On The Edge, Made Easier. January 14, 2011

Being on the edge is never easy.  Especially when it comes to loyalty programs, and you know there’s a nice reward on the other side. There’s stress and frustration; for example, a friend of mine flies regularly, but only short distances. She was 525 miles from Silver status on Delta, and the flight home from Chicago only got her 500 miles — 25 miles short. So she waited for yet another flight in Zone 3 or 4 boarding before she got the milestone.  And she still hates those 25 miles with all her heart.

So it was nice to get my email from Starwood Hotels today.  I’m a fairly new member with them, but I’ve built stays fairly quickly due to some very loyal Clients who book our travel in their hotels. And I was literally one hotel stay last year from upgrading to the next level in their loyalty program.  In recognition of that fact, they’ve sent me an email letting me know they’re granting me that status anyway.

They didn’t need to do it. But it was nice. And it feels friendly, which makes me want to stay in their hotels again.

Nice job, Starwood!

2011 January 7, 2011

It’s been a while since we’ve seen you, Sparkle Thursday.  The hiatus started, coincidentally, just days before Brenner got married (congratulations!) and Anemilie started a Supper Club (check it out: sundaynightsupperclub.blogspot.com) and CuriousJul just basically moved to South America for a few weeks before the holidays.

Additionally: CuriousJul remodeled her kitchen, learning exciting new skills (such as tiling) along the way. Brenner painted stripes on the walls in her office, learning that she (still) has no patience for tedious, time consuming tasks. AnEmilie got a new human and dog roommate, then planned a NYE party that was the perfect ending to an epic 2010.

But it’s a new year.  And we still believe that the world needs sparkle. The things that sparkle, after all, are the things that renew your mind, change your space, and motivate each of us to keep moving forward. It’s a new year.  And we’re looking forward to seeing new things, exploring new spaces, and continuing to commit to talking about all of it.

Retail Therapy (of a sort) September 16, 2010

I don’t usually have to recover FROM shopping. But last weekend I went to the Wedding Shoppe with CuriousJul to order her “attendant” dress. This is not a happy place for me. The nausea started when we approached the stairs. It increased when she had to order her dress in “grape.” No one should wear “grape” in heavy satin, none the less any other fabric. I started getting dizzy when they said it would take 8 weeks for her dress to be “cut” and it was an extra $100 to get it to her in time for the wedding in which she was to wear it. I felt like I was punched in the face by a racket. Not a raquet, a racket. It’s a cultural thing. And every female in America believes this cultural thing is just what you DO when you get married. And I get that. Because it’s actually true. It’s an industry built on a cultural assumption. The photos matter.

So we got the hell out of there. And to make ourselves feel better about the world, where did we go? Patagonia. We talked about it. Our consumer souls needed cleansing. We needed reminding that there is a store in which we Belong. And we walked through the doors and I felt free. Is that weird? And I spent some money and my friend felt better because it like my purchase canceled out her purchase and all was right with the balance of the capatalist world again.

But the funny thing, of course, is that those stores are the same store. They are stores. They are rackets. They have different values, different organizations, different personas and perspectives on what business means. They are brands. Brands are social, they are constant, they are the same kind of thing. But I have a completely different physical, emotional, philosophical and spiritual experience depending on in which one I exchange my little moneys for their little objects.

A Party To Die For: To Attract Customers, Cemeteries Hold Fun Events. August 12, 2010

Wow. Got me thinking…

This gets to a bigger conversation CuriousJ and I were having a few months ago–With a more mobile society, couples and families have many places that they feel they belong. This makes choosing a plot a more complicated question. Where does each family member belong? With their children or with their parents?

This brings up another interesting question about the importance of burial and place. Is it as important as in years past?  How will our culture create ceremonies to address a shift away from the traditional family burial? AnEmilie–any anthro thoughts?

A Party To Die For: To Attract Customers, Cemeteries Hold Fun Events – WSJ.com.

From Energy Consumption to Art. July 20, 2010

An interesting new concept of mixing energy consumption with smart, interesting design. I love the idea but think I might hate it if it was at MY house.

Dynamic Wallpaper Turns Energy Consumption into Art | Co.Design.

How Old Spice Ruled the Real-Time Web July 19, 2010

At the pace we live/create/advertise today, this almost seems like old news.

Regardless of timing, this is awesome. I imagine that the internal team has amazing chemistry and had a ball making a little big of magic.

How Old Spice Ruled the Real-Time Web.

How to be a Planning Rockstar. July 13, 2010

An interesting video that provides a nice overview on what “good planners” are/should be, but also some nuggets of inspiration. My personal favorite: “The thing you call your mother about is the thing that is in market.”

video via PSFK

My Previous Life July 7, 2010

My previous life was clearly as a small, adorable, asian woman. Has anyone else noticed all the amazing Japanese and Korean fashion finally hitting the US? Send us links! :-)

I would buy one of everything on this site, except none of it would fit me now… fingers crossed for next time!

YesStyle

Same Same But Different? June 17, 2010

Can anyone tell me the difference between J.Crew and Madewell??

I don’t get it (I mean, I don’t hate seeing two stores with things that I love, but why are they two stores??).

A Case for Books. May 21, 2010

I love books. Not only for their smell, but because when they sit on my shelf they remind me of where I’ve been and friends I’ve made. I can see how my interests have changed over time, but also the types of stories to which I always come back. It appears my love for my book collection makes me fit for raising smart kiddos.

The Chronicle of Higher Education explains:

According to a new study published in the journal Research in Social Stratification and Mobility, is just how strong the correlation is between a child’s academic achievement and the number of books his or her parents own. It’s even more important than whether the parents went to college or hold white-collar jobs.

From the paper:

Thus it seems that scholarly culture, and the taste for books that it brings, flows from generation to generation largely of its own accord, little affected by education, occupational status, or other aspects of class … Parents give their infants toy books to play with in the bath; read stories to little children at bed-time; give books as presents to older children; talk, explain, imagine, fantasize, and play with words unceasingly. Their children get a taste for all this, learn the words, master the skills, buy the books. And that pays off handsomely in schools.

via:Want Smart Kids? Here’s What to Do – Percolator – The Chronicle of Higher Education.