Stuff

I love stuff as much or more than the next person. I mean, I worked at an outdoor company; I own more jackets than a normal person in LA should have. However, as much as I love my stuff, I am worried that my having too much will mean that we won't have much of anything in a few years. So, someone sent me the story of stuff and it shows in very significant detail the impact of our desire for stuff.

While watching this 20 minutes e-cast, I realize how inextricably linked this is to the world is flat which focuses on how we have leveled the playing field for globalization through commerce and competition.

Only 1% of the 'stuff' we buy is still used six months after its purchase. So, how do we change our love for stuff? How do we change our perception of our need for obsolescence? How do we reduce our stuff? If recycling isn't everything, what should I do?

I don't necessarily have the answers for this question, but as we head closer to Christmas and its over-consumption of food and stuff, just think about what you are buying, using, and giving, and how it can change for new year. How you can be more sustainable and more green in your giving, doing and celebrating.

My Darling Season Pass at the Canyons

I think I’m finally ready to acknowledge that I may have a small fear of commitment. I’ve never really thought I was that kind of girl, but as this third winter gets going in UT, I hate to tell you that I've already cheated (twice...). It’s not fair to you, but I am finally acknowledging my freedom and flirtatious attitude. My eyes are slowly wandering to the West, North and anywhere the snow is tempted to fly.

In the past two winters that I’ve been in UT, We’ve had some great times! I’ve been riding over 120 times (at least half with you, my darling), but there have been some others (12?), but I’ve always come back! (I mean--2 season passes--and you knew about Powder Mountain and my Little Cottonwood habit … we're just friends!). Oh, Canyon's, we've gone through a lot together: pow days, bullet-proof snow, sunburns and sore legs. But you knew about my past... winters in New Mexico, New Zealand, and trips to Colorado, Wyoming and Canada. I mean I've dated a bit and had some relationships with a few resorts (nothing quite like what "we" had) and now I'm realizing I just can't be tied down to any one hill.

Riders in Colorado don’t have this problem—they have passes to multiple resorts and no one thinks any less of them, and it’s Utah that gets the bad-rap for Polygamy…

I don't want to blame your mild terrain, or long traverses (its really not you, its me!) but its just time to move on. It’s been quite easy to look at the past through rose-colored goggles. Each day that you wake up, whether a powder day, a corn day, or that freezing cold day on the ridge where you can barely go forward because the wind is blowing so hard; there is just something about being out there with you that made it worthwhile.

I mean, really, who can forget their first? My first full-day of REAL powder day with you: Though we’ve drifted apart since that initial winter (It’s not you, it’s me!) I shall always treasure the time we had, and I’m glad we can still be friends. I know you understand that I just couldn’t stick around.

And I’m sorry, but that first real weekend of the season, (6 resorts in the Wasatch were opening!) I snuck out on you and had an excellent day with Brighton—I couldn’t stay home. Even last weekend I went on a group date to Snowbird and had fun without you. But you were busy with your out-of-towners, and I can’t be blamed, right?

Remember when we first heard that Rilo Kiley song on that warm-up run off of Condor? “There’s love and work up where the snow meets the sky.? We’ll always have the Eagle Chair and Ninety-Nine Ninety; our Sunday afternoon chill sessions on Dreamscape and Tombstone with tunes blaring and bluebird skis shining will always hold a special place in my heart. I’ll still visit to catch some turns—I promise.

I can barely scratch the surface of mental, physical, and emotional feelings that I have had with you. But, there are some current crushes I can’t ignore, some past loves that still make me ache, and a few that have caught my eye and can’t wait to get to know a little better…

Till we meet again.

Always,

Why I'm studying marketing in B-School

I really do think its because I'm delightfully entertained by how ridiculous some people get. I mean, a bazillion products get created every year and most are flops. I mean, Hooter's energy drink? Seriously? And a ceramic coffin from precious moments? They think there is a market for this?

For Marketing this semester, we are supposed to re-target a product, or create a product, and first semester MBA's come up with more appropriate products than people actually out there in the field. It makes me think I might actually have a job when I get out of school.

