Spring Safety Poster: Flying Objects Are Closer Than They Appear!

I created this poster for the City of Houston Public Works & Engineering Department. It is publicly displayed in the Bob Lanier Public Works building.

My mission was to create a safety poster covering four issues which are being discussed with PWE employees in their safety training. I looked at many different types of art design and decided to base this poster on World War II propaganda posters. I enjoy that style and felt it would make a strong impact. After looking at all of the messages I needed to include, I decided the visual theme would be "flying objects."

The poster was created in Adobe Illustrator CS4. I hand drew the backgrounds and used brushes, symbols, and customized clip art for other elements.

Since this poster was time-specific regarding the upcoming time change, I wasn't able to implement my 3D concept. I considered adding actual depth by cutting out the pop-out objects and putting some cardboard behind them.

This poster is property of the City of Houston.

Recycling Electronics Is Getting Easier

In my March 30, 2008 blog post, I discussed the issues and methods of recycling electronics.

As more retail stores, equipment manufacturers, and local governments open or expand their recycling programs, it is getting easier for consumers to recycle computers, televisions, media players and cell phones.

In the June 2009 issue of Consumer Reports, they answer the question "Why recycle?" by explaining,

"The cathode-ray tube in old-style TVs and computer monitors contains 4 to 8 pounds of lead, a neurotoxin. Cell phones and other electronic gadgets can contain mercury, cadmium, arsenic, and brominated flame retardants. Those toxins can leach from landfills into groundwater."

Read the full article.

We had an old 19" standard-definition, non-HD-ready CRT television that we no longer needed and could not find a friend or neighbor who wanted it. The TV worked fine, but even selling it on Craigslist was more problem than it was worth. We decided to recycle it. Houston has recycling centers that accept glass, electronics, motor oil, and paints. We went to the closest center and dropped off the television with the workers. We explained it was a functional television, so in case they or someone else wanted it, they were welcome to have it.

If you have an old cell phone, check with your local women's shelters or other charities to see if they accept cell phones for their clients. (Some cell phone or office supply stores collect cell phones for this purpose.)

Even scratched or defective CDs can have a new life as the face of a clock, or as reflective hangers to scare birds away from your fruit trees.

If you are recycling a computer that still has its hard drive, be sure to not only delete everything on the computer, but also to reformat the drive. If you can remove and (safely) damage or magnetize the drive, you can prevent anyone from finding sensitive information you may have had on the computer when you were using it.

Recycling keeps dangerous chemicals out of our soil, our water, and our bodies.

Raine to Talk at BikeHouston Annual Meeting January 27

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Dan Raine, City of Houston Bicyclist-Pedestrian Coordinator, will talk about the Houston Bikeway Program Tuesday, January 27, 2009 at the Annual Meeting of BikeHouston, Houston’s organization that advocates making the city safe and accessible for cyclists.

The meeting will begin with a reception at 6:30 p.m. followed by the program at 7 p.m. in the first floor conference room at the Houston Environmental Center, 3015 Richmond. Food and refreshments will be provided by El Meson Restaurant.

In addition to the Bikeway program, Raine will talk about efforts by the city government to improve the on- and off-street bikeway network. Raine is a Transportation Planner with 15 years experience, a member of the American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP), and a League Certified Instructor (LCI) with the League of American Bicyclists (LAB). Raine was the former Pedestrian-Bicyclist Coordinator with the Houston-Galveston Area Council (H-GAC).

In addition to Raine’s talk, Robin Stallings, Executive Director of Bike Texas/ Texas Bicycle Coalition from Austin will provide a legislative update on bicycling initiatives pending before the Texas Legislature this year.

BikeHouston is a local Houston organization promoting bike access, safe bicycling, education, and public awareness of the personal and community benefits of cycling. The meeting is open to all cyclists and anyone interested in learning about cycling in Houston. See www.bikehouston.org for more details.

For more information, contact Paul SoRelle at psorelle@sorelle.info or 281-687-5666.

Houston HD Radio Station Guide

For more information on HD Radio, check out hdradio.com

Frozen Precipitation Covers Major Southern City

Hey! It's snowing!


It's 44 degrees F (7 degrees C) and snowing in Houston, Texas. It can be hard to show the fine ice particles against the sky or a distant background, so I videotaped the pellets hitting our grill cover.

Hurricane Ike

Hello from the land near the land with no power!

We are blessed to have no damage to our home or offices, but the lack of power puts a few crimps in our daily schedules. Totem Media, L.C. is open and we are able to receive e-mails through our smartphones. Replying with full text msgs is a bit difficult - as I'm discovering by typing this blog post! :)

Our graphics & production services will remain on hold until power is resumed in our offices. We appreciate your understanding during this difficult time.

Please consider donating to a charity providing support to those who lost their homes & livelihoods due to Hurricane Ike.

Hurricane Gustav and Cute Puppies

Hurricane Gustav should be hitting land east of Houston, TX. We are keeping the people of southern Louisiana and extreme eastern Texas in our thoughts and prayers for their safety.

A New Orleans local group takes pets out of peril: Link to Weather.com video clip.

Flowing Fractals Fracture in Digital Media Explosion

There is no better way to celebrate Totem Media's Fifth Anniversary than with a catchy new video!



This video was created using Adobe AfterEffects, Soundbooth, and Premiere Pro, using self-produced images and videos, as well as stock video elements.

See the full-size Flash version on the Totem Media website!

Totem Media Address Update

We have a NEW address!

Please send all correspondence to:

Totem Media, L.C
9002G Chimney Rock Road
Suite 320
Houston, Texas, 77096

www.totem-media.com

Our phone and fax numbers remain the same. See the Contact Us page on the Totem Media, L.C. website for more information.

