Blog

MARVELous Surprise!

2008-05-04T20:24:00.009-07:00

So, last weekend my wife (my hero) and I finished giving our office a makeover. This may sound like no big deal to anyone who hadn't seen our office before the overhaul, but let me assure you it was pretty scary before we cleaned up and added new furniture. Anyway, when we were all finished, Barbara surprised me with some limited edition polystone fine art for my desk direct from Sideshow Collectibles - one of my favorite stores in the world. The additions came in two boxes. Marvel Comics fans will appreciate this. The first package I opened was a diorama of Wolverine and Kitty Pryde finishing off a Sentinel with Lockheed the dragon-like alien tagging along. The intensity of the scene was perfectly captured, and there were even two different versions of Wolverine (one in full costume and one that is more rugged without the mask and jumpsuit) in the box that I can swap out depending on my mood. I was freaking out!!! Here's a photo of the action-packed diorama on my desk:

Get This Amazing Diorama at Sideshow Collectibles
Next, I opened up the second package. I could not have guessed what was hidden inside. I soon retrieved a scale bust of one of my favorite Marvel characters of all time - the Green Goblin! I grew up watching Spiderman cartoons at an early age. The Green Goblin was one of my favorite characters because he was just so freaky, colorful, and unpredictable. Barbara could not have known that this would be my favorite, but she guessed correctly. Now, the Green Goblin has a fitting home on my desk where I work like a mad scientist on multi-dimensional experiments. I keep him close where he stares back at me with his wild yellow eyes and menacing smile. Now that's inspiration for creativity! Check it out:

Find The Green Goblin Scale Bust at Sideshow Collectibles
Obviously, life will never be the same in my little office again. So, I have to say it now for the record. My wife is the coolest woman in the world. You rock, Babs!!!

The MacBook Tablet (Modbook) - Ideal For Artists!

2008-04-04T09:40:00.003-07:00

OK, so the MacBook Air was not the ultimate machine for me. Don't get me wrong. It is an amazing machine. It is light, thin, and extremely powerful considering how small it is. But, I'm a creative guy. I love to sketch out cartoons and doodles everywhere I go. I hate sitting at a desk all the time, and I'd love to be more mobile. Using a regular laptop (with the keyboard and mouse being the main source of interface between me and the machine) drives me nuts because it still requires a desk or something close to it. I have often dreamed of owning a tablet Mac, and I would so much prefer it to a tablet PC running Windows. Well, the good news is that my dream has become a reality. A tablet Mac does exist! I found a sweet MacBook with a Wacom Tablet Technology screen. It's made by Axiotron in California http://www.axiotron.com/. I honestly couldn't believe it when I saw it, but they really have created "The one and only tablet Mac" as stated on their website. Amazingly, this tablet Mac comes with all the power of a regular Macbook. The screen is protected with ForceGlass, and WAAS enabled GPS is also built in. Here are some more features of the Axiotron Modbook:

• Write and draw directly on screen!
• True pen & handwriting recognition
• The ONLY Mac solution with WAAS enabled GPS Built-In
• Aircraft grade magnesium alloy for all terrain use

As soon as I get a little bit of extra cash, this is definitely going to be my next computer purchase! I just have to have it, and I know that some of my friends are going to want one too. If you're interested in picking one up yourself, you can find the machines at the following URL http://eshop.macsales.com/shop/modbook.

My Favorite Free Stuff - It's kind of a secret!!!

2008-03-17T15:34:00.003-07:00

I've had a lot of folks ask me for a list of my favorite freebies (especially software). So, if you are lucky enough to have stumbled onto this tiny post on my site, I would highly recommend visiting the following URL: http://johnlepinski.com/free

There are better ways to find new flavors.

2007-09-22T22:25:00.000-07:00

This is a commercial I made for Flavorshare. It was a really low-budget job with a super tight deadline, so it's not exactly something I would put in my portfolio. But, I thought my friends and fellow foodies would enjoy it.

Never buy a computer at Best Buy!

2007-08-17T07:21:00.002-07:00

Just six days ago, one of my neighbors bought a laptop computer for his son who is starting College in September. They made the purchase at Best Buy, which turned out to be a really bad deal.

