Jen | Blog

An oldie but goodie

noreply@blogger.com (Jenny P) — Thu, 07 Apr 2011 22:26:00 +0000

I posted this on FB over a year ago, but a friend found it and liked it today, so....

From Despair.com. Enjoy!

When does simple = boring?

noreply@blogger.com (Jenny P) — Wed, 06 Apr 2011 01:32:00 +0000

First, before I get into the main topic of this post (design, or specifically, simplicity vs. "boring-ness"), we're gonna chat money.

I did my taxes by myself this year and I'm 99% sure I did something wrong. Right now, per TurboTax, I'm set to get a $1,540 refund. This seems ridiculously high, especially since I usually owe Uncle Sam moola (and sometimes, depending on how well the market did, I'm stuck paying estimated taxes).

I'm hoping that I did them correctly and will pocket the $1,500, but in the meantime, my mama (pre-kids finance wizard that she was...) is reviewing them. Fingers crossed.

But moving on to the topic of the evening....

Y'all know that I work in marketing and communications. And some of you may know that I was a relatively accomplished artist in my younger years. (Um, hello award-winning 7th grade paintings!) I think I have a pretty good design aesthetic when it comes to marketing collateral.

So you can imagine my disdain when my design taste was challenged.

Here's what happened: yesterday, our art director Tracy came up with a great structural design for a client's new web home page. I loved the layout. However, the colors didn't resonate with me, especially one of the accent colors. I thought was too bright. Tracy's response?"You're always so blah and boring!"

Ouch.

Now, Tracy is an absolute doll and one of my favorite people, and I know she didn't mean it to be so, well, mean. What she meant was that my design aesthetic, be it for websites, brochures, logos, ANYTHING, errs on the side of what I call "simple and clean." Tracy, however, calls it "blah and boring." To be specific, she doesn't think I push the envelope enough. In her opinion, everything I like looks the same.

After talking to Tracy, I went back to my office and looked through some of the collateral I had helped produce for my clients over the last year. And to some extent, Tracy's right. There are common elements to everything I've created -- simple lines, lots of negative space, subdued colors, large fonts...you get the idea.

This whole convo got me thinking about simplicity and when, if ever, simple becomes boring. At what point does a clean and simple look and feel just become an uncreative blank slate? At what point does everything I like just begin to look the same?

Now, I still don't think my design taste is boring. But I do think I have a high level of comfort with a specific design perspective, and sometimes, just *maybe*, I don't push the envelope enough. Perhaps my actual design aesthetic isn't boring, but my inability to test the waters beyond what I'm comfortable with, or what appeals to me, is? To be honest, I don't know. But it is food for thought.

What do you think? When does simple = boring when it comes to design? When are you no longer simple...and just plain dull?

My must-have iPad apps -- and no, Flipboard isn't one of them.

noreply@blogger.com (Jenny P) — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 03:14:00 +0000

I recently had the good fortune to catch up with one of my besties, Alexis. She's a high powered business woman currently on rotations all over the world, so seeing her is a rare treat. Over delish salads at our usual Houston restaurant (Brasil), we chatted and gossiped about all the normal stuff -- works, travel plans, boys. She also picked my brain about my iPad. Her bro (another high powered business person -- what's with the Jhamb family??) upgraded to an iPad2, so he gave Lex his "old" first generation iPad. "What are the must-have applications I need to download?" she asked.

To be completely honest, I'm not a huge app person. I have about 30 or so downloaded on my iPad, significantly less than the hundreds occupying space on my friends' iPads. Generally speaking, I wouldn't call myself a "simple woman" but when it comes to my iPad, less seems to be more. (And as much as I love technology, I'm pretty retarded when it comes to using it. I won't elaborate, but it's often kind of embarrassing.)

So, what are some of my fave, MUST HAVE, MY LIFE WOULD SUCK WITHOUT THEM apps?? Here you go. They're not fancy (I have Flipboard and have it used all of two times) or popular (Angry Birds? What's that?) but having them on my iPad has, as cliche as it sounds, sorta changed my life. Or at the very least, changed the way I absorb, share and use information on a daily basis.

- The New York Times. This is probably the only app I use almost EVERY SINGLE DAY. I love the NYT and the iPad interface makes reading articles fun and easy. It's like having the paper version, only without the messy black fingers afterward. And although the NYT is no longer free, it is worth every penny to get access to some of the best journalism in the country.

- NPR. Like the NYT, I *heart* NPR. I grew up listening to it and still tune in to it everyday during my commute. The NPR app is one of the cleanest and easiest to use, and I love that I can listen to hundreds of my favorite programs while also reading other NPR news through the app.

- Kindle. After my first disappointing jaunt into the Apple iBook store, the Kindle app saved my life. With it, I have access to Amazon's entire collection of e-books (I think it's close to a 1 million) including free classics I can download. My only issue with the app: it's one stop shopping, meaning I can buy dozens of books -- and spend hundreds of dollars -- in a matter of minutes. Which I've done. A lot.

