Pre-Ramble: Well, on this Oscar eve, I bet you thought I’d be blogging about red carpets, fancy dresses and sparkly bling …

But, no!  I want to give a little shout out to one of the Oscar Nominated Animated Shorts … 

Not talking about illustrated boxers here … I’m referring to “The Lost Thing,” a sweet, lovely, whimsical piece, based on the book by the same name written by Shaun Tan. It’s one of the nominees in the Oscar category for animated short films.  

If you’ve never seen an animated short film up close, I can tell you that they are way more involved that some guy with a sharpie and a sketch pad.  But, don’t take my word for it, take a look for yourself at one of the year’s best short animated films.

The Take-Away:  (I hope it wins the Oscar!)

Post-Note:  OH YAY — It just DID!!

Pre-Ramble:  So, while the snow is still piling up outside and college students are dreaming of their Spring Break trips to sunny and warm places … giant pink and red rose blossoms are springing up along Park Avenue in NYC.

“The Roses” is a whimsical installation by artist Will Ryman featuring 38 “over-sized pink and red rose blossoms”  (shown at right) that cover ten blocks of the Park Avenue Mall between 57th and 67th Streets.

The cartoonish clusters of fiberglass and stainless steel buds are 5 to 10 feet in diameter and have stems that rise up to 25 feet above the street. Several oversize petals are also scattered on the ground up the block; some of which double as lawn chairs. Beetles, ladybugs, aphids and a bee teeter on the stems and peek out from behind the petals, … playfully menacing thorns stick out from the curving stems.

 In their exaggerated scale “The Roses” evokes the Pop sculptures of Claes Oldenburg [the most personally memorable of which is the “Spoonbridge and Cherry” which resides in the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden at the Walker Art Center ... shown below in the snow]  The rose petal surfaces, which are individually painted, [are] bumpy and irregular and underscore Mr. Ryman’s reaction against the slicker works of artists like Jeff Koons and Takashi Murakami.  … “For me, unless the hand is present, humanity is absent from the piece,” says Ryman.

The fanciful flora popped up over night on January 25^th and will remain on site until May 31^st  … Hopefully some actual flowers will be blooming at that point.

The Take-Away:  I’m headed out to the Big Apple in mid-March — Can’t wait to see ”The (Big) Roses”!!

Pre-Ramble:  As the Kennel Club crowd is no doubt aware, this year’s top dog at the Westminster competition was Scottish Deerhound, “Foxcliffe Hickory Wind” … goes by “Hickory” (not him at right). 

The breed has been poetically characterized …

“….. as “the most perfect creature” by Sir Walter Scott, where do we find the essence of this graceful and stately hound? Great stature with greyhound-like curves and a natural, wiry coat with shaggy beard and brows give him a wise appearance and reinforce his natural dignity. Keenness, great speed, and endurance make him formidable in the field. A Deerhound breeder once said that Deerhounds steadfastly believe the best of their humans. Their quiet dignity, readiness to forgive injury and remember kindness, sudden fits of irresponsible gaiety, wistful expression, and unfaltering friendship are their hallmarks.”

The Take-Away:  A well-deserved win — such a sleek and beautiful animal — and totally dominated the “striding-smoothly-while-dragging-the-winded-handler-around-the-ring” event.

Post-Note:  We have a variation on this breed in the Northern Midwestern States … the “Minnesotan Hound-deer.”  These gentle and plentiful varmints closely resemble large dogs and can be seen roaming in herds through backyards, unceremoniously chomping the tops off perennials.

The Hound-deer is but one of the unique species that can be spotted, often from a distance, here in the U.S.  In addition to the Hound-deer, we also have the Cow-bear … Crow-eagle … and the Rock-whale.   … Nothing like an exotic wildlife sighting!

Pre-Ramble: I wasn’t sure about this, but today’s Wall Street Journal cinches it … I love fashion … but only on hangers or models.

