caffeinated venom

New Blog: Heidi and Seek

2010-03-27T14:08:00.002-04:00

Thanks for Fashion Herald for the shout out!! Come visit my new blog at http://heidiandseek.wordpress.com.

Victoria's... um Secret?

2009-07-04T12:44:00.003-04:00

19676PCN_Tisdale
Originally uploaded by Han Rei Sourei

I was in the elevator with a neighbor who was holding a package. Being friendly, I turned to her and said "I hope you got something fun!" Her response, "Yeah, this was my first Victoria's Secret online order. I certainly thought it would be packaged better than...well this."

She was right as we both stared at the flimsy envelope the dull color of duck tape. I had never thought of it. As someone who has been a loyal Victoria's Secret shopper, the drab envelope is something I've come to expect.

When I tweeted my neighbor's disappointment, which being a cancer became my own disappointment, @samkale responded: "I think your neighbor is missing the point".

Ahhh - the mind of a man to also miss the point. See he thinks lingerie and assumes the consumer would to hide what they are purchasing. But not, when its a Victoria's Secret shopper!

See Victoria's Secret has became a major brand. From the fashion shows to the Pink line to the stores themselves, a Victoria's Secret shopper doesn't need to see the store name to know where they are. Everything is bright and glittery in order to make a bold statement. Even when leaving the stores, the bags are striped in bright pink and pale pink with the store name embroidered in a shimmery silver. The Victoria's Secret shopper loves to make the same bold statement as the brand itself.

I agree with my neighbor. Victoria's Secret needs to step up its game in its cataloging and online business. They've correctly segmented their consumers and targeted the right segment so why stop just at the store experience?

I can't wait for the day, I place my order and receive a sturdy cardboard box with delicate tissue paper in all shades of pink and maybe a dash of silver confetti ensuring me that I've made the right purchasing decision by sticking with the Victoria's Secret brand.

Airport: Stationary not welcome here

2009-07-04T12:20:00.002-04:00

Suvarnabhumi Airport, Bangkok :: HDR
Originally uploaded by Artie | Photography :: Not Lazy | Super Busy

On a recent personal trip, I had an epiphany that this type-A personality with a tendency towards control issues, needed to start journaling more. I needed an outlet for my thoughts and a place to reflect on all that was good - a la Oprah. What a more perfect place to start this endeavor than on vacation!

But the airport had other plans for me. I was early for my departure and scoured every store and every wing of the airport. Not one store sold one piece of paper. Not a simple notebook, not a fancy leather bound journal could be found.

I thought this quite odd. With all of these people going on trips, doesn't anyone want to write anything down. Think of the possibilities: creating and enhancing memories? writing down work to do's so as not to dwell on them? and more?

Then on a recent business trip, I thought I really had something going here. My employer has established strict expense reporting guidelines almost to the point of getting meal receipts notarized by the waiter themselves.

The week had been hectic. Besides these new guidelines, I had new deadlines, a teammate who was out to get me, and a birthday party to plan. I had no time to even think about getting a folder or an envelope to store all these receipts.

And again, I thought back to my airport-stationary dilemna. Imagine a Container Store or even Staples at the airport. Now lets go beyond the thought of just a pad of paper. Think about brightly colored folders for client presentations, envelopes of all sizes to store documents, adapters to replace those lost or broken, and printing and faxing services for signing new contracts. And now think of all these business travelers with expense accounts to pay for it all it.

Now think why there isn't some store doing this already?

Just Dance

2009-06-29T23:19:00.003-04:00

New songs that you absolutely must "Just Dance" to (and if you don't please tell me how you are sitting still):

When Love Takes Over, David Guetta
I Gotta Feeling, Black Eyed Peas
Knock You Down, Keri Hilson Kanye West & Ne-Yo
Rock That Body, Black Eyed Peas

And the token retro song for the list:

Tell Me No, Whitney Houston

Birthday Playlist

2009-06-25T08:24:00.005-04:00

This playlist is in honor of me... :) 30 fantabulous songs that will bring a smile to your face and your dance shoes to the party!

1. Jai Ho!, The Pussycat Dolls
2. Cruel Summer, Ace of Base
3. Walking on Sunshine, Katrina and the Waves
4. Candy, Mandy Moore
5. How Do You Do!, Cascada
6. Out Tonight, Cast of Rent
7. Miss Otis Regrets, Bette Midler
8. Sure Looks Good To Me, Alicia Keys
9. Since You've Been Gone, Kelly Clarkson
10. Suddenly I See, KT Tunstall
11. Against All Odds, Kira
12. Girlfriend, Avril Lavigne
13. Boom Boom Pow, Black Eyed Pease
14. Stronger, Britney Spears
15. Come Clean (Remix 2005), Hilary Duff
16. Fly On The Wings of Love, XTM
17. Boys Boys Boys, Lady Gaga
18. Move Over, Spice Girls
19. Breathe, Michelle Branch
20. One Step At a Time, Jordin Sparks
21. Tell Me No, Whitne Houston
22. I Want You to Want Me, Lindsay Lohan
23. Bubble Pop Electric, Gwen Stefani
24. Stars Are Blind, Paris HIlton
25. 4ever, The Veronicas
26. Travelin' Thru, Dolly Partin
27. Blister in the Sun, Violent Femmes
28. Damaged, Danity Kane
29. Fantasy, Mariah Carey feat O.D.B
30. Lose Control, Missy Elliot

Honorable mention to God Bless America, which at one point I did own but since I don't actually have it there is no way to get it into the official playlist to listen to for reals.

Am I missing anything? And if so, which song should I replace?

Personal Cheerleaders

2009-06-17T21:55:00.005-04:00

female-jogger-morro-bay-coleman-avenue
Originally uploaded by mikebaird

Running can be a very lonely sport. It would have been very hard for me to get through the Navy Seals Challenge without a great support system. Not many people may be fortunate enough to call Lady Gaga, and the Pussycat Dolls part of their personal cheer squad, but you most certainly can if you create the right playlist!

Those that know me, know I am a 100% old fashioned Pop Princess. I love my songs to have a dance-tastic beat, lyrics full of attitude, and photo-shopped performers. How else does one stay motivated?

So without further adieu, I never would have survived the challenge without these fantabulous songs:
Hush Hush by The Pussycat Dolls*
Jai Ho by The Pussycat Dolls*
Goodbye by Kristinia DeBarge
I Wanna Dance With Somebody by Whitney Houston
If I Can't Have You by Kelly Clarkson
Eh, Eh (Nothing else I can say) by Lady Gaga

My favorite cool down song:
Unbeautiful by Leslie Roy

*Normally I hate duplicating artists in playlists, but these songs are just too good so I had to violate my own rule.

Navy Seal Challenge

2009-06-17T21:41:00.005-04:00

Workout
Originally uploaded by Camster Factor

Most of you know I have had a-MAZ-ing success with the Navy Seal Challenge so I wanted to share it with you! Now, I know there are many versions of the Navy Seal Challenge out there, so to caveat this is the one led by the trainers at my gym at work.

Get ready to grab your sneakers and your gym towel because my results were pretty spectacular if I do say so myself :) Highlights include:
My 1.5 mile time prior to the challenge was 16:44, post 13:41 (and I have asthma!).
I lost 1 inch on my chest, 2 inches off my waist and half an inch of my hips.
I also lost 2 pounds.
I couldn't even move the leg press machine and was able to do 50 squats in under 2 minutes at 95 pounds post-challenge.
Similar results with chin-ups; prior to the challenge I could barely lift 50 pounds, by the end I was up to 80 pounds!

So here goes:

Week 1 3x per week:
Run 2 miles
Push-ups: 3 sets of 10
Sit-ups: 3 sets of 10
Chin-ups: 3 sets of 3
Leg press/Squat: 3 sets of 10
Bike-optional: 20 minutes

Week 2 3x per week:
Run 2 miles
Push-ups: 3 sets of 12
Sit-ups: 3 sets of 15
Chin-ups: 3 sets of 3
Leg press/Squat: 3 sets of 10
Bike - optional: 20 minutes

Week 3 3x per week:
Run 3 miles
Push-ups: 3 sets of 12
Sit-ups: 4 sets of 15
Chin-ups: 4 sets of 3
Leg press/Squat: 3 sets of 12
Bike - optional: 30 minutes

Week 4 3x per week:
Run 3 miles
Push-ups: 4 sets of 12
Sit-ups: 4 sets of 15
Chin-ups: 4 sets of 3
Leg press/Squat: 3 sets of 15
Bike - optional: 30 minutes

Week 5 4x per week:
Run: 2 miles, 3 miles, 4 miles, then 2 miles 3 miles
Push-ups: 4 sets of 15
Sit-ups: 4 sets of 20
Chin-ups: 4 sets of 4
Leg press/Squat: 4 sets of 10
Bike - optional: 30 minutes

Tips/Notes:
I never did the bike which may be way I didn't lose much around my thighs.
Modified push-ups were my friend.
Having the leg press and chin-up machine to modify the weights were extremely helpful.
I also stopped eating gluten.
And I never could have made it without the help of my own personal cheerleaders.

