Feb 26, 2014
Starting to realize something: it's easy to fall back into old habits.
Grazing over some projects and just handling real life has me looking like a hot mess right now. It's one thing to have a balance, but when you're the goto guy for just about everything, that can fall apart really fast.
Something I've been forcing myself to do is work on my truth.That sounds all mysterious and zen-like, but it's a bit more straightforward, if you have "X" amount of time in the day, you don't have time to waste on things that don't matter or you can't control.I keep harping on that for a reason, it's not things that I do that bother me as often as external stuff...which is cumbersome, you can't do much about it.
We've been doing a bit of top secret stuff and the thing that always comes to mind during pieces of the day is behavior.Why can some people control themselves so well at a given time? Is it an intrinisc talent? Practiced? Where does the ability stem from?
After some plotting, it all comes back to a pretty simple statement : people will do what they do.
If you take yourself outside of the world and realize your responses and self are all you can control, you'll gain a new meaning of what it takes to ascertain a goal. It's not bending the object, it's bending your will to the obstacle.
With that said, we have a lot of obstacles.They're not new. They just aren't mentioned, because it seems like a distraction, but if you think about it, the real loss lies in trying to do more than control oneself, but CHANGE yourself and how you feel.It's not real.
Now that I've turned the vague rant off, you're probably going to start seeing more stuff that doesn't make sense right now that will later coupled with some things that seem apparent and won't be complete until they are done. It's a long and secretive bunch of jargon I'm spitting at you,but there's purpose,just remember that.
I'm the meantime, make sure to check the fanpage and mailing list up before the week ends.I'm kind of everywhere, but there are things you won't want to miss. Pretend this is all a game for the time and just hang tight, we're trying to get to the next level. -h_h-
Try Hard,Never Settle, Stay Hungry -h_h-
Feb 23, 2014
I've been working on ditching lame stuff lately. What do you mean by lame? Just... lame. Only word to describe it.
Looking at the work, old and new. I can see a trend.We do great work, but it suffers. Not in ways you would imagine. More like, "oh wow, I didn't think about that.That's lame". I think I've said that at least a million times over the past few years.
It seems like we were just spending too much energy on the wrong stuff, and each piece of the story has just come together. The moment you stop trying to destroy yourself, and look up, the whole picture comes into focus.And now we're here. So welcome to the party.
Now that we're "here" , for lack of a better word, it seems like there is so much to do. I keep thinking about releases, wild faces,and just how fun this is going to be. It's the first time in a while I've been excited,for anything.
You guys have been hitting us up on Twitter, Contacts,and the Fan Page more often with the posts.It's kind of tough to explain everything that's going on, so just keep hanging tight. We're not dead, nothing crazy has happened (not in a bad way at least, unles you mean 'bad' like 'good',then yes, "something bad has happened"),cool stuff just takes time,that's all.
There should be some stuff in circulation for the people that just can't hold on much longer, and from there, we'll start making the craze happen. So, grab a Redbull and hang on.
Expect the posts to still keep up though, some fun ideas that you guys should like on that end too. It's all just coming together.Finally.
Try Hard, Never Settle, Stay Hungry -h_h-
Feb 12, 2014
There's something you have to learn to acknowledge when you do this: not everything works out.
Whether it's that design you just couldn't get to pop out "just" the way you wanted it, or a store,printer, or whoever else is just too busy or "not accepting new clients".You kind of have to suck it up and roll with it, because you can't change it.Not all at once,at least.
I was thinking about something I said in an interview a year ago, "celebrate the people who celebrate you", I haven't been doing that enough.When I think about what it is that we're trying to do, there's NO POSSIBLE WAY ON THE PLANET that we can get by without making a lot of people unhappy.Whether it's someone who doesn't like the price of the gear (I'll be real, streetwear is tough to understand until you get that everything is custom made and the work that goes into it is crazy), or that person,business, or brand that you were once cool with starts to butt heads with you over whatever they choose that day, you really just start to see that the only thing you can control fully is yourself.
With every new interaction, I'm starting to see there is more control that comes from just letting people be who they are.It's cool to want a certain outcome, but would you want it if it wasn't real? If the love of your life didn't really love you,would you overlook it just to make yourself happy? Or would you seek out something real that might not be what you originally asked for, but whatever you get ,you can trust...? There isn't a right answer to that, some people are cool with the first one, some the second, and many have their own story that lies somewhere in between,we all have to do what works for us.
Going back to business, I think I was in love with a lot of things that weren't real.I browsed through old emails and messages the other day, and it was crazy to see how much I ignored.Now, there's a sort of ignorance that is forgivable when you are just unaware of something,that's naivete , and if you were born on this planet, you've had to have those moments, it's the cost of entry as far as life beyond being a single-celled organism is concerned.So,that's a pass.The second of ignorance however, is not so forgiveable.It's called delusion.Let me explain.
Fairly recently I was afforded a choice exchange with friends, and the concepts of love and mystery came about while talking about a piece we had been thinking about.Somehow the image of a heart has always been a part of everything I've done for as long as I recall.I thought back to when I drew my first one, and the second,then the third millionth one, why did I always draw hearts?
Later in the day it came to me that growing up in a cartoon and media based era, hearts are the best way for someone to understand love or amorous in illustration.The once meaningless symbol now has a unique place in that it represents not only the intended desires and convictions of whoever plants the symbol there, but also the end user is forced to examine their own idea of love.It's external imagery internalized,no way around it.
Back to the query , it seems that more times than not, if you put a heart next to something, it means that you love it....and that in turn usually is coupled with an easily overturned misconception or surprise that somehow transitions into love once revealed or conveyed.In layman's terms, the media tells us from birth that if you love something, and you do the right things (aren't a villain,and don't try to feed Gremlins after midnight),whatever you love will love you back.That's great in practice, but it's not how the world works.
