American Idiot

What idiotic mom takes her eight year old son to a Green Day concert? (You really don't have to answer that.) But thanks to the Citi card pre-sale option, he and I are now proud owners of two seats under the shell at the Darien Lake Performing Arts Center. For Son #2, August couldn't come any sooner.

Our little guy may be one of the world's biggest Green Day fans. He has been into the band for years as initially evidenced by this post from 2007. At one point, the hubby recorded Green Day Live at Irving Plaza for him but subsequently had to delete it after the kid, probably four or five years old at the time, watched it at least 1-2 times per day and drove us absolutely bonkers.* After that, we would find him sitting quietly in the basement listening to the band on his computer -- ear to the speakers.

*Note: That nightly void has now been filled with three seasons of Criss Angel DVDs thanks to Aunt Sue & Uncle Kevin. 

Every time we get in the car, to this day, he asks if I can play a Green Day CD. Just the other night, he asked me to come downstairs while he sampled Green Day tunes for me. He's discovered their version of  I Fought the Law and has been listening it along with other versions including The Clash and the Dead Kennedys (who sing "and I won" as he pointed out to me). I contend The Clash version is the best; he clearly disagrees.

In a semi-related note: Joe Strummer was a hottie. Mmmmmmmmmmmmmm. London Calling? A gift from Kevin when I was in HS. The man knows his audience . . .

The Clampdown

Melodrama is my middle name.

As I continue to ponder my existence, dread (more and more) the pending work deliverables, feel increasing angst over my so-called career, look forward to becoming a nun in retirement, and pray for immediate salvation in the form of a new career that suits me and my passion (albeit poorly defined) and pays the bills, I found my new friend Thomas Merton via My Life with the Saints.

From a young drinker/partier to hermit/monk. My soul mate.

I also found this prayer from his book Thoughts on Solitude that perfectly sums up my current anguish filled prayers.

MY LORD GOD, I have no idea where I am going. I do not see the road ahead of me. I cannot know for certain where it will end. Nor do I really know myself, and the fact that I think that I am following your will does not mean that I am actually doing so. But I believe that the desire to please you does in fact please you. And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing. I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire. And I know that if I do this you will lead me by the right road though I may know nothing about it. Therefore will I trust you always though I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death. I will not fear, for you are ever with me, and you will never leave me to face my perils alone.

It's the best years of your life they want to steal
You grow up and you calm down
You're working for the clampdown

BlogHer Roc!

Riding in the car a moment ago, we heard "Rock the Casbah." Son #1 said, "This is one band that can always put me in a good mood."

A nine year old boy after my own heart.

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In other news, I bookmarked this fun blog, Chic and Green, a while back and just last month noticed that the blogger is a local Irondequoit chick. How cool is that?


More recently, I stumbled upon this beautiful letterpress shop, Pistachio Press, located right here in the Roch. Of course, the artist also writes a blog: Which Ones Are Weeds.

One thing led to another and, lookee here, two more Upstate NY bloggers: Two Brunettes and The Sweetest Occasion. 

I'm starting to think that there's an entire subculture of local bloggers that I may want to meet!

Lost in the Supermarket

The folks at Trendwatching recently coined the word PERKONOMICS.

"A new breed of perks and privileges, added to brands’ regular offerings, is satisfying consumers’ ever-growing desire for novel forms of status and/or convenience, across all industries."



I love the concept in the signage above. In this case, a retailer can reward customers who behave in ways that is consistent with their brand -- even beyond the shopping experience.

When I was preggers with Son #1, for the first time ever, people began to offer me their seats on the subway and Metro North. Yep, right when the benefits of being knocked up kicked in, we moved to Northern VA. D'oh!

What I found there, however, was also pretty cool: signs in front of the best spaces in parking lots that said "Parking for Expectant Mothers." Hey, that's me! I was suffering from exhaustion and extreme cankles at the time and really appreciated the benefit (even if walking probably would have helped). Here, at the mega-Wegs in Pittsford, we have designated parking areas for parents shopping with small children. For a while there, I was loving that, too.

All of this has made me stop to think: are there ways (other than parking related) that my clients can offer non-traditional but brand-related perks to their customers? As Taco Bell reminds me, I need to start thinking outside the bun.

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On an unrelated note, did Wegmans just change their logo??

to

I'll be darned. It's definitely an improvement. Clean, less dated and more legible. But it's not grabbing me yet. Wegmans strikes me as a progressive, customer-centric, employee-friendly company; whereas, this image seems to hearken back to a bygone era. It makes me want to don an apron, vintage dress and put my hair in a beehive updo. Mind you, after saying that I wanted to be Amy Sedaris yesterday, that isn't entirely a bad thing.


(Image from AdoreVintage.com)

Maybe I can pick up the fixins for some tuna casserole.

London Calling

I dreamed last night that I was in an apartment in London throwing on clothes. I was late for a professional meeting and still wearing my bathing suit. Once dressed, I stepped in my private jet with my girlfriend Meg to fly home. It was a wild, freewheeling flight and I had to relax and trust that all would be well. As we flew over Giant stadium (which was a glorious bright green) and then over two large hotels outside of NYC, I stated to some man who was next to me, "I would like to buy one of those hotels. Would you see if either is on the market and what they're asking?"

I then turned to Meg and said, "If you asked me before, I would have told you that I didn't need much money to live well -- but now that I have it, I realize how easily it is to fall into comfort. Before, I would never have bought a $500 bra but now that I know that it feels like butter, I wouldn't dream of anything less." I added that having my own plane made it easier to come home often and I loved that I could see my mom whenever I wanted. She agreed.

Then this morning (sadly back to reality), I was on the phone with my mom and she asked, "Did you just say something about London?" Uh no
. . . but I'm willing to entertain any thread of insanity that will take me back to that luxurious life I was leading a few hours ago.