Mary Schmidt Marketing Troubleshooter

Regular readers and FB friends know I’ve become a gardening addict (and have the fingernails to prove it…No, no, let me dig just more scoop of dirt before I’ve got to run to that meeting…of course, those meetings enable me to pay for things like the $29.95 tomato…)

The title of this post is a shameless rip-off of The $64 tomato: How One Man Nearly Lost His Sanity, Spent a Fortune, and Endured an Existential Crisis in the Quest for the Perfect Garden , a book I highly recommend.

Of course, I can make it up in volume. This weekend I expect the cost per tomato to drop to $7.48. Such a bargain! However, I feel I must disclose that the $29.95 tomato as well as the ones I’m harvesting this weekend are - um - cherry tomatoes…I’m planning fried green tomatoes next weekend to beat the caterpillars and other bugs to the first Big Boys.

Of course, the idea of gardening may bore you silly; but it is awfully cheap therapy - even at $64 a tomato. And, you see miracles happening before your eyes - wow, all that from a seed! I dare you - once you start, you’ll likely not be able to stop at just one little pot…;-)

Additional recommendations from my bookshelf:

French Dirt: The Story of A Garden in the South of France - Richard Goodman.
Second Nature: A Gardener’s Education - Michael Pollan
HomeGround: A Gardener’s Miscellany - Allen Lacy
A Countrywoman’s Year (Oh so veddy, veddy English, complete with foreword by H.R.H. The Prince of Wales) - Rosemary Verey

All of these are long in (or out-of) print and most likely can be found at your local library (so you can spend that money on seeds…)

…now I’ve got to check if the field mice have destroyed more of the zucchini…then maybe move some morning glories…oh, wait a minute, I really should move those herbs to a sunnier spot…oops, need to water the…and so it goes…

Tags: Mary Schmidt, gardening

Granted, I’m a bit of a curmudgeon, even though I write on multiple blogs, own two computers, love YouTube and Hulu, work with technology companies, dance around with my iPod…and spend a lot of time online. I don’t have a cell phone. I don’t tweet. I love, love, love the printed word on paper…and actually subscribe to the daily, dead-tree NYT…and read it.

However - shhhh! - I bet that many (even especially the super-techie, super-connected) share my deep, dark now-not-secret. I don’t pay that much attention to most of my Facebook “friends.” Look, I may love you - but I wouldn’t want to hear from GOD 25 times a day - regardless of what she was doing (”Just made new planet where everyone looks like Brad Pitt.” Well, okay, maybe that one would get two seconds of my interest.)

I did not - to put it mildly - leap for joy when it became possible for people to link their Twitter tweets to their Facebook status updates. And, I’d bet many others didn’t either; in fact, I bet they do the same thing I do - ignore large chunks of stuff, even from people I really know and like. Which isn’t good - I could miss something wonderful, but…even Pulitzer-prize-winning literary giants sometimes write dreck…and I can’t imagine most of their tweets would be all that inspiring or interesting either. (John Cheever tweet: “Just drained another bottle. Threw up in lap. Hate my life.”)

You wouldn’t appreciate your best friend dropping in 25 times a day without knocking would you? (Regardless of what every sit-com ever made shows…) Don’t want your Mom stuffing your mailbox with little bits and pieces of paper all day long? Well, same thought process should apply to social media. Use it both well and wisely - and it can be a great way to develop both personal and business relationships. Or, you can contribute to the noise we all so dislike (and do our best to tune out.)

Now, I’m logging off, tuning out and enjoying the old-fashioned 3-D reality of a New Mexico Friday (with and without friends.)

(P.S. Highly, highly recommend the book, The Stories of John Cheever. Won Pulitzer Prize. Wrote much better than he lived. I often pack for long trips - and re-re-and re-read.)

Tags: Mary Schmidt, social media, Facebook

NYT: What You Don’t Know Makes You Nervous

(Roosevelt said)“The only thing we have to fear,” he claimed, “is fear itself.”

As it turned out, Americans had a great deal more to fear than that, and their innocent belief that money buys happiness was entirely correct. Psychologists and economists now know that although the very rich are no happier than the merely rich, for the other 99 percent of us, happiness is greatly enhanced by a few quaint assets, like shelter, sustenance and security. Those who think the material is immaterial have probably never stood in a breadline.

Most of us (at least those likely reading this) are in pretty good shape and in little danger of standing in a breadline (or on a street corner with a sign, “Will Think for food.”)

We may be cutting back here and there…but we’re still obscenely wealthy, from both a historical and geographical perspective. Self-storage remains a multi-billion dollar industry. “Everyone,” including apparently all the high schoolers, in my oh-so-middle-class neighborhood has their own car (and stuffed garages so they can’t park even one there)…”Everyone” has a cell phone…I still see people waddling out of Wal-Mart loaded with things they can’t really need (electronics junk, DVD games, etc.)…and so on and so forth.

