For those of you with an MP3 player to be used while working out on your gift list for someone special, you may find my review of the Sandisk Sansa Clip helpful.
Until next time...
PH
Thursday, November 29, 2007
November on the Vine
This is a good time to check in on what is going on in Amazon Vine this month. I have selected a couple of different items from the program, and I have already published a review for one of them. First I have been evaluating the Ultreo Ultrasonic Toothbrush. This was an interesting experience for me because I had never used a power toothbrush before. I don't know that I honestly would have ever gotten this on my own given the cost, but it seems to be the going rate for other manufacturers too.
Meanwhile I am in the process of reading Fired Up or Burned Out: How to Reignite Your Team's Passion, Creativity, and Productivity. As a manager this was a pretty natural fit because burnout and motivation are real issues that I deal with on a regular basis. Look for the review of this book to be up in about another week or two.
It's almost time for the cafeteria to open so I'm going to take my clean teeth and go get some coffee.
Until next time...
PH
Meanwhile I am in the process of reading Fired Up or Burned Out: How to Reignite Your Team's Passion, Creativity, and Productivity. As a manager this was a pretty natural fit because burnout and motivation are real issues that I deal with on a regular basis. Look for the review of this book to be up in about another week or two.
It's almost time for the cafeteria to open so I'm going to take my clean teeth and go get some coffee.
Until next time...
PH
Sunday, November 25, 2007
Interesting Song Lyric
While you would never equate them with the works of Shakespeare or your other favorite poet, songs are at their essence poems set to music. While this may be very shaky ground, going out on a limb, (insert your favorite other cliché here), etc., one of the things we can do with poetry is interpret it.
Have you ever had a song that you've listened to for years, yet one day you notice a particular line that has been there all along that just went right by you until just now? I had this happen with a song that I've only been listening to for about 24 years! In the last verse of Cyndi Lauper's hit Time After Time we get the following last line: "The drum beats out of time".
For some reason when I heard this yesterday, I thought to myself, "I wonder what that means?" The obvious choice would be that the drum is not keeping rhythm with everything else. I continued in my inner monologue, "Well that's not very interesting." So I tried to see if I could see anything beyond that. Perhaps it is a reference to the end of time or life. If you prefer something less dramatic, maybe it is the end of a relationship or some other significant event. Considering that the song deals with a relationship, I think this is probably the intent.
Whew! Was that as scary for you as it was for me? Let's turn to Freud for our closing thought: "Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar." Pop music probably isn't intended for analysis anyway.
Until next time...
PH
Have you ever had a song that you've listened to for years, yet one day you notice a particular line that has been there all along that just went right by you until just now? I had this happen with a song that I've only been listening to for about 24 years! In the last verse of Cyndi Lauper's hit Time After Time we get the following last line: "The drum beats out of time".
For some reason when I heard this yesterday, I thought to myself, "I wonder what that means?" The obvious choice would be that the drum is not keeping rhythm with everything else. I continued in my inner monologue, "Well that's not very interesting." So I tried to see if I could see anything beyond that. Perhaps it is a reference to the end of time or life. If you prefer something less dramatic, maybe it is the end of a relationship or some other significant event. Considering that the song deals with a relationship, I think this is probably the intent.
Whew! Was that as scary for you as it was for me? Let's turn to Freud for our closing thought: "Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar." Pop music probably isn't intended for analysis anyway.
Until next time...
PH
Saturday, November 24, 2007
New Jazz Artist Discovery
A couple of weeks ago Mom sent me a story about jazz singer Sophie Milman. I had not heard of her before so I looked up her web site, and I went over to her MySpace page to sample some of her songs. From there I listened to the 30 seconds clips available on Amazon, and I was impressed with what I heard. I love this kind of music when relaxing. Although a bit different in style, I am a big fan of Diana Krall too. I'm no jazz expert, but in my amateur opinion Krall is a more "traditional" jazz artist. In addition to singing she is also a wonderful pianist. If you aren't familiar with either of these artists, they are worth spending some time with. Enjoy!
Until next time...
PH
Until next time...
PH
Friday, November 23, 2007
Fall TV Report - Part II
In a previous post we took a look at some of the new shows in the fall lineup. Now it's time to take a look at returning shows - at least the two that we watch regularly.
