Pet Fish

Like many people, I enjoy having a pet (even if it's just a plant). It gives me someone to care for and interact with. My pet of choice would probably be a people-friendly feline. Unfortunately, I'm very allergic to cats and don't have a living situation that would fit with keeping a furry pet. The next best option, I think, is having an aquarium.

I know that Betta Fish are popular and I have friends that keep them as pets, but I really don't understand the allure. They just seem so boring to me. Maybe people are lazy or just don't want to deal with a more expensive tank that requires a filter and other maintenance. But I think if you're going to go for fish, it's much more worth the effort to make an investment in fresh water fish that actually have some life to them.

I've had fish before, but I recently acquired a new aquarium and stocked it with the essentials: gravel, fake and real plants, rocks, decor items with hiding places, and of course, finned friends. I have 3 Pineapple Swordtails (2 females and a male) and 5 Danios. My fish don't have big fluffy tails or aggressive tendencies. They seem to coexist happily in my 10 gallon tank, hide in the "broken pots" tank decor and among the plants, and gobble up the flakes I feed them daily.

Maybe I'm just amused by the simple things in life, but I could sit and watch my fish for hours and not get bored. It seems that they never swim the same path twice, and I can pick out the differences between the personalities of the danios and swordtails. It has struck me how amazing something as seemingly simple as an aquarium is really a complex balance of organisms and chemicals.

I guess my point is that I don't understand why people bother with seemingly lifeless Betta fish, but more importantly, I think we should stop and smell the roses, so to speak. Marveling at life's seemingly simple things, like the fish in my aquarium, can give us perspective on how life is truly complex and beautiful.

Definining Creativity

I consider myself a creative person, but I believe that all people have some capacity for creativity, despite what individuals believe or profess about themselves. I think my opinion about "creativity" is centered in how frame where creative thoughts come from, and what creativity truly means.

To me, no thoughts or ideas are truly and strictly original. There is always a wisp of something that came before, some outside influence, inspiration, or impetus. Creativity is more a unique or new combination, use, process applied to old materials, thoughts, or modes of action. Things can be discovered, as in a new plant in the rain forest or imaging the far reaches of the universe, but creativity is not discovery. The materials of life on Earth have been in existence far longer than I have, but I may find some new way to use them.

Artists, who are usually the first "creative" people who come to mind, use media that generations before them have manipulated. The creativity comes from drawing on inspiration and experience to make something unique. Alternately, artists often take materials that have not traditionally been used to create art, such as lego blocks (that's a topic for another post) and make them into sculptures the same way ancient artists worked in stone.

I hope that the paradigm relating to who is creative and who is not can change, but that will only happen if those who claim to lack creativity allow themselves take the old around them and make something new.

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Here's a Stanford Professor who agrees with my point of view. He's talking about creativity as it relates to entrepreneurship.
http://ecorner.stanford.edu/authorMaterialInfo.html?mid=1187

Thrift Store Chic

Wine glasses are for much more than drinking grape flavored alcohol. I was recently in a creative mood, but not wanting to spend a lot of money on indulging my urge to make something. I came up with this project. Pictured below.

Wine glasses from a thrift store, with votive and tea light candles and decorator gravel found at a discount store came together to create what I think is a beautiful centerpiece or decorative element, even when the candles aren't lit.


This post (or my little project, for that matter) is not profound or deep or terribly insightful, but I just wanted to share. It's fun to create something, rewarding. Even if it's only a couple wine glasses that found a new purpose.

Convertible Furniture: More than Meets the Eye

I recently came across a website called Yanko Design that includes new, interesting, or innovative designs for everyday objects. It included everything from a salt and pepper shaker made from legos to adaptable modular lighting fixtures. The design that piqued my interest, however, was a pair of chairs, very innocent in appearance. They look very sleek and modern, but did not look like they'd be too comfortable to sit in for any length of time because of their straight lines, 90 degree angles, and lack of curves. What makes these chairs unique can be seen by scrolling down to the next photo which shows that the chairs are not only meant for sitting. When tipped forward and interlocked, they can be converted into a table of the appropriate size for holding magazines and coffee. The website doesn't give much explanation for the origin of the chairs other than giving their designer's name: Joel Hesselgren.

There is a particular reason why I chose to focus on this particular design of all the ones I viewed while browsing the website. The chairs/table are very modern and contemporary in appearance, but they are not actually using an innovative or new concept. The idea of creating convertible furniture has been around for decades. Convertible furniture can be as simple as that hide-a-bed your aunt has you sleep on when you visit, or the futon your college buddy had in his living room. Many people have done something as simple as re-purpose an old trunk or luggage as a coffee table or end table.

