Blogger's Depression

An insidious virus is working its way through the cybersphere, and few of us are safe from its suffocating grip: Blogger's Depression.

"Loss of pleasure in the internet?"

"Feelings of sadness, disappointment, anger, self-loathing, hopelessness, dimentia?"

"Passive agressive moaning and a steady lengthening of the intervals between posts?"

...then you could have it too.

Uh oh...I'm off to go get myself innoculated right now.

My cheatin' heart...

Well, not *my* cheatin' heart, because I don't cheat. But a lottttt of people do. I don't mean to sound bitter, but I read a lot of magazines and have a seaon pass to Oprah, and believe me, its rampant.

i've read a heap of articles about the Secret Lover Collection of cards recently, and I'll go on record as saying I think its a pretty damn brilliant idea. Basically, its a line of greeting cards for people that cheat on their spouses and, as such, often deal with a set of challenging and unusual circumstances.

Though I'm still young enough and idealistic enough to believe wholeheartedly that I will never be one of her customers, I still want to send out some mad props of my own to Cathy Gallagher, the creator of the line. She has been quoted as saying: "I'm not a crusader for infidelity I'm a businesswoman and an entrepreneur. I've concluded that it isn't my place to judge." Gallagher saw a need that was not being met and, quite simply, she filled it. Period. In essence, I have tried to do the exact same thing with Paper Bride. Right now, cards like these are borderline shocking...in five years, they'll probably be in a prominent "CHEATING" section in Hallmark.

By the way, Cathy, if you are out there, can you please send me the name of your PR firm?--they're seriously doing a bang up job.

Read the Daily News...Buy the Daily News...Subscribe to the Daily News...

Not to toot our own horn or anything, but T-O-O-T.

Check Paper Bride out in today's NY Daily News tHERsday column (scroll down to 3rd item: "Cards for your Chicks"). If you happen to be in the neighborhood and want to pick up a real paper, we're on page 48. I think its safe to say that this is both a fab AND fantastico day.

Geek Chic

Move over gangstas, Geekstas are on the scene and "Nerdcore" is hoping to do for the pocket protectin' folk what the East Coast vs. West Coast rap wars did for music...get them noticed. I, for one, am pretty darn happy that the geeks are finally getting their due...and this is also one of the most hilarious things I've read about it recent memory. Anyone interested in joining my new movement?...the "shopstas" we search for sales, drop our greenies and flip flop all over this city that never sleeps. Is it gettin' hot in hurrr? Hollah!

"Brand" new day?

As I've confessed before, I'm pretty fascinated by the whole concept of branding, trends and why people like what they like. Creating a successful brand, and doing it well, takes a whole hell of a lot of thought, time, effort money and luck (hello, Jet Blue!).

I recently came across this great article from Entrepreneur that follows the ever present debate on whether to brand, or not to brand. I also think its interesting to consider that some industries allow much more room for branding than others. Sure, everyone has heard of hallmark, but if you find yourself buying a cute box of purple polka-dotted notecards at the gift shop, you probably only remember that they are purple...and polka-dotted, and not the name of the company that produced them. But if I ask you to tell me what kind of sneakers you are wearing, I'm sure you could immediately give me an answer. And likely recall some recent ads of theirs you've seen in a magazine, a commercial that aired on TV or a favorite celebrity that you know that likes to wear those brand of shoes too. It's interesting to think about the images and associations that certain brands evoke, just by hearing their names. I *am* a bit of a brand "groupie," so here are a few of my faves: Apple, Tivo, Jet Blue, Puma and Google

"Tip me over and pour me out..."

I am a HUGE fan of Malcolm Gladwell in general and an even bigger fan of his book The Tipping Point which I found to be a seriously riveting look at the process of trends growing and expanding and finally reaching that marketing nirvana state of critical mass. Right now, for instance, its peasant skirts. Can you think of a single day in recent memory that you were out and about walking on the streets and did not see a girl, woman or chick walking around in a gauzy peasant skirt? My guess would be no. Hell, I finally had to give in and get one myself. But I digress.

I came across this today: Tipping Point - The net version and thought it did a spiffy job of summing up some of Gladwell's finer points. Though I should warn if you find any of these tidbits even remotely interesting, you really should pick up the book--its pretty trendalicious.

Cool Hunting

My super secret, dreamland, no way jose job would be to work as a cool hunter or trend forecaster. I briefly thought of pursuing this way back when, but decided it was way too much of a longshot. Nonetheless, I've continued to remain abnormally entranced with pop culture, trends, celebrity nonesense and just can't get enough of whatever it is that's "hot" at the moment (except for saying "that's hot"...I hate that).

I was thrilled to recently come across an international global trend blog called PSFK and promptly spent far too much time hoppin, skipping & jumping all over their fun filled pages. I particularly loved this discussion of "trend" vs. "trendy."

