A 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. So, he started tutoring her remotely. Her grades went up and more nieces and nephews were added to his roster. With their schedules to consider, it just became easier for him to make brief YouTube videos simply explaining the math they had to learn. Pretty soon, other people started watching his videos. And their numbers grew. The result is Khan Academy. And I think it is the best thing on the Internet. At this amazing site, you can now watch more than 2,800 videos where geniuses explain things to you simply – often while making simple drawings to illustrate their point.

Math is still this site’s strong suit, but topics now range from Biology to Art History to Calculus to Chemistry and beyond. Their mission is nothing short of changing the way the world learns – while democratizing access to knowledge.

Check out the TED Talk that Mr. Khan gave about his amazing site:

One other thing about the site – it makes learning fun. Really. You can start at any point and earn badges for successfully completing exercises that accompany the lessons. You can use it to help your kids with complex concepts that you either don’t remember or never learned. Or, you can simply dip in at any point and learn more about topics that excite you.

I love a good video of a kitten falling asleep as much as the next person. But, if you’re ready to use the Internet to its full advantage, Khan Academy should be your next stop.

Like 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. One doesn’t want to get complacent…

As an ever-changing hobbiest, I step into new adventures every couple of years, not just because I’m restless, but because there’s something wonderful about turning ignorance into a talent. My past is littered with adventures in beer making, rock climbing, animation, sushi rolling, etc. These were all things that I dove into because of some underlying desire or love. They seemed like they were within reach of my skill sets. Sure, they were new, but they all seemed learnable and they generally came pretty easily to me.

Enter ballroom dancing.

Mind you, this is not a typical choice for me, but a wonderful woman I had just started dating had mentioned being into dancing, so I offered up that we take lessons together. Aside from netting myself 1,000+ “great guy” points, I suddenly found myself spending evenings moving awkwardly across a dance floor with instructions that made my last experience (Virginia Reel, 1974) seem completely irrelevant. Hello Rhumba, Waltz, Eastern Swing, Cha-cha and Foxtrot! For those of you who’ve seen “Dancing with the Stars” (I have not), following a routine like they do is completely different than making it up on the fly and being able to convey the next move to your partner (that’s called “leading” I now know).

And you know what? I’m having a fun time, but I’ve finally found something I’m completely awful at! Now, my girlfriend and dance instructor both assure me that I’m in fact progressing quite well, but as someone who has always considered himself a quick study, I’m just not seeing it! Perhaps I can blame it on age, infrequency of lessons, or two left feet (there’s got to be a reason in there somewhere!), but it doesn’t matter. I’ve always been of the mindset that you learn more from failures than successes, so I’m learning more than I have in years. It’s a good thing!

Resolve in the upcoming year to step out of your comfort zone. Risk being awful. Looking like a fool.

You’ll thank me in 2013!   - j

As 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 awhile a non-fiction book comes along that changes the way we think about our world. For me, I always find Malcolm Gladwell’s books thought-provoking (read my blog on Outliers here), and a few years ago Barbara Kingsolver’s Animal, Vegetable, Miracle changed the way we think about our food supply.

At the end of last year, I began hearing good things about a new book on self-control and willpower. While I’m always wary of books that get fawning praise (I especially bristle when I read things like “A Revelation,” “This Changes Everything We Know About [insert subject here],” “Masterful”), sometimes a book lives up to the hype, and I really found a lot of great information in Willpower: Rediscovering the World’s Greatest Human Strength by researcher Roy F. Baumeister and New York Times science writer John Tierney.

I’d hate to give too much away because I think this is a book everyone should read, but the crux of their findings is that willpower acts like a muscle: it can be depleted and fatigued, but also strengthened with practice. You’ll also learn that, as unsexy as it sounds, what fuels willpower is not determination, your grandfather’s pull-yourself-up-by-your-bootstraps philosophy or the harsh Minnesota winters of your youth. Nope, it’s just glucose, and it can be bolstered simply by replenishing the brain’s store of fuel. That’s why eating and sleeping have such a profound impact on our self-control, and why it’s almost impossible for traditional dieters to resist temptations.

You’ll also learn that:

• People around the world rank a lack of self-control as their biggest weakness.
• We typically spend four hours every day resisting temptations.
• We have “one” willpower; in other words, our willpower to eat healthier, our willpower not to yell at our kids, to exercise, to be a better husband, to keep a clean kitchen, etc.–all tap the same source. That’s why trying to change too many habits at once (stop smoking, lose weight, go to church more) is almost impossible.
• How even a super-motivated, hyper-successful person like Oprah Winfrey–who built and runs an empire–can still struggle with her weight.
• How to really make a New Year’s resolution (John Tierney, one of the authors of Willpower, had a nice piece on this in Sunday’s New York Times
• How with the Internet age, we face a whole new level of temptations to overcome.
• Why almost every diet is doomed to fail.

Willpower showcases a lot of studies, but in an informative, entertaining way, and the authors do a good job of summarizing their findings, including being honest about results they have difficulty explaining.

Perhaps the best news in the book is that once you learn to master these techniques and establish better habits, willpower gets easier and requires less mental energy to gain self-control.

For example, the authors studied people who seemed very disciplined, whether it be in their eating habits, exercise, career, home life, etc. When they looked closer to see what made them tick, they found that these go-getters weren’t necessarily more motivated or possessed more willpower than the average person. So how did they do it? By consistently placing themselves in situations where they had to use that willpower less often. That’s why good habits like having only healthy snacks in the kitchen, packing a gym bag before you go to bed, scheduling a set hour each day to read to your children, etc. can make a real difference.

To learn more about Willpower, check out this review here.

Mashable 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 things that people really love, or hate so much they can’t stop watching.  I took the time to actually list each video below in-case you may have missed them, but be sure to watch the round-up below!

10. Cat mom hugs baby kitten: 37,799,824 views
9. The Force: Volkswagen Commercial: 45,248,798 views
8. Maria Aragon – Born This Way (Cover) by Lady Gaga: 45,108,486 views
7. The Creep (feat. Nicki Minaj & John Waters): 48,562,705 views
6. Look At Me Now – Chris Brown ft. Lil Wayne, Busta Rhymes (Cover by @KarminMusic): 49,603,838 views
5. Nyan Cat [original]: 53,839,094 views
4. Talking Twin Babies – PART 2 – OFFICIAL VIDEO: 56,354,483 views
3. Jack Sparrow (feat. Michael Bolton) 60,495,847 views
2. Ultimate Dog Tease:: 74,327,452 views
1. Rebecca Black – Friday – Official Music Video : 12,534,147 views

You Tube surpassed 1 trillion views in 2011 and that is a massive and impressive number! My personal favorites are The Ultimate Dog Tease and the Look at me now cover by Karmin.

Which one did you like the most? Did your fave not make the list? Share below!

As 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 – enjoy!

The blog post I wanted to highlight this year was “So What Did You Learn This Week?” To be honest, I’m not even sure this is my favorite—there were just so many interesting topics to blog about this year including the idea of Information Sickness, the passing of Steve Jobs, stereotypes of the millennial workforce, the candidate experience (again), outliers, Black Hat SEO and so much more. However, I’m choosing this post because I think that the drive to always be learning and embracing new ideas and concepts will be a key differentiator for recruiters–and all employees–over the next few years. Some will welcome these new strategies and concepts, and the rest will be left behind. My feeling is that it simply doesn’t matter who you are or what you do—your job is changing.

Earlier 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 was actually inspired by the French TV host Bernard Pivot, who would submit to his guests the “Proust Questionnaire,” named after the great French writer Marcel Proust. Proust believed that a person’s answers to these ten questions revealed a great deal about them. Ready to show your true colors? Post your answers to the questions that follow. My answers are below.

 1.) What is your favorite word?

Serendipity

 2.) What is your least favorite word?

Leverage

 3.) What turns you on?

Authenticity

 4.) What turns you off?

Phoniness

 5.) What sound or noise do you love?

The call of the green frog (click here).

Tied for first: A camera clicking.

Close second: A good, old-fashioned typewriter.

6.) What sound or noise do you hate?

Whining

7.) What is your favorite curse word?

Poop

8.) What profession other than your own would you like to attempt?

Psychologist

9.) What profession would you not like to do?

Ice Road Trucker

10.) If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates?

Welcome back.

In 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 ones I miss (sorry to Eleanor Henderson, Karen Russell and others—but I did just start Tea Obreht’s The Tiger’s Wife, which The New York Times named one of the top 5 fiction books of the year). Let’s continue with Part II of my list of the year’s best in fiction.

The Anthologist
Nicholson Baker
Paul Chowder has been asked to write an introduction to a new poetry anthology—and he can’t do it. He misses his girlfriend Roz (who left him because of his procrastinating, among other reasons), his house is falling apart, and his poems aren’t really being published anymore. Haverford College grad Nicholson Baker is a writer wonderfully out of the mainstream who writes slim novels with the pleasing contradiction of being very entertaining despite not a whole lot happening. In his novel Room Temperature, the entire novel takes place during the bottle feeding of an infant, Vox is a phone-sex conversation, U and I, a fan-like appreciation of John Updike, and The Fermata is about a man who can stop time and chooses to use that amazing ability to undress women. The Anthologist features what I thought was Baker’s most likeable protagonist yet, and it really is a love letter to poetry. I think The Anthologist also serves a lesson on why we like rhyme and poetry, the great poets in history, and a thoughtful meditation on how poetry affects our life.

Jo Nesbo
The Snowman
What is with these Scandinavian writers and the great mysteries they write? Publication of The Snowman set off a fun, silly debate over who’s better, the late Stieg Larsson or Jo Nesbo. Both are excellent. In The Snowman, Detective Harry Hole is drawn into a complex and grisly murder that looks like it might match a series of unsolved murders. Norway has never had a serial killer, so many around Hole are suspicious when he starts to link the crimes together. In so many murder mysteries, every character seems like a cut-out caricature, but not in this gritty and creepy thriller. I don’t read many mysteries, but I really enjoyed this one.

John Casey
Compass Rose
John Casey is best known for his wonderful novel Spartina which none other than the New York Times called “possibly the best American novel . . . since The Old Man and the Sea.”). In this follow-up, the focus is less on Dick Pierce (the main character in Spartina) and more on his daughter from his affair with Elsie, Rose. Casey’s novels (including the also-excellent The Half-Life of Happiness) have more to do with people than plot, and there sure isn’t much to criticize in the natural, estuary Rhode Island world Casey creates, or his lyrical writing. For me however, the characters that were so compelling in Spartina are a lot less interesting—and likeable–in Compass Rose. Still, I’m glad for Compass Rose, not just because we get to revisit the lives of these characters, but because it gives me an opportunity to recommend a truly great and unfairly underrated novel. Read Spartina today!

