Boy Meets Cool
Friday is the day to be cool, to be hip, to be, well…
At least Girl Meets World’s attempt at a reboot of a ’90s classic occasionally brings back these moments between best friends Cory and Shawn. The weekend calls for the coolest levels of cool. Cory and Shawn’s handshake is one of the greatest of all-time. Yes, this BMW staple is on par with the simpler handshake between the Fresh Prince and Jazzy Jeff.
As cool as the other side of high school.
This is what “Flashback Friday” is all about.
A Lift Back in Time
Sequels, historically, have a mixed record. How about a non-sequel sequel?
The 2011 film Crazy, Stupid, Love starring Ryan Gosling, Steve Carell, Emma Stone and Julianne Moore is a wonderful cinematic achievement. Akin to the Ocean’s Eleven trilogy, the casting, writing and acting was pitch-perfect and clever throughout with fun twists and fantastic settings we wish we could hang-out in on the weekend or on vacation.
Great escapism.
Speaking of escapism…
Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone’s chemistry in Crazy, Stupid, Love is clearly evident. Remember the Dirty Dancing-inspired scene with the famed lift? It’s fitting the two would make a movie that expands their burgeoning romance from that dynamite move.
Despite not being their first reunion on film (Gangster Squad in 2013), the brand new teaser trailer for La La Land is, in terms of tonality, a similar feel-good spirit for the actor and actress as their beloved roles as Jacob Palmer and Hannah. The classical, dreamy aura reminds us of the Golden Age of Hollywood, inviting us into a world that serves as confirmation for why we enjoy movie magic and how this magic is created.
This film is unapologetic in celebrating Hollywood’s bright, shining spotlight elevated on and for the stage of suspended belief.
La La Land doesn’t look crazy or stupid, but full of love.
Four Years Later & I’m Still Looking to the Horizon
Exactly 1/10th of a score and two years ago (4 years total), I started Jimmy’s Daily Planet.
Paying homage to the greatest (albeit fictional) newspaper of all-time, The Daily Planet, this blog was founded on my love of my favorite superhero and disguised human of all-time: Superman and Clark Kent. The scene from Richard Donner’s 1978 classic Superman that showed us Christopher Reeve as Clark Kent walk through the bullpen of The Daily Planet for the first time was the moment I knew I wanted to be a journalist. The chaos, palpable energy and big city, skyscraper setting flew from the screen and landed directly into my impressionable imagination.
These few minutes showing reporters preparing to get the scoop, watching exciting individual and group dynamics (papers scattered, people typing, talking and moving) and hearing creative storytelling pitches is arguably my favorite journalistic hook.
I wrote my first blog post (Eight Years Later & We Look to the Horizon) about what the next Facebook would be in the future. The “next big thing”/new dominant social platform hasn’t arrived yet to eclipse Mark Zuckerberg’s social network from his days at Harvard.
This revelation will be realized, it just hasn’t happened quite yet.
One of the questions in blog #1 was whether or not we are an app generation? That answer has not conclusively been determined since July 13, 2012, but people seem to be embracing a hybrid. This translates to using popular sites and social media platforms (ie-Facebook) while simultaneously choosing a diverse selection of acutely personalized social media apps.
The best answer for July 13, 2016 is that we are a splintered population (or customer base) concerning our use of social media and digital applications (sorry, apps). Individualism rules.
What’s next?
That’s still the question. Not the question that Shakespeare wrote for his brilliant play “Hamlet.” Although, in a way, it sort of is. “To be, or not to be – that is the question.” Who will we be in the near future? How will someone revamp our already complex and extensive communicative grid? How will we change as a result? This very idea is thrilling to cogitate because, as Americans, we know a newfangled innovation will collide with destiny. And destiny is a very good friend with this country.
“I know something big and new is coming because that is the American tradition of big sky-big idea dreamers. Until then, start drawing on your dorm room window and think big, plain and simple.”
That’s the final paragraph of my first blog post on Jimmy’s Daily Planet. I remember writing that four years ago and I still believe it’s true today, whatever the wildly crazy idea or dream may be.
Plain and simple.
The Core of Apple’s Genius
An apple rolled into a mall…
This blog has, on many occasions, paid tribute and explored the various reasons how and why Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak revolutionized the world with their visionary technology. Lightning in a bottle is being modest when discussing that small tech company known as Apple. Equal to its imaginative quality and inventive prowess is the seamless accessibility of the insanely great products in its store.
Apple, in somewhat groundbreaking fashion, popularized the modern mentality that its store patrons ask questions. Lots of questions. Apple’s retail culture encourages curiosity with current and potential customers. Most retail store employees (regardless of industry) will answer a few inquiries, but ultimately expect a purchase of an item or items. In other words, a more linear business model. Interestingly, the Apple store was envisioned with practice and learning in mind. Technology is a complicated field and perhaps the real genius behind the Cupertino, California-based company is not with its informative bar, but instead with its inviting culture to all those intrigued by its line of cool products.
15 years ago, the Apple store was conceptualized into an exciting reality.
The come in, sit down and stay awhile attitude altered the shopping and browsing in a mall paradigm from being more directly motivated by total sales towards a more indirect connection with customers who are returning and who are new, leading to another sale or a first sale. This is not to suggest that Apple store employees aren’t clever salespersons. Quite the contrary. However, the way they are presenting and promoting their products, and more importantly their brand, is the impressive change agent.
As technology continues to transform individuals and societies into digital ecosystems, let’s not forget the late Steve Jobs believed in bridging the past and future together and not apart. Like the Apple store, if the personal connection is the overarching priority in collaboration with its product offerings, then innovation will not only take flight, but exceed all perceived expectations.
This way, the conversation between business and customer continues far into the future.
That’s just one reason why millions of people pick-up an apple Apple each day.
Jimmy's Daily Planet 