Friday Find: BOND

A while back I posted about this cool handwritten note project, Snail Mail my Email. (Did I mention that I even received one? #awesome.)

While that was a limited-time project, now there’s BOND.

BOND sends handwritten notes (and gifts!) to people, straight from your phone. Their tagline? “You type it, we write it.”

While they do charge $5 per note – it’s totally worth it. Its just about the same cost as a nice card – and you don’t have to write it or address it. Or find the stamp, which is generally my failing.

Plus, you can sync the app with your calendar, email, FB, the like – so you don’t miss an event. The cards they send are simple and classic, clean white stationary with gold embossing.

And yes, there are days when I am so busy I need a service that sends stationary for me. 

Their gift selection is fairly diverse, and it’s best described as the love child of restoration hardware and anthropologie. Prices range from $20 and up.

There is a code for sending a free note – so it’s worth checking out.

And of course, I love apps like this, because #ilovepaper.

 

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Book Review: Work Trip Reading

So I’ve been on the road for the last week for work. Which kept me away from doing things I like (i.e. writing on my blog) but it did give me some time to catch up on my reading.

I just finished Cover of Snow by Jenny Milchman.

Being totally honest – this book isn’t anything mentally mind-blowing or life-changing. It’s more of a good thriller read – sort of like beach reading meets Richard Castle.

It’s set in a small town in the Adirondacks area of New York — and centers around Nora, whose husband kills himself in the opening pages of the book. Then there is an uncovered fishing hole, hidden basement rooms, the lurking police force…if you have ever been to a small mountain town, you should be starting to get creeped out…

The start of the book was a bit slow, but it picks up halfway through. I won’t give more of the story away, but I will say it has a few twists and turns that I wasn’t expecting.

It’s not as good as Gone Girl, but I would give it a solid B+.

Now, I just need a new work trip and a new book to read…

Friday Find: Catfish

So…I might have developed a slight fascination with the MTV show Catfish…

Why? Because there’s nothing better to do during your birthday weekend than watch trashy reality tv…

Oh, and I might have definitely downloaded the original Catfish documentary and watched it too…DON’T JUDGE.

So. What exactly is a “catfish”?

Well, according to the original documentary, catfish used to be packed into shipping containers with other live fish to help keep the live fish alive during shipping. As one man in the Catfish movie said, he’s grateful for the catfish in life because it would be dull and boring without a fish nipping at your toes.

So a “catfish” is a person who keeps you on your toes.

OR NOT.

A catfish is a person who pretends to be someone else online, usually for the purpose of entering into an online romantic relationship. Like, say, what happened to Manti Te’O.

(And seriously, MTV could not have planned the premiere of Catfish and the leaking of the Te’O story any better unless they had actually planned it themselves.)

So what fascinates me about Catfish?

• Some of these people are in year-long relationships with people they have never ever laid eyes on in real life before…like, ever. I mean, I suppose its the modern day equivalent of being pen pals with someone…but lets be real. “I don’t have Skype” just doesn’t cut it anymore.
• It’s not like this is the age of AOL. Do a Google search image search people! Or just a basic Google search. Ask my mother—she’ll tell you it’s the first thing you do when you (or in her case her daughter) starts dating someone. Are the people getting scammed really this naive and they don’t google? Or, am I just always thinking the worst?
• That there are actually people who are crazy enough to catfish someone. Every time I watch the show, and the person on it has something insane like 32 fake online profiles, all I think is, “do people like this really exist?” Catfishing someone is just so…wrong.

The people who get scammed on the show are so…likeable and endearing and I always really want it to work out for them…but then I think to bullets 1&2 above and I’m like “get smart people!”…and you know the bad ending is always coming but you can’t stop watching.

Guilty pleasure? Yes.

Fascinating? Completely.

The first season of Catfish has ended, but you can watch all the episodes online…perfect for a Catfish marathon.

Blinding Nemo

Or, as us Rochester people refer to it, “winter.”

Given that I live practically in Canada, I shouldn’t be in the least freaked out by winter storm Nemo. But since I’m high maintenance unprepared for snow, I’m hiding out at my parents house for the weekend. Meaning, I need to be someplace with rations, both the food and crushed grape variety.

