Happy Opening Day!

Magnet #1133 - Millennium Stadium, Cardiff

What?

Ok, ok, wrong sport, wrong country.

Still, a world-class stadium.

Built in 1999, the Millennium Stadium seats 74,000 and was the first fully-retractable roof in the UK. They've hosted everything from Rugby World Cup finals to large-scale musical concerts to motorcup events. And they're going to be the football venue for the London 2012 Olympics.

Yet, somehow, I missed seeing this giant stadium on my Cardiff daytrip a couple of years ago. I know! It's one of the most iconic buildings in Wales, and somehow, I missed seeing it. Not only that, but I just looked at an aerial shot and it's seriously right across the street from the train station I came in through. I remember seeing the supercool spires poking up through the skies, and a lot of light around it, but somehow, somehow, I missed the building itself. It's why I bought the magnet, really, because I knew I'd missed it - plus, it's just a really cool magnet to have, all 3-D (2-D?) perspectivey and whatnot.

It's ok, though, because we have Cardiff back on the dockett for the June London trip - of course - we can't not do another Doctor Who/Torchwood walkabout, so I'll get a chance to earn this magnet for real. I was hoping we could see an actual Rugby match with some actual rugby cuteboys, but it looks like the timing won't work out. I mean, shoot, we're even 2 days late for Take That.

What?

What happens in Miami...

Magnet #1132 - Miami Vice

Once again, I'm dating myself. But c'mon, who didn't have one of these pins magnets back in the 80s? Who wasn't watching Crockett and Tubbs in the 80s?

I've only been to Miami once, for work, so we had to make the most of that trip. But, I can tell you, I never had so much fun zipping through the busy streets and highways in our convertible with the top down, with the Miami Vice opening theme song running through my head as I wondered why doesn't my hair stay in place like it does in TV.

I absolutely giggled when I finally saw the supercool building with the square hole in it in person. I think it's a residential building, but man, you just don't get more 80s than The Atlantis. (at the :47 mark on the below opening titles)

Had some of the best Cuban food ever there - whether it was a roadside tienda on Key Biscayne or Versailles on Calle Ocho...amazing. Missed the Cuban coffee, though...

Nope, I would not object to another work trip to Miami.

However. I will say that that trip the first time I learned how "adults" behaved on work trips. In Miami.

There was the guy who cut all the day sessions, but came in for the dinner with a full golf-shirt tan. There was the married (but not to each other) couple who totally hooked it up. There was seeing senior management dirty dancing in a South Beach club. There was close dancing with senior management in a South Beach club. There was seeing our CFO in only swim trunks at our supernice Sonesta in Coconut Grove.

Oh, yes. I had to wash my eyes out a few times on that trip.

Never tick off a squirrel

Magnet #1131 - Charlotte Squirrel

Bought this magnet at the Charlotte airport, and had to use it for today, since yesterday we passed Chapel Hill on our way to Durham (Yeah, Duke - don't ask, I still don't know either).

The squirrel - docile here though it is - reminds me of when I first got to Carolina. I was headed to class, and right beside Phillips Hall, one of the sciences buildings, I noticed two squirrels chasing each other around. I mean, if there's anything UNC has more of than Duke-haters, it's squirrels. I mean, they're everywhere.

So I stopped to get out of the squirrels' way because they were going pretty hard - they ran around for a bit, and then ran up a tree a little out of sight. I hear a bit of a kerfuffle in the leaves, and then all of a sudden, BAM!

The boy squirrel - and a branch! - came flying right out of the tree - right into the sidewalk in front of me!

You know what? He kept right on moving, too - didn't take a second look back at the scary girl squirrel who threw him out of the tree.

Lesson learned, I guess.

Don't tick off a squirrel, they will kick your asses right to the curb. Literally.

Hugs are better than drugs

Magnet #1130 - Hugs are better

So, I laughed my ass off when I saw this at the bottom of my 80s button magnet tin. It's a great follow-up to yesterday's Don't Be a Dope magnet, I think. We didn't make these - in fact, I haven't a clue where I go it, but I'm sure it had to do with NOISOK.

The saying's moot for me, since I really don't like either.

Well, that's not entirely true. You know those fake hugs/air kisses that New Yorkers are so fond of? I hate those. They drive me crazy. Hugs between friends who haven't seen each other, ok. But the round of air kissing that holds up restaurant doorways drives me nuts.

People always think it's because I just don't like hugging.

Not true. I don't mind hugging people who mean it. I love hugging - getting bear hugs from boys especially. It's actually my unofficial measure of a man, if I'm truthful. You can be as cute as pie, but if you don't know how to crush my bones in a hug, forget it.

