{"id":4663,"date":"2010-12-13T10:41:57","date_gmt":"2010-12-13T18:41:57","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/drewbrophy.com\/?p=4663"},"modified":"2010-12-13T10:41:57","modified_gmt":"2010-12-13T18:41:57","slug":"six-truths-i-learned-about-humanity-from-my-painting-tour","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/drewbrophy.com\/six-truths-i-learned-about-humanity-from-my-painting-tour\/","title":{"rendered":"Six Truths I learned about Humanity from my Painting Tour"},"content":{"rendered":"
I go to a mall one time a year; right before Christmas to buy gifts. \u00a0But this year, I went to 20 different malls between October and December.<\/p>\n
Ugg Australia sent me on a 20-city tour to customize Ugg boots in Nordstrom stores.\u00a0 I\u2019ve been to Seattle, San Francisco, Sacramento, Los Angeles, San Diego and even Las Vegas.<\/p>\n
MY MISSION: <\/strong> To make people happy by painting art on their boots.<\/em><\/p>\n
Here\u2019s what I learned about humanity through it all:<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n
\n <\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n
1.) \u00a0IT’S THE SIMPLE THINGS THAT BRING JOY TO PEOPLE:<\/strong> Just painting someone\u2019s boot can make their day.\u00a0 I\u2019ve seen ladies just gush over what I painted for them.\u00a0 One little boy had me paint his boots and he was fascinated by the airbrush gun so I let him paint on his shoe box with it.\u00a0 He was so happy and proud of himself.\u00a0 His parents told me later that he had been battling cancer, and they thanked me for giving him so much attention.<\/p>\n
2.) \u00a0SOME PEOPLE REALLY LOVE <\/span>THEIR UGG BOOTS<\/strong>: \u00a0At my Los Cerritos, CA event, one woman bought 9 pairs of boots and had me paint every single one of them. \u00a0\u00a0Another lady followed me to two different events, and at each one she bought three pairs.<\/p>\n
3.) \u00a0MY VAN DOESN’T FIT IN MOST PARKING GARAGES:<\/strong> Something I didn\u2019t plan for when I bought a big van and had surf racks installed.\u00a0 This became a problem, especially during the Christmas season.\u00a0 (This has nothing to do with humanity, but it\u2019s something I learned)<\/p>\n
4.) \u00a0SOME PEOPLE WILL DO ANYTHING <\/span>TO GET THEIR BOOTS PAINTED<\/strong>: \u00a0When I arrived at my event in Costa Mesa there was a line of customers waiting for me.\u00a0 When we got 25 people on my painting list, we had to turn people away.\u00a0 One woman offered to buy my family dinner if I slid in \u201cjust one more person \u2013 it can\u2019t hurt\u201d she said.\u00a0 She was the 20th<\/sup> person who asked to be \u201cjust one more person\u201d. \u00a0\u00a0Another gentleman tried to slip Maria a $20.00 to get his name on the coveted painting list!<\/p>\n
There were over two dozen people who waited 3 hours for their boots to be painted.\u00a0 They were patient and polite.\u00a0 It was Black Friday, and I was surprised at how nice everyone was, despite the madness of the busy mall.\u00a0 The manager asked if I could stay a couple more hours to accommodate more customers, and of course we said yes.\u00a0 I finished painting my last pair at 10:30 (after the mall closed).<\/p>\n
5.) \u00a0SOME PEOPLE FORGET THAT I’M HUMAN:<\/strong> My last event was great but at the end we turned people away because I had to leave.\u00a0 One woman was yelling at the staff that she was entitled to have her boots painted.\u00a0 She wasn’t concerned that my family was wanting to go because we had plans for dinner and a show.\u00a0 She didn\u2019t care \u2013 she just wanted her boots painted.\u00a0 In the end,\u00a0 I stayed late to paint her three pairs.\u00a0 She was happy, but we missed our show and I had a disappointed son and wife to deal with.<\/p>\n
6.) \u00a0MOST PEOPLE ARE WONDERFUL<\/strong>: \u00a0Most of the customers that I\u2019ve met during this tour have been very appreciative, and every single one has left happy, even the hard to please<\/strong>.\u00a0 I\u2019ve met interesting people, kids and families.\u00a0 And many of my fans showed up for the events, too.\u00a0 That\u2019s the thing that\u2019s made me the happiest \u2013 that people would come just to see me.<\/strong><\/p>\n
In the end it was all about making cool boots. <\/span><\/strong> We achieved that.\u00a0 There are a few hundred pairs of my customized Ugg boots out the world right now, and I\u2019m stoked to have done it.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/drewbrophy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/12\/Drew-and-Maria-Brophy-photo-c-David-Vorhees-RS-142x200.jpg\" "\\"Drew")
I go to a mall one time a year; right before Christmas to buy gifts. \u00a0But this year, I went to 20 different malls between October and December.<\/p>\n