And since there is only so much L&O: SVU I can watch (hulu+? LOVE IT), I’ve discovered SEVERAL amusing things on the interwebs during my stay at Cellar Klem.

1. A CNN article which refers to people in California needing “tire chains” since there was TWO INCHES of snow on the ground. Man up, California. 
2. This odd but sort-of-worth-coveting iPad toilet paper stand. It’s just what I need to complete my shoilet.
3. And Maleficent is only 14 on this countdown of the Disney crazy? Although the creepy coachman from Pinocchio is straight out of an episode of Criminal Minds crossed with an acid trip.
4. Lil’ Kim. WTF? You did this to your face? ON PURPOSE? That girl is cray cray.

And my most favorite thing.

(So far.)

The. Best. Bachelor. Recap. Ever. Can I be friends with this guy? Please? Pretty please? You had me at “homeless pirate with a latte.”

Now, if you excuse me, I’ve got some more L&O to catch up on.

Book Reviews: My Vacation Reads

One of my favorite things about traveling is that it gives me the opportunity to read things. Things I actually want to read. Like books. Opposed to what I get to read all day long, which is white papers and research reports and creative briefs and excel spreadsheets.

Here’s the list I read through on the scuba trip.

1. The Front Porch Prophet by Raymond L. Atkins — This one had a slow start, but I loved how the story unfolded. The story is about two childhood friends, one battling terminal cancer and the other battling his friend’s request to help end his life. The story is told in a mix of present day and flashbacks, and as much as it deals with a heavy topic, it was full of humor. 
2. The Round House by Louise Erdrich — I honestly couldn’t put this down. There’s crime, Native American politics, friendship, and a really good ending, although not necessarily a happy one. Normally I read the end first, but this time I made myself wait, and it was worth it.
3. Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk by Ben Fountain — I have mixed feelings on this book. Mostly because it was hard to read to the end, but I wanted to find out what happens. It follows a young Iraq war veteran as he attends a Dallas Cowboys football game and the accompanying halftime show. This book will make you think.

Oh, and I also read Merry Christmas, Alex Cross. Not the best Alex Cross, but it was a good, quick read for on the plane.

Right now I’m reading Cover of Snow by Jenny Milchmann. But, I probably won’t finish it until I go on my next vacation. Which, with my work schedule…looks to be never.

What is on your reading list?

Five Songs that Make Me Get Up & Dance

Bad day?

Just get up and have a five minute dance party.

You’ll feel better, I swear.

Need some jams for a soundtrack?

Here’s what I’m loving right now.

1. “Safe and Sound,” Capital Cities. The opening chords just make me smile. 
2. “Internet Killed the Video Star,” Limousines. Infectious. Positively infects you with happiness. Plus you get to be a total hipster when you listen to this.
3. “Va Va Voom,” Nicki Minaj. Not a huge Nicki fan, but damn she makes some catchy songs.
4. “I Knew You Were Trouble,” Taylor Swift. I’m a girl. By default, I like Taylor Swift.
5. “Always on Time,” Ja Rule & Ashanti. Whenever I hear a really bad rap song, I think, ‘whatever happened to Ja Rule?’ The good news is he gets out of jail in a month. Don’t judge, I love me some Ja Rule.

A Great Date.

Its come to my attention that I tend to rant (and never rave) about dating.

And before anyone gets confused and thinks I’m just super high-maintenance and impossible to please…I’d like to present evidence from what I consider a really good date, circa summer 2012.

Cheerwine cherry soda. Some ginger ale. Mini mason jars full of booze, and two cups.

Add in a hike up to the top of Cobbs Hill to sit at the reservoir, a chance to look at the city, have great conversation, and stare at the stars. I’m putting a mark in the “win” column.

And it didn’t even involve parking.

Watch Out for the Nice Guys Part 2

It’s the nice guys that get you, EVERY TIME. They start out all nice and normal and romantic, and then you wake up one day and they do something super classy like call it off over text message.

The latest?

He is on to what’s “next!” because I didn’t offer to pay for parking.

(No, you are not hallucinating.)

