2/28/10 2 Brunches. Double the Crazy!


So today seems to have been a very popular day for Brunches AND Birthdays. Two of my good friends planned things for their prospective birthdays. So in celebration, Happy Birthday to both Heidi & Michael! Love them dearly. But with two brunches, it's been an incredibly busy day with way too many mimosas. Oh my.. Regardless, it was amazing to spend good times with many good people.

Today's photo was found on the street near Essex House in the Lower East Side, NYC. Nice Buzzer!

2/27/10 Amazing Weekend. Wide Eyed.


So as I've been saying for quite some time this year, 2010 seems to be shaping up very nicely. It started off and continued to be an amazing weekend thus far.

Sorry to keep it short and sweet, but it's quite a busy weekend. Ooof!

Today's photo was found courtesy of a friendly Converse Sneaker in New York City. Wide eyed. eh?

2/26/10 Wow. I'm Not Dreaming?


I did what I was waiting to do for a few weeks today, and I feel as though I can finally rest without the interference of anxiety or anticipation. I'm feeling a lot, but the primary is happiness.

Wow. More information to come.

On another note, I highly recommend that everyone watch 'Shutter Island' ASAP. Great film making in this one, with a great cast. The visual storytelling was superb.

Today's photo was found on the West Side Highway thanks to some random door. Shockingly Awesome.

2/25/10 Happy Birthday Jimena. Here's some flowers!


It's been quite a crazy few weeks, so I apologize for the odd timing for the FACE IT posts. But I hope to be back on track after this week. In honor of a friend who's a huge fan of the blog, here's a FACE IT Emoticon found by her. It's her birthday, so have a great one Jimena!

Today's photo was found in our offices in Midtown, NYC. Odd Vase was an interesting find for an interesting lady. :)

2/24/10 Waiting= Painful.


For this post, I'll be simple and add a quote that sums up what I feel at this exact moment:

"Life was always a matter of waiting for the right moment to act."
-Paulo Coelho

Today's photo was found on a doorknob in front of my gypsy van bus in front of the Port Authority in New York City. Thanks for the similar sentiment, apartment building knob! I look forward to some open doors.

2/23/10 Rough 2 Weeks = :-|


As of today, I've been working non-stop for about over two weeks. Don't get me wrong, I love what I do, but my mind tends to think otherwise. Brain failure is continuing this week. No matter how much caffeine I consume, I remain exhausted. I wish I could take a vacation, but this may no happen for a while.. Wah wah wah..

Today's photo was found on 46th in between 7th & 8th Avenue in Midtown, NYC. Thanks to this random architectural structure. :)

2/22/10 Tired Has Turned Into Goofy.


Okay, from what I could understand after some mighty long hours & creative flowing of juices, I am officially done with one phase of hard work as of today. So my bitching and complaining about working so hard and so much is over. I will say (and this may be because I'm too damn self aware) that I feel annoyed with myself for projecting such angst and complaint to the interwebs the past couple of weeks. I know that this is an outlet for self expression, but I'd hate to be one of those mopey and complaint ridden people who get lost in their everyday grind.

Once again, I'm happy to say that it seems like this phase is over and done with. I love the folks I work with for dealing with my moody and often zaney personality swings. Couldn't wish for a sillier group to hang with on such a tough weekend.

Today's photo was found courtesy of the vest I wore to work today, trying to pretend I was awake enough this morning to choose an outfit. Ha.

2/21/10 Locked up in my head!


After nearly 14+ Days of working straight without much of either my nights or weekends, I'm beginning to become a lot a bit out of it. I can barely focus my thoughts or creativity at this point and am seeking some outlets. I would write more, but my brain won't allow it. Goodnight, I'm going to head for some sheep counting right about now!

Today's photo was found courtesy of a photogenic lock in my work's building. Midtown, NYC. Seemed perfect.

