Rex & Co. (fka Laura Bo Creative)

Category: Brain Dump

  • Tell Her I Hate Scary Movies…

    Tell Her I Hate Scary Movies…

    The below is an email I sent in response to someone who was part of a team dynamic I was getting to know. I was brought in because of my previous work. Edited for privacy.

    Here’s my take — FUCK NO. She can take her satisfaction and eat it. 

    As far as answering her questions, I could ask the same thing except I don’t have to. I will not spend more than 20 minutes addressing this situation past this email. 

    After that point, I will move along and do my thing, and do what I am good at (noted below). If she wants to play difficult, she picked the wrong person to do it with. 

    She knows how to do keywords – that’s cool. SEO, PPC, and Advertising are successful when the brand, the messaging, the platform and the target are aligned. Right now, based on what I have seen and heard — they are not. So let’s get on with it…

    *I think there are still some unanswered questions about Laura, and I think for me, those questions are do the skills that it takes to fill a concert hall translate to the skills that it takes to sell a subscription technology product?* 

    holy toxic hellhole. this is a fucking startup, and calling bullshit is an important part of my skillset.

    *And also, what functions would she perform?* 

    i don’t perform, and I am not a robot. I am a person, and clearly I am here to remind everyone that your product is also for humans.

    *I kind of struggled to get an answer out of her when I put that question to her when first we spoke. She said well I kind of do everything and so I said well do you do paid media and she said no I don’t do that and I said will you do PR and she said no I don’t do that* 


    The ability to do everything, and having a preference and/or skillset are NOT mutually exclusive. In the current context, I see that the best use of my time is to stop wasting time and resources. Let’s start with the messaging, solidify the audience on both the product front and fundraising part.  Pitch Decks -take that off of Founder X’s plate so they can focus on the product. Adjust and expand on the decks –  Work with you (Founder Z) to align the lanuguage in the upcoming fundraising campaign. Prepare for it.  Evaluate the current “resources” that are available that she still hasn’t made available and stop wasting everybody’s fucking time.

    *so is it content?* 

    yes

    *Is it business development?* 

    duh it’s a start-up in the fundraising and product development stage…

    *Is it email, social, higher level strategizing?* 

    all of the above, why is this even a question? Higher level strategy is the fucking top, it dictates the email, the social, the ads, etc. I don’t care how many fucking keywords you put in a website, if it doesn’t connect to the right investor or the user, or command some type of attention it’s wasted money. also impressions are trash.

    *And what support will she need?* 

    none from her. I will need information, and open communication from all parties involved if anyone expects me to stay on the project, let alone for free. ‘Founder X’ has been an absolute pleasure to interact with, and has provided me with plenty to dig into. 

    *Will she need design support, copy support, what is it?* 

    no, not at this point in time.

    *So those questions are still unanswered for me and I can’t full-heartedly give my blessing until those questions are answered to my satisfaction.*

    As previously mentioned She can take her blessing & satisfaction and eat it. 

    Cheers! 

    Me.

    P.S. As a Chief of anything, this is petty AF. Girl needs to do her research. The passive aggressive digs are sad. I am not here to prove myself. Her immediate need to defend and deflect is just screaming red flags at me. I will build a temp site myself at this point, a brand guide is future shit. The waitlist WILL be better, and people will TRUST your brand and product.

    death to the ego. call me whenever. 

    I am not meant for the land of corporate. that’s ok. all of this made me realize that I don’t do what I do for the credit, I’ve spent most of my career having other’s claim my work, sitting back waiting for someone to notice. But I’m not here for that these days. I noticed. I am the problem FINDER, gap filler, and solutions expert. I want to be in and out before I get bored. Those who have taken my advice have succeeded. I like to shake shit up, force people out of their comfort zones, and call it how I see it.

    END RANT. for now.

  • The Age of My Darkness

    The Age of My Darkness

    The age of my darkness is coming to an end — perhaps not forever but at least for now. The days are getting shorter, and the air is getting crisper. The birds are calling, and the trees gently whisper. The forest is a place to rest. I have found a place I can feel my best.

