Scarlett

Your tears salt my bitter wine.

ideas

I have a lot of great ideas but I lack the vocabulary

and sense to make them pliable

I mean viable

tee hee

Writing is easy. Jazz is . . .Which speaks to you?

"Writing is easy. All you do is stare at a blank sheet of paper until drops of blood form on your forehead."

- Gene Fowler -













"Jazz is the only music in which the same note can be played night after night but differently each time." - Ornette Coleman -

Which of these statements speaks to you more? why? How are they similar?

Connections & Dreams

While having lunch on Thursday, the discussion turned to Austin, TX. A co-worker’s son lives there and she was talking about what a neat town it is. I agreed and began thinking of one trip I had made to SXSW, an annual music conference in Austin. I had flight benefits with American Airlines and I flew standby to Dallas hoping to get on a flight to Austin. If you didn’t know about the events occurring in Austin you might have thought there was a large group of people going to funeral by the sea of black clad passengers waiting to board their flight. Music people always wear a lot of black, whether they are A&R, Press, Agents or actual musicians. I shivered for a moment at the thought of this flight full of music types. Don’t musicians and promoters typically die in plane crashes?
As the last passengers boarded the plane my name was called and I had scored a seat on the flight. The plane was a DC10, in fact it was one of the last DC10’s that was scheduled to retire the following month. Again a shiver ran through my spine. How far is Austin from Dallas anyway? A DC10 for a short hop of a flight. I white knuckled it and when it was time to land, I swear to God, we came out of the sky with a huge thud on the runway. Scared me to death!
I hooked up with some friends from Tucson playing at Liberty Lunch and secured ground travel for the trip back home. It was a VW bus. Slowest damn VW bus ever! I was stuck in a bus with 5 stinky musician guys talking about taking a dump and other lovely topics but I made it home.



















Flash back to reality.

I ‘m tucking my daughter into bed. I remember how an old roommate used to tuck me into bed and turn on Sarah Mclaughlin to sooth my desperately depressed heart and lull me to sleep. Very sweet.

Later I’m sitting watching LOST and there’s this whole VW bus scene. Weird! I was just thinking about an old VW bus today. The final scene, in chimes Sarah singing “In the Arms of an Angel” Ooh. more weirdness.

That night I had a very vivid dream. My mother wanted me to meet an artist. I invited one friend along to join me. I entered this tiny white house nestled between huge foothills mansions. Inside a little old black lady was smoking a cigar. My mom stood silently in the corner. Three little black girls were there too, about 12, 8 and 6 years old. They were smoking cigars too. The cigar smoke was thick and smelled like nothing I had ever smelled. It smelled like heaven.
My friend called me on the cell phone. I went outside to take the call.
The woman warned me not to go, but I was already out the door. I told my friend how to get to the house.
I noticed large pieces of cardboard painted in a primitive Mondrian style. My friend ran up to me, she was followed by 6 or 7 other women. I said I had only invited her and the house was really small and I didn’t think it was appropriate to bring anyone else. She began to berate the woman’s artwork and my clothing. It was all catty and high school-like. The other women laughed and beckoned my friend to follow them. They wanted to go out on the town.

I said “Whatever! You superficial freak!”

I went back inside and the lady sat in the kitchen arguing with the 12 year old about somethig in the bathroom. Then she smiled at me. I smiled and felt warm and perfectly content. The smell, the smell was amazing. I closed my eyes.

Then I woke up.

When God has road rage He conjures up a tornado to wipe out a trailer park

I went to the store for some charcoal. Not just any charcoal. I am over the top brand loyal to Wild Oats charcoal. I bought three bags. Allow me to digress. I pulled into the parking lot and I saw a man get into his minivan in a super close parking space. I stopped, thinking he would pull out so I could park there. Now mind you I’m not a parking freak. I will park wherever there is a space and I'll gladly walk my ass off for the implied, delusional exercise. Yet I felt that at this moment I could wait for this gentleman to get situated and back out. Well apparently getting situated took longer than humanly usual. So I began to drive forward to find an alternate parking space at which time he put on his reverse lights. Being happy with his decision and my patience I chose to back up to accommodate his choice to leave. Hoping again for his prime parking location. Yet as I did so he returned to park and sat again. I honked like any self respecting human that had wasted an inordinate amount time waiting for this guy and his parking space. Then I drove past him in pursuit of suitable alternate parking. Being a parking lot that had been recently re-paved my tires squealed a bit. I chose a new spot with no injuries or problems at all. I walked towards the store with my charcoal aim in mind and was accosted by a very small man.

"Was that you squealing in the parking lot?" he said.

"Yes it was an annoying moment." I replied.

Then he said "that is road rage, my friend."

"excuse me?" I asked.

He said "next time you will get a ticket."

