J. Brown Thinks Out Loud

It’s 2013. We live out loud. As humans on earth, we have more ways to communicate than ever before. For those of us who communicate professionally, we know that we have more opportunities to say the wrong thing. It also means we have more opportunities to say the right thing. What you say out loud is up to you.

I am grateful to have the opportunity to speak to different groups throughout the year. My favorite will always be students. For the most part, they’re respectful, they’re eager to learn and they genuinely need the guidance and advice that you can share. They are a captive audience.

When I speak with students, I often hear lots of questions about how to find a job. Whether I’m talking with communications students or math students, the answer is always the same. You must differentiate yourself from the other candidates. And you must do this from the beginning. I always recommend a few ways to do that and I’ve been told that the recommendations work.

As an applicant you have one chance to make a first impression, and you have to do that on paper. In a world that has become so visual, it’s a challenge to set yourself apart on a couple of pages of resume’ paper. So how can you use this visual trend to your advantage without barging into the hiring manager’s office? How about a head shot?

I recently had the opportunity to sit down with my friend John David Pittman and a head shot session. JDP is the only PH2 Associate Photographer in Arkansas. The PH in PH2 refers to Peter Hurley, a world renown head shot photographer. JDP has trained with Peter for many hours and you can clearly see that in his work. A quick stroll through his website shows a clear distinction in his work. His head shots bring your personality to life.

I often joke that I’m the least photogenic person on the face of our planet. I even joked the day I walked into his studio I don’t feel very pretty today. He laughed and said It’s my job to make you pretty, you just get back there and smile.

He has a unique requirement for each photography session. He asked that I step over to his Spotify app and choose the soundtrack for our head shot session. I quickly picked Bahamas because they’re one of the best bands in my ears right now. Let me tell you, it truly made a difference. I was all smiles and, with a few of JDP’s jokes like, Act like you’re picking out your next credenza, we were off to make a great head shot. The end result was a great shot.

In a world where everyone thinks about their image and brand, you can’t afford to ignore your own. The first impression is a huge opportunity for each and every one of us, especially those of you on the hunt for a new gig. Think about including a quality head shot with your next resume’ and see if it gives you the advantage over your competition.

If you’re like me, you’ve been crossing your fingers for another Arkansas State University bowl game appearance for the 2012 season. Worry no more, my friends. With Saturday’s (homecoming) defeat of the North Texas Mean Green, the Red Wolves officially stepped into bowl game eligibility.

I’ve been keeping an eye on the bowl game projections for a few weeks now and we seem to be all over the place. I hope that we win the conference championship and hold out for a better (and later scheduled) game than the New Orleans Bowl, which is reserved for the Sun Belt Conference champion. Enough small talk, let’s get down to the expert projections for bowl games this year:

• BBVA Compass Bowl - Birmingham, AL; Jan. 5th: CBSSports.com
• R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl - New Orleans, LA; Dec. 22nd: ESPN.com
• GoDaddy.com Bowl - Mobile, AL; Jan. 6th: Scout.com
• Advocare Independence Bowl - Shreveport, LA; Dec. 28th: PhilSteele.com

As you can see, the projections are pretty diverse at the moment. A lot could change after Thursday night’s game against Louisiana Monroe, as lots of sites still project ULM to win the conference championship. Comment below and let me know what you think of the projections so far. Where do you think the Red Wolves will spend their bowl season?

It’s Friday and we thought that you guys might enjoy another track from our recent live recording. This song, titled City Lights, is a Brown Soul Shoes original. It seems to be a fan favorite, but let us know what you think about it.

Good Monday morning to everyone and happy October to you all. I wanted to share another track from my band’s recent live recording. This one is a cover of The Thrill is Gone, an old B.B. King favorite. Enjoy!

My band, Brown Soul Shoes, recently recorded a show on the rooftop of Michaelangelo’s in Conway, Arkansas. Take a listen to the opening track and let me know what you think. It’s a cover of a Herbie Hancock song called Chameleon.

I recently celebrated my 31st birthday with the most important people in my life on the streets of Memphis and the sandy soil of the Mississippi Delta. As my birthday approached my lovely wife (H) asked, as she does each year, what I had in mind as a birthday gift. My response was simple and singular. I wanted tickets to the upcoming Arkansas State University Red Wolves football season. My request fell short after a little research.  discovered that we had several schedule conflicts with the home games in Jonesboro, so the tickets wouldn’t get the use they deserved.

It’s funny that she never asked what my “backup gift” would be and I never uttered any thoughts on the matter. I spent the days leading up to my birthday on the road for work, but was surprised with the opportunity to head home on the evening of my birthday. When I arrived at home, H had a nice bag, covered with balloons waiting for me on the dining room table. I can usually guess my gifts, but this year I had no clue about what I would unwrap. As I dug into the sack I saw the unmistakable packaging of Beats by Dre, almost as if there was a glow of golden light behind it. I was floored. I could not believe my eyes. I had the coolest wife ever!

If you’re a music fan and musician like me, you understand the importance of good headphones. I had a decision to make. What song would I choose on my first test drive? I grabbed my phone and quickly scanned my playlists until I found the perfect song. I turned the volume up and laid back in my chair while Kanye West filled my ears with his masterpiece All of the Lights. Wow! I was blown away. The bass was full, the treble was sharp and accurate. These were the best headphones I had ever listened to and certainly the best headphones I had ever owned.

I carry my headphones to the office everyday and I listen to them everyday. When I look to escape, my Beats are the vehicle that takes me away. I’ve created a list of  Must Listen albums with these headphones and wanted to share it with you. If you have albums recommendations for high quality headphones, please share them in the comment section below. I would love to make a long list to share. Sit back, turn up your volume and listen to music like you’ve never heard it before. Enjoy!

1. Led Zeppelin - IV
2. Pink Floyd - Dark Side of the Moon
3. Bon Iver - Bon Iver
4. The Beatles - White Album
5. Silverchair - Diorama
6. The Beach Boys - Pet Sounds
7. Miles Davis - Kind of Blue

It’s your lucky day! I’ve got another concert poster from Modern Gigposter. This one features everyone’s favorite (modern) jam band, Phish.

I would love to see these folks do a couple of vintage concert posters. I think the Grateful Dead would make a great addition to the collection. 

More beautiful eye candy from Modern Gigposter. This time our eyes are graced with this concert poster of Norah Jones.

Disclosure: This one may be my favorite

This is another great concert poster from the Modern Gigposter collection that I shared yesterday. This one features The Black Keys. Great stuff!

Surfing around online on this Friday afternoon lead me to a great collection of quirky concert posters. I found them on a blog called Modern Gigposter.

I’ll post a few of my favorites over the next few days, but I wanted to start with this stunning Matisyahu number.