Sugar Pie Express

My friend Michelle started her blog - Sugar Pie Express - just before me. There's a link on the left under blogs I follow.

I love her blog. So this is a call out to my girl Michelle. Not a fan of her boot choice, but then I go for the high heals and she is all about walking tough.

One of the things she wrote about was "5 Things I Love Everyday." Top of her list was having coffee with her husband. Sweet. They are still newleyweds. I hope that continues til forever, but as for my husband of 23 years, morning is not good -- at least until the medicine kicks in.

But still I think 5 Things I love Everyday is a good exercise. Here's mine:

1 - The first cup of coffee
2 - Being greeted by my dogs when I walk in the door (unconditional love is the BEST)
3 - A kiss goodnight from my son (at almost 17, getting a kiss everynight is meaningful)
4 - Looking outside the window and looking into other windows - the view beyond my own four walls is always refreshing
5 - My family and friends

Layoff Mania

I am still decompressing from a bad week. But at least I am employed. Some out of work "cranky editor" has actually created a website with a daily list of companies that have laid off workers
See link here

At least he offers info on companies that are hiring.

When Google fires 6,000 people it means that we are all in trouble. When the US was at the depth of its recession in the 1930's, unemployment was 25%. We are still in single digets but it feels like a bomb has gone off everywhere.

Combat Journalism

It has been a long week. My oldest and largest client had the biggest layoffs its ever had.

Lesson 1 - as a PR person, push the point that in the age of transparency -- when we tell others that they need to be transparent -- WE also need to be open, honest and direct. If you know in advance that the shit is going to hit the fan, have a statement that puts in in perspective.

They refused to issue a statement and provide a figure of the employees cut. I didn't have the correct figures. In fact, they didn't even have the correct numbers until the CEO of the holding company created a shitstorm and insisted that the right numbers be provided because the blogs, online press and others overinflated the figures.

As a result, every article has the same erroneous figures as the first. Now I'm like a stupid dustbin trying to clean up their mess.

Lesson 2 - never underestimate the sleaziness of the press

As employees were leaving the building, the leading trade magazine sent a reporter over to the office to talk with employees on their way out. Now I understand when they did that at Lehman and others. But hundreds of companies have had lay offs. Why do that to innocent people on what is probably one of their worst days? Has our need for the ultimate human interest story taken us that low?

Now some think this was an obvious and smart way for this publication to show another side of the story. But I think it's tabloid journalism of the worst kind. In fact, it feels to me like combat journalism with no place to hide, no way to protect yourself and the shells and hits keep coming.

I need to stop taking work so seriously.

Life Goals

My husband's friend Dan from grade school recently achieved one of his life goals - he bought and completely renovated a house 100 steps from the beach in Westport, Ct. Last night he had the "opening" night party at his renovated "cottage."

With an amazing eye for detail and desire to create a model true to the "Arts & Crafts" bungalow, the home embraces and calms as one discovers unusual touches -- hand-tooled hinges, a copper kitchen sink (bought on e-bay for $795), images of mermaids playfully hidden within tile, a coupula with beautful stained glass images and a weathervane that has followed Dan to each new house he renovates. The bookcase in his office is filled with books on Arts & Crafts archetechture and bungalows. He did his homework and with help from his girlfriend designer extraordinnaire, has created a one-of-a-kind masterpiece. (I'll get a photo and post later).

I remember sitting down with Dan at one of the many gatherings of our crowd several years ago. He talked about how having a home on the water was one of his goals in life. Intrigued, I asked if he had a list of things he wanted to do. And he did. Travelling to great places and climbing mountains like Kilimanjaro is one - checked off and done. For his 50th, he's heading to Patagonia.

Last night he asked a bunch of us what we wanted to do with our lives. It's a hard question to answer. Getting through each day sometimes seems enough of a goal. But as I've spent time with Dan, I have started thinking about the things that I want to do. Travel is an obvious. There are places I've never been and want to see: Spain, Italy, Portugal, Australia, etc.

But when I think about my goals, I think more about what I personally want to make happen. I too want to live on the water - a home by the sea, a lake, a stream even -- is at the top of my list. I want to learn to make cheese. I want to learn to fly fish. I want to catch a permit (it is part of the 3 sport fishes that consititute a grand slam in the keys and I've already caught a tarpon and bonefish). I want to discover a new career path. And more.

I'm not sure having an actual list gets you there faster. It works for Dan. But I do think keeping track and thinking about what you want to achieve is what will make your life richer and more meaningful. I'm working on my list.




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A New Year

We brought back an old tradition this year - the New Year's Day family and friends party. After the crazy celebrations of High School, New Year's Eve has been a somewhat quiet time for us. Dinner, watch the ball, go to bed. What's the big deal?

But New Year's Day always seemed a great opportunity to reconnect with friends and family in a low key moment. A "check in" and reminder of friendships.

We had a nice gathering that started at 1pm. Our last guests (who also were the first to arrive), left at 9pm. I've never had a party like that. And while there were just four couples who stayed to hang out well past "closing" time, it was so much fun and so more intimate. We had eaten everything and even had to order pizza!

