Useful Stuff 101

Moving: Lessons Learned

2009-03-30T12:33:00.005-05:00

Well, the office move is complete, however, unpacking still goes on. Having moved over 25 times in my adult life, I've learned a thing or two about moving, and even learned a few new things this move about what to do (and not do) when you're planning an office move.

Here's our top ten moving rules:

1: EVERYTHING GOES IN A BOX or rental moving crate. Everything, really, without exception, unless it's furniture. Sofa cushions, put 'em in a box; small desk lamps, box them, umbrellas too. And, be sure that you use real moving boxes, not stuff you picked up from the grocery store or liquor store. Uniformly sized boxes makes the move go so much faster, and it's a false economy to cheap out on boxes. Invariably, at least one of those liquor store boxes will break, and it will have your favorite framed photos in it.

2: BUY PACKING PAPER. Again, this is not the place to cheap out. DO NOT save the Sunday papers for two months and use them for packing. Old newspaper get everything filthy, from whatever you are wrapping to your hands, clothes and face. It's a cheap economy. We spent about $30 on packing paper. What's leftover, we'll use for brainstorm sessions and fun.

3: CONTRACTOR BAGS ARE A GODSEND. Don't buy cheap garbage bags to dispose of packing paper, bubble wrap and old boxes. The bags will split every time. Invest in heavy duty contractor bags: they'll hold anything and can be compressed to hold 4-6x more than a standard garbage bag.

4: DO NOT MARK 30 CRATES "OPEN FIRST." That was a lesson learned this move. We had so many crates marked "open first" that we couldn't find what we really needed first (office supplies, paper, and stationery, current files). Next time, everyone will get one "open first" sticker and that's it.

5: WHEN THEY TELL YOU TO EMPTY ALL DRAWERS, THEY MEAN IT. We forgot one, and that was the filing cabinet that got destroyed in the move.

6: MAKE FRIENDS WITH BUILDING SECURITY BEFORE YOU MOVE: Some pre-move schmoozing is quite helpful, particularly if you need to get into the building during off hours and cannot find your building pass. A $20 helps too.

7: USE CRAIG'S LIST TO GET RID OF WHAT YOU DON'T WANT TO MOVE! Your trash really is someone else's treasure. Prior to the move, we listed all sorts of stuff that we didn't want (Old TVs, VCRs, furniture) and really didn't have the space for...we sold or gave it all away with little effort.

8: IF YOU HAVE UNOPENED BOXES FROM THE LAST MOVE, YOU SHOULD JUST TOSS THEM BEFORE YOU MOVE AGAIN. We had a couple of dozen boxes that hadn't been touched since our last move over 5 years ago. We tossed them and I feel fine.

9: BEER, WATER AND PIZZA, PAPER TOWEL. You cannot have enough of these when unpacking. Just be sure that the paid movers don't partake in the beer til they're done.

10: PRE-MEDICATE. Packing and unpacking kicks up oodles of dust. If you're prone to allergies, hay fever, or sneezing, be sure to start your medicate prior to packing.

To view our new offices and see out our unpacking progress, check out our Facebook Page. We also did a silly little movie video, see it on YouTube.

MAB Advertising Inc.
515 N State
Suite 1700
Chicago, IL 60654
mabadinc.com

Big Empty Stores: the Next Big Opportunity?

2009-03-19T18:52:00.005-05:00

Just finished Brian Ulrich's haunting photo essay, "Stores No More," of empty retail storefronts, many of which are in IL (one in my hometown of Riverside). There are so many empty "big boxes", and more to come (witness Circuit City, the most recent victim). It's a giant opportunity for someone to think of something to do with these acres of finished space...

iPhone 3.0 Bells and Whistles

2009-03-19T18:35:00.002-05:00

The new iPhone 3.0 is coming soon, and finally fixing the annoying stuff in this uber-wonderful gadget. See full description from Gizmondo here.
-cut and paste! Whoda thunk it! Finally!
-full device search
-a landscape keyboard: and I thought I was the only one with chubby fingers!
-better calendar functions
-shake to shuffle in ipod function.

I can't wait. And there's so much more.

Guilty Pleasures: Naked City

2009-02-22T18:42:00.002-06:00

Inspired by the 1948 film noir, The Naked City, the TV series "Naked City," is the most interesting, literate

"There are eight million stories in the Naked City—and this is one of them."

"I'm mad as hell and I'm not going to take it any more."

