Rad Anthem

Download "Rad Anthem" for FREE @ www.radomen.com

Built to Shred

Here's the end product of what I built two weeks ago. It was ridiculous having invested my time and money into the project, and then having to let it sit. Finally, I got my good friends together, hauled in some snow from local ice rinks, and had a great time. It worked like a charm, and now I can sleep at night. Photo cred goes to Nathan Kostegian, who made an awesome video from the evening, and I also took a screen shot from it for my blog header. Check it out and thanks Nate!

DON"T PUKE! from NathanKostegian on Vimeo.

New Project

Despite no signs of snow yet here in the Mitten, I took some cash to Home Depot and came out with this! Well, almost. I used a lot of resources I had been saving around the shop. The topsheet is from a sneeze guard from an old pizza store, hence "salad." That's gone now though, and the clear topsheet was showcased by 300 Christmas lights hidden underneath. I always dreamed of making a light up snowboard feature, so after some thought out drawings, I've now got a 14 ft. box that weights more than I can carry. Care to ride it? Just help me move in to a hill!

Lake Michigan

Wake Surfin'

Cool Brands Have Nothing to Prove

"Cool brands are led by people who are trying to bring something they love and appreciate - an experience, a product, an environment - to others. They stand up for their beliefs, even if that means they won't appeal to the masses. These brands follow a set of convictions and a distinct sensibility to create an experience they feel personally passionate about."

"Cool brands are like the opposite of the anxious party hostess who spends so much time flitting around making sure things are perfect that she makes everyone feel uncomfortable: They are calm and confident that if they stay true to their vision, consumers will come to them. This is bold, brave, authentic. Cool."

Fairlane

PBR

"PBR is a symbol of anti-consumption. Allow the market to appropriate and use this symbol (i.e., leave the Pabst poster girl with her teeth blacked out, let Starve package their CDs with PBR cardboard and duct tape)." It had to reject overt commercialism: "Don't succumb to hype, bluster, greed. Keep it honest and real. At the end of the day, life ain't about the almighty dollar." It had to stop being defensive about the beer's image: "Don't chase after the beer snobs. Some people are always going to look down on PBR. So what? You get the idea...

- Brand Hijack

Scream 4

Today I felt like part of the paparazzi. Scream 4 filmed all day in Downtown Plymouth.

Art in the Park

Some quick flyers I whipped up for Sun & Snow Sports during Art in the Park. The festival ran from July 9-11, 2010.

Dubstep Circus

Saturday, June 19th. I ventured to the Majestic theatre in Detroit for a concert experience unlike anything I've ever experienced before. "Concert" is not even the correct word to describe this event, but a more appropriate definition would be a "f#cking circus." Although I never got my Ringley Brothers Circus fix as a child, I got more than I could ask for from Cirque Du Womp's Dubstep Circus 5. I arrived four hours early with Kyle Culps and Chris Hutchinson, both taking part in the production with t-shirts and videography. Before the thousands of bass-thirsty youth would fill the theatre, we watched as the stage was created, the booths were setup, and the clown faces were painted on. After listening to Angela Pal and Grant Jackson both speak their minds on camera about their involvement with Detroit's dubstep scene and its creation; I realized that the entire production is a truly collaborative process of teamwork.

A member of the Detroit Fire Guild known as Baker led the crowd through an artistic journey of music, magic, fire, and the unexplainable. The crowd raved on through the night to the unique sounds of each DJ. I can't imagine how much more amplified the experience must have been for those fueled by mind-altering hallucinogenics. Needless to say, I stayed dry (from the sweat of others) and watched mostly from backstage as the show pressed on. It wasn't until an old friend from middle school took the stage as the headlining act at 2:30am that I began to personally relate to the music and enjoy it more. No matter how tired I may have been...it didn't matter. He ended the night with a unique J Dilla remix that re-created Detroit's dubstep future from the native rapper of its past...which I appreciated and hoped other's noticed, too.

Dubstep is 120 beats per minute electronic music, with the snare on the 3's and 7's, which originated from reggae with wobbled bass. Although today's collection of Dj's have gone above and beyond the reggae theme, Grant said "if you listen hard enough, you can still here it." My experience from backstage can't possibly do it justice in writing, which is why I look forward to Chris' expression of the event through his video - expected to be released in the next few weeks.