So what do you say: Are you up for the challenge?

iTunes could could learn a thing or two from Netflix (cont'd)

2009-06-17T07:40:00.003-04:00

After daydreaming on the way to work this morning, I thought iTunes could even be so bold as to offer:

Songs to get you through the work day featured in a Soundtrack
1960's inspirational songs covered by contestants on Reality Talent Competitions
Songs that make you want to put on a pretty pink dress and twirl
Melancholy songs to get you through a break up
1990's Pop songs about girls who want to be cheerleaders

iTunes could could learn a thing or two from Netflix

2009-06-14T21:10:00.002-04:00

Music
Originally uploaded by PhilipZeplin

In iTunes 8, the Genius concept was launched in order to increase downloads (and revenues) by providing users with song recommendations similar to the songs already in their library. But I have to wonder how much more effective Genius could be if it followed Netflix's recommendation philosophy.

Netflix has very smartly combined emotional desires of movie watchers along with their favorite genre and actors. A few of my favorite suggestions that came up under my account are:

Critically-acclaimed Visually-striking Gritty Movies
Romantic Dramas Featuring a Strong Female Lead
Feel-good Teen Sports Movies
Sentimental Coming-of-age Movies
Critically-acclaimed Feel-good Movies from the 1960s
Dark Movies starring Kate Winslet

So imagine in iTunes, instead of receiving blah recommendations like "because you've purchased Lady Gaga we recommend...." you would get an emotional response of:

100% Pure Pop Dance Songs
Uplifting Songs by a Strong Female Singer
Ballads by Hair Bands from the 1980s
Gritty Hip Hop Songs Featured in Soundtracks
Fun Summer Hits for the Beach

Now granted, many of what I just suggested may be available in iTunes under the iMix section, but those are user-generated. iTunes needs to use the data they have to create value by deriving an algorithm that would provide sound recommendations - ones that resonate with the consumers. Now that's Genius :)

Guilty Pleasure

2009-06-13T16:36:00.002-04:00

This album review sounds like my soulmate:

"Guilty Pleasure is definitely just that, great, danceworthy pop music."

But the artist behind this great album is a bit questionable though: Ashley Tisdale.

The review continues: "Since 2007's Headstrong, Tisdale has experienced a breakup and undergone a more mature makeover, so expect what she calls an 'edgier rock sound.' Gone are the days of the bubbly, blond High School Musical star."

I'm a huge fan of Ashely's "He Said, She Said". In fact, I even incorporated the remix into USC's Cheer Routine for C4C Weekend 2008 (check out the video below starting at about the 1:45 mark).

So maybe this album is a possibility. What do you think? Will YOU be buying this album?

Cable-less commercials

2009-06-12T00:00:00.003-04:00

With watching all this TV online, I sort of feel like I've missed out on all those crazy commercials. But thanks to MSNBC, the best commercials are now shown in this video:

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Which one is your favorite?

More Anthropologie Please

2009-06-10T23:32:00.005-04:00

Just this past Memorial Day weekend, my friend and I spent over an hour in the Rockefeller Plaza store in New York City trying on every single pair of sunglasses, twice, ok maybe three times. I mean seriously, what is it about sunglasses that bring out the diva-esque confidence in every woman? And why isn’t there a Facebook quiz with a treasure map to the perfect pair?

Next, we ventured over to the home décor department for an in depth study of “Domino: The Book of Decorating” aka the guilty pleasure of anyone with a tendency towards a visually striking lifestyle. Someone needs to turn this book into a YouTube video and start the youthful movement of invigorating decorating.

Summer TV

2009-05-17T15:29:00.002-04:00

So what's everyone watching this summer? Let me know what to follow for the cable-less schedule!

Not sure what's on? Check out Boston.com's Summer TV Gallery.

cable-less schedule: week of 5/17/09

2009-05-17T15:18:00.003-04:00

who needs a cable bill when there is the internet!

2 more season finales this week:
Desperate Housewives, ABC, Sunday 9pm, 2 hour Season Finale
Gossip Girl, CW, Monday 8pm, Season Finale "The Goodbye Gossip Girl"

2 reality shows keep us going:
The Hills, MTV Monday 10pm, Heidi's father visits
Real Housewives of New Jersey, Tuesday 10pm "Mama Knows Best"

season is over for:
30 Rock, NBC
America's Next Top Model, CW
Brothers & Sisters, ABC
Dollhouse, FOX
Grey's Anatomy, ABC
Heroes, NBC
Lost, ABC
The City, MTV

* These are all shows Caffeinated Venom is addicted for now. Track this post for the schedule of my favorite shows and what is new for the week. Links to the shows can be found under "cable-less" in the right hand column. Any new shows I should be following? Let me know!

cable-less schedule: week of 5/10/09

2009-05-10T15:31:00.000-04:00

who needs a cable bill when there is the internet!

lots of season finales this week!
30 Rock, NBC, Thursday 9:30pm, "Kidney Now"
America's Next Top Model, CW, Wednesday 8pm, Finale
Brothers & Sisters, ABC, Sunday 10pm, "Let's Call The Whole Thing Off"
Dollhouse, FOX, Friday 9pm, Season Finale (note: not available online)
Grey's Anatomy, ABC, Thursday 9pm, "Here's to Future Days"/"Now or Never"
House, Fox, Monday 8pm, "Both Sides Now"
Lost, ABC, Wednesday 9pm, "The Incident"

regular season episodes:
Desperate Housewives, ABC, Sunday 9pm, "Marry Me a Little"
Gossip Girl, CW, Monday 8pm, "Valley Girls"
The Hills, MTV Monday 10pm, "Keep Your Enemies Closer"

season is over for:
Heroes, NBC
The City, MTV

* These are all shows Caffeinated Venom is addicted for now. Track this post for the schedule of my favorite shows and what is new for the week. Links to the shows can be found under "cable-less" in the right hand column. Any new shows I should be following? Let me know!

2009 MET Costume Gala

2009-05-06T21:10:00.004-04:00

My favorite looks from the MET Costume Gala. Pictures courtesy of Yahoo's OMG!

Jessica Alba's jeweled-tone dress with the black tights looks stunning against the red carpet.

Eva Mendez has the best understated look of the night. Always classy.

Kate Beckinsale has the best over the top look. Look at that skirt!

What does she tell Tripp when he's older?

2009-05-06T09:27:00.004-04:00

Headline of the day on ABC News website: Teen Mom Bristol Palin: the New Face of Abstinence

So tell me, when Tripp is old enough to read and googles himself or his Mom and finds that this is what she did right after he was born, how does she explain that to him? I can undertstand she thinks she is doing something responsible, but campaigning for "abstince in hopes of sparing others the trouble of an unplanned pregnancy" is only going to imply to a child that he wasn't wanted. Parents need to understand the impact their actions have on shaping their child's life...of course if they don't then they are certainly keeping therapists employeed!

Concert Review Part 2: Its Britney, B!tch

2009-05-05T19:51:00.000-04:00

DSCN0962
Originally uploaded by hswymer

Finally, I have a chance to write my review of Sunday's concert at the Mohegan Sun Arena. Yes, the infamous concert that Perez Hilton called the "Concert From Hell", which I'll get to later.

Britney was incredible! When she first stepped on stage she was grinning and seemed to be having a great time. I was shocked by this as the media portrays her as an emotionless drone, but she was a real human being! She was dancing and having fun and the energy oozed off the stage. And I am now an even bigger fan than I ever was before.

The only disappointing piece was her wardrobe. It was nothing like the pictures that were released by designers Phillipe and David Blond. The costume changes did seem excessive as most costumes centered around a black sparkly leotard, but they were still fantabulous and I would personally give anything to look as good as Britney did!

To comment on Perez's article and the video of the crazed fan, it all went down during the finale which was Womanizer. You can see above and in the additional photos (by clicking on the picture), that the Womanizer costume was actually a police costume and all her dancers were dressed as bad boys, well womanizers I suppose. The crazed fan just looked like another womanizer, no one in the audience even knew what was happening! It wasn't until after the concert was over that the fans were made to immediately leave the arena as several cops swarmed in.

Here is a recap of the songs Britney performed:
Circus
Piece of Me
Radar
Ooh ooh baby
Hot as Ice
Boys
If You Seek Amy
Me against the Music
Everytime
Freakshow
Get Naked
Breathe on Me
Touch of My Hand
Do Something
I'm a Slave 4 U
Hit me baby one more time
Encore: Womanizer

Concert Review Part I: When I Grow Up, I wanna be a Pussycat Doll

2009-05-05T19:36:00.003-04:00

DSCN0855
Originally uploaded by hswymer

Finally have a chance to write my review of Sunday's concert at the Mohegan Sun Arena. Yes, the infamous concert that Perez Hilton called the "Concert From Hell", which I'll get to later.

So let's recap:

The Pussycat Dolls
PCD opened the show and they were truly impressive! I've always liked the songs on the radio and even performed one of the songs from their first album at Marshall Idol where Chelsea Handler told me I had great hair, but I digress...

The girls were incredible dancers, looked beautiful, and sounded amazing! The spotlight definitely followed Nicole and Nicole only around the stage so it definitely confirmed rumors of turmoil among the group. Needless to say, when I got home I purchased the only 2 songs from their set that I didn't have. I am a new fan!

Set list:
Don't Cha
Beep
I Don't Need a Man
I Hate this Part
Buttons
Whatcha think about that
Jai Ho
Stickwitu
When I Grow Up

"Women" in the Media: Is any publicity good publicity?

