My qualification in 5 Questions?

While reading the chapter in Account Planning in the Idea Industry, the required reading for the course, I ran across a set of five questions that I just couldn't get off my mind. The section of the book was discussing interviewing, creating a portfolio, and small things that would distinguish yourself from all the other candidates fighting for the job as well. The five questions stuck with me the rest of the day and I continued to day-dream how I would answer them and if they really would set me apart from other people. So I guess I am leaving you to be the judge of that...

Five Provocative Questions for Real Interviews
*Idea Industry page 69

1. What do you think it would be like to work on a cruise ship?
* FUN...the perfect fit for me. I currently work in hospitality/hotel industry and love it. I have always enjoyed meeting new people and people watching in general. On a cruise ship I imagine it to be just one big party...You get to travel the world- or at least wherever your ship line goes- and meet tons of interesting people. Unlike a typical hotel, I think the majority of cruise goers are there to have a relaxing good time. Working on a ship, you would always be on stage...from making memorable experiences for guest to thinking of new ways to stay entertained. I would enjoy living in close quarters with people, leaving the ship to explore, and making lots of tip money! Pretty much I see it as a mix between a non-stop party and a great continuous travel experience while racking in the dough because your not paying for living expenses.

2. Why do you think American Idol is so popular?
* Because we can't get enough of laughing at people, watching Simone make other people look stupid to hide our own insecurities, and being able to truly believe you took part in the next big "thing."

3. What would you do to get into the mind of a 54-year old woman?
* Nothing....I have a 54-year old mother (well, okay she's only 52 1/2 years old, but close enough!) and that is plenty enough. She regularly speaks her mind and tells you exactly what's wrong with something, how to fix it, and don't mess up again. Don't get me wrong, she's awesome, I love my mom, but WOW!!! I think I would rather just wait 33 more years and find out what its like on my own to be in a 54 year old woman's head!

4. Tell me what you think a day-in-the-life of a typical long haul truck driver might be like.
*A barrel of laughs...how much funnier/ better could it get!?!? Drive a huge truck that dominates the road, eat all the junk food you want, because hell you have a figure to uphold right, talk on the CB using code names, pull over and sleep whenever you want virtually wherever you want, and have a endless network of friends no matter where you are driving the truck that day.

5. Have you ever made a documentary film?
*No, yes...well, not the typical one with a movie camera, but I do like to take pictures and then "scrapbook" them to preserve the memories. I like to but them in cute books, with cute stickers and paper, and write names, dates, and places down...so yeah I document my life just not in the typical Micheal Moore kind of documentary film way.

Deer In Headlights

Ever have that Deer in the headlights moment? You know the one where you hear words coming out of someone's mouth, you see their lips moving, you see their eyes searching for your response, but you just freeze. Nothing comes to your head. The brain just stops and freezes. Words don't find their way to your lips. Then AWE-HA it clicks. The juices start flowing and you know all the answers. You buff up to the other person talking, or shrink back and hide. But none of this happens before a short giggle is let out on both parties parts. The expression "Deer in Headlights" is perfect. especially if you have every sat back and watched deer. I got the opportunity to do this while in Austin and it was quite entertaining. I drove around for a good while just laughing at how they froze when they heard me approaching, but BAM something clicked and they darted away. We were in a small town called Sunrise Beach outside of Austin and the deer were everywhere. For a short while that afternoon they provided such a comedic relief. They were fun not only to watch as they reacted to the slightest noises, but were very interesting to try to photograph as well. I often have those "Deer in the Headlight" moments and wish that I could react so much faster like deer do. When I get stuck on my words or loose my train of thought I wish it was as easy as the slightest noise to re-trigger all the neurons that had temporarily frozen. Unfortunately not, and I will continue to be the awkward pauser when asked a question or the weird 'contemplator" when giving a speech....

