Monthly Archives: July 2010

Mother Daughter IM

Sometimes the only communication I have with my kids is virtual. It’s ok; any connection is fine by me and sometimes you can simply jump into each other’s day and ease the pain a little. The following is part of a chat with my daughter who, as part of her internship duties, had to be the receptionist for two days in a row. This came in at about 4:45 PM just as most of the office was getting ready to vamoose. (note we both have our dog as our icons… scary) I am in the blue in case you could not guess.

Haven’t had enough of me yet? You can also read me at 50-Something Moms Blog. For photo enthusiasts, visit Leaving the zip code, photos from outside the comfort zone.

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Filed under conversations, humor, Jana, social media

Flushing out ideas and marketing the crap out of them

Ok, today’s post is a little entertainment from the land of advertising. Is it still referred to as Madison Avenue or have the likes of crowdsourcing and word of mouth made that obsolete?

Whatever, this sucker came up as a facebook ad and I could not resist the click. You know, considering my obsession with ‘output’ and all. Would it really come as a surprise to you that a women who wrote about her colonoscopy in three acts would be inclined to go for the click on an ad with the title ‘Potty parody’ featuring a geeky guy on the toilet? I mean, a woman has only so much restraint!

I have also written about the Toilet Paper Advertising Smackdown so I suppose I am an expert the excrement, if you will.

Or won’t, for that matter.

So Clorox, don’t get all excited about me promoting your brand of toilet cleaner (mostly because I fear my green friends will get their underwear all in a knot over that… cough cough Dani and Jessica G). For the purpose of this post I am simply recognizing the creative and commending you on the facebook ad placement. That silly little targeting algorithm sure has this chick’s number.

The video is goofy but well written in an I-can’t-believe-how-lame-this-is-cheap-shot-sort-of-middle-school-bathroom- humor-that-I-still-have-not-outgrown sort of way. Tragically geekster hip but funny just the same. However, Ode to the Commode does not wring my bell nearly as much as the title of this post which came from the copy.

Here’s the vid, kids. See for yourselves. And there is a little poll at the end to vote for your favorite campaign name. Simply for my own entertainment.

Haven’t had enough of me yet? You can also read me at 50-Something Moms Blog. For photo enthusiasts, visit Leaving the zip code, photos from outside the comfort zone.

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Filed under companies, facebook ads, humor, marketing, products

Hot, Bored and Hungry

Well, if that’s the case, then this is the place for you.

Air Cond.

TV.

Restaurant.

What more can you ask for?

That’s right, a bar!

This could be the most perfect place on earth.

Haven’t had enough of me yet? You can also read me at 50-Something Moms Blog. For photo enthusiasts, visit Leaving the zip code, photos from outside the comfort zone.

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Filed under carry a camera, signage

The Morning Walk and the Garbage Sentry

Every morning I start my day with a walk. I take the dog, or she takes me, and we both make sure that the other gets a little exercise before getting down to the business of the day. I play little games with myself to stay entertained. Some days I set out to connect with at least 3 people on my walk since I work alone and feel the need for eye to eye contact. Ok, so that is a little weird.

But not as weird as today’s garbage find. This was not the first stuffed animal that got tossed today but it was surely the most majestic. This time of year in the suburbs it is not odd to find all sorts of things you would find in a cluttered kids room out in the trash. This phenomenon is what is known as the room purge. It is done when the kids leave for camp. While they are not present we dump all the crap they will never miss.

As I stopped to take this picture with my phone, the dog did a little business of her own. A car passed by while she was in mid-squat and then stopped at the corner and stayed there. I did not think much about it as I sent the picture to both twitter and facebook on my phone. Yeh, I know, no need to comment on the tech addiction.

As I neared the corner the woman rolled down the passenger window and shouted out at me, “Don’t you think you need to go and pick up after your dog?” Mind you, I have the little plastic bone with the doody bags on the leash, I ALWAYS pick up after my dog.

Me: “Um, lady, she only peed”

Lady: “Oh, never mind.” And she drove away.

How’s that for some human connection. Jeez!

Haven’t had enough of me yet? You can also read me at 50-Something Moms Blog. For photo enthusiasts, visit Leaving the zip code, photos from outside the comfort zone.

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Filed under absurdities, carry a camera

Time to Cry Tuesday – Enjoy the Moment

This plaque is on a bench on the boardwalk in Long Beach, NY. All along the boardwalk there are benches with dedication plaques. Many of them memorialize those who were lost in 9/11 that grew up in the area. I have sadly come across the name of someone I once knew on one of these benches. Sobering indeed. Yet it makes me think how much of a comfort it must be to the family members to have these in such a special place.

This is up there with one of my most favorite places on earth. I spent much of my childhood on the beaches there, as my grandparents lived walking distance to the beach. Their house had an outdoor shower and there was nothing better after a day spent in the sand and surf than to return to that outdoor shower.