2009-05-05T11:02:00.003-04:00

I recently posted this article for the women's group I am a member of at work. Since it's full of all sorts of venom, of the feminine kind, I figured it was relevant for my personal blog, too:

This past week, two very interesting articles were written about women in the workplace. The first was published in MBA Jungle, titled “Women Warriors” and the second on Boston.com titled “The Female Advantage”. The titles themselves sound like slogans for any women’s group out there but the content in both articles is offensive and truly disappointing that such conversations are taking place in 2009.

Women Warriors
Women Warriors article is a blueprint for all thing wrongs with women in the workplace. It’s like when the media reports a major security weakness and the advantage it gives to terrorists and the average person’s reaction is to think, “Well, now the terrorist knows exactly where to attack”. The article outlines our limitations in confidence, negotiating skills, image, speaking, spending, body language, and more.

The article has its good intentions; trying to spell out the pitfalls that women often find themselves in. Quite honestly, theses are great discussion points that I think most women's groups could do a better job of addressing. The difference is that the discussion would be just amongst women. This isn’t an episode of Celebrity Rehab Women in Business edition where the entire community is entertained by our faults and mishaps. This is our lives and our careers.

The Female Advantage
This article starts with a great subheading: “A new reason for business to promote women: it’s more profitable” and continues to reference several studies that conclude that businesses with a high proportion of women in power are more profitable. However, it’s not as clear-cut as that because a debate ensues on the “chicken-and-egg” nature of the conclusion: do more profitable firms tend to promote more women or do women in power make firms more profitable?

It’s been more than 45 years since Betty Friedan wrote “The Feminine Mystique” in 1963 (as noted in the article) and yet either answer to this chicken-and-egg debate is insulting. If more profitable firms tend to promote more women than the implication is that they have enough profits stored up to take the risks on women in the workplace. In 2009, businesses are still taking “risks” on women? Seriously? Conversely, if women in power make firms more profitable…well why is this even a question? No one studies if men are more profitable and as the article is quick to point out with all the economy and recession drama taking place on Capital Hill, there is not one woman begging for forgiveness and bailouts.

cable-less schedule: week of 5/3/09

2009-05-03T12:59:00.003-04:00

Correction: Thank you to Amar, but Heroes has ended for the season!

who needs a cable bill when there is the internet!

all shows have new episodes this week!
30 Rock, NBC, Thursday 9:30pm, "Mamma Mia"
America's Next Top Model, CW, Wednesday 8pm, "Take Me To The Jungle"
Brothers & Sisters, ABC, Sunday 10pm, "Let's Call The Whole Thing Off"
Desperate Housewives, ABC, Sunday 9pm, "Bargaining"
Dollhouse, FOX, Friday 9pm, "Omega"
Grey's Anatomy, ABC, Thursday 9pm, "What a Difference a Day Makes"
Gossip Girl, CW, Monday 8pm, "The Wrath of Con"
House, Fox, Monday 8pm, "Under My Skin"
Lost, ABC, Wednesday 9pm, "Follow The Leader"
The Hills, MTV Monday 10pm, The gang returns to LA...

season is over for:
Heroes, NBC
The City, MTV

* These are all shows Caffeinated Venom is addicted for now. Track this post for the schedule of my favorite shows and what is new for the week. Links to the shows can be found under "cable-less" in the right hand column. Any new shows I should be following? Let me know!

Springtacular

2009-04-29T22:27:00.004-04:00

DSC_0001
Originally uploaded by hswymer

Sunday was an absolute Springtacular day. I started the day by going for a walk, but when I saw how delictable the colors were, I immediately went back home and grabbed my camera. It was amazing to notice that every typical Spring color was completely and utterly present in nature!

All the pictures are posted on my flickr account in the Springtime set. Enjoy!

Interested in more Springtacular photos? Check out these pictures from Oregon!

Low Fat Ruth's Chris Steak House Sweet Potatoes

2009-04-29T19:12:00.002-04:00

An oxymoron? "Probably so" says the Magic 8 Ball on my iPhone.

After taking my mom to Ruth's Chris Steakhouse in Boston for her Christmas present I have been obsessed with the Sweet Potato Casserole. As a vegetarian in a steakhouse, I surprisingly found myself in a heaven of the creamiest, sweetest, yummiest, orgasmic sweet potato casserole.

The recipe is no secret. A simple search for the famed dish results in thousands of entries, all of them the same. The recipe is not for the weak of heart. Sugar, butters, and eggs are in the filling alone, never mind the pecan crust.

So this undomestic goddess decided to take it upon herself to make a low fat version. Yes, please do insert awkward silence on behalf of society enforcing an unreasonable body image for women.

I decided to take all the fat out of the filling. Just pure sweet potatoes with the full fat topping. In order to get under 300 calories per serving, the 9 x 9 pan was cut into 8 servings, about the size of a snicker bar. Let me tell you the, snicker bar would have been more satisfying. The pecan crust was incredibly satisfying and sinful, but honestly I just ate the crust and got rid of the sweet potatoes.

If you like sweet potatoes, then try the low fat recipe. But, sometimes, just sometimes, the full fat version is the only way to satisfy a craving...and that's ok.

cable-less schedule: week of 4/26/09

2009-04-26T10:10:00.003-04:00

who needs a cable bill when there is the internet!

all shows have new episodes this week!
30 Rock, NBC, Thursday 9:30pm, "The Natural Order"
America's Next Top Model, CW, Wednesday 8pm, "Let's Go See The City"
Brothers & Sisters, ABC, Sunday 10pm, "Julia"
Desperate Housewives, ABC, Sunday 9pm, "Rose's Turn"
Dollhouse, FOX, Friday 9pm, "Briar Rose"
Grey's Anatomy, ABC, Thursday 9pm, "No Good At Saying Sorry"
Gossip Girl, CW, Monday 8pm, "Southern Gentlemen Prefer Blondes"
Heroes, NBC, Monday 9pm, "An Invisible Thread"
House, Fox, Monday 8pm, "House Divided"
Lost, ABC, Wednesday 9pm, "The Variable"
The Hills, MTV Monday 10pm, new episode

season is over for:
The City, MTV

* These are all shows Caffeinated Venom is addicted for now. Track this post for the schedule of my favorite shows and what is new for the week. Links to the shows can be found under "cable-less" in the right hand column. Any new shows I should be following? Let me know!

If only Twitter was fire(wall) proof

2009-04-22T21:33:00.003-04:00

Twitter is blocked at work, but if it wasn't here is what I would have written:

7:03AM: I'm preparing for war

7:36AM: Early bird does not get the worm, in fact this early bird does not get breakfast at all

7:39AM: Am really glad I learned how to staple at business school or I would be helpless today

9:28AM: Teammate just took my pen without asking and is now making hand gestures with it

9:29AM: Note to self - teach interns/mentees/children to bring their own pens to meetings

9:30AM: Hmmm...I'm really possessive about my pens.

11:11AM: I think its time for a lip gloss break. Don't men break for lip gloss?

1:50PM: Remembering how fun it is it work with all guys!

2:17PM: Am realizing how short of an attention span I have.

4:02PM: Just received another shoe compliment!

4:24PM: Sitting in a room with 35 people, only 5 are women
4:24PM: 4 out of 5 women wearing black, 1 wearing tan, all in neutral colors
4:24PM: Men wearing 26 blue shirts, 2 pink shirts, 1 sweater vest, and 1 incredibly bold plaid flannel sport coat.

5:39PM: The war is over...for now ;)

cable-less schedule: week of 4/19/09

2009-04-19T22:21:00.002-04:00

who needs a cable bill when there is the internet!

looks like ABC is back from its hiatus: both Desperate Housewives and Brothers and Sisters have new episodes this week. also looks like Dollhouse hasn't yet been put in the attic as this Friday premieres a new episode as well.

we now return to regularly scheduled programming:
30 Rock, NBC, Thursday 9:30pm, "The Ones"
America's Next Top Model, CW, Wednesday 8pm, "The Amazing Model Race"
Brothers & Sisters, ABC, Sunday 10pm, "S3X"
Desperate Housewives, ABC, Sunday 9pm, "Look into their Eyes and See What They Know"
Dollhouse, FOX, Friday 9pm, "Haunted"
Grey's Anatomy, ABC, Thursday 9pm, "Sweet Surrender"
Gossip Girl, CW, Monday 8pm, "Seder Anything"
Heroes, NBC, Monday 9pm, "I Am Sylar"
Lost, ABC, Wednesday 9pm, "The Story of the Oceanic 6"
The Hills, MTV Monday 10pm, new episode

out on sick leave till April 27th:
House, FOX, Monday 8pm

season is over for:
The City, MTV

* These are all shows Caffeinated Venom is addicted for now. Track this post for the schedule of my favorite shows and what is new for the week. Links to the shows can be found under "cable-less" in the right hand column. Any new shows I should be following? Let me know!

6 Ways to Fix the Plastic Bag Problem

2009-04-15T19:56:00.007-04:00

Ever since Ikea announced it would charge customers for plastic bags, the world seems to be in uproar as to what to do with the seamless abundance of plastic bags. Some stores, like Ikea, offer a bag tax, others offer a discount for reusing plastic bags, and others do nothing but offer an opinion. So let's step outside the boardroom of responsible corporate policy and let's talk reality. As someone whose favorite past time is shopping, I offer you 6 ways to fix the Plastic Bag Problem.