Tom Rachman
The Imperfectionists
Another great first novel. The Imperfectionists follows the writers, editors and publishers of an international English language newspaper in Rome. Each of the main characters gets a chance to tell his or her story from their own point of view—I know that sounds like a bit of a gimmick, but it really works here. This novel is very funny and very sad, and the characters seem both crazy and completely real. The novel also deals with the chaos in trying to put out a paper, and how the Internet has changed newspapers forever. Fiction is so subjective, but I’ve yet to meet someone who read The Imperfectionists who hasn’t really liked it. One of my favorites of the year.

A Sense of an Ending
Julian Barnes
Fantastic. This is one of those slim, literary novels that packs more depth and narrative punch between its cover than a ponderous 800 page epic. Tony Webster and his school friends welcome the brilliant Adrian into their pseudo-cool group where they talk philosophy, smoke cigarettes, drink and vow to be friends forever–until things take a tragic change. The novel then picks up 40 years later with Tony, alone and living a quiet life of humdrum routines. A lot of wisdom and insight is squeezed into this novel, especially on the subject of the everyday, and how we all have our own version of the past that we can’t help but constantly edit and embellish. I’ve heard this novel accurately described as a “mystery of memory.” Winner of the 2011 Man Booker Prize and, along with Skippy Dies, my favorite novel of the year.

 
Skippy Dies
Paul Murray
Want to read a 672 page novel about boys at a catholic prep school in Ireland? If you said no, you’re really going to miss out. The pacing is great, it’s both hilarious and heartbreaking, and it captures adolescence in all its wincing, cringing glory. Even though yes, Skippy dies (he’s actually a goner on the first few pages), the way the novel unfolds and builds back to that moment—especially once we learn about all the pain and drama surrounding his demise–makes his death all the more heartbreaking. This novel also smartly captures what it means to be a teenager today, where everything is available on the Internet, friends text instead of talk, etc. What I think I liked best about Skippy Dies is how Murray takes what seem like the most obvious stereotypes (the smart, fat kid; the pretty, rich girl; the shy student, the nerdy teacher; the psychotic bully;) and makes them into fully rounded, sympathetic characters without resorting to clichés or epiphanies. Skippy Dies isn’t the type of novel that gets the snooty literary awards and fawning press, but for pure storytelling and reading entertainment this was my favorite novel of the year.

That’s it for me, but please help add to this list. I’d love to hear what novels made your best-of list in 2011!

Can 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 the best fiction I read in 2011. To see my picks from previous years, click here. Like last year, I read so many worth talking about that I’m going to need two blog posts to fit them all in.

My biggest lament, as always, are all the great ones I didn’t get to. I hope our readers will help add to this list by posting comments at the bottom. Okay, on to Part I of my favorites from 2011!

The Art of Fielding
Chad Harbach
There was so much buzz around the publication of this excellent first novel, and when I learned that the novel revolves around both literature and baseball, I knew this one was for me. The Art of Fielding follows Henry Skrimshander, an incredibly talented shortstop at small Westish College in Wisconsin. Henry, with the coaxing and coaching of his pal Mike Schwartz  (my favorite character in the novel), blossoms even further, and by his junior year major league scouts are showing up as he nears Luis Aparicio’s amateur record of consecutive games without an error. It’s hard to tell much more without giving away the plot, but all is not smooth sailing for Henry as he has a Steve Sax/Chuck Knoblauch type meltdown (baseball fans will know what this means, and it’s absolutely excruciating to read). While the novel has some of the best writing about baseball I’ve read, especially on the artistry and grace of fielding, this is much more than a “sports” novel, as there’s complicated relationships, romances, and heartbreak exploding all around. If I’m being cranky, my one complaint would be that some of the narrative twists felt a bit forced (especially near the end), but this was easily one of my top books of the year and I heartily recommend it.

PS: On Wednesday, the New York Times named The Art of Fielding one of the top 5 fiction books of the year.

The Lonely Polygamist
Brady Udall
Golden Richards has four wives, twenty-eight children and some serious despair in his heart. He spends a lot of his time in a near-impossible quest for some peace, and his increasingly frigid relationship with his wives, kids and a super-stressful, failing business venture are killing him. Needless to say, all is not well on the home front, with one wife ready to leave him and one son plotting revenge. Richards is building a brothel in Nevada, and there he falls in love with a woman he sees walking near the construction site. There’s something really winning about the hapless, pitiable Richards, but I can’t say I loved this book. Perhaps it was just me, but I found the pacing slow (most reviewers felt otherwise) and long stretches uninvolving. Finally, the concept of the polygamist life not being all it’s cracked up to be didn’t really strike me as revelatory.

Mr. Peanut
Adam Ross
The first two sentences of this novel let you know what you’re in for: “When David Pepin first dreamed of killing his wife, he didn’t kill her himself. He dreamed convenient acts of God.”

Actually, David loves his obese wife Alice, but not her dread, mannerisms or obsessions, and he dreams of endless ways of killing her. Once she’s dead, the detectives Hastroll and Sheppard step in and (initially at least) it seems the novel will loop back solely to the story of David and Alice’s marriage. However, things take a very unexpected turn, both in subject matter and style, and that risky move seems to divide people’s opinion of the book. Personally, I really liked Mr. Peanut, both for the admirable intricacy of the plotting as well as its focus and ruminations on relationships and marriage. I’ve read that this book is becoming something of a quick cult classic, and I bet most people will tell you they either love it or hate it. Give it a try and see what you think.

Sunset Park and Invisible
Paul Auster
I’ve read most of Paul Auster’s novels, and we’re so lucky to have a novelist who never stops redefining and pushing the boundaries of storytelling. Auster is always playing with structure, voice, point of view, meta-fiction and postmodernism; and Sunset Park and Invisible are his two most recent novels. I really liked Sunset Park and really hated Invisible, and a lot of Auster fans will tell you that dichotomy is completely normal. In the case of Sunset Park, a story about Miles and his friends squatting in foreclosed houses in Florida, his unusual approach really works. I found that Sunset Park hit squarely on the feelings of despair and hopelessness many in our country have experienced over the last few years. In Invisible, young and eccentric Adam Walker meets the enigmatic Rudolf Born and his lover, the beautiful Margot, while at Columbia University. This one was not for me, but the New York Times loved it, so what do I know?  If you’re interested in Auster, some of my favorites are The Book of Illusions, Man in the Dark, Oracle Night, Travels in the Scriptorium, The Brooklyn Follies and his famous New York Trilogy.

The Ask
Sam Lipsyte
Another novel that reflects these tough economic times, and this one really pulls no punches. Sad-sack Milo Burke is not only a failure at bringing in donors at the small university he works for, but in life. His chance at redemption is hauling in a large fish: “The Ask,” represented by Purdy Stuart, a former classmate who has hit it big. This darkly comic novel is not for those looking to be inspired or uplifted, as you can feel the sting in Milo’s acidic comments and dim view of the world. I know this type of cynical, bleak novel is not for everyone, but even if it’s not always enjoyable, I thought this funny, biting satire of our society was very well done. Still, not a holiday gift for Grandma.

Room
Emma Donahue
Wow, wow and wow. Along with Cormac McCarthy’s The Road, Room might be one of the most unnerving novels I’ve ever read. The story is told from the point of view of Jack, a boy to whom Room is the whole world. To his mother (Ma) Room is the prison where she has been kept for seven years. Ma has done her best to try to create a life for her and Jack in Room, but things have to change, and she has a plan for her and Jack to escape Room and Old Nick. I found Room harrowing and impossible to put down. I hate when reviewers over-gush about books, but even if you don’t love this one, it truly is unforgettable.

I’ll be back in the next week or so with Part II of my list, which will include my two favorite novels of 2011. In the meantime, I’d love to hear from our readers on their best fiction reads!

If 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 the demise of the TBar, formerly at 12th and Sansom.

The TBar was located just a few blocks from our office. I would often sneak out around lunch to get one of their delicious iced bubble teas and take a deep breath. Tastefully decorated and with super-nice people working there, it was a welcome oasis from the din and hustle of Center City. In fact, its closing reminded how upset I was when another great tea shop closed, Great Tea International at 17th and Sansom (hmm, it’s starting to dawn on me that selling $2-3 teas and then having customers stay for an hour–all while you’re paying Center City rent–may not be the most profitable business plan).

Anyway, I’m sorry to see them go but happy to report that you can find them online at www.tbarteas.com/tbar/ Please visit the website and give them a try. They have over 70 types of loose teas, as well as teaware and accessories. Tea makes a great holiday gift.

As 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. Though I think some of the eulogizing was over the top and overly simplistic, I found much of the criticism directed towards Jobs’ and his apparent deification to be equally ignorant.

One of the most repeated comments I read was that all Apple did was make things shiny and market them well, with Steve being little more than a huckster pitchman preying on the easily distracted masses. Sure, you could attribute these POVs to Android fans who think their superior platform doesn’t get a fair shake, developers who froth over Apple’s “walled garden”, the “those who hate anything popular” crowd, and an abundance of rambunctious 13 yr. old boys, but in reality, you simply have a group that doesn’t understand or respect the concept of complete design.

Steve Jobs understood this, and he was a bit of a prick when it came to getting other people to grasp and embrace the concept. It mattered a lot to him, possibly more than anything other than his family. It was his life’s philosophy. “Make it great!” was all about elegance–the inseparability between form and function. Because his vision was so clear, he believed that the best way to keep people from making the wrong/inelegant choices was to remove them altogether. In the end, this led to products that had built-in limitations, but that’s because of Job’s philosophy that the device knew better than the user did. When you let the device make all the decisions, you no longer have a computer. You have an appliance. And who tinkers with their microwave oven?

When you plunk down your cash for an Apple product, you’re not buying a shiny product with a great marketing campaign (though these are givens at this point), what you’re buying is a vision, what design luddites call the “Kool-aid”, simply because the value of the concept is not apparent to them. If you don’t get it, you don’t get it.

For those of you that DO get it, here’s another product to look at – nest.com. And trust to just work… – j

It’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 a very late convert to the Apple movement. For most of my life, I’ve been a PC stalwart, defending Microsoft and PCs and making fun of those hipster-doofus Mac types with their self-righteous air, coffee shop wisdom and shiny silver computers that cost double what a PC cost.

