There was an interesting discussion on Yuli Ziv’s post about Fashion Blogger Stereotypes.

Did you know that believing you can be smarter can actually make you smarter? The next time you run into a stumbling block in your work, studies, or hobbies, remember your smarts aren’t set in stone.

This photo of Chris Brown and Jean Paul Gaultier is really, um…unfortunate.

These typographic playing cards are beyond perfect. Who’s up for a game of Spades?

What happens when you unplug from your internet addiction? I’ll never know, but this writer braves the disconnected life for two weeks.

From An Exercise in Changing Yourself, Harvard Business Review

2010 Digital Marketing Outlook: If you’re considering expanding your business this year, consider the idea that consumers are now content creators and distributors – they are the medium.

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In accordance with all the hype, earlier today I sat at my desk, anxiously clutching my empty wallet in anticipation of the revealing of the great and powerful Apple tablet.

Feverishly updating a Twitter keyword search (which received no less than 200 new tweets every 5 seconds) and cursing whenever I lost audio from the livestream, I developed a somewhat comical system of refreshing no less than three simultaneous liveblogs of the event while retweeting ridiculous quotes like:

Geek.

Changing the publishing game?

Nevertheless, I was really interested to see how the e-reader capabilities of the iPad stood up to the Kindle and Skiff. What were the implications for the dwindling print publishing industry and how could this type of device help monetize digital content?

Off the top of my head:

• Publication-specific apps similar to the one created for the New York Times. The idea is to combine the best of print and the web by allowing readers to save stories and view integrated video.

• The basic online pay-to-read model being pushed by News Corp’s Rupert Murdoch.

• iBooks. If they follow the iTunes model, you should be able to subscribe to a single publication and/or purchase available articles/stories from multiple publications as you see fit. For instance, I’d like to be able to purchase (really cheaply) the fashion spread from the latest issue of Numero as well as the feature article from last month’s issue of Dynamic Graphics to create my own custom magazine.

I’m not sure it’s going to “save” so-called old media, but portable-izing digital content is certainly a step in the right direction.

Did you watch the presentation? What did you think?

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Interesting reads I’ve come across on the web:

Though not really surprised, I was FLOORED by the H&M Clothes Trashing report. Seriously? I know they’re not exactly high priced items, but even if they were, is it really more cost-effective, and more importantly, environmentally ethical to destroy and dump bags of unused clothing?

Social Media Business Strategy Great article about implementing a social media business strategy on Mashable. Remember, set your objectives and listen first!

Startup therapy:  Ten questions to ask yourself every month Thought-provoking questions for current and wannabe entrepreneurs & freelancers. They get harder as you go.

Independent Magazine Publisher Magazine launches. Yesss! Can we form a club or a support group or something?

Updating the Babysitter’s Club The Babysitter’s Club is making a comeback with a prequel and “updated” versions of the first two books, but can we please leave the outfit descriptions (especially Claudia’s) the same? Pretty please? In the meantime, this graphic novel version of the BSC has win all over it.

Writer Lauren Sherman at The Fashion Beat recounts the Ten Moments in Fashion that Changed the Business (this decade). Anyone else remember pre-Rachel Zoe, when you had to explain what a stylist was because people had never heard of such a thing?

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My apologies, y’all. Since the Maintenance Mode plugin refuses to work properly no matter how many times I un-and re-install it, you are going to be subjected to all of the ugly behind-the-scenes messiness this blog redesign entails. Just FYI, it will probably take a while since I’m working on the next issue of Style Sample magazine now.

To make up for it, here’s some better stuff to read/look at:

The header from Just JR

• I can’t get enough of the gorgeously quirky collages at JustJR. Dude is amazing.

• Problogging: 10 Things I Wish I Knew When I Started over at ProBlogger. This blog is one of my daily (okay, every other day) reads.

• If you’re a font ho like me, you probably have a lot more font options than you really need. Luckily, Six Revisions put together a list of 10 Free Apps for Managing Your Fonts.

