OMG! A Sold-Out Burning Man

The real story for August is Burning Man. How many of you know Burning Man? You know, the annual festival devoted to radical self-reliance and self-expression...?

Okay, so where am I?

Well...

I decided to make the pilgrimage to better understand a world I had immersed myself in, downtown Las Vegas, where Zappos CEO Tony Hsieh is investing a portion of his personal fortune into what he hopes will become a sustainable entrepreneurial ecosystem. There are streaks of Burning Man everywhere (e.g., a 40 ft.-praying mantis spews out fire every night near the new Zappos campus), and I wanted to see the inspiration for myself.

But getting to my destination proved to be more expensive and challenging than I ever anticipated. Tickets are $380, and factoring in transportation, camp dues, and basic survival gear, it cost around $2,000 just to get through the gate—the bare minimum by most standards. For many of the 70,000 revelers, expenses skyrocket well past that amount. Black Rock City still operates as a sharing (or “gifting”) economy, but commercialization lies just beyond the festival’s borders.

You’ll only need 200-something items…

I found an at-value ticket in mid-August, which was lucky, because the last-minute “OMG” tickets were already sold out. To claim my ticket, I met my seller at a luxury apartment building in downtown Las Vegas, where I was greeted by two 20-somethings who presented the golden ticket while playing guitar and wearing rabbit ears. Along with it, they handed me an official Burning Man Survival Guide outlining the festival’s 10 principles.

“You have to prepare for everything,” a longtime burner warned me. “The weather can be extreme and highly unpredictable.” In Black Rock City, temperatures often reach over 100ºF during the day and can dip below freezing once the sun sets. Windstorms are a normal occurrence, and in whiteout conditions, winds can reach around 70mph. “Survival first,” she stressed. “Costumes last.” Having moved to Las Vegas with just two suitcases only a few weeks prior, I barely had enough everyday clothing on hand, nevertheless survival gear or costumes.

An acquaintance shared with me a Google doc with her 200-some item list of supplies, saying that she ordered everything off Amazon, but it was too late for that. Instead, I made the rounds between Target, Home Depot, and Walmart to cover a host of items, including goggles (night vision and regular), LED lights, cold-weather gear and boots (to protect against the alkaline dust).

“Will this bike work?” asked my friend Ian, who looked oversized sitting on a small pink child’s bike underneath the florescent lights at Target near the outskirts of the city. At around $100, it was the cheapest option to take to Black Rock City, so I went with it, trying to be practical—though it didn’t last long on the playa. When I finally reached the cash register, my card declined three times; a US Bank representative told me that racking up such a high bill at a Las Vegas Target qualified as unusual activity.

Walking through the store aisles, I was simultaneously on the phone with the person who might be subleasing my Encino apartment for the year. Worried that the cost of Burning Man might make my bank account go negative, I asked her, “Is there any way you could wire the security deposit this week?”

Thankfully she did.

Planes, trains and automobiles

I was determined make it to Black Rock City, and there was no turning back.


I contemplated flying to Reno and renting a car alone (which easily would have doubled my budget), and even asked an acquaintance if I could helicopter in with him and a friend, but they didn’t have room. I finally sent a mass email out to some downtown Las Vegas residents, but no one responded. To no avail, I joined a Las Vegas Burning Man Group on Facebook, and landed a ride with two strangers nearly hours before they were leaving. I quickly went to the nearest Bank of America to wire them transportation costs and secure my place. It felt like the equivalent of modern-day hitchhiking.

If finding a ride was a feat in itself, so was finding a camp. Earlier that summer a Silicon Valley entrepreneur alluded to finding one for me, but in the final days before the event, all of his friends’ camps were full. Through a Burning Man meet-up event at the GoldSpike, I met the owner of a Las Vegas entertainment company, who graciously invited me to join his group. Dues to join the camp were only around $150 plus two bottles of hard alcohol—quite reasonable by most standards—and the base volunteer requirement was taking on shifts pouring drinks for revelers to attract them to the camp’s 24/7 sound stage. Several of my camp mates worked on the Last Vegas Strip as DJs, burlesque dancers and promoters, and Burning Man was just an extension of their daily lives.