2009-02-08T16:49:00.000-06:00

So said soon-to-be-fired, ultimately assassinated news anchor Howard Beale in the 1976 movie, Network.

I tivo'ed the movie last week, and have now watched it at least 10 times since. It just gets better and better, thanks to Paddy Chayevsky's Academy Award winning script, with biting, literate, savage dialogue, that makes current movies seem just sodden and heavy-handed.

Everyone knows the line, "I'm mad as hell and not going to take it any more." But what about these gems? Some seems quite appropriate to our current state of depression, isolation, desperation and exasperation.

Diana Christensen: "Hi. I'm Diana Christensen, a racist lackey of the imperialist ruling circles.
Laureen Hobbs: I'm Laureen Hobbs, a badass commie nigger.
Diana Christensen: Sounds like the basis of a firm friendship."

"Howard Beale: [on the air] I just ran out of bullshit."

"The American people are turning sullen. They've been clobbered on all sides by Vietnam, Watergate, the inflation, the depression. They've turned off, shot up, and they've fucked themselves limp, and nothing helps."

"The American people want somebody to articulate their rage for them."

"The world is a business, Mr. Beale. It has been since man crawled out of the slime."

"I will not be an accessory in your life."

"This is not a psychotic breakdown; it's a cleansing moment of clarity."

Are we having a cleansing moment of clarity now, after a decade of mass psychosis?

Favorite Book So Far This Year: Resistance

2009-01-31T20:30:00.004-06:00

Published in English for the first time last fall, Resistance is Agnes Humbert's first person account of her work in the French Resistance, her subsequent arrest, forced labor in German work camps, and work with the American troops bringing Nazis and collaborators to justice after the war. It's a vivid, searing account of hell that I could not put down—I read the book all in one day.

Lately, I've been depressed and obsessed about my dwindling savings and bank balance...reading this book put everything back in perspective for me.

My Favorite Things to Do in NYC: Part One

2009-01-23T08:29:00.005-06:00

So many people have asked me for this list, thought I'd post a couple of my favorites, and spots you might not find on your own...

Gino
780 Lexington Ave. (bet. 60th & 61st Sts.) 
212-758-4466
If I had time for only one meal in NYC: it would be here. It's northern Italian place, right near Bloomingdales, cash only. A unique combination of mobsters, locals, socialites and the B&T crowd. (Bernard and I had our first date her and continue to return every time we’re in NYC.) Get the paglia e fieno pasta! Most waiters have been here 50 years or more: spot is famous for zebra (with a missing striped) wallpaper. Truly an original.

Campbell Apartment
15 Vanderbilt Ave. (bet. 42nd & 43rd Sts.)
 212-953-0409
Completely fabulous and hidden place actually in Grand Central Station. Cocktails only. A hidden gem, you’ll feel like you’re in a speakeasy. Doesn’t open until 3pm most days. There’s a hidden elevator off the main station that will whisk you up to this private apartment-turned-bar.

Da Silvano
260 Sixth Ave. (bet. Bleecker & Houston Sts.)
 212-982-2343
Best Tuscan food in NY. Great people watching right in the heart of the Village. Many celebs, fashionistas and the like. Rustic, tres chic, with adorable Italian waiters. I prefer it in the spring and summer, when you can sit outside, but it's wonderful anytime. While casual, it's quite pricey too. Great for lunch too (they own Bar Pitti next door, more casual, much cheaper and cash only.)

A Relaxing Day in LA

2009-01-23T08:26:00.006-06:00

Just got back from a super-fast, but relaxing weekend in LA. I used to hate the place, but now I adore it, especially when it's a balmy six degrees here. And, I can't help it, I adore celeb-laden spots in LA...in NYC folks are too cool to want to be recognized, there's really no one interesting to recognize in Chicago, but LA...is full of people who think I should know who they are. And they're so happy to tell you their screen credits, BFFs, and agent's names. Much too fun.

If you're looking for celeb sightings, read US, People and In Touch? Here's where you want to go.

Grill on the Alley: Right in the heart of BH, and the lunch canteen for William Morris, CAA, Endeavor, etc. Agents, directors, producers, galore. It's impossible to NOT see some gazillionaire, studio honcho or other mover and shaker. Not a great spot for the 20-something crowd however.

Giorgio Baldi: In Santa Monica. Our best sighting have been here hands down, and many on a single evening. A tiny-tiny spot with no more than 50 jammed together seats. Quite intimate, and it really doesn't matter who you are: if your table is not ready, you wait on the sidewalk. Outside. Best single evening: Steven Spielberg and Kate Capshaw at one table; Don Rickles, Bob Newhart and wives at another table; George Hamilton, Cher and an entourage at another table, and Liev Scrieber and a pregnant Naomi Watts waiting for a table outside. Ethereal tuscan food. Worth going even without the eye candy.

