It's On the House

Responsibilities

2011-02-20T22:56:00.003-06:00

I expected a lot from adults. Now that I classify as one, I feel let down by my peers and myself on our social responsibility. Growing up in a working class house, I saw my parents work all the time to support the family. My parents would have friends over or help friends out, but never went on a weekend outing without the kids. It could be a cultural difference, but I think it's a changing value system between my parents' generation and my generation.

I grew up thinking that adults were always role models. I imagined adults continuously hungry for knowledge and leading the way for new ideas. I pictured adults helping others. Now, it seems like adults are big kids. Their personal problems aren't different from teenagers' problems, just more complex. Adults are driven by money and self-interest. This is the adult survival mode, and I understand that, but it is still disappointing.

I'm trying to understand why my friends still go out to drink and party. It seems that we could accomplish so much with our time other than planning out ugly sweater parties and party bus birthdays, but this is how I socialize with my friends. I admit that it is fun and everyone needs a break. Maybe it's time to steer these events in a different direction.

I've had these thoughts for years, but I convinced myself that this is how the youth of the 20-somethings capitalize their time.

My generation has to be doing something all the time. It could be worthless and meaningless, like tweeting, but we are constantly moving. We just need to dedicate more solitary time to think and reflect. We need to digest the important events in our life, instead of jumping from one event to another and not remembering what just happened.

Winter Break

2010-12-08T21:31:00.002-06:00

Just turned in my paper and exam to finish off the semester. My eyes are weary from staying up late and my apartment is messy from neglect. I spend my first evening with no after-work obligations with a victory Big Mac and surfing the internet. I don't mean it sarcastically, it is a great feeling.

Time is easily lost without an evening schedule. I may have to re-ordain my tv and internet curfews to stay on task. The self-imposing limitations have worked well before.

Goodie Day

2010-11-22T22:06:00.002-06:00

I actually made something for goodie day tomorrow!

Recession Bites Head and Tail

2010-11-21T17:05:00.004-06:00

I see the U.S. recession second hand. I hear about it on the news, talk about it in class, and meet people who have their troubled stories. In my safe view of the world, I live comfortably and see my friends enjoy life as any middle class person would. Admittedly, I would continue my life not thinking about the recession if it wasn't for the media and the class assignments. To ignore the situation would be naive. If the recession does not pinch me now, it still could bite in the future.

The middle class seems to be the least effected with the current recession. The lower and upper classes seem to feel the most pain. For the lower class, it is obvious that a bad situation just got worse with the declining economy and their high susceptibility for unemployment. The upper class is undoubtedly able to survive, but it still hurts when their high dollar investment portfolios lost hundred thousands of dollars suddenly. The middle class has a better chance of keeping their jobs than the lower class, and the middle class have only modest investment portfolios that can be recovered.

What is a middle class person to do in this recession? Most are continuing with their lives as usual with little precaution. Is that ignoring what is going on or is it helping the economy with consumer spending? The government is taking measures to dig the U.S. out of this recession, but the individual contribution of partaking in this effort is muddied in the policies. It seems that all an individual could do is vote for the political figures that are most likely to resolve a major and complicated problem.

The U.S. recession is not over. With the current unemployment rate at 9%, everyone should care regardless of income bracket.

So. Much. Fun.

2010-11-18T23:06:00.007-06:00

Leaving on a Jet Plane

2010-11-03T22:59:00.002-05:00

Ready for the Q.

Ready to party with friends.

Ready to hike a new mountain.

How To Become a Millionaire

2010-09-16T21:42:00.003-05:00

Sifting through my junk mail, I found two interesting items. The first was a coupon for a free Wendy's breakfast combo (woohoo!... and not the point of this blog entry) and a flyer from my credit card advertising million dollar giveaways.

Million dollar giveaways sounds so enticing and at the same time sound like a fake, cheesy promo. It did make me think, "What would I do with a million dollars?" Before I got too far in my fantasies, I had to google what others advised on how to become a millionaire.

After ten minutes of searching and reading, I thought the article below from wikihow was interesting. Of course the point isn't just to be rich, it is to have money to spend my time the way I want to spend my time as much as possible and comfortably. Some of the advice is general and obvious, but I did like the suggestion of going on a game show. That's a new one for me.

http://www.wikihow.com/Be-a-Millionaire

Open a savings account! Having a savings account is one of the many ways where you can set your money up to work for you. Your initial deposit of money grows whether or not you make additional deposits by interest. Learn the different types of accounts, including accounts like IRAs.
Buy stocks! If you are gung-ho for individual stocks, you should buy stocks of the companies whose products and services you use or purchase. One of the best ways to invest in individual stocks is through an investment club; you may want to consider forming one with your friends.
Buy mutual funds. Mutual funds are really an investment of other investments. When you own a mutual fund, you actually own the securities (stocks, bonds, cash) within the mutual. With mutual funds, you are pooling your money with other investors and diversifying your investment.
Audition for game shows. Game shows earn their money by the audience, not the contestants.
Find a "system" that has been proven to make people become millionaires. The top five producers of millionaires today are: technology - internet marketing, direct marketing, home-based business, product distribution, and investments (stocks, bonds, real estate investment / development). Usually, the most stable and reliable forms of income would be from internet marketing, technology, and real estate, with internet marketing, and home based businesses requiring the least money to set up. Investments like real estate and stocks are usually quite risky and time consuming.
Find a mentor who has walked the walk and seek advice. Surround yourself with already-made millionaires. They can be found in several places, there's even a private online club where you can have a millionaire mentor personally show you how to make money in many areas online.
Win who wants to be a Millionaire. If you don't know the answer to the question, just guess you have a 25% chance of getting it right, if you do know the answer, then say it.
Have Fun. When you become wealthy doing something you love, your life will be much better than if you were to do something you hate or don't care about. Make a smart decision.

Tips (I've put in bold the tips I liked the most)

Don't use a credit card much, all of the excessive spending will come back to haunt you, and you may end up in debt. Try getting a debit card for daily purchases, they're a lot easier to deal with. Use your credit card only for emergencies, and to establish your good credit.
Try not to take any big loans, because that's "big" money that you'll just have to pay back, and you could end up in debt for that also.
Control your expenses. You get rich on the difference between that and what you make
Make it a game. Looking for opportunities to make money is supposed to be fun. Never sweat it.
Read. The more you know the more you will perceive to be possible, the more you can make.
Make it about something else than money. It has to be fun. Fair enough you are doing it to become financially well off but few wealthy get off on that alone.
Make friends with people who share the same goals and values. It will reduce your downtime, and give you pleasure when you are down.
Make friends with people who are different than you. They can be the greatest source of inspiration and guidance if you are open to their different perspective.
Help others. Learn to be a caring individual that makes the world better for people around yourself. It will lead to more positivity coming your way. Also, donating to charities can come back to you in the form of tax deductions.
Plan. Define what you want, Act on it, and Evaluate often to see how you are going.
It is OK to be cheap, but never be cheap on things that give you value.
Never invest more than you are willing to lose. This is particularly important when you start. The older and more experienced you get the less risk you are likely to take, or the better you are capable of taking it.
Think a lot on why you want to become rich, what exactly you want to buy, what lifestyle you want. Make it specific, and date your time for having it and why it matters to you.
Money represents value. You might come to the understanding that you make money on giving something that other value more than what they pay. You spend the money to get something that is more valuable.
If possible, make the maximum out your retirement fund provided either by your government or your work. Then proceed to put as much money in to an account like a Roth IRA.
Whoever said money can't buy happiness has never driven a sports car!
Money can never buy true happiness. Do not lose your friends and family over making money.

Warnings

Unless you are the wealthiest person in the world, there will always be someone with more money than you; there will always be someone with less money than you.
Be prepared to make choices that are different than most people around you.
Keep riches and wealth in perspective i.e. don't kill the goose that lays the golden egg. In other words, avoid neglecting the source of the wealth e.g. decent health.
Money doesn't always buy happiness (but it can take care of almost everything else).
Never steal money. So don't get any ideas about robbing the bank.
Do not brag about how much money you have. Thieves will be more likely to target you.
Outside of saving your money, there is no guarantee that you will make money through stocks. You should be wary of anyone who tells you otherwise.
The internet is full of scams. Do not invest any money in them unless you know they are legit.

Robot Zombie Brain Dumping

2010-09-08T22:45:00.005-05:00

I'm back in the full-time job with two classes swing of things. I'm not quite swinging that high, and I'm kicking the gravel, but I'm definitely airborne.

You can tell I'm back in school because I'm blogging. It's amazing all the things I do to avoid homework. I really just need to get my mind off of everything right now.

I wanted to make my blogging comeback with a funny story, but that sounds like more brain power than I'm willing to give right now.

By the way, my blogging negligence has been outweighed by my new green thumb. I'd like to think my poor history in maintaining plants has made me a stronger person. Not many can claim that they had taken the lives of the easiest plants to grow- the cactus. I've had two failed attempts. This summer was a turning point, however. I'm most proud of my basil plant. It has flourished all summer.

Summer is essentially over, but I'm not ready. Fall is great, but it's like the Sunday Syndrome. You know the feeling you get on Sundays when you know there's still a full day of the weekend left, but you also know Monday and all its realities are at your front door. Winter is just like Mondays. They are both my least favorite.

What is the deal with this economy? I wonder if it's cyclical or a consequence of bad, political decisions. An economist might say both.

Team Conan

2010-01-19T22:49:00.001-06:00

My VCR is Recording Static

2010-01-18T22:50:00.004-06:00

This may be the next Ebay mugshot of my VCR. I've lived the life of cable TV, HDTV, and DVR. I have since down-sized and touted my need for only bunny-eared network television with its sidekick, the VCR.

I have argued that the absence of a DVR is made up in my VCR, but I realized last night that I can no longer record TV shows on my VCR. My TV show was on channel 5.1, and my VCR remote does not do fractions. Alas, the closest I got was channel 5 (or 5.0 in digital-speak), and I was recording static.

Hmm... maybe I need one of those converter boxes.

Apartment vs House Debate

2010-01-07T19:27:00.005-06:00

Three preaching topics that should be avoided over a beer: politics, religion, and home ownership. Topics that invoke strong opinions from people are not shaken easily. The basis for these opinions revolve around a specific attitude of the world and a personal lifestyle that defines a person. To question a view of political belief, religious stance, or advantages/disadvantages of home ownership would be challenging what a person represents.

Over the past two years, I have been challenged with the question of home ownership with respect to its financial advantages. As an avid apartment renter in a time of low mortgage rates, home depreciation, and tax credit incentives, I often lost the argument to these good points. People would say, "How does someone who seems to have financial sense make such a bad financial decision?"

Today, I am raising my pint glass to my fellow renters. I ran the numbers to find out that it's not about the numbers. It's about lifestyle.

Renters aren't losing more money than homeowners. Try a quick calculation comparing the sunk costs of a house versus an apartment in one year. I'll use some representative numbers to make my point, and of course, there are many factors that can change this calculation.

Rent
Rent per month x 12 months= sunk costs in one year
$700 x 12 = $8400

House (Assume a $150k house with a 20% downpayment)
Taxes $3400
Insurance $920
Interest $4200
Maintenance, HOA,
increased utilities $1200
Tax Refund ($1500)
= $8220

Rent Sunk Costs - House Sunk Costs = $8400 - $8220 = $180

Only $180 would be lost in equity if someone rented an apartment instead of maintaining a house. $180 becomes negligible in a calculation like this one. Don't forget to factor in opportunity costs, meaning the 20% downpayment was kept as cash and invested through another vehicle. But what about house appreciation? This is true in the long term, such as 15+ years. This viewpoint is for the singles out there that don't want to narrow their opportunities because the biggest asset in their portfolio is immobile. Other advantages of renting include living in a preferred location and a maintenance-free standard of living.

Good reasons exist to own a house, however. If you...
- want more privacy
- want more space
- want to start a family
- host really awesome house parties

The decision to rent or buy is not about financial investment. It is all about lifestyle.

The Sing-Off

2009-12-21T22:20:00.004-06:00

I finally got hooked on a a reality competition tv show. I didn't catch every episode of "The Sing-Off" but what I saw was very entertaining. I liked that it was only one week long. This may change after the pilot season.

I was surprised to discover that enough a ccapella groups exist to make a show. I was also surprised that the terrible host obviously reading the teleprompters was Nick Lachey!

Tonight's show caught my attention because Boyz II Men was performing a mash-up of their hit songs when I tuned in. Shawn Stockman is one of the judges, as is Nicole Sherzinger from the Pussycat Dolls, and (my favorite judge of the show) Ben Folds. I have to insert this interview quote from Ben Folds:

Did you ever expect to be working on a project with a Pussycat Doll?

I didn’t know what a Pussycat Doll was. I just met Nicole. We get along great. We don’t see the bands until they come up on stage, so there’s a lot of waiting time. She’s singing the whole time and she sings her ass off. Had I previously seen the Pussycat Dolls, she and her girlfriends on YouTube gyrating on top of cars, I’m not sure what I would have thought.

(Courtesy of the WSJ: http://blogs.wsj.com/speakeasy/2009/12/16/the-sing-off-judge-ben-folds-explains-what-hes-doing-on-the-show/)

The two finalists, the Beelzebubs and Nota, were both great groups. I laughed out loud when one of the Beelzebubs members asked the backstage sound guy if he saw Nick Lachey because "he looked so hot!" Beelzebubs were incredibly energetic and must have a mastermind choreographer in their group. Each performance was refreshing and sharp. Nota offered the smooth singing, culturally influenced style of music. They were both very different.