Huh. Yep. I just did a whole magnetpost on my thoughts on hugging.

How's that for oversharing?

Don't be a dope

Magnet #1129 - Don't be a dope

Yeah, that's right, this pin magnet clearly proves that I'm a product of the Nancy Reagan Just Say No generation.

Actually, for me, it was part of a bigger story than the Just So No campaign. In high school, a friend of ours was killed by a drunk driver coming home from basketball game during Christmas break. He was one of the bright lights of our school, and we all took it hard.

A few months later, with the help of a beloved librarian, some of us started our own club called NOISOK, focused on keeping us kids out of trouble, keeping us busy with making buttons and sharing experiences, and helping us band together to just say no to the peer pressures of drinking, drugs, and driving under the influence.

I honestly can't tell if worked for everyone - I mean, I'm still pretty self-righteous when it comes to drinking and driving, and I swear to this day whenever I take a drink in hand, I think of my friend from many years ago.

In the end, you can only do so much to educate. It's still a personal decision, whether or not to drink or do drugs, and whether or not to drive under the influence. But, whether or not silly pins like this are responsible for saving lives (I have to believe they are), it's amazing how the messaging doesn't change in 25 years...

Crab labor

Magnet #1128 - Florida Crab

I hate labor-intensive food.

In fact, I stopped eating steamed crab, once my parents stopped feeding me. I hate having to spend time cracking open shells and legs just to get the smallest crabmeat ever. Too much labor, so little reward.

On the other hand, I love going crabbing. It's actually why I picked this particular magnet up from the Tampa airport last week. I haven't gone in years, but my parents used to take us crabbing all the time, all along the Atlantic seaboard.

We'd spend the night out on the pier and all night long, we'd check the chicken neck bait and empty the traps. So much fun. Looking back, it was probably just fun because we could mess around the pier in the middle of the night, and we were spending it outside, instead of tucked into bed.

Though we wouldn't have as much fish as my parents hoped, we were always successful when it came to catching crabs - one morning, we ended up with a giant cooler filled to the brim with scritchy-scratchy live crab. Pretty awesome.

And it's always a party when we get home from a fishing/crabbing trip - my parents can't ever wait to get those suckers into the steamers.

Yesterday, we discovered a new seafood shop in Spencer (yes, Spencer) - they were stocked with live crab, which thrilled my dad to pieces. I swear, I could feel him wanting to throw me out of the driver's seat, so that we'd get home faster, so he could get the steamer going.

It's been a while since I've seen live blue crab trying to escape our kitchen sink, but I'll tell ya, it was like I was ten years old again, watching him cook them and enjoy the hell out of eating them.

Of course, despite all my hints that said "I like crab, I just don't want to work for it", I didn't end up having any.

Hmph.

Is anybody hungry?

Magnet #1127 - Duran Duran's Arena

Dudes. How is it that I have like four @duranduran pins magnets left? I think I'm wrapping up Duran Duran drop week with my favorite live album of all time.

I have multiple copies - one cassette (shut it) and two CDs, maybe even three, plus I think I got desperate for it one day at work and bought it off of iTunes.

What? There's a reason I know it like the back of my hand.

And speaking of knowing something like the back of my hand - I'm well on my way with All You Need Is Now. If you haven't bought it yet, do.

My dad was subjected to it for at least four or five hours today in the car. And without complaint, too. Mom just keeps asking every time we hear "Blame it on the Machines" who are these machines, and why are we blaming them?

All I need is here! #AYNIN

Magnet #1126 - Duran Duran's All You Need Is Now

Finally.

My CD/DVD of All You Need Is Now from @duranduran arrived in our little PO Box. Woot!

Mind you, it's not as cool as my autographed RCM from their publicity team, but whatevs, let the collection of autographed magnet liner notes continue!

Doesn't mean the Duran Duran marathon is done, by any means. You know, in case you thought so.

It's a great morning-after present following last night's supercool Amex Unstaged Concert directed by David Lynch. It was a total visual assault, in some cases for the good, some for the bad - but it was a fabulous concert on the whole. The boys were awesome - of course.

Here's a taste - one of my favorites, Friends of Mine:

16 and Bop

Magnet #1125 - Duran Duran

What? You thought I was kidding about an @duranduran week?

Not a chance.

First, I'm still anxiously awaiting my autographed deluxe CD/DVD from Newbury. And second, I have way too many DD pins magnets to not do the DD marathon.

I'm actually hoping that since my sister stumbled upon all those old Duran pins, that running around somewhere in this house is a giant stack of old 16 and Bop magazines.

