The 'Me' of Past, Present, and Future

I have always known that i would not be a mathematician, doctor, or engineer. Using numbers and equations to solve a problem has never been my strong suit or interest.

I have always known, however, that i am a creative person who believes that words have a way of solving problems and making sense of what seems impossible. Words can persuade you, save you, and change you. If you want a cliche to apply, "The pen is mightier than the sword" works just fine for me.

My journey thus far has been very lucky, and easier than most. Born and raised in Hamilton, Ontario, it was a natural progression for me to attend McMaster University for my post secondary education. Why leave your own backyard (and amazing family) when you have one of the best Universities in the country at your disposal? I started off at McMaster with no specific idea of an intended career. I believed that through my classes i would find out what i loved and what i did not. This could not be more true. The classes i thought i would love (and even major in) turned out to be the ones i hated most. The classes that i did not put too much stock in and had an open mind with surprised me.

Like any other student, i changed my major a few times. I ended my first year of university believing that i would do a double major in political science and gerontology. Over the summer, i started using Tumblr, and 'tumbled' on to a blog written by the Donna Karan PR practitioner (link: http://dknyprgirl.tumblr.com) Having never heard of PR, it piqued my interest. I faithfully read through every one of her posts, describing her every day tasks and responsibilities. I realized that it was a glorified version of public relations, but at the base it had all the things i wanted in a career: freedom for change, no two days being the same, creativity, and writing! Lots and lots of writing.

I marched in to McMaster during the first week of school and completely changed my schedule around. I researched the requirements of becoming a PR practitioner, and carefully mapped my way to get there with the help of my guidance counsellor. I changed my majors to Political Science and Communications and never looked back!

Beyond PR, i love reading, music, and photography. These loves fit perfectly with my passion for traveling. I really enjoy experiencing new cultures and seeing historical places. Oh, and i also love eating my way through these new places! After graduating from McMaster i took a graduation trip to Greece, and it was everything i hoped and dreamed. I hope to continue traveling, and maybe even live in a new country.

Through my past i have learned that keeping an open mind with the future is necessary. Follow the things you love, and it will lead you to where you need to be. I have learned to be confident in my skills, especially writing. I have found that i am interested in crisis management, due to my love of solving problems with words. I have found that i have a true love for pop culture, and the need for crisis management in the entertainment industry is always needed (See: Sony hacking scandal). I have found that i am a human entertainment almanac. I can recall facts about anything pop culture related on a dime. I attribute this to my love and dedication to any and all MuchMusic programs since i was 8 years old.

Presently, i am enjoying where i am in life. I am relishing my last few months of school (ever). I am looking forward to what my career has in store.

Looking towards the future, i hope that a year from now i am gainfully employed at a job in PR. I realize that first jobs are not always what you hope for, but rather getting your foot in the door. I may not love every aspect, but i hope that at the route of my job i am enjoying the PR profession and my ability to exercise the skills i have honed over the 20 years of my education. I hope that this job is a stepping stone on the way to a great and successful career. I also hope that this job is in Toronto, or another great city in the world.

Five years from now, i hope that i have successfully navigated through my 20's, and have had an exciting time doing it. I hope that my job will be one of those excitements, and that i will be working in some way or form in the entertainment industry. I hope that five years from now i will have experienced living in a different city in the world (Dream city: London, England).

Ten years from now, i hope to have a family of my own to share the excitements of life with. I hope that i will have found a great career groove. I hope that i will have a decorated resume with great things on it. I hope that i will have written a book (whether it is successful or not). I hope that i will love PR as much as i do right now.

What the future has in store for me may not be an easy path, but i hope it is an exciting path with lots of winds and turns. I have a feeling that the 'Me' of past, present, and future will lead me to where i need to be.

Signed yours truly,

Jordan Hamilton

Locke-Taylor Magazine: A Taste Of What's To Come

Recently, i have began writing for an online magazine called Locke-Taylor. It is a fashion magazine that focuses on the greater Hamilton area. It focuses great local businesses, fashionable people in the area, fashion editorials, and DIY's. This magazine is new, launching its first edition at the end of October 2014. Seeing this website being created from the ground up has been truly eye opening to see the online creative process.

Working with other creative people in the Hamilton area has made me feel connected to the city i have grown up in for the first time. I have always felt that i was a weird beta fish in a decently sized pond populated with gold fish. I did not think many people had the same aspirations or interests. I feel lucky to have found this opportunity, and i am having a really fun time doing it.