  • Rex’s Room – The Original Concept Notes

    Rex’s Room – The Original Concept Notes

    In 2021 I set out to open a place in the neighborhood, it got lost in the chaos of life, and has since evolved, but these are the notes.

    It’s meant to be the village hub, about “It takes a village”.
    And I keep coming back to the mixing of generations and cultures. 
    A place for parents to be people, A place for people to be people

    Raise your hand if you have/want kids
    Raise your hand if you know someone who has kids
    Raise your hand if you have been bothered by kids in a restaurant.
    Raise your hand if you have judged someone with kids in a restaurant. 

    I would imagine there are a lot of hands raised right now…

    The vision had a corkboard wall dedicated to spreading kindness, joy, support, advice, as well as community resources like workshops, classes, etc.
    Write out the “manifesto” what would we write on the wall when you enter, what is the purpose, why are we here? 
    “Be gentle with other generations” – community board with notes –

    What is one thing you wish people would stop saying about your generation?
    What is something you don’t understand about other generations?
    Ask a question to another generation.
    And then also include a generation chart and polaroids of multi-gen visitors (self-submit).

    NOTE: How can we accommodate different generations?

    This led me down a path of research post-baby. Going to a restaurant with a baby was an extreme anxiety-inducing event for me. There had to be another way — I was given a book called Hunt, Gather, Parent by Michaeleen Doucleff and it felt like fireworks and lightbulbs. Notes from an internet dive into related issues such as family dining and child development coughed up some of the below notes.

    Kids learn emotional regulation from us, but some of us don’t get to learn it from anybody else, so who are we supposed to learn it from? 

    “It’s that we all have different definitions of what is appropriate and expected in a public space, and often that changes depending upon the mood you’re in, the stress you’re under, and how the planets are aligned.” Via article on Scarymommy circa 2016/2020 here

    Bon Appetit Article Sources/Refs:

    https://www.todaysparent.com/baby/postpartum-care/the-excruciating-loneliness-of-being-a-new-mother/ (2018)

    https://www.vox.com/features/23191527/urban-planning-friendship-houston-cars-loneliness (2022)

    https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/1745691614568352

    https://www.heart.co.uk/lifestyle/parent-sparks-debate-selfish-let-children-cry-restaurants/

    Quote to respond, which came from the original post via buzzfeed as of April in 2023 https://www.buzzfeed.com/rossyoder/restaurant-etiquette-for-2023

    Ross Yoder -> NY-based food editor. Say hello — ross.yoder@buzzfeed.com

    https://www.parents.com/is-it-ok-to-bring-kids-food-to-restaurants-7506891

    One solution could be to never go out to eat until your kids are in college. But then they miss out on the valuable lessons that can be learned in a restaurant setting, such as how to behave themselve

    s in public and use their manners. Another solution—sharing a meal or letting your kids eat off your plate.

    Using their manners article – 22 manners your kids should know? WHY? https://www.parents.com/kids/development/social/25-manners-kids-should-know/

    How restaurants can create a more inclusive experience for kids with autism article is here

    “The relationship between children and restaurants is always going to be slightly strained. It’s nearly impossible for a restaurant to cater successfully to everybody, and one of the most obvious clashing points is always likely to be that between young families and people who don’t like the presence of children.”  https://www.them-apples.co.uk/2010/03/should-kids-be-allowed-to-eat-in/

    https://abcnews.go.com/GMA/Family/kristen-bell-lets-kids-order-nonalcoholic-beers/story?id=101661812

    What happened to American parenting?

    I spent the better part of 2020 at home with my boyfriend and my pets, online scrolling, consuming content, and being isolated like the rest of the world. My anxiety has skyrocketed. 

    “No parent goes to a restaurant and wants their child to misbehave. Not a single parent.”