Oh, yes. I was totally thatteenybopper, saving up my lunch money to buy the latest issues of all the teenybopper rags. After all, this was before the advent of the Internet - how else was I to find out that my Jaunty John Taylor (at 13, I remember totally having to look up what Jaunty meant) was 26, born Nigel John Taylor on June 20, 1960, outside Birmingham, whose favorite food was Big Macs from McDonald's?

Yep, I totally kept those magazines in business in the mid-80s. Every so often, I get the urge to buy a couple of issues to see what's going on. Of course, I know only about a handful of kids in the mags now, and mostly from the Disney Channel. Buuuuut that's another magnet.

eta:
Also. Tonight is the Amex/Duran Duran Unstaged performance, directed by David freakin' Lynch. CanNOT freakin' wait.

Happy drop week, @duranduran!

Magnet #1124 - Duran Duran

Welcome to Duran Duran week on joy magnetism. Yes. A whole marathon, with likely nothing but pretty pins magnets for each day. What?

My sister stumbled across a whole tin of old pins of mine growing up, so I've quickly turned most of them into magnets. Some of them I remember, but I didn't have one of those cool jean jackets with pins all over them in school, so I haven't a clue what I did with these pins.

Anyway, I figured I'd just use the majority of my Duran pins in honor of their newest work, All You Need Is Now which drops today in CD and special CD/DVD editions.

Totally bought the autographed special deluxe edition from Newbury Comics. What? Ya'll know how much I love my Duran Duran. I can't wait til it gets here - I'm like stalking that PO box.

In the meantime, I'll just keep listening to the iTunes album version I bought earlier this year.

So if you see me bebopping down the road, it's really because I'm so very happy I have new DD tunes to dork out over in the car...

Poker chips in golf?

Magnet #1123 - Transitions Championship

Ladies and gents, that's a wrap on the Transitions Championship 2011.

With my pavilion right beside the merch tent, it was too hard to go by it and not pick something up. Of course, my first inclination was magnets. When I couldn't find them, I told the merch coordinator she needed to make magnets next year, and she showed me a whole slew of magnets they had on the shelves. Took a second for her to understand I meant fridge magnets. (What? The Masters has them!)

I won't lie, though. I haven't a clue why folks would need magnets on their hats. I'm not entirely sure why they need these magnetic poker chips, either.

Of course, I was the one who almost asked over the radio, "I need those swingy thingies over at the pavilion, please."

And the one who thought Trevor Immelman shot a 500 instead of a 5 under on the first round.

And the one who picked Carolina all the way for the pool, not realizing it was the wrong sport.

Yeah, I know next to nothing about golf. Believe me, my disinterest in golf isn't a lack of respect for the game - the shots golfers make are incredible, the powerful swish of the swingy thingy is actually pretty cool (when I'm not ducking and covering), and there really is something about a boy and a beautiful swing. Really, I get it. The game is amazing.

I just get so frustrated trying to make my way across the course to the far away gates, in starts and stops, waiting for play to continue. A field trip out there takes a good 30-45 minutes - for a run that normally takes 15!

I can't stand the numbers. And there are so many numbers to keep track of. Just can't do it. The final scoreboard up at the clubhouse? Makes me nuts. No, really.

But, I think my biggest issue - and if you know me - you know this to be true...I can't be quiet. I'm THATgirl who no one lets go with them to study in the library because I hate the quiet. Like, companionable silence is wonderful. But when it's huge groups of folks standing around and all you can hear is the crazy-ass squirrels rummaging around? Argle. Being quiet is hard!

So. I've now worked a golf tournament three years in a row, and have yet to actually hit a bucket or stand on a tee (or whatever). But, I think it's ok. That way, everyone else can leave me to concentrate on the consumer experiences for our brands, rather than paying any attention to golf.

Or, at least that's what I'm saying, anyway.

Yay for another successful tournament!

What's next?

Magnet #1121 - Times Square New York

I dunno if it's because I traveled more or if it's because the entire collection is back in NY or if there's just no magnets wherever I go, but the photobucket selection is getting a little thin.

Well, there's always the Tampa airport tomorrow afternoon!

So crazy. I can't believe how this week in Tampa has flown by in a flash. We have final rounds of the Transitions Championship today, and then I fly out tomorrow.

And then I can begin answering some questions of what I want to do next. The whole dilemma is whether or not I'll be living in NY or NC, and while I love NY with all my heart, it depends on what's happening with my dad.

But even if I head back home to NY, there's the next question of what to do next. Do I work in an agency? Do I try to stay freelance? Do I find a job that won't suck my soul?

It seems to be an answer that I can't quite put my finger on - I've had a few folks who've said to just give them the word and I'm in. I'm eternally grateful for those folks, I am.

