palin meltdown!

... it's coming.

both spears and palin have a folksy tone to their speech...
both are/ were under extreme pressure...
both have/ had pretty hair (?)...

britney melted down.

how long will it take before sarah palin follows suit if voted in as our country's vp?

one flag

The human heart's main function is to revitalize the blood by pumping it through the lungs and the rest of the body. The refreshed blood keeps the body living.

The same can be said about the heart of design. Many claim there is no such thing as an original idea, and while this may be true, new perspectives and interpretations of the past bring forth the cutting edge of today. The creative mind keeps that pulse alive.

moonlit skies

a stressful day is best broken by an intense run.

i was very lucky that tonight happened to be lit with a full-moon.

if you ever get a chance to run under the dimmed bulb, while it casts an erie glow on a bracing fall night, do it. the adrenaline and endorphins kick in at a higher rate when all you can make out is the silhouette of the path and each gasp of air stings the lungs.

pork barrel

(my morning warmup at work)

market trends

the market reflects the inverse trend of how fucking sweet my life is.



(the graph has been flipped for you... so my life's quality isn't the inverse of the already inverted visual... life is great.)

needed: new approach

both candidates talk of how, on some level, every american needs healthcare. how they accomplish that is a bit different. neither one is addressing the issue of prevention.

america severely needs to change from a society based on fast food convenience and filth to one that has an ounce of health-conscience decision making.

eat a carrot instead of some french fries. scratch that... just don't XL the fries. won't a medium do? get the people to start making some of their own food. why do you think europeans are so much healthier and happier then us? they go to mc donald's once a month, if that. to them it is an american novelty - a summarization of our gluttonous culture.

strip the immoderate accessibility from the fast food market. stop cutting children's phys-ed classes. start providing introductions to alternative sports to gain a greater interest in physical activity. kids should not be limited to just basketball, football and dodgeball during their awkward years.

diversify. think back to simpler times. kill the clutter and take a moment to focus on what is being consumed. the amount of chemicals in even the 'cleanest' of foods is baffling.

... or we can continue on our path of disgusting over-consumption and pay ridiculous premiums for healthcare.

once upon a gus chiggins

when i was getting the illegal version of microsoft office, i decided i didn't want to register with my real name (surprise?)... instead i rolled with 'Gus Chiggins.' today i got entourage from work on my computer (because my illegal failed), and the name all emails go to and leave from is, you guessed it, Gus Chiggins.

The last name is Chiggins!

C – h – I – gg ins. Chiiiigins. And I thought my hearing was bad.

go watch it if you dropped the fucking ball and have no clue what i'm talking about.

portfolio update

i just added to the 'chelsea smile' section in the portfolio.
check it out.
check them out.

invest in

cutlery.



yesterday i bought a Zwilling Pro S 8" Chef's Knife. the difference between this blade and the fifteen-dollar piece of trash i was using is ridiculous. think go-cart upgraded to ferrari.

put your money where your knife is. the market is fucked anyway.

jetpack crossing of the english channel

"How best to cross the English Channel

Despite regular passenger-ferry crossings, a tunnel rail link and numerous commercial flights, some people choose to traverse the English Channel under their own steam. Planes can cross the water in the blink of an eye but both the jetpack and water skis will beat Le Shuttle, which will whisk you and your car under the Channel in 35 minutes. A pricey sea-going car may prove useful for the onward journey; if you have time and energy try rowing or swimming. The pedal-powered miniature airship is not recommended: on Sunday September 28th, just two days after a sucessful jetpack crossing, a Frenchman in a tiny Zeppelin only made it half-way, hampered by strong winds."

- The Economist

chelsea smile album design

got a free minte yesterday to finally get the album work done for chelsea smile. best of luck with the release.

tina fey as sarah palin

incredible.

exactly.

this may just interest runners.

training peak

the c-bus marathon is now three weeks away.

yesterday i ran my peak training run of 23-miles at a 7:45 pace (2:59). though this is :30 slower then my needed race pace, i think it is pretty on point considering this run was done at altitude - and after a heavy night of drinking - and on 5 hours of sleep.

game on marathon.

check the menu

for dinner this evening i made three different types of pizza - all with my homemade dough and sauces:

- marinara, mozzarella, basil

- caramelized onions, center cut bacon, ricotta, and a balsamic reduction

- basil pesto, ricotta, mozzarella

the grill is out of propane, so these pizzas were lacking in the smokey department. sad? yes. still delicious? fuck yea.