Then a funny thing happened: I started using a Mac. I remember we were doing a presentation for a client that had a lot of video and animation, and our Creative Director wanted to use Keynote (Mac’s presentation tool) instead of PowerPoint. The two programs are very similar these days, but there were key differences 5-10 years ago. Not only did the Keynote presentation look much better, but I defy anyone who doesn’t work for Microsoft to tell me that Keynote wasn’t significantly easier and more intuitive to use.

I still wore my slightly-tarnished PC badge of honor, but then we replaced our aging PC laptop with a Mac. You can be resistant to change, but when you go 6 months and no programs crash (remember the thousands of times you’ve seen ‘Microsoft has encountered an error and needs to close?’), no viruses erupt and annoying system updates don’t pop up every day, you begin to open your eyes.

Perhaps the final step in my conversion happened last week. I had made an appointment with the Genius Bar (okay, I still make fun of that name) at the Mac store on Walnut Street to replace a battery in our Mac Pro. This was just one day before the new iPhone came out and, as you might imagine, the place was all abuzz with nerdy excitement.

When I went up to the Genius Bar for my appointment at 3pm, the woman at the counter profusely apologized, telling me that they were running behind and I would have to wait 2-3 minutes. Then, as soon as I had pulled my book out of my briefcase, a gentlemen came up to me and told me he would help get me the right battery. When he tried to scan it for me to pay, it wouldn’t work because the Apple network was so jammed with requests and queries about the new iPhone. After about another two minutes, he told me that I had waited long enough and he popped the new battery in my Mac and told me to have a good day. That was it. A $90 battery at no charge because I had to wait a bit (although in total I probably waited less than 10 minutes). Are you listening, SEPTA?

Perhaps I’m wrong, but I can’t think of too many companies that would give away an item that expensive—or that holds such high standards for their service and marketing. What a lot of corporations miss is what a smart business move that was. Yes, they lost $90 that day, but guess what brand of laptop, phone and tablet I’m going to be loyal to for years to come?

With 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 include this one, because it’s truly exciting and groundbreaking.  And it’s so fitting that one of the greatest commercials of all time would come from Apple, an organization with an uncanny ability to know their audience and what they want–often even before we knew we wanted it.

There are many definitions of “branding,” but one of the simplest and most useful is that a brand is a promise. If so, few organizations have delivered on that promise like Apple.

The full commercial is below, but I also wanted to share some fun facts about what makes this commercial so groundbreaking. Some of the items below are now commonplace in commercials, but at the time they were considered revolutionary in the advertising world.

• The product is never shown.
• The things Apple is “selling” with Macintosh in this commercial are not specs like processor speed or memory, but intangibles like innovation, freedom, and non-conformity.
• The ad has a big budget film quality to it, which isn’t surprising considering it was directed by Ridley Scott, whose films include Blade Runner, Gladiator and Alien.
• While the spot is famous for only being aired once, it was actually re-run quietly on KMVT in Twin Falls, Idaho at 1:00am so that it could qualify for awards.
• The skinheads you see in the ad were real skinheads recruited off the streets of London.
• The woman who throws the hammer (the only woman shown in the ad—and note that she is fit and empowered) was a real athlete, as all the actresses originally cast weren’t strong enough to lift and throw the hammer.
• Most people at Apple absolutely hated it. However, Steve Jobs came to the rescue and championed the spot. There’s even a rumor that Steve Wozniak offered to pay for the spot personally if the Apple board would give it a chance.

Ladies and gentlemen, one of the greatest commercials ever:

I 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 billion car commercials, and for me they all run together. Shiny cars sliding around on a test track, hurling down windy country roads, navigating sleet and rain while a child holding a teddy bear sleeps in the back seat, or proudly reaching its destination at the beach, lake or atop a ridiculous mountain. The soundtrack is usually classical or seventies rock while a male announcer with a deep voice drones on about:

• Performance
• Luxury
• Handling
• Power
• Safety

That’s why I find these commercials for the Toyota Yaris a breath of fresh air. The brilliant tagline? “It’s a Car.”

Sure, it’s tongue-in-cheek, but these no-frill TV ads are a perfect way to distinguish the Yaris from the competition. And it’s very smart. The Yaris is more of a functional, Point A-to-Point B kind of car, so it wouldn’t make sense to dress it up and pretend it’s something it’s not. Here’s three quick commercials that tell you all you need to know. Love it.

They 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 can come up with a caption for this office photo – bonus points if it’s HR-related – and you could win a $50 Gift Card to Barnes & Noble!

We will be selecting a winner on Monday October 3^rd – keep checking back to read the entries and to see who is the lucky winner.

I 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 around the house. We’ve got the biggie, our kitchen update project  –   Start date: Ummm, sometime in 2010. End date: TBD  –  still going strong and I have to admit, I really got a kick out of this ad which reminded me of said project.

I’ve seen sparks fly (real ones and those of the figurative sort), many a trip back and forth, and back and forth, and back and forth all in one day to the hardware store, and of course busted budgets. What I’ve also seen though is his courage to grab a plumbing book off the shelf at our local library and turn our 1970’s harvest gold bathroom into a clean and modern space that I’m proud of – and it only took about 13 months, LOL!!

When all is said and done though, going from “I think I can” to “I know I can” is a great feeling and worth all the effort. Ask any do-it-yourselfer, or anyone who turns the daily chaos of work/life into an accomplishment. Maintaining that attitude isn’t always easy though – what do you do to help keep yourself motivated?  We’d love to hear any of your tips!

As 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. This month it was Malcolm Gladwell’s hugely popular book, Outliers: The Story of Success.

First, a quick bit of background to put the book in context (and so you can sound erudite at the next cocktail party): Gladwell is a bit of a controversial figure these days. Some think Gladwell’s work in Outliers and his other two best sellers, The Tipping Point and Blink are changing the way we understand our world. Others believe his books are a sleight-of-hand and not statistically valid—basically, the charge is that Gladwell develops theories, and then finds proof to support them–while conveniently ignoring evidence that doesn’t fit his ideas.

My opinion? I think Outliers is fascinating, and I find that Gladwell’s ideas are well grounded and rather hard to dispute. The premise of Outliers is that our “traditional” thinking about successful people (i.e., they are either born into privilege/opportunity or else work harder than everyone else and pull themselves up by their bootstraps) is just one part of the story, and that we often dismiss other criteria that doesn’t fit into this myth. Or, as Gladwell puts it:

“In Outliers, I want to convince you that these kinds of personal explanations of success don’t work … The people who stand before kings may look like they did it all by themselves. But in fact they are invariably the beneficiaries of hidden advantages and extraordinary opportunities and cultural legacies that allow them to learn and work hard and make sense of the world in ways others cannot… It’s not enough to ask what successful people are like, in other words. It is only by asking where they are from that we can unravel the logic behind who succeeds and who doesn’t.”

Still skeptical? Here’s just a few of the things you’ll learn reading Outliers:

· An extremely disproportionate number of the premier hockey and soccer players in the world are born in January, February or March. You’ll learn why, and also why this has some alarming corollaries for our education system.

· The “10,000 hour rule” and why it was so critical that Paul McCartney and John Lennon met when they were teens, and, even more importantly, why the marathon sets the Beatles played in Germany when they were young was a catalyst for their future success.

· The reason why nearly all the computer gurus like Bill Gates, Bill Joy (rewrote the UNIX program we still use today as well as created Java), Steve Jobs, Paul Allen (Microsoft’s co-founder), Bill Hewlett (of Hewlett Packard) and Eric Schmidt (Novell and Google’s current CEO) were born within the same 3-5 year period.

· A study of people with high IQ’s discovered that once you’re “smart enough,” a higher IQ doesn’t translate into any measureable real-world advantage—that is, someone with an IQ of 130 is just as likely to be a CEO, invent something groundbreaking, or even win a Nobel Prize as someone with an IQ of 180.

The real hook of Gladwell’s book is that successful people indeed do stand apart from the rest of us, but often in surprisingly unexpected ways. I think HR leaders would find Outliers of great interest, and provide some innovative insight into their own company’s talent. For more information about Outliers, click here.

Do 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 upon himself to transform the YouTube logo into what he’s calling a more “honest logo” as seen here.

On his Flickr page he’s got this one and a few other pretty funny takes on familiar brands noting that this is “an idea for a series with honest logos, revealing the actual content of the company, what they really should be called. Some are cheap, some might be a bit funny, some will maybe be brilliant.”

I also thought his take on Facebook was pretty good. You can be the judge and see them all by clicking here.

But for now, if you’d like, you can also join the more than 3 million viewers who have indulged in what may or may not be the 10 Cutest Cat Moments. Have a great weekend everyone!

PART 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 receive tell us that using Product X will make us happier, richer, more attractive and a better person. But some commercials go too far, piling on the corn. In some cases, it’s intentional and meant to be tongue-in-cheek. Others…well, see what you think.

1. Mentos

Mentos commercials have enough corn to fill a silo. This is my favorite. This poor guy’s day was ruined until he popped a Mentos into his mouth and took life’s lemons and made some lemonade. Of course, the finished product looks nothing like a pinstripe business suit, but who cares?

2. Kraft

I always wince at the commercials that try to make something seem “cool” by having quick cuts and upbeat music surrounding it. The “something” in this case is mayonnaise and other condiments.

3. Mr. Microphone

If you’re going to be cheesy, why not go all the way? Watch how Mr. Microphone makes all these people so very happy.

4. Clairol

I think the actress here is on some heavy medication. I really like the part where she says “I don’t understand it,” as if hair coloring was astrophysics.

5. Love your Laminate

Nothing wrong with professing your undying love for your laminate when your husband and kids are right there. I’m not sure why, but this one comes off a bit creepy.

Be sure to come back to this blog regularly to see future installments of Old Commercials to Make You Smile…and Cringe!

That’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 not counting the one I hit with a misfired pitch.

I’m kidding!

(So far.)

The eleven cuties on Team Brouhaha (more on the name soon) have been very patient with me. It’s only my third year coaching, my first year in “Minor B”, and I never really played softball well. Minor B is one step up from T-ball, meaning we keep score, there are actually outs, and on a really good hit to the outfield (not one that dribbled by three players, but one really solid smack), you are allowed to run to second base.

I couldn’t ask for a better group of parents – two stepped up to be Team Parents (they handle the instant bloom of paperwork and fundraisers that happens every spring), and two signed on to be Bench Parents (making sure the girls pay attention on the bench and are aware of when they’re batting). In addition, my Assistant Coach is Jeff – my husband’s best friend since middle school. It’s good to know that even if I really screw something up, he’s going to be relatively forgiving and/or just laugh behind my back on the golf course.

