Favorite Things Archive
-
Khan Academy: The Best Site on the Internet (Seriously)
Posted on February 2, 2012 | No CommentsA really, really smart guy named Salman Khan (three degrees from MIT and an MBA from Harvard) wanted to help his niece in another city bring up her math grade.... -
BMP in the Road: Stepping Out?
Posted on January 19, 2012 | No CommentsLike anyone with a favorite pair of sneakers or some worn-in flannel pajamas, I enjoy being comfortable, but comfort has a way of letting the mind and body get sleepy.... -
Willpower: A Book That Could Change Your Life.
Posted on January 13, 2012 | 2 CommentsAs our blog readers know, I prefer to keep my reading in the land of fiction (to see my top fiction picks of 2011, click here). However, every once in... -
Viral Videos of the Year
Posted on December 20, 2011 | No CommentsMashable recently posted a video created by the fine folks over at You Tube with the top 10 most viewed videos if 2011. I think it’s awesome to see the... -
Best of Year Post: So What Did You Learn This Week?
Posted on December 16, 2011 | No CommentsAs we wind down 2011, this December I am taking a second look at some of my favorite blogs. In case you missed it the first go-around, here’s my favorite... -
The Ten Questions That Show Who You Really Are (And My Answers)
Posted on December 15, 2011 | 2 CommentsEarlier this year, we featured a blog highlighting the Ten Questions that James Lipton asks his guests at the end of each interview on “Inside the Actor’s Studio.” The format... -
Great Fiction 2011, Part II
Posted on December 9, 2011 | 4 CommentsIn Part I of my blog on my Favorite Fiction from 2011, I talked about some great reads by Chad Harbach, Adam Ross and Emma Donahue. There’s always so many great... -
Great Fiction 2011, Part I
Posted on December 2, 2011 | No CommentsCan we really be in December already? This month not only means the holidays, overeating and the end of the year, but also the time for my annual wrap-up of... -
Start spreading the news – the guy who owns Alstin is ALMOST a published author!
Posted on November 22, 2011 | No CommentsThat’s right – me, Mike Schluth, the advertising guy, is putting on a new hat that feels great. 2012 is the year my first book will be published. It’s called America’s Dazzle... -
Fare thee well, TBar. I’ll miss you.
Posted on November 18, 2011 | No CommentsIf you read our blog (or ever see me out at a meeting) you know how obsessed I am with iced tea. That’s why I’m so sad to report on... -
BMP in the Road: Jobs, Jobs, Jobs…
Posted on November 10, 2011 | No CommentsAs a long-term graphic designer and the resident Mac tech-guy at Alstin, I found Steve Job’s’ recent demise to be the closing of a window that I’d often peered into.... -
So this is why people love Apple
Posted on October 21, 2011 | 1 CommentIt’s official: I love Apple. I’m part of the cult, I’m drinking the kool-aid and I am a card carrying member of the club I used to mock. Actually, I’m... -
Revisiting the Greatest Commercial Ever
Posted on October 14, 2011 | 2 CommentsWith the passing of Steve Jobs last week, I was reminded of Apple’s landmark “1984” commercial. Over the years, I’ve given many presentations on branding, and I never fail to... -
The Most Honest Car Commercial You’ll Ever See—and Love.
Posted on September 30, 2011 | No CommentsI don’t know about you, but I can’t think of any product that’s more advertising-saturated than the automobile. By my unofficial estimate, every NFL game shows an average of 6... -
Picture This Contest – WIN a $50 Gift Card to Barnes & Noble!
Posted on September 21, 2011 | 25 CommentsThey say a picture is worth a thousand words. In today’s economy, it’s more like 20 or 25. If you choose them efficiently, that should be enough. See if you... -
I think I can, I think I can … I know I can!
Posted on August 24, 2011 | 1 CommentI dedicate this blog to my dear husband who right about now is spending his last dwindling days of summer vacation working on about half a dozen different do-it-yourself projects... -
Are you an outlier?