We've been to parties at these friends homes and I think what made this a special time was that it was our home. We don't have a mega house. But it is very comfortable. We can get 7 or 8 comfortably on our sofa. Our living room is a "living room" with big screen tv and old album covers as art work. Our parties are a little more contained. Less spread out. I think that makes for a more engaged and connected party experience. Whatever the reason -- maybe it was just the good food, drink and friends -- it augers well for moving forward in a New Year.

Lessons from My Son

My 16-year-old son wanted to be a chef. So I asked a friend who owns a restaurant if he could possibily work for him. My son was 15 at the time. He put him to work in the kitchen. He does prep, he works on the line, in almost two years now, he's picked up a lot of skills.

While he no longer wants to be a chef, realizing how hard the job is and how difficult it is to have a real life when you spend your nights in the kitchen, he does know what to do. Unfortunately he rarely cooks at home. I still do most of the cooking.

But for Christmas, he insisted on having his Uncle Giles' potatoes. These are scalloped potatoes baked in about 2 1/2 cups of heavy cream. The pan is buttered and rubbed with garlic then the potatoes are mixed with the cream and baked for about 2 hours. I insisted if he wanted this unbelieveably rich dish, he could make it. He used the Mandolin, sliced the potatoes and proceeded to put them in a big bowl he filled with water. Then he put the bowl in the sink and ran the water for about two minutes over the bowl until the water ran clear. He said this was how you get rid of the starch. In my zillions of years of baking, I'd never learned that trick.

The potatoes were undeniably, the best potatoes I have ever eaten. And they will only be made one time a year.

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The Flip Video

So in the last 10 days a lot has happened. Sorry not to have posted sooner but I hardly had a moment to shop! We all know that's important.

This holiday season I kept to my spending diet. Important gifts only. Not a lot of the empty shop like crazy stuff. The best gift was the Flip Video, a barebones video recorder that I got at Staples for my son and husband to share.

I thought it would be a cool thing to have on fishing trips, for quick videos of the moment that my son wants to shoot. Who knows. It got rave reviews everywhere. See below.


Read here

Let's see if it passes the test of time...

Lesson on Openness

It was obvious to me that the industry I work in -- advertising and marketing -- was tanking long before my newest client told me that her company was being folded into the parent company.

She's a smart, well-liked executive who came to the agency side from the client side with big ideas.

She hinted that the parent company might call me for some help. And they did. That presented me with a big of a dilemna. My loyalty of course, is to my former client. She was shown the door and is trying to put together a new venture. But the prospective client is a big organization. A foot in the door for something that could become something bigger.

After I got off the phone with big company guy, I called my former client. I told her I'd been asked to meet with the big guy. And she said, "if someone wants to pay you money in this economy, I understand." Not sure what kind of response I was looking for, but I knew I could not meet with the Big Guy, without letting her know. Maybe, 10-years ago, I would have done things differently. But I've learned that being upfront and honest is the best way to move forward in business.

Now if only those bastards on Wall Street were reading this blog!


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The Show Must Go On

If you're wondering why so long between posts, it's because "A Christmas Story" has occupied all my free time.

I think my mother said "If you want something done, ask a busy person." I'm now just a plain exhausted person.

But you won't believe this. "A Christmas Story" opening on Friday. It was a really good performance. Saturday comes and as the crew is checking the 80 sound cues, the amp blows for perhaps the 10th time. Did I mention the show is being produced in the Wilton Playshop - a truly historic building with prehistoric wiring, insulation, heat, etc? After 1/2 hour I realize my husband isn't going to get the system to work so I race back home, lug his 50-plus pound amplifier into my car, race back to the theater and after delaying the start of the show 45-minutes, we go on. Thankfully every audience member stayed, cheered and enjoyed the show.

Come Sunday, still working on a rigged up sound system. We're 3/4 of the way through the show, readying for the very funny bunny scene when "pop" out go all the lights. The magic of cell phones informs us that it's not just the theatre, but half the town. A tree falls down, the powerline crumples and lights go out for hours.

We ask the audience what they want to do? Do they want to come back? Do they want their money back? Do they want to stay?

Amazingly, they want the show to go on. So we rig flashlights, open every window and door and perform the last 5 minutes in the semi-darkness.

Live theatre. You never know what's going to happen. But if you roll with it, you can be surprised, engaged and get a standing ovation.

Two more weeks... I understand the electic was fixed today and a serious grounding problem that could have burned down the entire building has been fixed. Perhaps this coming Friday night we will have an actual sound system.

For real fans of the show/movie. Check this out:


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Teddy Bears Make You Smile

Many years ago, one of my clients challenged its resident branding genius Brian Collins, to come up with a christmas lobby display. It had to feel good and do good.

Brian envisioned a giant Christmas tree made of teddy bears. And right before Christmas, the tree would be disassembled and given to kids in city hospitals.

Today when I arrived at the office, the teddy bear tree was sparkling. The bears - all red. (The colors have changed from year to year, but red is my favorite).

It was a simple and elegant idea. And like all simple and elegant ideas, it has not gotten tired. In fact, it continues to bring a smile to my face, and everyone who enters the building no matter how many times it is seen. Once again, proving the adage that big ideas last. Thanks Brian - here's to you.