Looking at HH, I think that the most prominent thought about the brand is that at it's core, it's love.Now thinking even deeper, I've come to realize that the statement goes a bit further than expected: HH is my love.
You guys don't know it, I was not the brightest when it came to people.The best reference I can think of is the 5th element,TonyTony Chopper from One Piece,E.T. or the little Gameboy on Captain N...they were all equally uninformed about the human condition, not everyone is good,and not everyone is perfect.That's not how life works.
I always tell you guys to 'Try Hard, Never Settle, Stay Hungry'...but at the same time, a big part of that is to acknowledge what's really happening and be smart about it.If you go to McDonald's and they're not serving breakfast,you have to get something else,if the Slurpee machine is broken, you're gonna have to deal with a really cold Mountain Dew and/or a popsicle,that's just how it is.It's not the end of the world, it's just the situation for the time.You have to move on.
Thinking about what we do here, there are times where I have really been trying too hard to get that McDonald's breakfast and Slurpee.I didn't really have the experience initially to recognize lack of opportunities, and that was beneficial for a time.Sometimes it good to not know what you're up against,as it won't affect your performance if you're trying for the most optimal result regardless of outcome.However, there comes a point where you need to acknowledge what is apparent,and for us, the thing to address is, not everyone celebrates you,so you don't have to celebrate them.
The fallacy in love is that it's chemical.We can't help but idealize and feel bonds with what resonates or strike a core inside us.If you love something, you love it.There's no easy way around that.Despite love, you have to take care to also protect yoursellf.If you're not prepared for that, life can be rough,love internally first.
Now that we're going farther, there's a need to love not only what we do and what speaks to us, but what nurtures us.It's okay to change it up or have something just not work out...really.It doesn't have to slow you down, it doesn't have to be a Facebook post,scrapped design,or Twitter rant, you just keep it moving.
There's an expression that goes "just because everything's different, doesn't mean it has changed.." and while that doesn't apply completely to the external things we love and strive for, it speaks bounds for the internal..it's a message for the things and people we love.That's you the fans,artists, the muses, the references,the community,cultures....all of it...but especially the ones that don't love us back : I love you so much.You are the reason we do this.There is no place in my heart that is without feeling for you.There is not a time in the day you are not spoken of,conjured,or otherwise heralded as the reason for joy or existence of any kind.There is nothing you have done or need to do outside of persist for us to be content,as real love is unconditional and timeless...But right now this is about us...and we have to go where love is apparent...and it's not here. Not yet... -h_h-
You see, people say that we're changing
But really it's the people around us that are changing
You see, we aint tryna hurt nobody
People tryna hurt us
But you know what
Imma keep being me
That's all i can do in this life time (check it)...
Try Hard, Never Settle, Stay Hungry -h_h-
Feb 11, 2014
One day at a time.I'm learning that isn't just a saying,but a credo one would be wise not to ignore.
Looking at what's in front of us, I can now see that there was a large fallacy embedded in the way that we do work.It has to be perfect.Not just perfect, but everything we do has to be seamless and speak to both the brand and consumer in such a way that doesn't account for things such as error.
Now that may seem like a good thing,and in a sense, it is: if you're a robot.But alas, we're not, we are so much more.
In exploring the composition of earlier pieces.I never really saw the line between brand and person as clearly as I do now.There was a time when we would argue over colors or integration of certain elements so strongly that they became the center of the piece.
If you looked closely, you could see a struggle inside of every garment.A need to be the best.This can't suck.Once again, that sounds great, and is in it's own way, but it's also quite the opposite as well.Almost deadly.
You see, the thing about everything that I love about HH comes from a place of "this is how we feel".If you take time to digest that, you'll realize feelings,just as people, are not perfect.There is no right or wrong way to clearly do anything.Whether it's life or pantones, choices are made, and they culminate in a result,however final that may seem, it rarely is..unless you make it so.
Now that I've rambled on about that.I can tell you the heart of what I'm sharing.I didn't allow myself to feel or make as many choices or liberties as I once had.It all kind of became uncertainties,failures,and yielded a resulting lack of anything...good or bad.It all became nothing for a while.
Gearing up for the spring, there is a renewed sense of vigor and feeling.It's okay to feel.It's alright to share,communicate,emote,...you're human,it's in the name.So be human.Commit to that much.Then the rest will come together.
Listening to those words creates excitement.The refinement and vision we have is now allowed to develop further and bear fruits that now come closer to resembling the original feelings behind the brand.Fancy talk aside, I'm excited for what's next.
It seems you as the fans have been left out of the fight for far too long.So look for opportunities to take your hunger further and interact in unique ways that leaving a last sense of not only what the people behind the brand and it's message are, but also who you are and how you relate to us.This isn't just cotton and vectors, it's all of you.Now it's time to see that.
With all this, expect some super fun stuff sooner than later, and stay on the mailing list.The most common way to miss something is to avoid the fan page and mailing list...and you guys know all too well, once it's gone..it usually doesn't come back...at least not in the way you expected...take that last line as far as you want.
Try Hard, Never Settle,Stay Hungry -h_h-
Feb 7, 2014
Some of you guys know this, some of you don't , or don't care. But I'm pretty seasoned in competitive fighting games. A lot of the influence in both life and designs come from my experiences growing up in the fighting game community.
I wasn't really aware how long I'd been playing and going to events until an interview and some old match reviews fairly recently,and it kind of threw me to think that I've been at this stuff for close to two decades! Ha, I'm getting old!
At any rate, I don't talk to much about games too often on here as the designs and a majority of our social media bleeds all of that stuff out daily.But, for a moment, I'd like to.
