6/28/2006

Adult Nap Time -- A Business?

I was reading someone's squidoo page on sleeping that caught my eye and I wanted to share the info...

Basically, the guy has several stats about how adults almost always consider themselves tired, and hence should take power naps all day. Example data points included:
  • The average adult sleeps under 7 hours a night during a work week.
  • 40% of adults admit that the quality of their work suffers when they're sleepy.
  • 19% report making mistakes and errors due to sleepiness.
  • Sleepy drivers cause approximately 100,000 car crashes annually.
  • 33% of adults surveyed would nap at work, if allowed.
What I found most interesting, though, was the fact that there is actually A BUSINESS (read as: a store) in New York City that caters to the "power nap needer!" It's called Metro Naps
"New York's New Craze: The first daytime sleeping salon in the U.S. Located on the 24th floor of New York City's Empire State Building, MetroNaps hopes to provide a quiet sanctuary where rundown corporate drones can recharge. MetroNaps has become a haven for the stressed cubicle dweller. For $14 a pop, the budding enterprise offers 20-minute naps that guarantee to leave the customer feeling rested."
Does anyone else find this really strange? I can maybe understand a massage or Yoga or something related, but paying $42/hour for a sleep cubicle? If someone actually goes to this or knows someone who does -- PLEASE let me know.

6/26/2006

Printer Recommendation?

Amy and I are in the market for a home printer. It has to be small and doesn't need to do 25 fancy things. It would help if it was one that didn't have ink cartridge refills that didn't cost more than the printer itself and run out after 1 month....

Any Suggestions??

6/21/2006

2006 NBA CHAMPS

I think a previous post (on attending Game 3) summed up a lot of my feelings about the Heat, but below are some quick feelings after the Heat have won their first NBA Championship!

-- After 18 years of hard luck – it feels AMAZING to know that the Heat will finally raise a Championship banner in their arena

-- It also feels great that almost instantaneously after the win, I received about 10 text messages from friends. I guess I’ve done a good job over the years of branding myself a die-hard Heat Fan. I feel like even some of my Knick fan friends are happy for me.

-- Big up to my boy Steve Pugliese, who has shared the 18 year run with me. We’ve both have had some roller-coaster feelings about the Dolphins over the years – but this had never been the case with the Heat. Since 1988 – we’ve been passionate, loyal fans who have always imagined last night happening. Small props to Colediggy who did attend the first game the Heat ever played in 1988 with me (against Dale Ellis and the Supersonics), but has been a Bulls fan over the years…

-- Big ups to my old man, PG. He has gotten season tickets for every year in some way, shape, or form. (The seats we shared with the Puglieses’ next to the old lady were my favorites… Cinnamon Almonds…Cashews…)

Now for the team:

-- Dwayne Wade is getting TONS of hype after his finals performance and he 100% deserves it. Heat fans have known he’s the man for 3 years – now the whole world is privy to that. As I said in my last post, he is officially my favorite NBA Player of all-time

-- Speaking of Dwayne Wade ….. where the hell has Converse been during these finals????? They FINALLY land a superstar that Nike, Reebok, or Adidas do not and they don’t scream this at the top of their lungs during the Finals? Who is running their marketing department?? (Note: Converse is officially owned by Nike, but operated as a seperate brand.Also, Reebok and Adidas are now the same company)

-- I won’t admit that I was wrong about Antoine Walker – but I have to say that he earned my respect. It will never be pretty to watch him in the game, but the guy played a role on this Championship team and for that I must respect him. Shimey all you want Twon …. You earned it.

-- Alonzo Mourning deserved a ring. A lot of people hate him because of his jumping around from different teams in that short spurt – or maybe because he was a little immature when he first got into the league …. But I’ve always loved Zo’s game. Yes, he has the “survivor” story through his kidney troubles – and he deserves every bit of praise for it…. But that’s not why I love Zo. Again – I love his game. He’s a hustler, a defensive force, a role player – does whatever the coach asks of him and doesn’t complain. Last night, possibly his final game in the NBA was a microcosm of all this. He was awesome and exactly what the Heat needed. He’s a class act (not to forget a Pimp dresser) and I’m above all happy that he has finally won a ring.