But, who knows where I'm going next. All I know is that the coming months hold a lot of changes in store for me. It's scary. But exciting, too.

Melting away

Magnet #1121 - Salvador Dali's Persistence of Time

I was hoping to get out to the newly renovated Salvador Dali Museum, but it's just too far away to actually get away.

I've heard the new building is gorgeous, so eventually, I'll have to come back for it. Even when I already have this Dali magnet of Persistence of Time.

I do love Dali's concepts of time melting away - it's fitting, since we got so busy this week that I actually skipped a magnet two days ago and am now making up for it today. It also works because man, Tampa's hot, sometimes I feel like it's not just time melting, it's me, too!

I can't believe my week here in Tampa is almost over.

Well, time flies...

You can't take it with you

Magnet #1120 - Hemingway Museum

A friend brought back this Hemingway Museum magnet from her travels to Key West.

The museum looks pretty cool - it's the house where he lived and wrote for ten years. Taking a look at the sight, I can imagine him sitting at the desk, writing away.

I stumbled across this small collection of Hemingway ephemera - just some old letters, writings, photos, and other knickknacks, really. But it makes you realize that all the physical stuff that you have, the things that round out your personality and who you are...you can't take it with you. Someone gets left behind to deal with all your stuff.

While I've been home, I've been decluttering and getting rid of stuff, slowly but surely. It's little stuff - boxes of notes between me and my besties growing up, old letters, jewelry, 80s and 90s clothes, etc. It's been a great trip down memory lane, really.

Of course, I can't imagine anyone ever needing to keep my stuff around (except for my magnets, duh), after all, who cares what buttons we wore or what boys we liked in 7th grade. And they certainly wouldn't build a museum after me, for sure.

Still, a visit to the Hemingway Museum would be interesting. And probably would be more possible for me if it weren't on an island.

Of course, the six-toed cats kinda creep me out, too. So there's that.

Brand new life?

Magnet #1119 - Metanoia

One of my Nicola & the Newfoundlander magnets - the reclaimed word metanoia on a piece of reclaimed wood.

I made a special trip back to Nic & the Newfie's booth last Christmas to grab this magnet for myself because it's something that I've been living these past eight months. Their definition of the word is "to change one's life or mind."

And I'll tell you, trying to figure out what you want to do in this world, while trying to look for a job and figure out where you're gonna live next is hard! In the middle of all of it, are my own battles between what's right and what's right for me. Blergh. I know it'll work itself out, but if there's one thing that Taurus people hate, it's instability.

Of course, if you Google metanoia, it comes up with psychotic breakdown. Ummm, yeah. We're not quite there yet!

Youth Days 2011

Magnet #1118 - LOL @ your library

Love this magnet that my friend gave me, and it's apropos for today, for sure.

I've now worked the Transitions Championship three years in a row now. The one event that scares me the most are our two Youth Days, where we invite a couple thousand kids to spend the day with us, learning the value of healthy sight, through interactive games and clinics.

It scares me, mostly because of Big Al the alligator who lives in a couple of water features on the Copperhead Course at Innisbrook - I'm just afraid that one of the kids will get loose and you know, get eaten by Big Al. No. Seriously.

On the other hand, by the end of the long visits - we've now done five - Youth Days also become the most gratifying for me. Comforting the lost child who's scared her class would leave without her. Hearing kids run around screaming odd facts about eyeballs. Watching kids having a blast - even as they accost our giant eyeballs.

I love seeing the long lines of kids at Bess the Book Bus, run by Jennifer Francis - a woman who chucked it all to start a mobile outreach literacy program for underserved communities, schools and libraries. Corporate sponsors give her the opportunity to ride around in her book bus, stopping to visit, read to the kids and give out one book per child.

It's absolutely my favorite part of Youth Days, watching the kids slowly walk away from the bus, distracted because they're thumbing through their new book, not being able to wait to read it. Mind you, it means they're looking down and not noticing a golf cart barreling right for them, but hey, that's why we have our traffic folks. Heh.

Youth Days are exhausting, and I'm always pleased to hear "the last bus has left and everyone's accounted for," but it's definitely a great day - for the kids, and for us.




Today's highlight for me, though, was this Overhead at Youth Days:

Little girl: "You haaaaaaave to!"
Giant guy chaperone: "I caaaaan't. It's physically impossible."
Little girl: "But you haaaaaaaave to!"
Giant guy chaperone: "I caaaaaan't."
Little girl, stomping feet: "No! Get! Midget-sized! Nowwwwww!"

Meet Me on Lake Erie, Dearie!