    Every parent has a horror-story about a meal gone wrong – https://www.austinchronicle.com/food/2017-03-03/the-difficulties-of-dining-with-kids/

    “In many ways, the innovation of the children’s menu changed the ways that families move through public spaces, for better and for worse. Indeed, the children’s menu is the story of America, from Manifest Destiny to the postwar baby

    The Brain Dump

    Given my background in branding and marketing, I like to tackle strategy backwards. Here were my notes for an ad campaign and/or pitch deck about the project concept:

    Calling Ridgewood parents

    Rex’s room – a place for parents to be grownups and parent at the same time

    First and foremost we are kid fucking friendly. 

    The space was created for parents to be able to feel like an adult without having to find a sitter or feeling like they are disruptive in a regular cafe setting. 

    First time parent? We got you. 

    Thinking about kids? We got you.

    Looking for comfort classics? We got you. 

    Picky eater? We got you. 

    Call it a practice place. But we also serve beer & wine, seltzer and non alcoholic stuff DUH. 

    Private nursing rooms that are not a toilet. 

    Private stalls like rolo’s or something like phonebooth style for nostalgia (this would probably be more expensive since they would need to be soundproofed) 

    Sound Proof Space or Dining Space for a larger group, a meeting, etc. 

    Private events ?

    How to be a community space but also profit? 

    Minimal overhead & staffing

    Partner with local spots for vendors and food

    What kind of random shit do we sell that’s profitable?

    Easy classics 

    Drip coffee

    Chicken nuggets

    Grilled cheese Add apple

    How do you create a space that makes parents feel relaxed, and also is engaging enough for kids to stay occupied but not overwhelming?

    Interior design and sound muffling, ceiling design, 

  • Dear Parents – part deux

    Dear Parents – part deux

    The following was an email sent to the parent community at my kids school.

    Hi Parents & Friends!

    Laura Rex, back again with some updates, ideas and general thoughts.

    It’s a new year and for me personally it has been an absolute dumpster fire so far. If we haven’t gotten to know each other yet, that’s cool. There is always time. For those of you I have gotten to know, I appreciate you. We might not be cut from the same cloth, but everyone loves a good quilt. 
    Now let’s get some of the admin and reminders out of the way👍

    It’s Tuesday, and the 2nd Tuesday of every month is FAMILY NIGHT at The Seneca. After lots of chats with different folks, I am stoked to share that Family Night is becoming a weekly, we are adding a VCR for that nostalgic 📼 VHS goodness, and revamping some of the deals. Hope to see you there 🎉 


    The 2nd Annual *school* Auction will take place April 7-13 2025, and we need help with sourcing and collecting donations — There is a quick survey HERE for preferences and auction ideas, do me a favor please and check it out. If you have an idea, we want it! Want to promote your business, let’s do it! Know someone who might be interested, let us know!

    In Other News:  THANK YOU to everyone who donated to the parent fund. Back in November I used one of my awkward tokens to ask the community for a monthly contribution ($5/month was the suggestion), and I was blown away at the response. We raised $1100 collectively! ROUND OF APPLAUSE. 

    The $ will be covering the following: All teacher appreciation initiatives, Special events & Supplies (Holiday party, Spring Picnic, Moving Up Ceremony, etc), Ideas have been floated about Leaving a cushion for the crew next year to get started, or donating the leftovers to fundraising, Insert your COOL idea here (but really in the form I will share soon). 

    Let’s Be Real. Hi I’m Laura. 


    I believe that transparency is the best policy – so for me you get what you get at all times, in all places. I have ADHD, I’m on the spectrum somewhere, I am awkward, often loud, brutally honest, filled with love, ideas, and questions. I ASK A LOT OF QUESTIONS. I use “curse” words regularly, and I do my best to not offend people, but I’m generally an unfiltered person. If you have met me, you’ve probably seen me cry (no shame here). 

    In 2024, the Surgeon General issued an advisory related to parenting, so if you are feeling alone in how stressful this shit is, YOU ARE NOT ALONE! 

    We were all people before we were parents. Parenting is fucking hard, and it has recently come to my attention that many of us have been looking for a village, a friend, or literally any type of connection — So let’s connect! 