-- Dwayne Wade was the clear-cut MVP, but large props must go to James Posey who seemed to always be doing something positive for the team. Props also to Udonis Haslem who made All-NBA Dirk look like a Dirk who wouldn’t have made the All-Star team.

To sum up, being a loyal fan for so long, I definitely feel like I’ve won the Championship too. No, I’m not one of those psycho people who actually think they’ve won the ring too – but it just feels grea!. To me, it just proves that if you stick with something and you are loyal with it – that it is rewarded over time….. LET’S GO HEAT! (or should I say CHAMPS)!

6/16/2006

Greatest Accomplishment?

Yesterday, Amy came home and told me a story of how she went to a luncheon that honored 2 people in her industry. At these types of events, they typically talk about all the good things they do both for their company, industry, and most importantly their community. Being the self-reflective person that Amy is, she came home and shared that she was a little sad that she didn't do anything for her community. (and hence wouldn't be honored at a luncheon anytime in the near future)...

Coincidentally, the next day (today) my company sent around an employee survey that asked 7 pages worth of questions - all multiple choice except the last one: "What has been your greatest accopmlishment to date?" .... Um......... Ah.......Um..... Did the answer of "2004 BigTime Fantasy Football Champion" really just pop into my head? And....It's not like "getting engaged to the woman I love" is really an "accomplishment" in the tense of a business survey.....

On the flip-side, to say I've had no true accomplishments is a lie. Graduating with a degree from the University of Michigan is certainly an accomplishment - but is it really "my greatest"? There is a lot of pressure to define your "GREATEST" of all accomplishments...It's almost saying "this is my ceiling"....

So what did I do? I answered "My greatest accomplishment has yet to be discovered."

I recognize this is a unbelievably corny cop-out, but I really couldn't think of any other somewhat satisfying answer. (and refused to spend more than 15 minutes on an internal questionaire)

Am alone here? To help answer this, I'm asking that all readers of this blog leave what they would have answered in that box within the comments section below. (and yes - I know how many people come to my blog each day, so when there are only 2 comments -- I'll know who chickened-out)

6/14/2006

An In-Person Instant Classic

I had waited 18 years for last night... and I'm pretty sure it was well worth the wait.

The Miami Heat are far-and-away my favorite sports franchise of all-time. My father has had season tickets for the Miami Heat since 1988 - the team's inaugural season. I can name almost every player that's every worn a Heat jersey... I have battled through the cellar years (0-17 to start the season), the Knicks Rivalry (including being at "The Alan Houston shot" game), and everything else that has been the Miami Heat journey.

Last night was the franchise's first home NBA Finals game ever --- and I was there! Before the game even started - I turned to my dad and said, "I'm so glad I'm here right now" ... which in hind-sight was the under-statement of the evening...

As a quick overview -- the Heat have inspired me this play-off season by beating all of their prior three opponents in no more than 6 games...Since game 1 of the finals, however, they have been atrocious. They have lacked any sense of confidence and it this has been exposed by a very well-rounded and well-coached Dallas Mavericks team.

Now onto game 3 - In the first half, neither the Heat nor the Mavs looked very good - but the Heat was up by 9 at half-time, so I wasn't about to complain ... The third quarter was a big kick in the nuts ... Dallas outscored Miami by 18 points, flipping the 9 point lead to their advantage going into the 4th Quarter ... 10 minutes to go in the game, Dwayne Wade (already my favorite basketball player of all time after only 3 years in the league), gets his 5th personal foul... The Heat go down 13 ....
During a Heat time-out, my father looks at me and says "If Wade gets his 6th and this lead gets extended -- we're outta here" ... I felt like I got punched in the gut ... not by my dad's statement, but more because I started to feel like the Heat were really going to go down 3-0. But, I wasn't ready to give up ....So I turn to my dad and said "we're not leaving --- you gotta believe!! Do you believe??!!) .... And the rest is well documented in any sports journalism from today... Dwayne Wade was just as amazing as he has been all year .... Udonis Haslem and James Posey played some great defense .... Gary Payton reminds us that he's actually on the Heat... and a 90% Free Throw shooter misses a shot, when a 45% shooter makes two when it counts...