1. Train the Baggers
Frankly, the baggers at most stores stink. I don't know where to begin with the horror stories, but I'm pretty sure they receive no training at all on the proper way to bag . My most recent trip to the grocery store resulted in a bag of apples in just one plastic bag. What a waste. If the baggers were properly trained then less bags would be needed in the first place.

2. Train the Cashiers
I'm quite certain not all cashiers even know about the policy. The last time I brought plastic bags to reuse, I placed them upfront before my purchase on the conveyor belt. The cashier ignored them completely and then just shoved them in another bag to give back to me. I received no discount and ended up with more bags than when I started.

3. Increase the Discount
My local grocery store offers 5-cents off for every bag reused. On average I spend $60 and use 5 bags. So for me the maximum discount I get is 25-cents. Why would consumers even put in the effort to save the plastic bags, bring them back to the store, and ask them to be reused for 25 measly cents. This is not enough motivation to change behavior. (PS. If you really need a quarter, ask a friend. I'm pretty sure they could spare it.)

4. Clarify the Policy
Is it 5-cents per bag brought in or 5-cents per bag actually reused? For example, Plain Jane has 20 plastic bags but only purchases enough for 7 bags. Do the remaining 13 count? If the policy is clear, perhaps consumers would be more likely to participate in the program.

5. Change the Policy to a discount for All Bags
To answer #4, I actually recommend that the discounts be given on all bags. This way people are motivated to redeem all the bags in their house as well as the bags littering the environment. Redemption centers could be created, or added to the existing ones. Why look at that: jobs could be created and more bags would be recycled!

6. Charge a Bag Tax
This last recommendation goes against the first five, but instead of trying to motivate a change in behavior, why not punish it? This is what Ikea has done and seems to be the most successful.
Saving 25-cents doesn't seem like that much, but getting charged an extra 25-cents for not having brought reusable bags might get some people thinking. After getting taxed enough times, consumers will start to bring their own bags to avoid the negative correlation.

At the end of the day, its not clear whether this is a recycling problem or simply excess cost retailers are trying to avoid. Either way, excess is no good so lets reduce it!

cable-less schedule: week of 4/12/09

2009-04-13T23:00:00.004-04:00

sorry for the delay cable-less fans! i've hippity-hopped my way back to the digital universe after a fantabulous Easter weekend! so here goes:

who needs a cable bill when there is the internet!

we now return to regularly scheduled programming:
30 Rock, NBC, Thursday 9:30pm, "Jackie Jormp-Jomp"
America's Next Top Model, CW, Wednesday 8pm, "Take Me To The Photo Shoot"
Heroes, NBC, Monday 9pm, "1961"
House, FOX, Monday 8pm, "Saviors"
Lost, ABC, Wednesday 9pm, "Some like it Hoth"
The Hills, MTV, Monday 10pm, New

repeats:
Desperate Housewives, ABC, Sunday 10pm (note scheduling change!)
Grey's Anatomy, ABC, Thursday 9pm
Gossip Girl, CW, Monday 8pm, "The Grandfather"

this week's stage fright awards go to:
Brothers & Sisters, ABC, Sunday 10pm - not airing due to 2 hour extreme makeover episode
Dollhouse, FOX, Friday 9pm - are the cancellation rumors true?

season is over for:
The City, MTV

* These are all shows Caffeinated Venom is addicted for now. Track this post for the schedule of my favorite shows and what is new for the week. Links to the shows can be found under "cable-less" in the right hand column.

Hey Spinning Instructors!

2009-04-13T21:53:00.004-04:00

Just came back from a long weekend and checking my gazillions of unread messages...

Last week, Vital Juice Everywhere sent a promotion for the "RealRyder" saying:

The emphasis here is on "lean." The key feature of the RealRyder (aka the "unstationary bike") is its ability to lean from side to side, giving the feel of real bicycle turns. This not only adds fun to the workout, but also a slew of benefits. You'll work more muscle groups (namely the arms and core) than in regular spinning, burn more calories and improve balance. It takes a few minutes to get the hang of it, but once you do, you'll start to feel your abs and arms working almost immediately.

Check out the post on Vital Juice and subscribe to their daily emails while your at it, so you can learn about more fun fitness stuff like the RealRyder!

2 More 2 in 1's

2009-04-09T06:05:00.000-04:00

Last month, I reported on the new Gloss N' Roll @ Sephora, a 2 in 1 product featuring lip gloss and perfume. So I'm happy to report on 2 more 2 in 1's.

1. In keeping with the fragrance theme of Gloss N' Roll, Degree for Woman launched a "Fine Fragrance" line, deodorant and perfume combined. Perfect for the woman running to a meeting after squeezing in a lunch time yoga class or the woman planning to dance the stress of the week away.

2. The second item, I received in a Daily Candy on April 1st so automatically of course I assumed it was an April Fools joke, but I haven't found anything to prove me correct. So let me introduce the Tinge Razor. The combination? Razor and vibrator in one. I kid you not. Jokes and warnings are way too obvious for this one, but if it actually works like the website claims? Genius.

Men + Shoes = ??

2009-04-06T19:22:00.000-04:00

I hate to start off like an old Seinfeld rerun, but what is it with men and shoes? Speaking of reruns, I grew up on Married with Children and thought that like Al, all men hated shoes.

So last Fall when an older gentlemen stopped me at the airport to comment on my shoes, I smiled politely and fell for his line that he "used to be a shoe salesman and could recognize a good pair of shoes when he saw them".

Last week, it happened again. I have to admit, I was wearing a killer pair of heels for a meeting at headquarters and stopped to get some gas. I was also wearing a pencil skirt and pumping gas, cleaning my windshield, and throwing out my trash so when I noticed a man noticing me, I figured all he really noticed was the skirt. Finally contact was made. "Nice shoes," he said with a smile. "Thanks," I curiously responded while questioning that it was really the shoes he noticed and not the skirt.

That night, I was playing around on my Flickr account and was reminded of my most popular set. A number of pictures I took in experimenting with my new camera of my well... shoes. People tagged them as favorites, posted comments, and asked to include them in shoe-related groups. So if I want to increase my popularity on Flickr it seems like maybe I've found my niche.

I'm still curious about the seemingly odd combination of men and shoes. What do you think - are most men like Al? Will wearing nice shoes not only increase my popularity on Flickr but also with men? Share your stories!

Update: BFFs are worth more than 10%

2009-04-05T20:44:00.004-04:00

Recently, I posted about a company who was offering a barely existent discount of 10% off to its BFFs. In response, I'd like to cheers Martin + Osa offering a 30% off discount to its Best Customers. Now this is a discount that a BFF or Best Customer will respond to. Considering that the "other company" and Martin + Osa go after a similar customer base (after all I can't be the only person who received both promotions) the winner seems obvious.

cable-less schedule: week of 4/5/09

2009-04-05T20:30:00.002-04:00

who needs a cable bill when there is the internet!

weekly feature: Season premiere!
The Hills, MTV Monday 10pm, new episode

we now return to regularly scheduled programming:
30 Rock, NBC, Thursday 9:30pm, "Cutbacks"
America's Next Top Model, CW, Wednesday 8pm, New Episode
Dollhouse, FOX, Friday 9pm, "A Spy in the House of Love"
Gossip Girl, CW, Monday 8pm, "The Grandfather"
Heroes, NBC, Monday 9pm, "Turn and Face the Strange"
House, FOX, Monday 8pm, "Simple Explanation"
Lost, ABC, Wednesday 9pm, "Dead is Dead"

repeats:
Brothers & Sisters, ABC, Sunday 10pm
Desperate Housewives, ABC, Sunday 9pm
Grey's Anatomy, ABC, Thursday 9pm

season is over for:
The City, MTV

* These are all shows Caffeinated Venom is addicted for now. Track this post for the schedule of my favorite shows and what is new for the week. Links to the shows can be found under "cable-less" in the right hand column.

cable-less schedule: week of 3/29/09

2009-03-29T20:54:00.004-04:00

who needs a cable bill when there is the internet!

this week we feature special guest star ER as the final episode is airing this thursday:
ER, NBC Thursday 10pm, "Series Finale"

we now return to regularly scheduled programming:
America's Next Top Model, CW, Wednesday 8pm, New Episode
Dollhouse, FOX, Friday 9pm, "Needs"
Gossip Girl, CW, Monday 8pm, "Remains of the J"
Heroes, NBC, Monday 9pm, "Into the Asylum"
House, FOX, Monday 8pm, "Locked In"
Lost, ABC, Wednesday 9pm, "Whatever Happened, Happened"

new times (changes bolded below):
Desperate Housewives, ABC, Sunday 10 pm, repeat:

not airing:
30 Rock, NBC, Thursday 9:30pm, not airing (see thursday night guest star info above)
Brothers & Sisters, ABC, Sunday 10pm, not airing (2hr Extreme Makeover: Home Edition)

repeats:
Desperate Housewives, ABC, Sunday 10 pm, repeat
Grey's Anatomy, ABC, Thursday 9pm, Repeat: "In the Midnight Hour"

season is over for:
The City, MTV

* These are all shows Caffeinated Venom is addicted for now. Track this post for the schedule of my favorite shows and what is new for the week. Links to the shows can be found under "cable-less" in the right hand column.