After looking at a few computers, a salesperson convinced them that the best option for their money was a PC laptop that was marked at a price of $700. It seemed like a good deal to them, but as the salesperson led them through the sales process, he took advantage of the opportunity to up-sell them on $400+ of extra services including a Best Buy service plan, etc. They ended up paying way more for the machine than they should have, and they were sold a computer that didn't meet their needs. But, they didn't find that out until they got home and tried to get the computer running.

The computer didn't do half of what they were told it would do. They couldn't get the internet connection to work (despite the fact that they had a lot of techie friends helping), and they felt totally ripped off. So, they decided they would return it. They had purchased it on Saturday and went to Best Buy to return it on Tuesday. That's just two working days after the purchase. Anyway, they asked to return the computer, and the store representatives told my friends that they could return the machine but they would be charged a restocking fee, and they would not be able to get a refund on the $400+ of extra services and warranty that they had purchased.

In this day and age, it is completely ridiculous to treat customers that way! If a customer has buyers remorse for any reason two days after such a purchase, it shouldn't cost him that much to return the product.

The potential loss of $400+ was just too much for my honest and hard-working friends. And, it just makes me really mad that greedy sales people took advantage of them while they were preparing to put their son through school. The family ended up having to get another computer that met their son's needs, and they're keeping the one that turned out to be such a rip-off despite the fact that it isn't what they need either.

For the people who are considering purchasing a computer at Best Buy, please beware!!!! The salespeople there are apparently just happy to tell you anything to sell you a computer, and then when you find out that they have not been totally honest, it's too late. Their return policy stinks. That's why you should always buy computers and other high ticket technology products from stores with good return policies. Costco has historically been very good in that respect.

Thankfully, I have never purchased a computer from Best Buy. But, I bought an HDTV there a couple of years ago, but when I hear about bad customer service and experiences like the one my neighbor had, I avoid the offending stores like the plague. As it turns out, my neighbors aren't the only ones that have had problems with Best Buy. Surprise!!! There are a whole lot of others, and you can read their stories at the following URL http://bestbuysux.org/cust.html. Actually - I just looked at the site, and it appears that BestBuy bought the domain or something. It's so weird!!! All the old stories are gone, and all that remains is good news about how great it is to shop at BestBuy.

If you need to buy a computer for any reason, make sure that you are careful to review the store's return policy first, and consult somebody trustworthy who really knows computers and isn't going to try to sell you something that doesn't fit your needs. Otherwise, what appears to be a relatively good buy can turn out to be very, very costly!!!!

Village Art Collectibles

2007-05-03T07:53:00.000-07:00

VillageArtCollectibles.com is a new site where visitors can purchase a series of lighted ceramic collectible buildings familiar to anyone who has visited historic Nauvoo, Illinois. This collection is currently in its first run, and supplies are limited. So, if you're interested, you'll probably want to hurry and get yours today. The company is just getting started. So, I set them up with a very affordable solution for an e-commerce and marketing web site. They were thrilled that it reinforced the theme of a historic American town on every page.

Jazz Up a Jar of Spaghetti Sauce

2007-04-17T08:49:00.000-07:00

Find more videos like this on Flavorshare

In this 3-part video series, I show you how to add some flavor to an ordinary jar of spaghetti sauce. The entire collection and recipe are available at flavorshare.com.

Tomato Basil Chicken Coconut Curry

2007-04-17T08:22:00.000-07:00

Find more videos like this on Flavorshare

This is one of my favorite curry dishes, and I thought you might enjoy adding the recipe to your own collection. If you want to get more recipes, you can find them at flavorshare.com.

Curry Recipe Ingredients:

3 Chicken Breasts Sliced Thin
5 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1.5 Tablespoons Garam Masala
3 Tablespoons Indian Curry Powder
6 Shallots Sliced
5 Roma Tomatoes Diced
10 Fresh Basil Leaves and Blossoms
1.5 8oz.Cans Coconut Milk
1.5 Tablespoons Sea Salt
3/4 Cup Organic Evaporated Cane Juice or Organic Sugar

Serve hot with steamed rice!