After a night of womping beats and great entertainment, I drove my friends home with the radio on in a daze. I couldn't help but laugh to the guys, when I finally realized that I couldn't hear anything but the repetition of bass continuing to play in my head as the sun began to rise.

For more information, click HERE

Home Studio Pictures

Green Screen Interview

Towards the end of my senior year, I was interviewed on behalf of CMU's College of Business. The video interview was my first experience using green screens, and the lighting and camera work necessary to get the shot was pretty intense. Questions asked concerned my college experience, the classes, and especially the professors who made my time at Central worthwhile. 

Northern California

Following my graduation from Central Michigan University, I headed West to Northern California with Ben and Corey Bixby. For two weeks, our lengthy vacation consisted of four mini-vacations, where we'd take off through Cali's curvy mountain roads, destined for new experiences.

Our first destination was Lake Tahoe. The minivan guided us around the massive body of water until we reached North shore and Alpine Meadows ski resort. It was surreal to pull into the parking lot and see the chairlifts running on a hot sunny day; especially since I hadn't been on my board for over two months. We paid the pricey lift ticket, only to find out later that having a season pass from any resort would have saved us a ton of cash. We strapped in...sifting through the crowded lift line full of colorful characters. By the first run I was sold, the stunning views of Lake Tahoe couldn't be more appealing to the eye. Spring conditions were in full-effect; dropping front flips off snow shelfs that were being etched away by the Sun's cosmic rays, and slashing through the endless jump line that seemed to span the entire mountain, the gloves were off.

We planned ahead for day two. I utilized some networking to get ahold of an Epic Pass, and worked some motel magic with Photoshop. To our surprise, it worked, and we got our half day in for dirt cheap. I spotted Nick Visconti in the lift line, and caught up with him since his last visit to Michigan for Freeze X Fest and the Mighty Midwest Tour. Keeping a tail on the local pro was difficult; he seemed to always be going faster than I though possible, even on cat tracks. Even so, the extra effort paid off. Nick pointed me towards some rock hips and fun lines that otherwise would have gone unridden. We dodged some ropes and stayed out of bounds for the last two runs of Meadows' season, as the chair had come to a halt for the summer by the time we made it down. We parted ways, and I could only look forward to Mammoth as we changed in the parking lot. A local who had overheard our conversation approached us with a message, "You gotta check out the hot springs on Green Church Road." Our next resort mission was booked.

Before heading to Mammoth, we spent some time at the secluded Bixby cabin in the hills overlooking Bear Lake Reservoir. Accessible only by snowmobile, Mr. Bixby was clutch to trailer along his two Ski-Doo 800 extended-track sleds. Those machines screamed up the hills, and required triple the effort to maneuver in snow than I was used to on Michigan's flat trails. We hiked to the top of the hill from the cabin, and built jumps throughout the woods. After spotting a giant boulder just waiting for a photo shoot, we set up a kicker and I got a few tow-ins to launch clear over the behemoth rock. Mr. Bixby also hooked up a toe rope to his sled, and provided effortless chairlift service from the comfort of his cushioned snowmobile seat. We called it a day on the slopes after that, and traversed back to the cozy cabin, where Direct TV and WiFi made us feel right at home in the middle of nowhere.

After a night sleeping by the smoldering fire, we packed up and headed down to avoid the rainy weather headed our way. We went back to our guest house, only to prepare once again for our trip to Mammoth Mountain. Ben came down with a sinus infection, leaving Corey and I to depart on our own. We woke up early the next day, and made the four hour journey in which the switchback roads creeped up and down over 8,000 feet of elevation, opening into scrub land and deserted California wastelands. Gas prices in the middle of the desert are not cheap.

We arrived at Mammoth at Noon and got our half-day pass. With only three hours remaining, we headed to the top and started making our way down the slushy slopes. We found the park and would continue to ride it for the rest of our trip. When the lifts closed, we got on our Droids to begin searching for the mysterious hot springs that our friend had described to us. To our surprise, several hot spring websites came up, and we began our search to find "natures cauldron." After 15 minutes of driving, a pale green church appeared off the road in the distance like a mirage. Nothing else was around except for the surrounding mountain ranges looking down on us. We took a left and headed down Green Church Road and continued to use GPS to guide us. When we arrived, three women were already relaxing in the tub located precisely in the middle of the desert. We conversed with them and played with their dogs, and many others joined later. An old ski bum named Jimmy even showed up, and didn't hesitate to drop trow and change in front of the ladies. It must have been the hot water coming from the bubbly depths below, or the hours we spent soaking, because everyone there was a tad bit crazy - making our hot spring experience that much more enjoyable.

