So we decided to have a little fun while trying to explain exactly what it is we do… in less than a minute. Whew.
Posts Tagged ‘fun stuff’
KJA clears a path to advertisers
May 13, 2011Things Sean loves
May 11, 2010We revisit our “Things We Love” series with this entry from our young Sean Gray – designer AND recent Tech graduate. Have we mentioned? We love Sean too.
What do YOU love?
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Post to Facebook Quality of life essentials
April 14, 2010The list of components which greatly impact our quality of life normally look something like this:
- Social Connections (family & friends)
- Health
- Education
- Attitude
- Opportunities
.
But there’s another well documented – but often overlooked – aspect.
- The Arts (participation in and involvement with).
Yeah, that’s right. The VISUAL and the PERFORMING arts..
Why is it important?
Research indicates that people who have a background in the arts experience life at a very different level than those who lack that exposure. Things like . . .
- more developed habits of critical and creative thinking
- more perseverance and dedication to a given task
- better psychological and physical health
- greater self-discipline, intrapersonal and interpersonal skills
- better performance on standardized tests
- more likely to remain in school
- enhanced healing and recovery from hospitalization.
Not to mention that the nonprofit arts and culture industry generates $166.2 BILLION in economic activity every year. Double WOW!!!
So, the old excuse “that’s just really not my thing” needs to be re-evaluated. The arts impact every single individual with a broad range of benefits.
Yes, you too.
Perhaps the words of acclaimed New York City acting teacher, Stella Adler sum it up best . . .
Life beats down and crushes the soul, and art reminds you that you have one.
This principle applies to corporate officers as well as entry level employees. To both teachers and students. Doctors and patients. Architects and common laborers. None are exempt from the struggles of life. Likewise, the benefits of developing an understanding and appreciation of the arts are equally universal.
ARTWalk – Friday, April 16
Held in Alexandria’s downtown arts district (on the newly revitalized 3rd street corridor) – ARTWalk provides a fantastic introduction to the arts in Central Louisiana. It offers one of the best opportunities for area residents to sample a smorgasbord of creativity here in our own community.
In short, it’s about: painting, sculpting, drawing, crafting, designing, coloring, woodworking, jewelry-making, pottery making, knitting, sewing, decoupaging, getting your mosaic on, dancing, singing, drama, cooking, eating, drinking, shopping, friends, families, neighbors, and rediscovering our community by getting out of our houses TOGETHER at . . . ARTwalk!
To learn more about ARTWalk visit the Arts Council of Central Louisiana.
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Tasty team-building
March 24, 2010
David Crain, KJA Creative Director
Sure, it begins with a paycheck. (J. O. B.)
But if it ends there, it can be a miserable, uphill trudge. Counting the minutes to “quittin’ time” is a sign that something’s badly askew. Several dynamics can affect whether you find yourself in that trap — or not.
We credit the KJA founders, Ken & Suzan Juneau, for creating a rock-solid team-spirit foundation. But we also recognize that daily, each one of us has a vital role in maintaining that spirit as we march forward. Over the course of a year, our team embarks on a spectrum of unscripted and spontaneous efforts, each magically bonding a diverse collection of individuals into a passionate and committed TEAM.
The activities vary. Greatly. They can range from a Christmas party at one of our homes to a punkin’ carvin’ contest in the conference room.
Today’s installment – nothing less than genius. And while you’d expect that from a company that does award winning work, today’s creation came from one of our team members who’s not officially part of the “creative” core. (We’re all rethinking this right now!) Our receptionist, Janet Logsdon — the first face you see when you enter our front door, has an array of creative skills of her own. For our people celebrating birthdays in March, Janet crafted a stunning and scrumptious work of art.
Is it a basket of fruit? Is it a cake? Is it even edible?
The resounding “OMG!” responses answer all the above.
Yeah – being part of the KJA team has its perks. Today they were extremely high calorie.
Team-building usually takes a bit of effort – but the benefits always outweigh the investment.
Now you know the secret of our recipe for camaraderie. What’s yours?
–> Click here to see shots of the cake-making process.
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What’s your type
February 18, 2010Everyone likes an introspective test. Right?