(no pics on these as i have already done multiples shoots on my pizzas. i think everyone gets the point on at least the visual aesthetic of these rustic creations)

all paired with a bottle of barolo serralunga '03. incredible is an understatement.

also anna kate was here to enjoy the fine, pinkies up, cuisine. it has been too long.

esoteric

turns out my roommate grew up with him.

if you have no idea who that is, check these tracks out:


7L & Esoteric - Word Association (remix)


7L & Esoteric - Incredible Hulk Rap


7L & Esoteric - Battlefield

now you know.

alti long run

just finished a two hour long run down to baseline lake.

i didn't really feel altitude until an hour and half in, though i knew something was up because i hadn't recovered as well as i normally would from my half hour run yesterday.

i literally went from striding to a dead standstill from the nausea. i was able to get back into a decent jog for the last half hour back to my house after a few minutes.

when i took that short break i stopped at a gas station to get a vitamin water. the clerk, dead serious, looked at me (fuel belt in hand, drenched in sweat) and asked, "running?"

i was so stunned with his blunt stupidity i couldn't even come up with a witty remark such as 'nope just wrestled a bear' or some inappropriate comment about his mother.

first impression

boulder is badass.

after my first thirty-minute acclimation run, and looking at maps of the area, i have realized boulder is one massive running trail.

the produce is also great, but is at nyc prices. kinda worth it.

anna kate's commercial.

best. copywriter. ever.



check her site out.

mizuno 15-miler results

Mizuno Columbus 15 Miler
(09.14.08)
1:48:35
7:15 pace
1st in age group
8th overall

at the start of the race it was over 80 and humid. miserable conditions. pacing was a bit more of a strain. other then that, a decent race.

going amish

wind storms decide to rampage new albany yesterday.

it is estimated that we won't have electricity for five days... though i leave for boulder in three...

below is one of the pear trees in front of my house that got ripped in half. the camera phone photo doesn't really do the thirty-foot tree justice.

perspiration

it is much better to sweat garlic then curry when running.

if you have no clue what i am talking about do a little science experiment. cook a recipe with a ton of chopped garlic, and on a separate occasion, a dish with heavy amounts of curry that requires hand mixing. you will 100% understand what i mean.

just throwin it out there.

sesame cones with tuna tar tar

parents were having a food and wine tasting... i was asked to do the presentation on the sesame cone with tuna tartare.

i also aided in the cone prep work, just not cutting up the, incredible, sushi grade tuna. it beat out the other fifteen dishes of the night. kinda good at what i do.

chelsea smile poster iii

check them out.
check me out.

gallery logos

my uncle, tommy koulermos, has opened an art gallery down near jacksonville, florida. he asked me to do a logo.

the name is 'seaside gallery' and they will be selling a range of art, from the cheap to medium price. they are there to fill the niche that the retired people of the area crave.

my executions:

sunday

i'm running the mizuno 15-miler.

i'm pumped.

chelsea smile promo posters

knocked these out yesterday for my buddies in chelsea smile.

all the work for them is now under my graphic design portfolio on my site.

a humorous past (i)

ccad sophmore year
the class: illustration methods
professor: leah wong
the assignment: illustrate an overly-expressive person

i chose to draw my younger brother nick koulermos. the photoshopped reference photo (right) for this slays me. obviously the expression was 'surprised.'

a humorous past (ii)

ccad freshman year
the class: 3-D design
professor: todd
the assignment: create a unique sculpture based off of elements based from a fruit or vegetable.

my first interpretation of the assignment was quite wrong. mr. todd, who didn't like anyone, found new reason to especially hate me. i thought we could take the project in a more 'creative and humorous' direction... mr. todd didn't find my forty sketches (all with the same mindset of the dali-squasha) very funny. at all. quite disgusted as a matter of fact. the final is below the masterpiece.

a humorous past (iii)

parma, italy... anna kate was in boulder... but the unicorn was born in italy.
the class:y
professor: knowledge
the assignment: brand the unicorn that had just been found near florence.

a humorous past (iv)

pratt junior year
the class: 2-D Method (?)
professor: joe roberts
the assignment: create a visual for the song 'The Hand of the Almighty (aka God Will Fuck You Up).'

a humorous past (v)

ccad sophmore year
the class: 2-D Method (?)
professor: mcinturff
the assignment: create a series of four images that exemplified a knowledge in multiple techniques and approaches to 2-d design.

i went with the curb stomp scene from american history x... two of the four didn't turn out so hot, but those aren't shown... the neon 'eat at joe's' just worked on so many levels.