Shoe Department at Saks: Best sales, best sightings, best shoes. I occasionally get a great deal here, but only rarely, as the average heel is now 4-5 inches. Runner up is shoe dept. at Neiman, which is about 1/2 block away.

The Polo Lounge: There is still only one Beverly Hills Hotel, and only one Polo Lounge. You walk in and instantly expect to see Jimmy Stewart (who we did see there once years ago), Lana Turner, and Clark Gable. Still old Hollywood, old money. And still gorgeous.

A Good Time Was Had By All...

2009-01-18T08:25:00.011-06:00

An earlier entry detailed my New Year's Resolutions. One of them? Invite Interesting People to Dinner Once a Month. Well, we did and they were.

Many thanks to Randi and Brad, Michelle and Jeremy, Daniella and Steve, Lindsay and Robin, Leslie and Gene, Kate and Dick...conversation ran from home remodeling and redecorating, travels to Italy and everywhere, the joys of Facebook, and so much more. I learned a new phrase from Jeremy that will be incorporated into my lexicon immediately: "voluntold." Ex: "I voluntold him to pick up the dry cleaning."

“One of the very nicest things about life is the way we must regularly stop whatever it is we are doing and devote our attention to eating.” Luciano Pavarotti

Bernard put out an amazing spread as always. The photo above really doesn't do it justice. One of his strengths as a chef is strategic purchasing. He traverses the entire City of Chicago and burbs to source the tastiest and most authentic stuff. Some of his secret spots that showed up on the table last night were:

Hagens: For smoked fish and smoked shrimp
Caputos: In Elmwood Park, for artichokes, cheeses, eggplant, San Marzano tomatos, olives, etc.
Veseckey's: In Berwyn, for that amazing strawberry pie, called Kolac.
Fox and Obel: Best meat counter in the city. He picked up a tenderloin that was just luscious...
Costco: Yes, Costco. For shrimp and crab. And wine.

My favorite dish was the aubergine-tomato salad from Giorgio Locatelli's cookbook, Made in Italy. Locanda Locatelli is our favorite restaurant in London, when we can manage to get a reservation (their phone number is unlisted).

There were many requests for B's pinenut/apple tart. It's an incredibly easy recipe and always comes out right. I believe that it came from The Silver Spoon, the bible of Italian cooking and only recently translated into English. If you have room for only one Italian cookbook, this is the one you should get. Here it is (it warbles between metric and US weights, but that's how he wrote it down):

1 Kilo Golden Apples (about 5 medium)
2 lg. eggs
1 cup + 4 oz. flour
4 oz. butter
1 cup +4 oz. sugar
1 tsp. baking powder
Lemon Zest
4 oz. pine nuts

Preheat oven to 350. Peel, core and thinly slice apples. Mix egg, flour, butter, sugar, and baking powder in bowl to make batter. Add apples and 1/2 of the pinenuts. Pour into buttered 8 inch round pan. Top with remaining pinenuts. Bake for 40-50 minutes.

An Invitation: The Fine Art of Supporting Women and Girls

2009-01-17T07:43:00.009-06:00

“Courbet II”
Gerhard Richter
Oil, 1985
Collection of Lynn & Allen Turner

Shameless Plug: I'm on the Host Committee for Chicago Foundation for Women's upcoming event: The Fine Art of Supporting Women and Girls., which will be held on February 17 from 5:30-7:30.

Spend a unique evening in the art-filled loft of Lynn and Allen Turner, renowned and world-class art collectors. The Turners will lead a tour of their unparalleled and rarely-seen collection of modern and contemporary masterworks, including works by Gerhard Richter, Jean Dubuffet, John Chamberlain and Chuck Close. Enjoy appetizers, cocktails and great conversation, all in support of Chicago Foundation for Women.

I've visited the loft/gallery and it's so worth it! It's a beautifully designed space, with an eclectic, delightful collection. The highlight for me was a huge painting by a contemporary Chinese painter (I can't remember his name, but he's in the current exhibition of contemporary Chinese art at the Saatchi Gallery in London) of a gigantic black skull. A skylight had to be built specially in order to bring the work in...

We're limited to 80 people only, so get tickets early, because it will sell out. Here's some more details...

