The Way That Dreams Come True

I spent the night weaving in and out of the roads surrounding Bleecker Street and thinking about the way dreams come true.

I'm not sure how it happened, or even if I was aiming in this direction my entire life, but as I walked anonymously through the waves of sound seeping out of restaurants and bars, I realized that I am living the life I've always aspired toward.

That's not to say that I've always wanted to live in New York City. In fact, I grew up in a tiny California beach town and swore I'd move to a smaller place right about when the pizza delivery man started taking our orders all the way to our house. New York City is a long way off from the country life I'd imagined or the future pirate career I'd envisioned, but somewhere along the way something in life lured me here and now it feels perfect.

Sure, we always want bigger apartments and smaller challenges, but New York City breathes something indescribable. I've stumbled into my the life of my dreams and hopefully within a year I will be able to say that I make my living making other people's dreams come true.

How? That's something I'm starting to figure out. But trust me, this dream will come true.

Oh What A Cupcake!

(Food blogs bring me great joy and many pounds. This cupcake comes from Duhlicious.)

Fall in Love with the "Fell in Love at the Apple Store" Song

FattySpins recorded this awesome rap at the 5th Ave Apple Store in NYC. Give it a listen and enjoy all the watch your heart "spin right round like a click wheel."

My favorite verse:

I don't mean to be aggressive or a sleaze.
I don't mean to mac, I'm just not PC.

I know how to treat you,
This ain't a reboot.
I'll never find a need to
Control Alt Delete you.

8 Beautiful Reasons to Love the Rain

There's something about rain. It's magical in this indescribable way, like something that feels best bundled up and kept somewhere safe. The soothing pitter patter is keeping me awake tonight/this morning, and so I feel compelled to explain my fondness through a partial list of reasons why I love the rain.

1. Rain makes spinning in the streets not only acceptable, but also nearly irresistible.

2. In addition to playing in the rain, I've recently become quite fond of drinking juice or ice water as I meander up and down my New York City block as if it weren't raining. Maybe it has something to do with carrying a glass on the road as if the entire city were my kitchen, but I also think there's something grand about strolling around and leisurely drinking as rain water falls and mixes in my drink. There's something about the situation that feels circular and complete, like the cycle of life on a really small, seemingly effortless scale.

3. There's a point when we totally and completely surrender ourselves to getting wet in a storm. I'm intensely in love with that sudden loose feeling and the realization that letting go and getting wet doesn't hurt after all.

4. When you don't feel like frolicking about, introversion is perfectly acceptable in the rain.

5. I once waded through a flooded area unprompted in a Massachusetts sleet storm and pushed a panicked woman and her floating van to a place where her wheels could grip the road again (about 50 feet). Other people were having similar problems so I spent the evening wading about with numb, bright red legs and a chest so happy I didn't care about being soaked to the bone in the sleeting rain. I think I only told one person (until today), but it was invigorating, like helping people find themselves in a really small way. Rain always makes me think of that rush.

6. It also makes me think of hot chocolate.

7. And Billie Meyers' song "Kiss the Rain," which I like even though I shouldn't admit that fact to anyone.

8. I like the soothing musicality of rain in the way that it violates all conventions for time signature and music theory. It's just there and constant. Then it's gone, only to return on its own time. It's to be enjoyed and appreciated, but not relied on or taken for granted. Maybe like friends or life.

I suppose that pitter patter against the cement in my courtyard is in fact there to remind me of something. No wonder I don't want to do anything but listen.

Brand Rankings of Luxury and Social Media Competence

I may work for LuxuryLab and therefore hold some bias, but this unprecedented study and subsequent ranking of 109 brands and their digital competency (especially related to the luxury industry) is worth checking out.

Download it here (after spending lots of time on our website where you can stay abreast of luxury news).

Still think I'm biased and trying to coerce you into yet another reading assignment you don't have time for? Then listen to AdAge, Jeremiah Owyang (overall guru, author of Groundswell and partner at Altimeter Group), or Hwanjin 'David' Choi, a Seoul, Korea based Tweeter who said something I don't understand about the Digital IQ Index but marks the first person I know of to spread the research internationally. (Serves me right, for my ignorant American bilingual nature. If his Tweet was negative, at least he was gracious enough to add the link.)