Furniture that is more than what it seems can also take the form of a true "murphy bed," A bed that is hidden in upright form as part of a wall. There are of course ones that look like they appeared magically out of a solid wall or set of bookshelves, but murphy beds also exist as pieces of antique furniture. My parents, in fact, have always had one. It looks like a fancy cabinet (pictured below), but has false drawer-fronts that allow you to pull the entire front panel forward. The gingerbread-like wood detailing that appears to be simply for decoration swings outward to become the legs for the foot of the bed. It may not be the most comfortable bed (because of the age of the mattress), but it proves that modern Americans are not the first to try to save space and get the most out of their furniture. My grandparents have even more examples of the piece-is-not-what-it-seems concept. Their home is full of antiques including a tall door-ed cabinet and a table that both convert into beds, though they're rarely used as such.

Clearly people have always been trying to make the best use of their space (and maybe accommodate unannounced guests on short notice). It takes a little creativity, but it can be fun to find new ways to use the things that surround us. If you have one item that does two jobs or even just saves some space, maybe it will help clear some of the clutter.

Flo vs. the Gecko

I can't possibly be the only one who makes note of which commercials grate on my nerves when they appear on my tube. Everyone probably notices the annoying aspects of TV ads such as loud celebrity spokesmen, irritating jingles, or even just the amateur nature of local ads. I hope I'm not the only one, however, who takes notice of good commercials, or at least favorite ones (determining "goodness" is subjective).

Everyone remembers Mastercard's "priceless" commercials. I consider them to be among the classiest commercials: simple, classic, adaptable, and most importantly, memorable. I would imagine that few people have a bone to pick about those ad campaigns. Based on my own informal research, (discussions with family and friends) I have found that there seems to be some polarization over recent commercials created by the big insurance companies.

The insurance industry seems to be more drawn to creating series of commercials with well defined characters and themes. A few come to mind. Metlife has adopted Charles Schultz's Snoopy. Allstate has a trustworthy-looking African American actor giving their pitch. Insurance giants, Geico and Progressive have the cavemen and the gecko, and Flo. The first two of these companies may have a good product, but don't seem to attract loyalty for their ad campaigns. In contrast, Geico and Progressive have created followings for their characters. My informal research shows that those who are fans of the Geico commercials dislike the Progressive ones and vice versa. Personally, I'm in the Progressive camp.


Maybe I'll discuss each of the campaigns in more detail later. I wish I had access to metrics detailing the success of each campaign, or just to be a fly on the wall in a marketing meeting at one of the companies. For now, I just wanted to make note of the interesting trend. Maybe I'm in the correct market segment to be a Progressive fan and Geico people have different characteristics. I'm not alone, however, in being a fan of Flo. There's even a facebook group for her following, not that there isn't a facebook group for anything and everything these days.

What commercial characters do you find yourself becoming attached to, or even just simply not finding yourself annoyed by their interruption of your favorite program? I think it's worth the time to appreciate good marketing, even if it's just to keep from being frustrated by the clutter ads can create.

Progressive Commercial featuring Flo

New Image for the Golden Arches?

I don't know about you, but I've noticed their commercials for fancy coffee and the recent addition of stone fascades on their buildings. What is McDonald's trying to do? Are they becoming Starbucks?

Apparently they are putting a great deal of time and effort into revamping their image. New commercials that tout their new coffee line play with the accented "e" of café. (Americans don't seem to understand accented letters anyway, so it's a good opportunity to further confuse them. That, however, is a discussion for another day.) I've noticed include a heavily flash-based website redesign that matches the commercials.

Micky D's is also spending a sizable amount of money on changing the appearance of their restaurant locations, inside and out. They've removed some of the worn out plastic parts and added contemporary elements. The new design even includes a change to the roof structure of the franchise locations. Though I'm not a frequent McDonald's customer (I'm just not a fast food junkie), I have always thought McDonald's regular coffee was delicious and a somewhat hidden gem. It is fantastic source for a decent and inexpensive cup of coffee. The newfangled coffee products seem to be the McD's answer to Starbucks' line of over caffeinated beverage. While the extension to their product line may boost sales, I wonder whether it will provide any long term growth to their sales or customer base.

I think that McDonald's' effort to make their restaurants and company feel more upscale is admirable. They have clearly thought through and are carrying out a strategy to reposition the company's brand and identity in the eyes of their customers and prospective customers. However, one major problem I have with what I've seen of the McDonald's campaign is inconsistency of message. They have the fancy new website and locations, and clever commercials with their more sophisticated McCafé products, but they still seem to have some advertising out there that I would consider less than classy. Maybe it's just my taste, but their current commercial promoting their filet-o-fish sandwich strikes me as rather tacky.