First we consider Smallville. In its seventh season, this is a show that has seen some change over the years. Clark (Tom Welling) is without either of his parents as Martha Kent (Annette O'Toole) was elected to the U.S. Senate last season has left Clark to run the family farm. O'Toole was a strong cast member who hasn't really been replaced. Overall the show has been steady if not showing a slight decline. I wondered how they would continue to have good material once Clark and Co. graduated from high school (end of season 4). I'm afraid that the well might be about to dry up.
The mainstay of our TV watching, however, is Heroes. Yes, you do have to get past the fact that the basic premise of the show comes from evolution. This would be a point to emphasize if watching with your children (which we do not). Once get past that fact, this is an incredible show. You may have read in various places that the show was experiencing a sophomore slump; however, I would disagree with these assertions. While it was disappointing that none of the characters that died at the end of last season actually stayed dead, the story has been compelling. Much like the first season it has taken a number of episodes to see how everything ties together. One thing I could do without is the Maya and Alejandro storyline; however, I'm sure that their purpose will become clear as the plot unfolds. The main draw of the show for me, though, is that the characters face difficult decisions. Sometimes they make bad choices and have to life with the consequences. Sometimes it is hard to tell the true motives of a character or where the line between the good guys and bad guys is. In other words it is a show that makes you think. So much of what is on these days is mindless drivel (read reality TV and/or terrible "game" shows). If you haven't been watching, it will be a chore to catch up at this point. I just checked, and only about half of the episodes are available online. It is worth the investment if you can get up to speed.
So there you have it. TV Guide, Entertainment Weekly, etc. can rest assured that we don't watch enough TV for Philip's Corner to become a threat to their loyal readers. However we will check in on these shows again later to see how they are doing. It will be interesting to see of the Writer's Guild strike has an impact on any of them.
Until next time...
PH
First we consider Smallville. In its seventh season, this is a show that has seen some change over the years. Clark (Tom Welling) is without either of his parents as Martha Kent (Annette O'Toole) was elected to the U.S. Senate last season has left Clark to run the family farm. O'Toole was a strong cast member who hasn't really been replaced. Overall the show has been steady if not showing a slight decline. I wondered how they would continue to have good material once Clark and Co. graduated from high school (end of season 4). I'm afraid that the well might be about to dry up.
The mainstay of our TV watching, however, is Heroes. Yes, you do have to get past the fact that the basic premise of the show comes from evolution. This would be a point to emphasize if watching with your children (which we do not). Once get past that fact, this is an incredible show. You may have read in various places that the show was experiencing a sophomore slump; however, I would disagree with these assertions. While it was disappointing that none of the characters that died at the end of last season actually stayed dead, the story has been compelling. Much like the first season it has taken a number of episodes to see how everything ties together. One thing I could do without is the Maya and Alejandro storyline; however, I'm sure that their purpose will become clear as the plot unfolds. The main draw of the show for me, though, is that the characters face difficult decisions. Sometimes they make bad choices and have to life with the consequences. Sometimes it is hard to tell the true motives of a character or where the line between the good guys and bad guys is. In other words it is a show that makes you think. So much of what is on these days is mindless drivel (read reality TV and/or terrible "game" shows). If you haven't been watching, it will be a chore to catch up at this point. I just checked, and only about half of the episodes are available online. It is worth the investment if you can get up to speed.
So there you have it. TV Guide, Entertainment Weekly, etc. can rest assured that we don't watch enough TV for Philip's Corner to become a threat to their loyal readers. However we will check in on these shows again later to see how they are doing. It will be interesting to see of the Writer's Guild strike has an impact on any of them.
Until next time...
PH
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
Cowboys/Redskins - 11/18/2007
My Dad took me to the Cowboys/Redskins game on Sunday (thanks, Dad!), and wow, did we have a good game to watch. In the slideshow below, you will see some pictures that I snapped with the camera on my phone. They're not bad at full size.
Here are some additional observations about the game experience.
The weather was almost perfect. Actually, the weather was perfect. The air just doesn't circulate in Texas Stadium.
We had some Redskins fans near us. This was no longer the case once the score reached 28-16.
After the sun went down, you could see a lot of flashes all around the stadium as people were taking pictures. It was like being on the inside of a giant Christmas tree that has chaser lights.