- Hootsuite. Nothing particularly exciting here, but as a frequently tweeter, Hootsuite on my iPad is essential. Hootsuite doesn't work through Safari on the iPad, so you have to download the app.

- Sketchbook Pro. For all intents and purposes, a canvas on your iPad. Gorgeous interface and extensive options when it comes to creating digital artwork. Not super easy to use, but some of the sample work produced through it is incredible. (My art work, not so much.)

- Evernote. Like I said above, I generally wouldn't call myself a simple woman. In fact, if we're going to be completely honest here, I'm pretty complicated -- and so is my life. Evernote helps me capture and organize all the random notes, ideas, pictures, etc. that I come across and think of on a daily basis. And it works from my phone, my desktop, my laptop, and (of course) my iPad. For someone whose professional success is determined largely by the ideas and innovations I provide my clients, this is an essential tool.

- Epicurious. There is nothing particularly special about this app, but it's my usual kitchen companion. I just prop my iPad up and it becomes an instant digital cookbook with recipes covering everything from appetizers to cupcakes. It also has cool search options for finding specific recipes and it creates shopping lists based on the recipes you pick.

Other apps that I love and use frequently -- Netflix, ABC Player, and Sex Trivia. Ok, I'm kidding on the last one. (Don't bother with it. It's lame.)

What are your fave apps? Share!!

OH NO SHE DIDN'T!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Jenny P) — Tue, 29 Mar 2011 03:55:00 +0000

Oh yes she did! I (once again) dropped off the face of the earth.

I could blame my long absence on a multitude of things, among them a ski trip (see previous post), another half marathon (this one!), a ridiculous number of social and networking events (yes, it's a tough life I lead), the Texas Independence Relay, SXSW and a last minute trip to NY to see my brother Gil, who was home from Afghanistan. But I won't. Well, not really.

Fortunately, things are (sorta) calming down. I still don't have a free weekend until the middle of May, but the whirlwind weeks of running and catching planes and hopping between three events in one evening are on a hiatus for at least a month and a half. (The only exception to this is the MS 150, but after the last few crazy weeks, it sounds as relaxing as a spa weekend with girlfriends.)

So now I'm back to catching up on sleeping, cleaning out my inbox, and trying to save some moola, especially since my checking account currently resembles a big black hole. The other thing I'm doing? Revisiting my to do list, aka resolutions. (Remember those? No? That's ok. I didn't either.) Here's a recap on where I stand:

To-do number 1: update my blog more often. Ha. That's funny.

To-do number 2: stop reading crap. I did breakdown and read the last Larsson book (not worth your time, fyi) but right now I'm finishing this book, which is much more inline with what I should be reading. That said, I haven't cracked open even one book on my list. Oh dear.

To-do number 3: get more sleep. Yeah, right.

To-do number 4: do a triathalon. Not yet, but it will happen, although it might make it easier if I swim more than 1x per quarter. The spring sprint isn't happening, but hopefully I'll do one in the summer or early fall.

To-do number 5: rid my life of people and things that don't make me happy. I've been somewhat successful on this one, although I sorta think I may be a bit of a glutton for punishment. I'll analyze that with a shrink another time.

To-do number 6: be a grown up, get my own place. Too early to even comment on this one.

To-do number 7: um, oops. Never did a to-do number 7. Or 8. Or 9 or 10. And since my track record ain't so hot right now, I think I should just stick to trying to accomplish the first 6 I have for now. My list of 10 is now a list of 6. I'm changing the rules in the middle of the game 'cause that's how I roll.

And with that... I'm passing out. I have a post due for my company's blog tomorrow (it's a comparison of ereaders! exciting stuff!) and a newsletter article about my major SXSW takeaways. You best believe I'm re-purposing those for this blog, so get ready to read, folks.

XOXO

SKI!

noreply@blogger.com (Jenny P) — Tue, 15 Feb 2011 00:13:00 +0000

Greetings form Colorado! I am attempting to write this post on my iPad, which is incredibly challenging for someone with fat fingers (me!). So, excuse any spelling and grammar issues. I am sure there will be plenty.

So, yeah, skiing. So far, it's been a great trip...fantastic snow, lots of sun and GREAT company who can challenge me on the blacks. That said, the trip started off with a bit of a hiccup.....

I got into Denver on Friday night. My dad and the rest of my family decided to fly in Saturday, so I spent Friday night with my friend Wynand Dempers, a cool South African dude who recently moved from Houston to Denver. On Saturday morning, we headed out to Vail with Ty, Demper's friend from college. So far, so good - we woke up early so we missed traffic, stopped for delish coffee and even got discount lift tickets through Demper's season pass. By 9 am I had my lift ticket, caffeine in my system and was about to hit the slopes. Then, I saw....

MY SKIS WERE GONE.

Yes, gone. I had left them out when I went inside to buy my ticket (a common practice...everyone does it despite the fact that skis cost more than most people's rent) and when I came out they we gone. I found a Vail ski guy and he told me not to worry, someone probably mistakenly swapped skis and would be back soon when his error was realized. "Just sit tight and wait here for a few minutes." Ok, cool. Easy enough.