5:30 - 7:30 p.m.
Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2009
Loft of Lynn & Allen Turner
400 S Green St, 5th Fl (at Van Buren)
Chicago

Tickets: $125. Register at cfw.org/art or calling (312) 577-2827. Complimentary Parking is available at Costa's Restaurant (340 S Halsted St).

About the Foundation: Chicago Foundation for Women influences social justice through advocacy, leadership development,
and public and grantee education. For more information on Chicago Foundation for Women and its programs, please visit www.cfw.org.

Host Committee
Susan Aurinko, Mary Bahr, Ellen Benjamin, Catherine Braendel, Betty Cleeland, Mariah Cunnick, Amina Dickerson, Madhuvanti Ghose, Nicole Gotthelf, Marj Halperin, Bette Cerf Hill, Nancy Juda, Louise LeBourgeois,Gail Ludewig, Jerry Newton, Barbara Rose, Leora Rosen, Anita Sinha, Laura Tucker, Pooja Vukasovich

Hope you can make it!!!!

E-Waste: A Dirty Little Secret

2009-01-11T08:37:00.005-06:00

In my cleaning frenzy over the holidays, I found our stash of old electronics. A forgotten drawer filled with old cell phones, keyboards, peripherals, chargers, cords, and sundry stuff. I then thought about the half dozen tvs and airconditioners in storage. I know that you're not supposed to just throw this stuff, but why, and what should I do with it?

Here's some eye-opening facts:

-400 million electronic items are discarded each year, and less than 20% are recycled

-130,000 million mobile phones are tossed each year

-Computer or television displays (CRTs) contain lead, cadmium and mercury, all health hazards when not properly recycled

-Our e-waste is being shipped to developing countries like China, Nigeria, and India for recycling, in dangerous and hazardous conditions.

Some interesting links from Time Magazine: E-Waste and Recycling Overseas, E-Waste and What to Do with It.

-Chicago Recycling Coalition offers a comprehensive list of recycling options for all types of stuff. It's your best local resource for ideas and options.

What did I decide to do with all of our stuff?

All phones to Collective Good, a group that reuses and recycles phones for charity. Old computers and usable peripherals to Computers for Schools, an organization refurbishes computers for use in local public schools, and the old tvs and air conditioners? I'm giving away through the Freecycle Network.

Any other ideas?

Two More Great Restaurant Deals

2009-01-09T11:13:00.005-06:00

And they're two of the best spots in town!

Custom House: Shawn McClain's much-lauded spot on Printers Row, just announced their famous burger is just $5 at lunch til the end of January (it's usually $14!) It's worth the cab ride...

In the West Loop, Blackbird is doing a $15 lunch, with a choice of their amazing take on the standard burger, and the best fish sandwich in the world.

Please post any other great restaurant deals you know of!

Chicago Restaurant Week and Other Fabulous Deals

2009-01-08T21:00:00.000-06:00

While I'm cutting back as much as anyone else, and I'm married to a wonderful chef, we still eat out 4-5x per week, so I'm on the lookout for great meals at good prices. This blog was entry was originally going to be about my favorite Chicago restaurants (which is still a work in progress), but an email arrived in my inbox this am about Chicago Restaurant Week, which this year is Feb. 20-27.

This idea started in New York about 20 years ago during our last "recession," as a way to get people to eat out more, and in particular, try new places. The conceit of the concept used to be that participating restaurants offered a prix fixe meal for the same cost as the year: for example, in 2004, the meal would be $20.04. (I remember a 3-course meal at the Four Seasons in NYC for $19.87.)

Well, desperate times call for desperate measures. This year's Restaurant Week offers two prix fixe options: lunch at $22 and dinner at $32 pp. Over 130 restaurants are participating this year, including many place that wouldn't be caught dead doing any specials or discounting. Including some of my favorites.

One suggestion: make reservations, particularly if you are interested in trying a popular place for dinner. Some restaurants only offer this deal during lunch, so be sure to check out website to see what the individual restrictions are. I find Open Table the best way to make reservations these days, and you get rewards! They also have a free iPhone app too. A bit cludgey, but it works.

Spots paricipating in Restaurant Week that are also personal favorites include:

Coco Pazzo and Coco Pazzo Cafe Sister restaurants: Coco Pazzo is more elegant, expansive and expensive. Cafe is a perpetually packed neighborhood joint. Rigatoni alla Butera at both spots is the quintessential hangover cure and all around comfort food.

