UPDATE: Props to Your Open Book for going live before us. We’ll take swift action on the next idea.

We contacted the owners of openbook.com to see if they would allow us to lease their domain for a little campaign. The name is currently for sale in the 7 figure range and robbing a few liquor stores is out of the question. Been there, done that.

The concept addresses the recent privacy issues surrounding Facebook. We’d create a Facebook look-a-like site on Openbook.com. The page would just include a John Doe user profile. John’s profile would reveal information such as recent browser history, waist size, salary, private conversations, etc. – We think this would get some attention.

Everyone has skeletons and possibly even shared or discussed them openly with contacts on social spaces. But how private is this information?

John is an open book and you might be too, on Facebook.

UPDATE: This was published on April 1st (hint, hint). 1. We’re not a company 2. We’d never hire an unpaid intern.

(Apply on Twitter using 140 characters or less, including the handle @mindrally.)

So, you think CP+B is the mecca of internships? You’re right, until Mindrally started looking for two kick ass interns. First of all, you’re not getting paid. A concept you should be comfortable with (assuming you’re still mooching off the folks). The winner gets a 1st generation iPhone pre-loaded with the best hits of Mariah Carey.

I bet you’re saying, “Why would I work for a no name like Mindrally …without pay!?”

We hear you loud and clear and honestly we’ve been thinking the same thing about our own interest with Mindrally. Before you get all worked up, here are a few things you might enjoy…

1. Work from home in your PJ’s, or naked, whichever you prefer.
2. Do whatever you want in the name of Mindrally.
3. Flexible hours. Wanna fill your time at Yoga class? Go right ahead.
4. Come up with ideas that rock or ideas that people throw rocks at.
5. Build a non-professional portfolio that only a creative would be proud of.
6. Make mom proud when you flip the creative service industry upside down.

Basically we want you to help build the Mindrally brand into whatever you think it should be. That last line was a bit over the top.

Rule for application:
140 characters or less, including the handle @mindrally. (multiple applications allowed)

Deadline:
April 15, 2010

Need some inspiration?
Say whatever you want.

Length of internship
May – July 2010

Mindrally first happened on April’s work by wildly clicking Twitter links. As it turns out April is one of two t-shirt design lovers (@StudioElle) to grace the Mindrally follow list. These gals spend so much time Tweeting their creations, The National Bartender Association decided to name a martini after them. Now bar hoppers across the globe are sipping on “Sweaty T’s” …Not really, but how cool (and gross) would that be!? Point is, April’s passion and talent for the craft of illustration will drive most designers to drink …and sweat.

Mindrally is happy to present, April Wells Patrick, Illustrator extraordinaire.

Where are you from?
I can almost be described as a nomad, but if I had to pick a place, I’d say Huntsville, AL.

Where do you live now, why?
Montgomery, AL. It’s where all the cool state programmer jobs are. So, in short, because of my day job.

What exactly do you do for the State?
I’m a vb.net, asp.net, SQL programmer for the Department of Education.

What made you choose programming?
Despite being involved with art since I was 3, I learned that i didn’t enjoy it as much as a job. I have always liked computers and technology so I chose that route instead because it was less draining creativity-wise. I guess I’m the sort of person that has to have both sides of the brain stimulated.

What artistic medium do you prefer?
Right now, I favor digital, if that’s considered the right term for a medium – hand drawing with paper and pencil, then scanning, then inking/coloring in Photoshop with my tablet.

Aside from the creative drain, have you ever considered a professional career in illustration?
I once had a graphic design job for three years. I enjoyed it, but it ultimately made me realize that I enjoyed wanting to create more than HAVING to create. I would consider freelancing, as long as it was a situation where I was still in control.

Why digital art and not paint on canvass?
I’ve done that too. I love it, but I don’t think I really have what it takes to be in galleries and the like. That’s all about building your name as an artist. I’ve had much more fun building my name online as a tshirt artist. The audience seems more down to earth.

