New Site Design Launch

While I hash out a few shipping errors with the good folks publishing Rubes, Rakes, Rogues & Roustabouts, I have taken the time to redesign my site, NickSeagers.com. Took down much of the clutter and nonsense and I'm quite happy with what's going on with it. Drop me a line and let me know what you think.

Rubes, Rakes, Rogues & Roustabouts Update

Yes, I agree - it's been far too long since I've posted anything.

I would like to thank everyone who took the time to give me some feedback on my new book project, Rubes, Rakes, Rogues & Roustabouts. You know who you are, and those who don't should check the ID in your wallets.

As I sit here this morning in my over-caffeinated living room trying to put off putting the final touches on the book cover (what the hell is the back of this thing supposed to look like, anyway?) and making plans to launch the book by the end of August, I feel a need to share.

And share I shall.

Below, please find a few samples of what this bad boy is going to look like. Keep an eye out for special deals once the launch occurs - I'll be putting up sale links whenever the voices in my head tell me to. Got feedback? Want to be added into a super-secret society where you will eventually get free stuff as soon as I figure out what that free stuff will be? You can shoot me an email at nick@nickseagers.com, find me on Twitter @nickseagers or go to NickSeagers.com, fill out the form and let me know you're interested.

Whathaveyous Of The Week

Plans coming to fruition...everything congealing like a nice soft cheese.

And verily I say unto you: If I speak gangsta to my fish is that, in fact, animal abuse or just an obscene hobby?

Short list of great whathaveyous from the week:

Steal Our Ideas
Jay Walker (yes, his real name) on the world's English mania

Digging For Dirt just got added to my to-read list.

Things Magazine

F My Life - Sample:

Today, I was standing around looking out the window at work when it became really dark and windy and started to pour. I watched a shopping cart fly across the parking lot thinking how funny it'd be if it hit someone's car. It hit mine. I need a new headlight. FML

And finally, a classic. Makes me want to play pool by the pool.

Tired of hearing me talk about 826? Tough shit.

One good design for @826michigan. Really digging the typography I hit up the 826 with.


And another idea I put together for @826national


Got some spare time in your day? Donate it.

Got some spare change? Donate it.

Got some perfectly good pens and pencils in your office that you will never, ever use, because you know you only use the one kind - you've always used that kind - and you already have plenty of them to begin with. I mean really, how many pens do you actually use up in a year? Maybe a dozen? Maybe? If you don't keep losing them. If you've got 'em (and anything else you think might help a kid learn) donate them.

A recount of the past few weeks is in order. After this there will be a much more cohesive plan toward this blog. I'm feeling a new direction, a new focus, shooting through my fingertips to your inverted retinas.

Let's begin:

On Saturday, April 25th I was married to the beautiful Carol at Gibbet Hill in Groton, MA

After no sleep for a day or two and several plane rides down to Central America we landed in Costa Rica and began a week of hammock naps and pinto. And pina coladas....and more pina coladas.

On our second morning in Manuel Antonio, during the iced coffee portion of our show, we saw monkeys taking over the jungle outside of our place. Chewing breakfast bananas and mangoes, one monkey became a bit too frisky and decided that coming in to get a closer look was a good idea. This picture of our friend was taken after I told him that coming onto our porch was a bad idea.

He approached carefully atop the roof, the sneaky ninja that he is, and swung down over the edge to say hello.

"Monkey, no." I said, bracing my bride back toward the safety of the door. I soon realized that the monkey did not speak English as well as I had hoped - not nearly as well as most of the bartenders in the area. This was a Costa Rican monkey, and thus I needed to speak to him in his native tongue.

"No, mono! No!" Seemed to do the trick. He went next door to see what was going down over there.

While we were away, the media terror that is swine flu attacked the sensibilities of all around. Coming back into the states from Central America I was sure we would have a hard time at immigration in Miami. The several people in San Jose wearing face masks confirmed this.

Having sourced out a pharmacy in San Jose which sold prescription allergy medication by the pill (for which I had no prescription) I made sure neither I, nor my beautiful bride would give so much as a sneeze or cough on our way back to the Northeast. Although I had a sneezing fit at Miami International, luckily we were already cleared.

We are now safe and sound in the comfort of South Boston and life is working on getting back into a rhythm. Thank you to everyone who lent a hand in the ceremony and showed up to help us celebrate.

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I've talked several times about all of the good things that 826National and the rest of the chapters do for kids and now they've let me become part of the help. While I am an approved volunteer for 826Boston, I find it difficult to make it into Roxbury at a time during the week when i would have the ability to work with the kids.

I sent some emails. Actually, I sent all of the emails I could to every 826 chapter, asking if they could use a hand with some design work ffor their Twitter pages. The way I'm seeing social media evolving, it may be the absolute perfect tool for non-profits. The only overhead they really have is time. So I lent a hand and designed backgrounds for 826LA and their store, the Echo Park Time Travel Mart.

I'm also currently working on a similar project for 826michigan. It's a robot thing - you wouldn't understand.

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Random cool shit:

What's a BBQ without bacon-wrapped-bacon? A crappy BBQ.

Fish Slaps A Baby: Missing Dodgeball

Student suggest building organic wall to contain the ENTIRE Sahara Desert. (That's really, really big for those who don't know.)

Smashing Magazine: 40 Stunning & Creative Graffiti Artworks

20 Of the World's Most Kickass Libraries

FOOD, Inc. (poached from Acme Cocktail Co.)

From the back shelf - the Arcata Eye :: Police Log

The Literary Internet, Typography, Lists and What Inspiration Smells Like

How do I begin? How can I just jump into something as messed up as the way my brain is running right now? A long day of learning about...everything. Everything I can. Today was one of those times where you sit back and realize just how massive the Internet is. Perhaps more introspection because I'm at the point in Malcom Gladwell's Outliers which describes the 10,000 hour rule and how Bill Gates and Steve Jobs are both prime examples of the right person being in the right place at the right time.

In short: if you want something and the opportunity to get that something arrives, all you have to do is be willing to put in 10,000 to master it. Easier said than done. But if you really want that something, you will take the time needed to understand each and every aspect of it.

Today was one of those days when I hit the pause button on my 10,000 hour countdown. I have several book ideas swimming through my noggin currently -- one that (so far as my imagination is concerned) is complete and perfect so far as it can be. Instead of expanding on that particular project, or any other, I went surfing today. Below is just a sampling of what I found that I have the sudden need to share with you.

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Three TED talks I found particularly engaging. If you have not experienced what this site is, let me break your cherry here.


The Future of Sound


Why Typography Fucking Rocks


A Story In Few Words


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Lists of a Random and Not-So Nature:

13 Most Baffling Book Titles

6 Writers Who Accidentally Crapped Out Masterpieces

List of Banned Books and History Thereof

Top Ten Songs -- Vagabond Charlie Edition

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Haven't read Junot Diaz yet? What the hell are you waiting for?

New to social media and want to learn not just what it is, but how in the hell it can help your business? This is the book for you.

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Finally I would like to talk about inspiration. Perhaps today didn't turn out to be such a write off when I look back at it. I exposed myself to several thousands of thoughts and ideas, some new and some revisted. I may very well have added several hours to my 'research master' total.

A question that popped into my head recently is, "What does inspiration smell like?" Very much an abstract thought, but on the fly I created a quick list of what does it for me today. Egg rolls, new shoes, the creased spine of an old book, bacon, paint, lawnmower exhaust, beach breeze, and 3 o'clock in the morning.

What does inspirations smell like to you? @nickseagers nick@nickseagers.com