Austin

I have lived in the Dallas area my entire life. I have been to about half of the U.S. states, been to the nation's capital, sang in Times Square, took a canal tour in Amsterdam, hell I've even spent half a day at the freakin' Taj Mahal, but I have never been to my state's capital! When we were growing up my mom always wanted to take a trip to Austin, but it just never happened. I have heard just great things about the food, the arts, the nature, and the overall atmosphere that Austin has to offer, yet have never ventured the few hours down the highway to capital. SO, over spring break I went for the first time...and I'm officially in love!
I went with a travel buddy that I've been on two previous trips out of the country with. He lived in Austin for fifteen years, so he knows the city like the back of his hand. His younger sister is at school at UT Law, so we spent some time with her and her amazing little poodle, Mocha. We arrived late Thursday night to a rainy, wet, and very cold Austin. We stayed right downtown, so at 3am we went to little joint called Katz. It was great. We shared a great sandwich and sat back to watch all the drunkards stumble by and snickered at their "funnies"- (I definitely thought there were more than what you would find in Dallas for that time of the night and attributed it to the ever famous South by Southwest that was taking place, but apparently it was normal.
The next morning we woke up and visited a small custom guitar shop that David's uncle owns, then a small (but delicious, well minus the hair in my food I found- but I would have to say the guy behind the counter handled it with grace I have never seen in Dallas)pastry shop, before heading to Fredrickburg- a quaint German town. After being awkwardly bombarded in an Amish shop by signs of Jesus' coming we went to German restaurant, partook in some good ole German beer and then were off to Enchanted Rock. Enchanted Rock is a huge granite, well, rock. There are hiking trails and camp grounds. Our original plans were to camp, but due to the weather, ya right! So, we just hiked, got muddy, and left. As you can see from the not-so-good pictures, it was pretty darn cool.
While driving I saw some really neat art deco type chairs I could use for my porch so we pulled over to inquire how much the were, oh boy did we get some laughs! We were in the "countriest" town and the accent was so thick I could hardly understand it! They recommended we go to a BBQ place for dinner, so we did. Well needless to say, we ate on a piece of paper, with our hands, in a tin barn, at a community table with about 40 stranger- all of whom I'm sure have never left the state! We then drove some back roads to David's grandparents house in Sunrise Beach. After hearing his grandpa tell him "I don't think I know you," we delivered some fresh homemade cookies and jetted.
Muddy, tired, and wet we stopped at Lost Creek winery, partook in a wine tasting and headed to Horseshoe Bay were we spent the night- needless to say we were exhausted and went to bed pretty early, but not before ordering chocolate cake and milk! The next morning I got the grand tour of Austin including Lake Travis, The Oasis, David's old house, the oldest school in Texas, The Capitol building, Whole Foods, the UT campus, a few parks, and much much more! We ate dinner with his sister and then headed back to Dallas.
I tell you ALL of that (Well really it was only about 50 hours worth of story, but we did a hell of a a lot in those 50 hours!) to say that Austin was AMAZING. I loved all of the green space and the evidence of forward thinking. I was amazed by the public artwork and the "organic" factor that I felt. I don't know if I could ever see myself living in Austin for a long period of time, but I would love to go back a visit again. My first Austin experience was definitely a great one!!

I am Cool, Creamy, and Green

I am Cool, Creamy & Green...

http://www.kettlefoods.com/index.php?cID=12071

"I'm cool. Yeah. I know it. Laid back, easy-going and breezy. Nothing ruffles my feathers. I'm the one everyone wants around in a crisis. I keep my head about me. I may even walk around like I own this place. Underneath my cool exterior, though, is a passionate, self-possessed person who knows what's right and what's good."

While researching for Project #2 I came across this quiz on Kettle Chips website and would say that it does accurately describes me no matter how silly it may be. I really enjoyed experiencing the website just to learn more about the product. I hardly ever have time just to look around and explore various websites for the simple fact of doing it. Kettle Chip's website was actually very innovative and attractive. I have only tried their product a few times but after spending about an hour reading about it and interacting with it, I definitely think I will be buying Kettle Chips more often. They seem relatively healthy for a potato chip and come in wide array of flavors and "styles." So, yes....I'm calm and cool and sold on Kettle Chips to be paired with my sandwiches!

My Feather Pillow

My feather pillow is my gift from God...no seriously I LOVE MY FEATHER PILLOW. It's not a lush, expensive pillow from the top home decor store, but rather a flat as a pancake, about 30 year of brown, stained feather pillow. It came from my grandparents house when I was little, so it does have some sentimental value to it. I have slept with it ever since I can remember. It even has my name written in it from when I would take it to slumber parties when I was little. My appreciation for the pillow didn't heighten to the extent it is today until I moved out of my parents house and had a place of my own. Not only does it have hints of home, but when I hold it real tight to my nose I can smell my grandparents house. You know that stuffy, old person smell that I usually hate so much but hey what can I say, in this case it is nostalgic. When I was in third grade I lost my blankie. I was absolutely devastated. In some ways I think that the pillow replaced the blankie. I sleep with my feather pillow every night. I have to have it bunched into a ball under my head or I just do not sleep well. For instance, last nights it feel on the floor and I didn't know it till the morning, but all night I had terrible dreams and just could not figure out why. I think that my feather pillow has to be part of my nightly sleeping routine or the sleep is just ruined.

Cellphones

Such a convenience, but oh such a hassle!! Why does mine never receive text? Drop calls? Never receive calls? Run out of battery? Loose Internet connection?....and I have a freakin' I-phone, so I could only imagine how those feel with the free LG phone that comes with a contract....or do they even notice or care? I thought my cell phone was suppose to solve all problems, help me stay connected, and be ultimately invincible!??! Guess not!! hahaha- I love my I-phone dont' get me wrong, but I think that it is where a lot of the trouble lies. I want it to be the end all of any problem and sticky situation that arises, but often times it is the source of a headache and frusteration. I would bow down to the creator of cell phones because it does help me to stay in touch and on -top of my hectic schedule, but on the other hand I want to spit on the creator of glitches. So...I know there isn't one person who created glitches, but can't I just receive all of my text, make a call virtually anywhere, and read my email while walking down McKinney Avenue?