Magnet #1117 - Cleveland, OH World's Fair

Never been to Cleveland. At least, not when I was old enough to remember it. Which is probably why, until the National Building Museum's Designing Tomorrow world's fair exhibit, I never even knew that they had even had a World's Fair there back in the 1930s.

And yet, here it is, the 135-acre Great Lakes Exhibition of 1936. All that's left is Cleveland's Great Lakes Science Center, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and Burke Lakefront Airport. Pretty cool aerial shot, no? At the time Cleveland was the sixth largest city in America (another fact I hadn't a clue about), and the world's fair - like most of the 30s, was an attempt to revitalize cities hard-hit by the Depression.

Wanted to use a Midwest magnet, because I had my first culture clash with the kid from the Midwest a couple of days ago. We were setting up our pavilion for all of our partners, and needed some cleaning supplies. Kansas City dude went out to Target, armed with a list that included paper towels, with a note that said, lots and lots - the big kind.

I've grown to used to New York. To me, that means a three-, maybe four-pack of paper towels. When he came back? He was struggling to carry the fifteen, extra large roll bulk pack! I'm like, dude!

And he goes, you said get the big one! This is big!

Well, can't argue with that, I suppose.

I'm still standing

Magnet #1116 - Mary Pickford quote

Love old-school Hollywood, especially silent film stars, Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks - even if I can't name a movie I've ever seen with them. Seriously.

They were famous, the Brangelina of the 1920s - complete with a grand estate called Pickfair, where old-school Hollywood used to party like crazy.

They divorced in the end, but I refuse to accept it. Through a weird twist of fate, Pia Zadora demolished Pickfair after it fell into disrepair...which I also refuse to accept.

Failure's another word that I refuse to accept, which is why I love this quote from Mary. It's true. When you get knocked down, and you stay down, that's when you fail.

It's why when the company laid me off after more than a dozen years of service, I didn't let it get me down. I didn't cry or even talk it over with them, I just accepted the package and moved on happily. It was time.

And yet, oddly, eight months later, I find myself absolutely vindicated, freelancing for two of my former (and favorite) clients, both of whom squee'd happily when they welcomed me back on the team. Hearing their welcoming cheers was completely happy-making and gratifying, to say the least, and I thank them both for what's possibly the best work feeling I've had in a few years.

Mind you, though it has very little to do with me leaving, I find it even more vindicating that I'm actually working on exactly the same projects I was working on, after the work had been taken away from the former agency, and given to other agencies.

As my client put it when she introduced me to a new team member, "She was working with [company], but she's on her own now, and she came down to help us out this week." It wasn't until I heard her say the words out loud that I suddenly realized it was true.

I am on my own. I'd taken a fall, but here I am. Still standing. On my own two feet.

It's a weird feeling, but one that I don't mind.

Not. One. Bit.

Every little helps

Magnet #1115 - Every Little Helps

Another cute sticker magnet, with Hello Kitty tending to the earth.

I keep wanting to post all the places you can donate to the quake/tsunami victims, but there are way too many.

Just remember, do your homework for where you're donating, texting, providing supplies. But also remember, every little bit helps.

Hasten to do good

Magnet #1114 - Hasten to do good

I love this sticker magnet. While I know Hello Kitty and her buddy are just headed off to school in their roller-skates, I prefer to think they're roller-skating off to save the world.

Using it for today, because if there's any time I love in humankind, it's that short period of time right after natural or manmade disaster strikes - when the world pulls together for the good all and just want to help get things done. Everybody pledges money, sends help, sends supplies, etc.

Mind you, all the goodwill is followed right afterward by recrimination, but for that short time when everyone just wants to come to the rescue is nothing short of amazing.

Zombies knit?

Magnet #1113 - Zombies are crap

I'll say. I haven't any understand how zombies came back in vogue again, but I hope they go away soon.

So apparently, zombies are crap at knitting. You know who isn't crap at knitting?

DC Sister. She made me my very own TEN!

Yes, yes, I know. It's really crochet. Or Amigurumi to be exact. Still. Awesome.

I have my very own stuffed David Tennant! Thanks, DC Sister!

Woot!

The Karate Chicago Code Kid

Magnet #1112 - China Beijing

How pretty is this magnet? It's from my roadtrip buddies who went to Beijing a few years ago.

Reminds me of two things that have surprised the heck out of me in the last couple of weeks, hence the blogtitle mash up.

First. The Karate Kid remake last year was not that bad. No, hear me out. I grew up with the Ralph Macchio/Pat Morita version and I was pretty adamant that I'd never watch the movie. But when Starz says, here's a free preview, you watch. And I was completely surprised by how entertaining it was.