Here's a sample of their performances.

Swell Season at Uptown

2009-12-01T22:56:00.004-06:00

It was another evening escape from the daily grind of must work-must eat-must sleep at Uptown Theater in Kansas City. The charming theater with its bright, retro headline sign and ornate interior surprised me a second time with its selection of musical talent. An Australian Pink Floyd tribute band brought me to the theater the first time. An Irish band turned movie stars turned more popular Irish band, Swell Season, brought me to the theater this second time.

I didn't pay to see the theater, however; I paid to see Swell Season and consequently, the stars of the movie Once. It was worth it.

Glen Hansard, the lead singer, was impressive. Not only did he sing, he performed with the worn guitar featured in Once and simultaneously played the harmonica. The multi-talents were extended to the other band members. The entire band did a dance of musical chairs throughout the evening as they took on different instrumental roles.

Halfway through the show, I realized I was watching a live performance of the sequel to Once. It felt as if the ragged movie characters had made it big and were performing all over the world. To further toy with my imagination, the lead singer and star of Once was planning to return to Ireland to get married after the tour here in Kansas City. Very fitting.

Overall, the live show puts their cd to shame. The vocal and instrumental sound quality was incredible, as well as the thoughtful and entertaining anecdotal interjections. The song variety from the concert also outranks the limits of the cd capacity. I would love a live version of this night's musical performance.

9 Days Left in Albuquerque

2009-08-18T22:12:00.001-05:00

There is so much left on the agenda in the final nine days in the desert.

Office Food

2009-06-29T22:45:00.002-05:00

Once food enters the doors of the office, its appeal multiplies tenfold. It has now crossed from a world of vast food choices to a closed environment of vending machines. Something about the 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. tummy rumbles that make the day old donuts look so tasty. 10 seconds in the microwave softens up any pastry, right?

Office hunger stimulates an odd behavior too. No doubt, the food stash in an easily accessible drawer will be raided... slowly. So slowly that the missing goldfish crackers won't even be noticed for a few weeks or months. Not that anyone cares. Office mates typically gladly share anyway.

It's just so interesting that the enclosed work environment drives people scrounging for food in the office area, even if the food is stale and questionable.

Life in D.C.

2009-06-28T22:57:00.006-05:00

I spent one week in D.C. and took maybe 15 pictures. I mostly bypassed the tourist hot spots and experienced the daily life in D.C., which was fantastic, aside from the nearly unbearable humidity.

I ate out a lot. A few signature places included Five Guys (burgers), Thomas Sweet Ice Cream in Georgetown, Etete (Ethiopian restaurant near Howard University), Rita's Ice Cream, and Au Bon Pain (bakery).

The metro was great. A trio of guys sang between the metro and my hotel in the afternoon rush hour that truly lifted the underground mood. I looked forward to their upbeat and talented voices on my way to my home base, but I didn't find them during my final days in D.C.

The best part of D.C. is its energy. Even if people are fighting for their one-sided issue, at least they are passionate about it. The atmosphere naturally encourages people to care about policy, economics, and all things secular. I can't help, but compare the Midwest mentality to the ones on the East Coast. Perhaps, Midwesterners feel so far removed physically from politics that they become complacent. It seems to take more effort to educate oneself in current events in the Midwest than it does on the East Coast.

I also had a personal realization during this trip. I am growing to like Modern and Contemporary Art. The Nelson-Atkins Museum and Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art in Kansas City has planted this seed. After years of looking at the same works, I was excited to see different exhibits at the National Gallery of Art. I feel like it still wasn't enough. I'd like to find more.

You Twit Face

2009-06-18T00:07:00.003-05:00

"In the year 3000 YouTube, Twitter, and Facebook will merge into one super-time-wasting website called 'You Twit Face'."

-Conan O'Brien

I love using Facebook, but Conan makes a hilarious and truthful statement. These social networks have heavily impacted the communication lines. I could go on about the advantages of these networks as much as I could discuss reasons for text messaging over calling. My point today is not to mull over the debate between technologies, but to rather point out a couple of human observations.

1. People are screaming for attention.

2. People demand privacy from others, yet keep none for themselves.

Why would anyone take the time to publish a 140 word description of the menial, daily activities on a regular basis? It's a desire to be noticed by someone and anyone. It's a time-filler when a person believes their time is more valuable spent impressing others, instead of facing a brief, solitary moment to themselves.

Updates that make me cringe the most are the bragging updates.

Example 1: "Enjoying the beautiful flowers my wonderful husband surprised me with today. I love you!!!"

My Response: Why in the world would you thank your husband online? He's sitting right next to you.

Example 2: "Another 'A' on my accounting exam. It's a straight-A record."

My Response: Yay. Now what?

On the flip side, I admit I'm pulling out funny ones as I'm looking some up to write this entry.

Example 1: "Writing this thesis is like passing a kidney stone."

Example 2: "Whoever hit my car will die."

Anyway, the truth is no one needs to know everything about someone else. In fact, it is advantageous to not reveal everything about one's self. Have people forgotten the attractiveness of mystery? How about the value of effort (as in getting to know someone over time)?

Keeping in touch is important, but people don't create memories through reading someone's wall or updates of their best friend online. Nothing would be left to talk about if the two people met up, except about what they read on each other's wall.

I wonder if people are losing the sense of privacy and self-confidence. In a way, these social networks promote people's need for validation from others. It's not the social networks' intent, but people have turned it into that. For example, I see a lot of, "Feeling down, need some cheering up." People are reaching out to the masses, instead of someone personally closer to them, such as a sibling, parent, or best friend that could offer more fulfilling encouragement.

I will be logging off next week to remind myself of life before my addiction to e-mail, Facebook, and all things google.

"Buying Stocks Is Like Dating"

2009-06-14T12:10:00.004-05:00

I just finished reading Rich Dad Poor Dad's Who Took My Money book. Despite Robert Kiyosaki's consistent plugs for his other books and rhetoric against mutual funds, this book offers a nice balance to the stocks steroid-injected nature of Money Magazine and its kind. The book offers a general pep talk to the masses to financially educate themselves.

I particularly liked one paragraph from the book. I have made a comment before relating the commonalities in purchasing a house and being in a relationship. Kiyosaki, or rather his Rich Dad, has done a much better job in this comparison.

Rich dad used to say, “Buying stocks is like dating. You go to a dinner and a movie, and if you do not get along, you shake hands at the door and you don’t go out again. Buying real estate is like getting married. Before getting married, first there is generally a lot of dating… personally looking at as many properties as possible. Then after you find the property of your dreams there is a big wedding ceremony at the bank, and then you settle down and see what happens. If you and your property do not get along, and the marriage becomes a nightmare, getting divorced can be a tedious and stressful transaction.” When it comes to a business, rich dad said, “Building or owning a business is by far the most rewarding but also the most stressful of all the three assets. If investing in paper assets is like dating, and acquiring real estate is like getting married, then investing in a business is like being married with kids.”

On Happiness

2009-05-28T20:42:00.002-05:00

A financial magazine featured an article on ways to ensure a happy retirement. One method was to surround yourself with happy people. Here's what they had to say:

"A 2008 study published in the British Medical Journal found that interacting with happy people increases your own chances of happiness. And the difference is quantifiable: Knowing someone who is happy makes you 15.3% more likely to be happy yourself, according to the study. In effect, happiness is contagious...

The study also found that coworkers have no measurable effect on individual happiness...

People who are in close geographic proximity spread their good cheer most effectively, so consider developing and nurturing relationships in your own neighborhood."

Memorial Day Weekend

2009-05-24T15:35:00.011-05:00

When did Memorial Day weekend become a time to dust off the grill, buy beer, and invite friends and neighbors over? I always thought it was a strange concept to have so much fun on a weekend designed to commemorate those who have died in military service. It's a subject people don't like talking about.

The only major exposure relating to Memorial Day I've seen this year has been through the media. Even though the news is full of war updates and troubling events, the news sectors are one of the few that still recognize the holiday for what it stands for because of its ties to such events. The D.C. area also does a phenomenal job of recognizing Memorial Day. I spent last year's Memorial Day in D.C.

The bikers drove from all over the country to meet in D.C. They received a lot of cheers from the tourists and crowds.

The Vietnam War Memorial was simple and elegant. At the beginning of the walk, the Memorial lists the names of people who died during the first year. The wall continues to list names of the dead for the following years. The wall was constructed to show the growing magnitude of casualties throughout the war with its widening and lengthy list as the years passed.

Another observation about these weekends is that I always remember it raining at some point. I shrugged it off as coincidence in the Midwest, but sunny Albuquerque even had rain Saturday morning.

I don't know what I expect people to do, and I'm certainly not boycotting cookouts this weekend but I still can't shake off the thought of the strangeness in telling someone to have a super fun Memorial Day weekend.

Tiempo Perfecto

2009-05-11T23:08:00.004-05:00

The Spring weather in Albuquerque is phenomenal. The sunny skies would put a smile on anyone's face. Capturing bad weather in a photo seems to express its danger or dreadfulness easily, as seen in photos of thunderstorms, tornadoes, or hurricanes. Great weather is not so apparent in photos, as seen in my attempt above.

Believe it or not, the sun was shining brightly this day. The heat of the sun was complemented by the dry breeze that occasionally and politely passed through everything in its path. The desert brown was overshadowed by the contrasting bright greens of the trees and the blues of the sky. The mountainous backdrop topped off the scene.

I got a call from someone in the Midwest and received a report of the rain in the region. I was so lost in the perfect weather, I had forgotten that bad weather even existed. It was difficult to imagine a stormy day at the time.

I also decided that Albuquerque in the Springtime is the best time to eat M&Ms. A bowl of M&Ms left in the house with no air conditioning, just fans and windows, will give just the right crunchiness to the shell. Just wonderful.

The Big Texan

2009-04-08T17:10:00.014-05:00

It takes vision for someone to open a restaurant like The Big Texan. Famous for its 72 oz steak challenge, The Big Texan makes up for its mediocre food with a highly entertaining atmosphere. It sits right along Route 66 in Amarillo, Texas making it an easy stop for large groups and families. The outside of the building is a great place for pictures with its bright colors and gaudy props.

My group opted to call in for the free limo service the restaurant offers. Don, the driver, was loaded with funny stories about international travelers and his ex-wife. The car horn even moo-ed!

This is the infamous table that sets the stage for the chuck of meat and any other up-chuck. It is set with the one hour clock ready for the group of four who were going to attempt it later that evening.

This display showcases the steak and its fixin's that must be devoured before declaring victory and receiving the meal for free. It includes the 72 oz. steak, baked potato, salad, 3 cocktail shrimps, and dinner roll.
The most creative method I heard in eating the steak was to line the salad in the middle of the steak, then fold and eat the steak like a taco. This piece of cow was the size of my head. I even put my head right next to it for confirmation.

This last photo shows the closest I got to attempting the challenge. I ended up ordering a 6 oz. steak, and I was plenty full.

Cacti

2009-04-02T23:43:00.007-05:00

The prickly pear cactus is my current favorite cacti in New Mexico. I struck gold in Carlsbad when I stumbled upon this wild garden of prickly pears on the drive to the Caverns. It was an incredible sight. Despite its name and its spikey hairs, these cacti seem friendly. The shape reminds me of oven mitts I want to shake hands with or pancakes I could take a bite from (both bad ideas). Look at how social they are too. They congregate together ensuring no one gets through them. It's like they know its own expensive listed store price and proudly shines with the Southwestern sun.

Slumdog Millionaire

2009-02-17T23:22:00.003-06:00

Excellent movie. It helped that I was craving something different, fresh, and cultural. I am amazed when people fuse and modify the traditional with the modern styles and do it well. This was seen in the style of the movie and the music accompanying it.

This movie appeals to American audiences. After being inundated with steroid-injected, action-packed movies, Americans were ready for something real and human. Slumdog Millionaire offered entertainment while offering a current, global perspective. I don't know how accurate the depiction of Mumbai is in the movie, but it still puts the audience face-to-face with domestic and economic battles so easily overlooked in daily life in the U.S. Considering the economic downturn the world is facing, I can't help but feel guilty for continuing life as usual with my main concern being how I'll entertain myself tomorrow or this weekend. It seems so selfish. In a far-fetched way, this movie made me feel better. It was entertainment, but it pointed out real problems. It made me think about the big problems again and how widespread they are.

Life is all about the moments, and this movie captures moments so well. Whether good or bad, moments are so dramatic that they become memorable and inescapable. Along the same theme of moments is the movie's focus. The characters had clear goals and motivations strung with complex obstacles. That made me wonder if my extensive list of goals actually prevents me from accomplishing any of them. With that said, I admired Jamal's determination to get what he wanted one step at a time. Jamal, the protagonist, was an easy character to empathize with and truly stole the show.

Skiing

2009-02-09T21:28:00.008-06:00

People always talk about the uphill battle. I discovered the downhill battle last month called skiing. Unlike most people in the world, skiing is just okay for me. I'd rather be enjoying other activities. The risk versus fun factors don't work in my favor. The important thing is that I tried it and not only once, but three times now.

For those who have never skied, let me break down what is needed.