    Please don’t mistake this for me expecting everyone to be my “friend”, but some of y’all peaked in high school and it shows. If I am not your cup of tea, no harm, no foul. You just keep doing you. However if you’d like to have tea or coffee, vent, rant, walk, etc. I’m looking at hosting it on Friday mornings after drop-off after break. 

    THE FUTURE IN 2025:

    In an effort to not exhaust myself yet again, or “over promise and under deliver” by attempting to do ALL of the things, I have put together a brief list of ideas, events, initiatives, etc. If something resonates, let’s find a way. Throw your expectations and assumptions out the window. I’m here for it. 

    Clothing Swap – As Springtime quickly approaches and everyone starts thinking about “spring cleaning”, a number of folks have communicated an interest in participating in a clothing swap. 

    School Retreat/Vaca takeover – Aiming for Spring break dates. More info coming soon. 

    Community Cookbook – I attempted this last year, made it WAY too complicated, and it got lost in the shuffle when the timing lined up with the auction, spring picnic, and the chaos of life. The goal was to create a communal resource of recipes and meals that our kids and families love, that are easy. We had a decent amount of responses, and I would love to share them with current, past and future families. 

    Parents Night Out Rotation – With coordination and communication, I’d love to explore giving parents a break for personal time, date night, or whatever TF you want to do with your time, while simultaneously fostering connections of the kids.

    Next week, you can expect another update/reminder about all of the things. Feel free to text me at any time, or shoot me an email  with your thoughts, questions, feelings, no matter how weird or silly they may seem. 

    Thanks for coming to my REX TALK – hope to see you out and about. 

  • Chasing Sparks

    Chasing Sparks

    Below is a part of an application I submitted in March 2024 for a guest residency spot in the neighborhood. I didn’t get the spot. It’s all just a part of the story, and the journey…

    —
    Hi there, I’m Laura Rex. I am looking to ignite my spark again. I am a maker and a dot connector. I find it hard to say I am just one thing, hence why I am applying under the multi-disciplinary section. I am a writer, an artist, a photographer, a creator, a designer. I am a dreamer and a doer. I am a parent and recently a wife. I found the Woodward residency while I was exploring the neighborhood — escaping my home office basement on daily walks during the pandemic. Your hope that members and guests feel energized to be there is my literal dream right now.

    A quick about me, the history – I am adopted, born in Nebraska. I was raised in NYC. I attended a boarding school in Vermont for 3/4 years of high school. Went on to study Communication Studies at SUNY Oneonta and found myself working with musicians at Gibson Guitars after graduation, time spent in the showroom lead to my first publication, a handful of venue reviews for a NYC Live Music Guide. Webster Hall was one of the venues, and I became enamored with the space. From door cashier to marketing director, and what we used to call “talent wrangler”. Post Webster Hall I made the move cross country solo, and lived in LA for a brief yet amazing year. Upon returning to NYC in January 2017, I found my current spot in Ridgewood, I found work in marketing, in hospitality and lifestyle, and ended up as the Head of Food & Beverage/ Marketing Manager at the McCarren Hotel up until covid.

    Long story short. I have been home for the better part of 4 years. I was lucky to have remote work in 2020 when the pandemic hit, which allowed me to become a parent in late 2021. Opted out of maternity leave. Ran myself dry trying to keep up with a toxic job + parenting and snuffed out my own light. I finally said NO MORE a year ago, and after a half-dozen attempts at quitting I was free in August 2023. I could see the light at the end. It was so close. The kiddo was going to be starting at wBees Forest School in September*, which turned to November. Such is life. Then holidays, sickness, more life. Last week was the first time I had a quiet space at home. I am exploding with concepts, ideas, and projects. I have dozens of “work in progress” projects.

    In an effort to stay close to home & my kiddo, I would be honored to land a guest spot at Woodward Residency. A new experience, a change of scenery, connecting with others are just the little bits I need to make magic happen and spur me to move through some of the projects I have been sitting on.

