We have google, yahoo, mapquest, and countless searches to find countless answers. But I must admit that google has failed me numerous times. Every time I've searched for the "love of my life" it gives me Freddy Mercury singing on YouTube. The "I'm Feeling Lucky" button sometimes leaves me quite bitter.

But now, you can ask a question and get an answer from a PERSON! It's like 411 for all 411s in the world - and you get a real guide. It's called ChaCha. You can either text CHACHA (242242) or call 1 800 2CHACHA. Let me tell you, ChaCha is pure gold and it's free.

So, being textually active, I'm urged to try this out; I shoot a few questions over like is there more caffeine in tea or coffee, or how can I get a job as a full-time blogger and other random inquiries. I then decided to put ChaCha through a real test. Here's our little chat log:

Charlotte: Dear ChaCha, what flavor is the white/clear gummi bear supposed to be?
ChaCha: It's supposed to be Pineapple. ChaCha on!

Charlotte: Are you sure? Someone told me it was grape?
ChaCha: Trolli white Gummi bears are Pineapple. ChaCha.

Charlotte: Thanks. I love u. Why is your name ChaCha?
ChaCha: To "Cha" in Chinese means to search, aand ChaCha is a fast pace dance. Thus, ChaCha is a fast-paced search!

I was a bit surprised when ChaCha said the flavor was Pineapple... Here's some backstory for you: some ten-odd years ago, I was on a quest for answers to life's questions. One of them was - what flavor is the clear Gummi Bear? They're my favorite flavor and I needed to know the answer. Keep in mind, I was in college and had plenty of time to procrastinate. So I called the 800 number on the back of the candy bag, got connected to a nice lady on the other line and I then dropped the question.

She put me on hold for a few seconds and comes back to say "They're Grape." I know - you're thinking - wait, aren't grapes purple? She clarified that Black Forest Candy was British, so they're referring to the green/white grapes when they concocted that flavor/color. "Ah, I see, Thank you very much..." Life was much more clear after that.

So, in this case, ChaCha was right (Trolli clear bears are pineapple) and so was I.

A few hours later, I asked my favorite question.
Charlotte: ChaCha, where is the love of my life?
ChaCha: Probably where you least expect them! Thanks for using ChaCha!

Ha! See if you can google an answer like that!

That little beauty is my new guitar. There was a point in my life where I could hear a song and ear-play it on my guitar, saxophone, piano or the other instruments my wonderful parents showered me with. Those musically inclined, ear-playing days are long gone and I can barely keep rhythm in my strum. Nonetheless, when I walked into the guitar shop, this pretty thing called my name.

What prompted me to pick up some six-stringed fun was a sweet ballad entitled Love in LA by Ernie Halter. Get your youtube dose of the day and watch Ernie perform the song - (click here - no, really, watch it NOW and come back to read the rest of my blog).

After you get goosebumps from that intimate performance, I'm sure you can agree that Love in LA is a fantastic "singles" anthem, and hence, my new anthem. Love is hard to come by. But being in LA - all I can say is - May the force be with you... LA is social yet isolating, blatant yet elusive, hopeful yet crushing, and just plain trouble. Um, can you say Gemini??

If you pour me a stiff drink, I might grab the guitar and bust the tune out for you. I won't give you goosebumps, but I may make your ears bleed - whatever, I just rock out for me... BUT I can only play this song because Ernie Halter is a diamond of a guy. I messaged him on Myspace (because he is my Myspace friend!) and asked if he would send me the chords to his song. Homeboy is currently on tour, but he managed to kindly send them to an eager fan. So Ernie, a thousand thanks!

love (in LA),
charlotte

There are two things I have always wanted a bartender to say to me (none of which have happenned yet):

#1 - Pick your poison.
#2 - What's your secret?

When I hear the word "secret" I think: ohh, someone's drunk and is going to regret spilling the beans tomorrow... I don't have too many secrets of my own to spill, but I know when I hear someone's, it's as dangerous as a Filipina in a shoe store, or me at a steakhouse. I tend to just keep my mouth shut when little whispers make their way to my ears.

There is a little secret I have been keeping - a little Sunday afternoon delight... It seems that thousands of people slap their secrets onto postcards and send them to some guy in Maryland. He sifts through them all, and picks 20 to put on a blog every Sunday. I won't repeat posts so check them out here: PostSecret

The best way to handle a secret is to not tell anyone (noo, really??). But I guess if you have a deep, dark, foreboding, eating-at-your-soul in the middle-of-the-night secret that you feel you can absolutely tell no one, yet, you have to get it out... Do it anonymously - Slap it on a postcard to let the USPS handle your dirty work - and deliver it to the WORLD!

Just send it here:
13345 Copper Ridge Rd
Germantown, Maryland 20874

Click here to see instructions on how to send your secret in.

Yes, that's my "PostSecret" up there... I know, it's lame, but it's true.

Although my blog is (hopefully) quite interesting, it's likely appropriate for me to put some of my work up. Here's a publication I worked on while on contract with the Anaheim/Orange County Visitor & Conventions Bureau. It's a hot brand to work with and Anaheim is an ideal destination to market in the tourism industry.

The destination and the brand definitely has some untapped potential - but that's just how I feel. An artist isn't always taken seriously and, as a consultant, my opinions and capabilities are often overlooked. However, as the art director for this publication, I have to state that just because a piece is blue and orange, it doesn't make it Anaheim.

The details of the time line on this particular project will remain undisclosed. If you are a designer you would understand. But just to toot my own horn a bit, it did come off the press a week early.

Download a PDF of Destination Update 2008.