Clothing
Warm pants (i.e. sweat pants, thermal underwear)
Thick socks (i.e. wool socks, apparently wool handles moisture better than cotton but not a big deal)
Snow bibs
Warm top (i.e. hoodie)
Ski coat (These things have SO many pockets. It is wonderful.)
Hat or helmet
Ski goggles or sunglasses
Sunscreen (for the face)

Equipment
Skis (Short skis are also available. They allow easier control for beginners. On the opposite end of the spectrum, experts may also use short skis to perform tricks. I rarely have seen short skis)
Ski boots
Ski poles

Tips That Make Life Easier
-Carry your skis over your shoulder.
-When walking downstairs with ski boots, walk backwards. Ski boots are difficult to walk in!
-Use the lockers. It's $0.75 each time it's accessed, but it's worth not walking from the car to the lodge in ski boots. Packing lunch and storing in the locker is also a bonus. The food at the lodge is typical, expensive, cafeteria food.

Ranking System
Bunny Hill: For learners
Greens: Low difficulty
Blues: Medium difficulty
Blacks: High difficulty
Double Blacks: High high (like Phelps at a party) difficulty. This might involve hiking to get to the start of a double black.

The Slopes
I've been to four ski slopes and skied on three in New Mexico. Each place has its own strengths.

Pajarito in Los Alamos
I took full day lessons here. The instructors were excellent and encouraging. The slopes are steep. The bunny hill would easily be ranked as a green in most other places.

Santa Fe
The slopes are more manageable than Pajarito. The bunny slope is incredibly tame. Snowboarders would have difficulty learning on the bunny, since it is fairly flat. I've been told that boarders need some slope to keep their momentum. The indoor lodge has more space than Pajarito, but at about the same quality. Out of state visitors enjoy Santa Fe, probably because of what the town offers outside of skiing.

Angel Fire
This is a great ski resort. The slopes are very manageable, and I was comfortable going down all of its greens. The view here is pleasantly striking. The greatest strength Angel Fire has over the other ski valleys is that they label all their slopes with clear signs, so people like me don't mistakenly go down a blue when the intent was to ski a green slope. Snow tubing is an option for people in the afternoons. The three lane runways are great for racing with friends, and a conveyor belt takes all the tubers right back to the starting line.

Taos
I can't speak much to the actual skiing, since I bailed on this adventure. I have heard that Taos has steep and narrow slopes with deep drop-offs. A more advanced skier would have a greater appreciation for the Taos Mountain. I spent some time at St. Bernards having coffee and tapping onto the hotel/restaurant's wireless internet. It was a warm place with a free-roaming dog, typical of the Taos culture. I highly recommend St. Bernards for the ones that decide to skip on skiing with their buddies and just enjoy the resort. Another option is snowmobiling with Big Al. It is a 2-hour tour of the Taos mountain on snowmobiles. I haven't decided if it was worth $70, but I do know I enjoyed it.

Finally, for the non-believers, here's evidence of me skiing.

Taos

2009-02-08T22:33:00.015-06:00

I haven't done justice to New Mexico. The natural backdrop here is beautiful. It is easy to forget to look and appreciate the mystic-looking mountains. That's when I know I'm getting comfortable here. It sometimes takes a rainbow spanning the mountain peaks to remind me. There were three rainbows in one week too.

There is more than mountains. The towns here look and feel local. Taos is a great example. My friends and I rented a house for the weekend in Taos a few weeks ago. Here are some pictures of and around the house.

Besides being a skiing town, Taos has a magnificent view of the Rio Grande Gorge. A fairly simple bridge runs across the gorge. The best part is seeing the initial drop off. The image hit me so suddenly when driving up to it that the moment deservedly got a long "Wwwow."

For the ones that love being green, Earthship demonstrates a model home that is constructed from recycled materials and is self-sufficient. This detour was certainly interesting. It offered solutions for people that have wondered how to build such a home. The challenge is wondering if one could substitute modern conveniences for such a simple life. Earthship homes have been built internationally, and several neighborhoods exist within New Mexico.

I haven't even tapped into the art scene in Taos. Metal sculpture, painting, pottery, jewelry, and even a Taos drum factory outlet store can be found in pockets of the town. Small bed & breakfasts inns give the Best Western and Days Inn tough competition. At first glance, I thought Taos was a sleepy town revolved around skiing. After two trips to Taos, its hidden charms are growing on me.

Whine-fest and Thought Vomit

2009-02-03T23:05:00.003-06:00

One day I'll read this and cringe. I'm going to be super negative tonight. I'm just fed up with some stuff, and I'm going head first with no constraint.

I'll start off by why I haven't written in awhile. I've felt that I had other obligations that I had to do first, and this blog is secondary. The obligations weren't necessarily important, but I was trying to prioritize my laundry list. My prioritization system failed me. Sometimes I should just do what I want to do and throw my reasons out the window.

Another point of irritation for me is the lack of respect for privacy. So what if someone wants to stay home and not go out. Leave them be. The person everyone is judging is probably at home building a multi-billion business plan anyway.

Now, I'll get into the idiosyncrasies of Albuquerque. My disclaimer is that I've discovered many wonderful things about New Mexico in the past few weeks that I've restrained myself from writing due to personal issues mentioned above.

I've just been caught at a bad time, so here goes. This city is so dark. Even the best neighborhoods are poorly lit. One light goes out on my front porch, and I can't even find the keyhole to my door. On top of the poorly lit city, the street signs are extremely difficult to read at night. I'm talking about major intersection street signs that are attached to the red, green, and yellow lights. I know the economy is bad, but let's invest in some new reflective street signs, Albuquerque. Please! Now, the cops. The cops have been very special to me this year. The cops seem to always find my parked car and pick a fight. So, Ms. Sena (you know who you are) has given me two tickets already. Go easy on me, will you? I'm pretty much a tourist in your state. You want to make a good impression. It's not just her, the police is crawling all over the place here. I'm not sure if I should feel protected or worried.

I realize this is all self-induced, but I haven't reached the maturity level to react to these situations gracefully. I keep finding myself wanting things differently from the social norm, yet I always fall into this status quo way of life and it's a whirlwind. I'm frustrated that I haven't built a strong enough backbone to resist this and march to my own tune. I thought I had it too. I've lost my beat somewhere along the way.

Talking To Strangers

2008-12-28T01:43:00.002-06:00

How do you feel about talking to strangers? It's one step deeper than people watching, but it is quite a leap forward. I enjoy it. I also make sure I cut the conversation off fairly early in the game, and there are exceptions. Keeping the conversation short (1.) doesn't creep out the stranger, invading their privacy and (2.) keeps a sense of mystery that allows me to hypothesize the stranger's life. In the short amount of interaction time, I am also careful to convince the stranger that I have no ulterior motives for talking to them.

With my heavy traveling these past two weeks, I have had the opportunity to observe some interactions at the airport and on the airplane. People's reactions are difficult to generalize. I met a flight attendant traveling as a passenger and a man and his sister on their way to vacation in Santa Fe who were all conversation initiators. That makes it easy for me. I insert a few questions and comments and these conversation initiators keep on going. The airplane is a great place for perfect strangers. The storytellers come from all different cities going to a new city with a mission in mind. So, there is always a topic to talk about and a new perspective to learn from.

I met a twenty-something hippie (who was reading The Story of B and instantly earned cool points) and a late forties woman that I initiated the conversations by sharing the delicious, Christmas cookies my friend generously sent me. Both reactions were very inviting and a bit shocking that I would share my cookies. I certainly didn't stick around to swap life stories, but these small interactions have big impacts. I could tell they both felt more comfortable sitting near me on the plane. The hippie and I silently nodded a farewell as I walked off the plane and the woman made short comments throughout the flight to me.

People love to connect with one another, but it is difficult for some people to break the initial barrier of conversation. For some, to do so is even abnormal and makes them uncomfortable. I hope more people open up the opportunity to meet others in our daily, physical lives to the point that talking to strangers is as unintimidating as friending a new person on an online social network. Meeting people the old fashion way is so much more rewarding than the online avenues.

Bass Pro Shopping

2008-12-28T01:30:00.003-06:00

What do you think of when you see a 4-1/2' fish pillow at the Bass Pro Shop?

My mom started making the hand motions of preparing fish fillets. A true sign of a fisherman's wife.

The Vietnamese Crabshack

2008-12-02T21:00:00.003-06:00

These photos may be graphic for the crab lovers out there. Here's a before and after shot of 10 crabs my family and I had for dinner. They were steamed and served with a lemon, salt, and pepper dipping sauce. Steamed shrimp was also served.

This type of dinner takes a long time to finish but is fun and a great way to get conversations going. It reminds me of a fondue dinner, where everyone has to work before eating.

Culture Is Back In My Life

2008-11-23T13:15:00.002-06:00

New Mexico does have its cultural charms in place. I've been feeling the vibe that the air is certainly different here than my past few years living near the Stepford Housewives. My intuition was confirmed as I was thumbing through the weekly Alibi (in Kansas City terms, it's NM's Pitch).

Just a quick glance of the Community Calendar shows a broad range of dancing options. There's classes for African Dance, East Indian Dance, Tribal Belly Dance, Soul Dance, Adult Tap, and the list goes on. There's Yoga for men, women, and babies!

Art also dominates the cultural scenes with weekly poetry readings, lectures, and gallery shows.

I feel like I'm in my college days where the opportunities to learn new things are so accessible and affordable.

Today's Fortune Cookie

2008-11-20T21:29:00.000-06:00

"To be mature is to accept imperfections."

Networking, the latest buzz word

2008-11-19T22:35:00.005-06:00

Do, do, do is such doo doo.

Why do people feel like they should be doing stuff all the time. Chill out, everyone.

So, it's all about networking. I used to love the word, "networking." It was a great justification for socializing and going out. Recently, the word has begun to wear on me. The word itself is being overused. Good word, but it should be used a bit more sparingly than it is today.

Getting to know co-workers and customers at a personal level helps with business, but it does not define the relationship. Good business springs from technical confidence as well as personal interactions. It seems the trends are shifting over to personal interactions and away from technical aspects. Pharmaceutical sales comes into mind, but this idea applies to many working fields.

Instead of spending all of one's time networking, how about spending it on building one's knowledge base by reading or diving into a personal hobby? This leads to my plug for personal quiet time. This block of time is so important for people's mental health. The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People strongly encourages people to take time to plan the week (setting short term goals) and continuously reflecting on the long term goals. These are individual activities.

I see people get criticized for choosing to stay in after being invited to social events. That is unfortunate. Again, it is a personal choice and a right to privacy (which is tough to have these days).

Perhaps, I am speaking for myself because I feel that my most productive hours were the ones "doing nothing." Others may feel that tangible social activities prove to be more productive for them. I would just put out a warning (and this is a reminder to myself) that doing something is not knowing it. I could drink beer all my life and not know a thing about it. If I did, though, it would just create more depth into what I know. It would be a topic of great conversation and would probably earn me some credibility with others. Again, I'm writing this to remind myself that personal time allows me to dig deep into a lot of topics.

The only networking I want to do for awhile is neural networking.

The Hybrid Model- A Woman's Lifestyle

2008-11-18T19:15:00.003-06:00

Open-minded.

Adaptable.

Creative.

Compromising.

Those words might reflect a woman's attitude when she is considering her master life plan. I took a step back to piece together all the conversations I've had with women and the trends I've seen in the media concerning women's careers.

A woman's role used to be understood as the caregiver with respect to taking care of the home and family. That really has not changed to this day, but this was on a full-time basis. Of course, I think people had more children back then also. That is pure speculation. Feeding the masses was another huge responsibility mothers undertook. Drive-thru grub and instant meals were not prevalent as in today's world. Cooking (and the resulting cleaning involved) takes quite a chunk of the day now, it must be even more back then. For example, I watched in awe as my cousin biked through the streets of Vietnam daily to the local, outdoor market. She would gracefully haggle with the vendors to gather the raw ingredients for the day's meals. That took street smarts. If a guy has trouble in the supermarket, I'd like to see him handle this environment. My point is that there were a lot of factors that called for women to dedicate themselves fully to the home and family.

Then the full-time job turned from the home to the office. This could have been the result of the women's rights movement or a result of the changing economics. Either way, businesses would have reacted to this change by investing in day cares at their companies or teenagers advertising their baby-sitter qualifications. Restaurants undoubtedly benefited from this change and continue to adapt their services to family dynamics.

Now, the trend is to find the happy medium that has the flexibility to handle both the home and work. As the world turns as it always has, companies are opening policies to accommodate these demands, which really is a great movement.

With all this in mind, how is a woman supposed to plan for her future career?

It's no longer all or nothing, it's a hybrid of lifestyles. One quick comment about men. They must balance their lives as any woman does, but men's typical expectations are to work full-time advancing their corporate careers, family or no family. It is by nature a woman changes physically and mentally by starting a family. There are mothers who still work in the office full-time, which absolutely amazes me. It must be so demanding. There are mothers who work at home full-time, which poses another challenge. How will she return to the office again?

The 2-, 5-, 10- year career plans may need to be revisited. A decision block may need to be added to the flow chart diverting the corporate route to a family route that includes an option for part-time jobs. For some working fields, flexibility is an advantage. For other fields, additional college education and certifications would be required to take on more flexible jobs. So, should one plan for a flexible job too?

