Remember the beautiful unicorn cake I slaughtered this summer at BlogHer? Well I had to post a follow up pic from Tara (@tarable) who captured the disturbed expression in the gentleman's face in the background!
(photo stolen from Tara's Flickr account)
When dentists and orthodontists take a staff picture and use it in their ads or as mailers, it always looks to me like a polygamist Christmas card of sorts.
Generally you have middle aged gentleman surrounded by young, lovely ladies all dressed the same (ok, ok, so they are not wearing farm dresses and rocking the big bangs, but they are nonetheless dressed alike!).
Please consider this an open letter to dental professionals everywhere to abandon the practice and find better graphic designers or ad agencies to create your marketing campaigns. The "dirty old man" campaign is not working well for me!
(example picture found in a 2 second search on yourdentistryguide.com)
I thought I was something noble and peaceful like a horse . . . but apparently I'm a SNAKE! And the truth is - Snakes are rockin' it in 09!
You can find your 2009 outlook on Yahoo Shine -
The Snake has an incredibly favorable year ahead. The year of the Ox provides many opportunities for the Snake to fulfill long awaited career goals and achieve more than he/she ever imagined. Your wisdom and patience are tools that prove successful in all aspects of your life. Relationships could be taken to new heights and deep and meaningful friendships are acquired. This year proves to be one of action, the year that all of your planning and waiting pay off for you. The later months prove to be especially successful, tying a year of arduous work into an extremely blissful culmination.
79% (10 favorable and 2 neutral months)
Your wisdom proves to be most resourceful this year, particularly in your career endeavors. Colleagues will admire your input and your opinion will be well respected among business circles. Your work will take you to new levels in your career, as you may see a promotion or a position change that offers you a direction that is more suitable to your skills. March, April and May are strong months for a career change or an upswing in your current position. Be prepared for an outstanding year in your work and don't be surprised if everything you do results in success
The Snake's social life will bring a high amount of satisfaction to you this year, as will your family life. Though you tend to be more of a loner, this year will provide occasions that may bring you out of your shell. You have always been a good listener and you will benefit from being more assertive in social situations. More to the point, you may be thrown into a position to be more assertive, rather than volunteering. Your quick thinking will prove to be most useful. Single Snakes may find the romantic relationship they seek, as romance is favored.
The Snake will not suffer any more than minor health issues, but you may want to watch what you eat and make it a point to exercise more often, as these may be areas that you tend to neglect. Your busy work schedule and social endeavors may make it difficult to maintain a regular schedule of exercise, but you can find time here and there to do something active. This will help your heart and may relive stress from a long work week.
The Snake will do well with your conservative approach to spending. You have always been disciplined in your finances and this year proves to be no different. If you maintain your frugal manner, you will find that you have accumulated enough by the end of the year to make a large purchase that you have been planning for a long time. If you are in doubt about a particular endeavor, don't hesitate to receive a second opinion before committing.
I feel cool. I never find deals but I found a deal today. It makes me want to be deal savvy . . . but it takes too much time. So for a limited time (about 30 seconds) I am taking my place as the "deal queen". Pass this along to whomever you'd like --25 books for free (but you do have to pay to have them ship the box)I had a call with Richard Paul Evans about doing some content and promotions with us for his next book called the "5 Secrets for Women" (a book about finances) it's an offshoot of the book "The 5 Secrets a Millionaire Taught Me" and he mentioned that he was getting rid of some copies of his old book "The Christmas Box" and he's giving the books away for free - you just pay shipping. So you get a box of 25 books for $15. I"m sure you've all heard about it - it's a New York TImes bestseller from awhile ago etc. etc. These would be awesome neighbor or friend gifts etc. so I thought I'd pass it along.
Speaking of sports and girls! I've always remembered a commercial that Nike ran when I was in high school (1995). I was on my high school softball team and played soccer and swam at the time. This commercial has always left an impression on me - I even excerpted it in the Sports and Rec chapter of our first book in our first market for TodaysMama.
A thought to chew on . . . how did Title IX change your life as a girl? I'd never considered it. Title IX passed 5 years before I was born.