So back to the name. The head of our softball division came up with all the team names, and they sort of match. Except for ours. There’s Rolling Thunder, Cyclones, and Storm. We’re Brouhaha, which the dictionary defines as “an uproar. hubbub.” So what’s all the hubbub? Explaining that definition to a group of six- and seven-year olds. Our team name last year was Momentum, so I’m pretty certain the powers-that-be are messing with me. I explained brouhaha as “excited noise”, came up with a cheer that involves the phrase “ooh la la”, and so far, the girls have rolled with it.

Unlike me with the team/coaches shirt I was given.

Though I’m less than well-endowed, the shirt I was given was laughable even for me. More suited for an Olsen twin, actually. So I ordered one on zazzle.com that pretty much sums up my approach to the game.

Why do I like coaching? Well, it’s actually not my favorite thing ever…lots of time, emails, and rules and such that you have to remember pretty much in an instant with confidence. I do it because my daughter wants me to (again, “so far”), because I love being outside, and because I enjoy helping little girls get regular injections of confidence…especially when it comes to things athletic and competitive. They were all given softball tattoos (the temporary kind…I have to really know someone to ink them for real) after practice one day, and they like showing me what they choose to apply and where.

Some of my Brouhahaers? There’s Grace and Eleana, sisters — a kindergartener and first grader who’ve never played before but lead the team in smiling and hustling. Laine, who made a leaping grab that was almost as priceless as the look on her face when she realized she actually had the ball in her glove. Lauren, just shy of the “moving up” age, whose confidence is not yet on par with her height but whose bat does all the talking. Amanda — AKA “Lefty” and “Speedy”…a fireball in terms of both wit and will. And my daughter, Jamie, who at 3-foot nothing has a batter’s stance that would intimidate Ryan Howard.

Along with the transition to tougher rules, outs, and scorekeeping come opportunities for self-doubt. If a girl doesn’t hit one of the five balls the coach pitches to (near?) them, the “T” comes out. They know what it means. It’s one of many “you didn’t quite do what we wanted you to do there” moments that force a person to grow, and hopefully, not give up.

But there’s also a “STAR OF THE GAME” — a bright yellow star with the picture of that day’s MVP in the center. We award one after each match-up and they seem almost as popular as the post-game base relay. It’s only a 5″ piece of shaped paper, but it’s my hope that long after the tattoos have been picked off, the fields have been closed for the season, and the fun sport that’s still soft on the spirits of little girls has become a memory, glimpses of strong self-esteem will glow on.

I 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 a very nice postcard and email from Seth Goldman, the founder of Honest Tea.

Since then, the company (and my obsession) has continued to grow. I used to have trouble finding Honest Tea, and often I would make special trips to Whole Foods just to stock up. Now, though, I find it just about everywhere, even in the train station, convenience stores and some of my favorite restaurants—like this fantastic new one just a block from our office, the delicious Barbuzzo.

My co-workers are so used to seeing me carrying an Honest Tea into meetings, I think they’d fall over if they ever saw me with another brand or (gasp) a soda. I was at an industry conference the other day, and the woman next to me spotted my Honest Tea and asked, “I’ve seen those Honest Teas around. Do you like it?”

Hmm, I thought. Do I give her the five minute answer or the three hour presentation? Or should I just show her the Honest Tea tattoo that covers my back?

I sometimes think that if I got hit by a bus tomorrow, all the execs at Honest Tea would be looking at reports, scratching their heads and muttering, “What on earth happened to our sales in the Philadelphia area?”

Honest Tea regularly introduces new flavors (what do you mean you don’t get their e-newsletter, follow them on Facebook and Twitter, and pop on their website once a week just to check in?) but as a loyal dog I find myself mostly sticking to my two favorites: Honey Green and Moroccan Mint. However, I often enjoy an Honest Tea at the end of a hard day, so I opt with a delicious new one with no caffeine: Heavenly Lemon Tulsi.

As with any marriage though, there have been some rough patches. I was truly concerned to learn in March that Coca-Cola had completed its acquisition of Honest Tea. Oh no, I thought, will this mean it will no longer be organic, they’ll start using high-fructose corn syrup or lose its quirky image that so endeared me in the first place?

For now though, I’m not worried. Honest Tea had been using Coca-Cola as a distributor since 2008 (the real reason it’s been easier to find), and I was proud of the fight they put up over the HFC debate with Coke. I realize some of you may be less passionate about iced tea than I (perhaps “sane” is a better word), so let me give you the highlights of the fight.

· Coke becomes Honest Tea’s biggest investor.
· Coke executives “ask” Honest Tea to remove the words “no high-fructose corn syrup” from its juice pouches because they think it’s a slam on the many Coke products that contain HFC (which, of course, it is). “We got a strong request to change the wording,” said Seth Goldman. Yikes. I wonder what that “strong request” was like.
· Instead of cowering, Honest Tea decides to stand its ground. I like to imagine someone stood up in a meeting and shouted “We will not bend to corporate greed or penny-pinching optimizing! We have to think about Tony!”
· Goldman smartly avoids getting in a debate with Coke over whether high-fructose corn syrup is basically the same as sugar (it’s not) and instead argues that “the (no HFC) notification was a key signal to buyers that there were no hidden ingredients in the drink, an important issue given the growing chorus questioning whether high-fructose corn syrup contributed to the risk of obesity in adults and children.”
· In the end, Coke relents. A smart business move because it allows Honest Tea to stay true to its brand and culture, two things that have made it so successful and attracted a loyal following from people like myself.

So that’s the Honest Tea news. I promise to try to blog more frequently on all things iced tea. Don’t forget you can find Honest Tea all around the Philly area now, so be sure to stop into your local store and try one. Or, if you see me out and about, just ask. I probably have one in my briefcase.

My 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 read and read and read. As expected (but not what I’d hoped for), the more I read, the murkier the picture became. Who knew there were so many variables?

At first, you simply think that there are different manufacturers. And there are. But then comes the new vocabulary as well. Next thing you know, you’re surfing through terms like hybrids, CCBs, gut, carved, end-pin, Spirocores, plywood, pizz, fingerboard, arco… It’s quite an education. Then you learn that 50 yr. old basses are not uncommon. Neither are 100 yr. old ones! And buying used can be preferable to new if you know what you’re looking for (which I don’t). Also, the kind of music you want to play can determine the best bass for you.

My head was ready to explode and I was almost thinking that needlepoint would be a better hobby…

When you enter into something completely new like this, where the quality of instruments has a professional level that only high levels of talent can take you, you’re going to realize there are places your wallet doesn’t need to go. When a concert bassist mentions he needs to upgrade from his $25,000 instrument, you realize that there are a lot of places it can’t go. But that doesn’t always matter when people are spending your money. You quickly find that once someone spends a couple thousand dollars of their own hard-earned cash, the thought processes behind their purchase becomes THE thought process that everyone else should get in line behind. And as I mentioned in the last entry, these are musicians. They’re passionate!

Now that’s not to discount their opinions, because I can only dream of playing a tenth of good as these players even if I devote years to study (I still like doing the woodworking and telescope things), but one does need to take them with a grain of salt and get to the underlying reality behind their unbendable stances. Fortunately, there are people who started off in your same position and remember what it was like to be new and not necessarily want to invest a couple of grand in something that doesn’t have an engine or a 62″ screen, especially when you’re not even sure you’ll be sticking with the hobby. You find out quickly that there’s a LOT of junk out there and that your most basic searches on Amazon and Ebay are going to take you directly to this junk. Yes, they may be cheapest (and the least expensive for that matter), but once you start reading the horror stories, you’ll find out that even with doubling your investment with upgrades and improvements, you still have junk underneath. It’s like putting 20″ rims on a Yugo (again, my first telescope experience!).

Once you set a firm price-point, you still find people trying to push you just a couple of hundred(!) dollars higher. They mean well, though enough options start to surface that fit your budget, options that have left people playing happily, that you finally start to believe in your process. Of course, that assumes you budgeted $200 or so for shipping the monster (unless you can drive to pick it up AND fit it in your vehicle), and another $90 for the flimsiest of protective bags, and the aforementioned strings ($200) that aren’t included in the price. Yowza!

When all was set and done, I’d committed to a small outfit in Connecticut called Upton Bass, that hand-makes their instruments to your specifications. They were helpful enough on the phone to help me figure out what those specifications were (I’m ignorant, remember?) and I sent them a picture of the color and finish that I hoped my bass would have. Sure, there were some cheaper, mass-produced basses out there, and ones that travelled across oceans to get here, but I’m kind of psyched about an instrument being made for me by craftsmen I can talk to (even if I did eclipse my budget significantly). We’ll be starting off in this relationship together as a couple of newbies, but it’s going to take 12-14 weeks of build time on their end before it gets into my hands. In the meantime, I’ve started taking lessons, which has proudly exposed me to even more that I don’t know!   – j

This 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 recruitment is alien to me. Tell me how to hire the best people.”

It’s concise, funny and totally recruitment. Congratulations, Kathleen!

Thanks to everyone for their great captions - you can click here to view them all. If you missed this contest, don’t worry, we’ll be back with more.

Ocean 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 apartment that had no air conditioning, no phone, and no TV, but was a block from the beach. We went to the boardwalk amusements maybe once or twice to ride the rides — that’s all my parents were willing to spring for — and spent most other nights in our sandbox, or riding bikes in the alley, or at the beach playing tag football and Wiffle ball after dinner.

Fast forward to my teen years: Ocean City became the place I got my first taste of work. Taxes. And sunburn. As a Beach Tag Inspector, I walked miles each day, checking for the unsightly plastic badge that signaled a “legal” visitor while killing time talking to the lifeguards. Okay, maybe it wasn’t THAT taxing…

For teenagers and college students lucky enough to have a place to crash for the summer, I highly recommend giving the seasonal-employment-at-the-beach-thing a try. A listing of this year’s openings can be found by clicking here and include:

• Music Pier Cashier (Doesn’t that have a great ring to it? Say three times fast.)
• Recreation Attendant – Boat Ramp (I picture Gilligan, but would prefer the Professor.)
• Golf Ranger (“Tools and Equipment Used: Cash Register, Golf Cart.”)
• Parking Meter Collector (Sorry, but Beach Tag Inspector sounds way more glamorous.)

I even came back to Ocean City to get my first “real” job when my parents retired and moved to the shore full time. I had just graduated from college and joined the Ocean City Sentinel Ledger as an Advertising Sales Rep. A small weekly, the Sentinel gave me a hands-on education in old-time newspaper layout, door-to-door ad space sales in a downtown just seven blocks long, and the freedom and encouragement to pitch in by writing a few articles here and there.