• According to The Cut, French Officials are Still Trying to Get the Sheikh to Buy Christian Lacroix. Will somebody with millions of dollars to throw around please step up to the plate?

Alber Elbaz is scurred

• Lanvin’s Alber Elbaz is scared of bloggers. Join the club, man. Join the club.

• Seth Godin questions the reasoning behind doing things “within reason.”

• Chris Brogan tackles the difficult and oft-debated process of Measuring Social Media Marketing.

• FOLIO:’s blog questions AOL’s new online editorial guidelines. Is linked content better than original reporting? (Yes, I see the irony)

Happy reading!

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Man, I’ve missed this. I’ve missed you! I don’t really enjoy writing (ironic that I do so much of it), but I recently realized how much I like blogging. I think it’s the feedback and sense of community, in addition to the fact that sometimes it feels really good to get it all out, you know?

I regret that I’ve been so bad about posting–that was partly because I’m a master procrastinator, but mostly because I’ve been extremely tired lately.

For one, taking care of Cortez (kitty) in the final weeks of his life took a toll on me. I’m so sad to say that I had to have him put to sleep last Tuesday, which was extremely difficult since he was my baby for almost 14 years. It was time, and I know I did the right thing.

Tezzie didn’t go out like no punk, though! He stuck it out much longer than expected and surprised me, FriendBoy, and the vet. He even managed to make it to the door to greet me the day before he died, weak and tired as he was. My stubborn and demanding little furball was a fighter! I’m so grateful for those last few weeks, and will always cherish the extra time I had to say goodbye and thank him for all the couch-cuddling, face-pawing, kitty-talking (seriously, the most talkative cat I’ve ever encountered), ankle chasing, catnip crazy furry-love over the years.

He also happened to be the best alarm clock/wake-up call ever:

Rest in peace, my sweetie.

In other happenings, I managed to find two locally based editorial assistants to help out with the Style Sample magazine and site (woo-hoo!). I hope to be able to expand once we all get in the swing of things, and I would love to be able to work on SSM more…it is hard work, but I enjoy it so much that it barely feels like it!

There’s plenty more that I’ll share in the next few weeks–I finally feel like I’m open to sharing and ready to be a part of the world again. If you’re still reading or care even a little bit, thank you.

So…What have you been up to?

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I’ve been such a bad blogger lately. Between work and writing and tending to my sick kitty and being plain ol’ tired, I just haven’t felt like it. I’m thinking of cutting back to two posts per week instead of my usual three, just to give myself some breathing room.

*Sigh*. Why is life so haaaaard? </unnecessary drama>

On the plus side, I had a small picture in an ad for Lucky Style Spotter in the September issue of Lucky:

My mom immediately went and bought a copy LOL. Thanks, Mom!

And I did a fun Monthly Feature interview at Afroniquely You. Check it out!

In the meantime, I’m think I’ll watch reruns of The Real Housewives of Atlanta. You know, for inspiration: “Who gon’ check me, boo?!”

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Between the cold/warm/completely unpredictable weather and a long string of 14-hour work days, I’m starting to feel like it’s time for a break. What does it mean when you start plotting devious ways to break into the CDC in order to contract the Ebola virus just so you have an excuse to stay home and get some rest? It means you need a vacation, that’s what.

Unfortunately, that probably won’t happen anytime soon, so I just have to fantasize about an extended holiday in some random tropical locale:

As my girl Liz Lemon would say:

I want to go to there.

Of course, no vacation fantasy is complete without an imaginary suitcase packed with the ultimate you-must-be-crazy-you-know-you-can’t-afford-all-that wardrobe:

Photos: shopbop, Browns Fashion, Colette, Apple , Dreams

The other great thing about vacation is that you can eat tons of amazing food since everyone knows all food consumed while on vacation has zero calories, just as money spent during that time has no effect on your bank account/Visa bill.

What do you do to get away when you can’t get away? Please share–seriously, PLEASE!

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