We are big TED and TEDx fans at Rule29. And we are excited to share Justin’s first TEDx talk – See Different, Do Different. As people who wonder, we are built to see the world differently than most. It’s one of our unique, innovative traits. We all say we want to be a part of changing the world, but how do you actually accomplish this? Watch his TEDx Naperville talk and the other great speakers too.

It’s hard to believe it’s been a year since our third annual hand turkey extravaganza ended with these great winners. The time is here once again, our friends, to charge up the tryptophan motivation and be a kid with some hand turkey works of art. Please check out our updated Show of Hands site, download the form, read the rules or check out the 2010 entries, and be among the first to enter the 4th annual Show of Hands competition. Remember outside of the sheer glory of being named champion, we enhance the sweet taste of victory with some  iTunes gifts to go with it.

PLEASE NOTE – part of your jury selection will be based on tweets, likes and comments. So enter early and enter often. Let everyone know about it and get some social networking love. Get your office into it, break out the crayons or oil pastels, make Grandma bust one out and your kids (oh yeah, we pick a kids winner too). Bottom line: Have some fun.

We are excited to see your tasty turkey creations, let’s get it rolling!

It’s always been a dream to write a book. Honestly, though, I haven’t had much to say until I asked myself this question: “How do I live a life that fuels my work and work in a way that fuels my life?” I’ve been speaking about this idea, trying to figure it out, and working through trial and error until I came up with a “process” (or at least an outlook) that my good friends at Wiley felt was good enough to publish. Life Kerning is all about making small steps to get closer to that elusive work-life balance.

I really enjoy business/help books that are friendly and approachable, so I tried to tackle this issue head-on in a relaxed, “I’ve been there” manner. I share some tips from great friends and observations from speaking to a variety of people about this subject. I really wanted to challenge the notion that positive change can come only through a complete system overhaul. So, the book provides quick strategies to fine-tune specific areas of your life and career.

Wiley gave Rule29 the opportunity to create the whole package as well – the cover, a clean typeset style, and fresh illustrations for each chapter. These illustrations were custom geometric-style shape drawings that were set on a textured background to set the stage for an engaging read (special thanks to Kara “The Cheech” for working so hard on those with me). We also extended the style to a fun and simple website, facebook tab, and a video.

My biggest hope is that readers find some peace of mind mixed with inspiration topped with a fresh outlook on some things that can be completely overwhelming at times. I made this for you.

I hope you consider getting the book either physically or in ebook form from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or Books-A-Million. I look forward to your thoughts both good and bad; either way I hope you are awesome today.

Storytelling is one of the oldest art forms known to humanity. Whether it is the biblical narrative of Adam and Eve, the tragedy of Hamlet, or the animated series Toy Story, stories have shaped both people and culture since the beginning of time.

They inform us. They move us. They change us.

And as our team has traveled the world, meeting people anywhere from the Napa Valley wine country to the largest slums in Africa, we have realized that each of us share one thing in common. We all have a story. A story worth telling.

This is the basis not only for the Stories Matter Project (being introduced here), but in what we do. We tell stories through visual mediums. In fact, it’s so central to what we do, we want to become better at it. This collective is simply an avenue for us to experience the beauty and wonder of both humanity’s similarities and differences. We do this to learn, to share, and to be transformed… which is exactly what happened when we met Arkangelo.

Arkangelo is one of the 20,000 Sudanese refugee boys that were displaced during Sudan’s civil war that took place for the better part of the 80s and 90s (1983-2005) – otherwise known as the “Lost Boys of Sudan”. Although Arkangelo’s story is rooted in one of the most brutal civil wars of the modern era, it is his love and care for people than truly defines him. I could tell you the story, but invite you to experience it yourself – along with Wendi, our other featured story.

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Stories Matter is a joint venture between the Rule29 team and Wonderkind Studios. Special thanks to Michael Rostenbach and Susan Herda (Rule29) for illustration/animation help.

View more stories at www.storiesmatter.co . Have a story? Share it with us here. Maybe you can tell it with us.

Every Fall we collectively are bombarded with a mass of pink merchandise—at least more than usual. Some may not even recognize the significance, but ultimately many of our pink purchases go to a special cause. October is breast cancer awareness month—in honor of all the moms, sisters, daughters, aunts, grandmothers, and cousins who have dealt with the disease. A portion of the sales from the pink goods often goes to breast cancer research, supporting research and events. (It should be noted that not all Pink Ribbon merchandise goes to support breast cancer research—sold with the intention that the buyer will use it to support the cause.)

Unlike many of the organizations selling everything from mugs to hats sporting the Pink hue, the American Cancer Society wants the public to Pink Differently—not just buying a shirt with a Pink Ribbon to be supportive, but doing more. Take that shirt and wear it to an ACS cancer walk, raising funds to go directly to cancer research. The Pink Differently campaign asks us to go beyond the barrage of products and do more to fight the war against cancer.

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