So much for showers

Soon after arriving, I discovered that three things I usually take for granted would become luxuries on the playa: bathing, sleeping, and eating regular food. The shower at my camp — a makeshift pulley system built on a wooden structure and encapsulated in blue tarp—broke early on, so I gave up on traditional showers for the rest of the week. Because our camp was located just off the Esplanade, the road closest to the center of all activity, music from the art cars waxed and waned throughout the night, making it difficult to fall asleep at any hour. During the day, I learned, it was simply too hot to sleep inside a tent under the desert sun (I also noted that next time I’d bring a battery-powered fan).

Longtime burners had told me that “you can find anything you need” on the playa, and while in some respects that’s truer in Black Rock City than anywhere else, some things were elusive. There was one occasion where I decided to search for fresh fruit, only to look up and see a young man carrying a crate of oranges, but that was the exception. Mostly I lived off of Cliff bars and water, and when I received a dinner invitation to another camp one evening, I gladly accepted.

With the camp’s address written on my arm (there is no Internet or cell phone service on most of the playa), I walked into a space that was cordoned off by air-conditioned luxury RVs. A woman with a clipboard stood at the entrance of the dining tent, checking off names for the chef-prepared meals, and stopped me before I could go any further. “I’m sorry,” she said. “Your name isn’t on the list.” Instead, a friend brought out a bag of Cheeze-Its and a soda from the refreshment table, and we stood outside until dinner was over.
Earlier that day, I had ventured to the edge of the deep playa.

Surrounded by miles of white dust and looking over the hazy horizon, an eerie silence filled the air, with the temporary city far off in the distance. That’s a place I’d like to visit again, but unfortunately not this summer— it’s too expensive.

Here's some awesome photos from the festival:

The Emmys? Fugedaboudit!

Okay, so where am I?

So Monday night the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences handed out their beautiful statues at the Nokia Theatre. As always, the Emmys were a snore-filled snooze fest , but luckily there was a brightly shining stoned star who guided us safely through that never-ending mess. (**-more on that in a minute.) 

See more on the Media Guy's Instagram.

Of course I was late (when am I not?) sheesh! I didn't have a tux, despite the fact there were tuxedo fittings (gratis) But sometimes you just say fugedaboudit, I’m wearing whatever passes for dapper like grey slacks, a short grey tie (new invention), Prada shoes, and a tux jacket with weird seams that make it look like I’m a reflection in a carnival mirror, and if I have time, I’ll finger-comb some dusty defining paste through my hair in the limo, because YOLO. Or whatever the acronym for “zero effort, I’m only here for the gin and tonic and free cigars from the gift suite” is...

Oh how I love the red carpet, Haute Couture and modified tuxedos. I've been nominated twice but thus far unlucky with the golden envelope.

My excuse is that all the same people keep winning.

Low and behold, the 66th Emmys were almost all carbon copies of past years. That's the problem with the Emmys--they are the only one of the Big Four (Oscars, Emmys, Grammys, Tonys) that have the option to continually nominate the same people for the same body of work. Regardless, the Emmys are THE status symbol for creatives and television actors alike for they are the Mount Everest of TV awards. A Media Guy can dream right?

Hamm: Close but no cigar :(

The awards also represent something tangible network presidents can present to their board of directors and stockholders and sales departments to use as a tool to get more money out of advertisers. In a word, it is validation. Yet while the Emmys have shown a willingness to accept new forms of entertainment, voters still aren't quite ready to reward them…which is going to have a unique effect on big media's bottom line.

Take Netflix, for example. While Hulu, Amazon and others maintain a larger streaming presence overall only Netflix has really gotten a seat at the awards table so to speak. Yet for some reason, despite Netflix's success in breaking through with nominations, its programming can't take the big prize and that's an area the traditional networks still hold a huge advantage in.