See the other HORRIBLE line extensions for 2007 here

Piccirillo's Anatomy

Gray's Anatomy this week was about Meredith finding a place for her mother's ashes. She was clueless for much of the show for the 'right' place to leave her rest. She eventually left them where she worked, because that made the most sense. My grandma died on Monday night, and we spent the past few days burying her in Ridgway, PA: the town she grew up in, met her husband in, got married in, and died in -- 86 years later. The would be no other place, because there had never been another place, and there could be no other town in her life.

Unlike the character, who left Meredith as the only person to make that decision, my grandma left a legacy of children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, many of whom live near that small town, but a few others that have left PA to see and experience other towns and people. Leaving this lineage, keeps her rooted in that town and in our minds, but didn't necessarily ease the decision-making process after her death.

My grandmother was a tough woman, but a smart and very faithful woman, who always made sure you were fed in her home, and always loved her family even if they weren't obviously loving her in return. Its that kind of tough Polish/Italian love that you don't realize affects you but permeates what you do and how you act. Its the kind of love that makes you not so surprised that you choose to be the diplomat in most situations, but sometimes you do become the fighter.

My aunts and uncles are experiencing that now, with a bitter feud that is nonsense in writing, but very real in their town. I hope that in the weeks that pass beyond grandma's death the tempers reduce and calm can return to their town, because grandma's legacy deserves more than that.

ENTP

We did the Myers-Briggs tests in our Professional Development for Leaders class, and it turns out that I'm an ENTP. This basically sets up my personality as an "inventor" and "comfortable with the open-ended"... When I first read the 15 word summary of my life, I figured it to be just about as reliable as a horoscope (which you can mold inappropriately to whatever is going on!). As I read a few more articles about it, however, I think I'm definitely an ENTP.

Cartwheels in the grass

I am officially a grad student; Though this is probably further away from the real life that I had been getting used to in Park City, its probably the best life for me right now. I acknowledge this transition is complete because currently I'm typing on my white MacBook in the USC commons eating a froyo. Its been a rough day -- 2 classes, swimming at the gym, and a midterm study session after I finish this post. And though, this time in "college" is 10 years later than my first midterms, its kind of nice to be back. I'm going to embrace the school time - the bars, the football games, and even the study sessions, but the end result is different than my time at WashU. Part of what made those years so special was knowing that I had so much ahead of me and that I didn't "need" to have any clue what my plan for the future was, but getting my MBA is based on a track, a plan, a vertical, and a goal (for many money, job satisfaction, or general contentment). There are some big shoes to fill and some large student loan checks to pay back. The fields ahead of me aren't as open to general silliness, and freewheeling, but maybe I can fit in a cartwheel or two before I'm too buttoned up to enjoy what lies ahead.

in da club (no, not that one)

Now that I'm living the hollywood life of beach and stars, I realized I had to at least attempt to workout the movie star way, so I join LA Fitness (not quite as posh as crunch, but it was cheap).

Anyway, I went to my first group class today (Cardio Kickboxing) and the instructor was channeling Billy Blanks... seriously. I think we did the whole Advanced Work-out (just in a different order). Also, this guy was about 20 years older, and more skeezy.

Ikea - swedish for yeah, good luck with that

So I'm in LA and I'm getting settled to start school (today actually, but lets pretend I wrote this last night). Though entering graduate school is a little ritzier that beginning an undergrad program, it still meant that I visited ikea to furnish my apt. I reckon I spent somewhere close to 10 hours trying to put together a few ikea items. On one hand its an impressive business model that they can create instructions ONLY in pictures, and the general meaning can become clear, that they can drive people to a destination location to do work and eat meatballs. On the other hand... 10 hours for a flippin' dresser made of particle board and veneer finish? seriously.

the juxtaposition continues

I'm still in awe of China; more in awe of the ridiculousness that is that country and how its a world power, but a struggling mess. Its a place with crowds, smog, dirt, but also some of the more beautiful scenery that I have ever seen. China is a juxtaposition--I haven't had a chance to full record my thoughts on it, and I'm too tired right now to really get into it, but its the craziest place I have ever travelled to. 

Anyway, I was reading this article in wired that showed some of the imagery that I've thought about since the beginning, and much more eloquently written.

realizing how not to work.

