Life in Oz

I took the picture above last week while waiting for a lunch date, as the view had that quintessential New York City 'anything can happen here' magic and wonder that's sometimes easy to forget during day to day life.

Last weekend I saw New York through new eyes as my nieces and their cousins brought some Florida sunshine north for a cousinpalooza action packed weekend.

"Wicked"! , Madame Troussard's Wax Museum!, Ice Skating in Bryant Park!, M&M World (only in Times Square...)!, Ferris Wheel at Toys R Us!, Empire State Building!, The American Museum of Natural History! Even riding the subway was a special event.

Kids have the greatest ability to remind us to play and enjoy the ride every single day, and that some of us even live in the Emerald City, where dreams really do come true.

NOW

Life changes fast.
Life changes in the instant.
You sit down to dinner and life as you know it ends.

- Joan Didion, "The Year of Magical Thinking."

The picture above has been in my mind lately, by the artist Ed Ruscha who was once described as having "the coolest gaze in American art." It once hung in my friend Dave's groovy Vernon Street casa in Venice, California; someone who had the coolest gaze, period.

Though Dave left us abruptly for a better place in August 2008, from time to time he makes his presence known, and for me, often that's when I'm in the midst of (or needing to) make a change. As someone who much prefers the wade slowly into deeper waters slowly approach, Dave continues to be that "Do It Now!" voice in my head and heart; the sage of Venice who continues to impact people he never even met.

On Monday, my extended big brother would have turned 50 years old. I have no idea the type of celebration that would have been thrown (or where in the world it might be), but it sure would have been one no one would have missed! His sister Virginia, brother in law Don and nearly 8 year old nephew Owen are going to Lego Land to have fun and play and honor the day, a place Dave always wanted to go to with Owen. Somehow, a fitting place....

Around the globe on February 21, many of us will be raising a fine glass of tequila, Dave's drink of choice, to toast and celebrate DSF, who remains a constant reminder to live life with as much fun, passion and adventure as you can.

And to do it Now.

Tape Delay

When I lived in California my friend Greta often accused me of being "Tape Delay" on the latest news.

Well, back on the East Coast for over a year now, I'm realizing that Tape Delay is, ahem, more of a state of mind with me than time zone based!

So I completely missed the VW ad during the SuperBowl! For those of you who may be a little Tape Delay as well, please check it out below as it will absolutely brighten your day.

And may the force be with you!

Imported from Detroit

There's been a lot of discussion around 'the Future of Advertising.' Fast Company wrote a great article on the subject a couple months ago on the Wild Wild West effect of the internet and digital technology on marketing. Jon Bond, the co-founder of the company I used to work for, was one of the ad industry vets quoted in the article: "Marketing in the future is like sex. Only the losers will have to pay for it."

I saw Jon last week, who recently joined a very fast growing digital content and media agency as its CEO, and laughed with him about his quote, telling him that he was Twitter before Twitter -- he always talked in 140 character or less soundbites!

Watching the Super Bowl last night, it sure did seem like the great Super Bowl ads were something of the past; 'Big and Dumb' as my friend Dave would have said. Until I saw the Chrysler ad.

Not about selling a car. About not giving up.

Girl Power

The little girls in my life have plenty of girl power. Katy just got named Rotary Club student of the month for her report on Paul Revere, and is the type of girl who - despite entering the turbulent age of tween mean girls - is a natural leader with a beautiful heart, who is nice and fair to others. Ellie, "Sporty Spice", my sister and I are dubbing mini Bill Gates for her love and knowledge of technology gadgets. While my sister and brother in law are still on AOL, Ellie enjoys skyping me (typically when I am in the next room), sending me music files and somehow texting and phoning me on a free app she discovered for her iTouch. Carly has a beautiful voice, brings wearing pink to a whole new level, and just broke a record in selling girl scout cookies for her Brownie troupe, over 550. Oh, all the places you'll go.... The whole world is ahead of them!

Not the case for millions of other little girls in the developing world where their future consists of not being educated, vaccinated, valued, and often marrying and becoming pregnant before the age of 15. Nancy Gibbs wrote a poignant essay in TIME this week that says: "If you want to change the world, invest in girls."

In her story, she writes of a new initiative from the UN Foundation called Girl Up that aims to mobilize American girls to raise money and awareness to fight poverty, sexual violence and child marriage. Girls helping other girls, what an amazing idea! "...And one at a time, a rising generation of American girls helps create the next generation of leaders, for the upcoming quiet revolutions."

With the collective girl power of all the Katy, Ellie and Carlys of the world, you already know this is an idea whose time has come.

Possibilities

Things have felt a bit upside down in the world this week. It was announced that Punksatawney Phil didn't see his shadow - no more winter! - the same day photos were shown of abandoned cars on Lake Shore Drive after the latest blizzard buried the Midwest.

The unrest and chaos in Egypt, and various Middle East scenarios have created a ripple of uneasiness touching us thousands of miles away. My favorite column, Dot Earth, explored a 'what if' scenario involving oil, and what this could mean.

Brighter days ahead? It didn't seem like it this week.

Though yesterday, another announcement was made - amazingly, over 1,200 new planets were discovered (!), including 54 that are in habitable zones similar to earth. "It boggles the mind" said the lead scientist.

"There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio,
than are dreamt of in your philosophy..."