I guess the Redskins didn't get the memo about this receiver on the Cowboys roster who's pretty good. His name is T.O., and he was good for 8 catches, 173 yards, and 4 touchdowns. Ouch!
The perspective from the end zone is actually pretty good. You can see the play as either the quarterback or the safeties would (although a bit farther removed). One thing that is true regardless of where you sit is that you don't have the TV camera to find the ball for you. At times I would lock in on a particular player (usually Chris Cooley because he regularly smoked Roy Williams) and miss where the ball was.
My voice is still a few notches lower than normal from all of the yelling. Oh well. That's a small price to pay.
As promised, here is the slide show. Click on any picture to see it full sized.
Until next time...
PH
Here are some additional observations about the game experience.
The weather was almost perfect. Actually, the weather was perfect. The air just doesn't circulate in Texas Stadium.
We had some Redskins fans near us. This was no longer the case once the score reached 28-16.
After the sun went down, you could see a lot of flashes all around the stadium as people were taking pictures. It was like being on the inside of a giant Christmas tree that has chaser lights.
I guess the Redskins didn't get the memo about this receiver on the Cowboys roster who's pretty good. His name is T.O., and he was good for 8 catches, 173 yards, and 4 touchdowns. Ouch!
The perspective from the end zone is actually pretty good. You can see the play as either the quarterback or the safeties would (although a bit farther removed). One thing that is true regardless of where you sit is that you don't have the TV camera to find the ball for you. At times I would lock in on a particular player (usually Chris Cooley because he regularly smoked Roy Williams) and miss where the ball was.
My voice is still a few notches lower than normal from all of the yelling. Oh well. That's a small price to pay.
As promised, here is the slide show. Click on any picture to see it full sized.
Until next time...
PH
Saturday, November 17, 2007
Fall TV Report - Part I
This is probably a bit of a stretch given that we don't watch a ton of TV to begin with, but I thought it might be fun to check in on how some of the new shows are doing.
Let's start with a new show Journeyman. We tried this one for a couple of weeks, but it is too similar to Quantum Leap. Granted there are not a lot of truly original ideas out there anymore. However if you are going to rehash something it should at least be good. The lead actor plays out his role in a rather dull and boring way. Thumbs down, and don't expect it to last the full year.
There is a good example of a retread show in Bionic Woman. Michelle Ryan is great is the 21st century version of Jamie Sommers. This is a show that has an edge to it (at least for NBC), and it also helps to have Crossing Jordan vet Miguel Ferrer on board. His Dr. Macy persona translates very well as Jonas Bledsoe head of the Burket Group - a black ops super secret security force. It is a well balanced show with promise to have a second season.
Following Bionic Woman on Wednesdays is Life. Of the new shows that we watch, this is the closest to original that we've got. Here we follow the, ahem, life, of Charlie Crews - a detective wrongfully imprisoned for a murder that he did not commit. While behind bars, he turned to Zen to help him through the hard times (Philip's Corner is not endorsing such action), and it gives Charlie a quirky, comical twist. On one episode, he lays out over a hundred photos on the floor, and he says, "It's all here - except for what isn't." Trust me; print doesn't do justice to the line. In addition to a weekly case that Crews and his partner Dani Reese work, there is an ongoing storyline that has Crews trying to solve the mystery of who really committed the crime he was convicted of and how he wound up on the hook for it. It is a similar concept to what The Pretender had where Jarod solving a problem of the week with the backdrop of searching for his family. Of the three new shows we are watching, this is the top of the class.
Coming up: we'll see how our returning favorites are doing.
Until next time...
PH
Let's start with a new show Journeyman. We tried this one for a couple of weeks, but it is too similar to Quantum Leap. Granted there are not a lot of truly original ideas out there anymore. However if you are going to rehash something it should at least be good. The lead actor plays out his role in a rather dull and boring way. Thumbs down, and don't expect it to last the full year.
There is a good example of a retread show in Bionic Woman. Michelle Ryan is great is the 21st century version of Jamie Sommers. This is a show that has an edge to it (at least for NBC), and it also helps to have Crossing Jordan vet Miguel Ferrer on board. His Dr. Macy persona translates very well as Jonas Bledsoe head of the Burket Group - a black ops super secret security force. It is a well balanced show with promise to have a second season.
