The Experience Institute: reimagining the college experience around you
April 23rd, 2013 in Doejo Stuff, Friends of Doejo
Sometimes college or grad school just isn't for everyone, especially creatives who already think outside the preverbal classroom box.
What if you could, instead, combine a series of apprenticeships and experiences, learning from established companies, agencies and industry tastemakers out in the field—would you take that leap?
Founded by our friend Victor Saad, author of The Leap Year Project, Experience Institute (Ei) includes top companies, organizations and celebrated individuals like advertising guru Alex Bogusky in Boulder; award-winning digital agency Fifty & Fifity in San Diego; leading architecture firm NBBJ in Seattle; Chicago’s own thriving art and apparel community, Threadless; and Doejo of course!
Ei is looking to connect 10 students in its inaugural year in four main industries: Design, Business Development, Technology, and Social Innovation. So, think careers in graphic design, advertising, market research, non-profit management, product development, brand strategy/think tanks, computer programming and more. Beginning this fall, students of Ei will attend a series of 4-12 week paid apprenticeships, conferences, and workshops, all within a single year.
This first class is geared towards students seeking a college gap year, post-grad studies or individuals seeking a career shift. So long as you've shown initiative to start and create change.
“Our aim is to re-instill imagination into our education system and reshape how we think about learning. I wanted to create a credible space for others to learn through hands on experience.” – Victor Saad at TEDxWindyCity
Ei is currently taking applications for its founding class. Applications are due mid-summer, with the first class launching in September. To submit an application or simply learn more about the program, visit expinstitute.com.
Map of the Dead updates available!
April 22nd, 2013 in Doejo Stuff, iPhone/iPad, User Interface Design, Press
You've been waiting long enough! Here are Map of the Dead's new features and upgrades – and what to expect in the next version below!
New features:
• Improved scanner range control
All previous users get the full $3 value scanner upgrade for free, increasing your scavenging range. New users can purchase 3 scanner upgrades from $.99 to $2.99
• Unit activity feed, see what others are doing, post messages
Now you can finally keep tabs on your unit and post messages – or warnings
• Search friends from your address book, invite Facebook friends
Connecting with friends and inviting them to play has never been easier
• New upgrades
Reset Timers: Don't want to wait to fight and scavenge again, or retrieve your lost backpack - for $.99 you don't have to.
Repair Kit: Take out the crack in the screen and eliminate the screen static
Backpack: Need more room? Add 10, 20 or 30 more slots to your bag - from $.99 to $2.99.
Fixes and improvements:
• Ability to sell all items instantly in requisitions
• Equipped items no longer take up backpack slots
• Hide equipped items on the sell screen in requisitions
• Stability improvements and other bugfixes
Help our friend launch his new Jamaican Reggae album in Chicago
April 19th, 2013 in Friends of Doejo
Local reggae frontrunner Ted Sirotas is organizing a new musical project in collaboration with "dubstep chemist," Hopeton Brown (AKA The Scientist). Using Kickstarter, they hope to create the next modern classic record, "Live Dub Reggae: Ted Sirota's Heavyweight Dub."
In the tradition of great Jamaican studio bands spanning the past, the two are bringing together some great Chicago area talent. Check it out! They've got some great rewards lined up.
From their Kickstarter page:
Over the years I have grown more and more enamored with the great studio and backing bands of the 1960's-1980's in Jamaica - The Soul Vendors, The Revolutionaries, The Upsetters, The Aggrovators, Roots Radics etc. The same goes for the great Dub producers and engineers - King Tubby, Scientist, Lee "Scratch" Perry, Coxsone Dodd etc. There was a level of artistry and musicianship in Reggae music during this time that was at least on par with Motown, Stax, Atlantic, Blue Note, and the other great American studios/labels. But in my opinion, the creativity and urgency of the Jamaican music of this period was unsurpassed on a worldwide scale. Unfortunately, that level of creativity has greatly diminished over the years (in my opinion), as samples, drum machines, lack of musicianship, and Scientist's departure from Jamaica has lead to a dearth of "disposable" music.
