capturing perfect moments

I wasn’t ever the smartest student in school. I wasn’t the most talented, positive, or devoted. Hell, I didn’t have much to brag about. But throughout the last few years, I’ve noticed I have one important attribute that not many people have. I work until my sweat turns to blood. In high school, so many people pushed students to be “in the top 12.” And sadly, I took their words of “advice” and tried to capture something so unimportant. It was pathetic on my part, to listen to “professional” teachers that didn’t try to see my skills or talents. Instead they simplified every student to letter grades. They labeled students as numbers. If you fell out of the top 12, you weren’t much to them. They create this competition that means absolutely nothing. What’s sad is that I spent my time in Calculus and Physics classes instead of Art and Photography classes that I really wanted to take. For four years of my life, I put aside my passion for art to be a part of some retarded competition to be labeled as “smart.”

As the year came around the corner, Mr. Santiago Mercado and I were neck and neck for the twelth spot. Santiago was the nicest person I have ever met in my entire life and he worked hard to take number 12 at the end of the year. And I respect what he has done for everyone around him and himself. Where ever he is today, I know he is making a difference. But falling short of the top 12 taught me something very important. Grades don’t mean much. Your success depends on the drive you have inside. It’s how much pride and passion you put into your purpose.

Some people define success by money or social status. I define success internally. At the age of 20: I have owned 2 successful businesses, shared 4 years of happiness with Angela, and about to purchase my first home. Don’t get my wrong, I didn’t get where I am today without help. Of course my parents have had a lot to do with where I am today, so I always want to thank them. Vu has kept my priorities in order and he continues to remind me positivity leads to success. Amun keeps me grounded. He reminds me where I came from and he supports everything I do. He is always there when I need him, even if he is 200 miles away. Angela keeps me smiling every day and reminds me to relax when I push myself way too hard. There are a handful of people that have helped and I thank each one of you.

Growing up is hard because you have to leave behind a lot. A lot of friends, a lot of memories, a lot of time away from what was once “normal.” But if you live the same routine day-to-day, nothing changes.

So stop listening to teachers who tell you grades are the most important things in your world. Stop listening to the people who say you won’t be anything if you don’t have the grades. Stop pushing yourself in the wrong direction because these people are leading you there. Listen to yourself and only yourself. If you want to be an artist, stop taking Calculus classes because your teacher told you to take it and devote your life to art instead. If you want to be a musician, stop wasting time in Physics classes and go out and make it happen. If you want to be something besides what the norm (doctor, lawyer, politician, etc.) usually is than do it. Don’t make the same mistake I made. I can guarantee you that if I took art instead of Calculus and Physics, I’d probably have better artistic fundamentals today. High school classes are FREE. Take what YOU want to learn, not what THEY want you to learn!

You get one life, make it YOURS.

Sincerely,
Kevin Cao
www.CaoCreation.com
www.MadCowsDesign.com

P.S. Please don’t get me wrong, there are tons of teachers that have helped me get where I am today. Mr. Bodine, Mrs. Tumbry, Mrs. Beasley, Mrs. Watson, Mr. Spurgers, Mr. Ostrowski, thank you for believing in my talents and skills. I dedicate my life to every single one of you.

My newest music remedy. Carolina Liar.

Happy Spring Fans:

I recently had a chance to look through some art work I created when I was growing up. It’s amazing how much of my life I incorporated into my art throughout my life. Every piece has a story behind it, and its great to see that I didn’t forget to capture some precious moments in my life. A couple weeks ago, I felt like I lost a lot of my past since I didn’t document any of it in journals or blogs. I’m turning 21 this year and it is a really big reality check. Time passes by so fast and graduation isn’t too far away. It feels like I was in high school yesterday.

I’ve been doing photography for a while now and it’s been a hell of a ride. But after looking through my older works, a lot of old memories and familiar faces came up.

