I’m a huge Project Runway fan. I’ve watched every season, and I think there are lessons in there for life. First off – don’t complain or argue. I’m a creative and the vast majority of my work is collaborative. Negative feedback is inevitable, so take it with grace and find the nugget you can use. Those who do that on the runway always make it. This week’s episode told another story. In a team challenge, one member didn’t speak up enough and was bullied by the other two into accepting their ideas and doing most of the work for a collection that failed. It was infuriating to watch, but the lesson is in there too. Speak up. Your future depends on it.
Uncle Rusty
I lost my great uncle Rusty last weekend; although, I didn’t find out until this weekend because my mom knew I was on vacation and didn’t want to upset me. He was the first born son of my German great grandparents. They spoke German to him until he went to kindergarten and returned home confused. He served time in the US Air Force and was an entrepreneur. He retired from his own business at 68. When I returned to Boise after graduate school in ’97, I would frequent his kitchen table where we would share a glass of wine with his lovely wife and then take in a BSU basketball game. He had season tickets. Those were the first sporting events I ever attended. I’m not sure what I enjoyed more – the deep conversation or the game. He was great company. He lived to be 93, which is a year older than my great grandmother, who died on election day 1992, a few weeks shy of her 93rd birthday. Rest in Peace, Rusty.
Social Media Trolls
“‘Why don’t you kill yourself’ is code for ‘No one is listening to me. Do you know I exist.’ No I don’t know you exist, and I don’t care.” – Jerry Seinfeld on social media trolls
English is the language for swearing
On my walk across town tonight, I heard a woman seamlessly incorporate the word, “f*ck”, into an otherwise perfect Spanish sentence. I can only conclude that English is the language for swearing.
Confidence is a powerful thing
“Whether you think you can or whether you think you can’t, you’re right.” -Henry Ford
Cherubs and their sweet packaging
While in London in September 2015, I thoroughly enjoyed the simple fried tomatoes our cafe served with breakfast. The little plum tomatoes were cut lengthwise and grilled with a little oil, salt, and pepper. It was the perfect acid to add to breakfast. When we returned, I started buying them and grilling them in a skillet on the weekends. The store usually carries a few lines of produce, but this package always catches my eye. The branding is on a sticker on top and resembles old poster art with hand drawn type. Check out the middle strokes in the “E” and “B.” Charming. You open the package by pulling the tab on the sticker and pour your product out like candy. The underside of the sticker has a cheeky phrase, “If you were a salad, Nature Sweet Cherubs would be your best friends.” The tomatoes are always uniform in size, and the clear package makes it easy to see what you’re buying. The cone shape may not stack well in a box, but it also provides more structural integrity than a plastic box. I rarely see one of these crushed while sitting on the shelf. Enjoy.
Casper reigns at Penn Station
Mon mari and I spent last weekend in NY and traveled there via our preferred method of travel, Amtrak. Casper Mattress dominated the advertising space at Penn Station this month, and I had to admire their branding. Soothing shades of blue remind me of sleep and the font was playful yet modern. The original illustrations are just lovely and sometimes cheeky like a pile of bears sleeping with the tagline, “Hibernate.” Plus, a mail order mattress company seems like the perfect fit for urban dwelling New Yorkers.
Room for everyone
“No books. No effort. Does not function as a member of class.” – Report card of Joey Ramone as seen at the Queens Museum Ramones exhibit. A reminder that this very large world has room for all kinds of people and all kinds of talents and skills.
More than righteous anger
You see, change requires more than righteous anger. It requires a program, and it requires organizing.” – Barack Obama
Invent something
“Let’s go invent tomorrow instead of worrying about what happened yesterday.” – Steve Jobs