In a series on New York Fashion Week, Journal writer Elizabeth Holmes takes us inside the closets of the uber-sub-strata of shoppers who are willing (and able, clearly) to pay full price for the latest runway looks. 

Holmes profiles a couple of gals looking for their perspective on the costs and benefits of being fashion forward. Most of them are in the 40 to 50 year-old age range and lead lifestyles that necessitate a lot of gala-going.

Do the math – Cindy Rachofsky, for example, is a 54-year-old Dallas philanthropist and art enthusiast. She considers her wardrobe “a collection that she is curating” … adding that she hopes “someday someone will find it important and significant.” In recent curatorial activities, Ms. Rachofsky has purchased pieces from deceased British designer Alexander McQueen including a $12,000 gown for a charity event as well as 13 other garments. (14 X $12,000 = $169,029)

That’s Cindy in the photo above, wearing an important and significant Alexander McQueen jacket from the Fall 2010 Collection.  In addition to the fact that the design is possibly inspired by something out of Acme Tent & Awning, I think we can all agree that Ms. Rachofsky is looking very happy, and arty,… we’ll even give her “philanthropic” in those pricy designer threads.  

The thing is – and this is my issue with most designer runway looks – I don’t think they look good on regular people.  Compared to the runway version (scroll down in linked article) which is paired with over-the-knee black scrunched boots and a turtleneck (extra points for that, btw), the look somehow moves from “colorful, edgy and eclectically austere” to “curious get-up.”

It’s not personal.  As far as I can tell, Ms. Rachofsky is a lovely woman … beautiful eyes and smile … decent bone structure …  nice figure, etc. But, I don’t care who you are, the minute you step out of the suspended context of the runway and strut your stuff into the real world, an outfit like that looks ri-dic-u-lous. 

Well, and paired with dyed-to-match shoes and custom-made earrings?  We don’t need to know who Stacy and Clinton are to know that matchy-matchy-ness is so “what not to wear”!  (Even our man Tim Gunn couldn’t make this work.)

The Take-Away:  Fashion is fun.  I secretly enjoy fashion.  Truth be told, as a lowly writer (unlike artists, musicians and curators, we’re SUPPOSED to be dowdy … ) my station and pay grade don’t afford me the opportunity or wearwithall to indulge my inner fashionista as thoroughly as I might like.  Plus, it’s not my gift.  Anyone who knows me knows that most of my attempts at fashion are confined to boxy, off-the-rack, black or grey sweaters.

Post-Note:  The WSJ article also offers this jewel of insight from the young, hip and serially fashionable Christine Chiu. Apparently, Ms. Chiu, who is married to the founder of Beverly Hills Plastic Surgery, goes to events every night of the week — often making multiple wardrobe changes in a single night. She cautions,

“If you’re going to a gala for some kind of disease and then you go to a hip art event, you can’t wear the same thing.”

Gratefully noted.

Pre-Ramble:  Never fear!  If you’re one of those romantics (you know who you are) who has waited until the very last nanosecond to find a way to demonstrate your undying affection to the love of your life this Valentine’s Day, I have found just the thing — BLING! … BIG BLING!!

Yep – you’re off the hook, because this BLING thing is perfect!  … It’s a collection of six cuts and colors of big, sparkly, jewels that twirl at your fingertips on the screen of an iPhone, or work as a photo to share in an email, text message or on facebook. (That’s the heart-shaped Ruby at right … kind of looks like a strawberry jello shot, doesn’t it?!)

You can’t go wrong – one-size-fits-all … it’s zero calories … available 24/7 …

… and it’s CHEAP!  …  at $.99 in the iTunes Store, it’s WAY cheaper than the real bling thing … and the photo version on facebook is totally FREE!  (Your schnookums never has to know … )

See the app in action on the BIG BLING website  OR, go to the new fan page on facebook to copy and paste a BIG BLING Ruby (or any of the jewel images) to share with your favorite sweeties. (Did I mention that it was FREE?!)