You see, the reason I originally started any of this came from a place involving a lot of hardship that was spawned but also nurtured from games. I can't really recall a portion of my life without games.I think we had a Nintendo since before I was born,and the first game I was really in love with was Duck Hunt.
I didn't actually enjoy Duck Hunt.I liked that you could control the ducks with the second player controller.I had a cousin that considered himself very good at the game and he got on my nerves (even though I really liked him).Everybody that tried to play games when I did kind of bothered me for some reason.I wasn't really familiar with the idea of competition, but there was something satisfying about moving the ducks in the opposite direction I thought they would shoot.
The dog that laughed at you (not really "you", but in my mind, that's what it was at the time) when you couldn't hit any ducks always made me crack up.I considered him a close friend and would do whatever I could to make sure he could come out and laugh at every and anybody that had the audicity to pick up a Zapper and shoot seemingly innocent ducks for entertainment.It was really epic when you think about it.I was a passive animals rights activist and didn't even know it! Ha!
Anyways, no one believed me when I said you could move the ducks,and they didn't for years to come, so basically me and that dog in the bushes had quite a few laughs together until anyone caught on. No one could outmanuever my masterful duck escorting (okay, that sounds weird if you read it aloud, but I'm going to leave it because it's that awkward,and it may never be typed again... ). I was unstoppable.
Fast forward to Super Mario Bros. 2, that was probably the first game I can recall identifying with.You could pick whoever you wanted (all 4 options at the time was overwhelming for a toddler),and for a while I would fluctuate tastes and pick whoever,that is until I found her.That's right, the one,the only, well, not "only", but the most awesome one out of them: Princess.
The cool thing about Princess was if you held down a button, she could "fly" or hover over a bunch of crap super gracefully.She was like Marilyn Monroe singing and dancing over a manhole cover-grate-thingey ,but she was grimey enough to still pick up vegetables out of the ground and throw them at strangers.That's my kind of girl.I was in love.
Every day...I mean EVERY SINGLE DAY, I would tell people the wonders and mysteries of this strange woman who somehow knew how to float over cliffs,deserts,and glaciers while grasping locally sourced foliage that she released at will on unsuspecting neighbors.And if you chased said projectiles, you then had a chance to see the gore en masse if jettisoned with proper care.
This is probably what kids felt like hawking lugees (sp?) from roofs and skyscrapers.But, the cool thing about this was you couldn't get in trouble for it.I went to Catholic School for Christ's sake! We couldn't even wear low socks until like high school or something, so outside of a really boss lunch pail, there wasn't much room to be troublesome,give or take repeating a joke from The Simpsons or Cool World (don't ask) ,there just wasn't an opportunity for creativity.You had to work hard to do messed up stuff,so Princess and I were friends for a longggggg time.We still are.Don't make it weird.
Super Mario Bros. aside, I always played a crapload of games.My mom was always super supportive of anything indoors that kept me out of trouble.Grandma too.So, I had just about any game you could think of if my grades were up and it wasn't a sports game (never really knew anything about sports until really late in life and having a bunch of gambler friends, I can read you a spread or Gold Sheet, but anything else I'll have to Google, sorry!We can still drink beer and eat hotwings though, just tell me when to clap!).I probably had it or knew more than the average person about it.
In hindsight, I actually never enjoyed games the way I believe the average person does.I always stared at the artwork and thought about the way certain elements married overall.I was never familiar with game design, but I always looked at an experience I considered unique or memorable and wondered how the rest of the world responded to it.The interest lied in originality,conception,practicality,and execution.
When I read GamePro, I would always love hearing insights about the editors,writers, and designers.It was cool to see the influences of the guy that made the cover or even the kind of hopes they had for the fans playing their game.I just really enjoyed that.Still do.But rarely have I been into anything "just as a player". It's boring. I'd rather watch you play.Seriously.We've all got our issues I guess.
So how did I get into Street Fighter? Well, that's it's own story.But I'll give you the fast version.
Every summer I would visit Texas.My grandma owned a boutique down there..and I had to spend a ton of time there.The saving grace? It was by an arcade.Almost every day after waiting patiently and telling customers what I thought about their outfit and color choices (sound familiar to anyone?).I was rewarded with a trip to Tilt in Northcross Mall for 2-3 hours to decompress.That sounds pretty first world now, but back then it seemed right.I had to get paid somehow right?!?
My grandma is quite the talent when it comes to slot machines and just about any gambling game, so she took to video poker to collect tickets for my designated "summer prize". You see, my grandma doesn't think small, she's about consistency and reward over the long term, so you couldn't walk out with the average stuff like bubblegum,frisbees,or miscellaneous trinkets, you had to get something good! That made sense to me, but I couldn't stand the ticket games, there was no real "design" in video poker or skee ball, so I couldn't pay attention to it for more than 4 seconds without being enamored with something else. Now here's where we get to Street Fighter.
The funny thing about the Street Fighter we had is that the first summer it had these super huge buttons you had to "punch" to play.My grandma wasn't much for violence,so I wasn't really allowed to play it.It actually wasn't super popular and not a lot of people played it, but it didn't really make much sense to my mind,so I was kind of into it.Weird right?
I've always had an uncanny obsession with things that don't make sense or just aren't really "right" in my head. So,despite playing everything and doing the usual assessments, this weird broken game always had a bit of my attention.Not all, but some.What caught me is kind of an oversight now, but also a bit funny.The game "changed".
I came back a summer later to what I thought was the same game,but something was different.The controls were changed,there was a girl,and most importanly : people were playing it.That made the draw that much stronger.A weird game that I didn't understand in the first place,made some trivial changes and all of a sudden it was the belle of the ball. To me that was crazy.What could they have done?