Following Bionic Woman on Wednesdays is Life. Of the new shows that we watch, this is the closest to original that we've got. Here we follow the, ahem, life, of Charlie Crews - a detective wrongfully imprisoned for a murder that he did not commit. While behind bars, he turned to Zen to help him through the hard times (Philip's Corner is not endorsing such action), and it gives Charlie a quirky, comical twist. On one episode, he lays out over a hundred photos on the floor, and he says, "It's all here - except for what isn't." Trust me; print doesn't do justice to the line. In addition to a weekly case that Crews and his partner Dani Reese work, there is an ongoing storyline that has Crews trying to solve the mystery of who really committed the crime he was convicted of and how he wound up on the hook for it. It is a similar concept to what The Pretender had where Jarod solving a problem of the week with the backdrop of searching for his family. Of the three new shows we are watching, this is the top of the class.
Coming up: we'll see how our returning favorites are doing.
Until next time...
PH
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
What ever happened to Dan Patrick?
I used to be a huge fan of Dan Patrick back when I was in college. Sports Center with him and Keith Olbermann was a stop down on a nightly basis. Of course Olbermann became disillusioned with success and left "The Big Show" not long after I graduated (1997 for those keeping score at home). Patrick stuck around and went on to have a successful radio show with ESPN for a number of years; however, he hung it up with ESPN altogether earlier this year. Now he has an independent radio show that in addition to an internet stream will air from 9:00 p.m. to 12:00 a.m. on Dallas' own Sports Radio 1310 The Ticket. The Ticket had Patrick on this morning to promo the show that starts airing on Monday.
Until next time...
PH
Until next time...
PH
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
I hate the labels
What? I think that you are going to be with me on this one. Do any of you have a CD and/or DVD case that is nice and sticky? You know what I'm talking about. Those nice "security" labels across the top CDs and on all three edges of DVDs leave a sticky mess! Removing one completely is almost impossible, and I am left wondering what purpose these serve. It is almost like we have to pass a test to see how badly we want to listen to a new CD or watch a new DVD. The shrink wrap should be enough. Can you easily open even the shrink wrap without scissors or a knife? Once you get over that hurdle, your reward is the super glue laden label. That residue almost turns your case into fly paper only it attracts dirt, lint, and hair. While the label does usually have some sort of identifying information on it, there has to be a better way. Anyone with me?
Until next time...
PH
Until next time...
PH
Monday, November 12, 2007
Enjoying the little things
In today's hustle and bustle life, it is easy to overlook the little things that bring pleasure. I noticed one of these yesterday, and I thought I'd post a list of a few that I could think of.
1. I was driving home from the gym yesterday with the window down, and the cool breeze was just about perfect.
2. Last winter I went to the gym on a chilly evening. When I arrived they gave me a towel that was fresh out of the dryer. When I put it around my neck, the warm feeling was very comforting.
3. Many of the recent days have had almost perfect weather. It's hard to beat a cool afternoon when the warmth of the sun feels just right.
4. If you like coffee, take a bite of dark chocolate and follow it up with a sip of rich coffee.
5. Or follow it up with a sip of bold red wine.
6. Can you beat the smell of a home cooked meal after a long day at work?
7. I barely get in the door of an evening before Kassie is there to greet me.
8. Sometimes it is just nice to finally lay down in bed after a demanding day.
I'm sure that you can think of your own list, and this is far from exhaustive for me. It's just some of the things that come to mind.
Until next time...
PH
1. I was driving home from the gym yesterday with the window down, and the cool breeze was just about perfect.
2. Last winter I went to the gym on a chilly evening. When I arrived they gave me a towel that was fresh out of the dryer. When I put it around my neck, the warm feeling was very comforting.
3. Many of the recent days have had almost perfect weather. It's hard to beat a cool afternoon when the warmth of the sun feels just right.
4. If you like coffee, take a bite of dark chocolate and follow it up with a sip of rich coffee.
5. Or follow it up with a sip of bold red wine.
6. Can you beat the smell of a home cooked meal after a long day at work?
7. I barely get in the door of an evening before Kassie is there to greet me.
8. Sometimes it is just nice to finally lay down in bed after a demanding day.
I'm sure that you can think of your own list, and this is far from exhaustive for me. It's just some of the things that come to mind.