My biggest problem with food this past week was trying to fit two boxes of produce (there was a mix-up in the CSA delivery) into my fridge…that and seeing once again how much is thrown away at the local food bank. All those pre-made cakes at the local supermarket? Guess where they end up? Smushed in a big box, with long-past expiration dates…with some volunteer like me sorting and sighing. I came home to my nice, comfy home, scraped off the icing and started eating salad (again). Then I (once again) looked around and appreciated that I do, as a not-particularly-affluent American, live pretty much in the lap of luxury.

Middle-class Americans still enjoy more luxury than upper-class Americans enjoyed a century earlier, and the fin de siècle was not an especially gloomy time. Clearly, people can be perfectly happy with less than we had last year and less than we have now.

So, why are “we” so nervous? Simply put, because “we” don’t know what’s going to happen. As Daniel Gilbert, author of the article wraps it up, “Americans have been perfectly happy with far less wealth than most of us have now, and we could quickly become those Americans again — if only we knew we had to.”

Methinks we have to. And, it’ll end up being a good thing. In one article I read about families downsizing, the Mom noted that now the family actually spends time together and - wow - talk, since they can no longer go to their separate wings…?!

(Gilbert is also the author of Stumbling on Happiness, which I’ve recommended in a previous post. If you’ve not read it - check out your local library.)

If you’ve gotten something out of this post - make a money donation to your local food bank. They can do far more with a dollar than you can. For example, Roadrunner Food Bank can buy $11 worth of food for every dollar donated. And, demand is up 30% here in New Mexico. The people that were barely hanging on? They’re no longer able to hang.

Tags: Mary Schmidt, perspective

NYT: No, You Can’t Get The Upgrade

“After years of trading up, many face the prospect of being downgraded.”

But, is that really so bad? For example, what’s the big deal about those gold and platinum cards anyway? (I’ve had them. They didn’t magically make my life easier or happier. Duh-oh!) As the article notes, “…all of these slabs of plastic do basically the same thing - help you acquire stuff.” (Indeed…12 big jeep loads to Goodwill later, my garage is magically filling up again. I “don’t buy anything.” Uh-huh.)

One of the hardest lessons to learn (in even boom times) is that none of us are entitled to the best. We may be born lucky or in the right family…but we’re not entitled. (Personally, I blame Dallas and Dynasty. We watched and thought, “Hey, if these dimwits have all this stuff, I’m entitled TOO!”)

Look - I know entitlement. As a spoiled rotten Aries only child, it’s hardwired into my brain…but…c’mon.

Back in the Go-Go 80s and early 90s - I traveled a lot. And, thanks to the miles, I routinely upgraded to first class (It was much easier back then too, since the airplanes hadn’t quite degenerated into the flying bus lines they are now.) Then I stopped traveling so much…and the first time I had to sit back with the common people, I felt downright insulted (Hey, where’s the warm nuts? Where’s my free martini? Hummpffff) But, I lived…and I got used to it.

Nope - even if the most optimistic economic projections come to pass - many of us ain’t upgrading any time soon - to a bigger house, a “better” television or fancier hotels…but, I think we’ll be just fine. As long as I’ve got coffee, vodka and in-door plumbing, I’m good, thanks.

“Most of the luxuries, and many of the so-called comforts of life, are not only not indispensable, but positive hindrances to the elevation of mankind.” - Thoreau (Of course, he didn’t have a crackberry or an iPod…)

Happy Friday! If this made you grin or think a bit, drop a few bucks Habitat’s way.

Tags: Mary Schmidt, perspective

…and here we are at another Friday, when I go way off biz topics…

Mommy, I just drank some Drano!
Here, dear, eat this rat poison. That’ll help…

I recently got into a bit of a kasnuffle in commenting on a Facebook post. Someone was disturbed that Sean Hannity seemed to be making some sort of sense. (Well, you know, blind squirrels…nuts…and all of that.)

As such things go, we got into a back and forth, and I wrote a comment essay re the toxicity of people such as Hannity and the rest of his superficial, shallow crowd of pundits and entertainers…One person countered with Randi Rhodes. Well, yes, I give you that. I thought she’d been canceled…and should have been. I couldn’t stand her. Whatever else she is, she is most definitely NOT “progressive.” Responding in kind to toxic, hateful words only compounds the problem. (This does not mean, however, we should let hate speech go unchallenged, wherever we encounter it.)

We shouldn’t confuse Freedom of Speech with “We can and should say whatever we want, with no thought given to the effect…and at the top of our lungs.” There is (or should be) such a thing as civility…and rational, adult debate. I couldn’t get away with calling the wife of my Civitan club’s president “trash” - and I shouldn’t be able to….Michelle Obama is most definitely NOT trash. I’d give you the link to the “commentator” who said she was, but the minor league pundit has already gotten way too much publicity…which is exactly why she said it in the first place.