I stared at the game for the larger part of the summer trying to figure out the difference in layout,how people were making "things happen" and trying to throw a fireball.I could NOT THROW A FIREBALL.I know you guys can't see my face right now, but I'm still mad about that one.It took years...but enough about my personal issues, I'll share those with a therapist or a taco truck,back to the story.
So, random random randommmmmmmmmmmmm thing is this arcade I went to had a strange air about it.The game was great, but the people there were the greatest entertainment I've ever had without tacos,cupcakes,caffeine, or a leg injury involved (once again: don't ask).They all took on the persona of their character.
There was this tall buff red-head dude, he looked like the radioactive dude from Captain Planet (I forget his name, but I think it was actually Duke Nukem liike the video game character I wanna say..) ,but he wore this wonky tank top and stonewashed daisy duke lookin' shorts.He smoked Malboro Reds and his hair was the same color as the red pack that peered out from his questionable trousers.He only played Blanka.He literally would bite his teeth down when Blanka bit someone.It was wild.
There were a ton of Ryu and Ken players, but there was one who stood out from all of the others.He was doing these moves that would knock Blanka guy in the sky if he tried to bite him.Blanka guy ALWAYS got hit by them.He would cringe when this gentleman walked into the arcade.I don't know how many cigarette breaks Blanka guy went on, but I'm pretty sure he would have smoked 3 packs less a day if this guy didn't exist.But this guy wasn't the best,the best was the "Ghoulie player".
Oh,that's right, I didn't mention this part, but I read all the names wrong.I was a spelling bee champ,but phoenetics were not my strong suit at this point in my life.So it was "Chun-Lie , Blank-uh, Ry-OOh (you guys know you still do that one),and I don't even remember how I said Dhalsim's name, but I'm sure that was wrong too.You couldn't have told me otherwise then, though, I was too focused on trying to throw a fireball before I grew out of my biker shorts (think Sha-nay-nay and Terrio,but with a flattop,less teeth, and an 8th grade reading level,give or take a name pronunciation of course...and you got a pretty good picture).I was stuck in the game.
I tell you all this for a reason.It's obvious I've always been around games.But I don't think before playing competitively was I ever enamored with an outcome.Sure,it was cool to finally throw that fireball and air throw everyone with Chun-Li (I said it right around SNES release time).But I really didn't give a darn about anything in the gameplay.I was really good enough and honestly , it didn't really matter. The instruction manual and box were more important to me than your cruddy booms and 2-hit jumping roundhouse into sweep combo.
Now that I've bored you with a telling of my life from inception to pre-pubescence, I can finally tell you how I got into tournaments.Dancing on plexiglass of course.
You guys are familiar with Dance Dance Revolution right?Lights,arrows,hitting said arrows in time to the beat,worldwide phenomenon,yadda yadda...well, I played that.My childhood friend and I would save our lunch money and borrow his dad's car to hit the arcade and eat Wendy's after school.
Nothing out of the ordinary for 15 year olds, outside of the no license thingey of course.But, hey, you gotta live somehow right? Those high socks and crewneck sweaters wear you down after so many years!! Back to the story though... we played there and thought we knew everything about games.
Street Fighter was hard because the computer had good reactions, but if you just threw fireballs (yes, I could finally throw fireballs, it was a half circle forward, duhhhhhhhh) and blocked everything, you'd probably win. It was all up to luck after that, in Marvel Vs Capcom ,it was about the same, just you jumped higher, and you threw more of them.But you would probably win if you blocked, nothing special, all in a days work for our then hero selves.We had the world in our hands.Or so we thought.
Enter Mike.Mike was 5'6 and all of 110 pounds.He was a darker fellow, but he accented his features with contrasting accessories, namely pink bows, Hello-Kitty watches,and a really cute purse he put his gum in.That was interesting and all, but remember, I grew up in a boutique,so unless his stuff wasn't matching or he was using the wrong eyeshadow for his skin tone, the majority of his choices didn't resonate much,what did however was his gameplay.
Mike used all of the characters, but he had a really good Benimaru.This was around the time Capcom Vs Snk 1 was out and he for lack of better wording, "mopped me and Matt up".Not only did this man have an above average mastery of wardrobe pairings and the color wheel, he also knew how to do all of the "cool kid combos" as I called them (still do), that was worth my attention. Where did he learn all of this from ?
A few weeks later after many a quarter sacrifice we talked to Mike.The thing about it that's really funny to me is that all of this is interesting, but my motives were very practical at the time.You see, I didn't particularly feel a need to talk to Mike, not to gain knowledge at least.A lot of it was a bit of survival instinct.I'll explain this in a way that makes me sound less shallow or gluttonous, actually, there's no way to do that,so I'll just tell you guys: Mike was biting into my Wendy's money.
The first time I couldn't get a Frostee to dip my fries into, I knew that couldn't happen again.So, I started listening to everything this man said intently for the sake of maximizing my food intake.I liked peanut butter sandwiches from home as much as the next man, but something about that being your 'only' choice after a hard workout on the plexiglass an then losing while heading out to get a lesser value meal? Ya'll know I couldn't take that.
So, after that we played a ton.Mike would come over, talk about these mysterious players at another arcade,and then we would go get Wendy's , the good kind with the Frostee to dip my fries into.That was the life, new revelations, learning something I didn't know and was interested in, plus food? Unblockable.Haha, once again, back to the rant though.
So, after Mike, there was the Folsom Gameroom.I had went to an event there and run into all these people that knew a ton about games.They were a bit closed off, but to be honest, it didn't matter.Weird people have always been easier to get along with, they're usually more direct and a bit more literal, so you don't have to guess their intent or act a certain way, that's really good if you're awkward and don't know how to read people well (which I didn't ).