The Take-Away:  Add a BLING-y little message and you’re all set … like …  I BLING you! … Happy BLING-entine’s Day! … How do I BLING thee, let me count the ways … Be my BLING-y little Valentine …  you get the idea … Share the love!!  OX

Pre-Ramble:  Who says tough guys don’t go for the sparkly stuff? 

Ever since the Green Bay Packers won the first Super Bowl in 1967, pro football players have cherished and flaunted the commemorative Super Bowl Championship BLING (a Steelers ring shown right … however Pittsburgh has racked up more Super Bowl BLING than any other team with their six wins!)

Each year members of the winning team (including players, key personnel and others) are awarded a custom ring made from yellow or white gold, diamonds and sometimes semi-precious stones. Ring designs traditionally include the team name, logo, Super Bowl number in Roman numerals, and the final score of the game. Click on the following for a rundown of past Super Bowl winners and their respective BLING.

The Take-Away:  On February 6, 2011 (that’s today!), the Pittsburg Steelers play the Green Bay Packers in Super Bowl XLV in Dallas to determine the winner of the 2010 National Championship. What I’m wondering is — if Green Bay wins (like they are doing at the half), will their Super Bowl BLING sport a great big bedazzled block of cheese?? 

Post-Note: Speaking of BLING, … since 1967, the coveted NFL Vince Lombardi Super Bowl Trophy (shown below) which is presented to the winning Super Bowl team, is designed and produced by none other than super-BLING-powerhouse, Tiffany & Company.

Pre-Ramble:  If you want to be a player in this age of long-tail specialization you’ve got to have a “focus” … “content area expertise” … an “identity” … You’ve got to be a “brand.” (And, if you’re Russell Brand, you get to be a Brand brand … ). 

These days, a unique, focused and snappy “presence” is what it takes to gain traction around your agenda. Brand-identity expert Alina Wheeler discusses the evolution of “the brand” in terms of competition for recognition on an individual level … 

“In the competition for recognition, … the battle for physical territory has evolved into the competition for share of mind, … every business [is concerned with] the brand imperative, and even individuals are challenged … to become walking brands.”

Face it, in today’s “velocity of life,” if you don’t have your “elevator speech” polished, practiced and poised, you can pretty much forget about being hired for work, or, at the very least, being memorable in any meaningful way. (Could there be anything more tragic than unrealized memorability?)

Luckily, there are lots of books and businesses out there to help you define yourself personally, professionally, visually, narratively, digitally, virtually …  Writer and business management guru Tom Peters leaves no exclamation point unused in his pointed, free-style, motivational   tome, “Brand You: Fifty Ways to Transform Yourself from an Employee into a Brand that Shouts Distinction, Commitment and Passion!”  Brace yourself for a barrage of pithy (if slightly dated) thought-bites on the new Brand You, like …

• Getting started now: Perform a Personal Brand Equity Evaluation. … And, create a Yellow Pages ad for … you. ( … a what?)
• We need a snapshot: What does Brand You “look” like? “Feel” like?
• The Brand You currency: WOW Projects!
• Commit yourself fully to The Project Life.
• “Inc.” yourself. Mindset: I AM A COMPANY.
• You ARE your Rolodex! … ( … your what?)

K.I. S. S. … Keep It Simple Stupid … Less is more … Others, like the brothers Heath, Chip and Dan, authors of “Made to Stick,” (2007) discuss the properties of memorable, marketable ideas that ”capture people’s attention … and hold it.”  Chip ’n’ Dan claim that the more simple and pared down a concept or idea, the easier it is to understand and remember. Their advice — pick ONE THING, and go with it!

Hmmm … Mother Nature bears this out – most critters have a designated skill-set. Take the honey bee for example, … There are distinctive yellow and black stripes and that whole buzzing thing, … but in terms of primary products and services, they’re all about nectar procurement and processing, with pollination as a by-product. That’s it. You don’t see honey bees diversifying into air travel, insurance, or the cornbread business.