Joe's Seafood, Prime Steak and Stone Crab. (Spoiler alert: they are a client, but have the cutest chef in Chicago). While I adore the expensive stuff on the menu, they've got gently priced choices as well: fabulous fried chicken; crab louis and you simply must have the Key Lime Pie (pies available for takeout too).

La Sardine, our go-to french bistro. In addition to Restaurant Week, they've got my two favorite deals in the city. 1/2 Price Wine Night on Monday, and any 3-courses for $25 on Tuesday. Fish of the day, lamb, cassoulet and souffles are standouts. Warm, friendly staff, and great vibe. We're here at least once a week.

one sixtyblue. Outstanding food, elegant, yet casual. New chef, new menu, but same level of service. Pricey spot, so the RW deal is a great way to try a place that many folks wait for a special ocassion to try.

Smith and Wollensky. I prefer Wollensky's Grill downstairs usually, but both menus are available always. It's a bit more intimate, and I like sitting by the Chicago River downstairs. In addition to the RW deal, mark your calendar for National Wine Week (March 9-13), where you can get tastes (and more tastes) of ten fabulous wines for $10 plus cost of lunch. And proceeds to to charity. Just don't plan on going back to work. You MUST have reservations.

Any other ideas on ways to eat well without spending mucho dinero?

Loose Change

2009-01-04T18:22:00.004-06:00

The average American family has about $90 of loose change lying around the house, according to Coinstar. So I tried to figure out how much that might be, as we have waaaay more loose change than the average family. We've got bags of quarters, dimes, nickels and pennies stashed in various places around the house. Why? We just didn't quite know what to do with it.

So I did a little research (note: these are close approximations). Here's what I found.

-5 lbs. of quarters equal $100.
-22 lbs. of nickels equal $100.
-60.5 lbs. of pennies equal $100.

So, I dragged bags of change into my son's room (where there is the only scale. Figures, as he's the only one that doesn't need to lose weight). I weighed the bags separately, and added them all up. Even I was shocked. We had 60 lbs. of coins. At least half are quarters. So that's at least $600 in quarters alone! I figure that the remaining 30 or so pounds will add up to about $100.

So now what?

I asked my personal bank, US Bank, if they'd count it. They said they would, but only at a main branch, and that it would take a week or two to count and verify, before being added to my account. And, they'll do it without a fee. However, I still have to lug it over there. If you'd like to do this, be sure that you check with your own bank: many banks will not accept loose change, or will charge a fee.

Coinstar, mentioned above, offers convenient change exchange with a couple of catches. First, they are easy to find: you'll find them at most local supermarkets, and their website has an easy search feature. However, it's not really possible to get straight cash: if you convert at a supermarket, for example, they'll change you 8.9 cents per dollar. You'll then receive a voucher that you can use at that establishment. They'll count your change for free if you exchange them for a gift card of the same amount. Amazon, Borders, ITunes, CVS, are just a few of the gift cards that you can get.

I'm still deciding. Anyone have any better suggestions?

Too Many Books: Is It Possible?

2009-01-04T06:37:00.008-06:00

I really love books. I buy them all the time, people give them to me, I swap with friends and family. When we moved into this house over eight years ago, there was endless closet space, and more book shelves than I knew what to do with. Now, piles of books sit everywhere, shaming me because they are all books that I really want to read but haven't gotten to. I just cannot throw books away. How to get this mess under control?

I spent the entire New Year's weekend organizing the endless stacks of books. Here's what I decided to to:

#1: Stop buying books. Amazon Prime offers cheap, instant gratification. Buy any book with one-click shopping and it arrives two days later, without fail. This is a wonderful service, but not helpful for those of us with addictive reading habits. I counted up how many books I ordered in 2008 (45) and how many I actually read: 8. That's only 18%. And doesn't count the books that I bought a Costco (such bargains!), bookstores (must support independent proprietors) and airports (cannot stand plane rides without reading material), or those given to me, which would easily double the total. So, I've made an agreement with myself: no more buying books for at least six months, or make a significant dent in the unread books.

#2: Figure out which books you really want to read. After hours going through the books in our home office, I was able to divide them into a couple of piles: books I want to read, books I either read or never intend to, books I want to keep (travel, art, business, wine, a few select novels), and books that my husband has to deal with. Now, all of the books that I want to read are on one table (see pic above), in one place that's just mine (there are over 70 books there btw). The ones that I've read or don't want are going to be donated to the Riverside Public Library. The ones I want to keep are going into our library downstairs (but not until I go through those shelves and organize into piles like above). My husband's are his problem.