30 min. later and still no skis. Now I began to freak. If someone had accidentally grabbed my skis, he or she would have to know by now that the skis were the wrong ones...the likelihood of our skis being set for the same size boot was pretty slim, so he or she wouldn't even be able wear them. However, if they were stolen....well, that would explain why they hadn't been returned.

So, I start to cry. (yeah, yeah, I'm a sensitive cry baby. Whatever.) Fortunately, the Vail ski guy was awesome, and he got me a pair of comped K2 Rictors (awesome skis!) for the day. So I wiped away my tears away, took the comped skis and tried to move on.

By lunch, still no word on the skis. It was looking more and more likely that they wouldn't come back. But by this point I didn't really care....instead I was wondering: "Is there anyway I can afford these Rictors I'm on?"

But alas, as many of you know, I'm a lucky mama and by the time I finish my last run of the day at 4pm, the skis have been uncovered. Apparently, someone accidentally swapped my skis with his, even though they were different brands AND colors AND proceeded not to notice ALL day. Hmmm, right. The whole thing is weird.

But who cares. I'm just glad to have my babies home!

BEST.SITE.EVER.

noreply@blogger.com (Jenny P) — Wed, 09 Feb 2011 15:38:00 +0000

See below and then click here for more amusement. I found this site courtesy of the gorgeous (and hilarious) Aimee Woodall. Love that girl AND love combining sex and silly humor. What can I say, sometimes I act like a 16 year old boy.

Half marathon recap...and number 7 on my to do list

noreply@blogger.com (Jenny P) — Tue, 08 Feb 2011 04:18:00 +0000

Hey folks,

Yes, I'm slacking -- again! -- when updating my blog. So sue me. I'm trying to write more frequently, but being lazy is a constant issue I struggle with...hence, delayed postings.

Moving on...

So YES -- I ran the Houston half marathon last weekend! I would put the professional photos up but 1) they are awful and 2) I can't bring myself to pay for photos of myself. I am sure my dad will find the pics online, buy 'em and send them to me. If that happens, I'll post a couple here and on FB. But like I said, they are bad. I look miserable and SUPER pale in all of them.

But, enough about how I look when I race. How did I run? Not badly! If you recall, my goal time was 1:48, and I crossed the finish line at 1:48:17. Close enough in my book -- I'll just round down. Sadly, this run was NOT as much fun as my half last year. Not sure why, but I couldn't get into a groove.

If you want a full recap, my split times were as follows:

Mile 1: 8:29
Mile 2: 8:20
Mile 3: 8:18

At this point, I'm feeling pretty good. On track with my usual negative split percentages to average under an 8:15 pace...maybe I could do a bit above an 8 minute pace??? I'm getting stoked! The other thing that made this part of the race pretty cool: I wasn't the tallest person running! I ran behind Clyde Drexler for miles .5-1.5. His legs were super long -- he looked like he was running in slow motion. I bet I look that way, too. Anyway, after a mile or so trailing him, he sped up and I stayed behind to keep the people with shorter legs company.

Mile 4, 5 and 6: 8:11, 8:10 and 8:04. This is when things got hard. At mile 5 I began to get a side stitch, so I did my obnoxious pregnant lady breathing and (luckily!) it went away when I got to mile 6. I struggle with side cramps a lot...very annoying. Anyway, despite the cramp, my pace increased because I (figuratively) ran into one of my cycling instructors, a tall South African guy named Hans. He was doing the full and averaging about an 8 minute pace, so I followed him for a bit. The guy is a big Ironman, so like my pal Clyde, he soon went ahead and I kept on (more slowly) trucking.

So now the race wasn't much fun. It was rainy and humid, I was sweating a ton and I was tired, even a little out of breath. Y'all know that I don't like to get out of breath....

Mile 7: 8:07
Mile 8: 8:16
Mile 9: 8:11

So I slowed down a bit. I also accidentally high fived a homeless guy. He looked really excited...and then I saw the grocery cart. Oh well. I'm sure at that point in the race I was way grosser and germier than he was.

More split times:

Mile 10: 8:15
Mile 11: 8:09 (A boost of energy thanks my awesome friends cheering me on from my running club, BON!)
Mile 12: 7:56 (Almost there....I should have been going a lot faster though. :( )
Mile 13: Not sure...guessing about 7:50. At this point, I was too tired to click the "lap" button on my Garmin. Yes, I realize this is pathetic.

So there you have it. Half marathon #2 done. Thus far, I've done one half marathon injured and one without much training....I think if I can combine an injury free season with a training regimen I actually follow, 1:45 will be easy to break. So that's the goal for next year -- 1:45. (Or even 1:43 'cause I like random numbers better...)

I'm running the Austin half in a week and half, but it's for fun only. Or at least, that's the plan. I do get competitive, so that could change. God, I hope the weather is better than it was last weekend....I HATE HUMIDITY.