Whatever the case, check it out. If you do anything related to branding or online media it's truly worth your while.

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Awesome New Music Find: UK based master of fun, Jamie T.

You Can Still Watch the Girl Throwing Ball Back Here and Other Thoughts on How Companies Handle Copyright

The daughter who threw the ball back at the Phillies game quickly became an internet sensation with viral power until the MLB pulled the video from YouTube. Apparently they don't want to play ball and share the rights to their content, but I found a clip that still works and you can see the video below (at least at the time of this writing).

As an aside, I don't think it should go unnoticed that Fox News got in contact with this family via Facebook. It's an interesting time for journalism and media.

Disney is taking a completely different stand on user generated content. When a group of flamboyantly gay guys went to Fire Island and remade Miley Cyrus' Party in the USA" Disney employees not only embraced, but also encouraged the viral nature of the remake by emailing the video to each other. Rich Ross, the president of Disney Channels Worldwide even took the time to call up Mr. Fudge (the video maker) and tell him he liked the video. So what does this reaction vs the MLB reaction mean for branding, copyright, and the nature of the internet? My opinion is right out of Lessig.

Miley Cyrus - "Party in the USA" Fire Island Ramake

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Music Recommendation: The astonishing, beautiful Catherine Feeny

Catherine Feeny - "Mr. Blue"

Visual Statistics, Brand Perception, and Other Cool Stuff From The Shortlist

Yet another best of the web from a person who spends more time on the web than I care to admit.

Cool: The mural at Barter Books, featuring a whole lot of great artists in one portrait of revelry.

Surprising: eBay, WebMD and Facebook all made the top ten of most trusted companies in the United States according to a study by the Ponemon Institute and TRUSTe.

Feeding my love for well presented data. Steve Rubel recently compiled a list of great internet statistics in beautiful data. My favorites are below but you can see his entire list here.



A song I've got on repeat from a band I adore: The Maccabees - "Love You Better"

Why Google is Really Investing in Solar

During the past week or so I've heard a lot about Google's plan to reduce the cost of solar power. Surface journalism has called this a benevolent act that will lower our electricity bills and other reporters have said that this is a strategic way to earn positive PR points. I give both opinions credit, but it seems strange that no one has even mentioned how important this is to Google's business.

Is this so apparent to everyone that it isn't worth mentioning, or have we overlooked the important part? As it stands, Google spends more than $2 million dollars per month on electricity. Of course they want to research lower cost energy consumption. It'll only help business.

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Music Recommendation: Sin Fang Bous - Indie rock that will swing you through the day with quick beats and pleasant cherades

It Gives Me Chills Every Time

The first time I saw this tennis shot I screamed. By the fifteenth time I was still screaming. I love moments like this, little victories that seem like miracles but are really the sum hours and hours of endless work and determination.

Overnight successes don't really exist, and I think that's why record breaking races, academic discoveries, and world championships leave me shaking from the inside out. People work toward their goals never knowing (but mostly believing) that they can break ground. They don't ask for guaranteed success, but continue faithfully on a single belief and with a single goal.

Pursuit like that is beautiful. Maybe that's why I'm still shaking when this shot plays through my mind. This comeback isn't a second or even a moment in the highlight reel. It's years in the making, and so are we. So here's to wishing you success. Here's to moments that keep you shrieking with delight on take 15 and leave you shaking with excitement for weeks.

Reading Shortlist

In an attempt to archive some of my favorite internet content, here is a shortlist of great articles, blogs, and post.

- In honor of 9/11 I give you a beautiful NY Times article that captures the attitude of New York.

- People infer a lot based on the emails you send. Check this out to see how.

- A new political party has formed around our perception of ownership and copyright. They're called the Pirate Party of the United States.

- Users click on links from Facebook Fan pages 9% of the time on Mondays, 10% of the time on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, and much less frequently on other days of the week. (Business Insider)

- Great Steve Rubel Post: The Power of Pull

- Cool Blog Post: What Baby Names Teach Us About Viral Marketing.

- An interesting article that looks at Twilight from a feminist perspective: Is Twilight Bad For Your Love Life?