Posted on May 13, 2011 | No CommentsAs those who read our blog know, I am a huge fan of great fiction. Every once in a while though, something from the world of reality catches my eye.... -
When logos tell the truth
Posted on May 13, 2011 | No CommentsDo a quick search on YouTube for “cat videos” and you’ll get close to 100,000 results. Some of those videos have more than 20 million views. Viktor Hertz, a Swedish designer, took it... -
Old Commercials To Make You Smile (and Cringe).
Posted on May 6, 2011 | 2 CommentsPART 5: How cheesy can you get? We’re so accustomed to commercials that use exaggeration and hyperbole to get their point across—in fact, we expect it. The not-so-subtle messages we... -
There’s no crying in softball.
Posted on May 5, 2011 | No CommentsThat’s the rule, right? Well, I’m happy to report that one month and two games into little league softball season, I have yet to have a player tear up. That’s... -
The Love Story Continues: An Honest Tea Update.
Posted on April 8, 2011 | 2 CommentsI can’t believe it’s been nearly 2 years since I wrote about my love for Honest Tea. That posting cemented my reputation as an iced tea addict—and I also received... -
Butterflies in the Hornet’s Nest (Ignorant and Proud! Part II)
Posted on March 17, 2011 | No CommentsMy hunt for Double Bass information and opinion led me to a popular site (for enthusiasts, that is). Instead of starting a “newbie needs help” thread, I just read. And... -
And the winner is …
Posted on March 9, 2011 | No CommentsThis week’s winner of the “Picture This” caption contest and lucky recipient of a $50 gift card to Barnes & Noble is: Kathleen Osterhoudt, with the entry, “The concept of... -
An Ocean (City) of Opportunity
Posted on March 3, 2011 | 2 CommentsOcean City, New Jersey has been “my beach” since I was two years old. It was the town my family visited every summer for two weeks, renting a converted garage... -
Photo Tip: Shooting from the Hip. Literally.
Posted on February 24, 2011 | 1 CommentUntil Spring arrives for real, I thought I’d brighten your day with a hot pink photo of flowers. I also wanted to share the unconventional method that I used to... -
Who won the 2011 Super Bowl of Ads?
Posted on February 11, 2011 | 3 CommentsSunday’s Super Bowl provided not just a thrilling game, but a huge spotlight for advertisers looking to launch new campaigns and get their products noticed. What’s so special about Super... -
If Ad Agencies Planned Birthday Parties
Posted on January 28, 2011 | No CommentsOur COO, Mike Tedesco passed this around the office last week, and I had to share it with our blog readers. Of course, I love the parody and satire of... -
The Last Ad Agency on Earth?
Posted on January 14, 2011 | No CommentsAs a lover of newspapers, I guess I’m a bit of an old timer. I still believe these reports proclaiming the death of all media that existed before 1990 is... -
BMP in the Road – Ignorant and Proud! (Part I)
Posted on January 6, 2011 | No CommentsAround this time last year, I was embarking on a wood-carving phase and made several animals of varying sizes over the course of the first three seasons. It was a... -
Favorite Blog of the Year: Patty Cara
Posted on December 22, 2010 | No CommentsMy favorite post from the past year is actually one from last December. I wrote “Mango: A Love Story” just a week after we got our first real pet. It’s... -
Favorite Blog 2010: Jay Scheuerle
Posted on December 20, 2010 | No CommentsThis blog entry was a favorite of mine as it captures some additional appeal to design that exists beyond visual aesthetics. Perhaps I’ll follow it up with why design is important to... -
Great Fiction 2010, Part II
Posted on December 17, 2010 | No CommentsIn Part I of my blog on my Favorite Fiction from 2010 I talked about some great works by Richard Bausch, Joshua Ferris and Jonathan Franzen. Let’s get right to... -
Jen’s Favorite Blog 2010 (hint: it’s not about #socialmedia or #socialrecruiting)
Posted on December 14, 2010 | No CommentsAs we wind down 2010, this December we’re all taking a look back at some of our favorite blogs. In case you missed it the first go-around, here’s Jen Hitchens’... -
Favorite Blogs 2010: Kate Gamble
