet). And I'm full of ideas, all the time. I design
>for the web, and I want to further my skills. I'm considering going to ACCD
>full-time, but am not sure if Art Center is worth going into debt for the
>rest of my life. I'm not even sure if Art Center will have me. (Are you an
>Art Center Grad? I think you are for some reason). In your opinion, was Art
>Center worth it?
>
>How do you and all these people know eachother? Did you realize I've watched
>you guys for a while, at least watched your history and designs? (I live in
>CA, it's not like I've peeked in your window wherever you are, I've just
>paid close attention to your careers).
>
>How did you get hooked up with doing Compaq banner ads? And what did you do
>with all the goodies you found on your desk? Did you put them back on the
>desk? Stuff them away? Where did they go? Can I have the fake eyelashes?
>Actually, you can keep those. I want the airplane hinges.
>
>I joke around alot, but I'm gonna get serious here: I watch you guys a lot,
>because you've taken paths and ended up in places that I want to end up in.
>I want you and your friends to know that I proud of what they've
>accomplished, and hope to join you guys someday, and wish you the best of
>luck in whatever projects you're working on.
>
>That's all!
>
>Michael Buffington
>mike@stompzine.com
>www.stompzine.com/mike

--------------
My Reply
--------------

Michael,

Sorry this took me so long.

Bruce, Don and I went through Art Center's Illustration department at more or less the same time. Don graduated either one semester before or after me and Bruce. Bruce and I shared a studio for the last year of school. Lynda was teaching various computer stuff, I'm remembering Motion Graphics and Photoshop. There was no Web then.

ACCD was worth it.

Because of Art Center I have met an incredible community of friends and creative individuals, most especially my wife. I wish I was in better contact with the people I went through school with, but my moving across the country and everyone settling into different jobs contributed to that drift. However several of the close friends I've met in NYC went to Art Center several years before I did.

The value of meeting people and community can not be understated. In my experience, creative businesses thrive on handshakes, friendships and face to face meetings. Art Center graduates exceptionally qualified people. Those people get good jobs. Someone you went to school with will end up somewhere.

An ACCD diploma will open doors that might otherwise stay closed. When my wife and I first moved to NYC many interviews were only because ACCD was on our resumes. Those interviews and jobs lead to other jobs but provided us with a start.

These days, most of my work comes from word of mouth. I basicaly haven't done any self-promotion for five years. There are gatherings and office parties and lunches, but my name gets shuffled around because of the work I do. I got to work on the Compaq banners because of an Art Center contact. I don't remember the original circumstances that got me into that office, but the creative director was an ACCD grad and we hit it off pretty well. That particular person tended to hire art center people. At one point the office was more than 60% ACCD. A month or two ago, their parent company lost the international Compaq account. Because of the inevitable layoffs, I won't get work with many of those people again in the near future.

Lest you think that ACCD is my entire universe, I do work with many brilliant non-ACCD people too. One of the other 40% who left with Compaq and I are now working on a site together (I can't legally say who).

I am constantly amazed at how things have turned out. Thanks for your kind words, I hope that this letter gave you some of what you had hoped for. Sometimes working online can be a very lonely experience, your friends might like something, but who knows if anyone else ever really sees any of it.

A head full of ideas is the greatest assset you can have. It is also a tremendous responsibility. Ideas are nothing without action. ACCD graduates qualified people but many of those graduates don't ever amount to much. Do not look to a school to make you. Even on a trampoline you still have to jump.

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Notes:
------------

Since the breakup of the APL Digital (Compaq) office, I've worked with or made definate plans to work with several people at new offices.

My operating theme this year is:

"I can no longer tell if the choices I am making are good or stupid empty risks."

So in that spirit I left the letter alone. I hope it wasn't too pedantic.

Something that was left out of the letter was the fact that Don is 5-6 years older than me. My wife and I both went through ACCD on the younger end of the curve. Bruce is about 3-4 years older than me. Don had done a lot more than I had before going into ACCD, and he probably had a different experience than I did. I've spent a lot of time dechiphering adn defining myself since graduation, Don might of had a better understanding of himself when he went in. Don was already married before school which also changes things.

All that considered, I hope I never stop reinventing myself.

joe maller