Caribou Creative

2007-04-11T12:39:00.000-07:00

I almost completely forgot that I ever created such a thing as Caribou Creative. But, it actually does exist. I started Caribou Creative in 2004 as a provider of low-cost stock photography which comes complete with layered PSD files and clipping paths. It didn't compete so well with the likes of istockphoto and other online services. So, if I get enough time, I might redo the site completely or just sell the domain and spend my time elsewhere.

VRTOURZ - Virtual Tours for Utah Real Estate

2007-03-07T10:18:00.000-07:00

If you're located in Utah and looking to sell your home, look no further. My brother, Joe Lepinski, is a Utah realtor with a unique advantage. He provides real virtual tours of your property and technologically advanced marketing services that can help you sell your property in a flash. Even if you're selling your home on your own, you might consider calling Joe to see what he can do for you as a marketing consultant. The more people you can get to tour your home, the more chances you have that someone will buy it. And, you might just get multiple offers! Visit VRTourz at http://vrtourz.com or contact Joe directly at http://www.vrtourz.com/contact.html.

KUTV News Story About MormonRingtones.net

2007-03-07T10:09:00.000-07:00

KUTV recently did a story on my brother and MormonRingtones.net. I thought it was really good and kind of funny/entertaining. You'll have to go check it out and see for yourself. The video can be found here: http://kutv.com/video/?id=23781@kutv.dayport.com

Fitness Together

2006-11-15T18:07:00.000-07:00

So, I got a web design job from a guy in Wisconsin who runs some Fitness Together franchise locations. At first, I was really a bit skeptical about doing the site. I was under the impression that it was going to be all about rippling abs and spandex. But, I was pleasantly surprised to discover that Pete Piranio ( the owner of those locations ), was really serious about providing personal training for real people. My initial mockups included photos that you would expect to see in Gold's Gym marketing materials, but Pete would not have any of that. He said that Fitness Together cares a lot more about real people and that's what he wanted to represent in his site. His determination to avoid that image made me curious about his services, so I read the copy on his site a little more carefully than normal.

What I discovered was really interesting! Pete's fitness locations offer a very personalized fitness program that is tailored to the individual. You really get more for your money because each part of the program focuses on you and your goals. If I lived in Wisconsin again, I would probably go to one of Pete's three locations to get in better shape because of the personal nature of his programs. I could really use it right now considering how much time I spend in front of the computer! If you're also interested in fitness or planning to live in Wisconsin, I highly recommend taking a look at Pete's web site. It's available at http://fitnesstogether.net, and it was kind of a fun site to design. Enjoy!

Digital Depot Web Site

2006-11-15T17:59:00.000-07:00

Media Fast hired me to design this web site for their new Salt Lake City plant "Digital Depot". They wanted a really simple interface and some basic sections with information for visitors. I focused on the image of the girl with the CD most. Trying to abstractly communicate the concept of optical media production and keep the whole thing looking really nice with the existing Digital Depot logo was a challenge. But, after some time, it all seemed to come together. I'd put the site in my portfolio, but it's kind of basic compared to the majority of my work.

Currant Juice

2006-11-15T15:35:00.000-07:00

I discovered currant juice this year in an odd stroke of fate. One of my friends, Zeb Weeks, sells fruit for his uncle in Paradise, Utah every summer. He also sells currant juice products from the farm including currant juice, currant jams, currant syrups, etc. The currant juice is a big hit with the locals up there in Paradise, because the currant is like an antioxidant producing berry "on steroids". Apparently, currants are well known throughout Europe for having an extremely high concentration of antioxidants and vitamins. I had never heard much about the fruit, but Zeb told me that his uncle has done a ton of research and has cultivated a beautiful crop right here in the mountains of Utah. He's been selling the juice and syrup for a while now, and I guess one lady up there swears that it cured her of cancer. I'm sure that the FDA has not evaluated her statement, but I've done some reading and confirmed that there are some definite nutritional benefits to drinking currant juice.

Personally, I was just looking for a gourmet, non-alcoholic, and non-carbonated beverage to serve at my private dinner parties. And, the currant juices from Zeb's family's farm possess incredible flavor! It is a perfect addition to any dinner, holiday, or celebration. I liked it so much, that I offered to help Zeb build a web site to sell his family's juice online to folks across the nation. He gladly accepted my offer, and we built a nice little site with a store that uses a combination of a Mercantec shopping cart and Google Checkout to securely process payments. You can check it out at http://currantjuice.com! If you're new to the juice like me, I recommend the sampler. It's the best way to save some money and try all three flavors.