#3: Get a library card. Yes, that big building with all the books in it is the library. It might have been my many years in New York City, and the odoriferous patrons of my local branch there, but I've never been much of a fan of of public libraries. Also, might have also been the hundreds of dollars of fines I racked up as a kid at the Emma S. Clark Memorial Library. But what a surprise! I had a card in two minutes, found the book I needed to read for my book club ("The Road From Coorain," by Jill Ker Conway: I highly recommend it), and was out the door. They'll also take all of our unwanted books (they keep what they want and sell the rest to raise money for the library).

#4: Donate the books you've read or have no intention of ever reading. I'm giving my excess books to my local public library in Riverside, IL. You can donate your unwanted books to your public library too. Just be sure that they are in good condition. There are dozens of other places that would love your unwanted books too, if you'd like to check them out. Here's a couple of the best...

The Newberry Library accepts (and will pick up!) books year round for their annual book sale in July. Click through for details and instructions.

Open Books is a Chicago-based literacy organization. They accept book donations to sell in their bookstore, which supports their literacy programs in public schools. I highly recommend this program. They will pick up books in Chicago as well.

#5 Join Book Swim. My sister, an even more avid reader than I, turned me onto this. It's Netflix for books. Create your "pool" of books, pay a monthly fee, and you get books. Never any overdue fees either.

What are your strategies for dealing with book creep?

2009-01-01T20:06:00.000-06:00

I'm trying out the iPhone email to post app. Hope it works!

Sent from my iPhone

Mary Bahr
President & Creative Director
MAB Advertising Inc.
303 E Wacker
Suite 2350
Chicago, IL 60601
312-894-3097 (p)
312-894-3055 (f)
mbahr@mabadinc.com
mabadinc.com

My resolutions for 2009

2009-01-01T08:05:00.005-06:00

#1 INVITE INTERESTING PEOPLE FOR DINNER ONCE A MONTH

My husband loves to cook; we have a wide circle of friends and acquaintances, we love to entertain…so why do we do it so infrequently? Partially responsible, I think, is the ingrained idea that it must be a “party”, therefore everything must be planned far in advance and the menu must be for “company.”

We’ve decided to mix it up for 2009: invite 10-12 folks: some we know well, some we’d like to know better, some that just intrigue us…then design an uncomplicated but tasty menu. It must be able to be prepared in advance; require little assembly or prep during dinner, and allow Bernard to enjoy the people he’s cooking for. We’ll keep the drinks simple: keep a couple of cases of our favorite red and white wines and sparkling water on the back porch, and open as needed. Voila! Our first event will be January 17. If you’d like to be included, just email me!

#2: LISTEN TO MORE LIVE MUSIC

Why do we make easy stuff so complicated? It’s a curious thing…we tend to deny ourselves some of the simplest activities that make us happy. I think that it’s related to the concept of over-planning and perceived complexity in #1. Seeing good live music shouldn’t require months of planning and arranging...if you like it, you should just do it. This point was brought home to me in LA last month: we checked out the Jazz Bakery, where The Clayton Brothers were playing: I’d never heard of them, but was game. It was one of those once-in-a-lifetime experiences: while the group boasts decades of experience with a who’s who of the jazz world, this was their first local gig. The audience was filled with family members and friends, and dozens of fellow musicians; it was like a private concert, and we were privileged to be among the few to hear it. And, we hadn’t planned this weeks in advance, we just took a chance.

#3: WRITE A MINIMUM OF ONE HOUR PER DAY

See #2. Again, I’ve got a tendency to stop doing the things I love. Don’t. I love writing. Just write. Make it a habit. And erase some of the bad habits that I’ve developed over the years writing for the business (those habits are actually considered strengths in business however). So write one hour per day, doesn’t matter about what, doesn’t matter where. It does matter that I turn off internet access though.

Making the Unbearable Slightly Better: Holiday Traveling Tactics

2008-12-24T07:15:00.005-06:00

We all know how excruciating air travel can be: we all have tales of endless delays, horrid seatmates, unhelpful help, expensive carb-laden airport food and general misery (watching a $70 jar of tiny face cream deemed a liquid being tossed into the trash certainly qualifies!), so why belabor them here?

While airports and flights are more to be endured than enjoyed these days, there are a few tactics that I've founded in my million plus miles that might help this holiday season.

Tip #1: Drown it Out
Top of my list is avoiding actual contact and conversation with everyone possible. My must-have? Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones. I prefer the over the ear version, Bernard prefers the on the ear version. Just believe us: they really work. And don't cheap out and buy imitations, these are the ones that you need. Expensive, but worth every penny.

