Buddhist Marketer

Sometimes

Sometimes it is hard to be human.  Is what I’m feeling a defense mechanism?  Am I motivated to do X, Y, and Z as an avoidance of A, B, and C?  What am I supposed to be feeling right now?  Ugh.

Here’s what I think I know:

• I am still deeply upset by how a realty company treated me in October — particularly since their misunderstanding of the situation was a function of their own negligence.  Very, very hurtful.
• I am growing increasingly comfortable with the ups and downs of an entrepreneur’s cash flow.  Two years ago I could not have handled the swings.  Maybe it’s the downward dogs, the warrior threes, the meditative breathing; whatevs.  I am lessy Grippy McGripperson on the “reality” of “now” and feeling much more fluid and able to roll with the punches.  And stuff.
• I am so glad to finally only have one office.  Now I can dig into making it a great space, a space for creativity, collaboration, shenanigans, and high speed interwebz.

Everything else:  not so sure.  Perhaps I’ll figure it out.  Perhaps figuring it out is besides the point.

Elsewhere, 33rd Birfday Edition

• I’m looking for a project management intern to work one day a week, 11a - 5p or so, on-site
• Reduce stress in sixty seconds
• Ashton Kutcher, undercover Buddhist-ish?

Saturday Talk - Feedback

Happy day - just got some feedback from my talk on Saturday (”Yale Is Bad For Your Career”):

Thank you for your wonderful workshop at the WLI Conference, Anittah. You are an amazing and wonderfully engaging speaker.

*Blush*

Thank you for the kind words, Ms. 1Y0!

It’s nice to know I didn’t need to become a b-school prof in order to trot around in front of a classroom :)

Cool Stuff @ Macy’s

Just in time for my birthday, Macy’s is having a birthday sale of their own.  These things caught my eye, and if I had spending cash, I’d probably buy ‘em :)

• Purple cable-knit v-neck sweater, $34.98.  I am feeling purple these days.
• Purple Casio G-Shock, $99.  A blonde freshman from Long Island had a G-Shock in my french class first semester junior year, and I have wanted one ever since. (similar)
• Pink crystal heart pendant, $29.99 - 20% = $24.01 (similar)

• Keurig K-Cup Carousel, $19.99 - 15% = $16.99

• Espana earthenware breadbasket in Pearl, $19.99 - 15% = $16.99. I’m using a lot of crochet trim in my new crib and this would be a nice place to put oranges, methinks.

• Lenox Chirp china.  Four piece place setting $99 - 15% = $84.15

Of course, this is all academic. :)

One thing: Macy’s mailers do not align with their website — hence me having to link to “similar” items.  Memo to direct mailers:  make sure your website contains products you’re hawking in your mailer. Not being able to find the exact products on your website that you feature so lushly in your DM piece makes me think the products won’t be in stock.  Bad idea jeans!

Apartment Decorating Costs

• Gallon of Pratt & Lambert flat paint in white smoke (for main space walls) $23.94
• Anchors and screws for curtain hardware $4.24

Running total:  $28.18

APT LOAD CURTAINS

I don’t know why — maybe cuz I’m a Scorpio — but it’s very hard for me to focus on anything but getting my home in order when my home is not in order.  So add a new office space onto that and you’ve got me in total Suzy Homemaker overdrive.

Hence: me re-learning how to crochet.  I’ve got some curtains that need coordinating trim, and trim in the style of single-stitch crochet is exactly what they need!

Plus, IKEA curtains all the more hand-me-downable when adorned with hand craftery.  Sez me.

Lemonade

I took a cab from the office I’m moving out of near Astor Place to my new office in the Flatironish.  A subway is easy but I was schlepping my laser printer (one of my clients needs a hard copy of an invoice; how retro-chic!) and I didn’t feel like taking two sets of stairs and walking extra blocks.

Unrelated: view from back seat of taxi en route to Reykjavik

But then the taxi I was in got into an accident at 23rd and Park.  No biggie, no one hurt, but I was asked to get out of the cab so the two drivers could yell at each other in a foreign language.

This, of course, was not part of the plan.

• Taking another cab would not have been economical.  Taxis bequeath their riders increasing returns to scale; my ride was up to $6.90 and would have only been two more dollars had it not rear-ended someone else.  But to start a new ride would have been easily five buckaroos.
• It was raining.
• Now I had to schlep the printer more blocks anyway.

But, whatevs.  At least I didn’t have to do any stairs, and the rain was kind of nice and gentle, and the printer was kind of dusty anyways and could use a light baff, and I ran into a nice little row of indie vendor-types flanking the west side of Madison Square Park (including Wafels & Dingels (sp?) at 24th & Broadway).

So, not so terrible.  Sure, my lower back hurts (again), but, whatevs.

Coming To Times Square

She heard I was moving to Midtown, so my big sister decided to put herself on a big ad that’ll be playing in Times Square in November.

Awww, just to be closer to her li’l sis! How sweet :)

Click here to learn more the American Association of People with Disabilities.

This Is My Brain On Tape

You didn’t think I was going to die before trying my hand at podcasting, did you?  Pshaw!

Names dropped:

• Laura Allen, Founder, 15SecondPitch.com
• Emily Bell, Co-Founder, Young Professionals for CARE - NYC
• Damon Bethel, EVP of Strategic Planning; Biz Dev, DBG
• Anthony Bourdain, Author, “Kitchen Confidential“
• Joanna Breen, EVP Production, Touchstorm
• Victor Frankl, Author, “Man’s Search for Meaning”
• Bill Harvey, SVP; General Manager of OpenTV Research
• Dave Jackson, SVP Advertising Sales, Grab Networks
• Joanne Lipman, Founding Editor, “Portfolio”
• Jack Mason, Social Media Strategist, IBM
• Mary Miller, Dean, Yale College
• Dan McKillen, President & CEO of HealthDay
• Sharon Melnick, SharonMelnick.com
• Mark Ranalli, President & CEO of Helium
• Todd Sokolove, BewareOfTheBlog.Blogspot.com
• Rachel Weiss, NYCBabylon.Blogspot.com
• Ralphie, Character, “A Christmas Story”

Elsewhere On The Interwebz

Here’s other blog posts by yours truly if you’re interested!

At DinnerGrrls.org:

• What entrepreneurs can learn from Shark Tank
• Easy tip for making today (yes!  now!) more meaningful
• Get rid of information overload — like, this very moment

At thinking/marketing:

• Five tips for growing your blog readership
• Lincoln Center’s checkout cart is awesome
• Should you pick an agency that’s specific to your industry?

Hope everyone is doing well.  The sky is so blue today!