Regardless of what happens in this series -- I will never ever forget being at Game 3 of the 2006 NBA Finals. (Thanks Dad!) For those of you who know how passionate I am about the Heat -- you should know that this game certainly made that passion deeper (if that is possible). I'm an original Miami Heat fan - and will be one until I die...... LET'S GO HEAT!!!

6/13/2006

The Duck Walk

People everywhere do everything in different ways ... Walking, talking, and acting are all unique character traits among individuals...It is with this thought that I feel compelled to bring up "the duck walk."

There are certain people out there who just seem lo lead with their inner thigh (rather than the quadricep or front thigh) and land their foot with a bit of an angle (rather than straight) when they walk...

Fundamentally, I don't have any issues with the walk itself (although I can't say that this wouldn't have been a potential "after first date critique" of someone had I dated them back in the day)
The walk appears to get people from point A to point B just like non-duck walkers.

What I am most curious about is if these "duck walkers" know and acknowledge that they walk differently...Kind of like -- do people with bad breathe usually know and acknowledge that they have bad breathe? No - right?

If anyone has any insight - please leave a comment or email me.

6/07/2006

ATM Fees

When I verified a hunch a few weeks ago - I definitely felt stupid...

Since I began banking as an adult - there has always been a fee for "outside network" ATMs. (I am currently a Citibank customer) In my mind, this has always been the cost for using, say, a Chase ATM...

This is not the case, however. The real fee for Citibank customers using the Chase ATM is $3.00 - which breaks down as $1.50 from Chase (and even more sometimes -- it was $3.00 in Vegas this past week) and $1.50 from Citibank. Now it's pretty clear to me why these two competitors haven't gotten together and come up with a number they agree to split - but I guess I just assumed they had...

6/01/2006

My Idol-Less Rationale

Can 35 Million Americans all be wrong? Probably not, but I just can'’t get into The American Idol Craze with everyone else. (and I'’ve definitely tried!)

It is the most popular TV show in the country and a major pop culture topic, which makes the fact that I do not watch almost a social hindrance. I recognize that I'm clearly in the minority.

This being said, I thought I would try and explain why I, personally, have not been able to get into the show. I want to be clear, though, that I do not intend to bash the show and call 95% of my fiends and family "“crazy" for watching.

Reason #1 --– The Format

- Being in the advertising business, I understand the concept of creating content that keeps an audience tuned in for the full 30, 60, or 90 minutes. This said, I cannot stand the format of the show. 10 minute review of what happened last week, followed by some BS clip of each contestant, a song, some banter with Seacrest, the phone number numerous times, then commercial. The format just doesn't grab me - even with the ability of a DVR.

Reason #2 -- The Judges

"Yo dawg, yo dawg .... Dawg... lemme tell you something dawg... I like your style" Gosh - it drives me nuts.... Randy Jackson is just a loser ..... Paula likes everyone and is just all-around strange (although the fact that she hooks up with contestants definitely ups her value in my book) and Simon clearly revels in the fact that he's an asshole. It's time to get new judges!! On the rare times that I've actually watched the show - I think I've changed channels 90% of the time when it's their turn to speak.

Reason #3 -- I am a bit of a music snob...

Meaning - I have limited knowledge or ability to relate with a lot of the songs that are sung. I like hip-hop and R&B music - mostly after 1995 - so it's rare that contestants are picking songs that I've actually proactively listened to more than a few times. Additionally, the guest artists that come on during the season are no doubt music icons - but very few are often in my personal "top 100 artists of all time" list

That's about it. Again - as the 5th season is officially completed - I still have yet to watch a good portion of one complete season. Maybe next year I'll have to try something else (like betting on contestant futures or something like that) (Sadly enough - I did enter into a small fantasy type American Idol pool with friends a few years ago -- but The Malester found a way to rig it like she does all the pools she runs...If someone has a good idea for next season -- let me know)