Tip #2: A Well-Stocked IPod
I always carefully plan my traveling playlists. My preference on long flights are books and podcasts rather than music. Somehow it makes those 8 hour flights fly by. Audible's got the widest selection of book downloads, and manybooks.net has the widest variety of FREE downloads (mostly classics that are in the public domain). My favorite podcasts to travel with? This American Life, without question.

Tip #3: Real-Time Flight Status
Lifehacker offers several great ways to figure out what's going on with your flight. My favorite are text alerts: test either Google (466453) or 4INFO (44636) with the airline and flight number to get the status texted back to you immediately.

Making it All Work: A Sneak Peek at David Allen's New Book

2008-12-16T06:21:00.006-06:00

BNET just published a preview of David Allen's new book, "Making it All Work," which will be released at the end of this year. Allen, the "Getting Things Done" guru, is a personal favorite of mine, and his GTD principles help keep me organized and on track (my incredibly messy desk nonwithstanding). His earlier books, "Getting Things Done" and "Ready for Anything," are must reads for anyone interested in figuring out how to deal with all of the "stuff" in our work life and personal life. Check out the excerpts here, and let me know what you think.

Stuff I'm Loving Right Now

2008-12-15T19:20:00.000-06:00

Online: my new favorite source of news, gossip and information is The Daily Beast, who's motto is "Read This, Skip That." Uber-Editor Tina Brown's foray into the online world, after stints at Vanity Fair, The New Yorker, and the ill-fated Talk magazine, seems to have a winner here. It's a singular combination of snarky gossip and snippets, thoughtful yet short(!) articles, lots of financial and political commentary. Just my cup 'o tea and I can breeze through it in a couple of minutes. Can't decide though, how I feel about Alexandra Penney's blog, "The Bag Lady Series." Penney, a former magazine editor-turned-artist and one of the many victims of Bernie Madoff, is equal parts annoying and sympathy-provoking. She lives in NYC, for god's sake, but hadn't ever taken a bus or cab? I'm quite adverse to public transportation in Chicago, but you really do need to use the subway in NYC. Read a couple of her posts and let me know what you think. I think that my sympathy for her is wearing thin.

End of the Year Reviews...

2008-12-14T18:16:00.004-06:00

It's a little early for end of lists, however my two favorite ones are out now. The Time Magazine List Issue, and the New York Times Magazine Eight Annual Year in Ideas Issue. What I love about these issues is everything I missed...

From Time, which offers its top ten on many topics: Apparently I missed some of the top buzzwords of the year: "nuke the fridge," and "topless meetings.".

Time on Food Trends: how did I miss the Clover? The best coffee machine in the world? Guess so, since Starbucks purchased the company. Anyone know of a Clover in Chicago? Next, the Mex-Italian trend? Haven't found it anywhere in Chicago yet, but it can't be far away.

Their top ten gadgets I can't wait to try? The Optoma Pico PK-101: a projector for IPods and IPhones. Tiny, powerful, totally cool. Several boys in our family are getting the Flip MinoHD(an incredibly small, hi def camcorder that's idiot proof and comes with its own editing software (please don't tell the boys!). I'm also hoping for a Kindle for myself under the tree.

From the New York Times Year in Ideas: Ideas that I hadn't heard of: Automated Anesthesia, Gallons Per Mile (not miles per gallon), and moonvertising.

My Favorite Bookmarked Websites

2008-11-25T15:47:00.010-06:00

Ok, I could admit that it's CNN, WSJ and New York Times, and I do check in with news outlets on a regular basis. But it's easy to get news anywhere, anyway these days. But I'm judicious in what I choose to bookmark these days. So what bookmarked sites do I visit the most? Herewith, in no particular order:

Trademark Search: Being in the business of communication, it's helpful to check if someone else has had your novel idea before you. We often work on naming assignments, or branding assignments. Imagine how depressing it is to present weeks worth of work, only to be told, "that name is taken." While this site cannot take the place of a trademark lawyer, and just because a name looks taken, doesn't always mean it is, it's a great first step to see if there's trouble on the horizon. It's a government site that works! (Corollary site for domain names: I usually check out Go Daddy or Network Solutions.)

