November 28, 2010 – No logo.

Posted on November 28, 2010 by planboy

Oh, Naomi.

I’ve been meaning to read this book for a long time. I admire Naomi Klein, and her intellectual take on most subjects.

That having been said, however, I think I might be a little “too close” to this book’s theme about branding and its impacts.

For that reason, I’m RIDing the book today.

Something else stuck me about this book today. It was written before Wikipedia, before Facebook, before Amazon and other reviews became such a potent force in our internet shopping.

So…the good news is…Naomi’s theme of unthinking consumers rushing towards brands irrespective of quality feels a bit dated to me.

So…here’s to RIDing, and to the hope of informed consumers everywhere.

Posted in Books | Leave a comment

November 27, 2010 – A good man, indeed.

Posted on November 27, 2010 by planboy

Started twice...never finished.

I really enjoyed the Peanuts cartoons as a kid.

There was something that connected with me in a way that other Sunday Morning comics didn’t. In hindsight, it was the adult psychology and timeless philosophies that Charles Schultz connected with. I still enjoy the comics quite a bit.

I fully intended to read this book, a biography of Charles Schultz’s life, but never could get past the first couple of chapters. It was a good read, it just wasn’t connecting with me.

I guess I don’t always care about where the things I love came from.

See below. Patton, as always, says it best.

Goodbye, Charles Schultz biography…inspire someone else please.

 

Posted in Books | Leave a comment

November 26, 2010 – Films not watched.

Posted on November 26, 2010 by planboy

Never watched...never would've...never will.

I received these movies at TED Global this year, and …

New Rule! If I don’t watch something within 6 months of having received it,…

to the RID it goes!

I wonder what other categories of stuff in my life I could apply this rule to…

Hmmm……

Posted in DVDs | Leave a comment

November 25, 2010 – Mini-frig.

Posted on November 25, 2010 by planboy

Seemed the perfect day to give away food storage.

I’ve been hanging on to this unused mini-refrigerator for a number of years.

I thought:

Maybe I’ll use it for storing wine.

Maybe I’ll take it to work to hold bottled water in my office.

Maybe I’ll use it for XX, YY, ZZ,,…

The point is…too many maybes.

So, on this day of excess food, I thought I’d give away excess food storage.

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone. Try not to overdo it.

Posted in Electronics, Kitchen | Leave a comment

November 24, 2010 – Bye, bye Blackberry.

Posted on November 24, 2010 by planboy

Other than raised keys, not sure what I'm gonna miss.

Well – it’s finally happened. I’ve succumbed to iPhone fever.

Got my new iPhone – and that means the Blackberry is headed to retirement.

Here’s to technology that lasts.

As I look at the Blackberry, it’s my reminder to take the opportunity to create and reinforce boundaries between my work and personal lives. To not feel the need to answer every email the minute it comes in, to build time for reflection and solitude, and to think before responding to every “crisis.”

Here’s to healthier relationships with technology in the new year.

Posted in Electronics | Leave a comment

Garbage Anthropology.

Posted on November 23, 2010 by planboy

“The Believer has a fascinating interview with Robin Nagle, who is the New York City Department of Sanitation’s anthropologist-in-residence. Nagle examines the dissonance around waste, and explores the culture of, and around garbage – and how it has changed society through time.

She talks about waste and attention:

Garbage is generally overlooked because we create so much of it so casually and so constantly that it’s a little bit like paying attention to, I don’t know, to your spit, or something else you just don’t think about. You—we—get to take it for granted that, yeah, we’re going to create it, and, yeah, somebody’s going to take care of it, take it away. It’s also very intimate. There’s very little we do in twenty-four hours except sleeping, and not always even sleeping, when we don’t create some form of trash. Even just now, waiting for you, I pulled out a Kleenex and I blew my nose and I threw it out, in not even fifteen seconds. There’s a little intimate gesture that I don’t think about, you don’t think about, and yet there’s a remnant, there’s a piece of debris, there’s a trace.”

Click here for the detes.

Posted in Stories and Articles | Leave a comment

November 23, 2010 – Random marketing books.

Posted on November 23, 2010 by planboy

Seriously...time to go.

Starting to clean out the work library as well now.

The books above are books I’ve kept in my work office forever. But I never reference them.

Time to RID.

As I’ve been preparing to RID my workplace of the extra items I’m holding onto, I’m shocked by how many books there are.

Well, starting today…a few less.

Goodbye random marketing books…find someone new to impart your knowledge upon.

Posted in Books | Leave a comment

November 22, 2010 – Notes on giving. And on the word “meta.”

Posted on November 22, 2010 by planboy

Pre-thanksgiving RID.

My favorite word is “meta.”

My other blog is kind of a “meta blog.” That is, a blog about other blogs.

So…with that explanation, today’s RID is a meta-RID. A RID about ridding.

Someone gave me this book to encourage me to give. And give I have, and am, with the RID blog.

But…I hate the subtitle of this book I’ve decided. I’m not motivated by “leaving a legacy.” When I’m gone, let me be. I choose to live in the moment, thank you very much.

PERSONAL (meta) ANECDOTE: Here’s another meta. This book was kind of a meta itself. A last word if you will from someone in my past. Kind of a lasting legacy about lasting legacies. Meta-meh. But more about that later.

Posted in Books, PERSONAL ANECDOTE | Leave a comment

November 21, 2010 – Randy.

Posted on November 21, 2010 by planboy

Satirical genius.

If there’s one musical artist I think has stood the test of time – it’s Randy Newman.

Stay with me – how many songwriters do you know who’ve done film, pop, symphony and more…and never strayed from the important satirical messages within his work?

From comments on racism, to obsessive TV watching, to colorful commentaries on southern culture and politics, the amazing Mr. Newman has stayed true to what he is…over and over again.

Today, I give his oeuvre to the next person to discover his amazing talents.

Sail away indeed.

Posted in CDs | Leave a comment

November 20, 2010 – Books on culture.

Posted on November 20, 2010 by planboy

Most unread. Time to RID.

I’m fascinated by the things we as human beings do, that then take hold…ultimately to become our culture.

These books above, from sustainable design to web content creation, reflect that desire to learn about the creation of culture.

But…time to RID.

Goodbye culture books who aren’t staying…you’re making room for the ones that are.

Posted in Books | 1 Comment