** - Spoke with my buddy Allison at dlisted.com and I nearly split a gut with her take on Sarah Silverman...

For those of you looking at the toes poking out of the bottom of Sarah Silverman’s dress and wondering “Did that crazy go barefoot?”, the answer is yes, that crazy B went barefoot. Okay sure, she might not actually be barefoot; she could be wearing a pair of JJ Casuals. But since it’s human cloud of weed smoke Sarah Silverman we’re talking about, it’s probably safest to assume she’s barefoot.

Silverman: Do you want to build a snowman?

The second Sarah Silverman arrived, I knew everything was going to be alright. First she sashayed onto the red carpet looking like a sedated avocado with her breasts out, which is always the look. Then she got freaked out by a talking blonde grasshopper (Giuliana Rancic) and forgot how a microphone works. Then she started fighting with the grasshopper while trying to fix her breasts, at which point, Rancic opened her gold clutch to explain what she brought with her to the Emmys (good idea, distract the stoner with something shiny) and inside it was a vape full of liquid pot. Sorry, did I say full? I mean about 1/3 full, since she clearly inhaled most of it on the way to the Emmys.

Thankfully, that wasn’t the last we saw of a high-as-hell Sarah Silverman. She came back a little while later when she won the award for Outstanding Writing for a Variety Special, which she accepted by running to the stage barefoot, leaping up the stairs like Stoned Jesus, rambling about space and molecules, and thanking her boyfriend “Mr. Fancy Pants Sheen” (Michael Sheen). Afterwards in the press room, some adorable innocent naive cherub asked Sarah if had smoked weed before the show (aw, stay sweet, you). She answered that she likes to “have a puff as a treat, at appropriate times” (which I guess is the “Bitch, I might be” for more formal occasions), but really, did she even need to answer?

She was barefoot! That’s all the answer you need.

Yet I digress.

Really I didn't sit there wondering about all of this. I was trying to hold my man crush for Mad Men star Jon Hamm in check. Really, the Academy needs to get their act together. No only do they "owe" me a golden lady statue, but they owe Don Draper one too! Jon Hamm, best actor for "Mad Men." Academy voters have one more year to make this right. We know where they live you know.

...But that's another story for another day...

Double the fun: Anna Gunn and Debra Messing (click to enlarge)

Hi Julia! (click to enlarge)

Ah Sofia... (click to enlarge)

Bai Ling: Ice Queen

I remember hanging with Bai Ling as her "handler" at some random beauty pageant. For more on that, you'll have to buy the book (that is, if I ever finish it!)...

...as a handler, I knew she was a handful...

So, just when you were starting to think that the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge hit peak fame and had officially gone from the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge to the Ay! Look At Me Ice Bucket Challenge, the intergalactic space flower Bai Ling has taken it to new levels of MESS.

What do you think?

The delicate and demure sphinx cat who mutated into an alien when a flaming asteroid hit it many years ago was challenged by her overlord E.T. (at least I think that’s what she said) and she did the challenge on the beach in Santa Monica, CA in front of the paps she called while wearing a white tank midriff SANS bikini top. Because nothing brings awareness to ALS like Bai Ling’s gigantic, wet baby pacifier nipples. If it rains in L.A. today, it’s from Lou Gehrig crying out buckets of tears, because he’s so moved and touched by Bai Ling’s act of charity for ALS.

Before and after the challenge, Bai did a sexy, bikini photo shoot (because DUH) and she also wrote about it on Facebook and compared it to Chinese Water Torture:

Cookie: Lets take the challenge in life, no matter what it will be. Even if it is a water torture like the I had. Cause the experience will add something in your spirit.

Chinese Water Torture? Hmmmmm...maybe she would know...

Robin Williams R.I.P.

It's been a rough year - Casey Kasem, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Lauren Bacall and Robin Williams...

He was a brilliant actor and comedian who could go from light to dark in the blink of an eye. It's the kind of thing that you wish you could do in meetings or at networking parties.

Apparently the darkness took over, as Williams was found dead from an apparent suicide at noon on Monday. He was 63.