I replied, "there was absolutely no one in danger and it was just a frustrating moment."

He said "your attitude will get you in trouble."

Getting even more annoyed, I said "you’re the one with a bad attitude."

He had a smug look that I wanted to wipe clean off his face. Road Rage? How about some stupid guy sticking his nose into something he clearly has no business doing!!! I was so much more angry because of him, than the ‘shit I’ll park somewhere else incident.’ While I was shopping I had all kinds of scenarios going through my head. I hoped he would say one more thing to me so I could say "Back off Napoleon!!’

Arrested Development

The resonsibility for Britney lies in the hands of people that made her. She's a little girl and she will always be a little girl until she can live her life as herself and not as the image she has been created to be. It's called arrested development. We're asking a woman that probably has the mentality of a 15 year old to behave like an adult. This behavior only demonstrates that she can no longer live the way she has been and she's about to take a profound step towards becoming an adult.

deeply intolerant nature

"my manager was one of those ultra-nice imbeciles whose perpetual smile belied a deeply intolerant nature."

Brad Listi

Thin Slicing

Mike Wagner at http://www.ownyourbrand.com/ started a thin slicing meme. My understanding of thin slicing is how you measure you who’s, what’s and where’s. How do size someone up, something up and someplace up in 5 distinct ways.

I'll I start with someone.

When I meet someone new I generally give them the benefit of the doubt that they're okay or nice. However, I am a chronic stereo-typer. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stereotype

1. What stereo-type do they fit into? This isn't done in any cruel or prejudice fashion, it's just easier to get a take on their general fit into a given social group. Like hippie, yuppie, etc. but sliced thinner than those categories. Things that go into this category are, can you tell what political affiliation they have or not? Religion or not? Clothing style and demeanor? nice shoes, cheap shoes, thrift store clothes, new clothes - Wal Mart or designer.

2. Eye contact. Can you look me in the eye? If not why? Abuse? Fear? Shifty? Rude?

3. Tone. Friendly? Easy going? Rude?

4. Interest. Overly self focused? Overly focused on me? Why is this person asking all the questions? Why is this person answering my questions? How much information? Too much information?

5. Smile. Smiles can have all kinds of meanings. Smirks, Smarmy, Genuine, Fake, Eye roll, etc.

So 1. is just a point of reference. 2. confidence vs rude. 3. accessibility 4. awareness 5. sincerity.

Irony vs. Coincidence

What's the difference?

Izzyism

Today she said "there must be a billion telephone poles and lines."

I said "you're probably right, if you're talking the whole world."

She said "No, I know what it is...

It's one step away from infinity."























Have a great day!

chandon rose

Bunch of Pricks

“If you surrender to the wind, you can ride it."

"If you surrender to the wind, you can ride it."

Toni Morrison

I pray to God now and then. I'm usually surprised by the response I get. I'm not sure if I believe in God but my prayers usually get answered even if it's a big fat "NO."

The last time I prayed in earnest was the weekend of my 6 year old daughter's birthday. I rented a jumping castle and all I wanted was beautiful weather.

So I prayed please let it be beautiful all weekend until the party started.

I have to say my mom is a devout Christian and she was praying for the same thing. So I think my prayers get priority when she joins in.

The party started at 1pm on Sunday. It was cold but dry outside. That was cool because kids in a jumping castle are definitely not cold after jumping for a while.

The weather held for about 2 and half hours. Then it began to pour.

Everyone left and all in all the party was very successful.

Then the amazing thing happened. It began to snow.
We live in Tucson, AZ in the desert so this was pretty magical.

There was enough snow for my husband, my daughter and I to have snow ball fight and build a small snowman and its pet snow cat.

I have to say the weather was beautiful.

http://www.japanmarketingnews.com/2006/11/japanonly_produ.html

http://macksimpson.com/adverb/2006/11/28/a-nut-crushing-update/

Enjoy!

America will stand outside and yell at the top of their lungs. “We believe in affordable health care!” over and over for 15 minutes simultaneously.

http://www.seiu.org/
SEIU Partnership with Fortune 500 Companies, Labor and Civic Leaders to Spur Effort to Fix Health Care in America

Washington, DC – Standing with the CEOs of Fortune 500 companies and national labor and civic leaders, SEIU today helped launch a historic, new cooperative effort with the goal of fundamentally changing the nation’s broken health care system.

The founding members of the new partnership, which was announced at a Washington, DC, news conference, are SEIU and Wal-Mart, the largest health care union and the largest corporation in North America, respectively; AT&T; Intel; Kelly Services, Inc.; Communications Workers of America; the Center for American Progress; the Howard H. Baker, Jr. Center for Public Policy; and the Committee for Economic Development.

Halleluiah!!!