Sha’nah, KJA’s web and interactive guru, shared a link to a ‘test’ developed by the design firm Pentagram. The goal of What Type are You is to determine what typeface best represents you. Is it Courier or Dot Matrix? Baskerville or Perpetua Titling? Answer a short, simple series of “this” or “that” choices and get a diagnosis of your type.
Fun stuff – no doubt. (Even if you’re not a type-geek. So don’t be afraid.)
But there’s a bigger point: Type speaks.
This clever test simply reverses what designers work to do every day – match the emotion and personality of a client’s message with a typeface. Fonts tell a story as important as the words on the page. They communicate distinct visual and emotional messages. We use “feelings words” like clean, friendly, grungy or professional to describe different typefaces. In order to make a statement and grab your attention – the fonts must say the right things.
So go have some fun. Visit What Type are You and discover the typeface that represents your personality (in a faux-scientific way of course). But when it comes to your advertising, make sure your type fits your message.
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Only in Louisiana
February 15, 2010David Crain, KJA Creative Director
We’ve all heard the expression “raining cats and dogs”.
But apparently there’s a little-known phenomenon in the deep south that can be summed up in only 2 words — “snowin’ gators!”
Oh sure, it’s quite rare – as is snow of any kind in Louisiana, but this photo is proof that the Cajun folk legend really is true.
For those who ventured out seeking a relief from cabin fever, they just might have caught a glimpse of this guy — right here in the heart of Central Louisiana (Alexandria). He was standing guard in front a house near the Hill Street and Chester Street intersection. The second photo shows his more traditional cousin just inches away.
Kudos to the ‘artist’ that made this happen. Simply amazing!
Probably yet another person who claims to “not have a shred of creativity in their bones.”
I’D BEG TO DIFFER!
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Make a one pound click
December 18, 2009
Provide one pound of food for the Central Louisiana Food Bank with your click!
This holiday season, the KJA crew will ring in the New Year with a hefty donation to the Central Louisiana Food Bank.
Your click can help!
Simply click the “Share” button and we’ll add one pound of groceries to our donation. It’s that simple. We’re hoping to load the sleigh with one ton of food for families in need. It’s like putting the spirit of Christmas in cans to be opened throughout the year. But every pound depends on your click.
Your part’s easy. Aim your cursor at the big button, and click to share. (You can send this to friends and family to do the same.) Then celebrate this season of goodwill.
Happy Holidays!
The KJA Crew
.
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I will not eat cranberry sauce
November 23, 2009
I will not eat cranberry sauce.
For as you can see, it makes me quite cross!
Do not make me eat it! Do not even try!
Or I will shiver and quiver and sniffle and cry!
I really don’t mean to be so persnickety,
But just look at it there all wobbledy and wiggledy!
I will not eat it, I must confess;
Instead I’ll protest and make a big mess!
I will not eat it from the can,
I’ll smash it and bash it between my hands!
I will not eat it any place;
Here, let me just smear it all over my face!
So if you don’t want me to make such a fuss,
Just keep it away from me, this nasty canned stuff.
There’s just one thing that will bring me some cheer,
As we gather ’round the table at this time of the year.
It’s a berry special message that I’ll pass along to you:
Have a Happy Thanksgiving from the KJA Crew!
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This holiday season we urge you to leave that can of jellied cranberry sauce sitting on the grocery shelves. Step outside your tin-wrapped routine. Put down the can-opener and reach for real cranberries instead. A little sugar, a little water and you’re on your way to a tradition worth repeating. You may like it so much you eat it more than twice a year.
Cranberry Sauce
INGREDIENTS
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup water
- 4 cups (1 12-oz package) fresh or frozen cranberries
- Optional Pecans, orange peel, raisins, currants, blueberries, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice.
HOW-TO
- Wash and pick over cranberries. In a saucepan boil water and sugar, stirring to dissolve sugar. Add cranberries, return to a boil. Reduce heat, simmer for 10 minutes or until cranberries burst.
- At this point you can add any number of optional ingredients: a half a cup of roughly chopped pecans with or without a few strips of orange peel; a cup of raisins or currants; a pint of fresh or frozen blueberries for added sweetness; spices like cinnamon, nutmeg or allspice.
- Remove from heat. Cool completely at room temperature and then chill in refrigerator. It will thicken as it cools.
Makes 2 1/4 cups.