Today, Ocean City is the place my husband and I go to escape our even real-er jobs with our kids. It’s about more bike riding and fewer “drop-offs”, more walks and fewer errands, more mom & pop ice cream and doughnut shops and fewer fast food stops, more body-surfing and less time at the gym. It’s a place for pizza that makes my mouth water each time I sit down at the counter (sometimes twice a weekend), a boardwalk perfect for walking with first dates, running with friends, or strollering babies, and an old-style arcade with black and white photo booths — each year’s strip of funny faced poses a telling reminder of just how quickly my babies grew out of strollers. Their summer break — barring any surprise March blizzards that push our “snow days” past the break even point — is only 72 days including weekends. Didn’t summer break seem more like it was four months long when you were little?

Every day of the summer, Ocean City is traditions just waiting to happen — sending your kids out to ride bikes on never ending sidewalks, gathering shells and looking them up in a shell book, grilling on the deck (before you’ve gotten a shower) with a beer in one hand and a pair of seagull-shooing tongs in the other.

For retirees, Ocean City is a place to become a “local” —- even if surfing isn’t in your repertoire. Year-round life at the shore is about the butcher knowing you by name, riding a beach cruiser to the bank, knowing the best place for shrimp salad, and breathing a sigh of relief when Labor Day is over and the tourists (some of whom happen to be your children and grandchildren) head back home.

The shore is where you realize — as a parent transporting a mountain of beach chairs, toys and supplies (which you swore you would never do) or as a retiree watching another pink sunset — that the most important job you’ve ever had is the one that paid absolutely nothing.

As I count my blessings (and the days ‘til summer vacation) I realize there are probably far fancier beaches, less crowded beaches, or more exotic beaches that you may know about.

But the way I see it?

You don’t really know summer until you’ve known Ocean City.

Until 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 capture this image.

It might be one of the stranger photo tips that you ever hear – but it’s one that, for me, has consistently produced some interesting results. To take this photo, I used a Nikon D60 set to Automatic mode (equipped with a Nikkor 55-200mm lens set to about it’s shortest length). It should work for any SLR set to a mode with auto-focus and a standard length lens. This picture was taken at a hothouse/nursery, which is one of my go-to locations when I want to take random shots. I’ve found in the past that I prefer flower and plant shots taken at “ground” level, as opposed to views from above, but after some time spent kneeling and squatting to get the right view I wasn’t happy with the results and my aching legs weren’t happy either. So, I simply put the camera down to the level that I wanted (while I remained upright and not looking through the viewfinder) and shot indiscriminately  – literally, from the hip. I depressed the shutter halfway each time, so that the camera could “decide” what to focus on before depressing fully to capture the shot. What resulted was not just one but a series of photos that I found interesting and surprising. In many, taking the photo this way produced an unexpected midfield focal area, with content in both the foreground and the background out of focus. This only works for certain types of subjects – in particular, there must be multitudes of whatever you are shooting – a field of flowers is a perfect example. When Spring finally arrives, it just might be the perfect time to give this unconventional method a try.

Sunday’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 Bowl ads (besides the hefty price tag: estimates this year were at $3 million for a 30 second spot) is that today’s TV viewership is incredibly fragmented, and the Super Bowl still allows a rare opportunity to have your message seen by the majority of the country.

For better or worse, here’s what I thought were the 5 most talked-about commercials. What were your favorites?

1. Volkswagen “The Force” Ad

2. Bridgestone Tires “Reply All”

3. Doritos “Finger Lick”

4. Pepsi MAX “Love Hurts”

5. Best Buy “Ozzie vs. Bieber”

Our 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 advertising industry, but (in a crazy way) I think also it speaks pretty well about the research, strategy and planning that goes into an ad campaign.

As 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 a bit rash. Still, I love the tongue-in-cheek seriousness and mock hysteria of this video. There are some hard truths here for people in the ad industry who have been unwilling or unable to adapt and stay on top of the revolutionary changes in communications. How has new media changed your business?

Around 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 wonderful lark and I had a lot of fun, mostly because I knew at least a little about what I was doing and the results were rewarding right off the bat.

It’s not going to be that easy this year.

After around two years of canoodling with the electric bass, I’ve decided to embrace the upright, or “double” bass, which was really what I was drawn to in the first place as it is sexy and romantic. This is an imposing instrument that stands around six feet tall, two feet wide, and a foot deep. They’re hand-made and have strings that easily hit $200 for a pack of four. Prices range from under a grand to the deep five digits. You need to have these complicated instruments “set up” by a “luthier” and that will add another couple of hundred or more to your total.

In other words–a purchase one doesn’t go into lightly.

I was completely ignorant, but ignorance has the advantage of being correctable. The downside of ignorance is that you never know how deep your hole is until you start to climb out. This was quite a hole…

The first step is… the INTERNET! The wealth of knowledge at your fingertips is only eclipsed by the amount of misinformation, opinion, and sheer marketing manipulation. The trick is to be able to tell one from another.

Fortunately, several years ago I became interested in telescopes and bought one that seemed to have the specs that I thought were important. While waiting for its delivery, I stumbled upon a telescopes enthusiasts’ website (CloudyNights.com). Real people with real experiences (and real opinions). But the biggest benefit is that you have many thoughts and opinions, and the volume allows you to begin to assemble an overall picture. Some sites, like CN, have reviews of products by members, and you can review the members’ other posts to help understand the amount of experience behind their views or if there is reason for them to have a more personal bias.

It didn’t take me long to find a review for the scope that I just ordered, and it was by a long-time, respected member. A moderator even! What the review came down to was “Stay away from this scope at all costs!”. Needless to say, I sent the package back as soon as it arrived and began the process of asking questions and begging for advice in the forums.

Now, with over 4,500 posts to my own credit and five telescopes that I’ve made from scratch, I’m in a position to actually give advice. About telescopes. But an upright bass is a different creature. And musicians are much more passionate about their opinions than amateur astronomers are. Here goes…

Next up – Butterflies in the Hornets’ Nest

My 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 fun to reread it after having Mango for a year – he’s become such a big part of our family that it’s hard to imagine life without him. Also, it’s funny that I wrote it before we found out that “she” was a “he.” I love that it ends with, “And she is a pretty girl.” Stay tuned for the sequel, “Mango: It’s a Boy!”

This 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 food… - j

In 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 Part II of my list of the year’s best in fiction.

A Gate at the Stairs
Lorrie Moore
It feels odd to recommend a novel when you’re a big fan of the writer (and the writing is excellent), but you don’t think the latest effort is the author’s best work. It happened last year for me with Richard Russo’s That Old Cape Magic, and I find myself in the same situation with A Gate at the Stairs. I love Birds of America, Lorrie’s Moore collection of short stories (which includes the widely anthologized and unforgettable “People Like That Are the Only People Here”) and you frequently find her fiction in The New Yorker. In A Gate at the Stairs, we meet Tassie Keltjin, a Midwest college student looking for baby-sitting work—on the surface this seems like a simple coming-of-age story, but stay with it and see how quickly things get complicated. Great characters and a lot of wisdom in this very funny, very sad novel.

Willing
Scott Spencer
Most people know of just one Scott Spencer novel: Endless Love—yes, that Endless Love, the one they made into the terrible movie with Brooke Shields—but did you know the book got great reviews? No less than the great Joyce Carol Oates said, “No description of Endless Love can do justice to the rich, startling and always intelligent tenor of [Spencer's] prose.”  In Willing, Avery Jankowsky is a struggling freelance writer (are there any other kind?) whose life is, well, a mess.  Coming to the rescue is Uncle Ezra and his offer to get Avery on a high-priced, worldwide sex tour of Nordic countries. This novel is certainly not for everyone, and reviews were mixed, but I really enjoyed it, especially when everything begins going horribly, comically wrong on the tour. It’s also a satire on masculinity, the Internet and what happens when we get what (we think) we wish for.

Where the God of Love Hangs Out: Stories
Amy Bloom
Like Richard Bausch, Amy Bloom is a writer more famous for her short stories (although her last novel, Away was a national best seller) than her novels. The title here is very appropriate because the stories in this collection are all about love: physical love, broken love, unrequited love, enduring love, complicated love. The characters in Where the God of Love Hangs Out are all believable and memorable (especially the two sets of couples in the beginning stories) and the writing is fantastic.

An Object of Beauty
Steve Martin
Man, is there nothing Steve Martin can’t do? Stand-up comic, actor, screenwriter, magician, playwright, virtuoso banjo player, essayist–and novelist. This is Martin’s third novel (the others were the widely praised Shopgirl and one that I really loved, The Pleasure of My Company). In An Object of Beauty , Lacey Yeager is a beautiful, hyper-ambitious dealer set to make her name in the high-end art world of New York City (Martin is also a knowledgeable and avid art collector). Not as comic as you might expect, but great writing and, for those art philistines like myself, a mini-lesson in some of art’s masterpieces and insight into the world of art dealing and collecting.

P.S. Who says the world of literature can’t have juicy drama? Click here to read about last week’s big to-do when Steve Martin visited the 92 Street Y and the audience got mad that he wasn’t the “wild and crazy” guy, but instead spoke about art and his novel.

Noah’s Compass
Anne Tyler
Those familiar with Anne Tyler (The Accidental Tourist, Breathing Lessons) knows she writes about the everyday in a simple, elegant way. In Noah’s Compass, Liam Pennywell is a sixty-year-old, humdrum fellow who has just been laid off from his teaching job. One night he’s attacked in his apartment and loses all memory of what happened. When he begins searching for answers about what occurred during that missing time, he’s also confronted with the history of his disappointing life. Anne Tyler is so easy to read and (like all of her work) Noah’s Compass is a winning mix of comedy and sadness.

The Thousand Autumns of Jacob DeZoet
David Mitchell
I’ve been fortunate enough to read all of Mitchell’s other novels (Cloud Atlas and Black Swan Green are especially great), and it’s hard for me to recall another writer with such amazing range—he really creates a totally different novel each time out. The Thousand Autumns is one my favorites, and one of this year’s best. I do the novel a disservice by trying to fit it in a category, but I would say this is like a top-notch, literary, historical adventure (so unlike two of his previous novels, Number9Dream and Ghostwritten which were more surreal and experimental). Jacob DeZoet is a clerk in Japan working for the Dutch East Indies Company around 1800. His hope is to make his fortune and be worthy to win his beloved Anna back home, but the culture and people of Nagasaki, as well as the beautiful, damaged Orito Aibagawa, change everything for him. My only complaint is that Jacob is such an interesting character, yet we leave him for long stretches of time. Still, it’s a really great novel and I highly recommend it.

