You're in Clare Country!

Murphy's Law Strikes Again

    Don't you hate it when the forces of nature conspire with each other to make you look like an idiot?

One Friday night, I was staring intently in my wardrobe, trying to decide what to change into for drinks with an old uni pal (Nicolle).  I had sweated in my t-shirt & jeans that day after a very nice lunch at Becasse courtesy of a research agency.  The unrelenting sun beat down on me as cab after cab passed me by on my way back to the office. 

Back to my wardrobe problem - I was in a panic because Ravi & I had to leave soon in order to get to the Rose Hotel on time.  Ravi suggested I wear what I was wearing yesterday - I hadn't sweated in those clothes (being in air-conditioned comfort that whole day) & my shirt & skirt were hung neatly on a hanger (so I wouldn't need to iron them).  Ravi said the chances of anyone from work seeing me at the bar that night were pretty slim.  I listened to him (in hindsight, why, oh why did I listen to him?!) & so changed into my outfit of yesterday.

When we arrived at the Rose Hotel (Ravi, Lilanee - another uni friend - & I) who did we see but another uni friend (Barbara) sitting at a table inhabited by people from the advertising agency my work does all their below-the-line advertising through!  What made it worse was that I sat through a 4-hour workshop with one of them (Nick) yesterday - in this very same outfit!  I was mortified!  I tried hiding behind Ravi but Nick saw me & came over to give me a drunken hug & kiss.  What are the chances?  What are the chances?  About 98% in my case.

Don't you feel sometimes that Someone 'upstairs' is laughing at you?

Lilanee, Ravi & I ended up catching up with Barbara since Nicolle failed to show up.  Apparently no-one called Nicolle about her email invite (and she was already on holidays when I emailed her back a few days later saying we were coming) so she thought no-one was free to catch up.

Not for the Bush-hearted . . .

I received this from a work buddy yesterday as a Friday funny.  Hilarious!  Click on image to enlarge.

The Real Deal on Research

Last Friday we had one of our monthly product team meetings at work.  I gave my usual update on my area (market intelligence).  To liven it up, I've resorted to giving themes to each monthly presentation I make.  This month's theme was "Why I'm hiding from Beth & Joan." *  I also opened with a slide containing a comic strip of what research is all about - playing with numbers!  Do you agree?

* Beth & Joan (not their real names) are marketing managers who I've been dodging lately because of deadlines of ad hoc research projects they've initiated coming up (so busy I've been of late on more urgent projects - as outlined in my update).

Car Wars

Another example of great marketing (with a sense of humour).....

In South Africa there's a bit of an advertising war amongst the top-end car marketers.

BMW does a bit of self-praise....
AUDI answers....

Subaru steps in to say something too....

The CEO of Bentley does an advertisement that answers all the other advertisements....

Osama is the new Wally

What do you get an American president who has everything?  Why not a little book I stumbled across in Dymocks called, "Where's Bin Laden?"  It certainly complies with his reading age!  Not only does Osama hide within the colourful glossy pages but you can also look for his henchmen (which strangely resemble the 7 dwarfs in Middle Eastern attire) and secret service people.  It's pretty tough.  I couldn't locate Osama in any of the pages (slippery little fellow!) but I found a few of his henchmen and secret service people.

One Man Band

Last Saturday, while out shopping in town, Ravi, Captain Booger Features & I spotted a one-man-band busking at Pitt Mall.  He had all manner of instruments strapped to his back, arms & legs.  It reminded me of Dick Van Dyke's character (Bert) in "Mary Poppins."  He could play instruments simultaneously, etch chalk drawings on the sidewalk, & clean chimneys.  Yet, for all his energy, talent & smiles, there was always a thin blanket of sadness enveloping him, barely there but there all the same.  Did anyone else notice it?

Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No, it's the SUPER HISTORICAL FRIENDS!

I'm slowly building up my collection of superheroes - Einstein, Leonardo Da Vinci (present from Ravi), & Jesus (a great buy at a small store in Glebe).  I call them the SUPER HISTORICAL FRIENDS!  Who needs Superman or Spiderman when you have Einstein's killer logic & quotes, Jesus' magical powers, & Da Vinci's inventions.  I have a hundred stories swirling in my head right now detailing their adventures.  Will let you know when I start posting them on The Storyteller blog.  If you spot any strange action figures in the land of retail, let me know!

Selective Blindness

On Tuesday nights we normally opt for take-out food because Captain Booger Features plays futsal & by the time we get home we're too buggered to cook anything.  Even though the captain didn't play futsal tonight (he had a runny nose and slight cough last night & I didn't want the cold wet weather to exascerbate it), tradition is tradition - we went to a Vietnamese restaurant in Newtown & ordered take-out.  While we were waiting for our food, the restaurant hostess smiled at the captain and said to me, "Your son looks very good."  Now I'm used to receiving comments from complete strangers on how cute the captain looks so I gave her my usual reaction to that comment - an appreciative smile & "Thank you."  But she floored me with her next observation: "He looks just like his father."  What, what, what?!  I glare at Ravi who has the audacity to smile broadly.  What am I?  Chopped liver?!  I looked over at the waiter who was divvying up the tab.  Why was he cracking a smile too?!  This doesn't mean that Ravi is better-looking than me.  It just means that we won't be eating there anymore....

11 + 11 = ?

A very crowded mouse cage!  Last night, Michael gave birth to a new litter of baby mice, possibly 11 in total (hard to tell since she lies on top of them as they suckle from her).  But next weekend, we already arranged it with the pet store who accidentally sold us the female Michael, that they will take Michael & the baby mice (both litters) off our hands.  But we'll keep 3 male mice (and George) so Captain Booger Features can still have some of the family with us.  Good grief!

Feel the Power....of a car freshener!

We recently purchased a car freshener during our weekly grocery shop.  We got Champion by the good people of Ambi Pur (in partnership with Williams F1).  The description of the fragrance is hilarious!  Guess who the target market is for this product....

"This fragrance is for those who have a positive perception of their own power.  It's inspired by the feeling of champagne rain freshness after the victory.  Champion is a superior mix of authority and confidence: powerful herbal notes combined with a sophisticated base of wood and amber."

Picture originally uploaded by almost foodies.