My brother was always the artistic one in the household and he taught me everything I know. Hell, some of my older stuff looks better than my stuff now. After straying away from art for a couple of years in high school, I lost a lot of my artistic roots and it is refreshing to see my old style in my older works. Those roots were passed on from my brother, he was the one who taught me to color in the lines. As I grew up (in about the 6th grade) he started to teach me lettering (mostly graffiti and urban art). I got older and he’d teach me something new. He has an original urban style that wrecks. Words literally can’t describe how amazing some of his new pieces look. Anyways, I decided that a lot of my older work needs to be shared. So this year, I’ve decided to dedicate my time to a new portfolio that reflects my past. All the portraits of friends that meant something to me (and still do mean a lot to me), Friday night backyard jam sessions, and even lakeside picnics that I sketched. Everyone and everything in my old portfolio is going to be recreated for my newest project: My Diary. So don’t be surprised if your face shows up in my new portfolio!

Well it’s going to be a hell of a ride — I better get on it.

Here is some work I’ve been working on. A little look at my artistic roots:

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Take Care,
Kevin Cao
www.CaoCreations.com
www.MadCowsDesign.com

P.S. I SUPPORT THE ARTSY MOVEMENT

I have to say, I haven’t been excited about an album release ever since Linkin Park - Reanimation. But one of my favorite bands have just released their 2008 album which, so far, is absolutely amazing. Check it out now!

Two thumbs up for The Hush Sound!

Sincerely,
Kevin Cao
www.CaoCreations.com
www.MadCowsDesign.com

How’s it going reader? I know it’s been over a month since I have posted and I apologized that I haven’t had time to keep up. We have been working on a new business venture for about 4-5 months now and I have to say, it’s been a hell of a ride so far. Mad Cows Design is a clothing line that targets those who are separated from the typical mall-goers. No D-Bag, tathered, pop-collared Abercrombie clothing here. We specifically made this clothing line for the drivers, gearheads, nerds, geeks, and Ramen-eating college students. Basically everyone that has their own style and individuality. The line is really for those who want to express their own personality and not follow expensive fads and trends. It is great to live in Austin because that is all Austin is about. Everyone has their own unique style here. Whether it is clothing, art, music, or just personality. It is a great central point for what we’re trying to accomplish with this line.

Check out our shirts here: Mad Cows Design

Let me know if you have any special requests because I am always up for custom orders. I will do about 95% of the jobs that come my way, so hit me up with what you have in mind. Keep checking back because we are always looking for ways to grow. New shirts are uploaded to our site almost everyday. I just started to fiddle around with some custom airbrushing on our future shoeline. So, if all goes well, I might have those up pretty soon here. Take care guys and best wishes.

Sincerely,
Kevin Cao
www.CaoCreations.com
www.MadCowsDesign.com 

Lupe Fiasco - Hip Hop Saved My Life

There are so many people who follow someone else’s dream.

When you were a kid, your parents tried to mold you into a doctor, dentist, pharmacist, lawyer…a money maker. That is their dream. I understand they want you to succeed. But being a doctor or pharmacist doesn’t mean you have succeeded. Don’t get me wrong, if your dream is to be a doctor than that’s great. My point is to not listen to anyone else besides yourself. No one knows you better than yourself.

If you want to be an artist. If you want to be a photographer. If you want to be a musician. If you want to be travel the world playing in coffee shops. If you want to be a poet. If you want to be a writer. If you want to be a director. Whatever you want to do, do it because you want to do it, not because your parents, teachers, or whoever told you to.

There are so many paths in life. The most typical one I notice is going through 12 years of school, then college for four years, get a 9-5 job, get married, have kids, buy a house and die. That was the perspective of life the first 2 years high school. All I cared about was to get in the top 12 most studious students. I worked hard for A’s and hated myself when I got B’s. I did everything to get there by the end of the year. Until I realized how ridiculously unimportant it was. I changed my mind and my life. I didn’t want to do what every other person in the world was doing. I lost my identity in high school. I was just like every other kid that didn’t have an impact on much. I wasn’t the most studious, I wasn’t the most creative, I wasn’t in sports, I wasn’t a hard-working club member. Math class consisted of systematic ideas and formulae that I could care less about. English was helpful and informative…but dull. History taught me how to find vocabulary words and write definitions down on a piece of paper that was lost the next day.