Please help add to this list. I’d love to hear what novels made your list in 2010!

As 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 – enjoy!

It’s a toss up for my favorite blog…and neither of my two selected posts focus on social media, social recruiting, facebook FBML, twitter tips, YouTube strategies, blog editorial calendars or anything in between.

My two favorite blog posts (as this topic is “our” blog posts vs. my colleagues posts – of which I have many favorites!) really have to do more with stories, more actually introspection, about my personal experiences. We talk a lot about work/life balance and the importance of it and I couldn’t agree more and I think these posts indicate this importance.

My New Mantra: Life is An Adventure
As a follow up to the Philadelphia Triathlon: I did complete the race, one minute less than last year. The swim was brutal and I’m not sure I’ll be jumping in the Schuylkill River anytime soon. But, I finished it and that’s why it makes it a favorite of mine.

It’s Always Sunny is a second runner up because, as an English major I’ve always enjoyed creative writing, and this posts captures so much of what I ‘like’ in life. So, enjoy and stay tuned for more blog posts on social media and recruiting in 2011!

As 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 favorite – enjoy!

My favorite blog was, “LinkedIn’s CareerExplorer: Intended to help college grads, but determined to waste time?” I just graduated May 2009, so I really put some thought into that one because it was more personal to me. I hope that some grads or job seekers with any level of experience were able to get something out of the information that I provided. As I was recently a job seeker myself, you start to realize very quickly that some services help you and others are a waste of time.

As 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 favorite – enjoy!

 My favorite blog post this year was “Is The Internet Making Us Stupid?”  because it’s something I still think about all the time.  We now live and work in a world where we’re constantly being interrupted and bombarded by info, and the click-happy, hyper-distracted way we use the Internet definitely seems to have an effect on our ability to concentrate and think more deeply.

By 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 the HR talk and bring you more on some of our favorite things, places and activities that also populate our daily lives.

As some of you may remember from last year’s blog post, I am a huge fan of great fiction. This year, I read so many novels worth talking about that I’m going to need two blog posts to fit them all in!

As always, there were so many I just couldn’t get to. Sincere apologies to John Casey, Jennifer Egan, Justin Cronin, Elizabeth Kostova, Gary Shtenygart, Kathryn Stockett and others. Also, it’s worth mentioning (as I did last year) that I don’t aim to be viewed as some wanna-be literary critic; I judge novels not by deep themes, pretty prose, socio-economic impact or any other lofty criteria, but by how well the author tells a good story. I hope you’ll look at this list and find some great reads to get you through the winter doldrums. Here’s Part I of my favorites from 2010:

Something Is Out There
Richard Bausch
Unfortunately for most people, Richard Bausch is one of those “Best Writers You Never Heard Of.” He’s been referred to as the “Master of the Mundane,” and the title is intended as high praise. He’s written several novels (all the ones I’ve read were great), but he’s really recognized for being one of the best short story writers of our generation, and Something Is Out There is a great collection. Bausch’s characters are real people with real problems, and he pulls out what is funny, tragic, and moving in our ordinary lives. Lots of great stories here, and I highly recommend his previous collection, The Stories of Richard Bausch, one of my all-time favorites and a great, big collection of his gems.

The Girl Who Played With Fire and
The Girl Who Kicked The Hornet’s Nest
Stieg Larsson
I know people are getting tired of hearing about the late Larsson’s widely popular trilogy, but I have to include the last two novels here. The final installment (Hornet’s Nest) is a great, sprawling novel with big themes (like the deep corruption in governments and judicial systems—issues that Larsson himself took on in real life), and while it’s always fun to spend some time with the unforgettable anti-heroine Lisbeth Salander, it was the second novel (Fire) that I really loved. The Girl Who Played With Fire is just flat-out great storytelling. By far the quickest-paced and most gripping of the trilogy, this was one of those novels that I couldn’t wait to get home to read.  I don’t normally read mystery novels, but from my limited experience, The Girl Who Played With Fire was one of the best I’ve come across.

Again to Carthage
John Parker
A sequel to his 1978 cult classic Once A Runner (considered the best book ever written about running) Again to Carthage picks up the story of Quenton Cassidy, now ten years older and training to be just the fourth man in history to run under a 4-minute mile AND a sub 2:10 marathon–and also shooting for a spot on the 1980 Olympic team. I’m not sure this falls in the great novel category for me but, like the original, the descriptions of the training, ups and downs, and agony in the life of a competitive runner are unmatched. Both novels would be a great holiday gift for someone looking for serious inspiration to run.

So Much For That
Lionel Shriver
Shep Knacker’s big dream is to ditch the rat race and move to the tiny island of Pemba, where he can live cheaply and simply. Just as he finally saves enough and makes the decision to start a new life, his wife announces she has a rare type of cancer and needs him–and his money and health insurance. Wealth, illness and our current health care mess all serve as characters in this novel, but it’s the people Shriver saves her critical, unsparing eye for. Read So Much For That, and you’ll almost certainly recognize some of the characters as people you know in your real life–and Shriver really digs in, exposing their hypocrisy, selfishness and poor intentions. Great writing to be sure, although I found a very cynical bite to this novel, or at the very least, a general lack of faith in people. See what you think.

Peter Pouncey
Rules for Old Men Waiting
This is one of those slim, unassuming novels that so often get overlooked. Robert MacIver is in his eighties, alone, in poor health and grieving his wife’s recent death. Stuck in an old house in the middle of winter, he makes a pact on how he will live out the rest of his life. One of his rules is to work every day, so he begins the story of a unit in World War II, drawing from the interviews he had compiled decades ago. A short story set in a novel, but more importantly moving, lyrical and elegant, this is a great choice if you’re looking for a little book with a big impact.

The Unnamed
Joshua Ferris
For those who read his amazing debut novel, the hilarious (and when it comes to the recession, uncomfortably accurate) And Then We Came To The End, The Unnamed will be a real surprise. This dark novel is so different from his debut, and I was impressed with Ferris’s amazing storytelling range.  The novel focuses on Tim Farmsworth, who has a crippling compulsion: at random times and with no warning, he has to walk for hours and hours until he collapses in exhaustion. His family has survived two series of his strange illness before, but this time things begin to really unravel. What’s great about The Unnamed is that despite its strange premise, you find it easy to relate to Tim and his wife, and have real empathy for their bizarre situation.

Freedom
Jonathan Franzen
Imagine a novelist in 2010 being thought of as newsworthy enough to be on the cover of Time. A new novel from Franzen often brings up platitudes of praise, sniping, hyperbole, resurfacing of old battles and lots of debate—and I for one am happy that novels can still do that! So is this the great American masterpiece that serves as both a reflection and critique of modern society? Actually, I think it comes pretty close. As with The Corrections, the characters here seem like real people, and I think this big, sweeping novel has a lot to say about the way we live today. I know people will quarrel over whether this book is under- or overrated, but I think there’s no question that this is a great novel worth reading.

I’ll be back soon with Part II of my list. In the meantime, I’d love to hear from our readers on some of their favorite novels from 2010!

As 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 favorite – enjoy!

My favorite blog post was “Forty is the new.30? .21? .age of denial?” My brain had barely registered 30 when 40 came around the curve, so figuring out how I felt about turning what has traditionally been considered “middle aged” took awhile. So many of us fear the next year in our life cycle, but I really agree with what Max Frisch said about aging: “Time does not change us. It just unfolds us.”

-Christy Parker, Creative Manager

 I 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 “Ideas Worth Spreading.” Through speaker-focused conferences and events, they seek to share great ideas with the world. Their goal is to bring together “the world’s most fascinating thinkers and doers” and to give them a global platform to share their vision. The speakers are limited to 18 minutes. Via their website, TED.com, they make their most impactful “TED talks” available for free viewing and sharing. At the site, there are more than 800 “talks” currently available.   Because TED is an acronym for Technology, Entertainment, and Design and because these areas are often at the center of creative expression, I find the TED site especially inspiring and worthwhile. I visit TED.com when I want to be uplifted, inspired, and challenged.   Marian Bantjes is a graphic artist who believes that her art was transformed when she shifted from “following strategy” to “following her heart.” She shares her beautiful work and her thoughts on this transformation in her TED talk entitled “Intricate beauty by design.”

I 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 in Philadelphia.”  popped into my head. Both as a concept for my morning commute and as a reminder to watch this Thursdays show.  

Now, why my ‘sometimes twisted brain’ would relate two very disparate thoughts, is beyond me. But, it started me thinking down another stream of consciousness…so, if you’ll permit me today…I’m going to digress.

This morning’s commute acted as a reminder to not “sweat the small stuff” and to be grateful for all the great “big” things in my life. I don’t know why, I don’t know if I was feeling particularly nostalgic about my fun weekend…which included pumpkin picking, T-ball practice, raking fall leaves, cooking meatloaf & baked potatoes & string beans – a great fall meal by the way – for two of my favorite people . But my brain combined those great feelings while analyzing why I really like all of my “social media” duties so much. I made the conclusion, this morning, that I like what I do because…it’s social silly!

Social can be defined in a lot of little (and big) ways. So, I thought I’d share with you my stream of “social” stream of consciousness from this morning:

-         I like the smell of leaves on a warm fall day.
-         I like getting “Good morning. ” texts.
-         I like it when I hear a favorite song on the radio that I haven’t heard in a long time-it makes me drive that much faster
-         I like looking in my rearview mirror and seeing my little boy singing a song playing on the radio and bopping his head to the beat (and he doesn’t know the correct words nor does he know that I’m watching him)
-         I like holding hands in the car (except when the radio station needs changing)
-         I like 104.5 and 88.5 so much that I even have posted comments on their Facebook Wall thanking them for playing great tunes.
-         I like Facebook.
-         I like it when someone “likes” my photos on Facebook. It somehow validates my reason for sharing.
-         I like “liking” other people’s photos and commenting on my girlfriends’ photos when they are super cute or hilariously funny.
-         I like getting phone calls from my girlfriends when I actually have 10 min to chat uninterrupted. (Doesn’t happen often.)
-         I like being able to have a running conversation with my girlfriends for an hour despite the constant interruptions from children, pets, laundry or dish washing noises.
-         I like that neither one of us cares that this activity is perpetually going on in the background because we obviously value anytime that we can get to catch up.
-         I like GNOs (girls night out)
-         I like nights where all we do is stay in…cook dinner, make popcorn and watch a movie.
-         I like cooking dinner and watching my son do his “homework” watching him intently concentrating on making the letter “a.”
-         I like cooking a new recipe and enjoying a glass of wine.
-         I like sharing a glass of wine, well, actually a bottle of wine.
-         I like Fridays.
-         I like running in Fairmount Park on Fridays…especially during great fall days like this.
-         I like running with friends (even if I do slow them down and they’re too kind to say so). I like running with friends who prefer a slower pace than me, means I can talk more!
-         I like running by the Indian statue on Forbidden Drive. I look up at him and give a quick salute and remind myself to be grateful for all the great “likes” (and loves) in my life.