So to close out this post (I need to crash): to-do item #7 for 2011 is...STOP CURSING. I realized over the weekend that I curse way too much. It's really not necessary -- and it makes me sound like I was raised in a trailer park. So...I'm going to try cut back on the R-rated words. No more! (And yes, please yell at me -- even curse at me, that;s ok! -- if I break this to-do list item. I'm sure I will.)

Night folks! xoxo

Eek.

noreply@blogger.com (Jenny P) — Mon, 24 Jan 2011 04:43:00 +0000

OK, so I've already dropped the ball when it comes to my 2011 to-dos. I'm 1) not updating my blog and 2) definitely not getting enough sleep. Oh, and my reading list? Yeah. I'm not even reading crap now. I'm reading nothing.

I suck. My bad.

Anyway, it is a new week so the past will be the past and I'll move on. This week, btw, is the half marathon! WOOHOO! So excited! :) Like I said, 1:48 would be great, but I haven't been training that well and per the negative split calculator I just looked up...well, it may not happen. I always start my runs slowly and then increase the pace, but the negative pace calculator wants me to start at 8:25! (BTW, if you don't know what negative splits are, read about 'em here.)

I think I have to use the calculator I looked up as a general guide only. I run a pretty ridiculous negative split (example: my 13 mile run was a 9 min pace the first few miles and then about 8 minute or under for the last couple miles...a difference much greater than the average -2% negative split most people see.) For the training run, my avg pace was 8:30, so I hope in the race with all the ppl cheering me on I'll be able to average about 8:15. So if you live in Houston -- come and cheer for me!

But enough about pace and negative splits and boring stuff like that. I'm just STOKED to run this year! Unlike in the past, I'm not freaking out about this race. I know I didn't train the way I was supposed to...I also know that I have the potential to run WAY faster if I do train properly. I hope that this half and the one I do in a few weeks (Austin baby with my friend Brittany!) will kick me into gear and force me to start taking my training seriously. I really think I have the potential to be a pretty strong recreational athlete (some would argue I already am) but I want to be better. I really want to run a half in under 1:45 soon, but to do that I need to start including tempo and speed work into my runs. (Might also help if I run more than 2x a week....)

It's gonna be a busy week at work but I will make an effort to blog a few more times. We have our company retreat this weekend, and I have a TON of work to do for it. (I've been tasked with helping develop our 2011-12 digital strategy and so far, I have nothing to show for it other than some brilliant ideas floating around in my head. Gotta get them on paper STAT.)

So with that....good night folks! I spent about 2 hours cleaning my room and getting rid of old stuff I didn't need, so not only is my room clean (thanks not to my poor cleaning skills, but those of my maid) it's also ORGANIZED! But now, I need to sleep. To-do list to continue this week.

XOXO

Why 2011 is going to rock. Part 1.

noreply@blogger.com (Jenny P) — Sat, 15 Jan 2011 05:09:00 +0000

(Disclaimer: this post sounds like I overdosed on Prozac. If insanely happy people annoy you, stop reading this now. You have been warned.)

I am in an AWESOME mood today. Why? Because today I got some really, really, REALLY exciting news.

Come March 11 - 15th, yours truly (and this guy) will be attending SXSWi! I am so stoked! For those of you unfamiliar with SXSWi, read about it here. We'll be soaking up loads of digital and social media goodies to bring back and share with the crew at the 'Pont. I couldn't be more excited to partake in such a fantastic event!

But that's not it. This year is going to rock for so many reasons! Here are just a few of the things I have to look forward to: the half marathon (maybe 2), a week of skiing, MS 150 training, SXSWi, more skiing, the actual MS 150, my first tri...and that's just 'til May! Also plotting a VERY cool trip in late summer/fall -- deets TBD but passport will be required. And around that same time, my brother Gil will be back from Afghanistan and Robby will be at flight school only a few hours away in Alabama. Added bonus: I have several friends (and my parents!) planning trips to Houston in the next few months.

I LOVE LIFE!

Now off to bed -- I have an 8 miler tomorrow morning! WOOHOO!

XOXO

Number 6!

noreply@blogger.com (Jenny P) — Tue, 11 Jan 2011 03:42:00 +0000

Number 6 on my to-do list for 2011:

Be a grown up. (aka get my own place!)

Here's my story:

Like most northeastern gals, I did the requisite post-college drill: after graduating from a small northeastern college w/ an obscure degree (um, hello French Lit....), my pals and I moved ourselves into a TINY (but hip) Boston apartment, paid an exorbitant monthly rent and resigned ourselves to double beds in 10 x 10 rooms.

Fast forward a few years (during which time I moved into a mouse-infested but rocking 12 person house -- ask me about the legendary parties we used to hold) and I'm in TX, where everything is bigger and, some would argue, better. It's certainly a lot cheaper. Yet even with extra space and cheaper rents, I'm still living like a 23 year old. I don't own anything but bedroom furniture, a desk and about a million books. I still sleep on the same double bed I bought right after I graduated. My bed spread and sheets don't match, and don't even ask me about my bathroom towels....