Would you say its easier to build your name as an artist in the digital space as opposed to the traditional methods used in the Gallery scene?
For me it is. Most definitely.

Why is it easier?
I’m an outgoing soul trapped inside an introvert. I feel more comfortable behind the veil of the Internet. In actual situations where I have to mingle and meet new people I tend to be a wallflower. Not so much here in pixelland.

Where exactly do you show your work online?
There are a lot of different tshirt sites, each with different contest rules. My blog is the best place to start. I try to update it whenever I put a design up for scoring/voting somewhere. Then on my blog is a link to my flickr portfolio, which houses all of my designs, along with their history.

What are the benefits of submitting work to contest sites?
it’s a combination of the following: The satisfaction of experiencing other people relating and even wanting to wear your artwork, the opportunity to express yourself artistically, and the possibility of getting paid. Oh and I really shouldn’t leave out getting to know the community. Most of these sites have forums, so it’s a great way to get to know people that share your interests.

What advice would you give to a budding, or experienced, digital artist about leveraging the internet as a creative outlet or building their personal brand?
I would say to keep personal expression as the priority and to always seek new ways to convey it. But at the same time be mindful of your target audience. it’s a constant balancing act, but you’ll be ultimately happier if you stay true to who you are, and not merely keeping up with trends.

April on the web
Blog | Twitter

Ideas aren’t nearly as powerful as most people assume.

Well…that’s not entirely true. They are powerful, sometimes dangerously so. The problem is that their potency has an extremely short half-life. The power dissipates quickly.

You’ve seen this happen, of course. You have an idea that is so mind-blowing it wakes you from a deep, dreamless sleep. You jot it down. The next morning you look at it again over coffee and it’s still awesome. You’re going to change the freaking world with this one. While you’re still excited, you sketch out a rough thumbnail of a plan to make it real and you’re almost giddy.

During stolen moments at work, you flesh out your plan. You spend a couple of late nights doing some research and refining your plan.

After a week, or a month, you stumble across a notebook with your intricately detailed, yet still incomplete plan and think “you know, this still has potential.” One day maybe you’ll get to it. Before you know it, you’re watching the news or see a commercial and BAM, someone is selling your idea… and they’re not doing nearly as good a job as they would have if they’d followed your plan for it…the bastards.

The problem, of course, isn’t that they stole your idea. It isn’t even that you weren’t disciplined enough to complete your plan. It’s that you wasted the precious, game-changing energy of your idea trying to get the plan right. Not only that, but you’ve invested so much effort in your perfect plan, that when the unexpected occurs (and it will) you either won’t be able to recognize it or you won’t have the heart to scrap your plan and start anew.

Not that proper planning is a bad thing; it’s essential to your success. But an idea only has so much power in and of itself, power to create action. Your awesome idea simply can’t sustain itself indefinitely. However, there is a natural feedback loop that can re-energize your idea and spur more action. It’s called accomplishment.

Accomplishment is much more vital to your success than contingency planning. Each step you take toward realizing your idea will fan the flames of your passion for it and make the next step that much easier.

The next time an idea strikes, wake up and write it down. The next morning over coffee, sketch out your rough thumbnail of a plan. Then stop: THAT IS YOUR PLAN. Look at the first stage of your plan, write down 5-7 steps you need to take to make it happen, including one thing you can do today and two more you can do before the week is out. Buy a domain. Build a prototype. Write a rough draft. Develop a color palette. Whatever.

Then get off your ass and make it happen. Period. You have less than 24 hours before the idea loses its potency to prompt you to action, and the clock is ticking.

Take action. If it doesn’t work (and not everything will work), adjust your approach and try again. Repeat until you’ve succeeded. When you complete stage one, celebrate, then write down your action steps for stage two and get going. Push forward, then let the momentum carry you through to the end.