I have double standard feelings about the whole topic. The media statistically show women are not making as much money or are not reaching the corporate power levels as men, but I wonder if that is a discrimination or a balancing act women sacrifice between work and family. The working mother may not think it is worth even-ing out the statistics by sacrificing her role in the family. She may not focus as much on her career since her family role lies heavily with the kids. In this case, it is a woman's choice, not her inadequacy, to fulfill a high corporate position. That's one reason why I think this is a slow trend. I think it's great that a family can have a financial ability for one of the parents to raise their children. At the same time, I like seeing a woman go to the top of the charts.

I have heard several conversations that dance around these topics, and as with any life choice decisions, there is no general answer. It is a personal choice. For the most part, people make the right ones too.

Hiking the Sandia Mountains

2008-11-11T23:13:00.008-06:00

It's been about a month since I've gone on the Old La Luz Trail Hike, but I had to share some of the photos I took. It was a gorgeous hike during the fall season. The 7-mile trail led my group and I to the top of the Sandia Mountians, where we took the Tramway back down. It took the group and I about 4-5 hours to complete, including lunch breaks. It was the first time I truly felt the effects of altitude on my breathing.

This shows the Donald Duck rock formation. It was definitely the comical relief during the uphill hike.

This was taken after the lunch break. It was a very memorable portion of the hike. The fallen yellow leaves contrasted so well with the white tree barks, and the occasional green plants accented the scene. Nature's soundtrack was just as fitting with the crunching leaves as the hikers walked and the water brooks in the background. It was a poet's dream.
The fall season can be easily detected in this photo. The scenic mix of mountains and trees definitely portrays the Southwest flavor of beauty.

Now we're getting so close to the Tramway, we can see it. Thank goodness.

Here is a top view of Albuquerque from the peak of the mountains.

Just a Physical Move

2008-11-11T22:49:00.002-06:00

People move for several reasons. The most common reason I've noticed is for work, and I fall into this category. Only after a couple of weeks of implanting myself into a new state, I realized I was spending my time the same way I had always done. This made me think about people who move to avoid bad situations.

Relocating doesn't change habits or personality traits. It does, however, give a sense of a fresh start. The change in environment and people may be enough to influence a personal transformation, but it would be a gradual process.

My point is that I do the same things and think the same way regardless of all the changes that happen around me. The surroundings do influence me, but it will take time before any of those repercussions show. I should check in with myself in a few months.

Big Bunny

2008-10-22T23:32:00.003-05:00

I found my next vacation spot!

Giant bunny article

Water in the Desert

2008-10-13T22:31:00.005-05:00

Mmm... H2O. Drink plenty in ABQ, or you'll get headaches!

Mountain Timer

2008-10-12T10:24:00.007-05:00

I have one year to discover Albuquerque. Uprooting from my comfort zone in Kansas City and moving to an area that is literally different (the terrain, the plants, the wildlife, the people) has been exciting and refreshing.

The experience poses a personal and professional challenge that falls right at a perfect time in my life. This one year isolation from my typical Kansas City routine constructs an environment where I can reflect on my personal goals and focus on my professional objective.

I do love Kansas City and my friends there, but the best part is I am coming back. I won't be the same, however, and I hope my friends won't either. This physical relocation makes it easy to measure and realize progress. One year can transform someone. It doesn't need to be a big or obvious transformation, but it should be a positive one.

I have lived the life of a New Mexican for two weeks now and have already dispelled one of my preconceived judgements about the area. Unlike my ignorant impression that Albuquerque was all brown and turquoise, the city does indeed have trees and grass. Kansas City's charm may lie with its large, green trees that change throughout the seasons, but Albuquerque can hold its own with its mountain view and clear skies that can be seen anywhere in the city.

To offer a flavor of my experience so far, below are pictures of the Sandia Mountains and the International Balloon Fiesta. The video is a short clip of a balloon take-off.

Dual Purpose Doublemint

2008-08-04T21:00:00.004-05:00

I'd recommend watching Chris Brown's music video of Forever before and after reading this article.

Article from the WSJ

Chew on This: Hit Song Is a Gum Jingle
By ETHAN SMITH and JULIE JARGON
July 28, 2008; Page B1

Sharp-eared pop-music fans may have noticed a brief reference to an old chewing-gum jingle buried in "Forever," Chris Brown's top-10 hit. "Double your pleasure/double your fun," the R&B singer croons in the chorus.

What listeners don't know -- and what Wm. Wrigley Jr. Co. planned to reveal Tuesday -- is that the song is a commercial.

"Forever" is an extended version of a new Doublemint jingle written by Mr. Brown and scheduled to begin airing next month in 30-second spots for Wrigley's green-packaged chewing gum.

R&B singer Chris Brown's 'Forever,' which hit No. 4 on the Hot 100, is also a gum jingle.
Mr. Brown is one of a trio of pop stars enlisted by ad agency Translation Advertising, a unit of Interpublic Group of Cos., to update the images of three of Wrigley's best-known brands.

The campaign includes spots featuring R&B singer Ne-Yo doing his own take on Big Red's "kiss a little longer" jingle. And "Dancing With the Stars" regular-turned-country-singer Julianne Hough recorded a twangy version of Juicy Fruit's "The taste is gonna move ya."

But Mr. Brown's "Forever" is the most ambitious part of the campaign. Mr. Brown was commissioned to write and sing both the pop song and a new version of the Doublemint jingle, introduced in 1960.

First, Mr. Brown updated the jingle and recorded it with hip-hop producer Polow Da Don. Then, during the same Los Angeles recording sessions in February, paid for by Wrigley, Mr. Brown added new lyrics and made a 4½-minute rendition of the tune, titled "Forever."

In April, Mr. Brown's record label, Jive, released the song to radio stations and digital download services as a single. After the song became a hit, Jive added it to his 2007 album, "Exclusive," and re-released the album in June. "Forever" reached No. 4 on Billboard magazine's Hot 100 chart last week.

All three new Wrigley jingles are scheduled to be unveiled at a news conference Tuesday in New York, with each of them to be performed by the artist involved. Mr. Brown is slated to sing "Forever" and segue into his jingle. New television commercials and radio spots featuring the jingles and print ads showing new packaging for the gum are set to appear in August.

Some of Wrigley's popular gum brands
The campaign illustrates a deepening of the ties between pop music and advertising. Rappers frequently mention luxury products like liquor or cars in songs, and occasionally serve as paid spokesmen for the brands. And for McDonald's Corp.'s 2003 "I'm Lovin' It" campaign, the burger chain, with the aid of Translation Chief Executive Steve Stoute, enlisted Justin Timberlake to write and record a song using the slogan as its chorus. But the song was never released on one of his albums.

Tom Carrabba, executive vice president and general manager of Sony BMG's Zomba Label Group, which includes Jive, says label executives initially had qualms about releasing and promoting a song recorded at an advertiser's behest "But the song was so potent and strong. That overruled us being maybe a little hesitant," he adds.

Sony BMG is a joint venture between Bertelsmann AG of Germany and Japan's Sony Corp.

Other than the "double your pleasure" line, the lyrics to the song and the TV jingle are different. But the melody and the music behind it are nearly indistinguishable. A 60-second radio ad scheduled to air starting Friday further blurs the line between the song and the commercial. It starts with a section of "Forever," and moves seamlessly into lyrics promoting the gum. "I'ma take you there, so don't be scared," Mr. Brown sings. "Double your pleasure; double your fun. It's the right one, Doublemint gum."

The campaign was conceived and executed by Mr. Stoute, a former senior executive at Interscope Records who counts rapper Jay-Z as a partner in his business. The idea was to connect the hit song and the jingle in listener's minds. That way, Mr. Stoute says, "by the time the new jingle came out, it was already seeded properly within popular culture."

TASTE OF MUSIC

The background on three Wrigley's gum jingles:
• DoubleMint
1960: 'Double your pleasure' jingle first appears; gum introduced 1914
• Big Red
1979: 'Kiss a little longer' jingle first appears; gum introduced 1976
• Juicy Fruit
1983: 'Taste is gonna move ya' jingle first appears; gum introduced 1893
Source: the companyMr. Brown said in an email that he wrote "Forever" and the related jingle in about 30 minutes each. "I actually thought it would take longer to write a jingle they would like," he wrote. "But they said it was a perfect fit after the first try."

Paul Chibe, Wrigley's vice president for North American gum marketing, declines to disclose how much Mr. Brown was paid for his role in the campaign.

Wrigley's push to update its older gum brands started earlier this year, when the company began selling them in new slim, envelope-style packages. Some of the gum was reformulated to improve its flavor and make it last longer. Juicy Fruit -- Wrigley's oldest brand, launched in 1893 -- Doublemint, Big Red, Spearmint, Winterfresh and the newer Extra line, represent around 30% of the company's U.S. gum business.

Wrigley chose Mr. Brown to develop the new Doublemint song, in part because the company's consumer research showed that African-American consumers prefer Doublemint to other gum brands. Mr. Chibe calls the move "the future of the brand."

Mr. Chibe added that the mildly suggestive lyrics have never given the company pause. "Everything he's done with 'Forever' represents the brand and it fits our brand personality for Doublemint," Mr. Chibe added.

While Wrigley has had strong sales in emerging markets, it has lost market share in the U.S., where it faces strong competition from Cadbury PLC, maker of Trident, Stride and Dentyne. Last year, the company's North American sales were flat, at $1.75 billion.

During the company's annual meeting in March, Chairman William Wrigley said he was "far from satisfied" with the company's domestic performance in 2007, though results improved in the first quarter of 2008. In April, Wrigley agreed to be acquired by Mars Inc., the closely held maker of M&Ms and Snickers, for about $23 billion.

My Comments

My initial thought was, "I feel fooled into liking this song! Quick...I need a pack of gum to make me feel better."

Marketing is a serious field and a lot more calculated than most realize. In this case, Wrigley's marketing plan began with the end in mind while it rolled out its plan in phases. First, research its target consumers: "...the company's consumer research showed that African-American consumers prefer Doublemint to other gum brands." Secondly, get a singer that can appeal to this target group. Wrigley did even better than that. They found a pop singer that appeals to an audience beyond African-Americans. Thirdly, win the audience over without the audience even knowing they're being swooned into a commercial.

This new marketing approach has so far worked seamlessly. Even after revealing that the song, Forever, is meant to be a Doublemint commercial, the momentum of the song is powerful enough that radio stations, clubs and bars will continue to play the song. Most DJs probably don't even know it's a commercial. Wrigley is just that good.

I shouldn't be surprised that this is a commercial. Making money is a part of business, especially the entertainment business. Accept it for what it is and understand its story. Commercials have a long history of having catchy tunes that people sing to for years. Wrigley just figured out a way to achieve what other companies have done while getting the consumers to enjoy their advertising. It's a bit subliminal, but that's marketing.

Bodies Revealed

2008-08-03T09:13:00.004-05:00

"Fascinating + Real" is a perfect description of the Bodies Revealed exhibit. Disgusted comes to mind too. It's a lot like eating meat. If I don't think about what I'm eating, I'm fine. Once I begin thinking about the history behind the meat, I have a tougher time eating it. I made it a point to continuously remind myself that this is the real deal, making my stomach twist at times.

The excitement of learning anatomy flooded back to me from my high school days of physiology and psychology. That information that had been lying dormant for years in my head was slowly revived as I walked through the exhibit. The best realization was remembering that the topic of anatomy has the best terms out of any field.

Here's a small sample:
Medulla Oblongata
Dura Mater
Longitudinal Fissure
Hippocampus

How fun is that! Those would be my top choices for band names if I were to start one.

Back to the exhibit... For people in the medical field, this exhibit would be a heyday. For athletes, this exhibit would help train them to understand the muscle systems they work so laboriously to develop. I would strongly not recommend taking children to this event. The displays are too intense and at times shocking. For the curious, however, it is worth the $24.

http://www.unionstation.org/bodies/

Foo Fighters Concert

2008-07-20T22:15:00.004-05:00

Band: Foo Fighters!!!

Venue: Kemper Arena, Kansas City

Coolest Realization: Having Dave Grohl singing live

Impressed With: The drummer, Taylor Hawkins

Best Concert Songs for the Night: My Hero, Monkey Wrench, Everlong, Big Me, Best of You (a great choice on their part to end the concert with this song)

New Song (for me at least) to Check Out: Skin and Bones

Cherry Pie

2008-06-21T18:53:00.005-05:00

I'm being domesticated. The deal was that my friend gave me a huge bag of fresh cherries, and I learn how to bake a cherry pie. I was up for the challenge.

It has been awhile since I've really cooked or baked. There was a certain satisfacation in preparing this pie knowing that my friend picked these cherries straight from his tree. It took me exactly the length of Jay Leno's Late Night Show to finish pitting 6 cups of cherries, a lot shorter than I thought it would take. All this prep work made the pie all the more special.

I'm more of a cake person than a pie person, but I admit pie a la mode ranks high in delicious food to eat. I'm ready for the next challenge.

I'm Listening

2008-06-17T22:30:00.002-05:00

It's a big music summer for me so far. A handful of my favorite bands have been releasing new cds this summer, including Death Cab for Cutie, Weezer, and now Coldplay. I've been making Best Buy trips on the release dates of these cds, and I just couldn't wait to pop them into a cd player.