Oh, and I found out via his FB status update. So while I’m asleep dreaming of the next date, he’s posting the “she didn’t even fake offer to pay for parking, next!” to FB, knowing that I’ll likely see it the next morning.

Almost as good as the time I was broken up with via FB relationship-status change…NOT JOKING HERE EITHER.

PARKING. IT WAS THE SECOND DATE. Are you sh*tting me, life?

I have several thoughts.

1. Do you want the girl that pays for parking, or the girl you have a really awesome connection with and can’t stop thinking about? I like to think it’s the second, especially since you talked about how awesome it is that I’m career driven, I volunteer all over the city, and I look great in a mini skirt. Oh, and there were the multiple ‘thinking about you,’ ‘can’t wait to see you,’ ‘daydreaming about you’ text messages I received.
2. I offered to pick up the rest of dinner, which, btw, you paid for with A GIFT CARD. And, when you refused, I acknowledged that you had paid the first and second date. Which, if you remember from the multiple cupcakes and brownies and beers I had brought to your house in the past because we actually never went on a date, just watched movies, was probably a sign that I was going to do something nice for you in return. Now, I know the remaining $5 on the dinner bill plus tip isn’t the same as the $7.50 that parking cost, but if you’re looking for the arbitrary “fake attempt” to pay, pretty sure it happened.
3. Also, you DO NOT purposefully play the obscure band that we both like on the ride home from dinner, give me an amazing kiss goodnight, and tell me you will see me again soon if you are planning to post about parking on FB. THIS IS NOT OKAY.
4. Are you really willing to write me off so quickly without even allowing me the opportunity to do something nice for you in return? Sorry for draining your bank account over the course of two dates. So while you’re bemoaning the two dates we went on which you claimed were amazing, I’ll be doing something really amazing for someone who will actually appreciate it.
5. It was the second date. I’m generally on my best behavior (which, apparently, doesn’t include paying for parking) on the second date because I’d like to go on a third one. SECOND. DATE. As my y-chromosome enabled friends have informed me, dates 1 through 5 are supposed to be amazing so I want to keep dating you. They also think paying for parking is a “man” thing and that I just dodged a bullet.

Oh, and btw buddy, you just posted on your FB wall about how cheap you are, so good luck the next time you try dating.

Friday Find: Sole Society

Okay, so this isn’t exactly a new find…but its something I’ve meant to post up for a while.

We all know how I feel about shoes – pretty much have never met a pair that I didn’t like.

(Except for kitten heels. Those are just wrong. Everything from the heel height to the name has “wrong” written all over it.)

Which is why Sole Society is great.

Here’s what I like about it:

1. Variety: They have everything from sky-high platforms (love!) to everyday flats – and the collections are updated each week. Right now I’m really into all the neons they feature.
   
2. It’s non-subscription based: Unlike ShoeMint, Sole Society doesn’t require you to have a subscription where you are auto-charged each month.
3. Affordability: Most shoes on the site are either $50 or $60. Which, given the way I wear my heels (which is til death do us part and through the snow), is a pretty good deal. Plus, I like to change up my style based off what’s trending, but I never usually don’t have the cash to drop on a pair of Manolos.

What I don’t like about Sole Society:

1. Shipping & Returns: There is free shipping to you, but only free return shipping if you take store credit. If you want a refund, they charge you an $8 “restocking” fee.
2. Heel height: I can’t believe I’m saying this…but sometimes their pumps have heels that are a bit too high, even for me. Since when is “five inches” a professional height heel, unless you’re a “dancer”?
3. No personalized recommendations: There isn’t any system to provide shoe recommendations based of what I’ve previously purchased, or what shoe I’m looking at currently. There is a “you may also like” feature, but I feel that every time I’m on the site it just shows me a random assortment of shoes.

Overall, I’ve been happy with Sole Society so far – although I ended up sending one pair of shoes I ordered back, I did find a super cute pair of black suede boots that I love (and hence have been wearing to death) and have gotten a ton of compliments on. Even if you don’t purchase a pair, the site is worth checking out.

Happy shoe shopping!

Feeling Liberated.

Good thing I have no fear of walking headfirst, eyes open, into disaster.

Have an amazing Thursday.

xo,

CP.