ampersand

Ball of Confusion

This morning, I was reading one of my favorite blogs, and enjoying a tale of bureaucracy run amok (complete with dramatizations). In the entry, the author, named Rebecca, revealed that she frequently gets called Rachel. Of course, her sister is named Rachel, so that may explain some of that confusion.

However, I’m a Rachel. There have been many Rebeccas in my life, and not one has been my sister. However, in every class (and there have been MANY), job, and a number of social situations in my nearly 30 years on this planet, I’ve been mistakenly called Rebecca. Could it just be that most people only have enough room in their brains for one Hebrew girl’s name that starts with R?

There isn’t really a point to this post, just something I felt the need to ramble about for a few minutes while trying to remember the post I was writing in my head last night in bed. Laid up with one hell of a migraine, sleep was intermittent, punctuated by wishes (I kept waking up at 11 after the hour, and I figured it can’t just work on the hours of 11), freaky David Bowie dreams, and brief flashes of creativity. Maybe I should use air quotes around that word, since I’m not so sure how creative it is to post links to pictures of three recent crushes on dudes in some form of the public eye and be all “chicken or the egg” about them. Not very, I think.

Now that I’m (mostly) awake, maybe I’ll figure out some way to make that post interesting. Expect references to the TV show Fame. And possibly Scotch.

If only life always felt like this

Photography by 26 Merton Rd. Via Once Wed.

…to that same old place that you laughed about

So, I’m giving blogging another go. Things are about to get interesting (FINALLY), I find a lot of crap on the internet that I want to share somewhere other than Twitter, and more.

Coming up soon:
Suburban Observations
The wonder of a perfect pop song
The craftsmanship of The Wire

And more. Once I figure out what that might be. Y’all come back now, y’hear?

Hello, it’s me

After a loooong hiatus, I finally figured out a way to have both my portfolio and my blog on the same site. Granted, I didn’t actually think about it in any detail till this morning. But, here we are. Goals for this time around: better and more frequent content and way more fun.

While I’m off trying to get things to work and creating little bits and bobs, please enjoy this mother of all Independence Day TV clips — the parade scene from the final episode of The Wonder Years. You might want to grab a Kleenex.

Today

I am cheering for the Cardinals (though admittedly, it’s only for the purposes of a small wager with my dad and I have a stronger association of the Cards name to baseball) and really only looking forward to the half-time show (BRUUUUUCE!). Which is more than can usually be said for the Super Bowl. So, bring it on!

Well, unless I find something better to do.

This week

Ridiculous (but completely seasonable) cold, prescription sunglasses that have become my life-line, finally realizing that someone I thought was a close friend is actually someone who probably doesn’t give two shits about me. A common-ish occurrence in my life, actually. Or, the what other people consider ‘caring’ is so different from what I consider ‘caring’ that they will just never measure up. Meh, it’s just further proof that the plan I have brewing is the right one.

Anyway, we need to laugh more. So let’s watch the How I Met Your Mother Season 2 Gag Reel, shall we? Good idea!

Let’s all say “aww”

Child elopers’ Africa plan foiled

My favorite bit: “The young couple were “very much in love” and had decided to get married in Africa “where it is warm”, police spokesman Holger Jureczko told the AFP news agency. “

Last-minute resolution-type thing

OK, you know I’m at home being lame. And being lame at my apartment has meant a lot of looking around at my stuff. And a lot of that stuff, much of which has accumulated in 2008, is comprised of unread books. So, a goal for 2009 is to read (or attempt to read!) a book a week. 52 books in 1 year. Doesn’t seem like that much. In fact, that number would’ve been nothing to me when I was a kid. Of course, back then, I didn’t have a job, cable had far fewer channels, the internet wasn’t as widespread, and a whole bunch of other reasons. But, enough of the excuses. Tonight, I will finish Sarah Vowell’s The Wordy Shipmates. Tomorrow, I begin Richard Florida’s “Who’s Your City”. A warning: if it ends up that it was New York all along, I am going to be PISSED. Mostly because I STILL can’t figure out a legal way to move there. And, I’ve known that since I was about two. Thanks, Captain Obvious.

Anyway, Happy New Year, gang!

Also, I have absolutely no way to profit from this at all, but if you want to laugh a lot in 2009, you should totally watch It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia in 2009. It’s totally sick and twisted and hilarious. Plus, Fred Savage directed a bunch of episodes in season 3 & 4. And you love Kevin Arnold, I know you do. Come on. And, it’s on the internet. You can watch it at work!

2008 in Review

2008 in review

Because I can’t be assed to actually write a year in review entry, I’m stealing this survey from Facebook and putting it on my blog. Shut up, it’s happening.

1. What did you do in 2008 that you’d never done before?: I made more money than I ever had. I went to New York City for a week. Other things that do not require a public announcement. Went to the hospital for treatment for my migraines.

2. Did you keep your New Year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?: I typically don’t make New Year’s Resolutions, because I’ll never keep them.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?: yes.

4. Did anyone close to you die?: no, thankfully.

5. What countries did you visit?: the United States

6. What would you like to have in 2009 that you lacked in 2008?: more success with the whole hopes and dreams thing.

7. What date from 2008 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?:
Um, none, really.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?: not dying from the constant migraines? Learning to not be so hard on myself.