Finding a working cd player left me in a panic tonight. My car cd player isn't working. My stereo cd player hasn't worked for years. My laptop cd player decided to not work either. In my fret of wanting to relax and listen to some fresh tunes, I was so excited and thankful to find my Discman. Now that's a man I can count on.

Jaded

2008-06-15T01:31:00.003-05:00

I think I ingested the Jaded Gloomie in the illustration.

2008-05-18T21:18:00.011-05:00

After two years in Kansas City, I am still discovering the city. This weekend, it was the annual Crawl for Cancer and a tour of the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum and the Kansas City Jazz Museum.

Last year, I thought a pub crawl for cancer was ridiculous. This year, I participated. It's amazing how quickly views can change. There was no talk of cancer, no information booths, and no pink ribbons. The only mention of cancer was every one's printed t-shirts. The team fees were a part of the donations to local charities. No doubt, a lot of money was raised. The pub crawl was sold out with a waiting list. The organizers even auctioned the last two team entries on eBay. I suppose if a pub crawl was to happen in Westport, it might as well have the money go to charities. I would recommend at least announcing the amount of money raised for cancer at the end of the crawl. Maybe a fundraising thermometer in the middle of the tent would do the trick. That always worked well in college. I wonder how people with cancer or beat cancer feel about fund raises that involve alcohol?

As for the Crawl for Cancer experience, it was a fun time. It's a must-do at least once. The majority of the people are young professionals. The area is flooded with people, I couldn't even find my co-worker's team who was on the same route. On the other hand, I encountered a few people I didn't expect to see.

A team member brought up an excellent point why he enjoys the crawl over his usual evening bar outings. He talked about how everyone is on the same playing field. There is no peacocking and no judgements on people's dress. Everyone basically has a t-shirt and jeans. The atmosphere was to talk to new people and there were plenty to choose from.

Onto the museums... Just when I thought I covered the local museums, I was proven wrong. A part of the Belgian Beer and White Wine party was to first tour the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum and the Kansas City Jazz Museum. Before the group hiked over to the museums, my friend hung a sign on the door that read, "Out to get some culture..." I realized it was about time I got a cultural dose in sports and music.

The tours were fairly short compared to the art museums I'm accustomed to touring, but proved interesting. I enjoyed the baseball museum more than the jazz museum simply because the history of negro baseball was well-explained and inspiring. The jazz museum was presented more as a snapshot during the height of the jazz era. The jazz museum, however, was much more interactive with its music and videos than the baseball museum. Both are worth checking out at least once, as with anything else.

Who Knows You Best

2008-05-16T00:41:00.003-05:00

I thought I knew me best. My family may know me best too. I'm comfortable to say my best friends know me best. A new group is getting to know me, and they are really impressive. Maybe you know them. They are computer tracking software.

This tracking method is one of the most effective marketing tools. Just like any relationship though, I feel uncomfortable at times when I think they know a little too much about me, yet appreciate their suggestions and input.

Last year was the first time I realized this was going somewhere. The first birthday card I received last year was from Express and inside sat a $15 gift card to help me celebrate. I thought, "I've had two boyfriends who forgot my birthdays in the past, but Express somehow manages to remember. Incredible." I'll have to wait to learn how consistent and loyal Express is to me this year.

Perhaps this tracking software is a medium between knowing myself and having others think they know what I want. I provide the direct inputs and the recommendations are provided immediately.

Fast Food Friendly

2008-04-28T22:17:00.002-05:00

The best way to end the day is with a good laugh, and tonight I found mine at the local Taco Bell. Drive-thru food is a treat for me, and I am always in high spirits to eat after a long day of work and school.

My Taco Bell cashier today asked me if I wanted sauce. I replied with a definitive "hot sauce, please." He continued to ask if I was sure that was what I wanted. So, I jokingly threatened with a "if I find a mild packet in my order, there'll be some words." He gave in and said that he'd better not pull anything or I'd call the customer complaint hotline on him. I had to smile when I got home to find a mix of mild and hot sauce in my bag.

Tonight I realized that my drive-thru orders typically involve some bantering and joking with the cashier. Either I don't know what to order or I know exactly what I want, which is all solid premise for a little conversation fun. It is reassuring that people working in fast food still have the playful attitude after a day of dealing with demanding and hungry customers.

This situation should not be confused with flirting either. It is being friendly. Let's accept friendly conversation and human interaction as an exhibit of a healthy communication foundation. Judging others who have conversations with their grocers or while standing in line is easy to do, but a one minute conversation could brighten someone's day or even make them smile and laugh.

To paraphrase an insightful professor: Sharing true laughter with people is experiencing a moment with one another. It is a moment when no one is thinking about the past or the future, but only enjoying that very second.

Dream Book

2008-04-11T20:49:00.007-05:00

I sat in the lobby waiting for my group to arrive. Out of habit of not knowing how to relax, I fidgeted through the nearest magazine on the coffee table. I dizzily scanned the photos of houses in New Home magazine while I thought about what I need to do an hour from now, what I need to do tonight, and what I need to do this weekend. My racing thoughts were interrupted by the security guard asking, "You looking at the dream book?" I looked up completely confused and noticed he was chuckling to himself. He was obviously joking. Looking back down at the magazine, I realized he was referring to the home magazine as a dream book.

My first thought was, "Are the items in this book that unattainable?"

My second thought was, "I wouldn't call this my dream book, but that's interesting that he sees it that way."

For most people, buying a home is a huge decision and sometimes an accomplishment. The ability to purchase a home can be a sign of discipline in saving money and the ability to provide comfortable shelter for yourself, a family, or a dog. As a fan of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, I understand the positive impact a home can have on people.

... but this is not my need or dream. This is not for everyone right now.

Buying a home is a lot like being in a relationship. As my friend, trinity garcia, explains, relationships require 50% work, 30% timing, and 20% compatibility. Owning a home is no different to me. Although the market tells me it's time, I know the timing is all wrong.

That leads me to think what is my dream book? I am not sure. It could be my growing lack of imagination or a sign of being where I want to be in life. I also like to entertain the idea that my dreams cannot be described with photos of materialistic products. My dreams are ideas, adventures, experience, and strong relationships.

Making a list of To-Do items or a list of life goals is easy. Making a list of dreams is much harder than expected, but it is still worth considering.

Power Play

2008-02-21T21:55:00.007-06:00

Mistake #1: Judging a business by its building.
Mistake #2: Judging a business by its website.

Redemption #1: Giving the business a try, anyway.
Redemption #2: Giving the business positive reviews.

Thanks to the Kansas City Chamber of Commerce and my workplace, I was able to enjoy all I can eat, drink, and play for $10 at Power Play. I was in heaven. Power Play is a "family entertainment center" full of arcade games, a bowling alley, go-karts, tilt-a-whirl, and so much more I didn't have time to discover.

At first, I was leery to attend a professional event in such a goofy environment. Their website (powerplaykc.com) reeks of cheesy jingles and flashy graphics. I'm not sure when I thought I was too cool for this, but I was probably the most un-cool as I went crazy on the arcade games. I'm sure I had that look in my eyes. You know, that crazy look.

I never in my life thought someone would give me a play card and say, "You can play anything you want for free for the next few hours." Despite the fact that I had this shopping spree, I've concluded that I've enjoyed my time at Power Play much more than any other experience at Dave and Busters in KC. The game selection was more extensive at Power Play and so were the activities. I didn't feel overwhelmed at Power Play. I'm unsure if they toned down the bells and whistles for the event, but I did like the layout of the place.

At the end of the night, I indulged in one my favorite, yet unsatisfying games- The Crane Game. Tonight's potential prize... a 6-inch white teddy bear wearing an ICEE t-shirt, and I wanted it bad. I came home with this instead...

... it's a fish that expands 600% in size.

Power Play is definitely worth a return visit.

Fear of Status Quo

2008-02-18T21:45:00.003-06:00

I choose not to be the living dead.

I write this in a zombie-like state. After an 8 to 5 day at work followed by an evening class, I know I will repeat the same pattern tomorrow. Going through the motions like a zombie from Night of the Living Dead, I am at least glad I don't feed on other people's brains. My salvation at the end of the day: food, books, internet, people, tv. Tonight it is food, a book, and the internet. I've waited 13 hours since I woke up to enjoy my two hour window of choice.

This pattern is a trap that is so entrenched into everyone's lives that people don't recognize it or know how to change it. I don't know how to change it. Yet.

Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it is time to pause and reflect.
-Mark Twain

Everything popular is wrong.
-Oscar Wilde, The Importance of Being Earnest

This is why I read. People have figured out how to escape this trap before, and they hide it in books.

Fireplace

2008-02-16T00:17:00.002-06:00

After two years in my apartment, I am finally using my fireplace. It is absolutely wonderful.

I Choo-choo- choose you.

2008-02-11T21:51:00.000-06:00

Valentine's Day is in three days. So, when I prepared to watch the CBS Sunday Morning News(one of my favorite shows), I expected at least one segment highlighting the holiday. I expected a segment discussing the holiday's origins or maybe discussing the holiday's commercial influence on the economy. I smiled when I learned that the Valentine's Day segment was about marriage and divorce.

Not that marriage is funny or that divorce is funny. Nooo... they are both very serious. However, it was funny that a news program that focuses on good news was taking a reality check.

Here are a list of statistics the segment provided that I found interesting:

- 50% of married couples get divorced
- Or if you glass is half full, 50% of married couples stay together
- The divorce rate doubled from 1960 to 1980
- The divorce rate has been stable since the 1980s
- The average male gets married at 27 years
- The average female gets married at 26 years
- 85% of Americans get married
- The 3 contributors to a lasting marriage: Education, Stable Family, and Income

I could write an essay for each of the bullets above, but tonight is not the time.

Here is a link to the article summarizing the segment: Un-tying the Knot .

... and one more thing, Happy (early) Valentine's Day to everyone. It is not just a holiday for just one significant other, it is for family and the dearest friends also.

Footaction

2008-01-27T21:39:00.000-06:00

I am ready to talk about it now. I wanted to chew on it before saying anything, but it has been two weeks since it has happened. I got my first pedicure.

After years of declining all invitations to get a pedicure, I was cornered by my two best friends in unfamiliar territory (Dallas, TX). I had a choice to continue to be stubborn, decline again, and ruin the flow of conversation or experience another first in my life and make peace with my friends. I caved in and decided to temporarily tuck away my conflicted feelings and reasons for past declines.

My primary fear from having a pedicure is forming a habit from the experience. I decided before embarking into this point-of-no-return, I would only have another pedicure under very special circumstances (such as celebrating becoming a multi-millionaire) or simply never having another pedicure at all.

Overall, the experience was extremely relaxing. It was more than getting my toe nails painted, as I expected. It was a massage and spa treatment for my lower legs and feet.

I am still mulling over how I feel about pedicures now. I had a tough time telling my family I got one. There was no hiding it. It was obvious. They know I lack the skills and equipment to do such a good job on my toes. It is not that I am seeking their approval, but it is a feeling of guilt. I still feel uneasy about spending money on little luxuries, such as pedicures, knowing my parents work so hard for their paychecks and still support the family. I doubt they are concerned about this, but this train of thought helps me budget. Alas, I digress.

I admit, I have enjoyed staring at my toes for the past two weeks. Pretty toes make shoe shopping more fun and dangerous too. Nearly all open toed shoes or sandals look great. I have captured this moment of indulgence with a new pair of sandals I got this weekend. Now, I can stare at my pretty toes anytime I want.

An Unrecognizable Face

2008-01-24T21:25:00.000-06:00

I still Facebook. In fact, I mySpace too. Between updating profiles, I blog. The point of this entry is not all the time I spend online, but how these social networks have evolved, particularly Facebook.

I had referenced in a past entry that entering mySpace has the same sensation as entering a casino with its flashing lights and sounds. Entering Facebook now is similar to entering a bar for the first time. It's familiar, but distinctly different because something is always changing, whether it be the people or the drink specials. Facebook still has the same feel, but the web network has gone add-on crazy. A new invitation to join a Fight Club team or a request to participate in the Oregon Trail has left me confused every time I log onto my homepage. I don't know what will happen once I join, but I bet I'll have a difficult time removing it from my profile page.

I also have not figured out when I receive a mass invite, request, or message- so I can ignore it. Can a true friend really not send a personal message that takes 2 minutes? Mass-texter-haters, and you know who you are, this is your worst nightmare. I've warmed up to the idea of mass phone text messages. There are situations where that is appropriate, but to dedicate a song to all of your 150 Facebook friends is a bit impersonal.

Despite the changes, I am still a huge Facebook fan. It has given me every reason to not attend my high school reunion. I know exactly what everyone is already doing.

I now leave you with a mySpace comic a friend sent to me.

In My Defense

2008-01-17T21:00:00.000-06:00

We are all selfish. We are all selfless. It is all human nature.

My generation has been deemed the 'i' generation. Thanks to Apple, everyone is proud to say it too. The media has been pushing stories on the influences of product personalization and specialization on young people's ideology. The media blames business advertising, such as Burger King, who campaigns to "have it your way" as messages promoting self-centeredness. I call it customer service at a fast food joint, which is fantastic. The booming economy of convenience is a source of distractions people must deal with today. It is easy to be swept away with all these desires for more and more personal conveniences. This does not make a generation selfish. That's just how the world works now.

People, regardless of age, all want the best for themselves.