'loose ends'

- rjd2

get it. probably the best album i have ever heard.

portfolio update

a whole new client has been added under 'graphic design'... the fine cbus band of Chelsea Smile.



check it out.
check them out.

got to.

watch this.

when my itunes shuffle hit this track, it became clear that i needed to go to youtube and post the video.

ricotta and spinach ravioli

yesterday i fought an upward battle of making my own pasta dough. i failed.

so i called up zack koulermos... aka older brother... aka wealth of culinary knowledge... aka badass... to talk over why i fucked up. twice.

my filling of ricotta and spinach was dead on. the dough though gave me a frustrating struggle of epic proportions (plus i'd just finished a ten mile training run). so i lost. chinese takeout won(ish).

but, i said, "fuck you pasta dough." and found another recipe. thomas keller, on zack's recommendation, showed me the way with his simple (AND CORRECTLY PROPORTIONED) dough recipe.

the end product was legit, and is pictured below.

portfolio update

got the chelsea smile logo in the mix, and reworked the root works logo. in other words i updated the 'logos' section.

check
that
shit
out.

ak is a badass

yes. my copywriter anna kate. (the state of alaska, though also badass, is not the subject of this post.)

anyway, she got HIRED AT CRISPIN!

yea... that girl that i did my advertising portfolio with is going to be working for the 'most award-winning' agency in the states.

also its badass because her job starts the same day as my internship.

check her out at annakateroche.com.... she might just blow your mind.

my thoughts exactly

Drawing a Bead on the Press, NYT

"Ms. Palin’s prism of God, Alaska and Country, in that order, obscures an irony. When 17-year-old Jamie Lynn Spears, Britney’s sister, shows up pregnant, it becomes one more example of permissiveness gone amok. But array those same circumstances over 17-year-old Bristol Palin, and it is received at the convention as one more example of steadfast prolife values."

The article makes many valid negative points, but is also presented in a pretty fair way, discussing her many unbelievable traits as a mom and leader.

Also, think about if Obama had a 17-year-old pregnant daughter and what Fox News would be churning up about America's 'irresponsible urban culture.'

good movie

smartpeople

pizza, round ii

i reworked minor parts of my recipe. the pizzas turned out much better.

homemade sauce and dough, with mozzarella and basil.

doubts and fears of broken legs

with each step i take further during my training runs, it becomes harder to push out of my mind, 'when will my legs give out?' will it be a sprain? a fracture? a clean break? a car? an ankle? one shin or two?

the list of endless possibilities of injury weigh heavy on my mind. with the increase of speed on my longer runs, i find myself having to ice my minor injuries constantly. waiting, and hoping, that nothing will become too serious... thus forcing me to discontinue my training...

juggling pushing myself in training and preventing injury is becoming quite the interesting act.

i race again this sunday in a 15 miler.

this week will be taken lighter as a semi-taper. hopefully my legs will hold for another six weeks until i get the columbus marathon out of the way, then take a bit of a break from the past seven months of constant training.

pizza on the grill

i decide to take the next step with my pizzas... not just my own sauce, but make my own dough. then throw it on the grill. 'successful' would be an understatement.

homemade dough, homemade sauce, mozzarella, italian sausage, and fresh basil...





btw - if you don't have the time to make your own dough... which i normally don't, use boboli. it is the best i have found.

fuck the rnc

at what point did i lose all respect for the republican national convention? i'm not sure if it was before or after the chants coaxed by giuliani of "drill baby, drill!"

okay... i am sure. it was after.