Some people would call my room/style eclectic, but I don't think they'd mean it as a compliment.

So.... 2011 is gonna be the year I grow up, suck it up and do the things that most 28 year old college grads do. Like, get my own apartment. Buy a couch, a TV and a kitchen appliance other than a blender, martini glasses and cookie cutters. I don't know when I'm going to do this. I don't have a lease and my roommate Amy (shout out one of the best roomies EVER!) doesn't seem in a hurry to kick me out. But it will happen this year. It has too.

And since we've taken a trip down memory lane in this post...

Here's a somewhat recent photo of my first roomies out of college -- Katherine (aka Kma) and Emily (aka Eminem). I have some photos of us when we were 21 and 22 but they are awful, or at least they are of me. 'Twas clearly one of my "ugly stages."

When I moved out of the apartment I shared with Em and Katherine, I moved into a super fun house with 11 other roomies -- 2 girls and 9 guys. It was an AWESOME group of people. Think The Real World, but with MIT, Ivy League and liberal arts grads. Here are photos from some of the crazy parties we used to throw. Yes, that dance floor was my living room. The other room was our front hall. Like I said, we threw good parties.

I need some iron

noreply@blogger.com (Jenny P) — Mon, 10 Jan 2011 04:41:00 +0000

Happy Sunday folks!

My run Saturday AM was glorious -- great weather, great company and great time (about 8:30 for 12.5/6ish miles). Barring any bad weather, illness, etc. I should be able to do the Houston half at about an 8:15 pace....so about 1:48ish. If I trained properly for this race -- (surprise!) I didn't -- I'd be able to crush 1:45 I think. But I'm lazy and hate tempo runs and speed work. We'll just wait and see what Jan. 30 brings. Whatever the outcome, I'm looking forward to the half being over so I can sleep in on Saturdays again. (Or at least until late February when my Saturday AM bike rides kick off.)

In the meantime, check out my bruised leg! I got a massage on my IT band after my run yesterday. Didn't think much of it although my IT band was sore last night and this AM -- more than usual. So I show up to do a recovery 3 miler and yoga class today and one of my friends asks: "Jen, what happened to your leg???" I had no idea what she was talking about -- til I looked down and saw THIS!!!!

At least I now know why my IT bad was sore....and where NOT to get a massage again.

Number 4! And 5!

noreply@blogger.com (Jenny P) — Fri, 07 Jan 2011 15:01:00 +0000

Drum roll please....

I've now updated my blog three days in a row??? THREE DAYS IN A ROW! I'm a rock star!

Now, onto business: to do items for 2011, numbers 4 and 5.

#4. Do a triathlon. EVERYONE assumes I do them. And when I tell them I don't....well, this is how the convo usually goes:

THEM: "What races are you signed up for this spring?"
ME: "I'm doing the Houston half."
THEM: "No, I mean, after that." (SILENT THOUGHT TO MYSELF: You mean the Houston half doesn't count as my one race for 2011???)
ME: "...."
THEM: "Do you do triathlons?"
ME:"Uh..."
THEM (with a look of shock, horror and disgust): "You don't do triathlons? Really??" (SILENT THOUGHT TO MYSELF: Um, do you know how lazy I am???)
ME: "Uh, maybe next year."

I've said 'maybe next year' for the last two years. In 2011, it's time to say 'YES! I'm doing a triathlon!' And you know what? I don't think I'll suck! I'm a pretty strong runner and biker, and as for swimming, well, I don't drown. This is the year I'm going to DO IT. I'm thinking about a spring sprint with with my friend Kristin. Houston peeps, any tris you recommend??

#5. On a more serious note....item number 5 involves some heavy spring cleaning. In 2011, I'm ridding my life of people and things that don't make me happy. I've spent WAY too much time trying to make sad and miserable people happy, and I've wasted WAY too many hours doing things I think I "should" do and not things I want to do. But that's changing.

In 2011, I'm not spending time w/ people who don't bring positive vibes to my life. I'm also not forcing myself to do something that doesn't make me happy in some way. (Example "something": gourmet cooking. I hate it and I suck at it. So friends, moving forward you'll just have to deal with my boring marinated chicken, overcooked pasta and ginormous salads. At least I make a mean, and some would say, kinda gourmet-y cookie.)

Tomorrow morning I have a 13 mile run, so don't expect any post until tomorrow afternoon or Sunday. In the meantime, HAPPY FRIDAY! Have a beer or two for me tonight at happy hour -- I'll be at home hydrating (on water) and going to bed at 9 pm. Fun times.

To-Do Item #3

noreply@blogger.com (Jenny P) — Thu, 06 Jan 2011 14:07:00 +0000

WOW! I'm updating my blog again! A day after my first post of 2011! I'm on a roll!

This next post is gonna be short, since I have a to-do list I get PAID to manage waiting on me. #3 on my "2011 To-Do List" is:

GET MORE SLEEP.

