Mary Schmidt Marketing Troubleshooter

I’m taking time out from my “It’s Friday” Snoopy Happy Dance ( gotta be careful, don’t want to spill the ‘tooni) to post a few ramblings for you. And, even though I’ve gone off the grid into the silly “no-think zone”, I also point you - in a quick blog round-up - to very smart people making some great business sense.

I recently ran across the word, “Gemutlichkeit” which, according to Saveur magazine, translates to low-key contentment, “tomatoes in the backyard, flowers in the front; a devotion to hearth and home; a coziness and informality. Not high fashion, not high taste, not major achievements, but a down-home feeling.” Well, nobody has ever accused me of being “high fashion” or “high taste” so here are a few things from my Gemutlichkeit list:

1. Coffee. I wouldn’t have a personality without caffeine.
2. Hummingbirds. And, has anyone ever seen a fat one?
3. Barbecue. I’m normally a vegetarian but sometimes I just have to send a mental apology to the dead cow or pig and dive in.
4. Fresh air. Open those windows, turn off the A/C! A little sweat is good for ya!
5. Libraries. As my friend, the “Good Mary” notes, “Isn’t it great to be surrounded by something you love - and it’s all free!”
6. Laughing (again) with a long-time friend over something nobody else gets. “It’s like daylight, only dimmer.” See? You have no clue!
7. Home-made ice cream. Vanilla is THE flavor, thank you. And, my mamma’s recipe is the best.
8. The first sip of a perfectly made, crystal-cold martini (gin or vodka). You knew that had to be on the list, didn’t you?

(I also have tomatoes in the backyard as well as flowers in both the front and back.) What’s on your list?

Rambling on:

Mebee we Amurcans r nt so dum aftar al: Tom Peters notes Another Myth Exploded Seems there’s more to those Asian kids’ test scores than sheer overwhelming brilliance…

Blog Round-Up: Here are some you just shouldn’t miss:

Mike over at Own Your Brand talking about water balloons, of all things. But, seriously, some great biz points re branding.

Grant McCracken talking about Coca-Cola and chunky marketing. Go. Read. Ponder the brand glories of yesteryear. Me? I still pine for those clunky glass bottles in the freezing cold metal vending machines (You know, where the coke is slushy. Yum!) Why is it that “ice cold soda” for sale all over these days is usually - at best - cool? (Hmmm…maybe that could be impacting Coke’s brand…)

Michele Miller asking, “Do You Have a Personality Disorder?” Terrific (and entertaining) essay re different types of consumers (all the same person on the same day.)

Flogging versus Blogging at Buzz, Balls, & Hype. If you’ve written a book, are thinking about writing a book or just like intelligent writing, this is a good one!

Well, back to my silliness (I’m really 48 going on 4.) Have a great weekend; I’ll return to biz mode on Monday, with more thoughts on customer service, branding, and the whole marketing thang.

Related Posts:
Miscellaneous Martini Musings
Rainy Friday Ramblings
Finally! A Friday Post

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Tags: Mary Schmidt, contentment, chunky marketing