Setting the bar

Magnet #1069 - I Just Don't Listen

I think this is one of my so-very-out-of-my-demographic Claire's Happy Bunny magnets.

When I was still an only child of four or five, I used to argue so much with my parents that it was then when they decided I would be a lawyer.

No, really. I remember sitting in the car pouting over something, and my dad saying, yes, you're going to be a lawyer some day.

That pattern continued straight on through to my senior year of high school, when my mother handed over the Carolina majors book, with acceptable prelaw majors checkmarked for me.

Uh, yeah. So, clearly, that totally didn't work out for them.

Fixing the world from far away

Magnet #892 - Happy Bunny's Fix the World

Nah, I don't really feel this way. It just cracked me up when I saw it at one of the Comic-Con booths. (Again, SDCC exhibitors, another booth I wouldn't have visited if they hadn't had magnets. IJS.)

My first instinct, now that I have some time to breathe and some free time on my hands, was that I wanted to run down to the Gulf and help in the clean-up efforts. But, I just read somewhere that they really don't want people to travel down there to help out. Which seems odd, but I guess understandable.

So, in the next couple of days, I'll be trying to find some way to be useful from NYC - some way that doesn't include calling people up asking them for money, anyway. I'm sure there have to be some sort of volunteer positions here in town, no?

It's actually kinda funny, a friend of mine Tweeted that BP's looking for some help, with people calling it the worst job in the world. There's a part of me that believes it - I mean, no company's rep has gone from so loved to so reviled so fast. But, there's a part of me that thinks, man, anyone who could possibly bring BP's corporate reputation back to the land of the living will win PR Person of the Universe. Man, what a job.

Good luck with that. And I'll be waiting over here with the cookies.

Won't you take me to, crazytown?

Magnet #602 - Happy Bunny's Crazy

No. Wait. I'm already there!

Nuff said.

Stop bein' ugly

Magnet #561 - Happy Bunny's You're ugly, and that's sad

I've wondered what to do about this Happy Bunny magnet - for sure, I didn't want to do a post on someone ugly. But, it struck me today that it's perfect for this rather timely minirant...

"Bein' ugly" is a phrase down South that I've heard for most of my life - it's a catch-all phrase for when people are being rude, and in general, for conduct unbecoming.

I've said it a couple of times up here in New York, and each time, I've gotten funny looks for saying it. But, it's something that always goes through my head (oddly, in one of my former BFF's voices), whenever I'm doing something wrong, or I see someone being, well, ugly.

I'm seeing a lot of that going around of late. Everywhere I turn - at work or on the subway, wherever - it feels like I'm seeing more and more people infighting and backstabbing, badmouthing and playing the sycophant, being passive-aggressive, short-tempered and rude, and being just plain ugly to one another.

I feel like it's not just me - that the reason it's everywhere, is that it's just something that's inherent to bad economic times, where people are just under more stress, and closer to their breaking points. Believe me, I'm no exception to the rule. Even when it's deserved, it's still disturbing to see, and embarrassing to be a part of.

And I suppose we can't do anything about it, except behave. And be the best people we can be.

Oh. And for me, occasionally scream at the top of my lungs, "Stop bein' ugly!"

In my head. Obvi.

eta:
But if I may take a moment to be ugly...now that I've had time to mull on yesterday and some time to think about today's magnet. This post might seem like I'm chastising a few aggressive comments made here, on Twitter and on Facebook yesterday. I'm not.

Clearly, my dear readers and I are noticing too many similarities to my writing style in other content being put out there. Clearly, I'm not happy. Clearly, I can't copyright writing style or voice, or even content.

But I'm done with being passive-aggressive. This is me drawing a line in this magnetblog sand.

Here it is: Not to be ugly, or anything, but find your own damn voice and stop trying to steal mine.

Happy bunny, not so happy

Magnet #390 - Happy Bunny Skull and bunnybones

So, it's Youth Wellness day, part of our Healthy Lifestyles in Sight week at the Transitions Championship.

We have 1,200 kids rolling through here today, on top of the beginning of the Pro-Am. I think it'll be a madhouse, and if we just accept that from the beginning, that's half the battle.

Personally, though, I will consider it a victory if we don't lose any of those kids to Big Al the alligator who lives in the water feature down at 4.

Wherefore, human interaction?