Williams touched every generation and demographic, making his entrance in a 1970s comic generation with Steve Martin, John Belushi, Dan Aykroyd and Billy Crystal.

Williams went on to become the alien Mork from Ork in his breakout hit '70s sitcom. He was also the voice of the genie in "Aladdin" and a hyper disc jockey in "Good Morning Vietnam." In "Mrs. Doubtfire," he played a dad who dressed as a woman to see his kids, and in "Birdcage," he played a gay man. He was an English teacher in "Dead Poets Society," a scientist in "Awakenings" and a prisoner of war in "Jakob the Liar."

But it was on a stage, in front of the lights, where Williams shined most brightly. The riffs, tangents and impersonations came rushing at the audience, a seemingly endless torrent.

"You get the feedback," Williams said in a 2007 interview. "There's an energy. It's live theater. That's why I think actors like that. You know, musicians need it, comedians definitely need it. It doesn't matter what size and what club, whether it's 30 people in the club or 2,000 in a hall or a theater. It's live, it's symbiotic, you need it."

On a television talk show, hosts knew Williams barely needed to be wound up. Sometimes, he needed only an audience of one: Williams visited Christopher Reeve a week after the actor's horseback riding accident, dressed in scrubs with a surgical mask and speaking in a Russian accent.

The roles became less prominent as he aged and a different generation took the spotlight. Last year, CBS cast him as the star of a sitcom, "The Crazy Ones," in which Williams played the colorful elder statesman at a Chicago ad agency. The network had high hopes for the comedy, which also starred Sarah Michelle Gellar, but they quickly faded and the show was cancelled after one season.

The failure of the show, coupled with the failure of the independent film “The Angriest Man in Brooklyn” this year sent Williams into an emotional funk, sources told FOX411. But darkness was nothing new to him. It was no secret that the Oscar-winning actor had suffered for years from periodic bouts of substance abuse and depression -- he made references to it himself in his comedy routines.

Williams joked about one fall off the wagon during a comedy tour, saying, "I went to rehab in wine country to keep my options open."

Williams (center) with Matt Damon (l) and Ben Affleck (r)

During an interview with comedian Marc Maron in 2010, Williams seemingly dismissed what would be a career highlight for many actors. "People say you're an Academy Award winner," he said. "The Academy Award lasted about a week and then one week later, people went, 'Hey Mork!"'

Word that he had likely killed himself Monday at his San Francisco Bay Area home left friends in the Hollywood community grief-stricken.

"Robin was a lightning storm of comic genius and our laughter was the thunder that sustained him. He was a pal and I can't believe he's gone," said director Steven Spielberg.

His good friend, the comedian Steve Martin, took to Twitter to express his condolences. "I could not be more stunned by the loss of Robin Williams, mensch, great talent, acting partner, genuine soul," he wrote.

Former “Tonight Show” host Jay Leno also looked back. "I saw him on stage the very first time he auditioned at the Improv and we have been friends ever since,” Leno said. “It's a very sad day."

Williams’ “Mork” co-star Pam Dawber was stunned.

"I am completely and totally devastated," Dawber said in a statement. "What more can be said?"

Penang: The Virgin Paradise

There’s something cooking in Malaysia’s virgin paradise, better known as Penang Island. 

Start with Kek Lok Si Buddhist Temple and never look back.

As a matter of fact, eating is the single topic on everyone’s tongue from the minute you hit the beautiful tropical island. Despite its British roots—under British rule since its sultan gave it up in 1786 in exchange for protection against his Siamese enemies—Penang produces a bevy of culinary delights. Locals have been crafting char koay teow (stir-fried rice noodles), nasi kandar (biryani rice with naughtily spicy curries) and congee (milky rice porridge) since then, blending in Western flavors for unique delicacies now native to only Malaysia. To find out what the buzz is about, stroll into Chinatown in Georgetown, the capital of Penang state, f or a taste and a tour of the eclectic blends of spice and rice. But satisfying your taste buds isn’t the only thing on this island’s menu.