So, I've been unemployed for about 5 days now. Its a big change, I don't "have to" wake up at 7am, but somehow am typing a blog entry at that time... Its not necessary to read articles about marketing, and branding, but my eyes are still drawn to them... and I don't need to wash my hair every day so I look appropriate--wait, I guess my hair is pretty greasy, it probably wouldn't hurt.  Anyway, I only have a couple weeks off before I have to go to school, and I'm more packed (but with more stuff) than I thought I would be at this point.  I've sold a fair amount of my stuff, and I have about a dozen places to check out when I reach LA. Things are going pretty well. 

I'm loving this freedom, but I guess the second I realize that my bank account doesn't, I'll probably be ready for my bazillion dollars of student loans to hit me.

Study finds Confused Men: I ask, "Why study facts?"

It looks as though a study of supermarket behavior finds that men are constantly "bamboozled" by the options and opportunities in grocery stores around the US, and on Friday nights, all class systems of guy ends up going home with some variation on "beer, meat, veg (usually salsa), and snack food"

I look at this article and think two things: 1. Seriously?! Someone studied this? I could tell you that. 2. There is no valid reason that I'm so disillusioned in the store, this think states that as a woman I should be on it.

Continuing Limbo

So, I'm still waitlisted at Dartmouth, which kind of sucks. I'm getting more stoked on going to USC, and actually got around to submitting my online profile, etc. However, I would just like to know if I should give up on wanting to go to Tuck. I discovered yesterday that every email I have received about my status has come on a Thursday, so hopefully the next one will come next week. (and it will be positive). Other than that, I'm starting to fill out Student Loan information and am hoping that I'll hear good words on my FAFSA.

Notes from China

Firstly, Hong Kong is definitely not china. Though its 10 year anniversary of its return to Chinese rule is this year, there is no way you can call it China... there are too many starbucks, too many people that speak too fluently english, too many signs that are in english and too many streets with English names (Cameron? Cardovan? Those don't come from any chinese I've ever seen). It didn't prepare me for china at all. I mean, it was fabulous: seeing gene, staying with a american in a fabulous apt. and walking around (and taking the convenient and fabulous metro) were all so great. It wasn't china though..

Here's what is China:
1. HOT and sweaty-- from the moment I arrived I have learned more about how many pores a person has because of the sweat I have generated... The temperature is about 30C (85F?) but the humidity is about 99.5%... It was only comfortable when it rained and then I was wet because it was rainy!
2. Ridiculous Drivers-- Every road is either 1 lane of 12 lanes... (but they are all the same width). I have not yet deciphered any sort of speed limit, but in Guilin and Yangshao (not "cities" per se) buses, minibuses, construction vehicles, bikes, ricksaw-like-things, pedicabs, pedestrians, cows, etc. all go on the same road however they like. Everything comes down to beeping... slow-steady beeping means "i'm approaching, but don't worry, i'll just pass you"... faster-louder means, "you should probably move over if you know whats good for you" and loud-loud-fast-fast means that "Hey jerky, you best be getting your slow car over, I have crap to do"... its unbelievable how crazy it is, and that I haven't witnessed any accidents. There are n turning lanes, no stop signs, notta... I can't fully describe in writing what its like, but its an experience to be a part of.
3. Hard Beds -- I took a "hard sleeper" from Guangzhou to guilin (10 hours on the train- 8 pm to 6 am) and the bed on that was more comfortable than the hostel I was in last night... and in each bed I've stayed in, I've been more than amazed by their ability to make beds that would be slabs of wood or beds with a sleep number of 4500. Its crazy.
4. Meat Madness -- Vegetarianism is on the side right now. There is no way I can do it here... I try to pick around the meat, but every broth, and every "veggie" dish has pieces of pork or chicken in it... So I give up. And I guess I'm being a good sport--Gene and I went to dim sum and I at cow stomach (or intestine, he didn't know the translation, but it was definitely a digestive part of the cow) and it was that bad; a little chewy, a little spicy, and had these strange folds in it. Anyway, I'm not converted, but its a lapse. I also would like to declare that I will be starting a "raw foods diet" when I'm back in Utah... You can't have any fruits of vegetables unless they are cooked. And everything that is cooked is cooked in grease and meat juice. 6 days in and I am already thinking about over-priced salads at Wild Oats...
5. A lesson in Bargaining -- When I 'tried' to bargain in Hong Kong, the guy got pissed and we had to go to another stall... Here in Yangshou, I just wanted to 'look' at these silk posters and ended up with 3 for the price of 1. Its interesting, and who knows if that's the only crap I'll buy or my bag will be full? If anyone wants something, just email me back... I am debating some pirated DVDs in Shanghai, but have no real other plan for purchases...
6. Fun... definitely fun. Meeting people, making a fool of myself trying to use the 5 phrases of mandarin I know, and seeing some unbelievable sites.