Until next time...
PH
Saturday, November 10, 2007
Family Portraits
We went to have our family portraits made after dinner yesterday. This has to be one of the hardest things for which to find balance between cost and quality. A few years ago we tried to go to Target, but the proofs were about the worst that we had ever seen so it turned out to be waste of time. Last night we tried out luck with JC Penney. We actually had our engagement portraits done their, and we had an expectation that we would again get reasonable quality for a reasonable price.
Well, it didn't quite turn out that way. The photographer was nice enough, and the process itself was as about as enjoyable as this sort of thing can be. However we only had two good takes out of the 19 that we muddled through. So that's what we ordered from.
It was disappointing because portraits have changed a lot in recent years. The entire shoot was very casual, and a number of the shots were ones that you would never select. We had four where - by design - no one was looking at the camera. Does anyone ever buy these? Other shots had problems with smiles, hair, or clothing that rendered them useless.
I don't want this to come off as a slam our photographer. He was only eighteen, and he was running the studio by himself. All things considered he did a reasonable job. My beef is with the portrait studio for doing business this way. It seems like there has to be a better way, but who wants to pay for Olan Mills? It seems that you do get what you pay for, but there has to be balance between what we experienced and the high end. Very frustrating.
Until next time...
PH
Well, it didn't quite turn out that way. The photographer was nice enough, and the process itself was as about as enjoyable as this sort of thing can be. However we only had two good takes out of the 19 that we muddled through. So that's what we ordered from.
It was disappointing because portraits have changed a lot in recent years. The entire shoot was very casual, and a number of the shots were ones that you would never select. We had four where - by design - no one was looking at the camera. Does anyone ever buy these? Other shots had problems with smiles, hair, or clothing that rendered them useless.
I don't want this to come off as a slam our photographer. He was only eighteen, and he was running the studio by himself. All things considered he did a reasonable job. My beef is with the portrait studio for doing business this way. It seems like there has to be a better way, but who wants to pay for Olan Mills? It seems that you do get what you pay for, but there has to be balance between what we experienced and the high end. Very frustrating.
Until next time...
PH
Thursday, November 8, 2007
Southwest Airlines News
I don't usually say a lot about work here because most of you would be bored by it. However today is an exception as Southwest made a big splash with some new changes. I will let Southwest speak for itself for the most part. Here are links to the major changes:
Changes to the gate area
Boarding process chagnes
Rapid Rewards A-List and Freedom Awards
New Pricing Options
While I no longer work on southwest.com, my team spent about the last 10 months working on varies pieces in support of these efforts. It has been a fast and furious couple of weeks as we have put the finishing touches on things. Of course, we already starting to plan the next projects so there's no resting on our laurels.
Until next time...
PH
Changes to the gate area
Boarding process chagnes
Rapid Rewards A-List and Freedom Awards
New Pricing Options
While I no longer work on southwest.com, my team spent about the last 10 months working on varies pieces in support of these efforts. It has been a fast and furious couple of weeks as we have put the finishing touches on things. Of course, we already starting to plan the next projects so there's no resting on our laurels.
Until next time...
PH
Tuesday, November 6, 2007
Stupid Product Name
Disclaimer: The following is not an endorsement of the product mentioned.
Over the past few months I have heard a number of advertisements on the radio for Black and Mild Cigars. I have dismissed them because I have no interest, and the commercials are rather inane to boot. However I was checking out at Walgreen's this morning, and they have a wonderful tobacco display behind the cashier. I saw the afore mentioned Black and Mild Cigars, but I had trouble containing my laughter when next it them I saw Black and Mild Mild Cigars. No, that is not a typo. Black and Mild makes a mild version of their cigars! I hope they don't pay their Marketing Department very much.
Until next time...
PH
Over the past few months I have heard a number of advertisements on the radio for Black and Mild Cigars. I have dismissed them because I have no interest, and the commercials are rather inane to boot. However I was checking out at Walgreen's this morning, and they have a wonderful tobacco display behind the cashier. I saw the afore mentioned Black and Mild Cigars, but I had trouble containing my laughter when next it them I saw Black and Mild Mild Cigars. No, that is not a typo. Black and Mild makes a mild version of their cigars! I hope they don't pay their Marketing Department very much.