Slumdog

This afternoon I went to see the movie Slumdog Millionaire. I thought it was fantastic and a great depiction of what I saw from my short travels in India. The movie was very stimulating and informative. I thought the overall performances of the actors and actresses were great. They all seemed to embody there parts. I also felt that the scenes of the country-side were great- the cinematography was fantastic. The only thing that I would have liked to see more of was the Bollywood type singing/dancing routines- there was one short one as the credits played. Having seen a first-run Bollywood movies in an Indian theatre I believe that the way in which they are performed and produced is phenomenal. The singing and dancing which is incorporated into the movies enhances it. I would highly recommend Slumdog Millionaire to anyone. Although the movie is not what one would typically think of as an multi-Academy Award winner, it truly does deserve all the acollades it recieved.

Red

Sexy. Seductive. Secretive. Fun. Bubbly. Blood. Sin. Passion. Lust. Dangerous. Sophisticated. Smart. Intelligent. Unruly. Outrageous. Red has to be the color that evokes perhaps the most emotional feelings. It can be worn to stand-out, to camouflage in a cord, or to attract. Red is sexy when used to decorate a cool pad or friendly and inviting in grandmas kitchen. Red has so much meaning associated with it from love to lust to death. Red symbolizes where one has been and where they are going. Red is for the cause. Red is for life. Red it for hearts. Red stimulates the mind body, and soul.

Rain

Well, it's spring break....and it's RAINING! Normally I would be sad and down that it is not sunny, bright, and warm enough to go lay-out by the pool, but I am actually okay and really liking the weather today. It is very relaxing and peaceful. I have to stay in Dallas over the break for track practice so it is a little bit of a bummer, but when I woke up this morning I was excited to see it raining. Rain makes for the best sleeping weather. It also makes for a great day of sitting in my apartment studying, reading, and watching television. If you think about rain it has so many benefits that I can't see why anyone couldn't like it. It nourishes, refreshes, stimulates, and moistens.

Trees

*Mango Tree in Amedabad, India

Trees are great. There are so many different varieties, sizes, and shapes. They provide protection from the sun or rain. The are houses to many wildlife. Some even produce the sweetest fruits and tastiest nuts. My grandparents live in Tennessee and on their property sits a dozen huge pecan trees. Not only was this a playground heaven for my brother and me when we were little, but as we got older we really enjoyed helping my grandfather pick up the pecans that has fallen to the ground. As the weather is getting warmer and the sun is shining bright, it has been just so awesome to take my books out and go sit under a tree to read! The fragrance from the tree paired with the slight breeze you can feel while siting under it makes me feel so happy and warm inside. I really do love spring and the colors it will brings. As we venture out of winter and into spring I cannot wait for the flowers to bloom, the grass to the extra green, and the trees to bare some amazing fruits!

The Shower

The shower has to be one of the most creative havens ever known to man. While taking a shower you not only have total control over the temperature, the length of time in the shower, but you can allow all your creative juices to flow as you are completely alone and free. I am known to take some rather long showers, but they are always WONDERFUL. They are a way for me to escape reality if only momentarily. I can play music or sing myself, which is only good in the shower, I can dance around, daydream, act out a play, think about homework, or do absolutely nothing but relax. I love coming home after a long day, stripping down, turning the water on so hot the bathroom instantly steams over, getting in, and just letting the water run down me as I can totally relax and forget about the day. So, like naps, I think we as a population should take more of them for longer amounts of time. Just think how more relaxed and easy going we would all be!

Geico vs Allstate: The Ultimate Smackdown

When you think of insurance companies there are two that are most heavily advertised and stick out in anyone's mind: Geico and Allstate. Both are appealing and comfortable, but in many different ways for a number of different reasons. Allstate appeals to the family consumer. With its "Back to the Basics" campaign it is striving to instill a sense of nostalgia and good-will. On the other hand Geico positions itself as spunky, fun, and hip by using talking geckos and cavemen. This appeals generally to a younger crowds looking for cheaper insurance. I think that it is facinating to put the two companies side by side and compare their positioning. Each have two totally differnt motives and ideals behind what they are doing, but essentially are selling the same product. I have never had to buy insurance for myself, but it would be a hard decision to make as to which is better. Do I want something I know is keeping up with times by staying stylish and cool or an insurance company that provides security and comfort in not only thier services, but their demeanor as well?

TOMS Shoes

When I first heard of TOMS shoes I thought that it was a noble idea, but wasn't going anywhere and would be hard to implement. The idea behind TOMS is that they will donate one pair of shoes to a child in need for every one pair that is purchased. To my great surprise, TOMS has really taken off and made and impact. I see other kids everyday on campus wearing a pair, they are sold in many stores here in Dallas, and SMU even had the 1990's pop group Hanson back in the fall somewhat endorsing TOMS shoes. The shoes are actually really hip and stylish. They also come in a huge array of colors, designs, and materials. It is truly awesome to see how one person's vision has really turned into a successful reality. TOMS may not have a huge marketing/advertising team to launch the brand, but after pairing with other cultrual icons and having a great word of mouth, TOMS is doing great!