But what about individuals with more than one strong skill-set?  How do multi-faceted folks pare down to their essence in order to generate buzz?  Take Leonardo Da Vinci for example …. Painter, sculptor, architect, musician, mathematician, scientist, engineer, inventor, anatomist, geologist, cartographer, botanist, writer … Here is a guy who is widely considered to be one of the most “diversely talented persons ever to have lived.”  Italian historian Giorgio Vasari gushes … 

 ”In the normal course of events many men and women are born with remarkable talents; but occasionally, in a way that transcends nature, a single person is marvellously endowed by Heaven with beauty, grace and talent in such abundance that he leaves other men far behind, all his actions seem inspired and indeed everything he does clearly comes from God rather than from human skill. Everyone acknowledged that this was true of Leonardo da Vinci, an artist of outstanding physical beauty, who displayed infinite grace in everything that he did and who cultivated his genius so brilliantly that all problems he studied he solved with ease.”

How does a transcendent “archetype of the Renaissance man” pick ONE THING, and go with it?

The Take-Away:  I think there’s value in crafting a simple, resonant brand-identity in today’s marketplace. I just hope that people like Leonardo break out every now and then to show us what else they’ve got.  

Post-Note:  I got to wondering about what Leonardo would do to promote his brand in the 21st Century?  … Go on Stephen Colbert to talk about hydrodynamics? … Chat with Piers Morgan on the scandal surrounding his uncompleted “Adoration of the Magi“? … Dish on Oprah about his BFF Machiavelli?  Surely he’d be a featured speaker at TED, … Would the “Mona Lisa” have a fan page?

Pre-Ramble: According to the National Weather Service, our favorite fuzzy forecaster is going to have one heck of a time plowing his way up to find his shadow in the midst of what is being hailed as an epic ”monster storm.”

As shown on the map at right, parts of nine states — Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin, Michigan and Ohio — are covered by a “patchwork of color-coded advisories and warnings” as freezing rain, sleet, high winds and sub-zero temperatures cut a 2,100 mile swathe through the region. (We’d hate to see Punxsutawney’s silvery pelt pelted with sleet.) Please take note as well, that Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania (marked by a black star) falls in the pink zone, the designated second tier of the “winter storm warning” area.

According to Groundhog’s Day tradition (and wikipedia) …

… Every year since 1887, the town of Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania celebrates the beloved groundhog on February 2 with a festive atmosphere of music and food. During the ceremony, which begins before sunrise, “Phil” emerges from his temporary home on Gobbler’s Knob, located in a rural area about two miles east of town. If Phil sees his shadow and returns to his hole, he will predict six more weeks of winter. If he does not see his shadow, Phil will predict an early spring. After making the prediction, Phil speaks to the Groundhog Club President in “Groundhogese”, which only the Inner Circle – a select group recognizable by their top hats and tuxedos – appear to understand, and then his prediction is translated for the entire world.

Me thinks the Inner Circle has had one too many sips of the “mysterious Groundhog Punch” …  Members of the Inner Circle take care of Phil year-round and plan the annual ceremony. Phil currently has two co-handlers, Ben Hughes and John Griffiths.

Shadow Stats – Of the 114 predictions on record so far, Phil has predicted an early spring 14 times (12%) and according to the StormFax Weather Almanac and other pertinent records, he has been correct 39% of the time.

The Take-Away:  In spite of the fact that the Milwaukee’s Waukesha Elks Lodge has canceled the area’s 103rd Annual Groundhog Day Celebration due to blizzard conditions, I predict that Phil will take umbrage with the weather forecasters this year and successfully buck any storm front fall-out in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania with those pearly-white, world-class incisors.

Post-Note:  Last year, a text service was established to transmit Phil’s predictions… mobile phone users can text the word “Groundhog” to the number 247365. Also, as expected, there is a facebook fan page for Groundhog Day the movie – as of this writing it has 6,810 fans.