Run Easy - the continued debate of technical casual?

A long time ago I had an argument with my old roommate about "Technical, Causal" a type of product offering I thought exemplified items like the Grace Jacket from The North Face and the Covert Series from Arc'Teryx... I mean, Arc'Teryx is techy, but I wouldn't wear this as a technical piece, and TNF, well, their denali jacket doesn't cut it for me as anything other than a walk to a college class piece. However, Matt has his own thoughts... he had decided that you couldn't blur the lines between the two sides of the clothing spectrum. He believed that you were either hardcore or you weren't.

Now, after reading this article about how Reebok is challenging Nike's advertising and hold on the running market by saying that you can "run at the speed of chat" I think that we live in that blurred area. Can't you just be a causal user? Do you have to be hardcore at life?

High-Tech Camping.

Basically, this was my one chance to find all of the really silly things about my job and get them published in an

article in forbes.

I'm kind of embarrassed because they took a lot of it out of context, but I did write that on the questionnaire, so I need to acknowledge it was me suggesting camp chairs and iPods for camping trips.

Peep obsession -- is it the sugar, or the shape?

I came across an article today about peeps --you know, the sugar-coated marshmallows puff balls that are always in your easter basket and then become stale the second you open the package... Well it seems as though its a marketing and sales phenomenon that is way over my head.

I guess once the little sugar-buggers become stale, there is little else to do with them than make art, and some people have take that to the extreme from creating a peeps wedding to a million peep walk on washington. Its unbelievable. I also came across a "reaseach" site that looks at what occurs to peeps if the are under duress, etc. Its pretty ridiculous the time people have.

I, for one, do really like my peeps, but never thought to integrate them into my art or general daily --but now... i'll think about it!

Happy Easter!

Retail Relationships -- The Brand Sluts

Working at an retailer, its probably not the best consumer acknowledgement that can be made--that people are promiscuious with thier brands--but I'll admit that there is definitley some truth to it. I mean, my roommate admits that I'm a telemarker who dressing like a snowboarder... I mean snowboarding brands make SIGNIFICANTLY cooler looking jackets than ski companies!

This article about Brand Sluts goes more into the way that shopping, and brands have changed since the 80s -- how women who used to answer "that's a great jacket" with "thanks--its prada" now are toned down. People are more individual with their style and with their brands. They are now "savvy and smart" and "trust" brands instead of "rely" on brands.

And its the reason why companies like Nau and Icebreaker, and the other Green companies are beginning to have their day in the sun. Its why the old strong-holds are pushing the limits of new materials, patterns, and designs. Its differentiation and its great.

... I'll just show you to the Holden Karmella's now. Thanks.

Deciding the decision to not decide.

For one reason or another, Friday was spent unable to decide things. I didn't even really know what I wanted to eat for lunch (I ended up with 1/2 bowl of soup and a vegan cookie.) This made me think about a book I read a few years ago, "The Dice Man". In this book, the main character decides to turn his life over to the roll of a die. The book is pretty crazy, in that he does some things that wouldn't fly in these days, and were probably pretty out there for the 70s (when it was written). Anyway, after a little discussion with some people who sit near me, I might try to make a "Dice Woman" thing and do a road-trip solely based on the dice. I need to figure out some guidlines, but think it might be interesting. In order to prepare myself for handing over all decisions to randomness, I'm going to spend the next week letting Heather decide for me. We made up some rules about how this is going to work:

Social Experiment 1: A prelude to Dice Woman.

