#115 – My Faves

Permission to be stupid

You know those TV commercials that get under your skin? They don’t make you buy anything. Some of them actually discourage you or put you off. It’s not about the product they promote; it’s about the teaser or the punch line, or whatever it is that makes them so damn good.

Well, T-Mobile came up with one. Unfortunately, no YouTube search found this ad I’m addicted to, so depiction will have to do. Not that the others ads from this campaign are bad. Not at all, ask my BFF Jill.

This one is my favorite, the one that makes me laugh every time it’s on; the one I don’t FFWD when watching the DVR.

So for those who have no clue, here it goes

His older brother is obnoxious

Older brothers are a pain. It’s part of their job description. Often, they bully the younger brother. No surprises here too. So this obnoxious older brother, with his two followers, comes to embarrass his younger brother. First he grabs the phone.

“All his Faves are animals” he giggles to his two cronies.

“The horse” – and the camera zooms on a girl who is biting a carrot

“Chicken” – and the camera zooms on a guy with a tick that quakes a bit.

“Turtle”- and the camera zooms on the guy that is all buried inside his green coat, and only the head shows.

“Giraffe” – and the camera zooms on a long neck sticking out of a T-shirt.

“Pig? who’s the pig” asked the brother, as he laughs and.. Oink, Oink, Oinks.

Now all the animals mentioned above are laughing.

Including little brother. Touché.

Who’s in your faves?

And, just as I paste the last photo, the ad comes on, live.

Other T-Mobile Faves clips:

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=BZ_Essmk41o

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=1ltYQlFuzrg

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=fnYPJDpgLIw

Photos Credits:

http://www.oink.org.uk/images/pig_pictures/oink_oink_oink.jpg

http://di1.shopping.com/images/di/4a/73/4b/52417a76645049754a67775348504e5a5f4c41-100×100-0-0.jpg

http://images.jupiterimages.com/common/detail/16/01/23120116.jpg

http://www.crownpoint.net/Photos/turtle.gif

http://imagesource.allposters.com/images/pic/PA/6445021~Giraffe-Posters.jpg

 

 

 

#114 – En route to NJ

A Thought

I’ve done it for the first time in 1999. That flight was longer, and the stop over then was not in Denver but in Toronto. 8 years later, I fly out of SJC, and it’s not a new job I’m flying to, it’s a prospect customer we are going to see. On that Air Canada flight, chapter 1 was written. Then I was alone; now I’m traveling with a colleague, and this writing is done good few weeks later.

First Leg

6:30 AM flight to Denver. Who would imagine that there’s a taxi driver that observes the speed limit @ 5 AM. I was lucky enough to be driving with him.

When the inspection alarm goes off twice, I get pulled out of the line for a body search. The guy – a male – calls for “a female body search”. And I watch as one by one the others walk by. Hearing too many warning about losing computers, I cause a scene when I insist that the guard will guard my laptop and bag left on the security screening table. “Since you won’t claim responsibility if my computer will disappear, I insist you get it here, where I can watch it”. The supervisor is called, my stuff, shoes included, is brought to me, and the supervisor has the honor of body-searching me. According to her metal detector, my new pants have too many metal rings and buckles. Whatever.

Some negotiation later, I get myself an emergency exit seat, and off to sleep/read through most of the flight.

Here is where a long discussion about the stupidity and inefficiency of USA airports security. It’s not PC to profile people, so we waste everyone’s time? One idiot tried for explosive shoes, so we all take off our shoes? What’s the logic in security inspections that inspect for past threats, but don’t even try to be prepared for the future ones?