I was a tom-boy growing up and loved and played sports. My best friends were generally guys. I played baseball with the boys at recess I rarely felt that I didn't measure up to them. I never remember feeling less than boys, or like the boys had special rights that I didn't. (except for when I joined Girl Scouts, and our campouts were in the backyard of our leader and all we did was make quilts! I was mad. I tried to join the Boy Scouts, but it didn't work out). So with the exception of Boy Scouts - I never felt like I got the short end of the stick.
I think that our generations relationship to boys and our view of ourselves has been reflected in all of the decisions we make, even the quality of our marriages and what our relationships are based on. I think you see the distinct difference in men 35 and younger as well. In my opinion, in most spheres, we are very much on the same playing field and it is a rare experience to come across a man that seems to have not caught on to the fact that girls in fact rule. ;)
So with great interest I attended the kick off reception of the new documentary "Kick Like a Girl" a film by Jenny Mackenzie.
It's about a girls soccer team who played for 2 years in all girls leagues undefeated. Finally the coach (one of their moms) decided to enter them into the boys league. It's an incredible movie that every mother of girls AND boys needs to see! I loved it!
The other cool thing about this film? It's made by a mom! She had just recently gone back to school in film making - I love to see women continually reinventing themselves and accomplishing cool things. Congrats!
LOVED IT!
Last summer the boys across the street put duct tape around the 2 handles of our next door neighbors front door, rang her door bell and ran away. So obviously, her attempt to answer the door was hilarious (for the boys). She actually thought it was funny too – and turned around from the door – laughing. That was the end of the trickery from the boys across the street. I think the key – is a low level response.
Contrast that to the story my husband shared about his retired neighbors growing up. They would doorbell ditch them, and each time the couple (who were in their late 60’s) would surface screaming out the door with a bat and a gunny sack! Yes, you heard me right, a bat and a gunny sack!
Of course, the boys continued (and continued) just to see them jump out screaming with a bat and a gunny sack.
The key to warding off these wild little neighborhood tricks is then in my opinion – a low level of response – which will be hard for me as years go on. I can’t help but imagine when my house gets toilet papered (and I have lots of trees) the rage that I will probably feel and the vengeful feelings that will percolate through my body. I’m afraid that I will be the one hitting the streets to one up them with a better trick. I was unfortunately one of those bored teens who spent late nights toilet papering, saran wrapping cars, and throwing feminine products soaked with various drinks out the windows of our cars into the windows of other cars. There was pleny more mischief and I wish I could remember it all! :) Need I remind anyone about pickle loaf and peeps?
One of the coolest things to me about flying is being above the clouds.
I was trapped in New York on Valentines Day. The storms in the East kept me from returning home to my little family to enjoy this little holiday. So I hit the streets to yet again . . . eat alone.
Here is my menu- a Valentines Day menu for 2. "Table for 1 please".
It takes a lot of confidence to dine alone. And I did - for 5 days. Here is a book that was sitting across from me at the Borders bookstore cafe where I was eating alone on a Tuesday night in New York:
My hotel is full of dogs. Yes, dogs. In sweaters, in leather jackets, with hair styles, and clippies and jewelry. The dogs are everywhere. It took me a minute to figure out if I had checked into a pet boarding facility or not, but I soon realized that it's dog show time! The big Westminster dog show/competition was going on right across the street at Madison Square Garden. And lucky for me, I'm rooming next to 2 of the wildest contestants in the show. Good thing I brought my husbands Skull Candy (noise reducing head phones).
is in my basement . . . in the form of Reeses White Chocolate Christmas Trees -- I bought them for the kids stockings -- They've been tucked away hidden, but I find myself sneaking down there several times a day. I tell myself every time as I'm headed down the stairs "This is the last time . . . you've gone too far". But I'm addicted. I would venture that Reeses has placed addictive chemicals in their peanut butter trees, and that I am not truly responsible for the wild ravages that are taking place in a dark corner of my basement.
Scary. It looks like I've got a 12 step program to enroll myself in for the new year.
Had a realization about him today . . .All of this time I thought that he had yellow water wings on. Today, upon closer examination I have realized that it is a yellow Hawaiian shirt!
I used to think that the Arby's logo was a pile of roast beef. It's really a cowboy hat.