    I want to do cool shit. I want to create more. I want to focus and connect more. Some projects I would love to complete during my time there: 1.“What’s that sound?” A Children’s book/ book series that explores sounds and noises. Using photos, illustrations, and some engineering to create a board book that is interactive and educational and can also be a helpful tool for those with sensory issues.

    2. Club Kid Chronicles – A Coffee style table book that shares all of my stories from my days at Webster Hall (2010-2015). Coming up on 10 years out, I wanted to finally share polaroids, interviews, stories, and essentially never before scene stuff of some of the biggest musicians that passed through.

    3. Complete draft of the script/ screenplay for the book ‘I Was A Teenage Fairy’ by Francesca Lia Block.

    4. Building a catalog/ database of digital collage elements using IRL tools and mediums. Paint, marker, torn paper, etc. All of the things I use in my own collage pieces, but digitized.

    5. A view of Ridgewood through Playmobil – a photo series of different local businesses, and community scenes recreated using playmobil toys and building custom sets.

    At the end of the 3 month residency I hope to leave with my spark ignited and a clear vision of my my creative path, maybe even something tangible to show for my time there. A pop-up event, a draft of a book, the completed design for a new community co-op, at this moment I am not quite sure, but when I get there I’ll know.

    I am not sure if this personal letter is too much, or not enough. 700 words feels hard, and I am very out of practice. I saw the application deadline post on social a few days ago, and I will not let fear and doubt hold me back from trying. I am currently in the midst of a website overhaul, most pages are hidden, but I shared over a link to some projects I have done.

    — 

  • Perspective on Industry Experience

    Perspective on Industry Experience

    Industry Experience Perspective

    Recently I was thinking about resumes, the rules for job applications, the interview process, and the absurdity of what minimum qualifications are theses days. How your experience and experience for a specific industry to Industry.

    And it made me think about how I’ve been in so many different Industries and that’s a large part of the reason I’ve been successful in past roles. Not to mention if I am interested in something, I will absolutely believe I am capable of doing it and learning how to do it on the fly.

    Why do you want someone that’s only been in one industry, or doing the same thing at the same place for like 10 years? That seems unbearably narrow-minded and honestly counterintuitive when you really think about it.

    New hires, consultants, contractors, vendors, etc. are generally brought on when a company is experiencing growth or is stuck.
    You’re bringing them on to either fill a gap, expansion or because of what you think you know about their expertise and experience in a role/industry.

    Too many brands are ignoring the aspect of curiosity.

    A new hire, a new contractor, or any new relationship should bring new things to the table.

    A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE. A NEW SOLUTION.

    Both of those things often come from experience working in different Industries, roles, companies, teams. Someone who can look at a problem differently, flip it upside down and shake it the fuck up.

    That’s the point. The basis of it at least. I will come back to this…

    To be continued – with examples…

  • Fire Me Up – Feelings

    Fire Me Up – Feelings

    At any point in time I woud rather have big feelings, and feel all the things then feel nothing.

    Yes I get fired up about things — It should be more alarming that there are people who feel nothing.

  • How to overcome stupidity.

    How to overcome stupidity.

    This morning I asked myself if it was possible to overcome stupidity, and perhaps the word close-minded would be better suited for the true question. Is it possible to explain something in a way that will make the person understand, care, or empathize?

    Less then an hour later, upon opening my Instagram for a brief moment of doomscroll, a quote by Mark Twain was front and center.

    No amount of evidence will ever persuade an idiot.
    – Mark Twain

    The quote itself was set to a chill instrumental version of gangsta’s paradise, with a black and white video of water crashing behind it.

    It was in that moment that I was reminded yet again on how much energy is wasted when I attempt to explain my perspective to someone who gives no fucks about it. For now the goal is to focus on recognizing and bringing awareness to myself when I begin to spiral into explanation. To stop. Take a moment. Say nevermind and walk away.

  • A name is a name – but what’s up with the personal branding BS? What happened to self-identity?