Interwoven between the cafés and coffee shops are amazing combinations of cultures, Buddhist temples and shopping that make for a fascinating side trip. Here nearly everything you can imagine is available for sale in what amounts to a negotiator’s dream: traditional lanterns, vintage British cigarette lighters, joss-sticks, Malay jewelry and local artisan crafts. And, no, you won’t find any of the opium that was once traded with India and China when this was a burgeoning port town in previous centuries. But you will find some soothing Malay teas and a friendly smile at every stop.

All that's missing is the South Beach "talent."

Remember to bring an umbrella, usually supplied by your hotel, as two-inch downpours can happen at a clap of thunder.

SLEEP: Flamingo Hotel by the Beach
Enjoy alfresco delights and a sweet Malay martini while dining in the oceanfront beach bar of this simplistic, yet oddly elegant hotel, just steps from the heart of Georgetown. www.penang.flamingo.com.my

Malaysian river prawns vs. Louisiana craw fish: you make the call!

TASTE: Fresh River Prawns
Sneak away to the Khaleel Restaurant on Jalan Penang Street, the preeminent 24/7 Mamak (Tamil Muslim) eatery near the corner of touristy Lebuh Chulia. Don’t miss the fresh river prawns to satisfy your yearning for this delicacy and all other things crustacean.

EXPLORE: Trishaws
Georgetown’s garish rickshaws or “trishaws,” as they are commonly known, are the best way to see the town as drivers pedal their passengers around in outlandishly garish vehicles. If you tip an extra dollar, they might change the bad karaoke, playing full blast on their hi-fi stereo systems.

RELAX: Spicy Garden
Most people don’t understand the importance of spices. At one time, the spice trade made merchants across the globe untold fortunes. They preserved meat and were the key ingredients in perfume making and embalming the dead. They were more valuable than gold. All told, they established immense empires, tipping the balance of world power at the dawn of the seventeenth century.

Closest thing to the Garden of Eden you'll ever find.

Tucked away behind Teluk Bahang, the fishing village on the north western tip of Penang, in an eight-acre valley, lies the Tropical Spice Garden. This sumptuous example of nature conservation is all that remains of the resources that fueled Penang’s once booming trade. After one visit there, you get the picture perfect introduction to the plethora of spices—over 500 local and introduced varieties—that made Southeast Asia rich and famous.

This bewitching jewel of a garden, established on an abandoned rubber plantation, opened in 2003 and, we’re told, never fails to amaze. The minute you stride up to the conservatory, your senses are treated to savory treats as a gust of flavors wafts over you.

The walking guided tour—one of the finest this side of a docent visit to the Metropolitan Museum of Art—meticulously takes you across three garden experiences:

• The Spice Trail with its 100 herbs and spices.
• The Ornamental Trail, highlighting never seen (by me, at least) palms, flora, gingers and ferns.
• The Jungle Trail, replete with wild orchids and other jungle species stretched across an elevated pathway.

This isn’t your typical hands-off walk around a national park. The English-speaking guide goes into great detail about the trees and plants, often plucking a leaf and rubbing a seed pod on your wrist to allow you to smell the sweet aromas. He will even direct you to a lily pond, where you can dip your feet for a brief respite to the often oppressive Malaysian humidity. There, the guppies nibble your toes as part of your organic pedi-spa treatment.

The highlight is when you reach the on-site Tree Monkey Restaurant, serving Asian fare prepared with many of the garden's own spices. The views overlooking the South China Sea and daunting rain forest is enchanting. As are the restaurant’s sticky rice, tom yum seafood soup and onion omelets.

Daily Admission with tour is approximately $8 USD. There are cooking classes too, but call ahead to make sure they are staffed for the day.

A trip to the Tropical Spice Garden is almost worth the 25 hours of flying from Los Angeles through Japan to Kuala Lumpur, plus a quick flight to Penang.

Trishaws of Penang (above and below)

...the beer is pretty good too...

...and there is plenty of monkey business too!