This won't be easy for me. I have SO much I want to do, SO many people I want to see, SO many early morning runs and bike rides....24 hours just isn't enough time in a day. But I have to make sleep a priority in 2011 -- the consequences of not enough sleep suck. Not getting enough sleep makes me cranky, stupid, and ugly. It also leads me to fall asleep at inopportune times, like while watching a movie, at a party (that is always embarrassing), in the middle of a phone conversation, while kissing a cute boy...

Right now I think I get about 6.5-7.5 hours of sleep a night. I've come to realize that 8.5 is what I need -- and I need to make it happen in 2011. My plan is to track the amount of sleep I'm getting as often as I can. So far, I'm not doing well. Last night I got about 6 hours of sleep. Eek.

On that note, back to work so I can get out of here at a decent hour and go to sleep!

I don't do resolutions...

noreply@blogger.com (Jenny P) — Thu, 06 Jan 2011 03:43:00 +0000

....but as my coworkers and boss can attest to, to-do lists and I are friends. Very good friends.

So instead of 2011 resolutions, I'm crafting a to-do list for 2011. I'm picking 10 things and writing them out -- in a public place where ~~hundreds of people~~ my mom can keep me honest. We'll see how I do. I'm aiming for a 100% success rate; knowing me, 50% will be worth celebrating.

The first item on my to-do list: Update my blog more than once a quarter. Ideally, once a week. So to get started, I'm going to post each of my "to-do" list items as its own blog post. That guarantees at least a few more posts in the next couple weeks. YAY! See, I'm making progress.

So now that to-do item #1 is taken care of, let's move on to to-do list item numero 2:

Stop reading crap (um, hello Girl with the Dragon Tattoo) and trade up for some real literature. Think AP English, albeit 10 years later. There are a million lists of "Top 100 books" you can find online, and on average, I've read anywhere from 10 to 50 of the books on the lists. Yes, this is a depressingly low number for a liberal arts educated chica like myself.

But we're gonna fix this travesty! A few books I hope to cross off (and a couple I want to reread) this year include:

- Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, by the great James Joyce. Technically I read this my junior year of HS, but by reading I really mean laying in bed, reading a couple lines and then falling asleep. So yeah, I want to read it for real this year. It's a bitch of a book, but its a lot shorter than Ulysses, so I think I can do it. (DISCLAIMER: I'll bet you 10 bucks I don't make it past page 5 of this book. Just putting that out there now.)

- Native Son. Another book I read -- this one for real -- but I can't remember much about it. I do remember it making an impact on me when I finished it at 16, so I think rereading it 12 year later would be even more powerful.

- A Passage to India by E.M. Forster. I LOVE Forster, which makes it all the more ridiculous that I haven't read this book. My high school thesis was even an analysis of his earlier work (A Room with a View, Where Angels Fear to Tread, I think Howards End...). Anyway, I really don't think I've read A Passage to India, which I must read this year.

- A Farewell to Arms. I have nothing to say about this one except how sad it is that it's on this list.

- The Catcher in the Rye, 1984 and Animal Farm. See above comment about Hemingway. I have no idea how I reached the age of 28 without reading these books, but I did.

- The Age of Innocence, by Edith Wharton. I love NY, I love the 19th century, I love societal tragedies. Done, done, and done.

- Slaughterhouse-Five. Looking back, I think all of my ex boyfriends owned this book. And since they are all pretty smart dudes with good taste (after all, they did all like me at one point!) I'm gonna trust that this is one book I should read.

- War and Peace, by Tolstoy. I think this book is buried somewhere in my bookshelf. All 1,500 pages of it.

- Les Miserables -- but not in English! I wanna read it in French. (However, given that I can barely read a French newspaper now, I think this book will remain on the list for 2012.)

There are about a million other books I should read -- but we'll start with the ones above. Any others I should definitely add?

Er, here is one way to snip through the clutter....

noreply@blogger.com (Jenny P) — Mon, 18 Oct 2010 03:39:00 +0000

Ew.

Saw these biz cards for a Turkish circumcision doc on Adfreak.com. It definitely makes a statement....

Being strategic....and then just getting sh*t done

noreply@blogger.com (Jenny P) — Mon, 18 Oct 2010 02:46:00 +0000

As most of you know, I work at Pierpont Communications, one of the largest communications firms in the South. It's an awesome company -- brilliant people, cool accounts and a LOT going on, every single day.

My role in particular is pretty neat. In a firm that focuses largely on public relations and public affairs, I'm one of two dedicated marketing professionals. Yep, I'm special. :) And unlike many of my peers, who spend 100% of their time on client work, my job is divided into three distinct roles: client work, marketing for Pierpont and managing the graphics department. Essentially, in any single day, I may do some strategic research into a client's competition, write and proof copy for a Pierpont eNewsletter we're sending out, and create estimates and purchase orders for new design work that a client needs. To sum it up -- I am an account planner/client manager/production coordinator, all in one. But that doesn't fit on a business card, so they just call me a Sr. Account Executive.

