Wednesday, July 18, 2012

New York Swelter


It's the fourth or fifth heatwave for NYC and counting. These heatwaves will not let up. In fact, humidity and high temperatures in the 90s will become common summer weather here. Beyond carbon emissions, global warming is a natural occurrence. Other planets in our solar system are warming up as well. These planets don't have throwaway paper-,plastic- and petroleum-dependent humans to contend with. Humans are just making it more unbearable. Living in a city intensifies the situation because the asphalt roads and cement sidewalks, curbs, and parking lots make the urban design seem orderly but it covers vegetation. Trees, bushes, and grass regulate the temperature, provide shade, absorb carbon dioxide, emit oxygen, and calm nerves. I frequently walk through streets and wish I had a jack hammer to break up the cement to free the Earth. It's just a daydream and won't act on it but the grass and weeds do their best find cracks and spaces in the cement and asphalt from where to sprout out. So knowing how great trees and bushes serve humanity, why not serve them? Get a pail of water and pour it in a tree tub near your house or apartment. The Department of Sanitation isn't watering the trees nor is the Department of Parks and Recreation, so New Yorkers have to do it. Put yourself in the place of a tree, your higher roots are cramped in the tree tub; your lower roots are slowly extending deeper into the Earth seeking moisture. The trees somehow. How long could humans live without water? Hey,share your Fiji water.

Labels: , , , , ,

posted by Unknown @ 8:15 AM 0 Comments

Saturday, December 29, 2007

Lonny Love, Airbrush Artisan and Entrepreneur



Lonny Love is an airbrush artist who started out spraying graffiti on walls. After many run-ins with property owners and police, he realized that he could make money from his art. He's been a professional airbrush artist for 18 years.




His canvases are t-shirts, sneakers, jeans, hoodies, "Tims", fitted caps and trucker caps. He quite talented and much sought after. Lonny's significant customer base are jewish people. He airbrushes at bar mitzvas and does vending at JCC events.

I watched him work his craft in a mall in New Jersey. He was always busy doing his art. Alongside him was Hope, his mate. She made and sold bars of soap and pie- and cocktail-shaped candles. She also put glittery messages on Santa caps. They had a good business, although they say business has been much, much better. Hope lovingly packaged her soaps and candles and restocked her display shelves. She kept her head to the grindstone to prepare those glittery Santa caps. When she's not doing caps, soaps and candles, Hope is braiding hair or doing manicures some place else.


Seeing the industry, cash and public apreciation, had me think about the youth and their career options. Lonny and I chatted about it. There are options; no one needs to starve. People can consider airbrush artistry, candlemaking, soapmaking and eBay. Yes, eBay. Young people could walk through more affluent neighborhoods and pick up cast aways. After setting up an account. After setting up an ebay account, sell what's collected on through their store or an auction. The candles and soaps could be sold through vending or merchandising to smaller retailers. I mentioned that selling drugs and prostitution were unnecessary. Lonny said, "People do that because they're not thinking."

Lonny Love, commissioned artist and vendor, has been at this for 18 years. He says he's been all over. In fact, from December 24 through early January, he's in St. Croix working a festival.

A family friend visited him at the mall. They spoke about the economy. The quagmire of credit card debt and mortgage foreclosures across the nation. The friend described a dinner party wherein most of the couples in attendance were grossing six figures. The friend said three men disclosed that they recently lost their jobs. The friend encouraged Lonny to maintain his entrepreneurial endeavors. So the next time you see a vendor ask for some business advice.
About the Santa caps: they bought them at a discount store for 99 cents each. After glittering, they sold for $12.

Labels: , , , , , , , , ,

posted by Unknown @ 10:44 AM 0 Comments

Vendors' World


Some die-hard vendors invited me to work with them to learn the trade. I found that it is lucrative and a means to grow an empire. The empire is there only if you have a plan. Many vendors deal with the enterprise on its elemental level, though. It's a pity.


My days of traveling to suburban schools, churches and malls were eye-opening. I saw, on-the-ground, the state of the US' economy. Visitors to the shows deliberated over spending $10, $15 and $20 on items. Though the merchnadise was pricetagged, people hoped for a bargain. Even $5 and $3 rings were studied. The veteran vendors repeatedly stated, "Last time this year we made 2 to 3 times more." I noticed too much bashing of customer behavior--right within people's earshot. Forgive me, I learned to sell at a top radio station in D.C.--WHUR-FM. I stuffed media kits, updated rate cards, studied Arbitron ratings and went out with the AEs. There wasn't time for bashing clients; we were thinking of the presents to give them and ensuring spots aired when promised. Did these vendors know they were watering their crop with vinegar?

The beauty of vending is that it's unadulterated retail. You set up your temporary shop, turn on the credit card processing machine, consider your prices and do a lot of smiling at strangers. I was a very active vendor, helping people try on merchandise, holding the mirror and answering questions. The woman I vended for doesn't believe in mark up and mark down. I spoke to her about inventory but she doesn't mind that she holds stuff for years. Many vendors read books, talk on their cell phones or fix broken merchandise. One venue was a killer: 8 am to 11 pm. I didn't know I had the stamina. One night at 11 o'clock, a woman came over to me as I was about to cover the display. She had a blouse in her hand and searching for the right ear rings and necklace. Was she for real? Yes, after twenty minutes of laying different ear rings and necklaces on the blouse, she made her purchase with me. It turns out she was the mall manager.

Labels: , ,

posted by Unknown @ 10:08 AM 0 Comments