but, whining about 'sexism' with attacks relating to sarah palin is quite the load of shit. fox is the same network that took such issue with hillary clinton's 'woman issues/breakdown' a half year ago. these are the biggest hypocrites that have ever walked the earth, and yet have the nerve to try and point fingers and find fault in everything that the democrats do.

they STILL say obama doesn't have enough experience, though palin only has two years to barack's four. palin was leading in alaska - the whole fucking state is still under a million.

any respect i had for giuliani has gone out the window. i know palin can't be on the offensive this evening because she has to defend her slutty daughter who was taught to use a moose skin condom, but saying obama has no credibility because he chose to work in the inner city instead of on wall street is such a skeezy move.

i hate republicans. fear-mongering douche bags. call me close minded. call me ignorant. maybe my morals are off key, but at least i don't play victim when it just so happens to work for my campaign. i don't base my life, and politics, around a 2000 year old book.

i believe in global warming and climate change. i believe in evolution. i believe people should be treated equally. i know that change is possible for our country, but we have to be truly open to it. the rich shouldn't just be given tax breaks, it's the people who need that money most that should be receiving it. sorry to all you republicans who still think our school systems are so stellar, and that the war was justifiable. you are all fucked in the head.

if obama had a 17 year old daughter who was pregnant, and unwed, all fox news would be spouting is how this is a shining example of the 'urban culture' that does not fully understand the consequences of their actions.

watching the rnc makes me ill. dear god - vote obama. the world can't take another four years of this.

deleted scenes of season iv

the office season iv has some very very good deleted scenes on the dvd... absolutely watch:
- 'Local Ad'
- 'The Deposition'
- 'Night Out'

annnnd pam will be going to pratt, which i didn't know because i was out of the country (nbc's video doesn't work outside the us).

my sandwich

after returning from italy, i put together a sandwich that summarized the regional specialties of parma.



- grilled rosemary chicken
- parmesan reggiano
- arugula
- balsamic vinegar
- ciabatta bread (though i would prefer micca, it is only made in parma. i miss that.)
- kalimata olives (...yes they are greek, but so am i... plus they add an extra kick that makes the sandwich)

served with carrots, a green pepper, cherries, and pomegranite-blueberry juice on ice.

goooood stuff.

songs to run by

add these to your ipod before hitting the street. call the playlist 'best run in a long time', then shuffle up.

Jay-Z - Oh My God
Jay-Z - Kingdom Come
Jedi Mind Tricks - On The Eve Of War feat. Gza
Justice - Phantom
Justice - Phantom pt. II
Killah Priest - I'm Wit That
M.O.P. featuring Busta Rhymes - Ante Up Remix
Metallica - Cyanide (live)
Mobb Deep - Shook Ones
Nas - Black Republicans feat. Jay Z
Nas featuring Kanye West - Still Dreaming
Queens Of The Stone Age - Go With The Flow
Run-DMC Featuring Jermaine Dupri - It's Over
The Warriors - And Yet They Say...

check 'em out. if more then one fails you i will be surprised.

alaska is not a good decision

when picking a vp running mate.

Everything up north is saturated with oil money, which can almost guarentee every representivie is doing something illegal or is in some corperation's pocket. Well ok... that does sound like the perfect scenario for a republican canidate...

But, it was just released that Sarah Palin's teenage daughter is pregnant. I suppose the only worse option would have been if they had an abortion.

See what happens when you preach the conservative approach of anti-contraception bullshit? Your daughter ends up poppin' one out before she can legally vote.

Keep shooting yourselves in the foot republicans.


ps - just announced on the news today (9/2) that over 26 million in earmarks were awarded to the town, wasilla, that palin was major of... but wait... isn't that in direct conflict with mccain fighting earmarks and wasteful government spending?

obama/biden/here

they stopped in dublin today. mom got aggressive and went around 10 in the morning to wait for tickets all day. she is kind of a badass.

their speeches were great. i am looking forward to the debates.


obama, john glenn, biden


biden's speech


obama's


takin off

it's on ohio.

after running the Columbus Half, and really thinking over the smartest way to qualify for Boston, i have decided to return for the Columbus Marathon. i was originally thinking i would run the Denver Marathon since i will be out in Boulder anyway.... it takes place on the same day... but is also located a mile in the air and only has pace teams for 3:20 and above.