Writing for a new online magazine is time consuming, but rewarding. Seeing that the website is garnering over 2000 views a month, based solely on word of mouth and social media is amazing. It is also rewarding to know that there are people in the area that are interested in the work you are doing, and interested in contributing to the magazine.

We are currently putting the finishing touches on the winter editorial, with plans for it to go live on December 8th. In the mean time, we have uploaded fresh content such as DIY's to tide the readers over. We teamed up with a local florist, Joanna Aitcheson, to do a video on how to create your own Christmas wreath. Not being much of a DIY-er, this wreath was very appealing and seemingly easy to make.

I am so excited to see where this journey takes me. Testing my creative writing chops in an outlet that really appeals to me is something that i have been waiting for.

To see the past issue of Locke-Taylor Magazine and catch the next issue (coming December 8th), check out Locke-Taylor.com

Locke-Taylor is also active on social media:
Twitter- @Locke_TaylorMAG
Instagram- LockeTaylorMagazine
Facebook- Locke-Taylor Magazine

Wise Words From Chris Rock

Yes, Chris Rock is a notoriously funny man who can make anyone laugh on cue. What most people do not know about Chris Rock is that he is amazingly smart and tactile when speaking about current events. Most people shy away from speaking on hot topics such as race, gun control, and the power of riches, but Chris Rock meets these questions head on.

On November 30th 2014, New York Magazine released an interview with Chris Rock in promotion of his new movie "Top Five." During a promotional interview, most actors/comedians stick to a light and funny interview to attract people to see the movie. Chris Rock however, discussed Ferguson, Bill Cosby, and the problems with Fox News. He is not afraid to piss people off, and his opinion is well informed.

The interview starts right off the bat with a statement about Fox News. Rock states, "Jon Stewart has said the reason Fox News works better than CNN is because the people at Fox News figured out how to make themselves into victims." A poignant point. 

Perhaps his most interesting insights are when discussing race and the current issues happening in Ferguson. When asked about his view on the problem he said, "When we talk about race relations in America or racial progress, it’s all nonsense. There are no race relations. White people were crazy. Now they’re not as crazy. To say that black people have made progress would be to say they deserve what happened to them before. So, to say Obama is progress is saying that he’s the first black person that is qualified to be president. That’s not black progress. That’s white progress. There’s been black people qualified to be president for hundreds of years."

This is not a view point many people take when talking about race. The way we phrase progress can sometimes regress the capabilities and rights of other races. There should be no glass ceiling, there should be no qualification issues. 

While this interview was very serious, a Chris Rock comedy special really stands out for being politically forward. In the clip below, Chris Rock states his views on gun control. The video is from 1999 (post Columbine) and was very controversial at the time: 

Chris Rock is someone we need to hear more from. He is fearless and intelligent. He has the ability to be comedian, but also be interesting as hell. I cannot wait to hear what he has to say next. 

I would encourage all to read the full New York Magazine article here. Its lengthy, but worth it: 
http://www.vulture.com/2014/11/chris-rock-frank-rich-in-conversation.html?mid=twitter_nymag

Black Friday vs Cyber Monday- Who Will Be The Victor?

In previous years, Black Friday was just something you would hear about on the news concerning the United States. Stories about people waiting in line for two days to buy the TV they want for sale. Stories about people dying from getting trampled when they open the doors for the sales. Stories about fights breaking out in the middle of stores over products. Black Friday, to me, was a terrifying event that happened the day after the US Thanksgiving. It made me thankful that i did not live in the US.

Its seems that the Black Friday sales have spread north. Canada has now started to buy in to the craziness of the Black Friday sales. This perhaps is due to the spread of more American stores taking over in Canada, most recently being Target.

With the advertisement of so many sales, i started to buy in to the Black Friday hype. Not even a mud slide and massive amounts of traffic could stop me. I was on a mission to get some sales and finish (*start) my Christmas shopping. Easier said than done.

The mall was rammed. There were teeny boppers everywhere. More importantly, the sales sucked. Unless you were interested in getting some sort of electronic device at a store like Walmart or Target, all you were going to get was 10% off your purchase at most. Is this what people are trampling each other for in the United States? Doubt it. This is the cheap knock off of the real Black Friday!

So i left the mall empty handed and was reminded of this amazing thing called Cyber Monday. Cyber Monday is the online equivalent to Black Friday. The difference being that the sales are actually good, most places offer free shipping, and you can do it all from the comfort of your own home (sans teeny boppers- unless you live with one).

