The long journey home

I just finished up at the Forrester Marketing Forum and am sitting in LAX waiting to catch the redeye. Yes, the redeye. Because I must find as many ways as possible to torture myself.

In the meantime, I'd like to say thank you to the folks at Forrester for putting on an excellent conference. The content was interesting and thought-provoking, but more importantly, the company was exceptional. I met so many bright and fascinating marketers. Seriously, there is no light bulb joke here.

I'll try and assemble a post of key takeaways once my brain starts fully functioning again. I will say this: many companies are on the path to "engagement" but so many more have a lot of work to do to get there. And based on the speakers' content from the past two days, the real challenge with "engagement" is me. And you. And all of the other consumers out there who want to dictate how, when and through which channel they want to "engage".

But it's so promising. LeapFrog is doing a great job mapping the Learning Path. Nike is engaging with their target audience through events and online communities. FedEx is sharing key moments of truth with their customers through an interactive Web experience. TopHat Cleaners has Gloria who knows everything about everyone. Dell - well - Dell is just building a single agency (not sure what that had to do with engagement). And Patrick Jordan has a lovely, engaging voice.

So more on the conference later. To my new friends, thanks for a great two days.

My experience with Starbucks

Did you get the Brewed Coffee Card in your USA Today yesterday morning? I did and I was so excited. I mean, you get a free Tall Pike Place Roast every Wednesday until May 28th when you visit your participating Starbucks retailer. Important note - participating retailer. I think you can guess where this is going.

I've been working hard and late here and desperately needed a cup of coffee in between sessions, so I went upstairs to the Starbucks in the hotel and waited in line for five minutes just so I could get my free coffee. I was so excited. I *Love* coffee and have an affinity for Starbucks.

Starbucks lady: I'm sorry, we don't take that (referring to the Brewed Coffee Card).

Me (looking up and around): But, this is a Starbucks, yes?

Starbucks lady: Yes, but we're licensed. You can go to the one across the street, if you want.

Me: But I just want my coffee. And I don't have any cash on me, just my card.

Starbucks lady: I'm sorry.

Me: Ok. Thanks. Bye.

Starbucks - listen up. This is *not* the experience you want your customers to have. I'm at the Forrester Marketing Forum and we're talking at length about designing for the user experience. This? Not the way to do it. I'm not sure how you bring franchisees into the fold and I really don't care. Design for me, please. I have an affinity for your brand and unfortunately, it's slightly tarnished now.

A Starbucks is a Starbucks is a Starbucks. And I want my free coffee. Now. Thankyouverymuch.

As if it weren't big enough...

EDITED TO ADD: It's highly unlikely it's broken. Apparently, even with a small break, my eyes would be bloodshot with big, dark circles underneath. Yes, it's mildly swollen and yes, it still hurts like a MF, but in all likelihood, not broken.

So yes, I will travel tonight and no, I won't be visiting the doctor beforehand. Should I start looking like Squidward anytime soon, I'll reconsider my decision.

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I think I might actually have a broken nose. Really. Petra and I went down for the same pillow at the same time and her head slammed against the bridge of my nose rendering me speechless for a short time and quite ill for most of last night. Nose pain? Excruciating.

I'm trying to decide now if I want to go to the doctor or just suck down enough Advil to get me through my trip today/tomorrow. I mean, seriously, what can they do? It's not like my nose is completely out of whack; if it is a break, it's minor.

What would you do? I agree. Advil, it is.

Isn't it beautiful?

It's my new couch, er sectional, and it will be here tomorrow (sometime between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m.). Isn't it beautiful? Yay, me!

But I have to ask the question: Bernie & Phyl, why a four-hour delivery window? Are your folks just really bad at guesstimating how long it takes to get to a destination (MapQuest will tell you) or how much time it takes to set up a couch? Because I really want to be snoozing on that thing come 9am.

Forget it. Even a 1pm delivery won't destroy my good couch mood. I cannot wait for Sunday. I plan to lounge around on that thing and watch tv. And never get up. And make Natche bring me food. to eat. on my couch. while I'm watching tv. After all, the couch is leather and we're getting the excellent (and expensive) protection package that guarantees whatever I drop on the couch will come up with a quick wipe.