Again, I admire McDonald's commitment to revamping their image, but they need to find some consistency with their message and make sure their marketing sticks. McDonald's has to overcome decades worth of opinions about their company in the minds of American consumers in order to create any significant break through.

My challenge for you: Bypass the new "McCafé" products, and try a cup of regular McDonald's coffee for that caffeine fix.

BizBash Article

Crochet: Not Just for Grandma

When many people hear the word crochet, or picture someone knitting, images of grandma sitting in a rocking chair with her hook or needles and a ball of yarn may come to mind. Yes, crocheting with thread (referred to as floss) is how doilies come to exist, and that old afgan throw on your grandparents' couch is made up of appropriately named "granny squares."

A lot of time, patience, and a strong wrist goes into creating intricate or extensive crocheted projects. Though afgans and doilies are the tradition, a modern crochet aficionado can create scarves, bags, hats, and baby blankets. However, there's something that can be crocheted that may not come to mind immediately. When you're used to making hats, scarves, and blankets, most who crochet wouldn't think they could wear a crocheted project during the height of summer. Ever thought you could crochet swimwear?

When you're on the beach or at the pool this summer, you might see someone in a crocheted swimsuit or bikini. They're really out there. They range from modest tankinis to a little too risque for public (be careful if you do a google search). Crocheted swimwear can be purchased online or there are patterns available for do-it-yourself-ers.

You'd be surprised where crocheting can show up. It's the detailed patterns or lace on many things you wouldn't expect. I challenge you to rethink things that you think are old-fashioned or out-dated. It doesn't just apply to yarn crafts.

Crocheted swimwear: LovetoKnow

Good News

In a world where there's talk of economic crisis, failed bailouts, crime, and destruction, it's hard to watch or read the news. While there are occasional news stories that are hopeful and uplifting, they seem to be few and far between.

Today, a day when Christians around the world are celebrating good news, I am encouraged to look for the good news in my own life. This morning, my attention was called to a website, HappyNews.com, that only reports encouraging and uplifting stories. I think I'm going to make it a habit in my daily web surfing to check out positive news stories.

HappyNews.com proclaims: "We believe virtue, goodwill and heroism are hot news. That's why we bring you up-to-the-minute news, geared to lift spirits and inspire lives. Add in a diverse team of Citizen Journalists reporting positive stories from around the world, and you've got one happy place for news."

We can't forget all of the negative things in the world, because they affect our lives, but maybe we need to spend more of our time and energy focusing on the positive. It's all in how you look at what you've been given. I plan to find the joy in my cluttered life.

More than just cookies.

We all know and love the Girl Scouts of America for their cookies, and actually, the cookie season just ended for the year. Everyone has their favorite flavor. Personally, mine is the Samoa. I should know, because I sold them myself for many years growing up. I made it all the way from Brownies to Seniors and got my Gold Award (Eagle Scout equivalent). I want to make clear that while I had a good time with my friends who were a part of my troop, I was not excited to have to go to meetings and earn patches. My parents were the force behind me staying a member. I’d like to address the cookie sales arm of the organization at some point because they’re a great example of a non-profit fundraising, but I’ll save that for another post.

The subject here is brand image. I think it’s safe to say that as far as the Girl Scout Brand is concerned, most Americans identify “girl scouts” with selling delicious cookies and little girls knitting and sewing. While those pursuits are admirable (I enjoy needle craft and cookies myself), that’s not really what the organization has to offer to young women and adults. I know from experience that selling cookies and doing crafts are indeed a part of what it is to be a Girl Scout, but there’s so much more that can be gained. The organization has a rich history and has had an influence on the lives and self-esteem of young women for many decades, but they have to find their place in the crowded, busy, cluttered lives of 21st century girls.

It turns out that The Girl Scouts of America is trying to change their brand image. The have a plan at least with a whole new section of their website set up.

The FAQ on the Girl Scouts’ website lists the question “Why does Girl Scouts need a new image?”

This is the answer they supply: “Though the public’s perception of Girl Scouts is overwhelmingly positive, our image (often associated with cookies, camping and crafts) does not clearly reflect what Girl Scouting is really about—offering an array of enriching experiences to help girls develop leadership skills that will serve them immediately and all their lives.”

They have developed a new "Core Business Strategy" and even use that corporate, business school term to characterize it. I think it is going to take more than a spiffy new website to convince the local Girl Scout Councils and the American public as a whole that the organization is indeed more than just a cookie-selling machine. I hope the Girl Scouts succeed in their new mission to change the why their brand is viewed. However, it will take a lot of effort, clever marketing, and a fundamental change in the fabric of the organization, how members perceive and present themselves, in order to achieve the brand image they are seeking.

Want to get involved? Volunteer