my time was effected negatively by the heat in the cbus half. this made me come to the conclusion that if i ran the Denver Marathon i could be fully conditioned to run a 3:10, but miss it due to having to also compensate for the lack of oxygen. i have spent way too many months training to have my time hindered by something out of my control. i would only have four weeks to adjust to the altitude, do my peak training run, and a proper taper. now i can use the altitude to benefit me when i return to the near sea-level conditions of Columbus.

so i bought a plane ticket to come back on wednesday the 15th and will be returning to Denver (very early morning) of the 20th.

i have also signed up to run with cliff bar 3:10 pace team.

join me in running the Columbus Marathon.

too good

mccain picked his vp today. alaska's gov sarah palin, who has even less experience then obama, has now been cast onto the, rightfully judgmental, national stage.

what would have been better?

if hillary went to the darkside. a mccain/ clinton ticket would have been the best thing ever. not for me. not at all. but, then the republicans would be forced to rally behind their only bipartisan option and vote for a true 'reach across the isle' ticket. the desperate hillary supporters would be given a new way to get their woman back into the white house... then the moon would crash into the earth.

but, that didn't happen... and, unfortunately for the republicans, the debates are rapidly approaching. their smear campaigns will be dealt with head-on and their many weaknesses revealed.

it's going to be a great fall.

grilled chicken parmesan

//grilled chicken/(my) homemade red sauce/fresh mozzarella (well... by US standards)/ parmesan reggiano//

my cat.

best cat ever - kitty.
i love this little guy more then anything.

add one

i will be running the Mizuno Columbus 15 Miler on Sept. 14th. anyone else can feel free to join me.

sign up here.

bad people

if some higher power does exist, they might find humor in our denial of the inevitable destruction of our society through 'natural' disasters and some incurable plague. morbid? maybe. though after hearing this morning about the continuing trial of a woman who put her baby in a microwave in order to kill it we all have it coming.

i fully understand that in the natural order of the animal kingdom that offspring are murdered by parents constantly. fact of life. eat the young or die yourself. though this does not, by any means, apply to primates or humans. we guard our youth - some animals will be so heart broken by the loss of their young that they will continue to carry around the body and try to nurse is back to health like some warped hopes of a doll coming to life.

bit of a tangent, but back to the point. how did twisted acts of brutality become something so accepted by society that this story barely has an impact on us, and doesn't make the evening news? are mccain's $500+ shoes really that great? is michelle obama's lack of pride in our country really that surprising?

at what point does the bad outweigh the good of humanity?

here's the terrible story.

columbus half results

08.24.08 half marathon results:

1:32:51
7:06 pace
2nd in age group
31st overall

decent considering how disgustingly hot and humid, and lacking of shade, the run was this morning.

this means i am on target for the denver marathon.

let's get drunk.

'leftovers' pizza

last night i grilled tarragon chicken with a (mustard/white wine/tarragon/honey) compound butter sauce... and i also made eggplant parmesan. both turned out incredible. the best way to use the leftovers? pizza.

chelsea smile (part ii)

check them out: www.myspace.com/chelseasmilerock
check me out: www.mattkoulermos.com

chelsea smile logo

check it.

tapering

it sucks.

when training, you spend your weeks building your pace physically and mentally. then taper weeks come. you have to think 'slower. go slower.' the entire run - restraining any urge to push speed or utilize the adrenaline and endorphin bursts.

miserable.

revised life plan.

after some pondering and deep self-inflection i have come to figure out where i am headed in the shuffle board match of life.

short-term:
- work at crispin this fall.
- head back to pratt for the spring and summer semesters to finish (ew.)
- convince my dream agency that they should pay me money.
- try to do something positive for the world

long-term
- begin working on interior design and take my graphic design abilities to another level.
- win some kind of superficial award.
- bank capital. spend money. save money.
- avoid needing a car.
- keep thinking on what i could do to better the world.