The Maneater

These days have been rather pedestrian.

Conceptualize the campaign.
Craft the copy.
Art direct the graphics designers.
Gain approvals.
Go into production.
Rinse and repeat.

The life of the Media Guy isn't always so tame and simple...especially with the cameras role. Ah, the drama. Perhaps the biggest drama what you encounter behind the scenes.

In the not-too-distant past, I had to babysit one of those sweet-on-the-surface, yet vicious maneaters.

She'll only come out at night

The lean and hungry type

Nothing is new

I've seen her here before

Watching and waiting

Ooh, she's sittin' with you

But her eyes are on the door

So many have paid to see

What you think

You're gettin' for free

The woman is wild

A she-cat tamed

By the purr of a Jaguar

Money's the matter

If you're in it for love

You ain't gonna get too far

Winston Churchill once said, "When you're going through hell, keep on driving." What's hell like when you're babysitting a maneater / diva? Keep on reading...

Watch out boy, she'll chew you up!

...She has a wry, vivacious smile. Her smirk lets you know she was forever up to something. The California blonde with piercing blue eyes stopped all in her path. She lucked into the lead in television pilot. And despite the fact that dozens and dozens of pilots are made every year (only a few make it to air) she was already planning her Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremony. The pandering folk whose bills were paid by her fleeting stardom, made her into a poster child for entitlement. I was no different. My assignment was to keep her happy and show her around Los Angeles. My time with her would be well spent I was told because it would be easier to ghostwrite her blog for the new show.

Uhm, ok.

What really ensued -- in the immortal words of Jerry McGuire -- was "an up-at-dawn, pride-swallowing siege that I will never fully tell you about." Here's a quick rundown of what happened around town:

The Producer's “Punk-Ass Car.”

So where are we? We're driving down Cahuenga Boulevard after a private shoot at the Hollywood Bowl and she spots the producer of her show driving two cars in front of us in his vintage 1960's Mini Cooper. She starts laughing and pointing at his red cherry car, saying “Look at this guy and his punk-ass car. It's like a roller coaster car. Where are the clowns? Oh there he is driving! He's on of those executives who wants to be all cool in his fake hipster car."

So we both turn into the sound stage parking lot where the filming will be later in the day, and she sees the producer jumping out of his car. “HEY HEY HEY Honeeeeeyyy! I was watching you for miles and miles. I told Michael here that this was your punk-ass car.” So great. Not only did she insult her boss, but she insulted mine. She didn't care. All she wanted was her 140-degree coffee from Starbucks.

Phone Booth "Fun"

The only person more neurotic than a copywriter on deadline is the Maneating Diva when someone is trying to steal her spotlight. “There she is! That self-loathing bitch!,” she said of her sweet, brunette co-star with equally stunning green eyes. “She's a awkward, obnoxious dork. We've had fistfights, cat fights and shouting matches. Everywhere I turn, there she is!”

As much as the Diva was an up-and-coming nobody, the Self-Loathing B was at least a B-level star [think Baywatch]. Yet I digress...

...Apparently the Maneating Diva and the Self-Loathing B have had their issues on the set — giving a co-star’s boyfriend a Benadryl-laced brownie can strain a friendship you know — and their real-life relationship has its moments as well. Like the time the Self-Loathing B invited the Maneating Diva to a group therapy session, only to have the anxieties of twenty waitresses, er, actresses, send her running.

Now, the Self-Loathing B admits to being in therapy for ten years now, and says she’s even tried to persuade her directors to go with her. “She went in and out,” the B said. “She ran out once when I took her. Ran out! In group therapy! We caught her in a phone booth on Hollywood Boulevard hiding from ten neurotic actresses. And we’re saying, ‘You need us!’ And she’s saying, ‘I don’t need anybody!’ And she wouldn’t come out. And I don’t know if she ever went back to therapy.”