One Week

2007-12-30T22:12:00.000-06:00

School is out. Work is out. I had one, glorious week to do as I pleased. I feel human again after spending time with my family, friends, and the tv. Yes, the tv. I zoned out to Season One of Heroes (two thumbs up), The Heartbreak Kid (two thumbs down), Marie Antoinette (two thumbs down, way down), I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry (one thumb up), and Little Miss Sunshine (two thumbs up). That is a lot of time in front of the tube, but nothing is better than staying up to 2 a.m. watching Heroes with my mom.

Aside from bumming around my parent's house, I spent time with a handful of my best friends. I don't typically post personal photos, but I can no longer resist. I am too proud of them and miss them already. I had not seen some of my friends in months and even over a year. That was just too long.

This was Christmas Eve with my best friend since fifth grade. I have spent Christmas Eve with her and her family since I met her. That's about thirteen years now.

This was taken at a wedding I attended with a best friend from college. Although he was great to study with, it was even better to just have fun with him.

I also met his friend. He is a great guy too. This photo expresses their hilarious bickering with one another all evening. My friend's friend also works on a music website that I just discovered and really like. Check it out: http://www.betterpropaganda.com/.

This is the Cookie Party that I almost missed. I can be so lost without my planner. It would have been a shame to miss out on seeing four of my best friends spanning from high school to college. The cookies were incredible, and the company was top notch.

The good news is that I still have two more full days to spend my time my way.

Home of the Chiefs

2007-11-12T20:21:00.000-06:00

Given the opportunity to attend three Chiefs games this season, I'm finding myself warming up to football. Having a team to cheer for has a lot to do with this change. I used to think I was gaining three productive hours on Sunday while the rest of the city halted to watch the football game. Look at me now. Conforming. That makes me cringe.

Then again, I do appreciate that the football team generates a temporary boost in the economy as out-of-towners drive into the city for entertainment. Games also encourages camaraderie among fans.

Here are a handful of the photos I took during the games. My favorite game is the one saluting the Veterans this past weekend. This tribute had the best half-time show, and nothing compares to seeing the B2 Stealth Bomber fly over Arrowhead Stadium during the National Anthem.

Burnt Out on a Night Out

2007-11-10T02:05:00.000-06:00

I should have been home eating a bowl of ramen and falling asleep to PBS Friday night. This would have been better than witnessing the dynamics of people at the local bar. Tonight might have been an isolated case or I am beginning to view my world differently. Watching the Zeros play at Raouls was supposed to be guaranteed fun. No doubt I enjoyed the company of my dearest friends and the live music, but surrounding us were strangers with their own agendas. Women and men fronting confidence to hide their true expectations in meeting the right person.

The idea of the right person is often different for people. For most, it seems to be a short-term person and for others, it seems to be a long-term person. One thing remains the same, the evening often ends in uncertainty or disappointment if someone walks in with high expectations.

Tonight I left feeling that this bar scene is not right. This unsettling feeling is not new, but wavering. I am riding the downward slope in my view of people's trust and integrity. People should not be treating others the way I have seen them. Many people have accepted this behavior. Others have stood up against it and have found themselves in the same place. I wonder what it was like twenty years ago for singles. Courtship has lost its luster and few people are fighting for it.

Earth Club- Apply Now

2007-11-06T21:42:00.000-06:00

In third grade, I sported a button on my backpack declaring that I belonged to Earth Club. This grassroots effort focusing on recycling newspapers and cans at my elementary school was led by my endearing, third grade teacher, Mrs. Hurley. My "Go Green" fashionable accessories did not stop there. My pink, blue, and white Reebok tennis shoes came with a tag that read, "SAVE THE ELEPHANTS" that I also attached to my backpack. Nearly 15 years ago, people and companies were already advocating environmentalism, and this advocacy has begun far before I was born with the inception of Earth Day in 1969.

Today, the "save the earth" mindset is booming. What took so long to make everyone care about the environment? Several factors beyond my knowledge play into this answer, but the most obvious one is the media. I wonder how much Al Gore contributed to this media push. He was a huge stakeholder in it after releasing An Inconvenient Truth and winning the Nobel Peace Prize. He is a great example of how I think politicians should handle issues more often. Focus. Gore has focused on one specific issue, which has resulted in worldwide awareness and the idea to change. Politicians often advocate solutions on multiple issues to appeal to multiple groups of people. Then, they do not accomplish any of their goals very well.

The environmental push is also generating ideas in new technology. The technology industry will benefit from this peaked interest and need to innovate alternative energy sources. This new green wave in technology could be as big and influential as the computer era.

3:10 To Yuma

2007-09-29T23:26:00.000-05:00

Hollywood has put its cowboy hat back on. 3:10 to Yuma, originally a short story and now has two movie versions out, was my first full exposure to a westerm movie. Before tonight, the closest I got was City Slickers, and I doubt that counts. With a star cast, 3:10 to Yuma has successfully put western films back in the public light. The movie has western film fans out in the theaters as well as appealing to the younger audience.

Blood Diamond also made it in my schedule this weekend. Oddly enough, 3:10 to Yuma and Blood Diamond have a huge parallel in story lines.

My Opinion About Opinions

2007-09-26T22:37:00.000-05:00

As the 16th most visited site on the planet, Facebook has attracted an enormous crowd... of youngsters. The WSJ published an article discussing Mark Zuckerberg's (facebook founder) options in dealing with his business's finances. The article revolved around David Bohnett's (founder of GeoCities) advice. Bohnett comments on focusing on a young audience. He says, "Those kids tend to get older and maintain some connection with an online community. You've got to capture that early adopter, young audience."

EARLY ADOPTER. I know I studied this in Marketing. There is even a graph to go with it.

Look at the size of that gap between early adopters and early majority. It shows the large margin of people willing to try new things versus the ones who do not.

The early adopters are typically the young audience. That is probably why I saw IPODs in college years before they hit mainstream and why I was playing DDR years before Brian Williams did a story on this "new" craze. Marketers know who to target.

This made me wonder what happens to people when they grow up? Their mindset changes, and often closes slowly without them realizing it. Why would this happen?

As people grow older and begin working in a profession, they are expected to always have an opinion. Now, they are the decision makers. People are trained to have opinions ALL THE TIME. It has to be this one way. Opinions are different than a point of view. It seems that a point of view is open-ended. It acknowledges that other viewpoints exist, whereas, opinions are mostly associated with my personal opinion. Negative effects can stem from this opinion syndrome. People become so engrossed in their opinions, they stop listening and experimenting. When those two key mindsets of listening and experimenting freezes, the learning process also ceases.

I used to have a sense of pride being known as part of the early adopters, but the Marketers are no longer chasing for my business. I am 25 now. Apparently, that is the cutoff into adulthood. So, adults, I have a mission for all of us. Have the mindset of an early adopter. Have a viewpoint, but listen to others. Try it out before all the young'ens have all the fun.

Einstein Bros. Not So Smart

2007-09-18T23:22:00.000-05:00

... not with their lunch menu, at least. I can't speak for their bagels, but my first lunch at Einstein Bros. Bagels was a disappointment. The empty seats should have given it away, but I was excited to try something new. Their selection was much more extensive than I expected, but the food was over-priced for its quality and quantity. I felt robbed actually. $7 + tax for a tuna sandwich and small side of potato salad. Its sandwich competitors offer much fresher food. Well, now I know. Their food was average and not worth the money. For that same price (actually a little less), I'll stick with Panera.

Juniors 16-24

2007-09-17T22:29:00.000-05:00

Law contracts are vague. Relationships have grey areas. The answer to any academic business question is "it depends." So, why does the Juniors section of a Macy's department store need to be so definitive?

As I browsed through Macy's this weekend checking out their fall clothing selection, I found myself in front of a sign hanging from the ceiling that read, "Juniors 16-24." What? Let me read that again, "Juniors 16-24." I planted myself right in the middle of the aisle and wondered should a 25-year-old dare cross that sign into the section that she had been so familiar with all these years or is it time to move on?

I did the 360 visual scan of the area, partly to see if anyone was standing guard to check my ID before entering, but mostly to see who else was shopping in that area. One woman was combing through a nearby clothing rack. I would estimate she was in her early 30s, so I bravely cross the line into the Juniors section, and life was normal again.

I couldn't shake the thought that an age range was assigned to the clothing section. Stores don't put height limits on the Petite signs. I admit the age range is fairly accurate. I rarely discover good finds in the Junior section anymore. My clothing tastes have transformed and matured since I started working full-time, but I still check out the Juniors section. As far as defining age ranges for types of clothing, similar to many situations in life, it is not the age that matters but where a person is in life that determines ones tastes.

I propose the lower limit to change from 16 to "when your parents think it's okay to wear this" and the upper limit to change from 24 to "be careful what you pick, but take your time... you look great no matter what you wear."

Macy's, I think it's time to take the sign down. I don't think you understand what it feels like to grow up.

I <3 Cake

2007-09-09T22:23:00.001-05:00

My friend sent me this link after giving me a HUGE slice of carrot cake. What a great day.

The Floral Shop

2007-09-06T00:38:00.000-05:00

Building the financial statements and identifying business risks for a fictional floral shop is one of my projects this semester. I could have chosen any type of business to model and several ideas did pass my mind, but one idea came as a Blink and stuck with me.

A floral shop. A place that sells expensive things that die. That is what practical me would have said five years ago. One conversation with a friend completely changed my view of flowers. I never understood why people would spend so much money on something that wilts within a week. Actually, that is how the conversation started...

Me: I never understood why people would spend so much money on something that wilts within a week.

Friend: (smiles) Yeah. Flowers can get expensive, but guys will do it.

Me: I still don't get it. Isn't that just a waste of money?

Friend: I guess, that's why you buy flowers. When you care for someone enough that you buy something you know is a waste of money.

My friend's statement completely changed my perspective on flowers. For the record, this was a male friend who brought this profound concept to my attention. Impressive, indeed. This perspective made sense, and I never recognized it on my own. Fortunately, I do have a memory where I can pull out all the instances I did receive flowers. Oddly enough, I appreciate those flowers more now than during the time I received them knowing what I know now. For your entertainment (and for my personal recordkeeping), here is a synopsis of my memorable flowers (in order of occurrence):

1. I received my first flower as a Valentine's Day gram during gym class in eighth grade. It was from my Navy best friend (not the color, but the military kind). I was so surprised because I was not expecting anything. Just when I thought it wouldn't get any better, I realized that she had given me two carnations, not just one.

2. It was the first time on my own, for the summer at least. My family had just finished moving me for my summer internship and left to go home. That's when the realization of not knowing anyone in the new city hit me. Just then, the phone rings. My friend calls to get ideas on indoor plants so she can send one to a friend. I give her ideas. The next day, I find a bouquet of peace lillies at the front door.

3. College graduation is over, and I'm packing the last boxes to leave Stillwater. My "Wicked" best friend calls to come over. She walks in with a bouquet of flowers, one for each year we've known each other.

It may have been a male friend who made me realize the importance of flowers, but it was all my female friends who got them for me. Interesting.

As a gift, flowers are classic, classy, and unforgettable. You can't go wrong with flowers, well, unless you give black ones. Don't give black ones.

Now that I have shared my most poignant flower experiences, I am convinced that I will have fun with this floral shop project. A huge part of business is doing something you are passionate about, even if it is a school assignment.

Six Months

2007-08-26T15:26:00.000-05:00

Yes, time flies, but people often forget how much change can happen as time is flying by. Take a six month snippet of your life (think back to February), and I bet some event, some decision, or some experience in this short timeframe of your overall existence to this point has transformed the way you think or act today.

The past six months have been interesting for me, but I stumbled upon a website that one person has had a much more impacting life snippet. Go to www.mynameisbill.com. Bill Bowles traveled around the world for six months documenting his experiences. Sounds quite trite at first glance, but a handful of his approximately three minute videos are something to think about. I recommend watching The Coffee Shop, Just Another Brick, Suvdaa's House, and Believe in Dreams. I think he offers a great perspective that so many overlook and an eloquent way of communicating it. I am impressed with his ability to befriend so many people in different cultures and different ages.

I originally saw a video sample of mynameisbill on CNN. All this stir from just one man who decided to do what so many others say they wish they would do.

So, the next time you hear someone say "time flies" or you catch yourself saying it, don't follow it with a deep sigh admitting your defeat against time, but think of all you have gained in the past six months. Be glad someone reminded you that time does fly and take this moment to reflect on how you have invested your time in the six months.

Stuck in Reverse

2007-08-14T21:23:00.000-05:00

I'm not a fan of posting song lyrics left and right, but here I go... posting lyrics. I don't feel like challenging people who write for a living, so I'll copy and paste and call it a night.

Artist: Coldplay

Title: Fix You

Footnote: It's one of my favorite songs.

When you try your best but you don't succeed

When you get what you want but not what you need

When you feel so tired but you can't sleep

Stuck in reverse

And the tears come streaming down your face

When you lose something you cannot replace

When you love someone but it goes to waste

COULD IT BE WORSE?

Lights will guide you home

And ignite your bones

And I will try to fix you

And high up above or down below

When you're too in love to let it go

But if you never try you'll never know

Just what you're worth

Lights will guide you home

And ignite your bones

And I will try to fix you

Tears stream down your face

When you lose something you cannot replace

Tears stream down your face

And I

Tears stream down your face

I promise you I will learn from my mistakes

Tears stream down your face

And I

Lights will guide you home

And ignite your bones

And I will try to fix you.