It was set in Beijing, where the little Jaden Smith and his mother move out there from Detroit. It was clarified pretty early on that he was practicing Kung Fu and not Karate, in fact, the reverence the kid had for the incredible sweeping shots of a Kung Fu-practicing nation was touching.

Jackie Chan was of course, terrific. Even if it was a major role, it was pretty understated, and not how I'm used to seeing him. The bully angle was timely, giving the kids being bullied today something to believe in. And the bad guys were totally believable. Mean, but believable. And the locations were just astounding. Whether it was Olympic Park, Forbidden City, aerials of the Great Wall, or even hundreds of people dressed in uniforms, it was just gorgeous.

My only issue was that I didn't buy a Detroit car company sending an employee to Beijing, especially when they didn't even define what sort of function she fills. Marketing? Operations? Didn't seem like a high-level position, so why send her over? And then there was the lone American kid that the little boy almost makes friends with totally disappears within the first 15 minutes. But whatever. Good movie...even as I winced every time Jaden got hit.

My other happy surprise is @ShawnRyanTV's The Chicago Code. I freakin' love this show. I kinda knew I might because Shawn Ryan's written so many other great shows, but TCC is the one show that I literally stalk Hulu for when the next episode becomes available.

I Hulu'd the latest one a few days ago - Chinatown mischief, where of course the unofficial mayor of Chinatown (played by LOST's Dr. Chang) is protecting his constituents, covering for a couple of murderers, only so he can deal justice himself.

Normally, I really do not enjoy cop dramas. But, I think I'll watch anything that has bulletproofvesttime great characters to get to know, with complicated relationships or personal situations to deal with. I tend not to care about the Crime of the Week, and instead get invested in the characters and long-term story arcs. This one has several layers of both.

With each passing week, I'm surprised that I'm starting to buy Jennifer Beal as CPD's superintendent, trying to figure out if I'm supposed to like or revile the ever-awesome Delroy Lindo as Alderman Gibbons, and loving Aussie Jason Clarke and his cuteboy partner Matt Lauria from Friday Night Lights.

Plus? I love hearing the Chicagoland accents, fake as they are. They're the accents I would have had, if we hadn't moved from Chicago when I was five.

Definitely check it out. The Chicago Code. Not the accents. Well, them, too.

Oh, you know what I mean.

A f*ckin' birdie told me

Magnet #1111 - Blue bird

Had to use this little Borders-going-bankrupt birdie magnet for today because I noticed that a lot of my email traffic lately has been about Twitter.

Whether it's me helping a new client become more active with their social media outreach, emailing relevant Tweets to colleagues and friends, or gossiping about who said what or who @'d who, Twitter keeps ending up in my email inbox. And my Facebook. And messageboards. And texts. It's crazy.

I do kinda wonder what the stats are for folks actually using the Twitter home page, versus using social media clients like TweetDeck or MediaFunnel or HootSuite, etc. I will say that when Tweeting for a client, the only time I feel safe that I won't eff it up is when I'm on the client's actual Twitter page, versus my own page or my TweetDeck.

That's why whenever I see any stories of social media practitioners messing up, I cringe for whomever hit enter or send on a bad Tweet.

@Adfreak Tweeted their coverage of the ChryslerAutos Twitterfeed Eff up, and I felt bad for the employee who got fired over it. Mind you, I laughed because it was a funny as hell Tweet, but still, felt bad. It wasn't the profanity that got me, because the world's full of the F word (I mean, hello, Oscars). But, when the @ChryslerAutos av is stamped "Imported from Detroit" yeah, saying Detroit Motor City "can't fucking drive" flies in the face of that messaging. And what else could Chrysler do but Tweet a very corporate response...on their blog?

Their response was completely opposite of the Red Cross beer story from last month, where they completely lampooned it and made the situation work for them and Dogfish beer. I don't know if they fired the non-drunk employee, but they handled the situation deftly, and with rather endearing personality.

Honestly, for me, it's like watching a train wreck, seeing brands and individuals navigate social media. Twitter and Facebook are full of branding screw-ups because of multiple account handling, and we'll see more and more in the next few years.

As for me, my love/hate with Twitter continues...but it doesn't stop me from waiting for that next train wreck. I just hope it's not me.

Never let 'em see you cry

Magnet #1110 - No Crying, Mad Men

This button magnet is from my Mad Men: The Illustrated World NYCC set. Great book by @dynamoe, definitely check it out.

I figured what better to celebrate the 100th anniversary of International Women's Day than with one of my favorite quotes from Mad Men's Joanie Holloway Harris.

