ENTRY 004

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**<< MY submission for the Cup Competition (The chiringuito's logo was censored)>>**

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It’s been so long since I last blogged, so I’m taking the opportunity tonight (at least in my location) to write to you again.

I am very excited! It’s been quite a productive week for me for the first time in a while, and unexpectedly, thanks to Nike’s slogan “Just do it.” Who would have guessed?

Everything started a few weeks ago when I entered the annual cup design competition that the chiringuito (here in Spain is what we call beach bars / tapas restaurants) runs in the beach town where I spend my summers. For some context, this place uses reusable plastic cups for serving drinks, and every summer they run a design competition where you can submit your design. The one with the most votes gets printed on the cups for the whole summer. The winner also gets 200€, a dinner for two at the chiringuito, and a nautical baptism. I didn’t really care about that last one, it’s basically a catamaran ride, and I’ve been sailing since I was little, so I would have just given it to my cousin’s husband.

Now, something you should know. One of my friends in our beach group is the son of one of the owners of the chiringuito. This doesn’t give me any advantage since the winner is chosen through Facebook voting, but every year my friend tells me to participate because I’m a designer. This year, I finally did it.

I made a super cool design and submitted it. All my friends loved it, the owner loved it, and everyone was saying how well it fit the vibe. Then the day came when they posted all the designs on Facebook for voting… and mine was nowhere to be found.

After calling my friend to ask what happened, he spoke to his dad. Turns out that since I sent it on the last day of the deadline, even though it was still within time, whoever was managing the emails overlooked it and just didn’t post it. My friend’s dad told the co owner who handles that stuff, but he said that since the designs were already posted, there was nothing they could do. So once again, I was out. And this time, I was really pissed.

A few days later, my friend’s dad called me. He apologized, I told him it was okay, I wasn’t going to throw a tantrum. Then he told me I should design the T shirts and hoodies for the store this year. The chiringuito has a small shop where they sell merchandising, and it’s pretty popular. I got really excited. They would pay me for the designs, and people would actually wear my work. That’s huge.

He gave me the co owner’s number, the same guy from before, and I got to work. I made around four designs, since they usually sell three, one of them just being the logo. I based them on the chiringuito, the beach, and all the little traditions and memories we have there. A lot of us grew up spending summers there, so it’s full of stories, people, and moments that mean something.

I sent the designs through WhatsApp… and the reply killed me.

He said they already had the designs. That they just bought two designs from a design pack at the same place where they print the T shirts.

If that disappointment wasn’t enough, I later saw that the winner of the cup competition was an AI generated illustration. Like… what the hell, man.

I got really pissed about everything. And then I remembered something. This friend of mine, also from the beach group, always tells me that the chiringuito only cares about money and that I should just do my own thing.

That thought hit me hard.

I stood up from bed, grabbed my pen and my iPad, and started removing the chiringuito logo from every design I had made. I just did it.

And now, one of my dreams I mentioned in previous blogs is going to happen. I’m making my own T shirts, and I’m going to sell them at the beach this summer. With my own logo. With my own rules. And every cent will be for me.

It’s going to be like an “alpha” version of what my brand will become, but I am beyond excited and proud of myself. Because for the first time in a long time, I’m actually doing something instead of just sitting in my own frustration.

I hope the next blog entries are about success, and that I get to bring you good news. Until then, stay tuned.

Sorry for the extra long blog today, but if you made it this far and read everything, comment (ᵔᵕᵔ)/ so I know you’re a real one, and I’ll start checking out your posts too.

Thank you, Cyberlings. Love you all.