The Coffee Connection
November 17, 2009
Why is it that the best places tend to be hidden in some obscure corner of the universe? While the Coffee Connection isn’t exactly hidden, it can easily be missed by passers-by. For those of us who’ve discovered this little treasure, it’s become a regular detour from the routine of life, offering a lot more than just fancy coffee and tempting pastries.
With ornamental iron lamps and hanging baskets adorning the brick columned facade, it whispers of another time and another place – miles away from familiar Main Street, Pineville. But crossing the threshold, you step into a completely unexpected dimension, where the color pallet, distinctive finishes and hip furnishings define this über-cool, upscale-feeling, coffee bar. At this point, you hear your brain say “Wow!”
A vital component of this well put together space is the art tastefully exhibited throughout. And that’s where this interesting story takes an unusual, hard-left turn. The talented masters behind these killer paintings? Residents of Pinecrest Developmental Center. In fact, The Coffee Connection is a very admirable non-profit venture of Pinecrest.
Pinecrest Habilitation Director, Cynthia Brown explains that this venture provides Pinecrest residents with the invaluable experience of finding fulfillment through legitimate work, as well as interaction with mainstream society. Cynthia, along with Pinecrest Art Therapist, Melanie Downs, are the “space designers” who did a fantastic job transforming this formerly vanilla property into a rich Expresso expression worth savoring.
The Coffee Connection customer base greatly varies. “Some days,” Cynthia says, “we only serve a handful of our ‘regulars’. Other days, we can suddenly be filled to capacity. An LC psychology class frequently uses this alternative location for classes. Local clubs, such as the Central Louisiana Volkswagon Club, regularly hold monthly meetings here.”
And if the environment and art aren’t enough to make your mouth water, The Coffee Connection’s Wi-Fi and karaoke stage might sweeten the cup for you.
You owe it to yourself to seek out this community treasure. You’ll find The Coffee Connection across from the front entrance of Louisiana College on Military Highway/Main Street, around on the side of what was once the A&P grocery.
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On Wednesday, December 2nd, Pinecrest artists will be on location at The Coffee Connection selling greeting cards that are created from reproductions of their painting. The artists receive 100% of all sales.
Click here to check out more of Coffee Connection’s art and interiors.
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Carve out some fun
November 11, 2009
You’ve heard the saying “the family that plays together stays together.” That’s not an old wives’ tale. Research shows that playing as a child taught us a huge spectrum of skills, which in turn helped us become happy, smart adults.
But recently, the compounding stresses of life, work and responsibility press on us – hard. In offices, there’s an all-consuming focus on productivity and quota-making. We find ourselves mired in the confines of business. Our smart and happy adult selves now boxed-in and tense.
Sounds like fun.
Rather it sounds like it’s TIME FOR FUN!
Years ago the team at KJA Communications Group recognized the importance of play in the creative process. We’ve learned that ideas come from relaxed minds, not from the hot lights of “we want it NOW” burning down on our brains. But we can’t say enough about the need for finding a place for fun in EVERY workplace.
The Halloween season provided us a perfect opportunity to infuse a bit of neighborly frivolity into the workplace. We sponored a building-wide Carve-a-Lantern punkin’ carving competition. Employees from 5 different businesses gathered round a big conference room, armed with assorted tools, decorations and templates and dug in. For a couple hours that Friday afternoon they were focused on something other than to-do lists. These realtors, home health workers, media representatives, insurance adjusters and a few ad agency types carved away some of the tension and stress from their work week.
Sounds like fun.
Playing at work creates a spirit of joyfulness and fun. This is a good thing, you want people to enjoy the place they spend most of their day. And, despite your misconceptions, research tells us clearly that offices where people actually LAUGH, tend to have people who are more productive.
As children, we formed relationships with our buddies at play in the sandbox. Apply that to a business setting and see how play can help us build communications skills, learn personalities and strengthen relationships.
Sitting around, sculpting goofy faces in vegetables stretched our funny bones. Who can’t laugh at a pumpkin with green onions sticking out of its “head”? We hee-hawed, we kibitzed, we got to know one another better. We learned that inside those big ol’ punkins… it’s really gross. And that if you put cinnamon inside a jack-o-lantern, it lasts longer.
When all was said and done, we returned to our respective desks, one last cookie in hand…as happy, smart adults. THAT sounds like fun.
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