Along with the great musicians joining me in this project, I want to help bring back a taste of that era when highly skilled and soulful musicians used their talents together to create a sound and a groove that could make the whole world want to get up and dance.
Who are the great musicians in this band you ask?
Matthew Lux - bass (Iron & Wine, Isotope 217, Rob Mazurek)
Dan Bitney - percussion (Tortoise)
Tom Vaitsas - keyboards, melodicaCameron Pfiffner - saxophone, flute (Sabertooth)
Adam Thornburg - trombone (Chicago Samba)
Yanira Marin - vocals
K-rAd- sound & dub mixing
Thanks InstaThis for the Bow Truss Instagram wood prints
April 11th, 2013 in Friends of Doejo, Bow Truss
The folks at local agency Rule29 have made turning your digital Instagrams into hangable works of art, simply, with InstaThis. InstaThis is described as a "new streamlined service that connects directly to your Instagram photos and creates stunning prints on wood or acrylic." We loved the prints they sent us of our coffee roaster, Bow Truss so much, we ordered more as gifts to our investors. What a great way to spruce up any home or office!
From Rule29:
Who is behind it? We are! (in part) InstaThis is a joint venture between Rule29 and Birddog, Inc – both who are committed to exploring creative solutions and opportunities for emerging technologies.
How does it work? Using a unique mix of web-to-print technology and handmade craftsmanship, InstaThis creates one-of-a-kind wall art in a variety of sizes at a reasonable cost with significant discounts for ordering multiple prints (up to 40%). If you choose wood, the natural wood grains come through the image and the colors pop off the birch. Choose acrylic, and the vibrancy of the colors combine with the polished finish to create a truly stunning piece.
Do I have to use Instagram to order a print? As of this past week, no! We’ve added a “upload-your-own” feature enabling any user to upload the photo of your choosing.
Come meet Vinyl Me, Please and Leagues at a listening party at Bow Truss Lakeview
April 3rd, 2013 in Events, Launch Parties, Friends of Doejo, Bow Truss
Vinyl record enthusiasts and subscription service providers Vinyl Me, Please is hosting its first of many monthly record listening parties at Bow Truss Coffee Roasters, 3128 N. Broadway, on April 16 from 7 – 10 pm. RSVP here. for $10 per person, which includes food and libations.
The event will be joined by alt-rock Nashville band Leagues, featuring their latest album "You Belong Here" on our epic sounding Gentleman's Boombox set.
What is Vinyl Me, Please?
The folks behind Vinyl Me, Please believe that music should be a profound experience, not a 99-cent purchase on the train to work. To better showcase great music, they set up Vinyl Me, Please, a subscription service that delivers a vinyls and a curated playlist to your door each month. With a team of handpicked personal music consultants and a warm vintage aesthetic, Vinyl Me, Please has created a compelling music experience.
Here's the event deets:
With the history of "New Music Tuesdays" getting lost in the digital world, we at Vinyl Me, Please are pleased to bring you a fresh dose of music goodness and a place to hang with people who care about it as much as you do. What do we mean, you might ask?
On April 16th, we are throwing the first of many monthly record listening parties in conjunction with our new friends, the amazing folks behind Bow Truss Coffee. This one will be a bit special because the dudes from LEAGUES, authors of the amazing record we ran in March, will be in the house hanging out. It’s all going down at 7pm at the Bow Truss Roastery on Broadway Street in Lakeview and tickets are just $10 so cancel whatever plans you have now and make sure you’re there for what promises to be an awesome time. Oh, and beer and food are included.
With the history of "New Music Tuesdays" getting lost in the digital world, we at Vinyl Me, Please are pleased to bring you a fresh dose of music goodness and a place to hang with people who care about it as much as you do. What do we mean, you might ask?
On April 16th, we are throwing the first of many monthly record listening parties in conjunction with our new friends, the amazing folks behind Bow Truss Coffee. This one will be a bit special because the dudes from LEAGUES, authors of the amazing record we ran in March, will be in the house hanging out. It’s all going down at 7pm at the Bow Truss Roastery on Broadway Street in Lakeview and tickets are just $10 so cancel whatever plans you have now and make sure you’re there for what promises to be an awesome time. Oh, and beer and food are included.