Jen Lancaster's site, Jennsylvania, is an acquired taste, but one I rarely miss. Author of "Bitter is the New Black" and "Bright Lights, Big Ass", Jen is alternately annoying, entertaining, bitchy, and sweet. Her posts are light and fluffy, take moments to read, and usually make me laugh out loud. For anyone who gets annoyed with city life, married life, work life or dieting in general, I highly recommend Jen. She's constantly pissed off, and hilarious.

Visual Thesaurus:While you can use website for free for a couple of tries, it's so worth the $20 bucks per year for a complete registration to get all the bells and whistles. It's an interactive dictionary and thesaurus, that creates word maps, rather than sterile listings. It's intuitive, inventive and helps me out of word pinches on a regular basis.

Shelfari : A booklover's dream. You post the books you've read, want to read and are reading now. You can get feedback from other readers, check out what books others who like books you like like (did that make any sense), and you can post your shelf on a blog or website.

Alltop: the best search engine out there if you want information, rather than a sales pitch. It aggregates top posts on almost any subject, which allows you to find the information you're looking for without having to scroll through pages of sales listing on google. Try it, you'll never look back.

Page Six: I'm a displaced native New Yorker. And cannot get the New York Post anywhere in the Midwest in printed form. The online version of my favorite gossip column does not disappoint. Ever.

The Magazines I Won't Give Up: My Top Three

2008-11-23T12:37:00.007-06:00

Are magazines a dying breed? Certainly the trade pubs are proclaiming their demise. Many are moving to online presence only. But to me, there's something about the tactile quality of holding a magazine in my hands. It's portable for one, I don't have to rely on my laptop's battery reserve, and I can rip out pages to keep. What blog can say that?

Friends, family and colleagues know me as a magazine fiend. I subscribe to about 40 (that's a conservative estimate), and I'm now finding it hard to get through all of them, so I'm slowly letting many subscriptions expire as they come due.

One: The mag is spend the most time with is Vanity Fair. It's perfect plane ride reading material, when I need to block out everything around me, including the snoring man on my left and the salami sandwich eating teen on my right (that was a ORD to LAX ordeal. Thanks American Airlines: knew that Platinum status would come in handy.) Always a compelling mix of politics, current events, investigative reporting and gossip. A first rate editorial staff.

Two: The Week. Not easy to find on newsstands: worth the subscription. A roundup of international opinion on everything. Kind of a Readers' Digest for the uber-literate. A mix of politics, current events, culture, real estate, cooking, and everything under the sun. Takes about one hour to read from cover to cover and worth it.

Three: The New Yorker. Yes, I'm a native New Yorker and proud of it, but I'd subscribe anyway. The New Yorker is not afraid of depth and length. Some of the best books every year have excerpts published here first, from David Sedaris, Malcolm Gladwell, Calvin Trillin, and so many more. The only magazine left that still only publishes illustration on its covers.

The Best Explanation of the Financial Mess to Date

2008-11-22T17:27:00.008-06:00

Michael Lewis' seminal book on the excess of the finance industry in the 80s, "Liar's Poker," seems positively quaint today. A CEO bringing home 3.1 million? Were we really upset by that?

In his recent article in Conde Nast Portfolio, The End, Lewis performs a masterful deconstruction of the sub-prime mess, but his real insight is that transformation of private investment banks to public corporations created a dangerous concoction of infallability, idiocy and arrogance. Transferring financial consequence from partnerships to shareholders, Wall Street freed itself from the rigor of common sense that somehow the rest of us seem to know instinctively: don't spend more than you have, don't buy a financial product you can't understand, don't buy it from someone who doesn't understand it either.

Another recent article in the New York Times dissects the lack of oversight from top down at CitiGroup. It's as informative as it is scary. Click here to read.

Inaugural Posting

2008-11-18T14:03:00.006-06:00

This is my inaugural blog entry. Useful Stuff 101 will provide ideas from all sources, on anything and everything I find interesting to illuminate our minds, and ideas to make our lives more manageable. Sometimes it may be book or article suggestions, websites, blogs and books I like, productivity suggestions, or whatever else comes to mind.

I loved my first IPhone. I love my new IPhone 3G even more. Here forthwith, are my favorite apps and time savers from the ITunes app store.

OpenTable: My favorite online restaurant reservation site, Open Table, has just released an iphone/itouch app. Make reservations with a couple of quick clicks. go to Itunes apps to download for free. Doesn't have a search feature, but the GSP will show you closest restaurants.

Shazam: A nifty little app that can identify any music that you are listening to. No more "I know that group, but who is it?"

Easy Writer: Allows you to turn iPhone sideways to type emails. Very useful for those of us with chubby fingers.