2/20/10 Another Late Night @ Work= 8-|


It's been another long work day, and it hasn't even ended yet. I've gone through plenty of emotions today, including caffeine highs, crankiness, giddiness and my current delirium! As I attempted to find my FACE IT emoticon of the day, I realized I didn't have to look much further. I need sleep... And a break from Art Directing!

Today's photo was found courtesy of my work computer's monitor buttons. It's my best friend and my worst enemy all at once! How bittersweet!

2/19/10 I Am What I Eat. :-(


Thanks to Nicky Lorenzo, my Co-Worker, I was able to find this perfect emoticon in her half eaten salad. It was a late night at work and my brain is only thinking about the long hours I will be working this weekend. So just like this salad bowl, I too am a bit weepy.

Today's photo was found courtesy of Nicky Lorenzo's Half Eaten Salad in Midtown, NYC.

2/18/10 Sleep Deprived. :-/


It was about 3:00 am when I was awoken by the sound of the garbage truck. Usually, I sleep right through the sound, but last evening was different. I woke up in a fluster and proceeded to get a glass of water before heading back to dreamland. The problem? As I lay on my pillow, attempting to fall back into a deep sleep, I began thinking of some recent ideations. This lead me to branch out into other thoughts and the next thing I knew, I was wide awake. So this began the 3 hour journey for me to try and force myself to go to bed. I knew I'd be heading into work early for a presentation and that I'd be working late this evening. My mind didn't seem to care one bit. So I've been awake since 3:00 am, since that garbage truck ran over my slumber. Now? Delirium has set in a bit after multiple cups of coffee and working my brain out. But I still found the time to stick to this initiative and find my daily FACE IT. And oh how perfect It was to find it in such a relevant item. With that, I wish you all a goodnight. Hopefully this one will be uninterrupted!

Today's photo was found courtesy of my bed's pillow sham. Found exclusively at Target. :)

2/17/10 Uber Sleepy + Long Weekend Ahead.


Last weekend was quite a doozy, balancing both a long weekend of working and Valentines Day. This upcoming weekend solidifies a trend, as I will have to work another long weekend. For whatever reason, I have been unable to have a good night's rest. I've been having my usual vivid dreams (Where I remember every ridiculous detail to no avail). Last night's woke me up in a shock after dreaming about a bunch of my friends continuously sneaking into my bedroom's secret door, only to wake up my roomate. No matter how often in the dream I would try to quiet them down, they'd get louder and crazier, causing me a large amount of stress. So you could imagine how much I wish to have a dreamless night. Cheers to that, eh?

Today's photo was appropriately found in my apartment thanks to an electrical box. Let's spark some non-stressful dreams eh?

2/16/10 Feeling Goofy. Not like the Disney guy.


So I'm here in my apartment on this lovely, frozen day without cable to watch LOST. So what do I do? I get zany as a result of not having much to do. I spent half the evening trying to find a particular mood for tonight's FACE IT, but by the time I actually found one I was feeling an entirely different way. This lead to more shenanigans along Blvd East in my hometown of North Bergen, with no real result in sight. Then as I entered my building, thinking I may not find one, I did! I don't even know what this contraption by my building's elevator is, but it felt just right. My only complaint is that my iPhone takes terrible quality photos without sufficient light source. Boo! I need a new digital camera now.

Today's photo was found in my apartment building in North Bergen, NJ. Don't ask me what it is, but it seems goofy, eh?

2/15/10 Mmm. Klee= Delicious!


So in honor of the day off, I decided to splurge and treat myself to a nice dinner. Firstly, I'd like to start by plugging OpenTable.com, which is quite honestly a beautiful invention. I was able to see a list of all of the NYC area restaurant according to availability. On top of that, It gave me full descriptions, menus and all I'd need to make the right choice. And it paid off.