One of my favorite quotes from the show, but also my number one rule in business. It's the one thing I tell any female colleagues, whether they like it, or me, or not:

If you think you're gonna cry at work? Get your ass to the bathroom. Take a walk around the block. Leave the floor. Go sit in the stairwell.

But don't you dare sit at your desk, your office, the boardroom or the breakroom and cry over something work-related. NO.

It's something every girl must learn when first joining the workforce. I've broken it once or twice literally - but that was once or twice too many. That's how it became my number one rule.

You can't expect someone to take you seriously if you're welling up at something they've said. You can't have them look you in the eye with any respect if your bottom lip is quivering. And they'll always have that vision of you sniffling into your tissue. It's weak. It's unacceptable. Do all things to avoid it.

I must say, to this day, it's one of my pet peeves, seeing any female cry at work over something work-related. I've been called inhuman because of it. I've been called a bitch. I've been called a bad example over it.

I don't care. Here's some tissue.

Wipe away the tears, get out there and be strong, dammit!

The infinite lily pond

Magnet #1109 - Water Lilies, again

Another of my Met Museum Monet Magnet Set. I must say this out loud - after much thought, I really don't think I like Monet's Water Lilies after all.

Sure, they're all gorgeous, but honestly, I can't imagine sitting there in Giverny painting water lily after water lily after water lily in varying shapes and sizes and colors and times of day and season after season and different patterns in the water, over and over again. And yet, they remain his most popular and most recognizable works.

I did magnetblog a few months ago about my online search for the definitive answer for how many water lily pieces he painted, but couldn't find it. All I know is that there are too many to go around. Even in my own collection, I must have half a dozen, and that's just on a single 2' x 4' metallic magnetboard!

There's so many down here that it makes you wonder if that Monet's up there somewhere in a little corner of heaven painting nothing but water lilies.

And maybe the odd haystack or two just for a change.

Totally radical blocks

Magnet #1108a b, c & d - 80s blocks

I bought these from the dollar bin at Office Depot the other day. Yep. In 2011.

If this were the 80s, I'd be wearing these prints on button-down shirts with skinny ties, or on my shoes.

Or on T-shirts with a jacket over it, and a side ponytail.

Sigh. There's a reason these prints went away.

Like. Totally.

It takes a village...

Magnet #1107 - Salvadoran Village

...or just my sister.

STW Sister brought this magnet back for me from El Salvador, on a work trip. She's moving back down to NC from DC, in favor of working for a non-profit company in Durham, so it looks like the STW title still stands.

It's funny, I consider the non-profit, save-the-world work that she does is basically my carbon offset for the corporate work that I've done for big oil, big pharma, big technology, big energy, big whatever's not saving the world organizations in the past.

Of course, it's not a surprise - after all, she's like eight years younger, which puts her squarely in Gen Y, the folks out there to save the world.

The Good Wife

Magnet #1106 - Politician who's moral

The other of my Marion Barry set from Craftgasm - this time, in honor of his belief in the sanctity of marriage. Uh-huh.

I just finished catching up on the last few episodes of The Good Wife, so I figured I'd use this magnet now, rather than waiting for the next "moral" politician to come out of the woodwork.

If you'd told me a couple of years ago that I would still be watching The Good Wife, I would have laughed in your face. I even said it at the time, too, that there was no way that I'd watch [insert every wronged politician's wife's name here]'s story, no way in hell. I wasn't even going to give it a shot, even with Doug Ross' wife in it.

But, from the pilot episode, the show's had me hooked, and I can't even tell you why. Like I was totally against watching a show that had a politician's wife standing by her man, and yet watching Alicia Florrick navigate her marriage and Will Gardner has kept my attention. I was totally against watching a legal drama, and yet watching the Lockhart Gardner team in court isn't so bad. I was completely against watching any sort of political drama, and yet, even the political storylines haven't turned me off.

It might be the amazing cast and the fantastic guest stars. It might be the amazing writing. It could even be that they're shooting NY for Chicago. I dunno.

But, yeah, still watching. Surprised, but still watching.

We're family, that's what we do

Magnet #1105 - Keep Calm and Carry On

Another one of my Borders going out of business magnets...

We all hate those emergency phone calls, you know, the ones where you know the second you've picked it up, your life is about to change on a dime. I'm grateful that's only happened a handful of times for me, one was one month and a day ago today.

That's the day my mother called to say she was bringing my dad in to the Emergency Room*. Though he had no telltale chest pains or aches in his right arm, he knew he was in trouble, and he acquiesced to being brought in. In truth, that's how Mom knew it was bad, that he agreed to being brought in at all.