We would play there a ton, people ended up coming to the house often, we'd just learn a bunch of stuff and keep going at it until my Mom told me to wrap it up.That was cool, she didn't really ever say anything,but she probably knew it meant something to me as she really let us play super late into the night and would go to work without much rest the next day....(she actually did that for years, so remind me to get her something awesome for Mother's Day you guys).
Somewhere into playing I started to get really good at games.The more linear games I was always pretty good at.Capcom vs SNK 2, Virtua Fighter, anything like that was really boring, I played them to keep my friends entertained, but I didn't really enjoy them.Nothing to look at or think about,at least not then, keep in mind what I told you guys about my adolescent self, now refine and mature that, no good box art , no great character art,no care. I would rather stare at that than play usually, but then who would talk to me? So, I kept playing, usually did pretty well in tournaments too, but the game that had my attention really was Marvel vs Capcom 2.Let me explain.
The funny thing about Marvel vs Capcom 2 is that it doesn't make a lot of sense.You've got a random space pirate, these characters from different universes,and these poorly meshed 3d/2d stages all with a jazz soundtrack just to make it that much more random.
I didn't know a lot of the characters, my execution and grasp on the game was god-awful, and I couldn't figure out who I wanted to play...except Ken.But that's another issue for another day still...(I wish I knew how to quit youuuuu!!). This sounds like a losing combination,and if you look at it from a competitive standpoint , there's no doubt it was, but remember what I said about art? The art was killer.I was there.
I grinded to be decent in Marvel.That was where the big boys played and it was my first game in a sense.I had to learn everything.Interactions,assists, magic series (that's harder than getting into law school if you have my hands), it was probably one of the larger undertakings in my teenage life.
I struggled to be anything in the game,and when it all came to fruition and started yielding results, I couldn't make a friend in the world.You see, I never understood the concept of maintenance based interactions, what I mean by that is, sometimes people may talk to you out of necessity, this is probably most native to school and work settings, but it can also be prevalent anywhere natural and frequent interactions occur, like an arcade.
I spoke a lot.I cracked jokes, they weren't all funny, but I geniuniely tried to make friends.The magic of being so entanlged in simultaneous interactions is that you overlook many of the ones relative to your own existence, like being liked.I was cool, but outside of the people I came with, no one really liked me.
Now this was around the time Seattle was blowing up in Marvel.They had really good teams and weird outlooks on stuff that people would come home and tell me about .There was this guy that literally didn't do anything and would win, then there was another one who did too much and would win, then there was ANOTHER ONE who was better than both of those guys, but only if it was at his house and no one was there. It was too much data to comprehend and an exciting observation prospect that couldn't be overlooked , I had to go to Seattle.
Push a few weeks forward, everyone is in talks of going to Seattle, myself included.We didn't live in an era where footage was readily available, so you had to imagine what these people looked like, what their hidden techniques looks like when implemented (sounds like Naruto or some old Asian-movie,but it's really true), and I was R-E-A-D-Y.Ready (notice I spelled it out, told you I was a champ,haha!).
Nobody really had the heart to tell me they couldn't stand to be with an awkward preteen yapping in a car for 12 hours,so they just kind of didn't say anything at all. I remember thinking someone would come late to pick me up, or that it was a joke, but it wasn't they just went and "did the damn thing" without me.You can imagine what this was like for me, if you think I get bummed over stickers or vendors that don't answer their emails/events we get kicked out of....times that by infinity.Passion hurts. Remember that line.
Anyways, it didn't work out. I made a joke out of it when anyone did something cool I didn't really grasp completely or had to imagine instead of see in practice ...I would say, "WE LEARNED IT" and smile.I think everyone knew the joke, but it was so awkward and well timed, you couldn't help but laugh.Oh, and I called myself "Lar-dolfo" after this player they had, it was a mess.
I think about 2-3 months later, this event called EVO was coming up.Normally it was held at the arcade I frequented, people came from near and far to play, the Taco Bell had a really long line and Burger King was kind lower in quality during those weekends too, nothing memorable outside of that, just lots of ill-fitting polyester shirts and white tennis shoes trampling a generic carpet for two days. But this one was in Pomona, it was "different" they said, and it was, but not in the way I expected.
The thing about EVO is it really wasn't the over the top event you see today.It was held in large venues with a ton of arcade cabinets,but really, it was just a really long arcade room, almost like the auctions you went to when you want old comics or Magic Cards, but with less variety and the same people you see all the time, but don't really know well enough to say...actually, I guess that's still within the means of that first reference, it was a long room wherever an arcade machine fit.Simple.
The most memorable thing about this event would probably have to be two things, 1. They had this really awesome Tapioca pudding downstairs, 2. Hunger: the first time I felt hunger.
Let me tell you a messed up awesome story.I was bitter about not going to Seattle, so I played with the intent of proving my worth.The person I ran into was actually the guy that "didn't do anything and won" from Seattle, Kuan.He beat me pretty sound by, you guessed it, not doing anything.We played the same team usually, so he decided to play a different team and it threw me for a loop, lack of information has always been a weakness of mine as a player.I can assess situations better than most, but if it's obscure data, I just don't function well(which excites the observationalist,but doesn't do well for yielding a positive outcome in tournaments).
After losing to Kuan, I didn't sweat it too hard.He was a good player, he played me a team I wasn't familiar with,and he was even nice about the win.Besides, I was out of my pool in losers anyway, so what's to worry about.Remember the rant I gave about lack of information? Let's bring that full circle.I wasn't out of my bracket , a new challenger had entered and he was someone I had heard about, but never really had the experience of playing or seeing.It turns out he hadn't entered or registered for the event, and he was put in last minute, he had made it far, but also lost once in our pool, I had to play him to make it out now.What his name you ask? Duc Do.I had to play Duc Do.