Happy Tuesday folks!

With 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 bring something different to the job at hand — whether it’s a design, headline or demographically targeted copywriting. Philly Phaithful does the same thing for t-shirts. You want a standard issue Phillies t-shirt? Line up at Dick’s, Mo’s or Sports Authority with the rest of the bandwagoners. You want a unique piece of statement apparel? You want something to annoy the hell out of other teams’ fans? You want a shirt people want to steal from your laundry basket? Check out Philly Phaithful.

I discovered Philly Phaithful on my morning commute/walk through Suburban Station. Ticket agency Stellar Tickets  gives the Phaithful’s fan-tastic t-shirts front row attention by hanging them along the glass in their storefront. I’ve actually stopped in my tracks (I walk pretty fast and almost spilled the coffee of the guy behind me the other day) to take another look at the newest Phaithful shirts Stellar is displaying.

My favorite? The “enjoy Chooch” shirt — done in Coca-Cola-like script, though the Dr. J with the ‘fro was the one that initially caught my eye.

And baseball isn’t the only sport they have fun with. There are Philly basketball, football and hockey shirts, each one sure to make you the best dressed member of your tailgate. Out to push a few buttons at the next game? There are also designs making fun of the other cities’ heroes. Even if rubbing in athletic superiority isn’t your thing, it’s nice to know that $5 from every shirt sale goes to the American Cancer Society. 

With another World Series win just around the corner (my idea for a t-shirt? DEJA TWO), and the holidays rounding the bases soon after (by the way, be sure to check out the Santa shirt), a shopping spree at Philly Phaithful’s website is as smart as Rubén Amaro, Jr.

* Had to get that overdone play on PH out of my system. Thanks.

In 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 for my love of Honest Tea, another favorite of mine is the beautiful, glorious sandwich. Rocker Warren Zevon was right on the money when he dispensed some sage advice just before his death: “Enjoy every sandwich.” The only reason I was disappointed to see the article is that I had been compiling my favorites for this blog for months!

However, I was surprised to see that none of the sandwiches on my list made it to Philadelphia Magazine’s best. Obviously, we have a big disconnect here, so I want to share some of my Center City favorites, and I hope our readers will add to this list. To be honest, I have a sneaky ulterior motive—I’m looking for some more great sandwiches! I’ll get things started, but please reply at the bottom with your favorites and I’ll share the feedback in an upcoming blog post.

 1. Corned Beef Reuben

Famous 4th Street Delicatessen (Center City Location)

This sandwich is simply ridiculous. Impossibly overstuffed with corned beef and unimaginably unhealthy, this is your cholesterol’s worst nightmare, but at least you’ll die with a smile on your face.

2. Philly Wasabi

Jake’s Sandwich Board

I know what you’re thinking…wasabi on a cheesesteak? While I’m a bit of a purist when it comes to Philly traditions, this one breaks all the rules. Rib-eye steak, crunchy onions, American cheese and wasabi spread…must be eaten to be believed. Note: Jake’s is absolutely fantastic—I could easily have five more of their sandwiches (especially The Mensch & Village Turkey) on my list.

 3. El Cubano Clásico

Garces Trading Company

I was never a big fan of Cuban sandwiches until I tasted this one. With roast pork, ham, gruyère, mustard, pickle. Best…thing…ever.

4. Lobster Roll

Sansom Street Oyster House

Okay, at $26 a pop, this one is just for a special occasion, but people who know Lobster Rolls say this is the way it should be done. Rick Nichols of The Philadelphia Inquirer waxes poetic about the sandwich here.

5. Roast Pork with Sharp Provolone & Broccoli Rabe

Tony Luke’s

This one is a bit obvious and a solid Philly tradition, but it still scores big. I like mine with the broccoli rabe for just the right touch of bitterness.

6. Yes, I want a sandwich but I have no idea what kind

Di Bruno Brothers

Hoagies, roast beef, chicken cutlet and everything else imaginable…you can’t go wrong at Di Bruno’s. If you don’t find what you want in the back at the sandwich/panini counter, be sure to check out Freddy’s Corner for the sandwiches of the day–or head upstairs, where there’s a whole slate of different creations. Best of all, Di Bruno’s sells a certain iced beverage I’m fond of.

 Okay, I know there are literally dozens of other masterpieces in Center City that I’m forgetting, so reply below and let’s make a list we can all work/eat from!

Percolator 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 I considered desirable results. Here’s how it works: Within the Percolator app, you start by either choosing a photo from your existing Photo Library or taking a new photograph. Once selected the picture briefly loads into the app – the load bar specifies that it is “grinding beans . . . boiling water . . . percolating.” The photo is morphed into what is essentially a circular mosaic based upon the apps’ default settings of “Coarse” under the Grind Setting; “Rings” under the Brew Setting; and “Black” under the Serve Setting. (As an aside, the coffee lingo used throughout the app is a nod to both the Percolator name and the “bubble” effect of the filter. It’s either amusing or distracting depending upon your point of view. I didn’t mind it.) When I first started working with the app, I mistakenly thought that you had to establish your settings prior to photo load, but that’s not the case. In fact the real fun starts when you tinker with the settings after the photo is morphed. Grind specifies the level of detail in the mosaic (it is also the only setting that does not visually change in the preview prior to locking in your settings); Brew is the type of mosaic filter or effect that you want; and Serve seems to be primarily driven by colors or palette.

It’s fun to try different combinations to various effect. You can also shake your phone to get a random combination. Once you’ve achieved your desired effect, you lock in your selections by closing the Settings option. In their lingo, you’re confirming the “grind change.” Then the app works its magic and the photo is morphed into a final mosaic. If you like the end result, you can Save it to your phones’ Photo Album, which allows you to share it in any number of ways. While some Photoshop purists will view this app as nothing more than a glorified filter, I found it to be both highly entertaining and creatively useful. In the brief time I spent with the app I was pleased with some of the results that I got and it made me want to explore the app at much greater length. As the app developers advise, you can also combine effects with other photo editing software. In addition to my quick example above, some beautiful examples of “percolated photos” can be found here on flickr . My rating: five out of five stars.

Some 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, NJ, my 12-year-old suggested we compete as a family relay team in 2010. It seemed like a good idea at the time and, hey, I had a whole year to train. Right?

Here’s what we agreed to: My husband would do the quarter mile bay swim; I would do the 11-mile bike portion; and our 12-year old would complete the 4-mile run. No sweat. Especially once I trained for it. With a year to go I figured I’d start my training about four months before the event. When the time to start training rolled around, four months of training for an 11-mile bike ride seemed a bit overzealous, three months of training should do the trick. Or maybe I could do it in two. Or one. The night before the event the only option left was to pray for rain.

August 7, 2009 – the day of the Brigantine Sprint Triathlon – dawned as a picture perfect summer day. Not a cloud in the sky and zero percent chance of precipitation. It was on.

Of course, when I say I didn’t train at all, I’m exaggerating a bit. Bike riding is my outdoor activity of choice and in the weeks leading up to the race, I hopped on my bike at least a couple of times a week. A few times I even rode eleven miles just to make sure I could do it. As a suburban soccer mom who had never been in any type of race before, let’s just say I wasn’t your typical triathlon participant – even for a sprint. My relay partners and I agreed that we had one goal – to finish. In my mind, I established a somewhat leisurely pace for myself of 6-minute miles. Factoring in the run through the transition area (gulp), I emphasized to my husband and daughter that they shouldn’t look for me for at least an hour and ten minutes after my start.

As anybody who has ever participated in an event like this probably knows, I wasn’t factoring in race day adrenaline. As I waited in the transition area for my husband to complete his swim, my heart was pounding with equal parts excitement and fear. He made good time on the swim, despite the unusually strong bay current that day, and before I knew it he was running towards me to transfer the ankle bracelet that contained our time chip. Once the transition was complete, I ran the bike through transition to the bike staging area. Then it was eleven miles of pure bike riding adrenaline. After the first five miles I stopped hyperventilating. The last mile I smiled the whole way. I finished the ride twenty minutes faster than I expected. My 12-year-old ran her four miles (with her dad beside her for support) like a champ. The best part? Now we have a time to beat. We’re all in again for next year. Training begins in April.

Our 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 more and see their fantastic menu.

Recently, the fine folks at Jake’s issued their Philly challenge, and it’s not for the faint of heart—or stomach. Here it is:

Think you have what it takes? Write to me at trosato@alstin.com. We’ll select one “winner” and we’ll pick up the $35 tab for the challenge. Win or lose, you’ll be forever immortalized on Jake’s wall of fame/shame and your story will be featured in one of my upcoming blog posts.

“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 the waters are beginning to clear.

The computer, which set desktop publishing afire, allowed just about anyone to design a typeface or create a flyer. The results have not been pretty. A quick search will turn up thousands of typefaces based on people’s own handwriting. Where typeface designers used to spend months giving faces a matching look and feel, where weight mattered and the kerning between the letters would allow elegance to come through, we now have wild one-offs with absolutely no consideration for how the letters fit together is taken. Sometimes classic faces are simply tweaked and given a new name. Think of the ubiquitous “Arial” font, a Helvetica stand-in that has awkward tweaks (like the slant on the top of the lowercase “t”) that apparently were made to simply avoid paying royalties to Helvetica.

People love their fonts, and for some people, the uglier the better. “Comic Sans” is the reigning leader of a long line of fonts that are seldom appropriate for anything. Yes, you could add “Bradley Hand” and “Papyrus” to round out the podium, but using a single ugly font is not the most grievous assault to the senses. That comes from those who insist on mixing it up a bit. Perfectly reasonable people, who know better than to wear polka dots and stripes together, or plaid and paisley, will somehow feel comfortable creating a four font ensemble that would scare even the most stalwart “Dingbat” off of the page. Alternatively, though you’d think most would know better than to wear two different shades of red together, it’s not uncommon to see two fonts that are close enough to be siblings mashing it up on the same page. Just ground one of them and let the other hog the spotlight. The less fighting the better.