Less than 12 hours later (and still waiting for a hospital bed, natch), all the kids had come home - me from NY and the others from DC. And for the next week, we took turns hanging out with my dad at the hospital, getting to know the hospital staff and sleeping in not-comfortable chairs, practically living on the fourth floor of the very hospital we pretty much grew up in. (It's much different outside the Doctors' Lounge, for sure.)

It's been interesting, learning how each family member deals with the stress of the last month. Trying to control the things we can, organizing and cleaning like no one's business, joking to lighten the mood, yelling when we can't.

We're still trying to figure out the next steps of treatment, and all in all, we've managed to keep calm and carry on. Today, some will get a little help from some magic pills to help them remain calm during an MRI, and some will be actively trying to find out where the lost family fortune is from those under the influence.

I won't say who will win that one. Wish us luck!



*Yes. I know that nowadays people call it the Emergency Department, but I honestly can't bring myself to call it ED. Honestly, would ER have lasted as long as ED? Scratch that, maybe it would have lasted longer (see what I did there?), and the ad sales folks would have found some way to get Cialis or Viagra to be the show's anchor sponsor.

Good grief, Charlie Sheen

Magnet #1104 - Bitch set me up

Well, at least Charlie's not saying there's a big ole conspiracy out to get him, or that any of those goddess chicks or hookers set him up in any way. At least, I don't think he is. I'm trying to delve too far into what he has to say lately.

Not that I stayed up to watch last night's 20/20 or anything. Or that I waited with the rest of the world to see what @charliesheen would Tweet first. Or that I read that weird pyramid of power going around the interwebz today. (I'd link it here, but it's gone around so many times that I honestly don't want to have to dig for who the actual creator of it was.)

I will say that I've also been Tweet-reaming his PR team for weeks, wondering what the hell they've been doing as Sheen gives interview after interview, making a cracktastic, manic, bi-winning fool out of himself everywhere. Then I found out he was George Clooney's publicity dude as well. Oops. Well, I guess for every great client, you have...Charlie "the winner" Sheen.

No judgment here, but I do hope he finds what he needs, that Charlie Sheen.

In the meantime, this magnet - made with reclaimed paper and a vintage (no less) typewriter - is part of a Craftgasm set called "Pearls of Wisdom from Marion Barry." This 1990 quote relates to Barry allegedly (I dunno if he's actually been convicted - what? I took Journalism 101!) smoking crack with a hooker.

Hahaha. I love it. DC Sis got these for me, because she can't figure out how a guy with Barry's record ends up mayor of one of our most influential towns. I'm assuming it's for the same reason a guy with Sheen's imdb and rap sheet ends up one of the highest paid stars ever.

Until now, I guess.

But, what IS it?

Magnet #1103 - Henry Moore's Large Art

I love public art. There's something funny about seeing people in public spaces around town - any town - walking around sculptures or other works of art, and trying to figure out what they're looking at.

More than in an art gallery, people tend to walk around the piece, inspecting it from top to bottom, presumably because it's out of its element, just sitting in whatever public space it's been allotted. It demands attention.

But what is it? Why is it there? Who approved it? Why did they approve this art? I mean, let's face it, when it comes to the public at large, governments, corporations and schools tend to err on the side of conservatism - art that doesn't necessarily challenge anyone to think beyond what they're looking at. In the end, it's the audience that makes that final determination between conservative and controversial. Eye of the beholder, indeed.

Whatever the piece is, or how people feel about it, it sparks conversation, and that's the part I love. Take this Large Arch in Columbus, OH, created by English sculptor Henry Moore. I.M. Pei designed the library it sits in front of - in fact, Pei suggested Moore for the library plaza space.

Moore intended for it to be something that people could walk in and around - he was influenced by nature and Stonehenge. That name Large Arch is no joke, either - it's 20 feet tall and 12 feet wide. He designed it in England, but it was actually built and pieced together in Germany and shipped over as one huge piece that weighs as much as an elephant.

Moore called it an arch. A large one. But what is it? What did he mean? Is it a gateway to the future? It stands between a library and a church, is it the gateway between knowledge and faith? Or is it just a giant opening for people to walk through?

One thing's for sure, in person, it's huge. One might even call it...large. Of course, I saw it only from the slow-moving car, a victim of our family's customary drive-by tourism habits.

Speaking of, in my own customary miss-something-by-thismuch, I missed the first Salisbury Sculpture Show, where they had 13 pieces from 14 artists installed in various places around town. I mean, I missed it by like weeks, man! From what I gather, there were some interesting pieces dotting our landscape.

I'll be around to see the second Salisbury Sculpture Show happening later this month.

When that happens, ya'll can drive by and watch me, walking around each piece...trying to figure out what the heck it is.