Tainted Holidays

October 11th is not only my birthday, but the beginning of my favorite time of year. It's the start of my holiday season, because shortly after that is Thanksgiving and Christmas and New Years. I'm huge on holidays and I don't think I'm gonna grow out of it but unfortunately there's been evil forces trying to crush my holiday spirit. For instance, midterms almost always land on my birthday since I've been in college. Then papers are almost always due around Thanksgiving. And now December has begun and naturally I would start counting down till Christmas but I'm afraid to do so because that just means that I'm that much closer to having to turn in a bunch of stuff and take a bunch of exams.

Luckily being with my kindergartners has really brought me back to my holiday spirit. Yesterday we made Christmas frames and it was so great because those kids are just so darn creative. They weren't limiting themselves to using red, green and white. Instead they started mixing the red with white to make pink...purely because they liked the color. It made me sooo happy :)

Everytime I say my name is Brittany people say....Britney Spears...

Britney, Britney, Britney! Shes back baby! Know I am such a huge fan. A few weeks ago I downloaded the Womanizer song and last week I got this thing on iTunes called Genius where it will show you songs that go with the song in your playlist and gives you suggestions for another playlist. So I clicked on Womanizer and realized that the Circus Cd was coming out Dec. 2nd. I was thrilled. Then I did something a little sneaky...I looked at all the songs on the cd and went to limewire and downloaded the whole cd. yeah I know it was illegal, but I just had to hear what the new cd was like. Once I downloaded and put it to the iPod, I put it on the docking station and couldn't stop dancing around the house. It was awesome. I know there are Britney haters out there, but I don't care. So needless to say I watched the Britney special on Sunday and almost started to cry then today of course I recorded the performance on GMA. It was good and she looked great. The afterword the actually went and looked up tickets for the tour and decided that I really really want to go. I have never gone to a Britney concert and I have regretted it all the time. So I was saddened that the tickets were so expensive, but I wasn't surprised. And the other cool thing is that the tour is coming here during Spring Break...what a better time to come! Well anyways.. I'm so glad to see that she's finally turning her life back around. I really hope this is a comeback and I think she will stay this way..Go Britney! 

Teamwork Tips

I am taking Business Psychology and our most recent chapter was on Business Teams and Teamwork. This obviously got me thinking about our creative class and our group projects. According to what I learned in class there are five principles of teamwork, so I am sharing them with you all as we crack down before our final presentations next week.

1) Teamwork implies that all members provide and accept feedback from one another.
2) Teamwork implies the willingness, preparedness and proclivity to back fellow members up during operations.
3) Teamwork involves group members collectively viewing themselves as a group whose success depends on their interaction.
4) Teamwork means fostering team interdependence (every member dependent to carry out teams mission)
5) Team leadership is very important and makes a difference with respect to the team performance.

Hopefully these will remind you to work cohesively with your group; we are all working towards a common goal! Good luck!

If you ever had a doubt that scarcity breeds creativity.... here's your proof

Ads on tests add up for teacher





A small ad for Arcon Structural Engineer Inc. on the bottom of the first page of a test paper in math teacher Tom Farber's Advanced Placement calculus class at Rancho Bernardo High School in San Diego.



Tom Farber gives a lot of tests. He's a calculus teacher, after all.
So when administrators at Rancho Bernardo, his suburban San Diego high school, announced the district was cutting spending on supplies by nearly a third, Farber had a problem. At 3 cents a page, his tests would cost more than $500 a year. His copying budget: $316. But he wanted to give students enough practice for the big tests they'll face in the spring, such as the Advanced Placement exam.


LITERACY: How teacher who couldn't read hopes to help others

"Tough times call for tough actions," he says. So he started selling ads on his test papers: $10 for a quiz, $20 for a chapter test, $30 for a semester final.

San Diego magazine and The San Diego Union-Tribune featured his plan just before Thanksgiving, and Farber came home from a few days out of town to 75 e-mail requests for ads. So far, he has collected $350. His semester final is sold out.

That worries Robert Weissman, managing director of Commercial Alert, a Washington-based non-profit that fights commercialization in school and elsewhere. If test-papers-as-billboards catches on, he says, schools in the grip of tough economic times could start relying on them to help the bottom line.

"The advertisers are paying for something, and it's access to kids," he says.

About two-thirds of Farber's ads are inspirational messages underwritten by parents. Others are ads for local businesses, such as two from a structural engineering firm and one from a dentist who urges students, "Brace Yourself for a Great Semester!"

Principal Paul Robinson says reaction has been "mixed," but he notes, "It's not like, 'This test is brought to you by McDonald's or Nike.' "

To Farber, 47, it's a logical solution: "We're expected to do more with less."