10 - 20 years long-term:
- open a restaurant with my bros. design everything from the lighting to the forks (aka an exit plan from advertising).
- actually do something positive for the world - outside of offering excellent food...

food shots

new rule - whenever i make something delicious and classy and my camera is near, i'm going to shoot it. then post it.

pizzas of the night:

prosciutto di parma, pear, caramelized-onions, gorgonzola, and balsamic reduction


mozzarella, basil, and tomato. a bit of garlic olive oil action too.

marketing to children

i am a bit torn on the issue of the f.t.c.'s regulations with restricting marketing of unhealthy products towards children. my dilemma is that in a capitalist society, with a free market, a company should be able to advertise to whatever audience their product is aimed (within a reasonable form of media), but then, as a runner and health-conscious eater, i find myself having a problem with the child obesity (and ultra-fat culture) in america.

what can be done?

is it really fair to force companies into only being able to advertise to parents? those are the same parents who were already letting their kids eat the disgusting shit in the first place. how good could their judgement really be?

then again, why should these companies be able to do whatever they want? they have the money and marketing power to reinvent their advertising approach on a whim.

what it comes down to is who gets their chunk of freedom. should the company get the rights to produce whatever abhorrent products they can conjure, then let the parents decide whether to let their kids shove the pre-fab foods and beverages into their gullets? OR should the corporations be placed under tight restrictions, and the parents awarded the freedom of conscious knowing that these evil food goliath's are putting a little less effort into destroying the future health prospects of their children?

bitter

over the past year, for some reason, my pallet has become attracted to the bitter.

some recommended favorites:
- pure cranberry juice (buy at trade joe's)
- (90+ coco) dark chocolate
- greek yogurt
- magnus berries (regional in italy, but still)

< 13 days

with under two weeks to go until my first (real) race in 11 months, i am pretty pumped. it now comes time to refine training, cut out alcohol, and focus on nutrition. the columbus half-marathon is going to be a great test for me to push pace and see if my training is on-target for the denver marathon in october.

see you at the finish line.

trail runners

i think i'm going to buy a pair for colorado.
running through the woods is a lot cooler then dodging cars.

portfolio update

anna kate and i have added to the 'dictionary.com' campaign, and reworked the 'band-aid' ads. i also put up a new photo in the 'other' section.

check 'em out.

shoe slut

i decided to leave my 'new balance 902s' for the 'nike zoom skylon +2'

the sectioned sole is pretty legit. i recommend looking into it.

waiter of the night

bad waiters don't generally bother me; unless they mess up my order. i understand that it is not the most fun job in the world. forced human interaction has to take its toll. yet when the night is tainted by a waiter's subtle arrogance, and smug-dickery, then i do start to become a bit bothered.

we went into nyc to grab a meal at 'one if by land, two if by sea' for restaurant week. it's known as one of the best restaurants in the city. i had a good time. great company, very decent food, and yet the evening was altered by a waiter's attitude and service. honestly, it didn't bother me, but it did annoy my brother - to the point of putting enough of a damper on the night that it made me annoyed at the waiter for allowing my brother to think i might have had a bad time.

when paying a good amount of money for a dinner, good service should come standard. unfortunately my brother is way too nice to let his true feelings show in the tip. by the end of our dinner i think this guy was headed toward the < 2% range.

portfolio photo update

bermuda photos are up. they look sooo much better then on facebook - fucking jpeg formating ruining my vibrant colors.

click to check it out.

grapenuts

by far still the best cereal ever. italy didn't have them... just corn flakes and special k, both with a few variations and knock-offs. grapenuts are one of those things i came to quickly miss.

it's what i eat race day (with a protein shake and half a power bar). they stick with you like a well mixed concrete.

i don't think much cereals can compare when grapenuts are paired with some fresh berries and milk.

attempt at greatness

i made my first meat sauce (post italy) tonight. it was good.

only 'good' for a couple reasons. i am obviously my harshest critic on this one... coming from the food valley and eating the best that italy has to offer, then trying to recreate it is a very very hard task. also, dealing with mediocre to poor ingredients doesn't help. enough with the excuses. there's always room for improvement, and the crowd appreciated the effort. now i work towards a state of perfection that will shock and awe.

game on.

loa

no. not the voodoo spirits from haiti.

leave of absence - as in not returning to pratt in the fall so i can go work for crispin porter + bogusky.

i'll be movin out to boulder, co, in mid-september; with prospects of a marathon and the start of ski season soon to follow.

it might seem like my life has become an extended vacation, and since i love what i do, it definitely has. (well plus the fact i will be living in four different locations within a year)