I went to Klee, a little place on 22nd & 9th Avenue. The ambience was gorgeous and the food decadent. Very intricate dishes with great flavor. The portions were just perfect as well, and right off the bat I recommend the Duck Pate. In case you want to know more about the restaurant, here's what the OpenTable profile writes:

"Chef-owner Daniel Angerer's contemporary Green Market driven cuisine incorporates flavors and ingredients from Europe and America, including Wagyu beef steak frites, Long Island duckling and of course his own version of Wiener schnitzel, among other contemporary takes on Austrian classics. Tasty small bites, first and second courses as well as a selection of daily pastas and specialties will have diners fighting over which day of the week to dine at Klee. Situated on the still civilized 9th Avenue Strip of Chelsea, north of the Meat Packing District. This European American Brasserie is a warm and elegant place to dine. Klee is an excellent choice for pre-theater goers located only a few blocks from the Atlantic, Joyce and Irish Repertory theaters and only blocks from Madison Square Garden and the City's central theater district and is open for lunch, brunch and dinner."

So leaving at that, I'm happy and full. :)

Today's photo was found on a friendly, neighborhood ladder in Chelsea, NYC!

2/14/10 Valentines Day Drained.


Is it me or has Valentines Day generally fallen off of everyone's radar this year? At least from what I've been able to see, I find everyone under enthused or rushing like a crazy person to think of the next best V-Day Idea without any outcome. For me, it's been a chill day, nothing too crazy to vouch for, the way I like it on Valentines Day. Plus, working yesterday and today on my "was supposed to be a long weekend" has left me too drained. Rest!

On a second note, make sure to check out LazMarquez.com for two commissioned Illustrations I completed in honor of Valentines Day for Legos.Tumblr. :)

Today's photo was found in my bathroom in North Bergen, NJ. Yes, you got a peek at my personal, clean time space. ;-)

2/12/10 There's a light in the Distance.




No, I'm not quoting some cheesy 80's power ballad with my Title. I'm just still trying to send out my pseudo positive thoughts from yesterday. I continue to remain frustrated by aspects of my life and it's stagnancy. I truly hope to have a spark, a sort of renaissance in and around me soon. I know I should be grateful for where I'm at in life, and although I am, I still want more. I never want to just settle for what's easy and convenient. I want to grow, be the best I can and evolve continuously.

Oh yea, and it'd be nice to be respected and appreciated every now and then. Ya know, just for the hell of it. That'd be jolly fun, really.



Today's photo was found inside of the subway station on Canal Street in Downtown, NYC. This Fluorescent light was inspiring.

2/11/10 Hopeful. Better Days Ahead.


After two months into this year, I continue to remain hopeful that I will have some sort of evolution across the board. I have dealt with insecurities a plenty. I have dealt with self doubts and feelings of inadequacies. But tonight, I attempt to rid myself of these feelings and send an energy out to the universe that mirrors what I truly wish for myself. Bettering and improvement. Growth. This photo comes from my bedroom, somewhat of a happy accident. The photo in the background from a good friend, a vintage 'Star Trek' photo. 'Star Trek' always encouraged the bettering of the universe and humankind. So it seemed all too appropriate.

Today's photo was found in my apartment in North Bergen, NJ. 'Trek' & Burn on, Shall we?

2/10/09 Stir Crazy w/ This Snow Storm!


Well, to start off with, the snowstorm brought me back to my schooldays many years ago when we had "Snow Days". So I didn't have to go into work and deal with the usual daily schedule and grind I tend to have. It's by no means a bad thing! It was pseudo refreshing when I found out about it. It felt nostalgic and utterly giddy. But then reality kicked in.

I am not the type of person who could sit home and do nothing. I am always striving to do something/anything to make myself feel like i've accomplished some sort of daily evolution. But today? Nope. I've been in my apartment ALL day (aside from the wine run I made earlier to ease the boredom). The day isn't over and I'm going coo-coo for cocoa puffs.

Today's photo was found on a truck outside my apartment as I trekked through the snowstorm. Thank goodness I found this one today, otherwise I may have compromised this mission of mine.

2/9/10 Way too Excited for LOST!


Preparing for the snowstorm here in NYC, I am anxiously awaiting the second episode of the final season of LOST. Hopefully this week's episode will help me figure out what the heck is going on!