It’s a start, I guess. I’m of course extremely skeptical. We all know it can be done. It’s getting everyone to agree on a plan. It is scandalous that this hasn’t been solved long ago. People are hanging on to the notion that employers are the ones that must shoulder the burden of health care.

“It is time to admit that the employer based health care is dead,” Stern said. “We can’t keep tinkering, hoping that incremental change will fix our broken health care system. We need fundamental change, and it is going to take new thinking, leadership, new partnerships, some risk taking, and compromising to make it happen. But that is what we all owe our country.”

And our children.

“More broadly, we believe it is a national imperative to mount a major effort to slow the growth of health costs even while expanding access, improving quality and assuring continued innovation. All evidence suggests this is possible; it is time to unleash the creativity of American business, labor unions, the nonprofit sector, government and health care workers to make it happen.”

“it is time to unleash the creativity of American…”

Good old American ingenuity, that’s what we need! Does it still exist? Is anything motivated by anything but greed? Are we just too tired of screaming?

Unions have both positive and negative connotations but joining together is the only way we are going to make any change in this country. To me it’s a cry for civil war with an emphasis on civility ala MLK.

Organize your community. Go to rallies.

I'm going to pick the same P/C/M/E time of day where the whole nation stands outside and yells at the top of their lungs. “We believe in affordable health care!” over and over for 15 minutes simultaneously.

Can I get a viral rally to make this happen?
Will you do it!
Will you help me?

Just imagine it! What will it sound like? Bigger and better than any one town that wins the Superbowl with everyone shouting in the streets.

I pick Memorial Day, Monday, May 28. 2pm PT/MT 3pm CT & 4pm ET. Stop your BBQ's!
Say a prayer for our brave fallen soldiers!
and start shouting!!!!!!

“We believe in affordable health care!” “We believe in affordable health care!” “We believe in affordable health care!” “We believe in affordable health care!” “We believe in affordable health care!”

Are you with me?

Spread the word!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

COMMON SENSE PRINCIPLES FOR ACHIEVING A
NEW AMERICAN HEALTH CARE SYSTEM BY 2012

*We believe every person in America must have quality, affordable health insurance coverage.

*We believe individuals have a responsibility to maintain and protect their health.

*We believe that America must dramatically improve the value it receives for every health care dollar.

*We believe that businesses, governments, and individuals all should contribute to managing and financing a new American health care system.

8 wishes

http://8wishes.blogspot.com/

What’s the Chain of Command, damn it!!

Update: http://today.reuters.com/news/articlenews.aspx?type=domesticNews&storyid=2007-02-05T193735Z_01_N05427094_RTRUKOC_0_US-SECURITY-BOSTON.xml

Okay yesterday’s huge terror scare in Boston. So I’m a day late. But this story has been nagging at me since I first read the news. There are several ways to interpret this incident and some are quite contradictory.

First glance…How Stupid! How could Turner allow such a plan to even be carried out? It’s post 911 for crymanny-sake!

Okay back up…two YOUNG art school grads with obvious leanings toward a ridiculous if not rude sense of humor are hired by a third party guerrilla marketing firm to promote the release of a film version of TBS' "Adult Swim" program, Aqua Teen Hunger Force. They come up with a plan to hide little homemade light-boxes, with the character Err sporting a raised middle finger, in Boston; New York City; Los Angeles, California; Chicago, Illinois; Atlanta, Georgia; Seattle, Washington; Portland, Oregon; Austin, Texas; San Francisco, California; and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Who approved this idea? Did someone from Turner Broadcasting approve this plan? Does Interference, Inc. approve its own campaigns on behalf of the client? Where is the chain of command?

Next… the boxes are made and hid in various places in the cities aforementioned. They have been in place for approximately 2-3 weeks depending on the location.

Apparently, some cities found the boxes and confiscated them with little fuss and wrote it off as a public art piece, a hoax, or some even knew what their intent was…to promote a movie.

Then on Wednesday all hell breaks loose in Boston. Not only did it scare the good people of Boston but also a good part of the nation. To top it off Turner doesn’t issue a statement until 5pm.

The artists are arrested and released on bail.

They could be criminally prosecuted for executing a marketing campaign they were hired to do. They could even take the fall for footing a bill to repay Boston and other cities for all the repercussions of panic and removal.

Again…What is the chain of command?

So here’s my take on this thing;

First, did Boston officials over-react – well sorry folks but there’s no cut and dry answer.

Yes! They assumed the worse and caused mass hysteria over some little light boxes.


No! They assumed the worst and were prepared to face the possibility of an all out terrorist attack.

Could they have not assumed the worst? Not the guys on the frontline. Again…where is the chain of command here? Why didn’t someone try to figure out what was going on by hitting the internet? Keeping in contact with news stations? Getting some answers that were readily available and then communicating this to the frontline in a timely manner to diffuse the situation and call off the alert.

