On Dreaming

Would you like me to work for you?

 Oh hello. Have I mentioned lately that I am a freelance writer? And that I would love to work for you?

I can help you with:

• Blog posting
• Writing test questions for a book you're publishing
• Writing chapter summaries for a book you're publishing
• Pitches
• Marketing materials
• Proofreading documents
• Responses to RFPs

What's that now? You have a job for me? Email me at janice.rodden@gmail.com.

Tory Burch Selma Boots

This morning as I was exiting the subway, already thinking about my second cup of coffee at my desk, I stopped in my tracks. The most perfect riding boots. Swoon. The gentle swoop at the top that cups into your leg. The buttery leather. The classic toe shape with just a teensy bit of heel to give it some structure. The flash of gold.

I normally make it a point not to talk to people I don't know before 10am. But for these I had to make an exception. I tapped the girl on the shoulder (even though she was clearly rushing to work) because I had to know what they were and where they were from. I had my suspicions of Tory Burch from the signature gold circle emblem adorning flats around the city all summer long. After I gushed about how amazing her boots were, the girl in question gave up the goods. They were Tory Burch Selma riding boots. I think I'm in love.

To Tweet or Not to Tweet

I recently purchased an iPhone, and am totally obsessed with its brilliant technology. As such, I commonly strike up conversations with people about what apps they have on their iPhone or Droid in my constant quest to find the next cool thing to make my life a little more fun or easier. I’ve found that I get one of two reactions to this line of questioning.

1.      I meet a common spirit who eagerly whips out his or her own device and starts chattering away about favorite games, or subway navigation tools, or music

2.      I am on the receiving end of a rant about how technology is ruining our lives

The latter usually includes remarks about how Facebook puts too much personal information out there for the world to see, and they are sick of being bombarded by stupid updates about what people they don’t even like are eating for dinner. They do not need to broadcast their lives to the world. Or they rant about how useless Twitter is, and how society is disintegrating into 140 character blurbs (this is always accompanied by misuses of the word tweet: especially tweeted, twit, twittered, etc.).  Then the whole thing is summed up by making fun of people’s statuses posted on Facebook, or questioning the legitimacy of news stations who post headlines to twitter before running them on TV.

My response is usually two fold. Facebook implemented privacy settings and the unfriend button for a reason. If you’re not using them, it’s only because you are A. too technologically unsavvy to be on Facebook in the first place, or B. Covering up your secret fascination with the lives of those you claim to hate with a thin veil of disdain. As for Twitter, it’s called creating a tweet when you post and it is a valuable way to harness news sources with up to the minute coverage that you choose to follow. No one is going to twist your arm into reading what the Kardashians are posting. You can even sign up to follow others, and don't even have to post anything yourself. These are vehicles of social media that allow wonderful feats of keeping in touch that were quite simply not possible even as recently as when I started college.

Where’s your sense of wonder? I mean, lets be real here. The internet was invented (invented!!) during our life times, and now things are advanced enough that I can get my phone to “listen” to a song, identify it’s singer and title, and let me download it on the spot in seconds. I can take a picture of an unfinished Sudoku, and receive a result key. I can play scrabble against friends in real time on different continents. What is so wrong with that?

Things change. The world becomes more globalized. You can choose to jump on board and keep up with the times, or be left behind with all those people who were too stubborn to learn how to use a computer because it was just a passing fad.  Look at how well that turned out for them.

And for the record, my favorite apps are: Facebook, Fruit Ninja, Shazaam, Pandora, Words with Friends, DerManDar, Twitter, and Istaverse.

Breast Cancer Awareness Month

It's October, which means breast cancer awareness month. Do you part to Save the Tatas this year. Make a promise to the lady in your life if she gets screened. Bribes for a good cause are totally acceptable.

Or, if you'd like to make a monetary donation, my alumni committee is walking in the Making Strides Against Cancer walk this year. Our goal is to raise $20,000 towards a cure. To date, we're up to $4,351. Help Fordham reach our total here. 

Whether to Feather

So you've seen it on everyone this summer, little glints of feather popping out here and there. I've noticed the trend sprouting out everywhere from Bonnaroo all the way to NYC. I love it, but naturally, I had a few questions. Over the summer they were pops of bright pink and green. Now that fall is here? Creamy cafe au lait tones, and deep browns that blend with hair.

My first thought, was where are all the feathers coming from? They're rooster, ostrich, turkey or pheasant. Any it turns out they're the same variety used in deep sea fishing lures. The fishermen? They're a little peeved that tackle shops are running out of hackles because the fashion industry has been snatching them all up.

If you're itching to get some feathers in your tresses, here's a few things you should know. You can style as usual. Wash. Dry. Curl. Repeat. Most salons offer their services. For a feather fling, pick you a snap in set for happy hour at $25 a pop from companies like Sutra Hair Accents. Remove for your board meeting the next day.

If you have 3 minutes and 12 seconds

Listen to Green Lights by Aloe Blacc. It's off of his new album Good Things, and for me it was love at first listen. I've been an Aloe Blacc fan since I heard his catchy theme song to HBO's How to Make it in America, "I Need a Dollar." But his last album, Shine Through, wasn't worth listening to straight through. You can read my opinions about it in this post. But Good Things? I listened to the preview of all the songs on iTunes, and before I knew it I had the whole album downloading to my iPhone. There are notes of Jackson Five motown, and straight soul. This one's my favorite.

But this one is great too! Have a listen (if you have 4 more minutes and 14 seconds to spare).