New Year’s Resolution: HAVE MY PHONE READY December 30, 2014

 

This Holiday season I had several encounters that I wish I had snapped a picture or recorded the conversation.

I seem to attract oddness. I think it is because I am friendly and engage people but ….

#1. Some how a man in line at the post office objected to me not inching forward and kept asking me if I was still in line. He told me he should go to the front of the line, at least in front of me because he was a senior citizen. When my transaction took both clerks away from their counters he went, Postal! Later that day when I bumped into him in the market he pointed at me saying, “You You You!”

I wish I had recorded the conversation and snapped his picture!

#2. I saw a woman entering the grocery store with a big dog. I’m not sure it was wearing a service dog coat. I said “that is a pretty dog”. She replied, “not a dog but a wolf.” Next thing I saw was the wolf/dog taking a poop down one of the aisles.

I wish I had my camera ready!

#3. Also at the grocery store a guy had one of those mobile carts with a dog in the basket. He was checking out in front of me. He told the clerk that the dog is a service dog because she can smell him if his blood sugar drops. The dog was a pug.

I wish I had taken a recording/picture for all my Pug and Puggel friends!

#4. Ten days before Christmas I saw 3 guys dressed up in full Santa suits walking toward me. I smiled because who wouldn’t? One of the Santas stopped and asked me for directions. I asked him if he recognized the irony in the situation?

I wish I had taken a selfie with them!

Do I send off an odd vibe? Do you have your phone ready to snap a photo, video, or record a conversation?

 

I don’t mean to scoff the viability of service animals but there seems to be a fraudulent trend. This recent article in the New Yorker about emotional support animals, one is a turkey as seen above, well it is hilarious…

And here is a slide show of the “””emotional support animals””””!

Fast Fashion is Cheap Fashion December 22, 2014

Most production of clothing manufacturing is off shore. China, Vietnam, Bangladesh, and Cambodia are all producing Fast Fashion cheaply. The wages paid to garment workers in foreign countries is very low. Actually China is raising their wage structure and many customers are moving to cheaper countries for their manufacturing.

So much of Fast Fashion is really almost disposable fashion. Made to last one seasonal trend or just a few wearings. The fabric is thin, the craftsmanship is shoddy, and the fit is hit or miss. Many factories off shore have to produce so many pieces so quickly that quality control is almost nonexistent. By the time you want to get rid of the garment it is not even worthy for the Charity shop.

Stores like Forever21, H&M, and Zara copy fashion designers looks and cheaply make copies. Designers are making styles for Kohl’s, and Target. So what’s the big deal? In the US, our consumerism to have the latest trend at a cheap price has just about bankrupt the US fashion industry, almost made a skill and trade obsolete and has even negatively impacted Thrift and Charity stores.

So what does this all mean to you? When you are shopping ask yourself a few questions:

What is the fabric? Can I see through it?

If I pull at the seams will they come apart?

Where is the garment made?

Is this a style that fits well?

Is this a one-season wonder?

Could more money be spent for a better-made item that will last longer?

Could a similar garment made in the USA be bought?

In my company, www.haraleee.com, I knew when we started we would have our production done in the USA. I heard too many horror stories about off shore manufacturers loosing inventory to sizing mistakes, or switching to inferior fabric. Even big designers like Karen Kane have moved much of their production back to the States because of quality control issues.

Then of course there is the issue of sweatshops and low-low wages. I could not run a company where my product was produced under those conditions. The manufacturing company I use pays their employees a living wage with benefits. They call me if there is a question on a design style or if they notice a flaw in the fabric. My production costs are easily 10 times more than they would be off shore but we are a company with values. I want my customers to feel good about their purchase and to use their buying power to promote clothing made in the USA!

Are you having a difficult time finding quality made clothes, or clothes made in the USA?

Fast

3 Parties in One Day, I am a Party Girl December 17, 2014

I gave a lot of thought to going to 3 Christmas parties in one day but decided why not? In my younger years I wouldn’t even consider passing up a party just because they were all on the same day so I really wanted to see if I could still pull it off!

My husband had to work all day. He could have made it to #3 if he really wanted to but he didn’t. His reasoning is that “I can cut bait “ and he cannot. He knows I will stay for 30 minutes or an hour and leave. I am taking his observation as a compliment!

Party #1 was a no host at a bar starting at 2:30 and we were giving gifts for a women and children shelter.

The party was very nice, nice people and the host brought a person to give chair massages!

 

Party #2 staring at 4 was an open house thrown by a good friend. She doesn’t give a party every year so I was thrilled that this year I was able to attend. She has one of those big old majestic homes every city has that looks out on to a grand park.

The house was decorated beautifully. Christmas decorations were everywhere you looked. The beverages were in a separate nook with hot cold, alcohol and nonalcoholic choices. The food was spectacular. I mean who cooks a whole turkey and ham and vegetarian, vegan and gluten free entrees pus lots of dips and salads all labeled and sweets?

 

The neighbors that live behind our home gave party #3 starting at 6:30. This is their annual Christmas party. I love to go and get caught up with the goings on in the neighborhood. This picture is not of the hostess but of a neighbor across the street. I remarked on her beautiful silk blouse that this picture dose not do justice and she said she picked it up last month when she was in China. She is in a marching band and they went to China! Her husband is the water boy for the band. I had no idea! I almost missed party #3 because I stopped at home before setting back out. Note to self: just keep the momentum going!

Of course after I left the last party I was a bit wired and thought I could easily attend 3 more! I need to practice eating and drinking and chatting while standing. I was a bit rusty on balancing it all.

Have you also become a mid life party girl? What tips can you share?

Spam-A-Claus December 8, 2014

Dear Santa,

I am sorry to write you this letter but I have marked your correspondence as spam. I didn’t want to do it Santa. Really I am no Scrooge but sending me 3-5 emails a day is just well, stalker like!

A personalized letter from you to my child seems like a darling thing but Santa here are 5 reasons it is not going to ever happen:

1. I don’t have a small child
2. I don’t have small grandchildren
3. I didn’t sign up for your mailing list
4. I don’t sign up for email offers from Brazil, Spain, France, or China
5. I am Jewish

I understand out of the box marketing Santa but I really think if you continue with this campaign you may have some future bad PR issues. Who wants an aggressive Santa? Who wants a stalking Santa? The damage from your letter writing campaign is done for 2014, but here are 5 suggestions for 2015:

1. Have Mrs. Claus write a food blog with recipes for the holidays
2. Write your own travel blog
3. Have one of the elves write a toy blog, what’s hot what’s not
4. Have Rudolph set up an Instagram account with frolicking reindeer game pictures
5. Link all the blogs together and build your mailing list from those who sign up

I hope you find my tips helpful and I wish you Santa the merriest of holidays.

Ho Ho Ho,

Haralee