Legging behind

We touch down in Denver early, and then spend the next 20 minutes waiting for an available gate. Our itinerary shows we have the total of 30 minutes lay over to move from one gate to another. By the time we get to our destination gate, the sign shows the next flight. But they are happy to let us through- the crowder the merrier. “Sit anywhere, the flight is full, we gave up on you and gave away your seats” is the welcome we get. I end up in a middle seat, between an English teacher and a director in the company that manages/franchises the kiosks/stores that sell phones/subscription to all carriers in one place. By the time we land, I know their margins, part of the value chain, and the business model. While the carriers subsidize the phones heavily, these stores get about $235 per each 2-year subscription they sell. A not-so-wild guess would be that some of the OEMs may offer incentives for this model or another, thus improving margins even further.

The English teacher is flying to NJ to help her daughter to move to Texas. We talk books and integration. How do you educate Denver kids who grow in a (generally speaking) homogeneous environment, to be tolerant and respectful to those different from them?

Conversation is interrupted when K comes to demand my laptop. “I was talking to the security guy… I left my laptop @ the security counter… give me your laptop… I need to work on my presentation”.

“I don’t have a copy of your presentation” I manage to say, once I’m done sympathizing (and laughing). “You never sent me a copy” I insist. I’m not believed. Laptop is taken out, searched with no luck of course, and returned.

We are en route to NJ.

Photos Credits:

http://www.clarionledger.com/misc/blogs/mramsey/uploaded_images/bilde-2-780665.jpg

http://www.dailynugget.com/images/checkpoint-toy.jpg

http://www.sbtechnologymagazine.org/uploads/laptop_clip.jpg

#113 – Golden Gate Bridge, Take I

Before
Every once in a while you know you are going to have a great time. This was one of those times. Dan and Liliana in town, how can it not a great. So I cleaned the car of about half of its mess, filled up the tank, got a dog-sitter to take Lizzy out and… waited

 

Work for my dinner
Friday, work week is over, and I’m in the car. Driving into San Francisco on a Friday night was not supposed to be a nightmare. Yet it was. Over 90 minutes crawling through miserable 45 miles. Yet that wasn’t enough. “No dinner just yet” said Dan. Shocked that I haven’t yet seen, let alone crossed the Golden Gate Bridge, and committed to show Liliana as many SFO-Must-See attractions as possible before the first day in the city is over, Dan insisted on seeing before sitting. I obliged. And, without consulting a map [at first], we just drove in the right direction. The fog intensified, visibility was poor, and before we knew it, we were on the bridge without really seeing it. Driving isn’t easy, yet the effort pays of.

I Had No Clue
It is impressive. Can’t deny. If I’d known it is that impressive, I would have come here earlier. Drive across this amazing construction, water below, the fog so thick that at times it feels as if we drive on air. Drive across, get out of the car at the view point, feel as if Winter took hold in July, and look at the Golden Gate Bridge.

Dinner could not compare with this view.

Need to go back, and this time walk across. I’m told this is the real deal. However, maybe I should fix my cameras first???

Photo Credits:

http://www.centennialofflight.gov/2003FF/atmosphere/graphics/fog.jpg

http://images.jupiterimages.com/common/detail/69/74/22967469.jpg

http://www.agpix.com/catalog/AGPix_KJames/large/AGPix_KJames_0251_Lg.jpg

#112 – Craig and I (II)

Who’s Craig?

Craig Alexander Newmark was born on 6 December 1952 in Morristown, New Jersey. Craig is a senior Web-oriented software engineer, with around twenty-five years of experience (including 18 years at IBM), and has become a leader in online community by virtue of running www.craigslist.org for over 9 years.

What am I talking about

Good few weeks passed since i posted my ad, and blogged about it here (Craig and I (I)), and as I get ready to post another ad, it’s time to share with you more (some) of my experiences . It is rare that one takes an action and can directly see the results or outcome. This most definitely was one of these rare occasions. Conclusions yet to come (wait for III).

Credit and apology

It wasn’t Debbie who told me about Craig’s Strictly Platonic board. Behind on his reading, it took Dan K. – My cousin, and one of the 4 Dans who are regular readers – good few weeks to come out and demand his due credit. A female acquaintance of his moved to a new city and used Craig to start her own local network of friends. She told him, he told me and here we are, corrected. THANKS Dan!!!