BFFs are worth more than 10%

2009-03-24T21:12:00.006-04:00

Feedback: I received this e-promotion from a certain popular clothing retailer. "10% off for our best friends." I wouldn't meet a friend at the closest salon for only 10% of a mani/pedi (that's only one finger and one toe!) and and 10% off isn't going to get me into this store.

Makeover: Next time, said retailer should know which customers truly are their BFFs in which case increase the discount off or accompany such a small discount with a free service, such as a bit of styling or a sneak peak into the next season's line.

Joes on the Nose

2009-03-22T22:14:00.004-04:00

I came upon this website from a tweet by @SDWedding. I'm posting it here for 2 reasons. First, the surprise of using coffee beans in the vase is the definition of candy for the eye and I bet it smells absolutely amazing as well. This is a chic and easy accent to make for your next brunch!
Second, well what a fabulous business idea - catering via espresso, hot chocolate, and blended coffee! I love it!

Eye Candy Round Up

2009-03-22T21:45:00.005-04:00

The Eye Candy Round Up premiers websites featured in Daily Candy promos that I simply heart the design; either of the product or the website:

Lalesso certainly scores points for both. The white floral sketches on black add an air of simplicity while complimenting the beach theme in the product photos. The dress itself is just adorable with the modern flair of a mini dress toned day with everyday accents of pockets and tropical fish!

This chest of drawers is stunning. ChromaLab attacks furniture like a hollywood stylist. The result is colorful, unexpected, yet not over the top.

CandyBand's hair accessories bring a vintage feel to Spring 2009. The headband itself is a bit 1970s, but here paired with this sophisiticated blouse and skirt and brown leather backed chair creates a feel of early 20th century.

* * * * *
Have you come across any Eye Candy? Share the links below!

cable-less schedule: week of 3/22/09

2009-03-22T14:33:00.002-04:00

who needs a cable bill when there is the internet:

30 Rock, NBC, Thursday 9:30pm, New Episode
America's Next Top Model, CW, Wednesday 8pm, New Episode
Brothers & Sisters, ABC, Sunday 10pm, "Missing"
Desperate Housewives, ABC, Sunday 9pm, New Episode
Dollhouse, FOX, Friday 9pm, "Echoes"
Gossip Girl, CW, Monday 8pm, "The Grandfather"
Grey's Anatomy, ABC, Thursday 9pm, "Elevator Love Letter"
Heroes, NBC, Monday 9pm, "Cold Snap"
House, FOX, Monday 8pm, "Locked In"
Lost, ABC, Wednesday 9pm, "He's Our You"

Season is over:
The City, MTV

* These are all shows Caffeinated Venom is addicted for now. Track this post for the schedule of my favorite shows and what is new for the week. Links to the shows can be found under "cable-less" in the right hand column.

Gloss N' Roll @ Sephora

2009-03-21T12:35:00.004-04:00

This week, Sephora's "Instant Glamification" featured Clinique's Happy Duo. On this second day of Spring, the shiny pink swirl adjacent to the white flower certainly caught my attention first. The toungue-in-cheek musical play-on-words made this self proposed Pop Princess stop and read the smaller print. One side is lip gloss and the other is perfume. This is an ingenious idea! The downside is that it only comes in color and I suppose for the non-Happy fans, the other downside is that it comes in only one fragrance. On the upside after a night of dancing or simply a long day out and about, freshening up can now include a swipe of lip gloss and a spray of a light floral fragrance, all in one!

I hope this innovation starts a new trend in fragrances! The right side of my brain would love to see which signature colors get chosen to pair with signature scents and the left side wonders if the pairings would affect the consumers' purchase decision...

How to Spot a Good Spinning Instructor

2009-03-18T19:07:00.005-04:00

Last week, my normal Thursday spin class (which combined itself with weights - aMAZing) was taught by a new instructor. Away went the weights and away went the fun. I as a cycled through 45 minutes of torture, I was able to compile a list of 5 traits that identify a bad spinning instructor!

1. Bad music choice
In spin class the music should be pulsating, vibrating, and completely revitalizing. 90's pop isn't going to do it, nor is 45 minutes of techno beats. A good instructor will get to know their riders and play the music they like. One of my favorite spinning instructors used to have theme classes which was a fantastic idea. The nights I didn't like the music, I didn't show up.

2. Spinning at 85% resistance on song #2
After just one warm up song, no spinning instructor should instruct you to increase the bike to a high resistance. Your muscles are still getting warm!

3. No rhythm
I can't reiterate enough how key music is to a spin class. There is nothing worse than doing jumps to random beats. If you're in a class and the jumps go like this "Up for 13, down for 7, up for 6, down for 10", then you need to just up and leave. Jumps should be done to the rhythm of the music in groups of 8, 4, 2, and then singles.

4. No sweat
Good spin instructors work faster and harder than anyone else in the class. How else do you get motivated? I once had a spin instructor that did not spin along with the class and would leave in the middle of songs to take care of other things in the gym! That is a definite no no.

5. Instructors who yell
I can understand not wanting students to talk during class or someone that just has extremely bad behavior, but a major warning sign of a bad spinning instructor is one that yells at you to push harder. There is a fine line between yelling and motivating. I had one spinning instructor who would constantly yell at me to spin harder despite the neon yellow inhaler sitting on my handlebars. I would remind him after every class that I was asthmatic and then he would tell me I didn't even belong in the class (that's a different blog for a different day).

My caveat to this list is that I am not a certified Spinning or Cycling instructor but I have taken Spin off and on for at least 6 years so I know what I like. After all these bad experiences you might be wondering why I even continue to spin! I think it is a truly amazing working and after each class I feel like I've already lost 5 pounds. I encourage you to try it!

* * * * *
For those of you that are already Spinning Fans - what are your pet peeves about instructors? who are your favorites?

Kelly Clarkson: All I Ever Wanted

2009-03-17T22:45:00.004-04:00

Most mainstream album reviews fail to do any album justice. The consumer doesn't care about the music industry politics or about b-flat chords that really should be g-sharps. Music is about the lyrics and beats and that indeterminable feeling that makes you run to the dance floor or immediately change the radio station when a certain song comes on.

A week ago, Kelly Clarkson released her 4th album, All I Ever Wanted. As a biased Kelly Clarkson fan (I personally think the My December "flop" was a highly underrated flip) I obviously enjoy this album. As for everyone else? Well, read below and choose for yourself.

Let's review the tracks:

My Life Would Suck Without You - The first single. If you don't know it, you must live in a cave in which case you wouldn't be reading this blog anyway.

I Do Not Hook Up - Based on Kelly's performance on SNL, my bet is this is the second single. Bound to me the song for all the ladies.

Cry - This is the slow power ballad that Kelly performs so beautifully. The right mix of sadness and strength every girl feels after a breakup.

Don't Let Me Stop You - Has the essence of "Since U Been Gone", just a bit more mature.

All I Ever Wanted - I have to admit this is the first song I wanted to just skip over...

Already Gone - Dreamy, airy, mixed with tones of sadness. Play this after a fight and before you makeup.

If I Can't Have You - I'm already excited for the remix. Great fast beat and Kelly's signature strong independent lyrics.

Save You - The piano on this song is so pretty and light. Would love to see this in a contemporary dance piece on So You Think You Can Dance. Mia Michaels, give me a call and I'll walk you through a few 8 counts.

Whyyawannabringmedown - Very annoying song titled translated into "Why do you want to bring me down?". The most rock song on the album.

Long Shot - This is my favorite song on the album so far. Love the short quick beats. This is the sort of the song I would insist my friends listen to and they will return my suggestion with crinkled noses and wrinkly foreheads.

Impossible - Fortune cookie lyrics "Can't change the wind to say, won't matter anyway". I can't decide if this is a fortune cookie I would want or would prefer to pass on to a frenemy.

Ready - Strong beats carry this song, though its not overpowering. Reminds me of something Carly Simon might have song.

If I Want You - Tropical and femine. Honestly, would love to hear this performed by a flirtier voice of someone like Katie Perry or Kylie Minogue. Remake anyone?

If No One Will Listen - This is the song to listen to when you feel like your whole world is falling apart.

Tip of my Tongue - This song has a bit of a different sound for Kelly. Very strong beats with a slight mix of Indian or middle-eastern strings. A bit Justin Timberlake Future Sex Love Songs.

The Day We Fell Apart - Very fast song where Kelly's vocal strength really shines. Sounds like an easy song to sing along to, now try it.

Can We Go Back - The bonus track for those that pre-ordered on iTunes. Would make a great track for Rock Band.

* * * * *
Have you bought the album yet? Have you told your friends yet? What is your favorite track?

The Way Cafffeinated Venom Sees it #51

2009-03-16T23:14:00.014-04:00

Starbuck's The Way I See It #51

Americans spend an average of 29 hours a week watching television - which means in a typical life span we devote 13 uninterrupted years to our TV sets! The biggest problem with mass media isn't low quality - it's high quantity. Cutting down just an hour a day would provide extra years of life - for music and family, exercise and reading, conversation and coffee.

-- Michael Medved
Author of Right Turns and radio talk show host.

Back to back meetings at 8:30am and 9:00am, led me to upgrade my normal grande latte to a venti and thus I was finally graced with a new Starbuck's quote. This one is certainly timely as one of my 2009 resolutions is to be Cable-less.