I Rode for a Cure!

I'm baaaaack! Had a great time bicycling this weekend from Houston to Austin in the BP MS150.

Max & I got up at 4:30am. We had packed the night before, so we only needed to put on our cycling clothes, pack the bikes, and drive 30 miles to Rhodes Stadium in Katy, TX. The other two start locations were Tully Stadium on I-10/Dairy Ashford, and some location in Waller, TX.

It was a cool morning - colder in Katy than our house. We knew the day would be nice - in the low 70's, so we didn't wear cycling pants, just long-sleeved shirts over our bright St. Arnold jerseys.

Our attitudes were good. We had ridden the MS150 two years before, and felt confident that we would do well on this ride. We got in line about 6:30am and crossed the starting line about 7:00am.

The variety of riders on a large, organized ride is interesting. It's a mix of everyone from very skilled riders on amateur bike teams to first-timers who probably bought a bike last week. (Max & I are somewhere in the middle of this spectrum.)

More coming soon...

Training for Riding

Bicycled 23.25 miles yesterday. Great ride - the weather couldn't have been more perfect - 70's and partly cloudy. Just rode around town - down to Hermann Park, then over to Montrose and back to SW Houston. The park was packed with cars, so I'm glad we rode our bikes. Even though we rode safely and with the traffic flow, it was much quicker for us.

Spent some time on Houston's roads, which were surprisingly not very busy. We'd like to personally thank every driver who shared the road with us and gave us extra space. It is the safe and polite thing to do, and we really appreciate it.

BikeHouston 35th Annual Moonlight Bicycle Ramble

BikeHouston is proud to announce our 35th annual Moonlight Bicycle Ramble will be held Sunday, October 28, 2007 at 2:00am.

The BikeHouston Moonlight Bicycle Ramble is more than a family bike ride - it's a rolling party! We'll have two routes: an 8-mile and a 20-mile. Both routes start at the George R. Brown Convention Center in downtown Houston, Texas. Details, ride rules, and a printable registration form is all available on the Adobe PDF Moonlight Ramble flyer.

I'll be staying up all night to volunteer for the Moonlight Ramble. I'll be there with many other dedicated, and maybe a little wacky, volunteers who believe in community service, alternative transportation, and having fun!

What is Multimedia? Part 2

2. Multimedia is a means of distributing information through a variety of formats, usually digital, between two or more people, through text, graphics, sound, images, animation, and video.

This is the distribution definition of multimedia. It is not the content (the message), but how that message is conveyed. The most common form of communication, besides speech, is the written word. Altering fonts, colors, sizes, margins, orientation (vertical or horizontal), etc. can clarify and enhance your message. If "a picture is worth a thousand words," then video is worth thirty thousand words! One reason is there are thirty frames (images) per second of video. The second reason is people love to watch moving pictures, whether they are on a television, movie screen, or Jumbotron at your local sporting arena. Concepts and impossible-to-shoot scenes (space, deep ocean, historical events, futuristic ideas) can literally be brought to life with animation. Every medium has its own advantages and disadvantages. Speak with a multimedia consultant to find the options best for you, your message, and your customers!

Training Begins, Recent Work, Rock'n'Roll

My husband and I have started our training for the BP MS150 Houston-to-Austin bicycle ride. We started off with an easy and fun 11-mile roundtrip ride down the Braes Bayou Trail in southwest Houston. The weather was very nice.

I created a banner for Kaneka Texas Corporation. They will use it on a conference booth.













This banner is just one of the conference display materials I have created for Kaneka. In 2006, I designed their entire conference booth. The photos, URL, and phone number plaques seen on the blue fabric side panels are movable, so they can place or even replace the images as needed.














On October 2, I attended the Collective Soul / +Live+ concert in Houston, at the Verizon Wireless Theater downtown. I have been on Collective Soul's newsletter for a few years now, so when they let us fans know we could secure meet-n-greet passes by pre-purchasing a fanclub membership when buying our concert tickets, I leapt at the chance. Besides being talented musicians, Collective Soul is definitely one of the better looking bands I've seen!













Originally, the meet-n-greet was supposed to occur before the show, but the band's plane was late, so we did it between the two band's performances. This shot of +Live+'s lead singer was taken from backstage.

BP MS150 Houston-to-Austin Bike Ride

Over two days in April 2008, I am riding 180 miles between Houston and Austin Texas to raise money and awareness for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Lone Star Chapter.
Fourteen thousand Texans live with MS, which is fourteen thousand too many. I am riding to help find a cure for this debilitating disease, improve my own health, and be part of a HUGE moving (physically and emotionally) show of support for everyone who has or knows someone who has multiple sclerosis.
I am a member of the Saint Arnold Bike Team, which consists of nearly 300 beer-drinking, bike-riding people, though not at the same time! Our 300 riders are about 2% of the total riders on the BP MS150 Houston-to-Austin ride. It's an incredible event.
I am asking for your help in the fundraising portion of my ride. I'll suffer the sore legs, arms, and behind(!) if you will donate $20, $50, $100, or whatever amount you are comfortable with.

Visit http://www.ms150.org/ms150/donate/donate.cfm?id=206435 to make your donation securely online!

Thank-you!!!

Jury Duty

Leaving in a few minute for municipal court jury duty. Even though I have a lot of work and other "more important things" to do, I am willing to do my citizen duty. I put "more important things" in quotes because we all have things we want to do rather than sit in the jury selection room, but serving on a jury is an important part of the American justice system. We are helping the courts and our fellow citizens by giving voice to the public. A good jury serves true justice.