Aside from just being super duper entertained by all of this, I suppose my basic philosophy is that if you are in the business of creating and selling, you need to be on top of what it is out in the world that fascinates people...makes them smile...or makes them say "I want that." In my super naive, humbled experience so far, there is just so much more to selling and being successful than simply making something cool. Your "something cool" is, in fact, almost besides the point. Everyone has something cool--it's what you do with your cool thing (how you sell it, how you market it, what stores you sell it in, what magazines you submit your press kits to, what snazzy promotional ideas you come up) that will really dictate whether or not your cool thing will make its way onto the trend forecaster's radar screen or shrivel up in your basement. Thank goodness I live in a tiny apartment in New York City and don't have a basement.

How to be Creative

The internet is really an amazing thing. I swear you could now find tips and tricks to do anything you could possibly ever think of (both good and bad), but here is a good one: How to be Creative.

If you read my blog and you're, in any way shape or form, trying to make a living at some sort of creative endeavor, this would be a pretty amazing skill to be able to pull up on cue. Most of us are creative, sometime, somewhere, someplace, but I myself have definitely struggled with the hows of bringing up this creativity when I need it...or really want it.

No. 30 also really rang true for me: "The hardest part of being creative is getting used to it. If you have the creative urge, it isn't going to go away. But sometimes it takes a while before you accept the fact.

Mostly I love the idea that you really can "call up" your own creativity whenever you need to. I mean, you can be focussed when you need to, reasonable when you need to, sympathetic when you need to, why not creative? I'm off to be creative RIGHT NOW (if you consider rummaging through my cupboards trying to find a reasonable treat for Oliver "creative" as all of his normal standby's have been gobbled up. Graham crackers? Cheese Nips? Anyone?...)

Outsourcin' and Lovin It

There have been several stories making their rounds last week about outsourcing. Large companies have been outsourcing for ages, but now the little guys are picking up on concept and actually outsourcing their own jobs.

There is the infamous story which appeared on Slashdot.org about the programmer who actually outsourced his own job to a developer in India. He got paid $67k; paid the Indian programmer $12k and no one was the wiser. Say what you will about the ethics of this, but you have to give this chap some props for being clever. Maybe I will outsource my job?...anyone interested? Hello? A-N-Y-O-N-E???

JMerica

Aww shucks, Paper Bride was featured on a cool jew-centric online blog called Jmerica.com. Lots of funny/interesting/shocking/thrilling Jewish tidbits.

I for one have already already ordered my Tough Jew t-shirt. YOU WANT A PIECE OF ME?

didn't think so.

21st Century Couples

I received a press release this morn about the "21st Century Wedding Contest." Basically, the gist of it is: a lucky "21st Century Couple," will win a destination wedding at a beautiful Starwood Hotel in Hawaii. The contest, in and of itself, doesn't interest me much (I mean , sure a free wedding and a trip to Hawaii *would* be kind of cool, but that's a long ass plane ride). What does interest me quite a bit is their definition of a "21st Century Couple."

The press release actually does provide a pretty interesting recap of the current state of affairs in the world of online wedding planning. If they are on target (and I don't know about you, but my fingers and toes are crossed that they are), the internet will continue to play a major league role in wedding planning, which can only translate into more and more profits for those of us settin' up shop on the good ole' www. The release even insinuates that certain jobs (like that of a wedding planner) may soon become obsolete.

It totally makes sense to me, especially since I too have recently become a bride-to-be. If I am thinking of a particular vendor and I find out that they don't have a website...forget it. You are off my list. Not only are you off my list, but I might even send you a letter complaining about your lack of a url. On the flipside, a great website can win me over in moments. For instance, I nearly had to control myself from leaning in and trying to lick the icing off of my screen after checking out Confetti Cakes. Yes, I do realize that there isn't actually icing *on* my screen, but my point is I forgot for a moment.

GTD

If you know the GTD acronym already you are likely a reader of Lifehacker or 43 Folders...or both. You are probably pretty organized, make lots of lists and use things like Quicksilver. Basically, you Get Things Done.

Getting Things Done is basically a framework for keeping your life organized and streamlined in a way that most of us find very difficult to do with our day-to-day, pile up the mail on the coffee table, answer emails days or weeks later, avoid our to-do-lists as if they were covered in fleas sort of approaches. Sellf-appointed productivity guru David Allen claims that he has the answer...and the answer is GTD.

Wired magazine has an interesting profile on this dude who, as they point out, seriously has a cult-like following.

Though I have not yet read the book, I'm actually insanely curious and itching to implement some sort of organizational structure into my own life. Not that I have bills piled up on the coffee table...or emails to answer...or dishes in the sink...or anything like that. Nope. Not me. No siree Bob.

(Note to self: ditch home webcam idea)

Come on in...the water's fine

It's true folks, I'm officially a store owner! True, my store Paper Bride is located on the world wide web instead of Main Street USA, but I kind of feel like the www is the new Main Street, don't you?

Thanks to Just Two Girls (a fab OS commerce resource for anyone out there looking), for helping me to get things up and running and looking so snazzy.