For those unfamiliar with Duc, let me frame it for you.If you don't play Street Fighter, he's like, the Seattle Seahawks Defense but withColin Kaepernick's ability to run and make plays, if you want a Pokemon reference, Mewtwo or Growdon,if you want a food reference, that big bowl of pho that you can't finish and even if you do,there's still the broth,I can go on forever describing him...but he was really good in his time.
The biggest deal about Duc in my mind was not the fact that he was a strong opponent, it was that I had no data , I mean "0" data to work with.So not only was I not mentally prepared for this, but I was a bit disoriented, he wasn't even in the tournament! I remember him literally saying that and here we were.Not fair.But neither is life, so I did what anyone would do, I tried to even the odds.
The thing about Duc's team is it's a team he made famous , but no one played as proficiently as him.His defense is impeccable, but the familiarity was the biggest issue, I was from an era where his team had been phased out and all of the weird copycats that come along when they see something good (*cough* streetwear *cough* knockoff Yeezys *cough* VR-Troopers! ),they'd been phased out as well.So there wasn't any tangible reference, I had to really think.And think I did.
The cool thing about all of these events back in the day was before people thought they were awesome for being able to hold a joystick and were worried about viewship,sponsorship,CPM, exclusive this and that, we were all players.Everyone was a bit weird and to be honest, they couldn't get away with not talking to you or being weird without someone making them feel the same later on (unless they were the "really good" players and/or it was a regional rivalry,them maybeeeee),but usually you talked, people answered.
I had been seeing and meeting all of these players for the first time, and the coolest thing was happening, they were all really nice.The east coast guys were the toughest, and they all had the most experience with all the matchups,with Southern California being a close second in my opinion.
There was a guy named Larry, Sanford, and another one named Desmond.I had seen them play and they all had really good experience with all of my characters.So, I hit them up for advice before the match.
"Can you play Thrax?!?" , Desmond asked me. I shook my head in disdain.I remember the look on his face and also the shame that had to show across mine.I really loathed myself at the time."Well, play Sentinel first, and you have to take out his Spiral with your Sentinel,then you got a shot from there".Sanford echoed the same and told me to "not let him build meter" and "watch for the counter".This was a bit unfamiliar at the time as I came from a school of thought that embodied playing one character extremely well, that was Cable, not Sentinel, " I didn't have a Sentinel" , is what the current me would've said then.It didn't matter, I was about to make one anyway.
Fast forward to the match. The reason I enjoy the match so much is , that was probably the first time I can recall wanting anything.Most things were boring or easy to contemplate, this was an unknown play style, with a character I was not adept or familiar with, and a matchup that was not only not easy to prepare for, but shouldn't have happened in the first place.I was forced to pay attention, I actually had to give my all to make this work.
I look back on the match, and the thing about this is that was 2003.I was doing fast fly everything.Once again, translation, I was wearing Jordan 6's when everyone else was on 2's and 3's , I was Baja Blast when everyone else Fruitopia, I was the Power Glove while you were playing Rad Racer on pad trying to see your parents in California (it's so bad). I can't recall many times in my life that had more adrenaline involved.For once I really wanted something.
Needless to say.I lost. My Sentinel actually did really well and he even looked like he knew what he was doing for those two matches.But I really didn't know what I was doing otherwise and missed a lot of crucial stuff back to back.Kudos to Duc, he was the better player that day and he took it fair and square.
The reason I mention all of this however doesn't have to do with the outcome, it's the desire.It's to share a bit of where I come from and some of the things that inspire me.Had they never occurred, you probably wouldn't be reading this rant.
That was many life lessons I learned, even the unfair, and the obscure,they have a purpose.Give your best to a challenge and it may give you more.I don't recall believing my own hype before that or really wanting "more" before that.So, that served as a lesson and experience in practice.
There will be times in life where messed up things happen,and you may not know what your plan is or what you're doing at all.But, I urge you to not stray away from those moments, close your eyes, commit to the moment, and when you open them, attack.You may not always win, but you will leave a mark, I'm sure of it,and hopefully it will be on yourself.
I'll probably ramble more on this one another day, maybe even extend it.But for the meantime, just stay hungry for me. ..well, not for me...unless you're a zombie or something.You know what I mean... -h_h-
Try Hard,Never Settle,Stay Hungry -h_h-
P.S. Google "Larry vs Duc" if you want to see the match ^_^
Feb 7, 2014
I think I'm addicted to posting on here.That seems like it would have happened a long time ago,but considering the other accounts we have,it just was tough to dedicate as much time to htting up the blog as often as needed.
The biggest difference thus far is that without the constraint of "trying to please everybody", I can spit out a lot more words than usual,because frankly "I don't care!".
That's not to say that you guys aren't important, the feeling is quite the opposite.All of you are the reason any of this is happening at all.As for people that aren't interested or don't want to support,that's fine.Those aren't fans anyways,so why would you spend time trying to appease people that more likely than not don't care who you are, what your brand is, or even like you.Doesn't make a lot of sense when you think about it that way does it? Didn't think so.
Speaking appeasing,there is some really fun stuff in the works.It's exciting to go new directions and mix it up from time to time,whether with the marketing,the product,social media, or all of the above,there's a lot to mess with.It's crazy when you're working on something and you can't stop getting excited about it because you know how excited it's going to make someone else.That's the high of working on any projects for me,the response of the end user : YOU.
We got a tiny shipment of stickers in and they've created a response before they are even available.It's silly, but I understand where you guys are coming from with that.One of the goals is for everything we make to come out awesome, and the feeling when you're really wanting some new fresh from your favorite brand or maker??? That's unbearable.But, please do your best to hang tight (and get on the mailing list while you're at it).