9. What was your biggest failure?: I’m not going to answer that question.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury? Anything bad?: Migraines. And I messed up my knee in February. And mildly sprained my ankle in November. But mostly, the migraines. They need to end. I’m going out of my mind.

11. What were the best things you bought?: plane tickets, my iPhone, IKEA furniture (my apartment looks less like a teenager lives here!)

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?: mine, for even managing to be a functioning member of society.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?: certainly some friends.

14. Where did most of your money go?: bills, rent, IKEA, booze.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?: going to New York, going to Finland in March ’09.

16. What song/s will always remind you of 2008?
Mercy by Duffy
other songs I can’t remember right now.

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. happier or sadder?: sadder, slightly.
ii. thinner or fatter?: about the same.
iii. richer or poorer?: richer

18. What do you wish you’d done more of?: writing things I actually care about.

19. What do you wish you’d done less of?: working

20. How will you be spending Christmas?: i spent it with the family

21. Did you fall in love in 2008?: no. but not for lack of trying.

22. How many one-night stands?: i’m pleading the fifth.

24. What was your favorite TV program?: How I Met Your Mother, 30 Rock, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, The Office, Mad Men, Flight of the Conchords

25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?: I’m not sure if I hate anyone, but I certainly see a number of people in a very different light. Which will absolutely come back and bite them in the ass at the worst possible moment.Yes, I know I’m evil.

26. What was the best book you read?: Hands down, Watchmen. SO GOOD. Again, I’m late to the party. But if you haven’t read it, go buy it now. I don’t care if you don’t read graphic novels. I don’t really, either. Do it anyway. GO. God, just trust me on this.

27. What was your greatest musical discovery?: The Weepies (Thanks, Sabrina!)

28. What did you want and get?: to go to New York more than once! to spend time with awesome people.

29. What did you want and not get?: a boyfriend. but not in a desperate way. seriously, I’m not clingy and really enjoy my space. a girl just likes a little something’ somethin’ every now and again. and someone to hang out with on weekends and stuff. Jeez!

30. What was your favorite film of this year?: Juno.

31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?: On my birthday, I was 28. I had a birthday party at my place. We played rock band and singstar. It snowed and was gross outside, but it was a fun night.

32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?: fewer migraines. making acquaintance with people who could make up their ever loving minds.

33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2008?: jeans, cardigans, chucks.

34. What kept you sane?: ice packs, rudy, alcohol, god (hey man, there has to be some kind of higher power to have gotten me through this ridiculous year without either dying or going batshit insane), sleep, amazing friends (of which there are sadly few)

35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?: um, I have no idea. Jason Segel? But not with the haircut he had for the bulk of 2008. That was HORRIBLE. But not Dr. Horrible. Because Dr. Horrible was AWESOME, dare I say LEGENDARY.

36. What political issue stirred you the most?: Hoping that Hillary would be elected President, then wondering why people were so crazy about Obama (and if there was Kool-aid involved), even though I don’t mind the guy at all. I just don’t think he’s the second coming. A refreshing change, yes.

37. Who did you miss?: People who’ve proven to be sucky friends, people who aren’t here

38. Who was the best new person you met?: hm, tough call. There are some awesome new people around.

39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2008: life can really suck. that’s when you’ve gotta take the time to pay attention to the small and awesome stuff and suck all the joy you can out of them.

40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:

Wasted on a Saturday
Join the great majority
All the ways I tried to keep in touch
You’ll never know.

Ohh come on come on come on
Give me a sign of life
‘Cause there’s another way
That I’d rather be
If I could only get you alone
It’s an inside joke that I never get
And I’m dying inside
But I’m not dead yet, dead yet…

(The Weepies, Not Dead Yet)

A (much delayed) miniBookExpo: Business Edition review | Relevance by Tim Manners

Relevance took me a long time to read. I want to state that up front and for the record. But I also want to say that it’s not really the fault of the book. When I signed up for the mBE:BE at OneDegree, I didn’t expect  my life to become as hectic as it did this fall. So, it turns out that I’m lucky to have ended up with a book like Relevance, one that was written in small, easily digestible chunks. I could leave the book and come back to it days (and sometimes a month) later, and still be able to pick up the thread of author Tim Manners’ argument.

And what is Tim Manners offering up in Relevance? Using bite-sized case studies of well-known brands (think Starbucks, Disney, Wal-Mart and Toyota, just for starters), the book is split into three parts: Relevant Problems, Relevant Solutions, and Relevant Outcomes. Manners discusses what he believes to be the most important aspect of marketing – relevance.  And in a tautly written 256 pages, he does a masterful job.

The well-researched and interviewed case studies examine the concept of relevance from a number of perspectives (including design, advertising and investment), giving marketers a lot of new ways to consider the way they market their own brands. The main thing I’ll take away from this book is something that I (and probably other marketers) allow themselves to forget when we get bogged down in the day-to-day: Only one thing is relevant to consumers, and it’s always been the same thing: The product. Definitely something for marketers to always keep in mind, especially in times like these.