Yes, that's right. I don't have cable. And when I say I don't have cable I mean I get no TV stations at all coming from the wall and into my TV. Fancy schmancy HD tv's don't come with antennas. Now, I'm saving myself a recession-trendy $60+ a month ($90 cable bill less the $30 internet bill I have now). The only problem I run into is watching live shows, like the Super Bowl and the Oscars, but luckily that's what friends and parties are for!

I also have a lot more time, just like Mr. Medved states. In my life prior to being cable-less, I would come home from work and turn on the tv to watch just one show while I ate dinner. 9 times out of 10, 5 hours would pass and I was still sitting in front of the tv. With one life to live this is certainly not how I planned to spend it!

You too can go cable-less and I'm here to help. In the right hand column I'm listing the shows I'm currently a fan of with links direct to the show's full episodes. Each week I'll also post a tv guide for the internet so you don't have to hunt all over the internet to figure out what show is streaming new episodes where (or when, shout out to Lost).

Now that I'm cable-less, I've started this blog and have many more endeavors under way. Can I inspire you to do the same?

* * * * *
Are you already cable-less or plan on joining the cable-less soon? How are you spending your free time?

cable-less schedule: week of 3/15/09

2009-03-15T17:27:00.007-04:00

who needs a cable bill when there is the internet:

30 Rock, NBC, Thursday 9:30pm, New Episode
America's Next Top Model, CW, Wednesday 8pm, New Episode
Brothers & Sisters, ABC, Sunday 10pm, "Spring Broken"
Desperate Housewives, ABC, Sunday 9pm, Episode 17
Dollhouse, FOX, Friday 9pm, "Man on The Street"
Gossip Girl, CW, Monday 8pm, "The Age of Dissonance"
Grey's Anatomy, ABC, Thursday 9pm, "Stand By Me"
Heroes, NBC, Monday 9pm, "A Clear and Present Danger"
House, FOX, Monday 8pm, "Here Kitty"
Lost, ABC, Wednesday 9pm, "Sawyer is forced to perpetuate his lie"
The City, MTV Monday 10pm, New Episode

* These are all shows Caffeinated Venom is addicted for now. Track this post for the schedule of my favorite shows and what is new for the week. Links to the shows can be found under "cable-less" in the right hand column.

Twitter = Second Life?

2009-03-09T21:56:00.005-04:00

If I wrote this blog post yesterday, the question mark in the title wouldn't have been there. But @ChrisSpagnuolo introduced me to Selective Twitter and that made all the difference. Before, I get too into my closing arguments, let's go back to the beginning...

In the summer of 2007 as part of my MBA internship, I researched and created an industry report on digital media which included reporting on the fastest growing segments and the popular companies in those segments. This is where I found Twitter. I registered by user name as "@hydee" and began to explore the world of 140 character micro-blogging. I didn't get far. Twitter became one name in a 60+ page industry analysis.

Fast forward to 2008. I just graduated from business school and attended my first Blogher conference and the world seemed to be all a-twitter. So I decided to rejoin the community, just to test it out was what I told myself.

The Twitter of 2007 and the Twitter of 2008 were two vastly different animals. I updated my profile, added a profile picture, customized my layout with a self portrait of my favorite Urban Outfitters jacket which never gets worn but I adore just seeing in my closet. It seemed like overnight I had over 100 followers.

Twitter As Second Life
About the same time as my internship, before the world was all a-twitter, the world seemed to be fascinated with a Second Life. I participated in a recruiting event in Second Life and didn't learn one thing because I was laughing so hard I was in tears. The fact that Second Life was supposed to be a simulation of real life, of a real networking event, was just too much handle with people showing up naked, not knowing how to sit down, wearing swords,...there really is too much to get into right now.

What I never understood about Second Life and its fascination by Marketers is that yes Second Life may have been extremely popular but it was only extremely popular in one segment of the population. Why spend money and resources selling Crest toothpaste to people who communicated to each other line and didn't need fresh breath?

My initial experience with Twitter seemed similar. While Twitter is extremely easy to use, unlike Second Life, it seemed like I was still surrounded by one segment of the population. This time it was only social networking experts and digital media marketers.

The Elite Side of Twitter
What's interesting about Twitter is the Elitist side which no one talks about directly. The people who initially "followed me" all seemed to be social media experts and digital marketers. My followers quickly reached the 100 marker and it didn't seem to matter what subject matter I twittered.

I attempted to engage in conversation with these followers once I learned what RT and DM meant. But I never got a response. I asked questions regarding marketing and social media and didn't receive a response either. I learned a little about why this was based on more tweets. Users wanted people to share information that "mattered" or they weren't willing to engage with them, in fact many seemed to follow some sort of trial period before dropping someone all together.

So because I didn't know enough about social networking or marketing, these followers didn't want to answer my questions about social networking or marketing of which they claimed to be experts of because I couldn't further their own knowledge. This is where Twitter becomes one of those bad circle plots where I can't really get into the circle until I know enough, but I won't know enough until I join the circle. No - this isn't highschool...I think...

Twitter is just as bad as Fakebook
It really surprised me how quickly my followers seemed to grow. Like Facebook, where people who aren't my friends send me "friend requests", on Twitter users who have no interest in following what I have to say choose to "follow me". Usually this occurs because they are just interested in finding naive users who will simply follow them in return to increase their own number of followers. The unwritten rule on Twitter is that you should follow anyone who follows you unless of course they don't add any value at which point you should reread the section on "The Elite Side of Twitter".

Though I do need to admit that as of late, I do have maybe 10 of the 150 followers who are "Peeps I actually Know" which is the category I created on TweetDeck. It is much more fun to share things with friends and family who share my humor and at the very least appreciate my interests.

Did Twitter Jump the Shark?
When Facebook announced its plan to redesign the home page to be similar to Twitter, my immediate reaction was this is the end for Twitter. More people are on Facebook and understand the purpose of Facebook. Almost daily I receive the question "What exactly is Twitter?" or "How is Twitter different from Facebook?", but no one ever asks me what Facebook is (except of course my mother who referred to it as "FaceSpace" and wondered what I was doing there when she decided to Google me but that's a story for another day).

On Twitter, probably 90% of the users following me have their interests mostly vested in digital media and social networking. That same category of my friends on facebook is 0%.

So I can twitter my updates on "all things music and anything else that will make you smile" to 10% of my 150 followers on Twitter, or I could share the same information via Facebook status updates and know that at least 30% of my 300 friends care.

Hmmm...15 interested people on Twitter or 90 people on Facebook. Rocket Scientist?...Paging Rocket Scientist?...Wait...Hold on I think I know the answer.

My So Called Secret Life
Why am I on Twitter then? Why bother downloading programs like TweetDeck and Twitteriffic and everything else?

Well secretly I like Twitter. I like that I'm anonymous, that most people out there following me don't know who I am. I like that I can post my karaoke entry into the Veronica's MySpace contest and not worry what people are thinking about my singing. I couldn't even imagine posting such a thing on Facebook for all my friends to judge. For me @hydee on Twitter is like Beyonce's Sasha Fierce, except for me its a social networking alter ego.

Twitter is just like the Economy
Tonight, on March 9th, I am not going to proclaim that Twitter is dead. Twitter is more like the economy these days where if one tiny thing goes wrong the depression is waiting around the corner to swoop right in. The bonus for Twitter is the ease of use of the platform and the low switching costs between social networking sites, but this will also be its downfall and the success to its competitors like Facebook, if it doesn't stay on its toes.

In the meantime, check out Selective Twitter on Facebook. As the title states it allows you to selectively choose which Twitter updates also make it to Facebook. Your alter ego can exist in both worlds and maybe like Beyonce, you'll soon have the equivalent of a double-disc album portraying your true self and your alter ego on all social networking sites.

Beat Freaks

2009-03-08T22:59:00.004-04:00

All during season 3 of America's Best Dance Crew, I have to say that Beat Freaks and Quest Crew were my definite favorites. From the first 8 count of the Beat Freaks very first performance, I knew I was not watching the typical girl group, their hip hop skills were better than many of the guy groups but their costumes still played up their feminine side. While Quest Crew was just pure entertainment and full of completely creative choreography.

So it was no surprise when these two groups made it to the finals. I wondered though...would America really vote a "girl group" to be the Best Dance Crew? Each week I tried to not get my hopes up and cheered the two groups on equally.

The night of the finale I still had no idea which way the decision was go...all the way up to the final 30 seconds as the cameras slowly panned the faces of each dancer. And the winner is....Quest Crew... While I was happy for Quest Crew, I was equally saddened for Beat Freaks' loss. It was like watching this year's Rose Bowl which was a match up of both of my alma matters, Penn State undergrad and USC grad, played against each other. It was a miserable experience because cheering for the Nittany Lions meant cheering against the Trojans and vice versa. Though secretly I hoped Penn State would pull out the victory. Who doesn't like the Cinderella story? And so I suppose in this case, I was secretly hoping the Beat Freaks would find themselves 7 pairs of glass slippers.

In honor of the Beat Freaks, I found this great clip on YouTube which highlights all of Beat Freaks performances up until the last week of the show. The performances are absolutely incredible. Enjoy!

What Not To Miss

2009-03-08T18:20:00.003-04:00

If you've been online lately, you most certainly must have stumbled upon this banner ad. It has been everywhere; from local sites like boston.com to celebrity gossip sites like eonline.com.