Regular happenings aside, I hope every one of you is doing well.I try to interact and reach out to all of you personally through the webpage,tumblr,and Instagram, but there's more than a few that we haven't connected with for quite some time.Every one of you matters though, so know you're in our thoughts.
As for the more mysterious stuff.A lot of the work in progress comes from somewhere familiar,but also vastly different than before.You've all proabably taken notice that I've been better when it comes to communication and transparency, there's a reason for that,and it may or may not be revealed in the next few months.
Needless to say, I am excited.And that's a rarity (unless Slurpees or Redbulls are involved).So, maybe the tangible work alongside what we're doing to improve will excite you as well.If anything, the next months should prove to be entertaining and should stick with you for some time to come.I'll leave it at that for now....
Try Hard,Never Settle,Stay Hungry -h_h-
Feb 5, 2014
Working on concepts can be kind of wonk sometimes.You worry about what people think or how much of your brand message can be conveyed in a single piece.Then worry becomes obsession,obsession becomes toil,and if it doesn't come together,you stop.Been there, don't enjoy it, need more clothes.
The lame thing about Hungry Human at times if anything is that it's really hard to convey all that it is in one shot.You guys that have been riding with us for a while know what the brand is and what it means to you, but random person down the street probably doesn't.They just really like yellow.That's cool, we like yellow too.
Now that we're further into the process, it seems that what was coming out wasn't cutting it.The shirts speak volumes and actually have all been well received it seems.It's just that for what the greater brand vision comprises, there is a lack of "more".If I were to give it a percent, I'd say this is roughly 3-5% of what's in store and planned out mentally.That's kind of cool in a way because the unknown can bring all sorts of surprises for a fan, but also extremely frustrating as it means not only is there a lot of work to do, but a ton of improvement and execution that will have to go alongside that sooner than later.
I used to worry so much about what people thought that it was almost debilitating.The line between extrovert and hermit can be easily blurred when you are forced to switch roles so often.The sale rep has to go outside,the creative director has to stay indoors,and the admin has to take all emotion out of there dealings and just get stuff done so the other two aren't compromised.It's many hats,kind of like being all of Voltron or playing a really hard game of Dance Dance Revolution with the whole pad...you have to do a lot!
Anyways,I've been practicing some things to increase effeciency and make more productive work,which hopefully means you guys get more cool stuff more often.
The random thing about the people I decided to work with for sales and events is the ones that really inspired a lot of the work and I hoped to get the gear to actually didn't want it.Correction: It wasn't available for them to have.Traveling to events can be pricey and HH is not cheap stuff, so you have to be careful to bring enough tees to an event and sell them at a certain price or you might be stuck in a strange place with nothing to answer for but strange pieces of cotton and an awkward smile (like I said, "been there").
Between that and the cost of some events, hotel,lodging,etc.It's really just a labor of love a lot of the time, and that's not a bad thing, but if you need to make more cool stuff or even just do day to day things to improve your output, that can be kinda bad...borderline lame.
The biggest difference in this year over years prior is that I really can speak.That sounds a bit weird to say, but the last while had been a lot of overthinking and worry about who's toes we step on by saying what's going on or even something wild like which events we're able to travel to and support.It seems kind of silly in hindsight,but I always wanted people to not know how hard it is to make some super simple things work or the difficulites we endured just trying to make awesome stuff for people we support and care about. It's kind of backwards to say 'struggle' so often or 'never settle', then turn around and pretend everything's cool when it's really not.Once again, "that's lame".
Reading some of the emails and posts from last year, I can see I was kind of in a rut.It's really hard to make stuff for people when you're not sure you'll even be able to get to provide them with a chance to see it. Hustle is the word people use for doing grimey things to make things come together, but the word better suited for it in my book is 'scrape', like the action you do when you're plate is bare.We scraped.
Time off was super duper enlightening.I ran into homeless zen masters,CEO's of huge corporations, and purveyors of funk and food trucks alike that told me wise words about HH and what they thought the next steps should be.It was super weird to hear great and unexpected things from people of all walks, and I was invigorated,moved,and inspired to have it be a unanimous message of , "this is good.keep going".
Sometimes you need to hear that, even if you're the one saying it, "keep going.." . I was at a point where I couldn't do more than listen for a while and had to collect myself once again to get to even this point.Now the biggest struggle will be making all that is in store come to fruition.With help,or without.It's gotta make it out.
These posts all are a reflection of a feeling that was articulated internally, but never allowed to be uttered : WE WANT MORE.That sentiment is not only in the designs, but us as well, WE WANT MORE. I looked in places I'd never visited to make what you're going to see. There is more on the way, but this next one is the one I'm looking forward most. It's simple, sweet,and kind of brings a few worlds together for us. So , get ready for some fun and a few surprises...oh, and get on the mailing list because it's the only way to not miss it.
That's about as 'un-vague' as I can be for now.But hope you guys are all well and thanks to all the kids out there that support us and also themselves.We love you and we see you.
Try Hard, Never Settle,Stay Hungry -h_h-
Feb 4, 2014
This whole writing thing can take a lot out of you. Between catching up, breaking down,and picking up the pieces to keep working on what is an otherwise great brand if you take out a few trust issues and meltdowns along the way, there sometimes isn't much time for the little things such as sharing what you actually think or feel.Bummer.
Not to fret, we are working on ways to do more with less and it seems to be making progress,the downside is that like any worthwhile endeavor,some of these results take time to see.
Looking at the upcoming collections, it's hard not to get excited.Revisiting places with a renewed charm and more seasoned perspective seems to make for a winning combination of apparel and miscellaneous (you'll see) that is unrivaled for execution.
It's crazy to look back at some of the old stuff and think that it could be better,but a few months and a mimosa or two will give you quite the amount of perspective if you let it. And we did.Now is the time to put everything to the test, so we hope you're ready.