The National Education Association says teachers spend about $430 out of their pockets each year for school supplies. This semester, Christine Van Ruiten, a teacher at E.C. Reems, a charter school in East Oakland, has spent $2,000. She scours Craigslist for free supplies and posts requests to DonorsChoose.org, which matches teachers with donors.

Founded in 2000 by Charles Best, then a Bronx teacher, DonorsChoose has funded about 65,000 projects totaling $26 million. Best calls it "a more dignified, substantive alternative for teachers than selling candy door-to-door — and certainly than selling ad space on final exams. That's crazy."

Procrastination Fascination Rehabilitation Execration

I think my biggest flaw as a human being is my skill at prograstinating. Since the dawn of man (this man) I have prograstinated with everything. I think the only thing that I have completed early is birth. It is as if there's this zombie in my body that takes over whenever I try to work on something before its due. If I am pressed for time I am brilliant, but give me a week to complete something and I'll stress over it not being done for a week and then complete it in the waining minutes. If I have time then I allow myself to get distracted. I can't explain it. I'm not lazy, I just get bored fast. It happens to me in everything I do. Sometimes when I eat I get tired of eating before I am full. That is a horrible cross to bear. So this is my execration for rehabilitation to cure my prograstination fascination.

My sister, my friend.

People say that you learn everything you need to know in Kindergarten- I disagree. Everything I need to know I learned from my sister. She taught me confidence and compassion. She taught me to keep my temper. She taught me what it feels like to be so proud of another person you think your heart is just going to burst.

We’ve always been this way though. It drives our parents crazy. When we were younger, we ignored the other kids on the block, at holidays we would hide together in the bathroom. We had a code that no matter what, we would never rat each other out to Mom. She came to me with bumped heads, grazed knees, when the other girls made fun of her. I helped her with her homework, and made sure her socks were on the right feet. We would fight, and then make up and giggle all through the night.

As we got older, we began to find our own identities, especially at separate high schools. When I got my car, I dropped her off at school every morning and picked her up after, I took her out with my friends at night. I was there for her first beer and her first break up. I left for college and thought things would change, they didn’t. She followed me up here- wouldn’t even apply anywhere else- and in the past two years we’ve grown even closer. She can make me smile like no one else and laugh when all I want to do is cry. She loves me at my worst, my meanest. She picks on me- for my own good of course, and holds my hand when I’m scared. I cook for her, give her money when she comes up short, take care of her when she’s sick.

I’m constantly taking care of my little sister, and I don’t know how I’ll get by without her.

Christmas FOOD!

IT’S CHRISTMAS!
Yes I will admit I’m defiantly one of those people who can’t wait for Thanksgiving to pass because then I can officially start getting ready for Christmas! I hang my decorations and start making my list but most of all I start chowing down on holiday sweets. Everybody always says people gain weight over the holidays so I picked some of my holiday foods and looked up the calories in hopes in this year, I’ll just say no!



Food (Calories Fat (g))
Grande Non-fat Peppermint mocha Latte: 290, 3.5
Stuffing (stove top, 2 oz): 220, 2
Champaign! (4.5 oz- glass): 78, 0
Pumpkin pie: 316, 14.4
Mashed potatoes (1 cup): 237, 8.8
Gingerbread cookie (1!): 270, 6
Petit Fours: 140, 9
Wine (4 oz): 100, 0


All and all nothing looks too bad, but think about putting them all together (and look at how small the portions are here... whens the last time you only had 2 oz of stuffing!) all i gotta say is no comments when i come back and my clothes are a little tight! haha

Risky Business

I don't think anyone would deny that this is a funny ad. But, is it effective. I shared this commercial with some guys at work and we were talking about it and nobody could remember what the product was. Now one possible reason could be that it doesn't directly connect the lines as to what is being advertised, but there is another possibility. It seems that larger brands are able to take more risks when creating their advertisements. For example this ad Snickers ad:



Both are funny ads dealing with football, but one clearly connects the dots, while the other is still a little hazy. When you think about it there are a lot of ads like this. Funny and entertaining, but in the end you don't really remember what's being advertised, which is the principle objective of advertising.

sneak a peek

Hey everyone! I hope all of you had a nice Thanksgiving break with your family and friends. I definitely wish it lasted a little bit longer, but we only have two weeks to go! whahoo!

I know Whitney is obsessed with postsecret.com and I absolutely love that website as well but I just discovered another website that is amazing!!!

It's called 'Found Cameras and Orphan Pictures.'

When you find a random or lost camera, old photos or even memory card, you can post the pictures onto the blog and explain where and when you found it. People that have lost cameras can go to the blog and look at locations where cameras have been found. Anyone can view these posted pictures via the blog!