Fortunately, the internet has largely been free of this assault, due to the limitations of HTML 4. The upcoming HTML 5 allows “designers” to embed their fonts in the pages. The future is looking bright. And tacky.   - j

Last 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 few blocks from our offices. Our friends had gotten close to the action and they thought that we could too. Angela, Nikki, and I grabbed our jackets and ran for the elevators. But first, I stopped by my office to grab my camera – a Nikon D60 SLR with a zoom lens. The three of us worked our way over to Market Street using 17th Street as our access point. According to our friends, this would put us closer to the filming. They were right. When we got there, we politely worked our way to the front of the crowd in no time. Unfortunately, there were no stars in sight. We watched a few scenes being filmed mainly involving extras. There was a lot of “hurry up and wait” between the scenes. Just as my interest was beginning to wane, a ripple of excitement went through the crowd. The boom mike (which signals where the action is taking place) was moved to the entrance of the building. On scene, the extras were cued to walk, then the doors to the building opened and out walked Robert DeNiro and Bradley Cooper. For take after take, we watched the actors (both looking suave) repeat the scene. I was, of course, snapping pictures the entire time. This is one of the better photographs that resulted. Some days it just pays to have your camera with you.

By 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 the HR talk and bring you more on some of our favorite things, places and activities that also populate our daily lives.

I enjoy being able to make my living doing graphic design, which I tend to think of as aesthetic problem solving in two dimensions. Coming up with something that not only works, but does so with a twist brings a lot of satisfaction. Being able to do so under the absurd timeframe of contemporary deadlines adds to that feeling. And yet, as a creative endeavor, it’s missing something…

Call me old-fashioned, but knocking something out on the computer, either to end up online, viewable by millions, or as a brochure that might be seen by hundreds or even thousands, lacks a tactile individuality. One postcard looks like all the other printed ones, and if you wanted more, just call the printer. The masthead on this blog looks the same to everybody on their own screens. The designs may be effective, but they’re not precious.

One could say that my hobby is starting hobbies. I’m a poly-amateur (from the Latin “amare”-to love), and find that most of the pursuits I engage in revolve around having something to hold, hear, or taste. They’re one-offs, culminations of efforts that are intimate expressions of myself.

A recent loss of a Danish Modern figure in an ebay bidding war started me down the path to woodcarving this past winter (I thought I could do just as well). I started off with a stylized teak cat, followed it up with a number of 2″ tall teak woolly animals (mammoth, buffalo, rhinos, another mammoth), an oak manta ray, and finally an 8″ tall mammoth made from black cherry with poplar tusks. All that within the span of six weeks before losing interest (at least for now).

When I look at the pieces, I do like the way they look, but I LOVE the way they feel in my hands and in my heart. Their weight, their polish, and their smell are all intimate sensory experiences, but what I appreciate the most about them is their uniqueness and individuality–their preciousness.  - j

In 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 thoughtful and unique. As promised, I’ve compiled a playlist that partially reflects those responses. As a Creative Director, I have a front row seat to subjectivity, so I know this list won’t fit every musical taste. But I think it does fit the bill for inspiring creativity. Some recommendations were great choices, but they didn’t fit the flow of this list (I’m looking at you, Mike T). That will be another blog post altogether. Anyway, here’s the playlist that resulted – and a download is available here via iTunes. Hope you are inspired by it.

Intro – The XX – XX (Bonus Track Version)

Fans of this buzz band put the “fan” in fanatical. I think I agree. What iTunes describes as “steely quiet-storm soundscapes” is an ideal start to settling in to a creative mindset.

Serenata – Charo – Charo and Guitar

Charo. Yes, that Charo. A great suggestion from Melissa. No lyrics to distract just yet. We’re still getting the easel set up. Really beautiful sounding.

All Apologies – Sinéad O’Connor – Universal Mother

Okay, I just thought Sinead should be on this list. Probably a little too slow for this point in the playlist, but “All Apologies” stays. Bonus points that it’s a Nirvana cover.

Sweet Tides – Thievery Corporation – Radio Retaliation

Loved Lisa’s comment that her Art Teacher always played Thievery Corporation to get them in the creative zone. This one is for all of those inspiring Art Teachers that we all remember with affection.

Act of the Apostle – God Help the Girl – God Help the Girl

This whole cd for me is less a favorite than an obsession. To me, it’s a must have for any music lover. You’ll play it over and over and over again.

Islands  – The XX – XX (Bonus Track Version)

Circling back to another The XX song since they set the overall tone for this playlist from the first song. This one with lyrics, but still in that same low-key vibe.

Congratulations – MGMT – Congratulations

Love MGMT and this one is a good song for when you’re well into the creative process. Haven’t given it a full listen yet, but I’m hoping that “Congratulations” is at least half as good as “Oracular Spectacular.”

To Kingdom Come – Passion Pit – Manners

A great suggestion from Angela for a less-familiar band. Also, a natural progression from MGMT. “The giddiest music possible . . . with dark and soul-searching lyrics.”

God Help the Girl – God Help the Girl – God Help the Girl

More “God Help the Girl,” because they’re so, so good. Love this song, love these lyrics. “You have been warned, I’m going to be contrary.”

A Beautiful Mess (Live) – Jason Mraz – Jason Mraz’s Beautiful Mess – Live On Earth

Fun to end with something live. Hopefully, “A Beautiful Mess” matches up nicely to something you’ve accomplished creatively after listening to this playlist.

By 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 the HR talk and bring you more on some of our favorite things, places and activities that also populate our daily lives.

As I celebrated my 40th birthday in bed a few weeks ago (get your minds out of the gutter — I caught my daughter’s stomach bug), I got to thinking about how I felt about my fourth decade and realized I’m stuck somewhere between incredibly grateful and horribly blind sided.

On one hand, I’ve got a lot to be thankful for. I have a wonderful husband/marriage (don’t ever believe you can’t meet anyone good in a bar…), kids that I once thought I wouldn’t be able to conceive, and parents who’ve always been about being there and enjoying today. Though I feel the need to knock on wood, I’ve been pretty healthy, can still run a faster mile than most high schoolers (though my 14-year old nephew can definitely kick my butt in a 5k), have a job I enjoy, and friends I know, love, and can share, cry, work out, compare notes, and drink with without traveling more than a hour.

On the other hand, I’ve noticed some kinks in the armor. Ligaments that don’t recover quite as quickly as they used to. I’m investing a small fortune in retinol creams and large sunglasses to “rejuvenate” the delicate eye-area skin that I abused on the beach for ten years. I’m pretty anxious about the general well-being of our government, planet, and our nation’s kids. And I attended more funerals for the parents of friends in the past twelve months than I have weddings.

40 really isn’t just a number. It’s not even a milestone. It’s more like the mileage on my car’s odometer. Though I still feel like I’m chugging along at a good rate, I’ve got quite a few miles behind me, and the road ahead definitely has a horizon line. Am I at the halfway point? Or, like my Nana, who lived to 94, am I just getting to the good stuff?

To celebrate the beginning of my 41st year, my friends reminded me of who I used to be. My kids showed me they love me for who I am today. And my husband? He’s taking me to see Chelsea Handler, to laugh off any worries I have about what may happen from here on out.

This week, as I went from entering “39″ on the elliptical machine to entering “40″— does a machine REALLY need that much information?— I looked around the gym at the other people chugging along, just like me.

I admired the twenty-something, but I didn’t envy her. Too many decisions coming. Too much time spent thinking about the future. Too much proving yourself. I wondered about the sixty-something. Was she where she wanted to be? Did her kids still keep in touch? Did she still hold hands with her husband? But it was the seventy-something who really caught my attention.

It was when I saw her walking around the indoor track with her friend, moving to let others pass, happy to be where she was — heading toward what was around the turn with a look of contentment and grace — that I knew the answer. 40 is The New Me.

By 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 the HR talk and bring you more on some of our favorite things, places and activities that also populate our daily lives.

For me, the only thing funnier than Graffiti artists beefin’ with each other is when the venerable Wall Street Journal covers it. Enter Robbo -  a pioneer of the 80′s London Graffiti scene, Banksy – Graffiti artist turned world-famous street artist, and a stretch of wall, under a bridge, along the Regent Canal otherwise known as London’s “Little Venice”.

The bite sized chunk version: 1985 Robbo classically tags the wall “ROBBO INC”, Robbo becomes legendary “Graffiti artist” by tagging the hell outta London with his traditional (time consuming), freehand, spray-painted work through the 80′s & early 90′s, slides into obscurity to be a dad and gives up Graffiti altogether. Banksy enters the “street artist” scene in the mid/late 90′s, becomes a master at the stencil & postering stealth style (quick & easy according to Graffiti artists), exhibits & sells his street art to worldwide acclaim (2007 work “Keep it Spotless” sells for 1.87 milli at Sotheby’s), publishes books, and exhibits in reputable galleries around the globe AND THEN in December 2009 visits the Regent Canal and defaces “ROBBO INC”. Team Robbo and Team Banksy war ensues. The article must be read to be believed. And I thought I was gonna read about the DOW tanking again. Thanks Wall Street Journal for a great piece. 

Since we are on the subject of Graffiti, I have to admit I am a big fan when it becomes sanctioned street art/Graffiti. Jane Golden, founder of the Philadelphia Mural Arts Program, is a local and probably national hero at this point in her career with what she has done with the program, an organization whose mission is to “unite artists and communities through a collaborative process, rooted in the traditions of mural-making, to create art that transforms public spaces and individual lives”.

Recently the husband and I went on a Mural Arts Tour around Valentine’s Day affectionately titled “Love Letters”, a public art project consisting of 50 rooftop murals from 45th to 63rd Sts. easily viewable from the Market-Frankford El line. Stephen Powers, the mural artist, was born & raised in Philly and became a renegade (illegal) graffitti artist.

Jane, who legitimized the medium IMO, famously gets renegade graffiti artists like Powers to pledge not to do traditional tag & run graffiti but rather develops their skills and artistry into city-sanctioned beautiful works of art that often reflect the spirit of the community in which they are displayed. Powers did not want to sign the pledge but went on to become a famous NYC based artist. “Love Letters” is not only a personal exchange between him and a woman, but between him and the city he grew up in as well. 

You can visit the Philadelphia Mural Arts Program website to find out how you can take the “Love Letters” tour, or grab a $2 SEPTA token and take a self guided tour. Be sure to jump out at a few stops along the way and view from the stillness of the El platform- 52nd and 63rd Sts. are good stops where you can see a number of “Love Letter” murals.

Also be sure to check out this New York Times story featuring this and other Philly based art: Art to Make You Laugh (And Cry).