Each time I see them, I fall in love all over again with these luscious Gladiator Thong sandals. I can just feel the softness of the taupe suede against my ankles and the confidence building with the sheen of the gold metallic straps. Pairing them with a neutral toned ribbed tank and a just above the knee flowy skirt is the ultimate not-a-lot-of-effort-but-extremely-chic outfit.

The sandals are $130 and don't ship until 5/18th. I have abstained from ordering them so far, but not sure how much longer I will be able to!

Let's talk Rihanna

2009-03-04T22:21:00.006-05:00

The Fateful Night

People are talking, talking about people, and talking about the drama that went on Grammy's-eve. Rihanna and boyfriend Chris Brown leave a fancy music industry soiree and the next morning's news is broadcasting the horror that the "It" Couple of 2008 has fallen apart as Chris allegedly physically abused Rihanna.

Table for 2 at the Rumor Mill

Rumors swirled around the internet. Chris received a text so Rihanna got jealous and hit Chris first, then he fled and a neighbor called the police. Then it was Chris was flirting with Miss L.L. (and I don't mean La Lohan) and again Rihanna got jealous and hit Chris first.... Then, the story became Chris found out he had an STD, Rihanna got jealous and so the tales continue.

The Villain

"The Media" automatically make Chris Brown the villain as his music is banned across the country and his contracts are dropped left and right. When the infamous photos are leaked, even the Black Community distanced themselves from their golden child.

Enter the Plot Twist You Didn't See Coming but You'll Tell Your Friends You Did

This past weekend, Rihanna and Chris reunited...

My Problem is This:

Rihanna entered the pop music scene with Pon De Replay and bypassed One Hit Wonder status with S.O.S. and Unfaithful. Her most recent album, Good Girl Gone Bad, solidified Pop Superstar status releasing 8 (8!) singles.

Like a moth to a flame (hello Chicago fans), the audience is easily seduced by Rihanna's confidence. Her songs are all anthems of a girl knowing what she wants and knowing she can get it. It takes quite a talent for one to sing "Shut Up And Drive" while increasing their popularity.

A woman who is (supposedly) physically abused and goes rushing back to reunite with her (alleged) abuser does not conjure up this same image of confidence. You picture a woman who thinks she's only defined by being with a man and it doesn't matter who that man is, even if he beats her. You see tears and you hear desperation.

As a Cancer, I am sensitive enough to feel for Rihanna - what she must be going through with the media scrutinizing and broacasting the most dra(trau)matic time of her life. I do feel for any person who is in the position of being beaten by another human being and I don't claim to be an expert on this sort of situation.

But what I do claim is this. The reason that this story is so popular is that the fans are not only hurt by Chris Brown, but also by Rihanna. Rihanna, the Pop-Superstar-Hottest-Haircut-Sexiest-Legs-Rihanna, well her songs used to pull me out onto the dance floor, with an umbrella ella ella hey hey hey hey, and now to my dismay and to the disappointment of her fans all over the world, now makes me feel slightly sad and depressed.

Rihanna, its time for you to live the life you sing, and avoid the need for a comeback bigger than Britney's.

Fashion Awards: Oscars 2009

2009-02-23T18:53:00.020-05:00

Today, I received the following notification from Fakebook:

"Changes in your ranks:

#5 most artistic (lost 1 place)
#5 person with the best smile (lost 1 place)
#8 most talkative (lost 2 places)
#11 person with the prettiest eyes (lost 2 places)
#18 best singer (lost 1 place)"

Hmph...apparently my newly designed and decorated apartment didn't impress my Fakebook friends, my smile is turning upside down, I'm not talking enough, am i getting wrinkles? and my Sunday night MySpace karaoke performance was broadcast louder than my bedroom.

Since my fakebook friends decided to judge me, I decided to do what everyone else was doing...

*judge the fantabulous red carpet of the Oscars*

And...The Caffeinated Venom awards go to...

Best Dressed: Penelope Cruz
Breathtaking. Penelope reportedly had this vintage dress for a while and has been saving it for just an occasion. So you know that dress that you bought but have never worn but you are happy just having it in your closet? It's time to break it out. Penelope did just that and look what happened.

Most Surprising in a Good Way: Taraji P. Henson
This incredible indie actress has launched herself into the mainstream with this dress. It is simply decadent.

Most Surprising in a Bad Way: Angelina Jolie
(I'm not even going to acknowledge that Disney Tween Stars were in attendance, so let's skip over that shall we?) What was with Angelina Jolie and the black dress with the mod green earrings? I mean, the green earrings are a last minute accessory I would have thrown on when I didn't want to look like I went straight from work to Trivia Night last week...I mean something I would have worn in the late 90's.

Most Disappointing: Kate Winslet
Ahhh Kate Winslet. We all still hold you close in our hearts as Queen of the World, to Leo's King. Your heart simply can't go on in this dress. I admire the fashion-forwardness of it, but the cut is just too harsh. However, the back of this dress continued with the black lace draping which created a scrumptiously gorgeous texture.

Best Dressed, But I don't Like the Actress so I Would Never Admit I Like Her Dress: Jennifer Aniston
Can't you just hear Angelina smirk: "A 40 year-old with a braid in her hair...."

Best Dressed in the Non-Hollywood Category: Heath Ledger's Family
There weren't enough tears in the Ledgers' acceptance of Heath's Oscar, but I'm convinced that's because Mom, Dad, and Sis felt damn amazing in their outfits. . I'll move to Australia if fashion advice like this is being passed out...hell, I'll even watch Australia.

Dress I Would Like to Say I'd Wisely Choose for Myself: Amy Adams
I would like to think I would be smart enough to pick this dress for myself. A flattering color, a simple cut, and understated yet unique details.

Dress I Would Choose with All the Best Intentions Until I ended up on the Worst-Dressed Lists: Amanda Seigfried.
I have to admit this is the dress I would probably end up in. I would fall in love with the bold color and the dramatic flair of the bow. Mama mia, here I go again.

Honorable mentions go to: Reese Witherspoon, Alicia Keys, Natalie Portman, Anne Hathaway, and of course Tina Fey. Thanks to my friends for their suggestions and of course I couldn't forget the actresses I just adore.

Pictures obtained from Yahoo!Movies, Boston.com, and the Oscars themselves. I didn't take any of them on my own, and don't expect you to claim that either!

The Way Caffeinated Venom Sees It #21

2009-02-21T12:38:00.012-05:00

Starbuck's The Way I See It #21

People need to see that, far from being an obstacle, the world's diversity of languages, religions and traditions is a great treasure, affording us precious opportunities to recognize ourselves in others.

-- Youssou N'Dour
Musician

If you believe this, then I highly recommend Bill Maher's "Religulous" documentary now available on DVD. It is a comedic take on religion and an open mind is a must.

25 Things I do want to know about you

2009-02-06T19:22:00.010-05:00

Facebook has been all a buzz with the "25 Things About Me" phenomenon. I've personally been tagged 5 times and seen about 17 different postings come through. Note to self: should I be offended that those 12 other people that are supposed to be my "friends" didn't even tag me? Even Time magazine published their opinion on the situation in the article titled "25 Things I Didn't Want to Know About You".*

As the Time article infers, Narcassism is the devil here. But for me, it is not the narcissism that bothers me so much, but the recurring theme of fakeness on what I now will call Fakebook - fake friends and fake 25 facts. Like the girl I was best friends with until we hit highschool and then she was too cool to talk to me who claimed as her #9 that she doesn't like people who look down on others.

Hmmmm.... so are you the pot or the kettle today?

So here is the list of 25 things I would find really interesting...if people actually admitted to them. And #1 goes to my fakefriend:

1. I was a mean girl in high school.
2. I don't really love my boyfriend, but I'd rather be in a relationship than alone.
3. I stole my roommate's security deposit.
4. I'm really a size 14, but if I am out shopping with you I'll only try on a size 6 and when the clothes don't fit I'll blame it on my boobs being too big.
5. I have an STD and I'm not sure how or when I caught it.
6. I ignore my friends whenever I'm in a relationship.
7. I caused my parents divorce.
8. When people IM me, I save the conversations and then share it with other people.
9. I only wash my hands if someone else is in the bathroom with me.
10. I'm really insecure and spread rumors about other people to make myself feel better.
11. I hate being a mother.
12. I go for the ugly ones - its easier to get laid.
13. I "borrowed" my roommates sweater, but never gave it back.
14. I have a crush on my cousin.
15. I cheated on my boyfriend with his roommate.
16. I paid someone to write my college thesis.
17. I only think about myself, but complain that others are selfish.
18. I think I'm prettier than my best friend.
19. I went to college to get married.
20. I will throw anyone under the bus to make myself look better.
21. I fake it...all the time.
22. I don't understand why my boyfriend doesn't always answer the phone, so I'll keep calling until he does.
23. I complain about being fat but will never workout. I'm just looking for you to say I'm skinny.
24. I drink straight out of the OJ when my roommate isn't looking.
25. I didn't like my roommate's girlfriend so I set up a fake Myspace account and posted her real phone number.

What else would you find interesting for people to post? Share them below!

Welcome to Caffeinated Venom

2009-02-05T18:26:00.005-05:00

I'd often heard the word "vice" used a lot and never understood what it meant. Celebrity interviews always seem to include the question of whether the person had any vices. Depending on the audience the answers seemed to include a combination of the following: none, chocolate, smoking, alcohol, and sex. So I wondered, if I ate chocolate does that mean it was my vice too? "Vice" seemed to have such a bad connotation to it, I wasn't sure I wanted one.