I. can't. wait.

Al, this one's for us!

I just read an article in Fortune Magazine about our favorite friend, Mr. Tequila!

Here's some trivia for you (in case you can't get the online version of the article):

• The wholesale total of tequila sales in the U.S. in 2007 was $1.6 billion, a 4.2% increase over the previous year (thanks to us, no?)
• Under Mexican law, the western state of Jalisco is the only region that can produce tequila
• Juice from the blue agave plant must make up 5% fo the ingredients to be labeled tequila
• 540 agave plants are cut weekly by the average jimador (farmer)

Makes you want a rude Cosmo right about now, doesn't it?

Pardon my brevity...

...But I'm blogging from my BlackBerry.

I'm home. Not working. Rae Rae has the croup and a double ear infection and is at present crawling all over me, snotting as she goes.

I don't recall Petra being this active nor this destructive. Rae Rae is just dangerous!

On another note, Petra is participating in the March of Dimes Wonder Walk today at school.Her coin race begins next Tuesday so if you have any extra coins laying around, please send them her way. Or, if you're a little mean-spirited (like I am) send dollar bills - you can sabotage another class by stuffing bills in its coin jar. It's all for a good cause - the March of Dimes.

I'll try and write again later...when Miss Monster goes to sleep.

Nuts!

Jericho has been cancelled. Again. After I did a 22+ episode marathon to catch up on what I thought was a pretty cool concept.

Argh. And when in the hell is Heroes coming back? My DVR said March 10, but *that* didn't happen.

EDITED: After reading a bit, it appears that Season II of Heroes is composed of the 11 episodes we saw in the fall, not the originally planned 24 because of the writers' strike. Season III, Villains, will start in Q4 of 2008. Shit.

How appropriate!

For whatever reason, I receive a Disney Character of the Day on my iGoogle page. Now, it's quite possible that I added it as a widget, thinking it was cute and fun, but I will never ever own up to actually putting it up there myself



Anyhoo, today's character is finally one with whom I can really identify. She is completely misunderstood and by all accounts a lovely woman maligned by a monarchy that felt she was too headstrong and aggressive (and really, what female senior executive isn't?).





So here's to you Maleficent. I think you're fabulous.

The City of Me

"Mommy, I got mail from the City of Me!", the young child proclaimed upon receiving a postcard from Al sent from the city of Petra, Jordan.

She also confiscated the postcards sent to Rae Rae and me, assuming that since her name was on them--all of the postcards were from the city of Petra--they were hers. And they did; so they are.

What do I do now?

I have "burnt" skin again. Not sure why. Haven't used BE cosmetics in over a week. Here are some possible explanations:

1. Used BE brushes to put on new makeup, but only after a THOROUGH washing. Could I be allergic to the material in the brushes?
2. Used new mineral makeup (without bismuth oxychloride). Could I be allergic to minerals? Probably not. Especially when I've had success with other mineral makeup (i.e., Arbonne)
3. Baked in a 105-degree sauna during Bikram yoga class. Could I actually be "burnt"?
4. Could it be a combination of all of the above?

To be honest, at this point I don't really care *what's* causing the sensitivity. I'm happy to give up everything. I just want my nice, smooth, burn-free skin back.

Oh and slight secant: BE customer service finally got back to me (a week later) and responded that they *loved* to receive new product suggestions from customers and that they'd *absolutely* share my bismuth-free product request with their makeup teams. Form letter much?

The States for Al

Last night Petra asked me if I was sad that Al was leaving Massachusetts. I told her yes, very much so. So she asked me why (because she's four) and I told her it was because Al is my friend. That seemed to suffice. For a minute.

P: Mommy, can I do my States puzzle now?

Me: Honey, it's late and we need to go night-nights.

P: But I need to do my States puzzle.

Me: Why?

P: So I can see where Al will live.

Awwwwww.

And many thanks to Al for the wonderful St. Patty's Day ponies and stickers (most of which have been stuck to Raya's tray table and my counter).

Al, we'll miss you. Have fun at the Borg.

Happy Birthday, Baby Girl!