There are success stories on the blog of people actually getting their cameras (and memories!!) back.

I love this blog because people turn in cameras from places all around the world and it's like I'm getting a peek of what random peoples lives are like through pictures.

Everytime I look at the blog, I hope that I see people in the pictures that I actually know!

There are entries of pictures found in Florida, check them out!

http://ifoundyourcamera.blogspot.com/

Happy Birthday Brittney Spears

For all of you Brittney fans, today is a big day for her, she turns 27 and just announced that she will be going on tour in 09, the title of her tour is "The Circus, Starring Brittney Spears." I am not a huge Brittney fan my self but I must say she has made huge turn around. She interviewed the other night for the first time since she literally went crazy, "I don't like going out. I hate clubs. I hate being around too many people. I love my home and staying in bed and watching "Dancing With The Stars" or reading a Danielle Steel novel. I'm kind of boring." From her interview you almost feel bad for her, i'm glad she's back to normal!

Technology

Our generations has seen some crazy things in regards to technology. Check out this video, it is a great way of explaining just how crazy the things we've seen are!

Did you know?

TONIGHT

My band, American Science will be playing a show at Bird's Aphrodisiac Oyster Shack. Its on the corner of Tennessee and Bronough. We're playing with 3 other bands but come early because we want to finish up a little early so we can party too. Not sure of a cover but it wont be anything more than 5$ and if that's too steep for you anyhow you are more than welcome to stand outside and watch us through the windows, I'm sure it will be plenty loud. It would be nice to see some of your faces out and about but if not I understand it's a busy time for everyone. Don't Die Cindy is in town from Panama City and we hope to tour with them after I graduate. The two other bands are on tour and should be fun to play with and watch. So if you need a study break or some ballin' oysters and a beer, swing by, we don't disappoint.


Also, if you're looking for something to do on Thursday night, we are playing at the engine room (formerly the Beta Bar) with Go radio and Mayday Parade

Come support us!

Recession is Official

That should be no surprise. Apparently we’ve been in a recession since December of last year. Other countries are well on their way too (Germany has declared that it’s in a recession as well and it’s predicted that France and Italy will soon follow).

This is kind of depressing, especially with finals looming. So, I found articles on the positive side of a recession. “A recession is the ebb part of the natural ebb and flow of the U.S. economy.”

10 Reasons to Love a Recession - (according to Bankrate.com)
Family Dinners
Shorter Lines at the Pump
Less Junk Mail
More Coupons
Free Fitness
Bargain SUVs
Business Startup Opportunities
Growth in Gardening
Musical Inspiration
New Perspectives

Perhaps the greatest boon of a recession is the time to reflect and reassess the true meaning and goals of our lives.

With Thanksgiving just last week, and the holiday season approaching, what great timing!


Seriously, there is a bight side to this: we are about halfway through it I hear…

BBDO Loses Pepsi as Client...

I came across this article online...

"BBDO Loses Pepsi as Client Ad Bills Go Through the Roof"


As Ad Age points out, BBDO’s loss of Pepsi will be a major psychological blow to the agency. Omnicom did well to keep the business in its network (the account is off to TBWA/Chiat/Day). But none of the coverage says why the brand chose to give BBDO the pink slip. Here’s one theory: BBDO was too expensive.

To read the press, you’d think that BBDO and Pepsi have been in a long, drawn-out, hair-pulling drama since about 2004. That was the year CEO Andrew Robertson fired creative chief Ted Sann without telling Pepsi.

Then Sann’s replacement, David Lubars, made himself the star of a decidedly mixed profile in New York mag, in which he was portrayed as a vitamin-popping workaholic who objected to the author calling Phil Dusenberry and Charlie Miesmer for comment. But I’m going to bet that this was less of a soap opera and more of a financial issue. Take a look at Pepsico’s income statement:

* Revenue rose from $10.2 billion to $11.2 billion in the last quarter.
* But net income went down, from $1.7 billion to $1.5 billion.

Isn’t that interesting — sales went up but Pepsico still managed to make less money.

A look at the line marked “Selling General & Administrative” gives the explanation, that’s the line where ad agency bills are recorded. That expense rose from $3.4 billion to $3.9 billion.* The results were similar for the first nine months of the year.

What this means is that although Pepsi’s advertising is getting people to buy more products, the ads are actually becoming more expensive than the extra sales they’re adding on. Pepsi spent $1 million just to redesign its logo for instance (although that cost was expensed to the Arnell Group, another Omnicom shop.) Not all of this money was spent on BBDO, of course — it covers all Pepsico’s shops on all its brands. But that’s the financial environment Pepsi is operating in.

