Hope

Perennials establish themselves from seed the first year but do not usually flower until the following year.
~Source

Why didn't any of you tell me this? Didn't I tell you I know nothing of gardening? And why didn't it say this right on the package of seeds?

I'm not exactly encouraged, but I do again have a little hope that perhaps a little something will come of all those seeds I planted this year. Maybe.

Big Apple

Not The Big Apple, just a big apple.

And it was very yummy!

3 of Each

Mr. A.G.B. tagged me recently - - here it goes!

3 JOYS!

• New things/places
• Nature (minus the bugs that bite me)
• My family and friends

3 fEaRs.

• I had real stuff hear but then I
• felt like I was tempting fate and
• was creeped out so I deleted them.

3 Goals.

• Music - Piano & Ukulele
• Watching the Gilmore Girls series with my younger sisters; and watching the X-files series with Hot Cup.
• Reading all April’s conference talks this month.

3 Current Obsessions/Collections.

• Clothes
• Gardening
• Reading blogs / RSS feeds

3 Random SURPRISES!!

• I can't whistle.
• I own a tiara.
• ... I like cheese.

3 Tags. Your turn guys!

• Hot Cup
• B. B. Woolf
• Iggy

Ask 2nd

Sometimes I hesitate to write about marketing stuff because I like to think I know something about marketing and I’m afraid of being exposed as an idiot.

But recently Hot Cup posed a question which I was happy to answer, and so I’ll share it with you too. (I admit, I went a little overboard with it, which is why it can now make for its own post.) It was about the new Microsoft ads.


They are pretty bad ads. Although the 2nd one (New Family) is considered to be a little better than the 1st (Shoe Circus). There are a few companies that can get away with doing a no real message ad (ie. Budweiser) but Microsoft isn't one of them. Viral marketing is a huge thing. So that’s obviously their goal. And successfully working branding into viral marketing has proved challenging for more than just Microsoft.

The TV spots aren't as bad as the full versions, in my opinion. Maybe I just like that they're shorter. (I’ve seen versions on TV that’ve got to be only 30 seconds, but I can’t find them online.)

I think they want to show you Bill Gates doing something funner than you normally get to see. The message of 'New Family' is suppose to be about connecting with people. Bill and Jerry are connecting with people ... Microsoft connects people. I think that's the message anyway. And both ads hint toward innovation at the end, although there is no real tangible message there.

But they have led to some buzz at least. This article is the most favorable one I've come across.

Good Microsoft Commercial:

Tysons on Thursday

Yesterday I went to Banana Republic's 30th Anniversary Sale. For a few hours everything was 30% off. You had to show them your credit card to get in the door, which was a little funny. And they served champagne and little pastries. It was a mad house.

There were tons of people. I spent half an hour in line for the fitting room. And then another half hour in line at the check out.

It was like social hour. Girls were there with their friends loading up on clothes and drinking champagne. Having a good time. A lot of guys were there for the sale too, but my favorites were the ones who just stood there with womens clothes draped over their arms, drinking champagne.

I know this isn't unusual among fashion retailers, but I haven't gone before.
I'm a little surprised that I wasn't put off by it. I didn't bring any friends with me, and I don't drink champagne, but isn't shopping fun? (Well, sometimes it depends on the sales associates ... and I'm not crazy about the before Christmas madness ...) Oh, and the 30% off is fun too!

Plants

It's been so long since I've posted anything I'm having a hard time deciding what to share.

I guess I'll show you my cucumbers from my garden. Haha, it's so funny that I keep blogging about this.

Here they are!

And here is a little watermelon plant that I planted too late. I'm hopeful that a watermelon will start to grow before it gets to cold, but I've been advised that it will get too cold for a watermelon plant before I have a normal sized watermelon. I guess it is September already.

Yesterday at the Arboretum I saw these pomegranate plants. I wish I could grow yummy pomegranates but my dad said I would have to move somewhere like Arizona for the right climate, so there goes that idea.

Look at these pretty flowers from the US National Arboretum.

And these darling sisters with a rock penjing.

And these wackos blocking the bonsai.

Now Playing

I swear I’m not some sort of X-Files freak, I just enjoy watching it. Thank you Costco, for allowing me to complete my collection for an affordable price. [And Iggy, for starting it :)] Anyway, due to circumstances beyond my control, I’m not going to get to see the movie for another week :(