Today's photo was found on a truck right outside of my job's building in Midtown, NYC. This truck light is a rockin find.

2/8/10 Dazed & NOT Confused.


It seems that as a creative person, we have times where we are left at a standstill. We wait for things to be perfectly situated and inspired. But I'm feeling a renaissance of sorts. I feel inspired to push my own & other's boundaries to ensure a sense of progression. In a time of doubt, why not make it a point to continue being our best? Let's do it, folks. Mediocrity sucks.

Today's photo was found in Midtown, NYC. This gas panel= Brilliance in an un-noticed sense. :)

2/7/10 Another Year Older!?


Although I tend to take my birthday's with a grain of salt, The day after my birthday It seems to be hitting me. Another year older, another year wiser (I'd hope!). I just wish to continue growing in all respects and truly becoming the person I'm meant to be. Thanks to everyone in my life who's stuck with me and supported all my whacky endeavors. Now, back to my "Buffy The Vampire Slayer" Season 6 DVD. :)

Today's photo was found in my bedroom. Very Personal eh? 'Once More with Feeling'.

2/6/10 Why So Serious??


In honor of my birthday festivities, I ask those of you readers to just let go and have a little fun on this fine occasion. Heath Ledger's Joker perfectly encapsulated my sentiments. "Why SO Serious??"

Today's photo was found in a Soho apartment building in Midtown, NYC. Are you having a laugh with this elevator call button?

2/5/10 Wow. Caprica Rocks.


Halfway through the latest episode of the SyFy Series 'Caprica' and am very glad to have a new show to be utterly obsessed with! Wohoo to good storytelling!

Today's photo was found in Soho, NYC. Shocked little Lock.

2/4/2008 Arigato, Mr. Roboto!


It just dawned on me that I've become so reliant on technology that it's a little concerning. On a day to day, I spend nearly 8 hours in front of my work computer. On top of that, I'm constantly checking my e-mail, texting and tweeting. I spend most of my life as a robot. I can't say I entirely hate it, as it entertains me. But I will say I don't want to lose touch with actual human connection and communication. What should I do!?

Today's photo is courtesy of my work building's elevator operator buttons near the front desk. Love how this one looks, so retro-techno!

2/3/10 Bright Eyed & Bushy Tailed!


In a silly, hyper, uppity mood today. And Finding this gem when I was sure i'd never find something to exhibit this mood/feeling just made it all the more amazing!

Today's photo was found on the Elevator Light in my job's building on the East side of Midtown, NYC. Bright eyed.. Ha, Get it?.. Bright.. eyed.. erm..

2/2/10 Zoned Out.. 8-/


For no particular reason whatsoever, factoring in the fact that i've had my coffee today, I am zoning out hardcore. I better wake up in time for LOST's season premiere tonight!

Today's photo was found courtesy of a digital screen animation in Midtown, NYC. Zoned out and no High-Score!

2/1/10 Whistle While I Work...


It's a Monday, and although I should have a case of the "Mondaze", I've found a sufficient amount of new music to keep me feeling pseudo peppy. Among this new playlist is my new favorite song by Snow Patrol featuring Martha Wainwright titled "Set Fire to the Third Bar". Go take a listen now! It rocks my socks. So moody and simple.

Today's photo was found in the elevator of my job's building in Midtown, NYC. This floor button was a fun find.

About The Blog :-)

We use typography & emoticons in our everyday online convos to express how we feel. It's the new way to communicate. But what happens when one graphic designer decides to mix this digital common way with everyday life? This blog, of course. Daily, I will be finding an emoticon in my everyday surroundings that best describes the mood I'm in at the time and share it all with you.

About Laz :-P

Laz began his career as a Graphic Designer, studying at The School of Visual Arts in New York City. At the School of Visual Arts, Laz majored in Graphic Design and Fine Arts. Currently, Laz is a forward thinking art director residing in NYC. Laz has worked in Entertainment Advertising, Multicultural Advertising, Publications and Interactive Design and continues onward.