Sicko

2007-08-13T22:53:00.000-05:00

Sicko, written and directed by Michael Moore, asks the question, "how does America treat a dying health care system?" Certainly, not the way the American health care system has been treating its people. This system is so overwhelming and complex, I would consider solving this issue similar to solving homelessness or global warming. It's possible in reality, but impossible with today's politics.

As the movie unfolds, Moore exposes other health care systems in France, Canada, Cuba, and the United Kingdom. He shows that this is not an issue the U.S. citizens need to solve because it has already been solved for us; in these other countries. It makes me think of themes from the Ishmael books. The answer is right in front of everyone, yet we don't see it. We think we need to invent something new, but we just need to look to the past or abroad for the answers.

For my first Michael Moore movie, I absolutely enjoyed it. His movie is convincing, well-researched, informative, and entertaining. Moore gets people thinking, whether people agree with his views or not. Some people hate his work, but I still consider that a success. His movies and books are influential enough to even drum up debates among groups.

I like his movie style. Moore presents a U.S. social issue, shows how other countries handle the same issue, and lightly proposes ideas on how to change a falling U.S. system. He does all this while mixing in humor and connecting with the audience. I am impressed how he criticizes the U.S. health care system and still shows his strong patriotism. Of course, he is probably criticizing and advocating for change because of his patriotism.

Moore talks about change. I agree that the U.S. health care system needs to change. Moore works to discover how other countries have transformed. It will probably take the same for the U.S., an event that effects the majority of Americans and a great leader with a vision.

Sicko (among many other media) has made me realize how ignorant I am about global culture. For having a French Pen Pal since high school, I have no idea how France operates. It would be odd to strike a conversation about health care in a letter after talking about my favorite bands and television shows, but I could be so close to all this information that I learned from an American movie. I could learn first-hand if I chose to.

I would definitely recommend this movie.

Flight of the Conchords

2007-07-30T20:43:00.001-05:00

Albi- The Racist Dragon

Business Time

Marketing Magic

2007-07-12T22:31:00.000-05:00

Reservation for one, please.

A fresh copy of the last Harry Potter book has my name on it. At the stroke of midnight, the fate of Harry Potter will be in my hands, but where will I be? Will I be at the Grand Hallows Ball at Borders or the Midnight Magic Party at Barnes & Noble? Or should I overcome my interest in children's literature and hit the bars with my twenty-something peers (though I doubt I'll be the only twenty-something there)?

The marketing geniuses at Borders and Barnes & Noble is making this an interesting decision.

Here's what each store is offering:

Borders- Grand Hallows Ball
- Potter spelling bee
- Great Snape debate
- Costume Contest
- Stupendous giveaways
- Limited edition poster (just announced!)
- And, of course, more!

Barnes and Noble- Midnight Magic Party
- Enchanting activities
- Spellbinding prizes
- Photo opportunities with favorite characters
- Unique items for sale
- And, of course, more!

Which store will score the most sales? Although each store has done their fair share of marketing, no store stands out in their advertising. The price is the same at both places. Both stores offer prizes, people will dress up whether there's a contest or not, and having games is a no brainer. It comes down to, do you want a poster or do you want a photo op with your favorite character. Even at that, I am somewhat indifferent and would be happy to hang a poster in my office or a photo of me standing next to a 16-year-old who resembles Harry. I do admit, Borders wins for crafting up the better party name.

What's a store to do then? I think both stores are missing another major target group: Adults. Children may be the main focus, but the Harry Potter series is a phenomenon that has appealed to everyone in a large range of ages. The stores could incorporate activities that would appeal to all ages to mirror the audience, such as hosting a magic show. I wouldn't mind seeing a rabbit being pulled out of a top hat. For a more focused activity for adults, set up a presentation or display about the "science of Harry Potter" discussing if any of the magic in the books would be possible or parallel Harry's adventures with sighted paranormal events.

Luckily, the Grand Hallows Ball begins at 7 p.m. while the Midnight Magic Party begins at 9 p.m. I may be doing a little party hopping afterall.

Quote of the Day

2007-06-18T21:05:00.000-05:00

I wish people would find cures for all diseases because I'm tired of walking 5k.

- Someone funny from Comedy Central

The American Culture

2007-06-17T18:32:00.001-05:00

I've been intriuged with a blog I've linked and named "A Real Glimpse Into Vietnam." This person has captured the essence of everyday life in Vietnam with colorful photos and stories. It has made me wonder, how do I capture the everyday American life? The Vietnamese culture seems so distinct and interesting in the food they eat and in the jobs they perform.

What is so different about our culture? We are surrounded by excessiveness in so many aspects of our lives, but this excessiveness has allowed us the ability of not only fulfilling our necessities, but others too. One characteristic my cousins in Vietnam complimented on is the honest nature of Americans. They mentioned this after I told them I usually bring my lunch to work. They asked, "where do you put it?" I said, "in the fridge." They asked, "do you put your name on it?" They were surprised that I didn't and that my sandwich would still be sitting there once noon rolled around untouched and uneaten.

Because Americans have more than they need, we are more likely to donate, volunteer, or simply not steal. I think the general mindset and desire is to help others, despite the money-hungry stigma Americans carry (which is true, but it's really true anywhere). If I took photos of the strangers that help me when I get lost on the road or all of the people that donate their time or money for what they believe is a good cause, I think I've captured one major aspect of the American culture.

Kansas City Zoo

2007-06-09T23:32:00.000-05:00

Today was my first trip to the Kansas City Zoo. Although this zoo does not measure up to the ones I have been to in the past (some tough competition against the Omaha and San Diego zoos), I had a great time. The weather was warm, the company entertaining, and the animals were active.

The visiting animals this summer were two koalas from the San Diego zoo.

This is one of my favorite photos from today: The Captain Morgan Elephant.

The kangaroos were surprisingly not enclosed. A little boy even ran up to them creating an alarmed crowd, but the mother finally stopped the kid. The kangaroos were afraid of him anyway.

I couldn't stop laughing when I saw these three camels standing side by side as if they were about to race.

First Class

2007-06-07T21:46:00.000-05:00

Summer school started today, and I always find the first day of class so refreshing. I'm excited to see familiar faces (as much as meeting new people), meet my professor, and learn something new.

As I walked into session 1 of Leadership and Organizational Behavior, the professor had music playing. That, right there, set the tone for the class. The professor was upbeat, yet not overbearing. As students trickled in and began writing their names on the name tents, the professor started talking about the markers he had laid out. Before class even started, I learned something new. He said that he liked getting the scented markers for his office because (1.) they're great conversation starters and (2.) they write the best on paper. He transitioned into dry erase markers. He recommended getting scented dry erase markers too. That way, people don't pass out during your meeting from the fumes of regular markers AND always bring your own markers. Details are so important and make all the difference.

Of course, the class had introductions. He wrote everyone's name, occupation, and fun fact (what makes you different from everyone else fun fact) on the whiteboard. Yes, typical, but he added a twist. He asked everyone to write on a piece of scratch paper 3 names of people you would follow. He then tallied the votes and came up with 4 people. He asked these chosen 4 to be leaders for today only. They were responsible for dividing the class into teams. Genius! What a great way to empower the class with responsibility from the very beginning.

Looks like another great course.

Your Life is Better Than Reality TV

2007-06-03T20:15:00.000-05:00

Remember, your life is better than reality TV. It's real! I don't care what the producers say, but the characters of reality tv shows are being fake, even if they claim they're being real. Apparently, over dramatic and stupid is entertaining.

I stumbled upon one of the worst shows I've seen in awhile on E! called Sunset Tan. It's a reality show about a ritzy tanning salon in L.A. Two scenes in particular made me want to vomit. The first was a mother who was bringing in her grade school daughter to get a tan for school pictures. The dialogue went something like this:

Employee: What kind of tan does your daughter want?

Mother: Oh, something to make her stand out from the other children. She wants to look like Lindsey Lohan. (looks at her daughter) Don't you want to look like Lindsey Lohan, sweetie?

Daughter: (enthusiastically and smiling) Yes! I want to look like Lindsey Lohan.

Employee: I know exactly what you need. (And lays out a $1200 session of products and services)

*Vomit*

The second scene were these two bleach blonde girls who couldn't do anything right at the salon because they were too...well, over dramatic and stupid. When the two got fustrated, they asked (in a pouty face) can we just go shopping? The fustrated co-worker said sure, go shopping, and the camera shot shows the two girls skipping away to buy clothes and shoes before breaking to commercial.

*Vomit*

I didn't watch tv for the rest of the weekend. I know these shows have phenomenal editors because they can make an ordinary situation into a tv show, and it can suck you in if you let them. Be strong and stay away. Remember, your life is better than reality TV. Participate in something you can control.

Is Golf Your Game?

2007-06-01T22:30:00.000-05:00

In WSJ's article on "Business Golf Changes Course," the emphasis is that golf is still important in some realms of business and obsolete in others. Although my workplace does not have the golf club mentality and is not a part of the business, I wonder if it will be in a future career. One woman in the article cited that it took her two years before becoming comfortable playing golf in business dealings. It doesn't seem too bad of an idea to start now.

The photo above shows women taking a golf lesson from the Harvard Business School. I do like the idea of having a course like that in a M.B.A curriculum. During my undergraduate career, I did have a chance to take golf. That would have been a fun course to take.

Slow Down for Slow Turtles

2007-05-28T17:12:00.001-05:00

Beware for turtles crossing the streets and highways. I've seen 3 turtles crossing highways in one week! One didn't make it, and it wasn't me. The other two I took photos of, and my friends moved them out of harms way. I can only hope the turtles didn't go back into the roads.

This is a Lake of the Ozarks turtle. It had lots of pretty colors.

This turtle was crossing the highway. It was a big one too.

One day, the turtles will get their revenge.

Build-A-Bookcase

2007-05-18T19:57:00.000-05:00

Today was the delivery day for my new bookcase. A friend graciously helped me design and build this oak bookcase. It took us exactly one and a half weeks to complete with three additional days for it to completely dry.

The first two photos show the shelves drying from the wood glue after we had cut the wood and installed the shelves.

This is after the back board and top and bottom of the bookcase were installed.

My friend did an amazing job of finding stain colors that matched my existing furniture. He even made a sample palette for me. We decided to go with the sample in the bottom right corner of the photo, which was one layer of ebony and one layer of bombay mohogany satin.

This is the bookcase going for a drive in the back of the pickup truck. I remember those days. Riding in the back of the truck is always fun. It even has a blanket and pillows! I'm so jealous.

Here it is... resting in its new home. The shelf looks black, but it's not (as you saw in the sample palette photo).... and yes, I do own books to put in the shelves.

Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art

2007-05-13T15:20:00.000-05:00

Contemporary art is more than just finger painting. I went to the Kemper Museum for the first time this weekend expecting to see circles and triangles on canvas, but I was surprised to see art work that was tangible for the amateur art critic like myself. I had the misconception that contemporary art was abstract art. In fact, it simply refers to art that has been currently produced.

Below is the Crying Giant. I like this one. My friend thought the giant was crying because his feet are swollen. I can understand that.

Below is a rendition of various views of the Grand Canyon. I wasn't as crazy about this one as the Crying Giant, but it was interesting.

The art exhibit that changed my view about contemporary art was Jennifer Steinkamp's video/audio exhibit. At first, I was not impressed. I walked into a near empty room with about 4 or 5 projectors on the floor. Each wall had psychedelic visualizations on them. I felt like I was walking inside a Windows Media Player visualization. As I walked out of that room, a lady working at the museum explained to me that the artist's intent is to have the audience play with their shadows. So, I went back and gave it a try. It made sense now! The next room was even better now that I know to manipulate my shadows. This room had walls of flowered vines. By watching my shadows, it looked like I was walking into and disappearing into a garden only to reappear on the other side of the foliage.

I only wished the museum was larger with more art work. However, the Kemper Museum complements the Nelson-Atkins Museum across the street very well. It also seems the Kemper Museum changes out art work more often than the Nelson-Atkins. I will definitely check on upcoming exhibits at the Kemper Musuem.

www.kemperart.org

Babies "R" Us, Not Me

2007-05-09T21:46:00.000-05:00

I learned something today. Babies "R" Us is not as fun as Toys "R" Us. Not even close. My ten minute experience in the store was quite surreal. It's like in Texas Chainsaw Massacre when the car breaks down and the characters go into a town that just doesn't feel right. I didn't feel right in Babies "R" Us. It was a bit eerie to be surrounded by so many pregnant women and couples. I did take a moment to laugh. I thought about how single men go to Hobby Lobby Friday nights, single women go to Lowe's Friday nights, and it hit me that couples probably go to Babies "R" Us Friday nights.

I'm not anti-baby. I am very happy for those couples, and there's obviously a need for this store. I just realized how foreign all this is for me. How little I know about it, so I find it intimidating. I also realize that while a good portion of my twenty-something peers are getting married and popping out babies, I don't at all feel left out. I feel that I am far from being ready and happy where I'm at. I am on a different path as Robert Frost might tell me to take the Road Not Taken. So here I am, taking the road out of Babies "R" Us and heading straight to Lowe's.

To my dear friends who read this, please register to other stores (I recommend Target) when your time comes for a baby shower.