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Music Recommendation: Jupiter Wave, stripped down alternative rock with a little bounce.

For Typography Buffs

Anyone with insatiable curiosity and an affinity for typefaces should check out Typedia, an encyclopedia of all things typography related. Spend time learning about ascenders and apertures or explore popular types while clicking on a jungle of reference links that will refer you to similar typefaces. I'm being schooled in typography and I can't stop.

In other typography news, Heroine released a new typeface promotional video. This is the first video of this kind that I've ever seen, but my love for typeface promotion is already both deep and very dedicated.

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Music Recommendation: Locksley, a lighthearted rock outfit of exceptional quality and broad head bobbing appeal.

NYC To Do: The Shortlist

I'm starting to receive multiple inquiries per day regarding the going ons about NYC and I must say, I'm honored. I would like to continue to send customized event recommendations to friends (and would like even more to monetize this hobby of mine...help welcomed), but in honor of a friend being in town from the other coast, I've devised a short list of upcoming events that caught my eye. Rather than leave the events list as a private email, I figured I'd share the love. See the (not comprehensive) list below:

THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 10

• Fashion's Night Out in various places all evening, free unless you shop - 800 New York retailers are participating in a collaborative effort to get us shopping again. I can't decide if this is going to really be cool, but I'm sure it will inevitably lead to some interesting interactions and worthwhile after parties put on by emerging fashion labels who see this as a perfect opportunity to gain visibility.
• Cimema 16 in Dumbo, Smack Mellon, 7pm, free - A series of silent 16mm films set to music scores. This monthly event aims to recreate the magical atmosphere of the excitement of going to the movies in the era of silent film.
• Manjinga, APT, 10pm, free - DJ Cato and OBaH spin Reggae, Afrobeat, rare grooves and house classics at this head nodding live and let live party.
  

I need to get some shut eye and I'm sure everyone already has plans for Friday and Saturday, so I'll jump to Sunday.

SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 13

• Brooklyn Book Festival - Brooklyn Borough Hall, 10am-6pm - The author list for this festival is enough to make this the literarati's version of walking straight into the real life version of People Magazine for bookish types.
  
• Brooklyn Flea's Superstar DJ Record Fair, Manhattan Bridge Archway, 11am-6pm, free -
• Coney Island Boardwalk Music Series, Coney Island Boardwalk, 3-11pm -
  
• Live in Your Living Room Concert, Helen Engelhardt's house (805 e. 21st St BK), 7:30pm, $15 recommended donation (You must reserve a spot at reservations@liveinyourlivingroom.nl) - Artists Lee Mason and NYC based Greta Gertler finish off the weekend with beautiful, soothing sounds for the soul.
• OBJECTify NYC - I haven't checked out this new monthly event but it sounds interesting. Who could pass up a costume bash for "inteligent technophiles" who are supposed to costume as their favorite fictional character or embody theif favorite book? Bring a bedtime story to read...
  

ONGOING//BEFORE THE WEEKEND ENDS

• Taste NiEuW Amsterdam - September 5 - 20th (Two week) Restaurant Week - In honor of Henry Hudson's discovery and the cheap price the Dutch paid for New York, participating restaurants are offering a $24 pre fixe.
  
• NY400 - More festivities in honor of the 400th year since Hudson's discovery of New York. Scan through the pages of events and take your pick of anything from industrial ceramics to history walks on the "New Amsterdam Trail" and tours of Dutch frigates and Navy ships.
• Live In Your Living Room continues through September 20th.
  

Worldwide Monopoly, Odes to Puncuation and Other Recent Bests of the Internet

O'Reilly announced a 14 day tour called Geeks On A Plane. This European expedition takes VCs, entrepreneurs, bloggers and thinkers on a trip filled with the best in technology, people, events and overall geek talk over the pond. I'm in love.

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Do not pass go, do not leave your computer. At least don't plan on leaving it on Wednesday when Google and Hasbro release their anticipated Monopoly City Streets. With an initial $3 million dollars and the ability to buy property anywhere in the world using Google Maps you can hope to collect a whole lot more than pass go and collect $200 dollars. Join up and see if you can become the world's richest property magnate in existence.

