No Words

Sometimes you don't know what to say when something horrible has happened. You don't know what to say to others. Some of us try to bury ourselves in work and act like nothing has happened.

Last week was a terrible week. All of us kept on moving on, even after we had heard about the bombings at the Boston Marathon. We kept working after we heard about the devastation from an explosion at a fertilizer plant in West, Texas.

But, I think that it took a toll on a lot of us. I know that it has taken a toll on me.

What I hope that we can all cherish from these incidents is the basic goodness of people. I have loved  hearing the stories of people coming to help others in the aftermath of disaster. Hearing about first responders helping people in Boston and in West, Texas, has left me with knowledge that there are many good people in this world.

Mobile Clothes

I found a great article this morning called "Why Your Clothes Need A Mobile Upgrade" on Computerworld.com. The author talks about how our clothes need to be more mobile-device friendly. I often wonder about this, because of the sheer size of iPads and iPhones.

It is very strange, when you think about it. There are bags and briefcases with pockets for devices, but clothes often don't have large enough pockets to comfortably fit an iPhone.

The author highlights several companies who have designed clothing to comfortably and safely fit mobile devices. Check out Scottevest.com and their ingenious vests, pants, jackets and more. 

Image captured from Scottevest.com

How interesting that so many clothing companies have not caught up with the gadget and mobile-media craze...

Bock By Popular Demand

There is a billboard that I've seen a few times in the DFW area. I finally got a chance to pull over & snap a picture. It's a play on words by Lone Star Beer and looks like this:

I enjoy a good play on words. Lone Star has replaced "Back By Popular Demand" with "Bock By Popular Demand".

Smooth Move

I visited a natural food store with a good friend and saw this gem, which instantly made me giggle:

Screenshot courtesy of TraditionalMedicinals.com

I'd never seen "Smooth Move" tea before. It helps relieve constipation & apparently will help things "move".

It reminded me of the beginning of a very funny book by Peter Mayle, an English writer who spent time in the South of France and wrote about his adventures. "Toujours Provence" begins with a funny tale of the author being given a pamphlet with constipation advice from a pharmacy in France.

I love when people write about cultural understanding and misunderstanding, especially when it comes to sensitive issues, like bowel movements.

First World Problems Anthem

A friend's wife posted this recently on her facebook page. It served as a reminder of how some of our so-called "problems", which are really minor annoyances, aren't real "problems".

It's so easy to forget how good we have it. I love the expression "First World Problems" because it reminds me that our current cell phone charging, having to plug in our iPad, etc, problems aren't critical.

I love it when non-profit organizations can take advantage of creative marketing and great ideas. This campaign was created for WaterIsLife.com, a charity that was created to provide clean water solutions to communities in developing countries.

Can't get it up?

A couple of weeks ago, I was driving on the highway on my way to work. Minding my own business, and all of a sudden, I saw one of the best things I've ever seen on a wrapped vehicle:

Photo courtesy of Open Up Garage Doors

My mind was like "What???? I have to see what they're talking about. Speed up! SPEED!"

Now, I was in a construction zone, where the speed limit is 50. I wasn't able to do much speeding, but I made a mental note to get in touch with that company, as that's the best question I've ever seen written on the side of a company vehicle.

Turns out, the "Can't get it up?" truck was from Open Up Garage Doors, a garage door company based in Hurst, Texas.

It still makes me laugh when I think about that truck. Props to Open Up Garage Doors for having the guts to turn heads! Also, thank you to Jenny, their Office Manager, for the picture.

Dr Pepper Ten

Last night I went to my first Dallas Stars hockey game. We had a good time, but I was surreptitiously watching all of the marketing going on most of the time.

According to my family, hockey in the South is not the same hockey that was played years ago in Canada. There is much more of an emphasis on marketing and fighting. But hey, people go to hockey games to be entertained, not necessarily to watch and enjoy the sport.

I think that one of my favorite ads was this one by Dr Pepper Ten:

From Dallas Stars Program

I love the use of Duck Tape spelling out the word "ten" and how Dr Pepper Ten is trying to assert its own manliness with this ad.