    I have changed my name a lot. Some were nicknames, some were legit, legally on paper (read part 1 here). I have also built my own brand at least a dozen times — Each time I would tear down the previous version, and start from scratch, rebuild it to something completely new… Only to feel “over it” by the time I got to the end. LOL for me.

    Only a handful of those have ever seen the light of day. Most only briefly. A moment where I was so proud and so excited of my “new creation”. And ya know I would go and share it with some people (like a special sneak preview). I would share it with my besties who would say “WOOT that’s awesome! I don’t get it, but it’s awesome!” And I would share it with a person in my industry/field, usually someone that I respected or admired. Sometimes I would show my mom – that ended pretty early –

    Anyway, those brand versions were really just my identity all packaged up. Which would change every few years based on whatever current special interest I had, or visual I had locked into.

    Now, I would imagine You’ll have the people coming for me saying, “Well, you shouldn’t care.” No shit. I’m working through that. I’m 36. I’m a mom now. Or the people saying “oh, well it just wasn’t the right timing” Sure, no problem.

    You can tell me whatever you think I want to hear or perhaps whatever you think you want to hear.

    As far as why past brand iterations didn’t work? I don’t really care. Trying to understand why is not helping me today or tomorrow. All I know is that my biggest mistake, my biggest failure and regret is not just doing it. Waiting for external validation and approval…

    Here’s the thing when it comes to “just doing it”. Once upon a time, I had this extreme sense of “Fuck the world”. And my mother would tell me “you’re so angry and you hate the world” and blah, blah, blah and like, yeah, maybe I did. Because it was hard as a teenager and try to wrap your head around the fact that your own mother who adopted you HATES you.

    I absolutely am angry. I have every right to be.

    THE BO YEARS – no W
    I used to try and make my whole brand, my identity. Uh maybe you knew me at the Laura bo phase. Uh, for those of you don’t know,
    My middle name is not BO. I have five bow tattoos, I have five ribbon tattoos, right? And I got three of them the summer just before I went to college my freshman year and two of them within the first year of college.

    It doesn’t matter. The point is, is Why was it Bo not b-o-w? Because the first time I had it as “bow”, people said oh it’s “Laura bow” like the pronunciation was BAO. They assumed it was my last name. So I dropped the W. Back then my last name was still my fathers, MARFILIUS.

    THE FIONA YEARS
    I was just barely 18. Took me three more years to take my mom’s last name. Maybe you met me in high school during my Fiona years, right? Uh, it technically. Started, when I went to Camp, Sleepway camp, the same year I got kicked out of camp.

    But I decided that, hey, I don’t know these fucking people. I see them for a few weeks out of the year and I don’t want to be Laura right now, right? Because I thought Laura sucked. And so I said, fine, I’m going to be Fiona and I was Fiona. Up until my freshman year of high school, where there was already a Fiona.

    Her real name was Fiona. And obviously F comes before L in the in the alphabet. Um, and so I decided to go by Laura that year. That blip. The following year when I was shipped off to boarding school in Vermont, I went back to Fiona. I didn’t grow up with the name, Fiona, I didn’t have nicknames. I always wanted a nickname. I didn’t know the, uh, the the ugly side of nicknames.

    To be continued…

  • What Makes A Good Parent?

    In the midst of my increasingly ugly divorce with my soon to be ex-husband we continue to “disagree” on some seemingly universal basics. Now while some of you may be thinking — just don’t talk to him. Move out. Be the bigger person. Please kindly and disrespectfully fuck off. Three years of silence and being the bigger person got me here to this exact point.

    So after a quick google search of “what makes a good father?” for the comic relief, followed by the same search of “what makes a good mother?” it has occured to me that society in this country is FUCKED. (As if we didn’t already know this.)

    Below are the two images of the top things listed for each search as prepared by google.

    As noted these were compiled from various sources across the web. WHAT IN THE ACTUAL FUCK THOUGH?

    *Please note I am fully aware of what MY definition of a good parent is on both sides. We will get to that.

    Can we just talk about the apologize when necessary first?

    To be continued….

  • Stop being so polite..