Magnet #297 - Happy Bunny's It's all about me

Here's a question: Is anyone else feeling like the more socially networked you are, the less you actually talk to your unconnected friends in real life?

I feel like it's actually become harder to keep in touch with those folks who aren't reading your blog, your FaceBook, your MySpace, your Twitter, your LinkedIn, or your messageboard community. So, when someone decides to check in on your life, you're actually taken aback when they don't know what's going on with you.

It's odd, because while you're keeping in touch with your online contacts, it's the ones in your real life, those who aren't connected, or who just don't keep up, who are left behind.

Whose fault is it?

On the one hand, with a million SNS outlets acting as an RSS feed to the world, it's much easier to keep tabs on your friends, their whereabouts, what's going on in their lives and their thoughts on daily life and big issues. It gives you a feeling of being connected, of being involved - without really being involved. You can drop in on your friends, and still be able to maintain the cocoon of your life.

On the other hand, if you don't bother to keep up with any of the outlets, and you don't have time to keep in touch, when you do decide to check in on someone else, you find yourself completely out of the loop, without a clue as to what's going on in your friends' lives.

One could argue that pre-SNS, you'd pick up the phone and say hello, what's up? The phone calls would be fewer and far between - and would therefore lead to longer conversations to catch up. Nowadays, it's a quick status or posted item comment, or Wall-to-Wall, or iChat, before you move on with the rest of your day. It seems no one has time for phone calls any more - especially when it's easier to txt or ping someone.

But, if you haven't time for all of the above, where does that leave you? Does the connected friend have the right to be mad if that offline friend doesn't bother to check in on your life? Does the offline friend have the right to be mad if the connected friend doesn't feel like catching you up on everything that's going on? Should either friend make the more of an effort to stay in better contact with the other, in the way that they're accustomed to?

It's probably a bit of all of the above, I'm sure. But it's food for thought anyway.


eta:
How funny (and timely) is this. A friend of mine passed along a PEW Internet & American Life Project report on "The Future of the Internet." Among their key findings:

• the mobile device will be the primary connection tool globally by 2020 (really?);
• the division of personal and work and physical/VR will be erased for all those connected...and that it might have an impact on basic social relations (yep, already there, methinks).

And, yes, I totally downloaded the 138-page full report, just to see...

What you say?

Magnet #224 - Happy Bunny's I just don't listen

I'm hard of hearing. No, really, I am. It's ok. I've always been, since I was in Kindergarten. Apparently, I told the doctors back then that it was my parents fault, something about either poking out my eardrum...or yelling too loud. Oops.

Supposedly, I'm not alone. No one knows the real number, but they estimate that there are between 22 to 36 million deaf and hard of hearing here in the States. And, supposedly, it's like one of the most under-reported ailments!

A couple of years ago, the doctor said that clinically, I probably should have hearing aids. But, that if I don't think I'm missing anything important in my business meetings or wherever, then I didn't actually have to get them.

So, I figure that my 30s are way too young to get them. I'll wait til my 40s. Or 50s.

Or, never. There's a part of me that's ok with not hearing everything. Like, I can't imagine how insanely loud the trains in the subways are. I see people cover their ears, but nope, doesn't bother me. Or, like in movies, when those obnoxious people talk on their cell phones or feel the need to explain the movie to the person next to them. Nope, doesn't bother me.

My friends and family think I have selective hearing - because sometimes I do hear their conversational whispers and asides. That's partially true. Sometimes, I just don't want to listen to what they're saying.

It's a little taxing on anyone having a conversation with me, when I'm always saying, Sorry? What? What'd you say? It's kinda funny, because my best friend married a guy who has trouble hearing out of one ear...so she's totally been prepped for having to repeat her conversations.

Oh, and it totally freaks me out when someone comes up from behind. This is especially true at work when I'm concentrating on something, and someone comes up behind me and softly says my name, or taps my shoulders. I totally freak out, causing them to freak out and feel bad, profusely apologizing for all the freaking out.

And, of course, I'm just waitin' for my worst fear to come true...and that's me sitting in a meeting, taking down the client's direction, and we end up producing the wrong creative because I heard wrong.

But, until then, just know that if ever we're spending time together and I'm nodding away, best to make sure I actually heard you. Or goodness knows what your ad might look like. Oops.