Also check us out today on She Finds.

Hooray for Paper Bride!

I heart Zach Braff

I really do try to keep things fairly wedding-y and stationeryish around PB Blog headquarters, but in this case I just can't help myself. I have a not so secret crush on Zach Braff and, well...he's a blogger too. If you've never checked out his blog before, you should.

Nuff said.
Word.

Charisma, for shizzle

If you've got it, flaunt it. Willy Loman seems to be on to something in "Death of a Salesman;" being well liked and charismatic can directly affect your level of success in business and in life. A step by step guide to charisma from the BBC (via kottke.org) delves into why those with more captivating personalities always seem to wind up on top. Bill Clinton is actually known for being charismatic, and I can give you a first hand account (back from my days in school in Washington D.C.), that this guy could be talking to me about sausage making techniques and I would be captivated. I'm talking drool in the corner of my mouth, goofy-ass smile on my face, unconscious flirty head tilt/hair flip captivated.

The interesting twist is that the researchers say that it is possible to learn how to be charismatic...which I sort of buy. I know that, if need be, I can turn on the charm and switch into totally sweet/interesting/fun/animated mode...which is, admittedly, sometimes a nice break from my bitter/frustrated/snarky/know-it-all/despondent mode.

Workin for da man

If there are any of you out there who are hating your job...wondering what might be next...dying to take a leap but just unsure why/how/when/what, you really need to check out this article from the SF Gate about the silliness that has developed in our culture around the idea that we all must work so damn hard. It also offers up a pretty fab perspective on the idea of taking chances in our own lives and taking a look at all of the excuses and barriers we set up for ourselves to make sure we stay locked in the safe little "boxes" that have become our lives. I'd like to offer up a serious Amen to that one.

It's seriously scary business to take a huge risk in your life and abandon the safety and comfort of a steady paycheck and all the goodies that come along with it. So serious, in fact, that I've yet to do it. But reading this article reminded me exactly why, someday soon, somehow, some way, I'm going to take that leap and make it happen for myself. And dammit, if I can do it, than you can too. Hollah!

For those who are ready to fully embrace the life of "slackerdom," you must check out Slacker Manager; "Paving the path of least resistance, so you don't trip and fall."

Viva Las Vegas! L'Chaim!

Ok, so looks like Vegas weddings are not just for Christians anymore! Sin City is finally waking up to the needs of the tribes people and are now offering a whole host of packages for us Lox lovin' folk.

Just as the traditional wedding rules and practices of yore have quite nearly all been chucked out the window, so too have the negatives associated with the cheesy "vegas wedding"--I dare say it has come the way of the chic and happenin. With all of the new hotels on the strip and loads of options from the cheapest to swankiest, it seems like you can actually whip yourself up a fairly fab vegas wedding these days.

Ladies Who Launch

Ladies Who Launch is a seriously fab organization that you need to check out pronto if you are a female business owner, if you know a female business owner or if you wish you were a female biz owner.

"Ladies Who Launch is an innovative platform for female entrepreneurs, creative women, women in business and motivated women that combines information, community, style, fun and passion." Seriously, what's not to love about that?

I recently completed a Ladies Who Launch Incubator which, in a nutshell, was like a shot in the arm of adrenaline for anything and everything I hope and dream for for my businessPaper Bride. Aside from meeting a seriously inspiring group of women whom I now consider my friends, I learned about the importance of taking care of myself (we actually had to do one nice thing for ourself everyday for homework!) and , most importantly, how to seriously dream big for myself and for my business. Sheesh, I guess I'm a lady who launched.

Check out some of my fellow launched ladies:

GAWGous jewelry at the Stringbean Shop.

Pervartistry is a seriously fun, naughty board game that will make you laugh like you've never laughed before.

I was kind of over the whole pashmina scene, until I discovered Indigo Handloom. These gorgeous silk shawls make pashminas look like dish cloths.

Our "cool friend" Beth Schoenfeldt launched us all!

Celebrity Weddings Unveiled

Ok everyone, set your tivos. Tonight CBS is running "An Entertainment Tonight Event: Celebrity Weddings Unveiled". OOOhhh, I've always been curious about how Melanie Thomas Scott from the Young & the Restless handled her "morning of" routine and MY, OH MY it rained on the day Holly Robinson Peete was to wed. Sounds like it will be a real nail biter, folks.

'Talkin bout my generation...'

Ok, I realize that as of late I am admittedly using the word "hipster" too much in my posts, but I came across this great article today in Business Week about marketing to this slippery group: Getting to The Hipsters.

The gist is that the focus has totally shifted amongst these snarky, technologically savy peeps from an all out war on corporate culture to a virtual full embrace.

Though there is no mention of weddings anywhere in the article, its interesting to see how this has crept into the wedding industry (shout out for sponsored weddings) and into society in general (yes, there are babies running around in the world named Gucci and Lexus. That is just W-R-O-N-G.