But then last month I was in Prague for work, my first time to Europe and it was absolutely beautiful, even in early January. But everything seemed to be in excess; long days, longer nights, too much caffeine, too much alcohol, too much cheese, too much dessert, and extreme cold.

While in Prague, there was a tragedy, and not something I want to exploit for a blog, but myself and my coworkers...friends, were all shaken up. A few of us left the hotel to get a bit of fresh air and one of them started smoking. "What I wouldn't give for a cigarette right now, " I said, even before I knew I had said it or even thought it. The person looked at me strange since I don't smoke, never have and never will (thank you asthma). "It would just be nice to have something comforting and familiar right now, and I imagine that's what the cigarette does for you."

Then of course I finally understood. On the walk back to the hotel, I stopped at the one Starbucks in the city of Prague and ordered a grande caramel macchiato. Even in Prague, the menu is the same.

I took my hot cup of deliciousness and braced myself for the return to the bitter cold air. This, caffeine, I realized is my vice.

Welcome to Caffeinated Venom.

Press Play: Not Ready To Make Nice

2009-02-05T17:52:00.004-05:00

I got this fun game from Faith:

INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Put your iPod or other music player on shuffle.
2. For each question, press the NEXT button to get your answer.
3. You must write that song name down no matter how silly it sounds.
4. Tag friends who might enjoy doing this as well as the person you got this from.

1. IF SOMEONE SAYS “IS THIS OKAY” YOU SAY?
Please Remember, Leann Rimes

2. WHAT WOULD BEST DESCRIBE YOUR PERSONALITY?
Glad (Acoustic), Tyler Hilton

3. WHAT DO YOU LIKE IN A GUY/GIRL?
A Man And A Woman , U2

4. WHAT IS YOUR LIFE’S PURPOSE?
Let Him Fly, Jessica Simpson

5. WHAT IS YOUR MOTTO?
All This Beauty, The Weepies (Sex and The City Soundtrack)

6. WHAT DO YOUR FRIENDS THINK OF YOU?
Please Don't Leave Me, P!nk

7. WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT OFTEN?
These Words (I Love You, I Love You, I love You), Natasha Bedingfield

8. WHAT IS 2+2?
These Foolish Things (Remind Me Of You), Michael Buble

9. WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR BEST FRIEND?
Home To Stay, Josh Groban

10. WHAT IS YOUR LIFE STORY?
Could've Had Everything, P!nk

11. WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GROW UP??
Brakin'Up, Gwen Steafni

12. WHAT DO YOU THINK WHEN YOU SEE THE PERSON YOU LIKE??
Goodbye, Alicia Keys

13. WHAT DO YOUR PARENTS THINK OF YOU?
Video Phone, Beyonce

14. WHAT WILL YOU DANCE TO AT YOUR WEDDING?
Stronger, Kanye West

15. WHAT WILL THEY PLAY AT YOUR FUNERAL?
Need U Bad, Jazmine Sullivan

16. WHAT IS YOUR HOBBY/INTEREST?
Metamorphosis, Hilary Duff

17. WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST SECRET?
When You're Good to Mama, Queen Latifa Chicago Soundtrack

18. WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR FRIENDS?
Till the Morning, Mary J Blige

19. WHAT’S THE WORST THING THAT COULD HAPPEN?
My Hallelujah Song, Julianne Hough

20. HOW WILL YOU DIE?
Love In This Club, Usher

21. WHAT IS THE ONE THING YOU REGRET?
Saturday Morning, Eels

22. WHAT MAKES YOU LAUGH?
Ooh Ooh Baby, Britney Spears

23. WHAT MAKES YOU CRY?
Where Are You Now?, Michelle Branch

24. WILL YOU EVER GET MARRIED?
Be With You, Enrique Iglesias

25. WHAT SCARES YOU THE MOST?
America, the new song from the Oprah Show

26. DOES ANYONE LIKE YOU?
Hero, Mariah Carey

27. IF YOU COULD GO BACK IN TIME, WHAT WOULD YOU CHANGE?
Bad Boy, Cascada

28. WHAT HURTS RIGHT NOW?
Grown Woman, Mary J Blige

29. WHAT WILL YOU TITLE THIS POST?
Not Ready To Make Nice, Dixie Chicks

Coffee Bean, don't stereotype the blondies!

2007-11-14T19:46:00.000-05:00

This morning was my first attempt back at class and I was in desperate need of a soy latte. As I was walking to the Coffee Bean from the parking garage at school I realized that by adding soy to my coffee I have also added an air of comfort to my morning ritual.

I ordered my soy latte and the Coffee Bean worker asked me if I wanted any muffins or pastries to go along with my coffee. Well of course, I did. The doctor told me I needed to eat despite the nausea so I ordered a plain bagel. Toasted? she asked. No, I responded. Duh...didn't she know I went to Penn State undergrad? No one toasts their bagels there. Then she asks if I want a topping? Hmmm...I pondered...a topping. Could my stomach handle a topping? Realizing my hesitancy the worker quickly assured me they had low-fat cream cheese and they served it on the side. At this point I had my own realization as they worker assumed that since I was blonde I would only eat it in this manner, not the full fat version all slathered on my bagel. So I confirmed her assumption but not before explaining to her that the real reason. Well not really, that part was in my head, but think of the reaction I would have got ;)

De-caffinated snag

2007-11-13T19:27:00.001-05:00

So this whole blog is supposed to be about drinking coffee and the joys of coffee shops, but that can't happen when I'm sick...ugh. But hopefully this will be behind me soon and my venom can re-caffeinate.

Starbucks Spinach Feta Wrap

2007-11-11T16:27:00.001-05:00

Yesterday I ran out of groceries and today I wanted to go workout. I found an old Odwalla Trail Mix bar to eat before my workout (making sure to eat around the raisins) but knew I would need something more substantial post-workout. After I workout in the morning, I always get a coffee (and am still waiting for the day I get kicked out of Starbucks for being too sweaty) so I figured I could also get a "treat" - I did workout after all. To my surprise, I saw that Starbucks featured a Spinach Feta wrap, the only vegetarian breakfast option that was not just made out of sugar and that was actually "less than 250 calories."* It was surprisingly yummy and tasted like a breakfast burrito - fancy style. There are roasted tomatoes as opposed to salsa and just enough spinach to make you feel like Popeye without worrying about getting any in your teeth. Even though the egg itself is a bit scary (one long scrambled egg) I give it an overall two thumbs up and definitely a good breakfast alternative when one has no groceries and/or time.

I also learned at this visit that Starbucks does not allow pets (at least not at the one at the corner of Santa Monica and Bundy in LA). Two young men had with them two very small dogs and the manager was all sorts of frustrated. I've never seen dogs get kicked out of anywhere in LA. In fact, I thought having one automatically moved you up the social food chain. But apparently not at Starbucks. Go figure.

*actual nutrition info per Starbucks website: 240 calories, 10g of fat, 29g of carbs, 7 g of fiber, 9 g of protein.

OMG: Sarah Jessica Parker drinks her Starbucks with a straw too!

2007-11-10T18:58:00.000-05:00

I must admit that drinking my hot coffee with a straw was not my idea, I owe that to my friend Stephanie. But to someone who has always had a problem drinking from cups (its a textile thing), this seemed like a fantastic idea. Apparently its also an Asian idea or thats what everyone tells me when they are flabbergasted that a blondie like me drinks her coffee with a straw. So imagine my surprise when I was surfing online today and found Sarah Jessica Parker doing the exact same thing in New York City. OMG, smart blondes think alike ;)

Starbucks Red Cup Day!

2007-11-09T23:22:00.001-05:00

Yesterday, I walked into my neighborhood Starbucks (Bundy and Santa Monica LA) curious as to what I would find. See the iTunes promotion was supposedly ending and I was secretly hoping there would be some free song download cards still available. But I forgot all that as soon I walked into the store to discover it was Red Cup Day!

Red Cup Day is a one of my favoritest days in the world and I'm pretty sure I am the only one that celebrates this fantastic holiday! It all started a few years ago when I was working in Boston at PwC. I had just left an audit client in Waltham and had to go to a "Town Hall" meeting downtown where I was to be on a panel discussing work-life balance. I remember it being a bad day but I don't remember why...I was probably sick. I stopped at the Starbucks on my way to discover it was red cup day and I was instantly ecstatic. I ordered my drink "non-fat caramel macchiato in a red cup". The response from the barrista was "what?" and I responded "In a red cup! I am so happy it is red cup day!" And all the barristas just stared at me in bewilderment. But I didn't care for my day had just taken a turn for the better.

Despite the fact that the red cups are just obviously a more colorful way to start the day , the red cups signal a change in the air. The holidays are coming; a time for family and a time for reflection. I told my sister about Red cup day and she told me how she and my niece had just come in from a walk in the Massachusetts woods and they smelled like winter. This is exactly the essence of Red Cup Day.

So let the holiday coffee season begin. Starbucks will launch its holiday drink line and I am excited to learn what will be Coffee Bean. And even if the coffee options are not as fun, I can't wait to be back on the east coast for Christmas and Dunkin Donuts.