Our last stop was Hangtown. The pro motorcross race took place on another sunny day, and 30,000 people came out to watch the event. It was my first outdoor motorcross, and I preferred watching from the hillside to keep the entire track in view. After watching a few races, the PBR kicked in and I seemed to inch closer to the track while leaning on the fence to feel the riders breeze past me. The full day event was quite entertaining, and provided a memorable experience to end our California adventures.

We packed up and headed out, back on the plane and another full day of airport travels. The two weeks I spent in NorCal were full of great memories and laughs. I'd definitely go back again, because the winding roads and the weather were all fantastic. Until the West beckons me again, I'll enjoy my summer with family and friends. The trip provided a mental vacation for me after a demanding last semester before graduating. If anything, it prepared me to get back to work, and begin my extensive job search to start my career.

Social Networks

For several months now, I have been using social networks like Twitter to connect with brands in the action sports industry and keep up with the latest news. My account, "mittenshredmkt", includes news about snowboarding in Michigan, as well as links to the promotional work that I have done with the O Park, Freeze X Fest, and more. I plan to utilize social networks more this summer to connect with companies I am interested in working with, and providing my followers with updated information concerning Michigan's action sports scene.

I also use my Facebook page for networking, as well as keeping in touch with friends and family. I often participate in viral marketing by sharing links to online information that I find interesting. I have completed several marketing plans for companies in the past that all included social networking strategies. Social networks are a great resource for sharing your message without paying for traditional advertising. I'm currently reading Groundswell, which explains how large companies have utilized social networking to interact with their markets and establish relationships. This is done by using sites like Facebook to truly understand their customers by engaging in and analyzing conversations regarding their brands.

Homies

My friends have made my college experience unforgettable. A lot of creativity was inspired from late night conversations and off the wall ideas with these guys. Time really does fly when you're having fun.

Splash Down

Ben Bixby sequenced these shots taken by Nate Kostegian from the Otsego Club's annual Splash Down event. The last day on the hill was sunny and full of great entertainment. Our final video clip for the 2010 segments can be found at the O Park website.

Keystone

For Spring break I road tripped West to Colorado. I met up with friends who are interning at Keystone through the Vail Resorts program. It was a crammed dorm room to say the least, but we lived the local life and avoided most tourist attractions. We also got a chance to meet some interns from Australia, who were world travelers at the age of twenty. I prefer this style of vacation the best, because it pushes me to make the most of each day without having any set plans.

American Marketing Association Boyne Trip

For CMU's AMA spring trip, I connected with Boyne to assemble a two day trip and marketing conference. Upon speaking with Ken Griffin, Director of Snowsports, we planned an hour long meeting for Friday, March 26th with our group. A total of 15 students traversed to Boyne Mountain on Thursday, where we checked in to the Clock Tower Lodge.The sales manager provided us with several rooms and nice view.

From that point on, two days consisted of skiing and snowboarding. Our meeting was very informational and provided us with details on the advertising methods used in the ski industry. I couldn't help but ask Ken what he thought about the increase in terrain park competition from Otsego Club in Gaylord. He commented, "I'd be surprised if they have it next year." Overall, a great success and the group had a blast.

Freeze X Fest 2010

Freeze X Fest from CMLifeVideo on Vimeo.

The second annual Freeze X Fest at Soaring Eagle Casino & Resort was underway Saturday, January 23rd in Mt. Pleasant, Michigan. With over 3,000 in attendance, spectators enjoyed watching winter action sports at the largest event of its kind in Michigan. For snowboarders, the Mighty Midwest Tour led by pro snowboarders Pat Milbery, Scott Stevens, Nick Visconti, and Sean Genovese gave amateurs a chance to ride and progress with the pros. As the campus representative, Central Michigan University got word of the event through Facebook and some guerilla marketing tactics, which proved to bring more students out and get involved this year.