There's a few surprised in store for the New Year and spring is looking funky, so hang tight.Despite the vagueness we've been giving about new releases,there is a worthwhile reward at the end .All of you are close to wild endeavors and unexpected greatness,so just hang a bit longer.
In the meantime, stay on the mailing list and keep checking out the shop.Things are trickling in,and if you sleep ,something might creep right past you.It's been a little while, but trust when we say it will all be made up in worth.Remember that word: worth.......
Try Hard, Never Settle,Stay Hungry -h_h-
Feb 3, 2014
Sometimes I run,sometimes I hide, sometimes I'm scared of you...
Hola amigos!Hope Monday is treating you well.Really trying to blog more.Not the mindless repost yadda-yadda you see across your favorite RSS feeds daily,but something meaningful and "thought about".
We mentioned having taken a breather the last few.Ever since deciding rest was for the underfed and the weary, now I'm all about building up and gaining back, or "summoning" traction (kudos to anyone that remembers that from the original website.
Actually, I guess that's what I'll talk about.The original website was poorly laid out, juvenile,and a bit naive in where it was coming from, but it was "REAL". I read the way I wrote before I cared about what people thought, or what tee would or wouldn't sell if I "used big words" and it just seems like it was a lot more interesting.
There's an expression "don't say anything nice if you don't have anything to say at all " wait that's wrong...it's " if you don't have something nice to say, then don't say anything at all". I look at all the people I hold in high regard, the majority of them are radicals,liberals,revolutionaries, people that DID SOMETHING in spite of what obstacles the world and their relations gave,they strived,struggled,and persisted to their goal.
I think the last few years were a part of that process for me.If you ever hear me speak about designs,games,people..it's very blunt and overly direct to the point that it can almost seem for lack of a better word , "mean".It's not that I feel animosity towards certain things or individuals , it's that I really don't have the time or feel the need to sugarcoat things such as an opinion.It's both a strength and a weakness, which I'll expolain shortly.
Looking at the old website, there seemed to be a lack of conventional design elements or branding, but the one thing about the articles and posts was that they were cohesive.You knew who was writing, their mindset,tastes,where everything was coming from.
Reflecting on the past few years, I see that I've developed the brand more and there are improvements, but it's not executed completely : I was holding back.
With the ideas of past and present , there's a need to do more. I ask so much of all of you.To struggle,run blindly,to believe in everything you are and will become if you only move forward.
These things are not musings or wishes, but things we have done together and there was a point where I feel I stopped moving.Fear slowed me and confusion bound me.I was a prisoner.Mediocrity had won.
With the growth and insights I've been afforded over the past few months.I feel it's time to open some doors and move past the familiar once again into the unknown.
The brand comes from a place of adversity,hardship, a NEED that is more than you can bear to ignore.And that need is what has got all of us this far.To look away or turn a blind eye to something that is a part of your very being is unnatural.It can't work.
I had to think about that last expression often over the winter, "it can't work". I had to look in mirrors and away from demons.These demons came from myself.The little voice that says , "maybe I shouldn't" or "what if" , they became "you won't " and " this can't..." for days at a time.
I struggled with every piece of myself to get stronger...and I'm telling you all of this because some of you know how hard it's been.Others just really like stickers and fruit snacks...that's cool too and I love you all the same for it, but some people need to know : this is not easy,this is hard work.And it's not going to stop.Not unless you do.So embrace it.Struggle with me.
If you've read any of the past articles, you'll notice they all echo a similar message, these last ones have actually been a re-telling of the same story a few different ways.It's commentary on the world mixed with a bit of practice.
I've always had good taste in burrito pictures
You see.People always look to champions, people that have successes and they think to themselves, "what did they do to get ____ to happen?" or "why didn't ______ work for me?".There is always the element of timing and luck involved in any endeavor, but at the end of success you'll see more often than not, that person kept trying more than anyone else.They were hungry.
I want you guys to see my failures and struggles more often because I want you to know this is not magic.This doesn't happen overnight.Whatever comes from the brand or myself will be a product of this effort, this hardship,this burden that is also a strength, it will come from hunger.
I'm not writing this for the kids that know the brand and run the streets with us or got kicked out of some events with us...no, I am thankful for you ,and appreciate all that you do, but there are people that have never heard of trying.The ones who think there circumstances are permanent or that the world has to be a certain way because someone told you so.The person that told you that started somewhere too,just think about that.
Your limits are not what people tell you
Fifty years ago, I could have been killed.That's right : KILLED for eating certain places.There are people that die over education,drinking water,and whatever other messed up stuff there is in the world.And I'm here complaining that someone won't answer their email.
I sit here some days and just think about what it's going to take to make this all work.And it's a lot.It's so much that it would scare the average person to read.And I can't stop at just the beginning.So, now is the time to put in work.
The next stuff you'll see will be more in line with this thinking.It's about breaking out of comfort zones and pushing boundaries, and heck, maybe even having some fun while we're at it.
No correlation or anecdote, I've just always liked this one.
I really want to move the world, and it feels like the time is better than ever to do so.So why not try? ...so why not try?
Try Hard,Never Settle,Stay Hungry -h_h-
Feb 3, 2014
Long time friend of the brand Curbside Jones just posted a Kickstarter to make an animated video for his single, 'Pink' from his album "The Cherry Blossom Effect: Endless Dream Theory".The album serves as a nod to anime,life,struggle,and pop culture while giving a flavor and tone that is not prevalent in today's hip hop.
At any rate, the Kickstarter is awesome.The rewards are too. So check it out and also make sure to check out all of Jerry's other work at CurbsideJones.com when you can.
"Pass the Capri Suns...."
Try Hard,Never Settle,Stay Hungry -h_h-