When I enrolled in Mr. Bondine’s art class in high school from that day, I stopped caring about my grades and stopped caring about what people were saying to me and about me. I started off as number 8 my freshman year and ended my high school career as number 13 or 14 or 15…I forget. But I am proud to say Mr. Bodine has taught me so much in a period of 8 months. He didn’t just teach me how to put paint on a sheet of paper. He taught me how to release my creativity. He taught me how to work hard at something I love. He taught me how to stop caring about stuff people wanted me to care about. He taught me how to mold myself into…well…myself. I never had a chance to thank him. He is the only teacher that taught me more than any other teacher in my entire life. My grades plateaued to a steady B-, but my creativity opened so many doors for my future. Doors I never knew even existed. I wanted to be a pharmacist only because my parents wanted me to be. But because of Mr. Bodine, I opened my eyes to art and photography. I am going to business school to learn how to pursue my career in photography.

Amun Shori is a great example of someone who has followed his own path…someone I still look up to. He ended his high school career as number 18, I believe, but the great thing about that is that he didn’t care much about what number he was. He contributed more than anybody at the school (along with some teachers). He worked hard at making the school a better place to be. He was loved by so many teachers and he always lended a hand when he could. He never walked out on a project. He opened his house for school projects. He lived up to all of his obligations. He works the entire weekend (and some weekdays) for his family and never asks for compensation. He loves his family and would rather spend time with them before anyone else. That is his trademark. That is the story that will die with him. I am proud to call him my brother.

I believe if you truly want to do something in life, you will learn that trade on your own without being taught through a school system. I have more photography articles and books than text books for school. My interest was high and I knew what I fell in love with. I self-taught myself 2 years of photography in 6 months on my own. I never opened a chemistry or biology book because I wanted to. Mr. Bodine wasn’t the only person that helped me get where I am today. My brother didn’t ever let me quit on what I wanted to do even though so many people told me to. He even split the purchase of my first professional camera.

So to summarize: stop listening to everyone else and follow your own path. If you want to be an artist, then do it. If you want to go to an art institute instead of a traditional university, then do it. If you want to travel the world as a musician, then do it. If you want to write books and poems for a living, then do it. If you don’t think college is a correct path for you, then don’t go. Don’t follow a dream just because the money is there. Follow a dream because you love doing it.

Sincerely,
Kevin Cao
www.CaoCreations.com

Over the last 5 - 6 years of my life, I’ve been trying to better myself in a lot of things. Every part of my life was always put on the table to see what can be modified in becoming “better.” But what’s the definition of “better?” That’s really a gut call. I can’t tell you how to make your life better, simply because it’s yours.Anyways, I kept most of this inside and to myself because I knew once I put it on paper, it’d get stored away behind some bills and I’d forget about it. I think this will relate more to men, simply because I am a man. I improve myself as a human first, and then as a man. So I don’t think females will get that much depth from this blog. However, that doesn’t mean you ladies can’t go and propose these self-improvement tips to your partners.

Smile: When I get out of high school and into the real world, there was so much I had to adapt to. It was hard to keep up with everything going on in my life that I just ran out of time. I went into my first mock interview my freshman year at McCombs and I spent all night studying for it. I get to the door and my assigned partner looks at me and said, “Hey, your forgot something…smile bud.” After the long 30 minute interview was over, I got a chance to reflect on the whole process. It occurred to me that I really haven’t smiled in a long time. Granted, I smile all the time at home and with my family and friends, but I forgot to smile in an open, unnatural environment like this. When you don’t smile on a continuous basis, you really tend to adapt your face the way it is. I know it’s hard keeping up with studies, work, bills, etc. But you just have to control your smile if you want to keep it. Laughter and joy adds years to your life, don’t cut it short just because you forgot a smile.