    Stop being so polite..

    Stop being so polite, and try being honest.

    It has recently come to my attention, awareness, or top of mind that I often find myself surrounded by a bunch of people so worried about offending someone, that nobody wants to say anything at all.

    Enough with the judgement, can we try to lead with curiosity?

    Come from a place of understanding, or wanting to understand. Enough with the judgements, the assumptions, the snarky passive-aggressive bullshit.

    Say what you mean and mean it.

  • Journey Into Imagination…

    Journey Into Imagination…

    One Little Spark is a song, one of my favorites, and extremely annoying at times– it’s THE theme song for the ‘Journey Into Imagination’ Ride at Epcot in Disneyworld. My all-time favorite ride that features my favorite purple dragon. FIGMENT.

    Anywho. I am leaving the lyrics below.

    Journey Into Imagination with Figment version

    For every sound your ears are hearing,
    A thousand thoughts can start appearing.
    And each of us, imagines different things.
    From just a sound, your mind has wings.

    One spark of light,
    Can light your fancy.
    Your mind sees more,
    Than what your eyes see.
    Your sense of sight can make your fancy fly,
    There’s more to sight than meets the eye.

    One awful whiff can send you reeling,
    One lovely sniff can be appealing.
    Your mind can find what enters through your nose.
    That’s how you tell a skunk is not a rose.

    With just a spark of inspiration,
    I’ve made my house an innovation.
    Imagination really clowns around
    Mix downside up, and upside down.

    We all have sparks,
    Imaginations!
    That’s how our minds create creations.
    We set them free and oh what they can do!
    Those magic sparks from me and you.

    Imagination!
    Imagination!
    A dream can be a dream come true,
    With just that spark from me and you.


    One little spark,
    Of inspiraton,
    Is at the heart of all creation.
    Right at the start of everything that’s new,
    One little spark lights up for you.

  • Dear Parents,

    Dear Parents,

    Last night at Family Night I watched a little girl be inherently mean to my kid, over and over. My kid is 3. In an effort to let her “handle” the situation on her own, I would check in periodically, I stayed close by.

    She looked so sad and confused. And then I just couldn’t.  I told her when she was ready to leave we could go home and have ice cream (yes I absolutely bribed my kid to leave). We left 10 minutes later. 

     We all have varying degrees of what’s acceptable, but honestly this shit is getting old. I refuse to accept the excuses that “boys will be boys, and that’s just how girls are at that age.”

    WHAT? Nope. Sorry. No thank you.

    Can we stop making excuses for our kids behavior when its shitty? It seems like as parents we often excuse certain things because it is a direct reflection of ourselves, or we become aware of how our words and actions have shaped our own kids consciously or not.

    I believe we can do better. I know for a fact that a 4 year old saying “You make no sense, I am going to ignore you and everything you say” while simultaneously blocking and pushing a younger kid didn’t come from nowhere. Not allowing my kid to try and make friends with any other kid is shitty.

    let’s take a minute and think of how we can be supportive of each other and our children. I implore you to approach life from a place of curiosity and understanding vs. judgement and assumption.

    The displays of judgement and snobbiness that are infecting this neighborhood are ugly. Your kids see you. We all see you.

    To be continued…

  • Questions on a Friday

    Why do people ask “How are you?” if they don’t truly want to know?

    Why does it always feel like someone is offended by the difference of opinion?

    When did the general public get so fucking lazy?

    Who makes all the rules?

    How does advice become cliche quotes/ sayings?

    Why were we told not to burn our bridges down?

  • I don’t tiptoe, I STOMP.

    Everybody is weird these days, maybe awkward is a better way to describe it. But the more I am aware of it, the more I notice people tiptoeing around or dancing around conversations, questions, initiatives, actions, etc. Maybe it’s just me, but I can’t help but wonder WHY — How did we get here? Is it because of COVID and all of the isolation? Is it corporate america taking over? Is it the internet? Is it the apps? Is it helicopter parents? At this point I can only imagine it is some combination of things, and see it from my own perspective, so here’s what i know.