The Germaphobe

Judging from the photo on the left -- and I'[m sure you are -- the Maneater can be a real germaphobe and she is! No hair stylist is allowed to touch her hair without non-latex gloves. So usually, she does her hair herself. My favorite thing to do to her was when we had to stop to eat, I would come out of the men’s room going like this [shaking both hands and leaning in for a hug]. And she will not shake hands or get near you for days if she’s seen you go to the bathroom.”

All of this might seam pedestrian -- like creating a media campaign on Thursday -- but let me tell you it's no picnic. Be warned! The Maneater will you you up. Boy will she ever. So how do you spot one away from the movie set? Read on...

Spotting a Maneater

Whether her actions are blatantly visible or tactfully discrete, familiarity with the characteristics of a maneater will help in spotting one instantly. The male equivalent, often referred to as a player, is praised and envied. When a woman mirrors the moves of a player, she is regularly begrudged by women and loathed by men – merely because they cannot have her. Ever since Nelly Furtado’s release of the notable hit Maneater in 2006, I’ve been fascinated by the woman that "you wish you never ever met her at all." After understanding the characteristics of a maneater, you’ll know when you’re in the presence of one and even how to mimic her if that’s your desire!

1. CALLS THE SHOTS
Of all the characteristics of a maneater, bossiness is never absent. She makes the decisions according to her own time and needs leaving the man utterly powerless. A maneater rarely initiates contact, and when called or texted, she chooses if the man’s worthy of her time before responding. Meetings occur if, where, and when she wants. Her attention is so difficult to grasp that, to a man, it’s disguised as a reward. If he fails to see things her way, he quickly returns to her list of nobodies.

2. NEVER IMPRESSED
When a man no longer considers fulfilling a women’s wishes a challenge, he will begin to lose interest. While avoiding acting repulsed, she will instead act unmoved by his attempts at impressing her. His natural response is to try harder because he’s failed to measure up to men she is used to. Although she may tender a "thank you" and reward him here and there, she will always give the impression that his efforts could be better – in order to conspicuously abolish his ego. If she and the man are sexually active, she’ll use this as a leverage. For all the things he does for her, he earns a rightfully deserved sexual encounter – and more importantly, scarcely rare.

3. DISAPPEARS FROM THE FACE OF THE EARTH
Every maneater has a knack for the disappearing act. A woman’s absence makes a man yearn for the slightest speck of attention. He’ll wonder for days what he did wrong, who replaced him, and if he’ll ever get her back. Undermining his confidence will only inflate hers because she’s succeeded at making him feel lame. This will cause the man to try millenniums harder to please her if she ever gives him the chance. Whether her disappearance lasts a few days or even months, he will be severely impacted by it.

4. MULTIPLE VICTIMS AT A TIME
The most necessary attribute of a maneater is the refusal of developing feelings. Receiving attention from multiple men at a time makes it easier for her to resist the temptation of falling for one of them. While instilling the fear that she at any time may move on to another man, she will stress to each one that they are the only one. Men don’t like to share, and if the woman they are pursuing is associating with other men, they may lose interest. She’ll avoid posting evidence to social media and portraying PDA simply to keep her options open.

5. AVOIDS RELATIONSHIPS
Although a maneater may at some point surrender to caring for someone other than herself, she will then be considered retired. Maneaters consider solely their own feelings, not those of others. A girl whose boyfriend is constantly on his knees longing to please her can often be mistaken for a maneater, but unless she’s not committed or invested in the relationship at all, she is not one. Some girls are sneaky and engage in relationships, only that are advantageous to them, while continuing to fraternize with other men. Remember, a maneater’s goal is to lure a man into an obsession with her and spits him out. This is, of course, until she finds a man who does the same to her!

6. EVERYONE ENVIES HER INDIVIDUALITY

She is unique, confident, and has the attention of every person in the room – including women. To be a maneater, you must be unafraid of being alone and unaffected by other people’s opinions. She knows the importance of always appearing beautiful, fashionable, and desirable. She does her own thing and doesn’t take notice of her competition because, in her opinion, she has none. It is important to maintain the composure of being the girl everyone wants to be – not jealous, insecure, or competitive. If a guy doesn’t want her, she forgets him and finds one that does.