Rest: Rest can be the most important thing on my list. You hear it from your doctors all the time: “You need at least 7 hours of sleep every night!” But who manages to get that kind of sleep with the lifestyle you live? Like other students, there were lots of late hours spent studying. You can’t always get that many hours of sleep. Some weeks (finals in particular) only allow as low as 5-10 hours of sleep the whole week. I figured out a way to refuel myself even though I couldn’t sleep. Take some time away from whatever you’re doing and just do something you like to do for an hour or so. Read the comics, paint, draw, read part of a book, do a crossword, email an old friend, etc. Even though you aren’t sleeping, you get to relax your mind. I imagine my brain as a fat bear eating food (information), sooner or later, he’s going to fill up. You have to let him digest some of the food (information) by taking a break from eating. Even though he’s not getting a chance to hibernate just yet, he gets a chance to pause from an overload of food. However, I don’t suggest playing games, simply because you get addicted. That’s why they do so well on the market. People can sit there all day twiddling their joystick away. Instead, do something that has a relatively quick ending.

Be Honest: If you’re honest to yourself, you can trust yourself. If you say you’re going to finish a project by 10pm on Monday, then do it. The more you get into this pattern, the more you will find yourself feeling rejuvenated and refreshed. Not to mention the extra hours of free time you have (for sleep or spending time with friends and family). You have to find a pattern of honest behavior. Whether its in school, a relationship, karate class, or even a meal schedule, the benefits are relatively endless. It doesn’t have to be extremely demanding. Don’t jump into the deep end and expect results right away. Ease into it. Don’t say you will finish your 20-page essay by tomorrow morning knowing you haven’t even read the requirements. Try saying, “I will finish 1-page of my essay by tomorrow morning.” The next day you can shoot for 2, then 3 pages. You have to work yourself into a trusting mindset. Eating 3 meals a day for a college student is hard. Maybe say “Have an apple while walking to my next class” is a good start.

Read: It’s tough to read something besides textbooks in college. But it can be done. I know a lot of you guys think ESPN or comments left by your World of Warcraft clan members is reading, and in a sense, it is. But it’s not the reading I’m trying to get at. Read something that has substance. The newspaper or news websites are good starts (no not the comics). Reading can be fun when you read something you enjoy hearing about or something that is exciting. We can all agree, textbooks are dull. On a personal note, they made me hate reading. But once I pick up a newspaper, it’s refreshing to see articles having to do with local music events or restaurant reviews rather than Porter’s Value Chain. If you can enjoy reading again, it is truly refreshing.

Lend an Ear: Listen to people when they need you someone to talk to. Listening is one of the most underestimated gifts someone can give to someone else. It means a lot to someone if you can give them a few hours to listen to what they need to get off of their chest. Whether it’s your partner needing to tell you about their day or a friend going through some tough times, it means a lot when you offer an ear. The key word here is “listen.” Don’t talk about your experiences or your thoughts. If they need advice, they will ask for it. But truthfully, they just need to talk. It’s alright to give shoot comments back at them, but don’t make it about you. Avoid “I went through the same thing with _______ because _______, and this is what I did…” statements. Let it be about them and only them.

Open Yourself to New Ideas: Face it, college can be dull sometimes. Well I figured out why. It’s not college that’s dull, instead, it’s your routine. If you fall into a pattern of waking up, going to class, and coming home and falling asleep, then of course it’s going to be dull. You have to open yourself to new ideas. Maybe add a workout plan to your schedule. If you’re like me, you won’t have time for that, so maybe something less eventful will do. Work on a personal project (learning to paint, learning a few sheets of music, try a new restaurant every Friday, see a movie once and awhile). Just try to do something different that might push you away from the norm.

Well that’s all I got for now. These are just a few of the top ideas that made me a better person over the years. I hope this helps and I leave you with another song by The Hush Sound.