What else had happened

Sadly, most of the exchanges didn’t mount to much. Few email exchanges and you realize there’s nothing to say, hence you know there’s no need to push for a meeting. In my opinion, since it’s “Strictly Platonic”, people either don’t put much effort into marketing themselves (yet, some try VERY hard), or are less sensitive to rejection since it’s not a potential romantic partner that rejected them.

Another observation is that some [insecure?!] people are rather take their time. Like D. who wanted to interview me before he’d consider a meeting. After the first questionnaire, the follow up email included “What books do you read? What music do you listen to?” It felt as if without knowing, I joined match.com, JDATE or eHarmony.

J, a man of few words

One of the more entertaining emails read like a well rehearsed paper. The guy attached two photos of himself, and then went on to say: “Someone once said, “a picture is worth a thousand words”. Well that may be true in some cases. But does a picture smile at you when you say something funny? Does a pictures eyes gleam when you walk into the room? Does a picture give you his jacket when you’re cold? Does a picture let you hold the remote once in awhile? Does a picture remember your birthday or what kind of perfume you use? Does a picture’s temperature go up one or two degrees when it feels your hot breath? Does a picture’s knees buckle when you walk by? When you turn a picture over and scratch it’s back, does it purr like a kitten? Does a picture brush against you when you when you pass by and say “gosh you look good tonight”? Yes! A picture may be worth a thousand words but it doesn’t show if a person is a complete slob, or an irresponsible flake.“

The complete email was 579 words total, header excluded. I never made it to the end.

Of course, the first sentence was asking for a picture. When I pointed out the contradiction, he said it’ll require some thinking. He’s still thinking, and I never heard from him again.

Expect MORE to come; all Platonic of course.

Photos credits:

http://craigslistinfo.info/craig1.jpg

http://fivestarad.net/images/aw_wordsmith.jpg

http://www.coral-lab.org/~marc/plato.jpg

#111 – One evening in Manhattan

Even the most hectic business trip has its after hours hours. And my last trip to NJ was no different. No one can judge me if after 4 brain-draining hours I wanted some off-time. And I always can trust Howie and David, my dear friends to deliver, sitting in traffic excluded. I got in early, and had time for a coffee. Walking around 42^nd street, 8^th-9^th avenues, I had no place on mind, until my eyes zoomed on one. The most unpretentious sign in the block, emphasizing the internet access more than the coffee. My coffee sense insisted this must be my destination, and so I walked in. And then I knew it; these guys know coffee. Air-condition less than I’d love it to be, but the selection of coffee beans more than compensates for it. Two guys and a girl, maybe the owners, maybe not, but they know coffee. Got a perfectly made latte, with appreciative looks when I declined the sugar. I take my coffee straight! J And with half a pound to share the joy with Pat. Tasting it the following morning, I loved the acidity and aroma. Sitting down to kill some time until Howie gets off work, I observed the store’s traffic. Liked the mix; more specifically, the bias towards those who either knew what they want or asked the right questions.“Researching” for this piece, I found out that not only Empire Coffee U& Tea serves great coffee, they also have long history. The store I’ve been sitting in has been in business since 1908. that’s a long roasting time. Now they have a 2^nd store in Hoboken, and, as I put it to test, ship anywhere in this country. So…

Name: Empire Coffee & Tea

Address: 568 Ninth Avenue NYC

URL: http://empirecoffeetea.com/start.htm

Drink and be happy.

The evening however, was not about coffee. Around 6:20 came the phone call. “Go 4 blocks North, turn right, walk on the North side of the street…” I accepted the mission. The new Paramount hotel on 235 W 46^th street is a celebration of design and creativity. Philippe Starck’s creativity, none less. According to the New York Times called it A Hotel Where Magic and Humor Reside. As I walked in, a photographer was taking pictures of girls with very long legs that carried extremely thin bodies. I mean really long legs, and in case that wasn’t enough, most had 4-8 inches heels providing extra height. It would take an NBA player to kiss any of them. I mean at least any part of their face. Given the hotel stylish persona, we couldn’t decide if they were there for a applying for a job @ the hotel or trying for a modeling job. Yes, it’s that kind of hotel.