7. GUY’S GIRL
A maneater is well versed in befriending men even if it is just as friends. She is accustomed to placing men in the friend zone because she only dates the best of the best. She’s used to watching the game, playing video games, and even shooting hoops with the guys. Men adore women that can be one of the guys. She exudes confidence while doing so and even uses this time to flirt around.

Maneating is a dangerous and not something you want to make a habit of! It can really come back to bite you in the butt, which is why it’s important to not be too heavily determined on mirroring these traits. Do you know a maneater, or are you one? Are there more characteristics you’d like to share?

Logos: Inside the Creative Lab

Famous last words:

"Can you whip out the logo for new client today?!"

Are you kidding me? "Whip out a logo?" It's not as easy as it looks. Every person from the CEO to the janitor gets to weigh in on the new brand identity. It's simple, right? Think again.

There's more to whipping out a logo than playing in PhotoShop, slapping a name on a circle and calling it a day. Just because Nike swindled Carolyn Davidson out of her $35 was super efficient in the purchase of their Swoosh Logo in 1971 doesn't mean they grow on trees (or in college computer labs)**.

Impact is job one of a logo. The subtleties come from special training and a sharp visual eye. Some of this you can learn and some of it, quite frankly, you have to be born with.

"Born with" you ask?

Take a look at some of these logos. They are instantly recognizable. But do you know the real stories behind them? Some of them might surprise you...

BASKIN ROBBINS
We all know and adore Baskin Robbins’ ice cream, founded in 1945 in California by Mr. Baskin and Mrs. Robbins. Their slogan has changed many times over the years, but it often mentions their famous 31 flavors: “31 Flavors of Fun,” “31 Flavors at Their Best,” “Trust 31” and “Celebrate 31,” just to name a few. In the logo, you can also see the number ’31’ in pink in the Baskin Robbins logo, just one of many stories behind famous logos.

APPLE
The Apple logo is well-known worldwide, but did you know that it was created because Steve Jobs had just come back from an apple farm after starting a fruitarian diet? The Apple logo was first rainbow-colored to show that Apple products could create color graphics. The bite was taken out of the apple because Steve Jobs was worried that people would think it was a cherry!

NIKE
The logo for Nike, otherwise known as the ‘swoosh,’ was created by a lady called **Carolyn Davidson in 1971, after she was chosen while working on a graphic design assignment at school. She wasn’t initially happy with the design, stating, “I don’t love it, but it will grow on me.” She was paid $35 for the design, which is crazy considering what it would be worth today!

STARBUCKS
If you look at the original design of the Starbucks logo, you might be shocked - it’s a shirtless mermaid with two tails sitting in a surprisingly sexual way! It is thought that the mermaid is one from Greek mythology. This mermaid design was often criticized due to its sexual nature, so it was adapted and changed to what it is today.

CHUPA CHUPS
The logo for the famous lollipop brand, Chupa Chups, was designed by the wacky painter known for his melting clocks, Salvador Dali, in 1969. The colous for the design were taken from the Spanish flag, because the name ‘Chupa Chups’ comes from the Spanish word chapur, meaning ‘to suck.’ The logo was designed in an hour while Dali sat in a cafe with a friend.

MERCEDES BENZ
Essentially, the Mercedes Benz logo was designed to tell everyone how wonderful they are! The three points on the logo are meant to represent three elements - water, air and earth - and Mercedes Benz’s dominance over all three (due to their boats, airplanes and cars). Modest!

It’s easy to see these logos every day of your life, but be so unaware of how they came to be! There are so many interesting stories behind all kinds of famous logos, it’s definitely worth checking them out. Did you know any of these? Which other logo origins do you know of?

PEPSI
The colors in the Pepsi logo are meant to represent the colors on the American flag, showing the company's patriotism and pride. That’s not the end of it, however - apparently the Pepsi logo represents feng shui, the Pythagorean theorem, Einstein’s theories, the Earth’s magnetic field and so much more. How? Your guess is as good as mine.