Sincerely,
Kevin Cao
www.CaoCreations.com

Music — complements of my new musical obsession. The Hush Sound - The Artist

I want to start off by saying sorry I haven’t had a chance to update my blog in what seems to be like a year. I took my winter break to just relax and work on some things I really wanted to finish. We took a vacation in Colorado this break and it was absolutely amazing. I also had some time to learn and actually do some digital designs/paintings. I thought they came out great in my opinion. It took me about 3 weeks of practice to actually put some up for sale that passed my inspection.

On another note, school just started and my Management class already seems exciting. I have to say McCombs Business School is one of the greatest things that ever happened to me — molding me into a future business leader. I got to see my best bud back home this winter and actually go get dinner. Same with my family. But its time to get back into the right mentality for school. At this rate, it looks like I may get out a semester early, but I am aiming for a year, we’ll just see what happens.

Well best of luck to all who read this and I will report back by Valentines I hope. I leave you with some work I got to finish recently.

Sincerely,
Kevin Cao
www.CaoCreations.com

 

 

 

 

 

Being fused by Chaucer, Shakespeare and so many others, poetry has bloomed into a vision of the soul. We’re lucky enough to be able to feel the poet’s heart and passion and not just listen to his words. I leave you with one of the best (if not THE best) modern poets today: Mike Shinoda.

I have not blogged in what feels like a year, so I decided to just talk about something I get asked everyday:

“Why don’t you have a Myspace or Facebook?”

• I don’t like people looking into my life, secretly stalking me, waiting to ponce on me during my long walk to STA 309.
  • Am I THAT cocky that I think people will stalk me because I am so awesomely awesome? That just isn’t the case THIS time, all I know is that I read somewhere that 56% of stalkers on Myspace/Facebook are males. That means 44% are female and 80% of them have criminal backgrounds. I am no mathematician, but I don’t like those odds.
• I want to pass my classes.
  • They cost me an arm and a leg every 15 weeks.
  • They are extremely fun. I like school, and proud of it!
  • I don’t want to be the girl that sits in front of me during class writing on all 97425 of her friend’s “walls” for 90 minutes. Seriously, who has that many friends? I have no more than 10 (IF THAT!). And then shortly after reply to all the replies that she got from replying to all 97425 friends. It makes my head hurt thinking about how much Windex I will need to clean my wall. Is that how it works?
• I want to be able to talk about something once and awhile.
  • Someone explain to me how these sites work. I occasionally visit friend’s Myspaces and see no sign of a blog or how they are doing. All I see is a sparkling background, or better yet, a picture or some girl or guy (that is HORRIBLY disproportional to the layout - so all I basically see a someone’s arm under a microscope) that follows me as I scroll down the page. At least with Xanga, there was actually a “blogging model.” It was helpful, it went something along the lines of this: “Hey guys, today was my birthday, I had chocolate cake. It was fun.” Okay, maybe not that homosexual, but my point is that there was something to read about the person’s life. No I am not saying Xanga was awesome, it was also flawed with disproportional models, twinkling stars and unrealistic number of friends.
• Facebook is way too personal.
  • From what I have seen on Facebook, you can tell what people have done and are doing all the time. “Johnny Appleseed just wrote on Adam and Eve’s wall.” Thanks for telling me that, I wouldn’t know what to do if I didn’t find that out. Whew, dodged a bullet.
  • You find out everything about everyone. What clubs they are in, what school they go to, hell, how they are feeling, even what community they live in. Um…no thanks. Johnny Appleseed can kiss my big dirty roots.

I can rant days and days on why I don’t associate myself with these “networking communities” but on a serious note, they are really great “contact communities,” but it seems as if they lost a lot of purpose. The purpose to inform other friends how you’re doing, bring the blogging back!

Anyways, I hope you guys enjoyed this BLOG. I leave you with a beautiful love song from Andy Samberg and Adam Levine.