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Grammar Girl is hosting a favorite punctuation mark contest. You send in an ode to your favorite punctuation mark and on the week of September 24th (National Punctuation Day) the website will feature the best of the best. COOL!

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Mashable's "Mobile Melodies" article pointed out ten great cell phone music performances. Here's one I really enjoyed, one that makes me believe this is Gen Y's version of memorizing how to solve a Rubik's cube or win Pac Man every time.

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The Telegraph recently released an article that spells out 50 Things that Are Being Killed By the Internet. The list includes "the art of polite disagreement," "trust in Nigerian businessmen and princes," "the usefulness of references pages at the front of diaries," and much more.

Kurt Vonnegut On Why We Crave Drama In Our Lives

Derek Sivers recently posted a great piece (with charts) where Kurt Vonnegut explains why people crave drama.

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Music Recommendation: Joseph Arthur

Joseph Arthur - "Witches Broom"

Realizing Our Potential and Other First Impressions From Would Be Internet Powerhouses

Remember when Facebook first started? The homepage looked like the picture on the left and if you didn't type "the" before "facebook.com" you'd find yourself lost in cyberspace.

Why was the transition so seamless? When did we stop typing "the" and did anyone notice?




Or how about four short years ago when YouTube looked like this? We've come a long way. (If you're interested in seeing the way 20 other sites looked when they launched check out this great Telegraph collection here.)

Perhaps more important than memories of MS-DOS, floppy disks, and external hard drives though, is the fact that it's easy to forget the power we hold. It wasn't all that long ago when people never traveled much more than a few miles from where they were born. Letters were delivered via horseback and now we can send our words circling around the world with a few keystrokes.

It's miraculous and about as easy to forget as the days when we used to type "thefacebook.com."

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Founded in 1986 but still current in a retro sort of way, Shudder to Think plays rock that walks the fence between gritty and surprisingly gentle.

Stale Chips and Other Reasons Why We Should Rethink The Way Companies Operate

I woke up this morning with an intense craving for salsa, the kind that leads you sprinting for the kitchen with eyes still bleary and a lack of balance that sends you bumping into walls. Usually I make my own chips, but this morning cried urgent hunger so I reached into the back of my pantry and grabbed a bag of tortilla strips I'd bought a few weeks ago out of laziness and should have thrown away.

But like I said, I wanted salsa. And if you know me, you know my combination of an iron stomach and twisted, stubborn hubris means I'll eat just about anything no matter how weird it smells or old it seems. And so I started eating.

The salsa was everything I'd dreamt of (literally, a salsa dream is what started this all), but the chips, they were a different matter entirely. And as I chewed I had a bit of an epiphany. Why should chips get stale? The answer is, they shouldn't have to.

It's not like chips are made of organic ingredients and real corn. They're practically crunchy chemicals, yet no one has solved the stale problem? It seems counterintuitive. Counterintuitive unless you're the chip company aiming to earn as much money as possible from families who will either devour your chips or buy a new bag the second the chips lose their crunchy freshness.

And so I wonder: Will it ever become truly integral for brands to tap into the entirety of their resource base in order to give us a product that's top of the line, as best as it can be for consumers?

Will we all ever truly be on the same team where win-win isn't a rare choice but a standard business practice? And if that were to occur how would innovation change? Most of all, how unstoppable could we be?

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Bring the house to shambles with the dancing you'll do to Finn Riggins, a band best suited for fans of Matt and Kim and other fast rock.

In Case You Wanted To Smile

I can't believe I'd never seen this before. The fact that this took place in a church just spreads my grin that much wider. This is beautiful.

Why Diane Tucker Might Be A Contender On My "Wouldn't Kick Out of Bed For Eating Crackers" List

Perhaps this is simply journalist humor best suited for those who have read and reread The Elements of Style as if it was the bible, but this is truly one of the most brilliant things I've read in quite some time. In one swoop, Diane Tucker has been added as a potential contender on my brilliant people I admire list (otherwise named "People I Wouldn't Kick Out of Bed For Eating Crackers").

Check out the article below. I'm curious to find out if this is funny to people who don't write.


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She's the female Jack Johnson equivalent in a way, and if you haven't heard of her yet you ought to listen now. Behold Tristan Prettyman.