Piano Lessons On DVD

2006-11-13T14:12:00.000-07:00

If you're like me, you've probably told yourself that you should have learned to play the piano when you were younger. However, now that you're older, the work schedule doesn't permit you to take lessons during the day. Well, there is finally a comprehensive solution for folks who want to learn to play the piano but would rather take the lessons on their own terms and in the privacy of their own homes - using an electric keyboard with headphones to avoid annoying others. I recently discovered a great product that can help you do just that. It's a complete 16-week course on dual layer DVD's taught by renowned piano instructor, Merrilee Webb. I only found out about it because some friends were doing the video production and DVD authoring, and they recruited me to offer some help with them with the DVD entrapment and label design.

Soon, I discovered that they had managed to cram 16 weeks of piano lesson material onto 4 dual-layer discs in one DVD case. That's a lot of video footage! The teaching system is based on the work of C.W. Reid, which has been used to teach generations of piano students all over the world. It is a system that could be used to quickly give you a foundation in piano study, and it can be used repeatedly to strengthen those foundation skills over time. Also, if you are already planning on taking regular piano lessons from a qualified instructor, this system is a great supplement for your education! It can give you an edge in your studies and help you advance quicker than other students. Or, if you have a family, you can purchase one set to be used by the entire clan. It's a must have for folks who really want to learn to play and need good reference materials to help all along the way.

If you're interested in learning to play the piano, you can find the DVD set at: http://pianolessonsondvd.com/

CD & DVD Replication, Printing, Packaging, Etc.

2006-11-13T13:15:00.000-07:00

People ask me about my wife's work all the time. Even when I explain it, they sometimes don't really understand what she does. Quite simply, Barbara works for Media Fast and coordinates the manufacturing, printing, and packaging of CD's and DVD's in large quantities (anything over 1,000). She can help people with lower quantities as well. But, most of her business comes from corporations. So, don't be afraid to call her if you need a quote for a small job. Her web site is located at http://mediafast.biz, and you can find more information about Media Fast's product and service offering there.

I can't brag about Barbara's work at Media Fast enough. She is amazing! She moves mountains to make sure that her customers' jobs get produced on time. Her prices are extremely competitive, and she does so much footwork for her clients that many of them have commented that working with her is like having a dedicated employee whom they don't have to hire, train, or pay.

Much of her strength comes from years of proactive employment at corporations like IBM and TwinLab. At those companies, Barbara learned to utilized technology to organize and manage projects effectively. She also learned a lot about marketing, purchasing, and brand management. So, she's dedicated to quality control and customer satisfaction, and she has the skills and knowledge to deliver. If you produce any media on CD or DVD, for your sanity's sake, you should contact Barbara for a quote or more information. Her email address is barbara@mediafast.biz. I don't know of anybody who can take better care of you or your projects!

Sweet Web Templates to Speed Up Your Web Projects

2006-11-13T13:04:00.000-07:00

OK, you were all probably wondering when I was going to get around to actually sending you links to some cool resources. Well, here's the first. The Marketing Authorities web templates store has some great design concepts that can be used to speed up the web design process and your web projects. The designs may require quite a bit of cleanup and customization, but they are good for starters and low-budget projects. See for yourself! And, don't say that I didn't tell you about this one.

New Portfolio Site

2006-05-20T00:29:00.000-07:00

I created this new portfolio site so I could make my updates a lot easier using Blogger as a publishing tool, and I needed to update my image a bit. For the record, I'm still influenced a lot by Asian cultures. However, the "orange" theme suits me because of a statement I made as a wise 4 year old child. I told my Mom that if I had a million dollars, I'd buy a huge truck full of oranges and deliver them to all the children who had never had the opportunity to try one. I didn't think it was fair that any child should go through life without having at least one orange - they were my idea of heaven on earth.

I still don't have a million bucks, so the best oranges I can give the world are metaphorical - entertainment, wisdom, and a sense of humor. That really can't compare with actual oranges, but it'll have to do for now.