Until next time...
PH
Monday, November 5, 2007
Cowboys/Eagles Observations
How 'bout them Cowboys? That was truly an enjoyable game last night, wasn't it? They destroyed the Eagles; however, that Eagles team is just not very good anymore. While they have dominated the NFC East for the last few years, we can put the proverbial fork in them.
I'm not a professional sports writer so I'm going to leave the in depth analysis to those that are. Here you will find some observations on a lighter note from the fan's perspective.
Have you ever noticed that Wade Phillips often looks like he has no idea what's going on? On multiple occasions last night they cut over to him, and he just looked confused. Either that or he smelled something. It seems like you either get this look or the punching air reaction after a big play. Don't get me wrong. I think he is doing a great job. The proof is in the 7-1 pudding.
Jason Witten is one tough dude. Did you see him take a shot to the head, have his helmet torn off, and then run for another 20+ yards? After the play was over, he kind of looked like the guy from the Snicker's commercial a few years ago who, after taking a major hit, sat on the bench and proclaimed, "I am Batman!" Given the blood coming from his nose after the play, we can forgive the expletive that he let fly on the way back to the bench. However, he was back in a couple of plays later. 'Nuff said.
Coming in a very close second on the tough dude scale is Marion "The Barbarian" Barber. Would anyone like to volunteer to try to tackle him just for kicks? I love to watch him run over the other team's defense. I think he might have a bit of a Sampson thing going with that hair. Doh! I hope no one from the other teams reads this.
Is anyone more polarizing in football than T.O. Owens? It's as if someone went to the lab and combined Dione Sanders and Michael Irvin into one personality. Like Dione, it's much better when he is on your team that when he isn't. Do you think he enjoyed himself at all last night?
Next up: the New York Football Giants.
Until next time...
PH
I'm not a professional sports writer so I'm going to leave the in depth analysis to those that are. Here you will find some observations on a lighter note from the fan's perspective.
Have you ever noticed that Wade Phillips often looks like he has no idea what's going on? On multiple occasions last night they cut over to him, and he just looked confused. Either that or he smelled something. It seems like you either get this look or the punching air reaction after a big play. Don't get me wrong. I think he is doing a great job. The proof is in the 7-1 pudding.
Jason Witten is one tough dude. Did you see him take a shot to the head, have his helmet torn off, and then run for another 20+ yards? After the play was over, he kind of looked like the guy from the Snicker's commercial a few years ago who, after taking a major hit, sat on the bench and proclaimed, "I am Batman!" Given the blood coming from his nose after the play, we can forgive the expletive that he let fly on the way back to the bench. However, he was back in a couple of plays later. 'Nuff said.
Coming in a very close second on the tough dude scale is Marion "The Barbarian" Barber. Would anyone like to volunteer to try to tackle him just for kicks? I love to watch him run over the other team's defense. I think he might have a bit of a Sampson thing going with that hair. Doh! I hope no one from the other teams reads this.
Is anyone more polarizing in football than T.O. Owens? It's as if someone went to the lab and combined Dione Sanders and Michael Irvin into one personality. Like Dione, it's much better when he is on your team that when he isn't. Do you think he enjoyed himself at all last night?
Next up: the New York Football Giants.
Until next time...
PH
Sunday, November 4, 2007
Scattershooting 11/4/2007
Today seems like a good day for scattershooting so here goes.
Did anyone else forget to "fall back" last night? We did, and it wasn't until we had been up and had breakfast before we figured it out. To top it off, we still managed to be running late this morning, and we got to church after the first hymn started.
If you live in DFW, you know that the weather the past couple of days has been almost perfect. It doesn't really feel like the first week in November, but who could argue with a low of 60 and a high of 85?
Can you believe it is time to start thinking about Christmas shopping? I like to be done before Thanksgiving so that I don't have to worry about all the madness between then and Christmas. Where did 2007 go?
I opened a bottle of wine this afternoon. It's a nice lite Chardonnay from my birthday party. I haven't really had much wine this year, but it just sounded good. I also prefer white wines during the warmer weather which can't be with us much longer. Is there anything better on a cool/cold evening that a nice bold red? Some may say a nice winter warmer ale, and I'd be hard pressed to argue.