Posted on December 13, 2010 | No CommentsAs we wind down 2010, this December we’re all taking a look back at some of our favorite blogs. In case you missed it the first go-around, here’s Kate Gamble’s... -
Tony’s Favorite 2010 Blog
Posted on December 10, 2010 | No CommentsAs we wind down 2010, this December we’re all taking a look back at some of our favorite blogs. In case you missed it the first go-around, here’s Tony Rosato’s... -
Great Fiction 2010, Part I
Posted on December 3, 2010 | No CommentsBy the looks of this blog, you might think we over here at Alstin eat, breathe and sleep all that is recruitment and retention. Every so often we’ll stray from... -
Favorite Blogs 2010: Christy Parker
Posted on December 2, 2010 | No CommentsAs we wind down 2010, this December we’re all taking a look back at some of our favorite blogs. In case you missed it the first go-around, here’s Christy Parker’s... -
Marian Bantjes: Intricate beauty by design
Posted on November 11, 2010 | No CommentsI want to share a TED talk with you that I found especially creatively inspiring. First, a bit of background on TED: They are a non-profit organization devoted to... -
It’s Always Sunny …
Posted on October 26, 2010 | 1 CommentI was driving to work this morning and looking at the sky, enjoying the warmer-than-normal fall air and fall foliage and for some crazy reason the thought “It’s Always Sunny... -
Fits Philly to a T
Posted on October 13, 2010 | No CommentsWith playoff phever* descending upon Center City, Philadelphia, I have to share a great site and kindred creative enterprise. Anyone can do a help wanted ad, but Alstin tries to... -
The Best Sandwiches in Center City Philadelphia: Help Me Finish This List!
Posted on October 1, 2010 | 8 CommentsIn this month’s Philadelphia Magazine, there is an article on the best sandwiches in the city. Normally, this would be a cause of celebration because, while I am well known... -
One-Minute App Attack: Percolator
Posted on September 23, 2010 | 1 CommentPercolator is an iPhone app that allows you to creatively modify photographs. The user experience is simple and somewhat intuitive, although it required a bit of tinkering to get what... -
My Almost Triathlon (With Apologies to Real Triathletes Everywhere)
Posted on September 2, 2010 | No CommentsSome things seem like a good idea if you agree to them far enough in advance. Case in point: Last year, after my husband finished a sprint triathlon in Brigantine,... -
A Fun, Crazy Challenge to Our Blog Readers: Who’s Hungry?
Posted on August 13, 2010 | No CommentsOur favorite new sandwich shop is Jake’s Sandwich Board, located just 2 blocks from our office. They are truly artists of great sandwiches. Here’s their website where you can learn... -
BMP in the Road: You’re Not My Type
Posted on July 1, 2010 | No Comments“Renaissance” may not be the best word to use, but typography, more specifically font faces, underwent an explosion in the past ten years. Thankfully, it’s slowed down a bit and... -
Stalking Bradley Cooper
Posted on May 12, 2010 | 1 CommentLast Thursday two co-workers returned from their lunch break breathless with excitement. Bradley Cooper and Robert DeNiro were filming a scene for their upcoming movie, The Dark Fields, just a... -
My Precious.
Posted on April 29, 2010 | No CommentsBy the looks of this blog, you might think we over here at Alstin eat, breathe and sleep all that is recruitment and retention. Every so often we’ll stray from... -
Inspiring Creativity: The Playlist
Posted on April 15, 2010 | No CommentsIn my last blog post, “Music and Creativity: Let the Music Play. Or Not,” I asked for input on music that inspired people creatively. I got back recommendations that were... -
Forty is the new…30? …21? …age of denial?
Posted on April 7, 2010 | 2 CommentsBy the looks of this blog, you might think we over here at Alstin eat, breathe and sleep all that is recruitment and retention. Every so often we’ll stray from... -
This Week in Graffiti
Posted on March 29, 2010 | No CommentsBy the looks of this blog, you might think we over here at Alstin eat, breathe and sleep all that is recruitment and retention. Every so often we’ll stray from...
