Bloody Crafty

Smart Ideas

There's not a lot of cool things happening in my professional world as of late - outside of the Mac ads (because John Hodgman is hysterical) - OH, and that Etrade baby (hey girl, can I hit you back?).  But those crappy Gillette ads with Tiger Woods and Derek Jeter that run in NFL games make me want to break the TV every time.  And there's nothing new and interesting in the print world or even online - well nothing that I've seen anyway.  So I'm always happy to find people extending advertising outside the definition and trying to get people's attention in other ways. 

I'm not clear on what this client was trying to do - it appears the stunt was pulled by a shopping mall in India.  But it would have been a great idea for a book store or a tv show or JK Rowling (as if she will ever need any media support).  Even though I would have likely missed this in any mall because (a) food courts gross me out and (b) they are not often located inside a Nordstrom or JCrew.  But still - one has to admit - this was a great idea!

I think the conclusion here is that I should probably break out of packaged goods and get into retail marketing - I mean never been a better time to get people shopping.

Part of Something

Yesterday at the last minute, we decided to go to an Obama rally downtown.  I got an email from the campaign and read a tiny blurb in the paper, so I'm not sure what I was expecting.  But we were part of a sea of 100,000 fervent supporters.  We took the boys to be part of the process - to see the probable next President of the United States.  Unfortunately, children get kind of lost in a sea of people - they can't even see the backs of heads - just the backs of bums.  So, I'm afraid that they're opinions of the event were less than optimal.  But they clapped with everyone else and chanted O-BA-MA with the crowd.  And the crowd really was the true picture of America - all shapes, sizes, colors, ages, incomes, education, levels of sobriety jammed together all believing tomorrow can be better.  A huge group of different people with hope.  From newborns to 85 year old women, no one complained about not being able to actually see anything beyond the sea of heads, or about the chill in the air, or about the plunging stock market, or the lost job, or the missed chance.  There was hope and excitement holding us all together.  Yesterday might have been hard, but tomorrow can be better.  The poised, controlled, commanding voice coming from speakers three stories tall told us.  And we believed. We DO believe.  We have to. Especially for the children staring at bums.  And for all the uninformed scared people in tiny towns who have been told and believe that Obama is a muslim terrorist or worse.  They need hope to - among other things.  But being surrounded by faces with no names, it felt amazing to be part of something bigger than just the four of us.  Like this time, things could really change.  Let's HOPE!  And then VOTE!!!

Progress - Little to None

October 14:  Many have asked if perhaps I have punted on the family Halloween costumes and just grabbed some witch and monster costumes from Target yet.  Well the answer is no - of course not.  Let the stock market erase my earnings as it may, but Halloween must go on.

Sadly - the progress on the Patrick and Squidward costumes is far from notable.  I bought a piece of poster board for Squidward's head and all the material and thread for Patrick.  But I just got around to laying out the pattern which sounds so simple - but pattern making technology has not progressed since 1982 when my mom was making me rufflfe shirts.

(and then i got preoccupied - WORKING ON THE COSTUME!)

Shifting to Shapeware

I hate to admit this but I've been persuaded by child-star-gone-bad-gone-gay Lindsey Lohan. This summer I saw a clip on TV of a reporter complimenting her on her body in a specific very tight dress.  She replied, "Thank god for Spanx!"  I was stunned - she's like a size 2.  And she needs Spanx?  I've long followed this brand.  In fact, I once bought some girdle like shorts to suck in my stomach, but I hated how they rolled on my legs and waste - the complete opposite of unseen.  So for years, I've been resorting to control top tights for my control of my mid-section.  You should also know that I believe diet and exercise are a fine place to start - but I have always had a small pooch, I've given birth twice two years in a row, and I do 100 sit ups of variable styles daily in addition to running, biking, and of course fluidity.

After the week in the hospital with Eric, I decided that maybe surgery wasn't a great move - so I've been looking for alternatives to the tummy tuck.  Enter Shapeware!  What used to be just a few control top items is a whole new category at Nordstrom and Bliss.  Recently, I invested first in some Power Panties from Spanx.  I think these are too thick - they might suck in the blubber but they add a 1/4 inch of "skin" to your whole body from your knees to your chest.  My clothes were purchased without that 1/4 inch and it is in the way. Not to mention that it's like wearing a leotard, you can't use the restroom without completely disrobing.  So today I found the Yummie Tummie Freedom Tank right on the Bliss homepage.  This is appealing - it only sucks in the middle but is soft at the top and very bottom.  I can NOT imagine this thing really working but I'm intrigued (and slightly obsessed).  Plus it only comes in black so there will only be a handful of occassions where it will work - like today under my blouse it probably wouldn't work.  But I also found this company called Lyess that makes arm sleeves for that flabby part by the pit which is funny and a Slimming Corrective Belt which might be the answer.  It is by far the closest thing to an operational corset that I've found and that's what I need.

I read once that shapeware can make you instantly look 5-10 pounds smaller.  If that is the case, why wouldn't everyone be wearing these things?  I suppose they might be interested in breathing - but that's overrated.

I Hate Hospitals

Sorry for the long delay.  We've had a couple of exciting weeks.  After living through nearly a year of endless back, leg and nerve pain, Eric finally had surgery on a ruptured disk (I continually spell that "disc") in his lower back.  I'm happy to report that the procedure went well and he's on the long road to recovery (generally 6-8 weeks).  But the five days in the hospital were enough to send me over the edge! I realize no one likes hospitals - but here's a few specific things I think St. Luke's in Denver can improve upon:

1. Changing the name of the meal system to "room service" does not make it more desirable or taste better.  Just be honest and say "crap from the cafeteria".  And 45 minutes for a chocolate shake is ridiculous.
2. I'm all for immigration and the big melting pot, but I think patients should be able to understand their nurses and if they can not a new one should be provided. 
3. I realize bed pans and catheters and sheet changing aren't pleasant activities, but it should be a requirement for nurses to be friendly and chipper and upbeat and positive rather than rushed, distant and condescending.  We had a 50% take rate on that.
4. Doctors:  SHOW THE F*&% UP!  This is directed more to surgeons who don't want to talk to patients.  Every single one is more like Christina than Izzy and it's horrifying not to have answers.
5. Get a few Dell plugs to keep on the floor for visitors after their batteries crap out.  You have a line of dell computers on trays - they aren't running on solar power.  Be nice.  Share!!!

Thank you - and thank you for the free parking - that's a nice treat - the only nice treat - but still.