The sales were so good that some online retailers websites crashed. To my dismay, while finishing a purchase, the Aldo website crashed. A follow up with Aldo's Twitter announced that the site would be back up soon and the sale would be extended an extra 24 hours. It is also important to note that it seems Aldo broke the internet, not Kim Kardashian.

For those of you who are planning on skipping the line on Boxing Day, these are the websites i found with the best sales:
www.aldoshoes.com
www.urbanoutfitters.com
www.asos.com
www.callitspring.com

Cyber Monday: 1
Black Friday: 0

Tis the Season

I am beyond ready for Christmas. Some people think it is ridiculous to start decorating and shopping for Christmas before December. But as soon as November 1st rolls around, i am a sucker for all things red and green. I love the holiday cups at Starbucks. I get excited every time i see a house elaborately decorated. I will always stop when i see Christmas tree displays. I still love getting my picture taken with Santa. To many peoples surprise, i really like buying Christmas gifts for my friends and family. But most of all….. I love Christmas music.

I am just starting to compile my yearly Christmas playlist. Below are my classic and current favourites.

Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree by Brenda Lee is hands down my favourite Christmas song. It does not get more classic than this. 

O Holy Night by Celine Dion is the power house Christmas song that you blast and sing as loud as you can while driving.

All I Want For Christmas Is You by Mariah Carey is that Christmas song you hate to love, and can't help but sing a long to.

Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town by The Jackson 5 makes for a groovy mix up on an eclectic Christmas playlist. 

While it may not necessarily be a Christmas song, Baby It's Cold Outside by the Glee Cast is still a really great song for Christmas!

Last but not least….Christmas Lights by Coldplay. It is probably the newest of all the songs on the playlist, but it might be the best. Not many people know about this song, so it is my hidden jem. 

They say you can't judge a book by its cover…...

I am a big believer in first impressions. I know within minutes if i will get a long with a person. I do listen to what people say about others. If there is an overwhelming consensus, it must be right. I pay attention to peoples mannerisms and how they interact with others. I take note of a persons interests, their values, and beliefs. They do not necessarily have to meet up with my own, but it speaks volumes.  Lately i have been struggling with one criteria of judgement. They say you can't judge a book by its cover….But can you judge a person by the music they listen to?

As one of the few people who still avidly buys CDs, music has been one of the largest influences on me. Music is present in everything i do. For this reason, music has always been a factor when checking the 'Yes' or 'No' box for a person.

I have always thought my music taste is supreme to others, with the well rounded taste my parents provided me with as a child. There was no shortage of ABBA, Led Zeppelin, or The Who. When i was old enough i started to create my own taste in music, heavily influenced by the television station Much Music. Every day i would watch the programs on Much Music from the time i got home from school until i went to bed. I was obsessed. When the internet and MP3's were introduced to me, it was taken to a new level. No longer did i need to listen to one CD of one artist at a time on my Walkmen. I could now listen to my ever growing eclectic mix.

Music in this day and age is different than ever before. Some artists release their music solely on the internet. Some even release their music for free. With the emergence of YouTube music stars like Justin Bieber, there are no boundaries for the release of music. Over night, a new musician with a new sound can go viral. This means there are so many new types of music emerging.

Recently my music tastes have begun to change. I am more open minded to the trendy radio hits. Specifically, i have started listening to one artist i swore i would never listen to. A musician i have found obnoxious, and have heavily judged people for listening to. I have started listening to……TAYLOR SWIFT.

Truthfully, this is the first time i have admitted to it. If all my long term Taylor Swift loving friends are reading this right now, they are definitely going to have some choice words. Beginning with "I told you so!!" Anytime Taylor Swift came on the radio in the past i have changed the channel immediately. I have mocked her whinny teenage love story songs. I have made fun of her cheesy dancing on various awards shows with the rest of the world. My excuse for Taylor Swifts dismissal in the past was that she was a country (the one and only musical area I am not inclined to listen to). With her new emergence as a pop music star, dropping the country act entirely, i have been sucked in to the Taylor Swift hype.

Admittedly having just bought (and loved) Taylor Swifts new album 1989 yesterday, i have begun to rethink my stance on judging people by the music they listen to. If my former self from 2013 were to meet my current self, i definitely would not have passed the friendship test. I would have been exiled to the land of Generic Music Taste. Maybe the residents in the land of Generic Music Taste think that my taste in music is horrible and cliche. They could be judging me just as well. For this reason, i think i will ditch my music judging tendencies, and keep an open mind to what the future of music has in store.