-------

1. Decisions made by the ‘decider’ can not harm the ‘decidee’.
a. This includes physical, mental, or emotional harm.
2. Decisions can range from the minor and mundane (eat out for lunch, or bring lunch?) to the more exotic (school follow-up, etc.)
a.The decidee can, however, make some of the minor decisions without involving the decider. (leaving the office, etc. etc.)
b. Decisions will be ‘mostly’ restricted to those during the work day.
3. Situations can not be constructed solely for the ‘decision’ opportunity.
a. Decisions must naturally arise (within the 8-530 time range) to be considered.
4. There is an open-ended “opt-out” for both parties.
a. If the decidee determines that the decisions stifle civil liberties or cause undue mental or emotional anguish, or just ‘don’t work’ then she is able to withdraw herself from ‘not deciding.’
b. If the decider finds that her own decision-making skills and mental taxation withhold her from making decisions for the decidee then she can defer all decisions back to the decidee.
c. In either case, the week-long deciding ceases and does not come back into effect if either party is ‘wishy-washy’ or ‘vague’.
---

I'll let you know what happens.

Getting to Utah today was phenomenally difficult. After my extra evening in Chicago, I had 3 hours in Denver, and then a fear of a Parley's Canyon closure that kept me from thinking I'd make it to Park City!

But I took some killer pictures of my car in the tons of new snow, and I hope to make it skiing on Thursday, if not earlier.

Here are the rest of the pictures: snow in UT

Fame -- Fleeting? Fake? or just random?

So I'm in Lebanon NH, sitting in my hotel room after a quick run in the fitness center. As I was huffing and puffing through a relatively quick 4 miles, a photographer comes in. It seems as though this hotel is brand-new and they need to create publication propaganda, of which, i guess, I will be a part of. Before this point, the only other photography fame I have had is some wallets on Backcountry.com. (I had to get a UT license which rendered my Missouri one useless for anything but a fake id for sisters who were old enough!) I remember when my high school would ask students to be in the brochures; though it was definitely more diverse than most places, they went out of their way to find the prettiest, most diverse students and teachers in NE Ohio. Anyway, when shopping for a Marriott hotel, maybe you'll see me.

I found a flight to New Hampshire today to visit Dartmouth. I'm stoked that they are interested in meeting with me, and even more excited that I'm going to shred when I get there. Jay Peak is reporting 60 inches of new snow. Even if it gets "a little" warm, its still going to be awesome! Now, hopefully I'll find out if its what I've been thinking it could be.

SO... I got into USC and wait-listed at Dartmouth. So I have 1.5 places to go in August, and a lot of confusion until that point.

I was listening to a pod-cast on Dave's Blog (Oct 16th) for what to do when you are waitlisted, and all I've determined is that applying to school is like dating. So who know what that means... I'm not a very good dater, so after over-analyzing the the letter and reading it 12 times, I've decided that Tuck is officially playing games with me. Which of course means that I have to figure out what signals are being sent and how to look more attractive to the school without crossing the stalking line.

The Podcast said that Schools fall into three types -- the "show me you love me" school, which is the clingy girlfriend of schools that expects chocolates and valentines and flowers (or at least a few emails and letters about how much you "really, really" want to go there.) The second type is the "don't call us; we'll call you" school, which is quite secure with itself, even aloof, and just wants to keep you on the back burner till you might be 'right' for them. And finally, and this is the one I'm dealing with, is the "coy" school--the perplexed option that doesn't necessarily know what it wants, or if you know what YOU want, so its just going to play games.

"Successful waitlisted candidates are able to demonstrate a clear desire to attend Tuck. Rarely are supplementary application materials necessary unless they significantly strengthen a portion of your application (i.e. appreciably improved GMAT scores, transcripts of recent courses taken to address specific course work deficits, work-related promotions that include greater responsibilities, etc.). "

--so, what do I send them? They don't want application materials, but they want desire! I'm desiring away, but do I call them? do I wait 3 days? 5 days? Send an email this week? Next?

I just don't want to get dumped.