Personalization vs. Customization

There's so much to be said about great customer service. I'm always awed by companies that go above and beyond to deliver their goods and services. Why? It's just not that common. 

I'm used to customization, it only takes a miniute to change my preference. I ask to swap out blue cheese for chickpeas in my salad, I make my LinkedIn profile private, and I set my camera resolution to 1600x1200.

Personalization, however has an interactive component.  Messages/content are uniquely communicated to individuals. My Gilt homepage is set to highlight my purchase/website visit history, my doorman greets me by my name, and my work desk is adorned with photos of my friends and family. 

After searching high and low, my boyfriend finally found a workbag that met his criteria: unique and durable. The cherry on top? The personalized note. 

tug at your heartstrings

I came here tonight to apologize to the blogosphere for my long absence. But I have to interrupt my own apology with this great commercial. Maybe it's my love for Ingrid Michaelson or maybe it's simply that I have the best dad ever. Regardless, take a moment to watch this commercial.  I promise I'll update more frequently. 

My life on a list.

week 1: Chicago to visit friends and family.

week 2: SPAIN.

week 3: Reorganizing and purging my closet to make room for business clothes.

week 4: End of early retirement. First day of work.   

It has been four years since I've had a cubicle. Pinning of photos, whispering quietely on the phone so not to disturb cubicle-neighbors, storing treats in drawers, lining of shoes under the desk WILL all occur. I'm excited to be working for a company I've had my heart set on, but most importantly, I'll be with two of my best friends. This entry goes out to my most supportive, understanding and funny friends, PV and LL. These two ladies are beautiful inside and out, and I would truly be lost without them. 

Do you know your ABCs? What about mine?

In an effort to break my long absence from the blogosphere, here's my ABC list (from SweetChic Events)


A. Age: 27, 2 months shy of 28.
B. Bed size: Queen size
C. Chore you hate: Cleaning the bath tub and putting away folded clothes
D. Dogs: None, but would love a goldendoodle or labradoodle
E. Essential start to your day: a cup of green tea during the winter or iced coffee during the summer
F. Favorite color: combination of either light shades and a pop of color or dark shades and a soft color
G. Gold or silver: rose gold please
H. Height: 4'11”
I. Instruments you play: Does guitar hero count?
J. Job title: Marketing Manger (remember I said I was waiting to find the perfect job? I scored one!)
K. Kids: None, not ready for another 5 years
L. Live: New York, NY
M. Mom’s name: Ammie
N. Nicknames: Safari
O. Overnight hospital stays: Yes, after a splenectomy in '92
P. Pet peeve: Misuse of your and you're, it's and its, whose and who's, there and their... you get the point
Q. Quote from a movie: "...right now we are here, and nothing can mar our perfection, or steal the joy of this perfect moment". The Time Traveler's Wife
R. Right or left handed: Right
S. Siblings: Older brother and a sister-in-law, both 30.
T. Time you wake up: When bf's alarm goes off
U. Underwear: What about it, do I wear them? Yes.
V. Vegetables you dislike: Okra and red bell pepper
W. What makes you run late: Messed up waterproof eyeliner or mascara
X. X-Rays you’ve had: Teeth, colon, spleen
Y. Yummy food you make: Japanese curry and donkatsu
Z. Zoo- favorite animal: Giraffe (DirectTV commercial's giraffe is the best)

Spring

marked its first day with a rainfall that lasted all through the night and early morning.  I explored the city in my rain boots and visited unfamiliar neighborhoods. 

Drenched and cold, I made a bowl of noodles when I came home. This hot and savory udon bowl was perfect for today's dreary weather.  I used vegetable stock as a base and added hard boiled egg, shrimp tempura and scallions. 

I am a walking contradiction.

I have this irrational fear of balloons. I once almost punched my science teacher during an experiment in high school. When the teacher found out that I had a phobia of balloons and loud noises (ligyrophobia), he came up to my face with a balloon and popped it in my face. I like to remember this incident ending with me shoving him across the classroom.

But I digress.

I, on the other hand, LOVE hot air balloons. I love the colorful look to them and the way they float peacefully in the sky.

Inspira(Tea)ion

Now that I've switched my caffeine source from coffee to tea, I'm always searching for deliciously aromatic, but light tea. Nothing makes my gag reflex react more than a drink that tastes like air freshener or fabric softener. I received an assortment box of Tea Forte for the holidays and I have been rationing them in the past few months.

I couldn't get myself to toss out the packaging, so I scavenged my entire home and cluttered mind to come up with an idea. I am now using these pyramid-shaped boxes as my ring holder. I wrapped three quarters together using double-sided tape and placed them in the center of the box for weight. Then I lined these boxes with paper for a monochromatic look. What do you think?