So yeah, I'm ALL over the place. And I LOVE IT! But that doesn't mean it is easy. The most challenging part: making sure that I think strategically and critically....while at the same time ensuring that we stay on schedule and on budget with every projects. Yeah, it's crazy.

Fortunately, I manage my professional life a bit differently than my personal life. In my personal life, I'm not exactly what you would call organized. My room is a little messy (not dirty...just messy!), I sometimes make plans and forget about them (I have been called a flake, albeit a very nice one!), I leave a trail of stuff wherever I go (like in airports and hotels...) and I tend to forget to reply to personal emails, voicemails, and texts (sorry, but I really do forget!). But at work, I've got my stuff together. Why? Because of the tips below....

- There is a time for project management. And then there is a time for strategy. Multi-tasking doesn't work if you want to be a strong project manager. And it definitely doesn't work if you need to think critically and intelligently for a client. When you need to manage a project -- like write work orders, check schedules and just make sure stuff is getting done -- devote yourself to that. When you need to be more strategic -- write copy, critically research a client's industry or just spend a few minutes thinking and processing a client's brand strategy -- devote yourself to that. It's hard to switch between the two quickly -- devote time to each one separately to ensure success.

- LISTS ARE AWESOME. I make lots of lists, and I spend ample time reviewing them every day. My "master list" is actually a notebook with EVERY task I have to do. It's VERY long, and at any given time I can have four pages of "to-dos" listed. Then, I have a smaller, "Daily list" that I create from this master list -- it just lists all the urgent tasks I need to complete that day. As I finish projects, I cross them off from both lists. I like this dual list process because it allows me to keep track of everything I need to do at some point, but still prioritize what I need to complete that day.

- Turn off the email. Yep, that's right. Turn off your email. If I am working on a project that requires a lot of concentration -- developing a strategic brief for example, or crafting copy for a website or brochure -- I turn my email off. In any given hour, I'll get up to 20 emails about 20 different projects....it's distracting! Turning off my email allows me to focus on what I need to do without getting sidetracked every three minutes to read an email.

- Take breaks! I think my brain is a pretty efficient little machine (hello!?!? It did go to Mount Holyoke!) but even it needs some rest every now and then. When I'm working nonstop, my brain gets pooped -- I overlook details, focus too much on just "getting stuff done" and am inefficient when doing anything that requires real thinking and strategy. The key for me is to take a mini break every hour. Even just getting up and getting a glass of water, or hitting the ladies room -- it all provides rejuvenation so you can provide the best work possible.

What about you? What tips can you share when negotiating between strategy and project management -- two very different, yet equally important, tasks?

Halloween!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Jenny P) — Mon, 18 Oct 2010 01:51:00 +0000

It's Halloween and per usual, I don't have a costume yet. Last year I was Mary from There's Something About Mary -- it was awesome. And before that, I was a Doublemint twin -- again, awesome.

What should I do this year? Feel free to provide new ideas in the comments section. My brain is fried and not being very creative...

I still love my iPad....

noreply@blogger.com (Jenny P) — Tue, 14 Sep 2010 03:51:00 +0000

Have you seen the new Kindle commercial? It takes a major jab at the iPad.

Fine. Fair. The iPad doesn't do well in direct sunlight. Amazon is highlighting the iPad's (one) major flaw. But, as CNET.com so brilliantly points out, the iPad could do the same to the Kindle by, oh, I don't know, playing a video on YouTube, downloading a new tune or movie, or showing an app (or two, or three). It's not an apples to apples comparison -- the Kindle is an eReader. The iPad -- a revolution in how we get and absorb information from the internet. Don't believe me? Get an iPad. You'll see. I am obsessed with mine.

And besides, who would ever bring your iPad to the pool anyway? I wouldn't. I'm way too klutzy -- after all, I am the girl who WASHED an iPod. In the laundry. With bleach.

Do you have an iPad? What about a Kindle? Which would you prefer?

Surprising: People still read the newspaper. Not surprising? Republicans like Fox News!

noreply@blogger.com (Jenny P) — Tue, 14 Sep 2010 03:26:00 +0000

So I just read an interesting article about how Americans get their news. The Huffington Post reports, per a study by Pew Research Center for the People and the Press, "People are spending an average of 57 minutes per day getting the news from television, radio and newspapers." 57 minutes -- that's a long time. The big kicker -- it hasn't changed in a decade. That's right -- per the study, people are still getting most of their news from these traditional sources. In fact, the Internet and online only accounts for 13 additional minutes of news a day.

I'm curious to know the division between TV, newspaper, and radio. Newspaper reading is way down (the research found a drop of more than 10% just between 2006 and 2010), and I suspect TV talk shows are dominating a lot of the TV air time. Me? I get all my news from two places: online (NYTimes.com, Slate, Huffington Post -- fine, I'm a little biased) and NPR. The only print news I read? The Week, which is sent to me (duh) every week. (Side note: it is THE BEST MAGAZINE EVER!)