After one drink @ the bar [Cool design, slow service] we walked to XXX (Howie/David – Help pls) for the sushi I was craving throughout the cleansing. I don’t remember much of the sushi; I know it was good and complemented the hilarious evening we were having. Knowing the men type Howie and David like, I was the one that was interrogated about what men type I liked. My relationships with Craig [‘s list] provided more than enough substance, and if that wasn’t enough, Mr. Fettuccine completed the dissection part of the evening. Now we were ready for deserts.

Junior’s have been providing sinful cheesecakes (and free cholesterol) to New Yorkers since 1950. Restaurant founder Harry Rosen and Master Baker Eigel Peterson, created and produced what is still marketed as the “World’s Most Fabulous Cheesecake”. The recipe has been part of the Rosen family for three generations. Even today, only one master baker, or better- the CEO [Cheese Executive Officer] oversees the entire process. I went for the carrot-cheesecake; a monstrous piece which only half of it I could consume. We also had the original @ our table. We were, so I’m told, @ Junior’s newest location, @ Times Square (W 45^th street, between Broadway and 8th Ave). Walk back, wait for the attendant to get the car in a humid NY night, last kisses and… can you blame me if the drive back seemed almost tolerable. Worthwhile for sure.

Photos Credits:

http://www.nybits.com/images/photo/times_square_evening.jpg

http://empirecoffeetea.com/aboutF.htm

http://i.travelpn.com.edgesuite.net/tvly/photos/hotel/026798E.jpg

http://www.trailfinders.com/tailormadehotels.nsf/D4354963355416AC802571000034CECC/$FILE/w400_470A-1.jpg

http://www.juniorscheesecake.com/

#110- A dog in one hand, a doggie bag in the other

I love dogs. Grew up with dogs, got bitten and licked by them, trained them, got trained by them; you could say I’m a dog person, and let the cats “miaow” all they want. Sadly, my life does not fit a dog; at least not a happy well-taken-care-of dog. So most of the time I miss dogs. For the past month, I had a dog; baby-sitted one to be exact. Lizzi, nine year old Labrador, with the energy and state of mind of a puppy and I shared a home. Lizzi was all for sharing beds too, but there’s a limit to my dog love. We settled on importing her bed into my bedroom every night before lights out time. Can’t tell you that I slept better or felt safer, plus she snores. Nevertheless, it feels good to make a dog happy. Suddenly I had a demanding alarm clock. If I didn’t wake up on Lizzi’s time, the nails tapping on the wooden floors and the little whimpering woke me. An uncovered foot got licked until the body attached to it got up. Having to be home for Lizzi’s ball time and bio-needs preceded any urgent “Must Get Done Now” item at work. Dogs don’t understand “I had to finish this email”. Their world is here and now. To ensure Lizzi’s quality of life, I had my own dog sitter. Does that make me a senior dog sitter? My love though, was put to test on a daily basis. Forget having dog hair all over my cloths or having to build a barricade in front of my bedroom door before leaving the house [the bitch knows how to open doors]. I really grew to love the morning brisk walks before really waking up. Resisting to being pulled by an eager Lab does develop ones muscles. But how can one enjoy monitoring a dog’s deposit activity, and happily scoop and carry around the smelly hot bag, full with the gift of nature and healthy digestion? Trust me; love does get challenged when it takes the form of a fresh [warm] doggie bag. Anyway, why there are no public trash cans in the residential areas of Palo Alto?

Photo credits:

http://lexiethelab.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/03/lexie32507a.jpg

http://www.reigate-banstead.gov.uk/Images/DOG%20with%20dogs%20pic_tcm5-11728.jpg