This past weekend I spent both days walking on this board walk. The first day was more of a stroll. A ritual walk with 3 generations of my family. One that we have done hundreds of times, in all seasons. It is our ‘place’. It is Home with a cap H. It is the place where each and every one of us feels like we belong.

Not bad right?

So yes, I surely did enjoy the moment.

Here are a few more favorite shots to give you a feel for the place.

There is a special bike lane which makes it a great place to ride.

It is not uncommon to see flowers on the memorial benches.

Hands down the sweetest sight of the day, this couple was quite elderly and extremely slow-moving, but you could tell that they take this walk every day and probably have been for many years.

Haven’t had enough of me yet? You can also read me at 50-Something Moms Blog. For photo enthusiasts, visit Leaving the zip code, photos from outside the comfort zone.

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Filed under Time to Cry Tuesdays

Good Humor Gone Bad

Ice cream fail? Nothing sadder than a broken down ice cream truck. Love this vintage Good Humor truck, so sorry it was not all that happy with the heat.

I am tired so I am going to open up the comments and ask what your fave Good Humor ice cream was when you were a kid. Were you a creamsicle kind of guy or was the Chocolate Eclair your thing. Or were you strictly a classic dixie cup kind of dixie chick?

Now that I think about it, isn’t Good Humor simultaneously the most ridiculous and absolutely perfect name for ice cream?

Haven’t had enough of me yet? You can also read me at 50-Something Moms Blog. For photo enthusiasts, visit Leaving the zip code, photos from outside the comfort zone.

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Filed under companies, humor, signage

The old uptown FU

Ok, it is really the F and the V, but when you walk past it quickly and maybe squint a little it looks like the FU and it made me laugh.

I also like the bumper sticker ‘I am second’. Correct me if I am wrong but is this something to brag about? Don’t we strive to be first? Me first, first in line, firstborn, first class… you get my drift.

A little digging (or shall I say googling) and I found out that I Am Second is some sort of christian movement. Although the religious piece kind of creeps me out is not my cup of tea, their mission is kind of cool. An inspiring reach out to others sort of thing.

Which seems rather ironic since it was posted at the FU station. (what? Am I the only one that calls it that?)

Haven’t had enough of me yet? You can also read me at 50-Something Moms Blog. For photo enthusiasts, visit Leaving the zip code, photos from outside the comfort zone.

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Filed under carry a camera, humor, signage

Bogus Hill

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Once again, Joyce is bird-dogging great shots for me. My motto: if you can’t get out of the basement, make sure that your friends can. And remind them to carry a camera.

This is half the stone entrance for Bogus Hill. We love this name. What happens up there?

Nothing real, we are certain.

Haven’t had enough of me yet? You can also read me at 50-Something Moms Blog. For photo enthusiasts, visit Leaving the zip code, photos from outside the comfort zone.

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Filed under carry a camera, humor, joyce, places of interest, road trip, signage

Fax Us Your Unwanted Faxes… huh?

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Ivy received this today, via fax of course. I don’t know why but it gave us both the giggles. Ok, I know why it gave her the giggles, she was jet lagged and sending a kid off to camp lagged in combination. Everything is funny when you are in that state. Me? I guess everything is just funny to me.

Or everything absurd, anyway.

So, I get the service. You fax them the crap you don’t want like the ones I got this week: “Right Tech Roofing” and “New Vacation Policy for All Employees”. Um, I work for myself and have not had a vacation in almost as long as I have owned a damn fax machine so I get why I would want to stop these from coming in.

Adding the word ‘Environ’ to their name was clever. And adding the Commission on the end adds a level of official business. Lovely branding, guys, really.

EnvironFax Commission

Let’s see, I get a fax. (sheet of paper 1). Then I fax it to them. (sheet of paper 2). Then they fax the sender (sheet of paper 3). Environ? Not so much.

Ok, I am not stupid, in theory they will handle the unwanted faxes and they will stop coming to me avoiding sheets of paper 4-4,000. And they are a nonprofit org so that is a good thing.

Still, the headline cracks me up. Is it me?

Haven’t had enough of me yet? You can also read me at 50-Something Moms Blog. For photo enthusiasts, visit Leaving the zip code, photos from outside the comfort zone.

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Filed under absurdities, humor

Little Head Thinks

Saw this in a parking lot this weekend and it cracked me up.

I have one comment:

Define ‘thinks’.

(btw, the url does not work but this is an East Hampton Band and you can hear them on MySpace)

Haven’t had enough of me yet? You can also read me at 50-Something Moms Blog. For photo enthusiasts, visit Leaving the zip code, photos from outside the comfort zone.H

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Filed under absurdities, music, signage