The fact is Boston’s emergency officials did what they did and God bless them for being prepared for the worst even if they didn’t have to be. It’s a $500,000 learning experience that the city would never have commissioned to test the procedures they have in place.
Let’s hope they learn from it. Do you hear me chain of command?! Were you still reading storybooks to children in the library instead of getting answers immediately?

Turner? What’s up with that? No response for a good nine hours? What’s the chain of command?

Interference, Inc. same questions.

Guys? (Peter Berdovsky and Sean Stevens) Crazy art school guys! Come on. You knew this was a shock and awe approach and you knew it would scare some people, maybe not as many as it ultimately did but you knew. Hiding them in bridges, in subway stations, public buildings – it’s quite clear there was a bit of dark humor brewing here. I’m not saying you’re guilty of a crime just because you thought it was a clever idea and because Turner? Interference? gave you the go ahead. It couldn’t be that bad right? In some ways yes and some ways no. It’s hard for me to believe that there wasn’t an underlying joke or statement about the escalated level of fear in this country.

Ah – (Here Lewis if you read this); here is the age issue; the generation gap. Anybody under the age of 30 with any inclination towards the element of cool and hip doesn’t seem to think this is a big deal. In fact they think it’s just plain ass-backward the way the “Authorities” have handled this. - "It's so not threatening -- it's a Lite-Brite," – Says twenty-two-year-old Todd Venderlin, a design student at the Parsons School of Design in New York City. Just search the blogs about this issue and see how many young people think it’s ridiculous. Condolences are pouring in on Peter Berdovsky’s and Sean Stevens’ My Space pages.

This is suspicious in many ways – Turner? – Interference? – Peter Berdovsky and Sean Stevens? It worked!!! You got buzz!!! You did your job!! But at what cost?

The whole thing was irresponsible, irreverent, slightly sinister and childish. So there’s my little slap on the hand. Was it really all in good fun? Over all I think it stinks.

Oh yeah!!! When did it become acceptable to flip people off in a very public marketing ploy?

I'm fantastic in bed

I'm guessing this is an oldy...

But It's my first time...

Marketing Explained

The buzz word in today's business world is MARKETING. However, people often ask for a simple explanation of "Marketing."

_Well, here it is: _

1. You're a woman and you see a handsome guy at a party. You go up to him and say, "I'm fantastic in bed."
That's Direct Marketing.

2. You're at a party with a bunch of friends and see a handsome guy. One of your friends goes up to him and, pointing at you, says, "She's fantastic in bed."
That's Advertising.

3. You see a handsome guy at a party. You go up to him and get his telephone number. The next day you call and say, "Hi, I'm fantastic in bed."
That's Telemarketing.

4. You see a guy at a party; you straighten your dress. You walk up to him and pour him a drink. You say, "May I?" and reach up to straighten his tie, brushing your breast lightly against h is arm, and then say, "By the way, I'm fantastic in bed."
That's Public Relations.

5. You're at a party and see a handsome guy. He walks up to you and says, "I hear you're fantastic in bed."
That's Brand Recognition.

6. You're at a party and see a handsome guy. He fancies you, but you talk him into going home with your friend.
That's a Sales Rep.

7. Your friend can't satisfy him so he calls you.
That's Tech Support.

8. You're on your way to a party when you realize that there could be handsome men in all these houses you're passing; so you climb onto the roof of one situated towards the center and shout at the top of your lungs, "I'm fantastic in bed!"
That's Junk Mail.

Powerpoint, great name. lousy results

Nine times out of ten the presentation results of Powerpoint are lousy because the user doesn't follow any rules and has no idea what a presentation should look like. I worked for a major airline on a secret presentation about the restructuring of the ground labor force. It took three years for me to convince management not to put every word of the presentation on the slides and the need to use compelling graphics and pictures. Needless to say in three years we went through a lot of versions. I'm quite proud of the end result. I'd show it to you but I can't (I signed confidentiality papers.) Although over a 100,000 airline employees did see it.

Seth Godin has written a great list of rules for Powerpoint users. Check it out. http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/

Did I Ever Tell You My Fantasy?

Birthdays Abound! Happy Birthday to me & to Spare Change.

Did I ever tell you my fantasy?

When I'm good and wrinkled with tuffs of white cotton candy hair I want to have a penthouse on top of an international airport. I will come down to the gates in an evening gown, a boa and marabou slippers to talk to all the international travelers. I will tell them stories of when I visited India, Africa, Peru, China, Russia, etc. Because I will have traveled the world 10 times over by then. I will be the famous crazy old lady at the airport.

Come visit anytime!!!

Spare Change: Happy Blogiversary, Baby...