Author Archives: Ileane

RETHINK Common Sense

Posted on 08/09/2009 | 4 comments

I’ve always had an absurd way of looking at the world.  I’m considered strange by some, smart by others and there are those that call me “weird”.

In my own defense I’ll admit, that I’ve always wanted to be “interesting”.  For example, I keep hearing this term RETHINK.  It’s used a lot in advertising and I can’t figure out why the ad execs find it so appealing. 

Honestly, I find it rather insulting. 

It’s like they are saying “Hey stupid, stop thinking what you were thinking and start think what we tell you to think. If you buy our product you will be so happy that you are rethinking things.”

Common Sense tells me that I am way too smart to fall for that, but this strategy must be working on someone out there because they keep using it.  Try counting how many ads you see in a week demanding you to rethink something.

And let me know if  its just me and my absurd, interesting view of the world?  If you don’t agree with me – think again.

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Posted in Social Media

Introducing – The Bond Gurl

Posted on 08/08/2009 | Comments Off on Introducing – The Bond Gurl

Comments Off on Introducing – The Bond Gurl

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Wide Angle

Posted on 07/30/2009 | 2 comments

So I’ve been immersed in this newly acquired knowledge about stocks, bonds, futures, derivatives and such because I subscribe to The Bond Gurl blog.  And I’m taking it all in – letting it marinate in my brain, all the while yearning to know what impact this financial awakening will have on my future. 

To give myself time to regroup, my plan was to take a break from the blogosphere and watch a little PBS, as I often do.  A show comes on that I’ve never watched before – Wide Angle.  

I began to watch an episode, called The Market Maker  featuring a woman named Eleni Gabre-Madhin and how she started a commodities market in Ethiopia during April of 2008. 

Eleni Gabre-Madhan

Eleni Gabre-Madhan

For a minute I thought that I might have drifted off to sleep perhaps I was in the midst of a dream.  I sat up at attention and said to myself, did they just say that a woman started a market in Ethiopia last year??  I find that fascinating.

Oh…K! Now I can’t sit still.  I can’t even wait to finish watching the program, I’ve got to turn on my pc, get on the web and find out more about this woman. Since the Bing search is on my toolbar I wasted no time opening Clusty. 

I typed in her name and the first hit on the list is a talk Eleni did on TED.com. 

Finish reading here

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Posted in Finance, TED.com

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Eternal Brochures

Posted on 07/30/2009 | 7 comments

Vote on Blog EngageI often ponder the meaning of life. Well at least the meaning of my life.  I guess I think about it most often whenever someone I know passes away.

I am amazed by the multitude of  traditions that various cultures observe to honor those that have “left us”.  One tradition that I’m very familiar with is the printed obituary that is handed out during the service.  For those of y’all that don’t know what I am talking about, the obituary has a picture of the deceased, a short bio, the order of service, and poems or dedications from the next of kin.

Now, I’m not a self-centered person, yet when I’m reading an obituary of the dearly departed I can’t help wonder what my obituary will be like when the time comes. Come on now, the thought has crossed your mind too.  The obituary says a lot about a person. It tells their story.  I mean you can find out things you never knew about someone, like where they went to school, where they worked (or if they ever worked), how many siblings they had, any note-worthy accomplishments and just how old they really were.  If you are like me and you’re not able to attend the service you will ask a friend or relative to pick up an extra one for you. Grandmoms obit

Bottom line, it’s more than a lifestream, an obituary is like the eternal brochure of your life.

Did you ever attend a going-home service and there was no obituary?  Through-out the ceremony you have to keep reminding yourself not to be annoyed because they didn’t distribute any.  The first time that happened to me (I was much younger then) I thought that they only printed a few and had run out before I got mine.

My eternal brochure should be full color, printed on nice glossy paper – very polished and professional looking. Featuring tons of pictures of me in my finest hours surrounded by smiling, happy friends and adoring, loving family – oh and plenty of the pictures that I took too!

Wait, just hold on second. Let me rethink this. I’m hearing a song. It’s Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes. Imagine Teddy crooning: If You Don’t Know Me By Now, You Will Never, Never, Never Know Me.

Yeah, I changed my mind. Just play that song, for those that missed the real “brochure”. Cause it’s their loss.

Smooches!

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Posted in How To, People Watch

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A Time and Place for all Music

Posted on 07/28/2009 | 3 comments

There are certain songs that everyone else seems to like, but not me.  Well, let me rephrase that – I like some songs only at certain times.  Don’t get me wrong I am a true music lover but I’m just not too fond of what is commonly referred to as “Oldies”.  But at the right time and place they sound great. 

For example, if I’m in the car listening to the radio and that iconic old 60’s tune comes on:

Jimmy

Jimmy

OH Jimmy Mack

Why don’t you hurry back

Trust me I change the station quick, fast and in a hurry.  I just feel like “been there, done that” when it comes to most of those ol’ skool tunes. I mean how many times must I listen to that same sound year after year and be expected to go out somewhere and party to it.  And if I walked into a night club and heard that song I would turn right around and leave. Face it, I don’t like the “oldies” crowd, I don’t like the line dances they do, I probably won’t like the smell of beer and watered down alcohol either.

On the other hand…If I’m at the supermarket, or the waiting room at the dentist’s office, or if I walk into an elevator and hear:

When are you coming back,

Please Jimmy Mack

Come on and hurry back.

I’ll sway back and forth to the beat, shake my hips, do a little foot work, sing a few words and blurt out loud – Now that’s my Jam! 

Please hurry back

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Posted in Music

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WORDSMITH

Posted on 07/24/2009 | 4 comments

I like to create new words.  You see, sometimes words just sound right even though they are not found anywhere on the pages of Merriam-Webter. (Oh btw, most people think that the dictionary was named after someone called Merriam Webster but it’s really named after two brothers, George and Charles Merriam, in conjunction with Noah Webster.)  Every year M-W adds some new words based on popularity and usage, and I’d like to see new words I use added to the list one day. That way one day I can go down in history for something special besides blogging 🙂

Mo'Nique says, "Hey Boo!"

Mo'Nique says, "Hey Boo!"

I remember the first time one of my dearest friends referred to me as “boo”.  That had to be way back in the late 80’s early 90’s.  Today everyone knows what boo means.  It’s a term of endearment, it’s a way of letting someone know that you like them.  For example if I run into you at the mall and I shout out “Hey Boo!”  You know I’m saying, ” glad to see you, you’re looking good and I like you” and a bunch of other good stuff all wrapped up into one neat little 3-letter package – B-O-O!

But not according to M-W.  In their book “boo” means “to express disapproval”.  Now I think it’s crazy that the urban definition of boo isn’t in the dictionary yet.  Instead this year that added eco-friendly words like “green-collar”, “staycation” and “carbon footprint”.  They even added “waterboarding”.  You mean to tell me that waterboarding trumps boo. What is the world of words coming to?

So all you fellow wordsmiths and boo-lovers out there in blog land; keep using that word when you are talking to your sweetie and your children. And what the hell, I think it’s even cool to call Grandma “Boo”.  She’ll probably get a kick out of it. And when M-W finally figures out what time it is and brings OUR “boo” into the fold, you’ll know that you were partly responsible.

Smooches!

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Posted in Word Of The Day

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