A very happy eighth birthday to my sweet little girl, Nikita. Here's wishing you a future filled with pig ears and sweet dreams of chasing bunnies.

We love you very much.

Bikram kicked my ass!

This will be quick. I think you've noticed by now that I have absolutely no time (and I mean, zero) to post. I feel like my life has been put on fast-forward and I don't see anyone hitting the pause button anytime soon.

Anyhoo, last night I attended my first Bikram yoga class ever (well, almost ever. I attended ONE class about eight years ago). I've taken power yoga before at Baron Baptiste's studio and it too is taught in a room set at well over 90-degrees. But last night was ridiculous. It was seriously well over 100-degrees and I baked in there for more than 90 minutes. I thought I was going to pass out...and at one point wished I would.

That said, I did the class and will most likely go back later this week for another torture session. Let's face it, any time you sweat that much, you have to be losing weight. And I really need to relieve some of the stress and tension that's causing my left trap to ache every time I pick up the phone or type for too long. Isn't yoga good for that?

Miley/Hannah - stop being so sneaky!

According to my 4 1/2 year-old daughter, Hannah Montana and Miley Cyrus are real and live in our house. When asked how that was possible when *I* couldn't see them, Petra replied, "they're sneaky".

So out with it Hannah Cyrus-Miley Montana. Come out of your hiding place and start contributing to the household like the rest of us. I'll assign you a job. Petra has already claimed Door Opener so you'll have to be Trash Picker-Upper. Will that work?

And, if you are going to live with us, please go sleep in the Fairy Princess room. There is not an inch of space left in my bed thanks to the now-lanky 4 1/2 year-old and the 85-lb Akita who thinks she's a lap dog.

Thankyouverymuch.

So much for BE...

It appears (although it's not confirmed at this point) that I am allergic to an ingredient in the Bare Escentuals Bare Mineral makeup. I have developed a rash on my forehead and by my ears and have an uncomfortable itching/burning sensation all over my face.

I've done some research and it appears that one of the fillers in mineral makeup is an ingredient called bismuth oxychloride; it's what gives mineral makeup that shine or dewey look. Unfortunately it's not entirely uncommon to develop an allergy to it.

To learn more about this ingredient whose kissing cousin is arsenic (!), take a look at The Mineral Makeup's blog post about bismuth oxychloride. And if you hear of a good mineral powder sans BO (ha!), let me know.

In the meantime, I have to take all of my new BE purchases back to Sephora and more importantly, get rid of this rash before I can even TOUCH new makeup.

Thanks, Bare Escentuals!

Calling all you Parrotheads!

It's that time again. Buffett tickets go on sale Monday at 10am.

Fins to the left.....

Fins to the right....

Left, right. Left, right. It's a feeding frenzy on the shores of the Cape Cod Canal tonight!

Pajama Party!

I am sitting in my friend J's hotel room in PA, with a few other women doing work and kibitzing. It is amazing what you can find out (about just about everything) when you're at a pj party (with plenty of wine and yummy food). I learned quite a bit about the folks in the local office and passed along some news from other parts of the organization.

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News update: Obama won Vermont and Ohio is too close to call. Not. looking. good. for. Hill.

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While I don't like being away from my girls, I do like traveling for the opportunity to spend quality time with my favorite colleagues (J&J), even though most of what we discuss after hours has little (or nothing) to do with work. In fact, that's pretty much the best part of my travels.

Hillary Clinton Ad Featuring Jack Nicholson

Have you seen this clip? Um. Wow. It's rather scary (and Jack is rather scary looking....sorry, Jack). And no, it's not a parody, it's the real deal. And Rob Reiner had a hand in creating.

Many thanks to Al for sending it my way. No, it doesn't change my POV, but it certainly makes me think differently about Jack.

Hachiko monogatari - Bittersweet (Akita dog)

Holy crap. As sort of hokey a video as this is, it made me bawl. And I'm not a crier.

Note to Natche: DO NOT WATCH.

Petra's Concert

Petra gave an amazing concert last night, electrifying us with her dazzling keyboard skills, her impressive vocal stylings and her fantastic memory.

Without further ado, I give you Petra, the Disney Princess. Enjoy.