A brutal truth that will take some getting used to: planning is just another form of procrastination. Creation and execution are not pretty. They are tough, messy, unpredictable processes and you have to get your hands dirty and figure it out on the fly.

If your master plan won’t fit on a 3×5 index card, you’ve already wasted too much time and effort on your planning, because something or someone is waiting around the corner with a monkey wrench to toss your way. Personally, I prefer a business card… but I like to travel light.

So take that brilliant idea and start acting on it while it still has the power to excite and inspire you (and others). Okay, I’m done now, so no more stalling.

Go.

(by Danny Thompson)

Thanks to @seemills we’re graced with the Fugly Site of the day tweet (not claiming any originality here). To our surprise he actually gets a few RT’s…enough to justify this horrific tribute.

So sit back, squeeze a few drops of Visine and enjoy the show. (I can’t believe we just made this site.)

A recent tweet by @MarketingProfs got us thinking about this little test. You must pass it before being using the net. Honestly, it’s not a bad idea.

If you fail, not only is the user presented with a suggestion but the browser shuts down within 30 seconds.

Back in 2006 we brainstormed a little concept for navigating books at amazon.com. To bridge the gap between the digital shopping experience and walking through a bookstore isle.

Moments after our initial sketches…

Apple released coverflow. Point of this little story? If you have an idea, take swift action.

Sometimes “web 2.0″ gets us all worked up. Bubbly interfaces, hip names, well you get the drift. So we slapped this little concept together. A spoof if you will. Though Rantter isn’t live and in the flesh, we hope to someday find the time to make this baby scream. Here’s a feature list:

• Loud Meter (voting system)
• Rant Categories (brands, coworkers, etc.)
• Inspirational Stories (rant blog)

Oh, and if you guys REALLY want this site, leave a comment. Otherwise it may never see the light of day.

….Ok, that’s a little creepy. Truth is, we really don’t know much about you.

We are Mindrally
Mindrally is a…well…it’s a…oh, hell, we’re not really sure what Mindrally is, to be perfectly blunt. We blame this lack of focus on procrastination. And Megan Fox isn’t helping matters any.

Who are you?
You’ve started a blog, or 10. You have a few big ideas but none have brought you fame. Hopefully, you’re looking for people like us.

What does Mindrally want?
The same thing you do! We want to share our ideas and meet people like you. Unfortunately right now we’ll just have to settle for a digital handshake. Not comfortable with a handshake? No problem, just wave at us. If you’d like to solidify our friendship, become a fan. If public display of affection is not your bag, stalking is always an option.

What’s in it for ME?
Camaraderie. Sympathy. An excuse to ignore that project on your desk with the insane deadline in lieu of something that has little chance of helping pay the bills, but will be infinitely more fun. Like a thinktank without the political or academic overtones. Just like-minded creators bouncing ideas around (and possibly teaming up to pursue the really intriguing ones).

The Rules:
Okay, what part of right-brain did you not get? Aside from not pissing on one another without permission, pretty much anything goes. And we should probably say, there isn’t one of us talented enough to un-hear an idea. If you’re worried about control and ownership of an idea, it’s probably best not to mention it. Or at least trademark or patent it first, so there’s no question.

So, in summary: creepy, brains, procrastinate, stalking, beer, inappropriate urination, patent. (Okay, we never mentioned beer…but we all know it’s there…don’t bother denying it). That should about cover it.

So, you in?

Okay…The Stones…Oasis…Hootie…you know how every great band takes some time apart to work on Solo project? That’s what we did.

Then we came together late one night for an impromptu Jam session. I think it was @seemills who said “hey guys…listen to this.” We each riffed on it a little…and WithoutAdvertising was born. We told a few people who told a few people…

And BOOM it blew up. It’s like some underground cassette that went global.

…it figures that our fifteen minutes would come while we were weren’t here to answer the door.

Perhaps it’s for the best. It probably would have ended ugly like the Beatles. VanHalen. DeeLite.

Yeah…probably for the best.