So here’s my advice to TBWA/C/D: Make sure you bill at a significant percentage less than your sibling shop in Manhattan. Otherwise you won’t hold that account for very long.

Ridiculous Ads from the 30s.....

Someone at my work sent out this email with all of these odd ads from the 1930s. I thought they were hilarious yet a little disturbing so I wanted to share them with you all. My favorite one is the Camel ad that says "More doctors smoke Camels than any other cigarette!" Its crazy to think that these were the things they were actually advertising! Check out the Lysol one...GROSS! I was wondering if some of these were made up, then I saw the tapeworm ad and realized they were real because I remember my Freshman U.S. History teacher telling us about how women used to eat tapeworms as a diet trick! The rest of these are just as crazy!        

                       

Laughter. What is it good for? Absolutely nothing?

Despite the fact that most people think I'm pretty serious, I love to laugh. Humor has always been something that I'm attracted to. But it's interesting how different everyone's sense of humor is. How can one thing make someone laugh so hard the want to pee their pants, and another person barely crack a smile?

I guess that's why it's a tricky line for advertisers, as seen in this article. While the jury is still out on whether or not humor is an effective advertising tool, I can tell you that if it was up to me, I would find it guilty...of being awesome. This is my current fave funny commercial...


Laughter's health benefits are also still undecided: "The jury is still out," says Robert Provine, a University of Maryland professor and author of Laughter: A Scientific Investigation, "and more work needs to be done." But the initial results are very encouraging. All the suggestions are that laughter is indeed good for you. So get those convulsions going and chuckle yourself to health."

So as exam week starts, and your stress level rises, take a minute to laugh.
Here are some videos for all kinds of funny....

Political humor:


#1 rated best YouTube video:


Odd British humor:


Funny if you've ever shared a room with a sibling or went to camp:

"Black Friday"

So I did my first ever "Black Friday" shopping and it was quite an interesting experience. I woke up at 5 a.m. and went with my Mom to Wal-Mart. Little did I know once I walked in what I would see. I expected there to be a lot of people and a lot of stuff everywhere. I did not expect the behavior that I saw. Everyone was possessed by something. People were yelling at each other, fighting over TVs, purposely bumping into people with their carts...it was insane!! It was like thousands of mean kids stuck in a room together. The deals are good but that good?! I just think it is pathetic that people will act that way to get the "stuff" they need. Someone at work told me that a guy in New York got trampled by the rush of people trying to get through the door and died! That's crazy, and I looked it up it did happen! I am just in shock that it is the season for "giving" and all I saw happening was a lot of "taking."

Check out this madness!!

Click Here!

Always up & down - never down & out.

I’m thankful for;

My sister - who stands by me even when I’m at my worst.

The feeling of new love - when everything is easy and every smile is magic.

The pain of lost love - to know that what I felt was real; to be able to hurt is what keeps me human.

Rainy days & good books - snuggling up and forgetting the stresses of life.

Little kids - who remind me not to take myself too seriously and to be uninhibited.

Opportunity - to reinvent myself and the world around me, starting new every day.

It’s Thanksgiving, I had to make my list. To remind myself in the time of exams and job searches that even the losses in life are worth it. I’m not an overly patriotic person - and in actuality Thanksgiving is kind of hypocritical (in that the pilgrims were thankful for the land they stole and the Native Americans they killed) - but every Thanksgiving I think about how lucky I am to be living in this country. To be twenty-two and have endless opportunity, as opposed to twenty-two with a couple of children and a husband who could be my father. Simply by virtue of where I was born, I have a life that others can only dream of. And man, am I thankful for that.

Happy Thanksgiving?

So over the holidays I decided to call or text everyone in my phone to wish them a Happy Thanksgiving. Well most people replied with the customary "you too" kind of thing, which was appreciated and excepted. One reply caught me so off guard I had to blog about it though. Apparently someone I know got a new phone number during the time I was gone, and I did not know so the new person replied with "Who the holy hell is this?" Which I guess if you are confused is acceptable. So I said "It's Savannah. I'm sorry I must have gotten the wrong number." Then went to walk the dogs, and when I came back and checked my phone they had left one of the nastiest voice mails ever. Now I understand how it can be annoying when people text you that you do not know, but it really isn't necessary to get THAT angry over "Happy Thanksgiving" Even if I didn't really know them, and ran into them at the mall or something I'd wish them a happy holiday. If I had kept texting them maybe, but my question to you..is to ask if there is ever really a time where it is acceptable to be completely rude to someone who did nothing but send you a holiday greeting?

Gators Wear Jean Shorts

This video is cute and amazingly true. Hopefully you all will be at the game and will look around for Gator fans in jorts. Go Noles!!!!! Enjoy!