    Why are conversations so hard? Small talk fucking sucks.

    To be continued…

  • Marketing Lifecycle Metaphor – The Amoeba BB


    Customer amoeba baby – marketing lifecycle metaphor

    Marketing is not a funnel and it’s not a flywheel. It’s like a wave. It’s like a fluid amoeba. Blobby wave, I have to draw it I guess, but And it moves because people come in and out. I may have been. A customer of parenting stuff and then My baby’s not a baby.

    And then i move out of it — I’m not the target now. But maybe if there’s a baby in my life: friends, family, or whatever baby shower, I will suggest it or I will get it for them, you know. I don’t think that always gets accounted for. It’s not really a secondary target group as far as I’m concerned.

    Funnels and flywheels don’t work because you can’t control the path of the target, you can guide it, you can block it, you can try to trap it, but there are all of these “other factors” that you don’t know and/or have no control over because in the end control is an illusion.

    **

  • Thriving on the thrill – WIP

    Finding a new way to streamline a process or coming up with an innovative product idea, I thrive on the thrill of discovery and the satisfaction of making things better.

    My approach may be unconventional, but thinking outside the box is essential for growth and progress.

    It’s about looking at challenges from different angles/perspectives and not being afraid to try something new. After all, every expert was once a beginner, and every groundbreaking idea started as a simple thought.

  • Everyone loves a good quilt.

    Perseverance and a positive mindset can turn any obstacle into a stepping stone.
    So, keep pushing boundaries, embracing the unknown, and strive to follow your dreams.
    It will make an impact.

    In the end, it’s not just about achieving success or getting rich — it’s about learning and growing along the way. Each challenge faced and each solution found adds to the patchwork of experience that has shaped who I am and what I can accomplish.

    We might not be cut from the same cloth, but everyone loves a good quilt.

  • Curiosity… Why do we stop being curious?

    I have a thing with words, and with context. I believe honesty and transparency are key, if one is confused they should ask for clarification. Not everyone knows everything, but there are things that everyone SHOULD know. Let’s talk about curiosity — and I think before we begin, let’s make sure we are all referring to the same definition.

    Curiosity (noun)

    a strong desire to know or learn something. “filled with curiosity, she peered through the window” According to Oxford Languages Dictionary.

    I found this in a journal from October 2020:
    Another term for experience is the “curse of knowledge” — when we have done something before or feel that we know it, we tend to stop asking questions.

    We don’t go back to the beginning and dig deep to find new aspects of it. We jump to the conclusion much more quickly.


    Basically, we stop asking WHY. We stop learning.
    THAT’S BAD. The cure for stagnation = curiosity.

    When you couple experience with curiosity, amazing things can happen.

    The ability to question things that we already “know”. That isn’t easy to do.

    Insatiable curiosity can be uncomfortable, even annoying… it is definitely annoying. But asking basic questions, and challenging the usual “That’s just how we do it” is the way to create something that hooks people.

    Curiosity is a state of active interest

    Do we like it simply because it’s familiar? Or because it’s the best approach?

    When we are curious, we see things differently; we use our powers of observation more fully. We are able to see a different perspective.

    Why does it feel like as you grow older you stop asking WHY? You stop asking HOW? You just accept everything as it is — good or bad.

  • A Message from My Inner Critic

    Find your style, find your niche, be unique, standout, do this, do that, if it’s not working then you’re not doing it right, don;t be too loud, don’t be too quiet. Blah blah fucking blah. I just want to turn it off. Turn off the noise. Shut it all out. Shut it all down. And say see you later. I want to run to the woods and blast music and throw paint, and get sticky from gluesticks. I want to play in the dirt with my kid. I want to not feel like I am a burden. And I don’t know if I feel like a burden to myself or to my inner critic. 

    Im messy. My story is messy. Currently it feels like a tangle of fairy lights or yarn or something. Trying to piece it together and roll it back so it makes more sense to me, which unlocks things I may or may not be ready to deal with, accept, move past.