I'm excited about the Cowboys game tonight, but I wish that I hadn't gotten up an hour earlier than usual. What will feel like 11:00 p.m. is awfully late for an early bird who's now 10 years out of college. That sounded really old, didn't it? Perhaps that's what I am.
Until next time...
PH
Did anyone else forget to "fall back" last night? We did, and it wasn't until we had been up and had breakfast before we figured it out. To top it off, we still managed to be running late this morning, and we got to church after the first hymn started.
If you live in DFW, you know that the weather the past couple of days has been almost perfect. It doesn't really feel like the first week in November, but who could argue with a low of 60 and a high of 85?
Can you believe it is time to start thinking about Christmas shopping? I like to be done before Thanksgiving so that I don't have to worry about all the madness between then and Christmas. Where did 2007 go?
I opened a bottle of wine this afternoon. It's a nice lite Chardonnay from my birthday party. I haven't really had much wine this year, but it just sounded good. I also prefer white wines during the warmer weather which can't be with us much longer. Is there anything better on a cool/cold evening that a nice bold red? Some may say a nice winter warmer ale, and I'd be hard pressed to argue.
I'm excited about the Cowboys game tonight, but I wish that I hadn't gotten up an hour earlier than usual. What will feel like 11:00 p.m. is awfully late for an early bird who's now 10 years out of college. That sounded really old, didn't it? Perhaps that's what I am.
Until next time...
PH
Saturday, November 3, 2007
Take advantage of free programs
Marketing these days can be annoying - especially SPAM and telemarketing. However, there are some legitimate programs that you can take advantage of. Most of these are of the loyalty variety such as American's Advantage or Tom Thumb's Rewards Card. These typically cost you nothing, and they reward you for doing what you already do. So what's the catch?
While we do receive benefit from these programs, companies don't do it out of the goodness of their heart either. Every program that has a card has some sort of unique number associated with it, and the company has your personal information tied to that number - typically name, address, e-mail address, and maybe phone number. In order to earn program points, you have to present your card or give your number at purchase time. This allows the company to track your purchase behavior. Typically what you will see as a result is marketing that is targeted to you based on your purchase behavior, and you can usually control the frequency and delivery channel by which you receive it. With major, reputable companies it is usually a symbiotic relationship.
One of my favorite loyalty programs is Borders Rewards. If you know me very well, you know that reading is my major hobby. You essentially bingo every for every $150 you spend, and your prize is $5 in Borders Bucks. In addition, you can sign up for a weekly e-mail with discount coupons for sometimes up to 30% off a single item.
I think that this was really a survival strategy for Borders. Why would people stop by and pay full price for books when they can order them online from the convenience of their own home at a steep discount? I like to thumb through books before I buy them, but I would sometimes skip this to save money. Or other times I would look at the book at Borders and then go home to see how much it was online. Borders and other "brick and mortar" stores were in some ways becoming fancy libraries. However when I can slap down a 30% off coupon at the checkout, I am much less likely to shop at Borders and buy elsewhere.
Don't get me wrong. I still buy a fair amount of my books online at a greater discount. On most sites like Amazon, you still don't have to pay taxes so that is still an advantage. What Borders has done, though, is manage to take back about half of my spending on books. I would say that their program has been a success on me at least.
So look around, and make sure that you are not missing out on loyalty program benefits. For the major companies, all you are doing is helping them do a better job of giving you what you want.
Until next time...
PH
While we do receive benefit from these programs, companies don't do it out of the goodness of their heart either. Every program that has a card has some sort of unique number associated with it, and the company has your personal information tied to that number - typically name, address, e-mail address, and maybe phone number. In order to earn program points, you have to present your card or give your number at purchase time. This allows the company to track your purchase behavior. Typically what you will see as a result is marketing that is targeted to you based on your purchase behavior, and you can usually control the frequency and delivery channel by which you receive it. With major, reputable companies it is usually a symbiotic relationship.
One of my favorite loyalty programs is Borders Rewards. If you know me very well, you know that reading is my major hobby. You essentially bingo every for every $150 you spend, and your prize is $5 in Borders Bucks. In addition, you can sign up for a weekly e-mail with discount coupons for sometimes up to 30% off a single item.