More interesting tidbits from the study:

- 40% of Republicans watch Fox News (Snore. I thought it would be higher.)
- Only 9% of Rush's audience thinks Obama is doing a good job. And oh yeah, three quarters of his audience, Hannity and Glenn Beck's identify themselves as Tea Party members. Seriously???

As a secret numbers geek, I love having data to support my stereotypes. Good stuff, right? :)

What about you? Do you read the paper -- not online, but actually ON paper -- everyday? Watch the news on TV? Share, share, share!!!

OMG, I AM UPDATING MY BLOG.

noreply@blogger.com (Jenny P) — Tue, 14 Sep 2010 01:53:00 +0000

Eek. Wow. (Hides head in shame.) Bad, bad, BAD JEN.

So it's been almost ONE YEAR since I have updated my blog. ONE YEAR. My only (poor) excuse is that I've been busy -- and that's actually the sad truth. I fell off the wagon. I thought that I would be able to keep updating my blog regularly, even when marathon training got underway, traveling became more frequent, and my work hours got longer and longer...

But I wasn't.

So here we are, A YEAR LATER, and I am (hopefully) back on the blog track. But I'm going to be realistic about it -- balanced you could say. In fact, it's an approach I want to take with EVERYTHING in my life...suppress my competitive side a bit (seriously -- I compete in yoga class! who competes in yoga???) and enjoy a slower paced life. Read and write more. Work out less intensely. Meditate for more than 30 seconds. Take my vitamins. Stretch everyday. Take up art again. (I actually used to be a pretty good artist in HS.) Relearn French. Go to church.

So alas, without further ado, let's do this. I'm not aiming to update it everyday, or even every other day, and I know some weeks will be busy and I won't be online as much as I should. But let's see how it goes -- hopefully I'll keep the momentum up.

And if I fall off the wagon again, just yell at me. Seriously. It works.

Man vs. Wild. I mean, vs. Toddler

noreply@blogger.com (Jenny P) — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 17:15:00 +0000

Muscle Milk Does Thanksgiving

noreply@blogger.com (Jenny P) — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 21:02:00 +0000

In honor of my Puritan and Mayflower roots. Who needs turkey when you have Muscle Milk! (Kudos to Adverblog for the link!)

Cool new blogs!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Jenny P) — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 02:22:00 +0000

Hey folks!

Two blogs you MUST READ NOW.

First, check out one of my best friend's blog -- Images from Above. It's a collection of really cool photos she has taken from flights all over the world. A couple of the coolest photos are below...but make sure you add it to your blog roll and check it out as she is always adding to it.

Next, the fabulous Greg Morago, Food Editor at the Chronicle, style guru and all around freaking awesome DUDE has a great blog on the Chronicle site. It's called Food and Cork, and in it he gives us the scoop on all the cool rezzies and bars opening up in Houston. Bonus point -- he sometimes invites me, which means I'm sometimes in the blog! Um, AWESOME. Check it out here.

ENJOY!

Social Media ... is it a fad?

noreply@blogger.com (Jenny P) — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 14:52:00 +0000

This video was shown at the Pierpont Digital Bootcamp (#dbcpierpont, @pierpontcom on Twitter). It's f'ing awesome -- and very inspiring for a digital geek like myself. Know someone who thinks social media is a fad? Send 'em this video.

(P.S. Thanks to @elehr, @brittneydanne, @lindseydonnell, @briguyblock, @nancylsims, @denise_patrick, @nicolehub, @stacy_armijo, @helenrod, and everyone else who is not on Twitter for an AWESOME bootcamp! Y'all rocked my Friday the 13th!)

Eek.

noreply@blogger.com (Jenny P) — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 04:18:00 +0000

Once again, it's been FOREVER since I posted. And I don't really have an excuse, other than being lazy, lazy, lazy. Yes, I admit it. Lazy. But that is changing -- beginning today.

What inspired this? Quite simple actually. Some fellow Pierponters and I (@briguyblock being one of them, Emily Bernard -- who isn't on Twitter I think -- another) developed the first official blog schedule for Pierpont. (Check out the blog here.) That's right...an organized, step by step and date by date blog schedule. Sadly, we're already off by one day (grr!) but I'm not letting it get me down. In fact, I'm using this "calendering" as I call it to inspire me to create a schedule for my own blog. As many of you know, I work well when things are structured -- either someone creates the structure for me, or I do it. Otherwise, it'll get done, but it will take a lot longer. (Hey, at least I'm honest.)

So in honor of my new blog schedule, which will begin STAT, I'm asking y'all, my loyal readers and lovers of all things Jen, to let me know WHAT you want to hear/read/see about. A lot of this blog has been focused on marketing, social media, and (occasionally) fashion in the past. Anything else you are dying to learn about from moi? Let me know and in the meantime, buckle up. My tank is full and I'm revving up.

What should I do for Halloween?
	Go as a Greek Goddess. I'd go as Aphrodite, duh!!
	Don something cheesy and sleazy -- think "sexy nurse." Yawn.
	A flapper. Again, yawn.
	Betty and Veronica...but I need a brunette to join me.
	Screw it all and just go camping!

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