Marketing

2007-05-01T22:27:00.000-05:00

Three articles, a group presentation, and a final paper later, I have finally completed my spring semester of Marketing. I have had a tough time maintaining focus throughout the eight weeks of this course. Now that it is over, I have lots of great things to say. Life can be great in retrospect.

Do you remember the excitement of the first and last day of classes? I am wrapped up in the last day excitement. I am proud of the work I put into the course and satisfied with the material I learned. However, my excitement is wrapped around a bigger thought, idea, and feeling. It is how impressed I am with a handful of my classmates. Everyday I hear people have meaningless conversations (i.e. radio shows) and see people who are rude (i.e. drivers). Unfortunately, this is what the general population hear and see on a daily basis. I am so fortunate to be exposed to people with innovative ideas and who are passionate about what they do. It is truly motivating. Only if people can show that side of themselves more often...

I was not impressed with my professor. She is my least favorite out of all the professors I have had in the M.B.A. program. I will, though, give her credit for selecting excellent resources. I already talked about The World is Flat in a previous entry. I find Faith Popcorn's Popcorn Trends as very accurate marketing concepts. My professor also did an excellent job of selecting cases to review in class.

The most beneficial assignments were the portfolio articles. The difficult portion of those papers is the marketing consultation. This required me to give suggestions on alternative marketing methods. This allowed me to think like a marketer.

My biggest take-away of this course are the concepts I have learned through reading The World is Flat and listening to lectures on Popcorn Trends.

Spring Fever

2007-04-22T14:01:00.000-05:00

Spring has won me over. Do you like the photo? I do. Too bad I didn't take it. I had to steal the image from someone else, since I am still living without my camera.

I have spring fever, and I cannot wait for my school semester to end. I have two more weeks of school assignments before I can really have fun. My schedule is becoming jam-packed, but it is full of activities I enjoy.

The World is Flat

2007-03-30T21:03:00.000-05:00

Reading a good book leaves me with an amazing feeling. I am much more impacted by reading a book than watching a movie. Forcing my imagination to work its gears is more rewarding than passively having a story fed to me. I don't want to bash on movies, and I know I'm getting all Reading Rainbow on everyone, but The World is Flat is the second book I've read within a year that concisely summarizes a mess of thoughts and questions that run through my head.

After reading only 115 pages, I am discovering that The World is Flat reveals a perspective that is helping me understand what is happening to the U.S. economy and the world. The World is Flat refers to the leveling of the United States with the rest of the world. The changes involved in outsourcing and other globalization activities are contributing to this flattening, or evening out the playing field.

At this point in the book, there are a few ideas that struck me the most:

1. Competition is becoming fierce. Not only am I competing against my U.S. peers, I am now competing against my peers around the globe. These overseas peers are highly and technically educated and have an extremely strong motivation to excel, considering their often proverty stricken background.

2. Accept the changes and lead the way. Outsourcing is a non-stop evolution in U.S. businesses. To stay competitive, companies are submitting to outsourcing technologies to other countries. We're not the only ones. Japan outsources to China, for example. The U.S. is paving the way on how this outsourcing business is handled. General feelings of the U.S. losing control of our technical expertise and job opportunities are still a large concern for me, but the U.S. has the opportunity to lead this outsourcing evolution in a positive direction that could benefit all countries involved.

2.5 Accept online networking. This is a spin-off thought from #2's point of accepting change and leading the way. I am coming to terms on online networking. I have been a strong and stubborn advocate for people meeting the traditional way, face to face, not pc screen to pc screen. I still believe meeting people face to face is the best way to go, even if it's at the bar, but the world is changing and people must adapt. I use online sites to keep in contact with existing friends, but recently, I have realized online networking tools, such as facebook, myspace, and blogger itself, play a HUGE role in social interaction. This means a HUGE change in the way we communicate. I laugh like this, "lol," instead of like this, "hahaha," or simply saying, "I'm laughing" now. In some cases, my friendships would not be as strong or in existence without one of the networking tools. Realizing this strong impact, I have lightened up on my skepticism on online dating. If I resist this change, I would only be holding back progress. I suppose it's better to meet someone online than not meet someone at all.

3. You and I are a part of this change. I remember cassette players, typewriters, gas for $0.79/gallon, record players, and Atari. The pc changed everything. Fiber optics and wireless changed everything. We are riding this big wave, and this book is helping me understand it.

I'm not finished reading The World is Flat yet, but I already have some thoughts brewing. That is a sign of a good author and a good book.

Quote of the Day

2007-03-27T22:35:00.000-05:00

"Dating is one of the best examples of marketing."
-My Marketing Professor

AIM

2007-03-26T21:20:00.000-05:00

I'm click-clacking away on my laptop, checking my e-mail, facebook, myspace, blah, blah, blah, but then I realize something I wasn't logging onto. AOL Instant Messanger. When did I give that up? I didn't decide to give it up. It just faded out of my routine. Is this a sign of growing up? Not to deem instant messaging as a "college thing," but it's a college thing, naturally. College requires so much computer time and collaboration with other students. Work is the same way, but using AIM at work probably isn't allowed in most companies.

So, I've cut it out of my routine. I've spent more time on developing other skills and doing other activities I've always wanted to do without realizing it until now.

On another note, what's this yellow AIM guy doing? Is he running towards something or running away from something? What's this thing's background?

I Am Without...

2007-03-04T21:29:00.000-06:00

I am without... my camera. I wish I could take a photo of me not having a camera for this post. I loaned my camera to my brother for his overseas trip. Now that my camera will be gone for three weeks, I miss it already.

"My camera." How did I not ever name my camera? Perhaps, I can call it Digi or Digimon! I like "Digimon!" and that includes the exclamation point.

Yes, I can't wait to get Digimon! back. I might get one of those ancient disposable cameras that use film in the meantime.

Risks and Returns

2007-02-25T21:07:00.000-06:00

The higher the risks, the greater the returns. This statement holds true beyond the basic principles of finance. This concept is true in our daily life.

Year of the Boar

2007-02-18T21:25:00.000-06:00

Alas, my year is over. Year of the dog was a good one for me. I moved to KC, started a job, and began grad school. Last year could have gone two ways: good or bad. Luckily, it went well for me, and now it is time to move on to a new calendar year.

Similar to most Asian-American families, my family only had a small timeframe to celebrate Tet. I was fortunate enough to make it home to enjoy a home-cooked meal and spend time with my family.

On the menu:
Crab and shrimp soup
Stir-fried noodles
Egg rolls
Mushroom, shrimp, bamboo stir-fry
Several candies and dessert

CPK

2007-02-16T00:14:00.000-06:00

California Pizza Kitchen in the Plaza has a comfortable, yet, classy twist to its atmosphere. I like the wide open spaces, where I can see the cooks create my food. The bright lights reflecting off the white tables also offer an upbeat mood. During this visit, I ordered a Chipotle pizza. It tasted just like a Chipotle burrito. It makes me wonder why I didn't just go get the actual burrito, instead of eating it in pizza form. It was a wonderful re-invention of something that already exists.

http://www.cpk.com/

Happy Valentine's Day

2007-02-13T23:07:00.000-06:00

I'm the heart that got away.

Game Over?

2007-02-10T07:56:00.000-06:00

Dress to impress. This is the rule for going out, among other rules if you believe in them. Dress to impress and meet new people that I won't talk to past the next day. I don't even believe what people say anymore. After a weekend and a half of going out with the idea of dressing to impress, I'm starting to believe it's doing more damage than good. I think my GAME might be over.

Or perhaps, I'm trying too much too fast. The bottom line is that I'm not the bar-type girl and I don't want a bar-type guy, so what am I doing in a bar? It's fast fun. Unfortunately, that is what the average American demands. I wouldn't classify myself as average. I wouldn't classify my friends as average. We are better than average, so why would I demand anything less from someone I date?

The next step: Find a new destination.

The Places I Go

2007-02-05T19:18:00.000-06:00

People glaze over the most obvious details. I just realized I've never questioned the name of a popular bar in Kansas City. It's called the Granfalloon. I thought it was strange the first time I heard it, but by the third time of hearing it I no longer wondered what it meant. I just knew it was a bar. Who knew a granfalloon is a community in which people PRETEND to have associations with each other, but really don't? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Granfalloon

I do like the bar, though I feel a bit foolish for going there now because of its name. Is the bar meant for people to put on a false impression of themselves? This is true for every bar in existence. It's just that this one is being blunt about it. Of course, 98% of the people in the bar probably doesn't know what a granfalloon is anyway.

Despite what I say, the Granfallon is a fun bar/restaurant. Check it out:http://www.thegranfalloon.com/default_plaza.htm

Bill Nye the Science Guy

2007-02-01T22:39:00.000-06:00

He is one of my heroes.

The good news: He'll be speaking in Tulsa!
The bad news: I'll be in Kansas City.

THE Event
Where: Tulsa Community College
When: Thursday, Feb 8
Time: 7:00 pm
The event is free and open to the public.
http://www.tulsacc.edu/page.asp?durki=120

I am so bummed out I don't get to go. Will someone book him in Kansas City? Here's the link: http://www.billnye.com/. Just go to Bill info, then to booking Bill. Do this and you could be my hero too.

Go Chicken Go

2007-01-30T21:49:00.000-06:00

As I walked out of class, I always smell this aroma of fried chicken. There is a Go Chicken Go next to the Rockhurst parking lot. Tonight the aroma was stronger than usual. So strong it got me thinking that I should eat there, despite the questionable health codes. I figured I recently got my HepA and Typhoid shot, so what do I have to lose? Well, it was late and not safe to walk in, but wouldn't that be great if Go Chicken Go had a drive thru? It turns out that they do, but it was too late. I already drove past it.

Okay... I just did some googling, and now I feel like I really missed out. The first sites I hit were reviews of Go Chicken Go, and the ratings are very high. Then I find their website: http://www.gochickengo.com/. They have a website!!! That is fantastic. I can't wait to go.

Facebook

2007-01-30T21:25:00.000-06:00

From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Facebook:

"According to Chris Hughes, spokesman for Facebook, 'People spend an average of 18 minutes a day on Facebook.' "

Wow. That is so me.

I stumbled upon this link... while I was on facebook looking at a friend's profile. I'm glad I don't have to wiki facebook to know what people are talking about. That got me thinking that one day I will lose touch on what's up and coming. Since many products and services hit college campuses first, students have the edge on technology. Everyone else reads about it or hears about it on the news. Now, I just laugh when I hear about what college students are doing on the news. I think, "That is so 2 years ago." I remember ipod advertisements hitting hard on campus during my early sophomore year. That was 4 years ago. Until then, I'll enjoy the perks of being young.

No Excuses

2007-01-28T17:36:00.000-06:00

"The only thing holding you back is you." This is my realization after returning from Viet Nam. I'm not suggesting America is perfect, but this country offers something special and easily overlooked. It is our freedom of choice. People here can be poor and grow up to be a millionaire if they choose. America strives to help the poor. There are very few excuses of not becoming who you want to be in a country like this.

The Swing of Things

2007-01-24T00:09:00.000-06:00

It's late, so I don't have the time or the energy to say what I want to say about my trip to Viet Nam. That will be a later entry, but today was a big day. I'm finally getting over jetlag. It's been a tough battle going straight into work, school, and socializing non-stop since I've been back into the states. I did choose to handle my 13 hr jetlag by going about my business here, and I think it finally paid off.

I started classes tonight. Although I enjoy my classes, it is a drag to come home at night to realize it's time for bed. This is when I need tv the most. Just 10 minutes of tv right now will kick my sanity back into place. God bless Conan O Brien.

Take Time to Celebrate

2006-12-12T22:09:00.000-06:00

I used to think a lot of celebrations were over-rated. Now, I think my nonchalant attitude is over-rated. It started with weddings. My father convinced me otherwise. Then I moved to office parties, but my communications professor convinced me otherwise.

Celebrations are important. Several close friends will be graduating this upcoming weekend, and that is a big deal. Don't take it lightly. It is an accomplishment that calls for a ceremony. It is taking a moment to reflect all the hard work it took to get your diploma. It is allowing your family and friends to see that you reached one of your goals because of their support. Make them happy by letting them see you happy.

Like I said earlier, my communications professor helped me realize the importance of celebrating. It was a brief discussion. With a straight face, she said one of the class's discussion topics for the day will be office parties. I thought that was funny, but she was serious. I found it strange to talk about parties in a communications class, but it makes perfect sense to do that! Celebrations are a way of communicating your accomplishments, your joy, and your thankfulness.

With that said, I'm excited to be a part of so many celebrations this upcoming weekend.

It's Time for a Good Laugh

2006-12-06T18:28:00.000-06:00

As my friends scramble to finish their school papers and document their completed goals at work, I realize how stressful and tiring the end of the year can be. I am right there with ya, but my time in this frenzy is almost over. I figure this is a great time for a few good jokes brought to you by Conan 'O Brien.

"Scientists have discovered a Chinese herb that cures alcoholism in hamsters. They're hoping that it will cut down on the number of accidents they have on that little wheel."

"Oprah Winfrey issued a statement saying that even though she appeared on the Ellen coming-out episode, she’s not gay. Meanwhile, Ellen DeGeneres issued a statement saying even though she appeared on Oprah, she’s not black."

"A new study on Christmas has found that children find out the truth about Santa Claus between the ages of three and six. It also found that it happens much older for some U.S. presidents."