I think that this was really a survival strategy for Borders. Why would people stop by and pay full price for books when they can order them online from the convenience of their own home at a steep discount? I like to thumb through books before I buy them, but I would sometimes skip this to save money. Or other times I would look at the book at Borders and then go home to see how much it was online. Borders and other "brick and mortar" stores were in some ways becoming fancy libraries. However when I can slap down a 30% off coupon at the checkout, I am much less likely to shop at Borders and buy elsewhere.
Don't get me wrong. I still buy a fair amount of my books online at a greater discount. On most sites like Amazon, you still don't have to pay taxes so that is still an advantage. What Borders has done, though, is manage to take back about half of my spending on books. I would say that their program has been a success on me at least.
So look around, and make sure that you are not missing out on loyalty program benefits. For the major companies, all you are doing is helping them do a better job of giving you what you want.
Until next time...
PH
Friday, November 2, 2007
Homedics Massaging Chair Cushion
As I mentioned earlier, I selected the Homedics QRM-400H massaging chair cushion as my Vine product in November. My review is now up on Amazon, and this is the product that by far I use the most of all the items I've gotten so far. I fire it up first thing in the morning as I'm having breakfast at my desk and reading my e-mail. I also use it when I need to warm up - sometimes it's like my office is at the North Pole!
Until next time...
PH
Until next time...
PH
Thursday, November 1, 2007
On maturing...
I would like each of you to think back to that time in your life when you had everything figured out - when you knew everything there was to know. I'm talking about somewhere around age 19-20. It is amazing how in the 15 years since then I have realized just how little I really understood at that point. While this topic is rich enough to blog on for years, I have a specific topic in mind.
When I was in high school and college, I went to great lengths to avoid any course related to psychology or sociology. With a strong appreciation for math, physics, and chemistry, I shunned these "touchy-feely" subjects and wondered why anyone would want to waste their time on such matters.
After having been a manager for over five years now, I understand quite well why someone would want to "waste their time" on psychology. I spent the first five years of my career writing software, and I dealt with the very rational, consistent computer for the majority of my day. Computers are very predictable in the answers that they give you. However, I quickly discovered that people are not at all that way.
Much to my surprise, I also found the challenge of managing people to be far more stimulating than working with the computer full time because of the unpredictable nature of people. I've also found that people can be very difficult to understand at times, and it is not explainable through math, physics, chemistry, Java, UNIX, or any other of the exact sciences.
Since then, I have played catch up through self-study in acquiring some knowledge of psychology. I have read a number of books on leadership, management, and communication. Right now, I am reading a book directly tied to psychology called Toxic Coworkers: How to Deal with Dysfunctional People on the Job. It is a rather practical book that describes a series of personality disorders (narcissists, sociopaths, etc.) and gives types for dealing with bosses, coworkers, and subordinates who display these traits. While anyone could benefit from reading it, it should be required reading for managers.
Needless to say things I once thought "touchy-feely" are actually quite practical and necessary. Isn't it funny how time humbles us?
Until next time...
PH
When I was in high school and college, I went to great lengths to avoid any course related to psychology or sociology. With a strong appreciation for math, physics, and chemistry, I shunned these "touchy-feely" subjects and wondered why anyone would want to waste their time on such matters.
After having been a manager for over five years now, I understand quite well why someone would want to "waste their time" on psychology. I spent the first five years of my career writing software, and I dealt with the very rational, consistent computer for the majority of my day. Computers are very predictable in the answers that they give you. However, I quickly discovered that people are not at all that way.
Much to my surprise, I also found the challenge of managing people to be far more stimulating than working with the computer full time because of the unpredictable nature of people. I've also found that people can be very difficult to understand at times, and it is not explainable through math, physics, chemistry, Java, UNIX, or any other of the exact sciences.
Since then, I have played catch up through self-study in acquiring some knowledge of psychology. I have read a number of books on leadership, management, and communication. Right now, I am reading a book directly tied to psychology called Toxic Coworkers: How to Deal with Dysfunctional People on the Job. It is a rather practical book that describes a series of personality disorders (narcissists, sociopaths, etc.) and gives types for dealing with bosses, coworkers, and subordinates who display these traits. While anyone could benefit from reading it, it should be required reading for managers.
Needless to say things I once thought "touchy-feely" are actually quite practical and necessary. Isn't it funny how time humbles us?
Until next time...
PH
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