(All that said, I must admit I do find Hannity’s interviews of Michele Bachmann entertaining. She’s such a truly wondrous combination of stupidity and insanity. Someone needs to kindly (and slowly) explain to Congresswoman Bachmann that - if Obama and the Democrats really were evil socialist dictators - she’d never be allowed to talk so much and so loudly…that free speech thing can be SO confusing sometimes…;-)

Happy Friday - I’ll be on my front porch again this evening, sipping the ‘tooni and reading that liberal socialist tool, The New York Times.

(P.S. One of William F. Buckley’s best friends was George McGovern. Yes, that Buckley and that McGovern. Ah, the good old days. I sorely miss Mr. Buckley.)

Tags: Mary Schmidt, New York Times, newspapers, perspective

I recently subscribed to The New York Times…all seven days. Which means I now have piles of paper around the house…which makes me feel a bit guilty, particularly during Earth Day week…all those trees, cut down to advertise Ralph Lauren…

But here’s the thing - reading the daily paper is fun, educational…and calming. Sure, there is all kinds of terrible news, but I can pick at it as I wish, in silence, while enjoying a beautiful New Mexico day…helps keep my perspective and I can actually think, versus react. I can read a bit with morning coffee…finish up during the cocktail hour.

There are also many small (and encouraging) stories that never make it into the big Internet echo chamber…or I’d have to know they exist to go find them. If I didn’t take the daily paper, I’d never have read the obit for Sigmund Freud’s grandson, who had an incredible life and diverse career. (Sorry, go get a paper…I ain’t linking in this post, as a matter of principle.) In fact, the NYT obits alone are worth the price of the subscription.

I love online media. Data hog that I am, I’d hate to give up Google, Wiki and all the rest. I love that I can use Hulu and my Macbook as a portable any time/anywhere television machine. But…I also love spreading out the Times on a Sunday - all over the sun-dappled living room floor…dipping into Arts here…browsing opinions there…all while drinking coffee (and if I spill it, I’ve not just ruined expensive electronics.) I can rip out an article about a favorite author, a president, or entertainer and tuck into the bio on my bookshelf - no electricity or additional paper required for a print-out. Two seconds, done. I read articles by writers that I otherwise would never see or even be interested in…good for expanding my perspective and making me think outside my comfort zone. And, last but certainly not least, I can read an article about politics or religion, and not have to avoid the 482 ranting comments that follow, as I have to do when I read online media. I do my best to ignore the Internet ignorant, but it’s like passing a horrific auto accident; it’s almost impossible not to look.

So, I’m all for saving the dead tree media. In fact, I’m going to go subscribe to another magazine, right now. (And,yes, I recycle.) Then, this evening, it’ll be me, martini, front porch, mountain views, birds, bees…and the Friday Times. Good Times.

Tags: Mary Schmidt, New York Times, newspapers, perspective

I happened to see Brian Williams when he was reading viewers’ emails thanking the Nightly News for showing the Susan Boyle video. “We need more of this kind of news!” I couldn’t agree more.

We get so buried under all the bad, sad, hysterical headlines, we forget there are good things happening too, such as:
Shipping Containers Converted To Homes (No, no, this is really cool, not depressing.)
Durable Goods, New Home Sales Surprisingly Up
Exciting New Species Found In New Guinea
Former Refugee Offers Refuge to Others

But, you don’t need to look for headlines. Walk outside your own front door. Spring is springing (at least for most of us…it just start snowing here…ah well, so much for planting tomatoes today…) Try a new restaurant for lunch; chat with the owner for a bit (People are still starting new businesses, despite all the doom and gloom). Visit a local nonprofit and see the inspiring work they do every day. (Volunteer somewhere even a couple of hours a month - it’ll do wonders for your good news perspective.)

There’s something good happening right this minute, near you. If nothing else, it’s Friday - and the end of a hectic week is always good news!

P.S. If you’re one of the five people on the planet who hasn’t seen the video, click the link above. You’ll be glad you did, but keep the tissues handy (yes, this goes for youse guys too…;-) In fact, I think I’ll go watch it again.

Tags: Mary Schmidt, good news, perspective

I say yes. But, then I’m very proficient at goofing off. And my friends know I can be supremely goofy (sometimes even on purpose). I also truly believe there’s such a thing as productive procrastination.

Case in point. Last Friday, one of my Facebook Friends posted a throwaway comment about Madonna. As such things go, a few comments later a group of us had gone from Madonna to sticky mouse traps (?!) and Glen Campbell.

Turns out there are a lot of closet Campbell fans (even my uber-cool Friend!) At one point I opened another window at Jango, and was singing along to Wichita Lineman…while continuing the FB conversation about all things Glen…

and I’m still on the liiinnnneeeee… (Um, I’m listening to it now…)

So, go do something goofy! It’s good for the soul. I’ve got to get back to Glen now. Next up, Galveston.

(Sort of) Related Posts:Silly Vs. Serious
Martini Musing: Mary’s Maxim and Recipes
“That’s (sniff) Unprofessional.”
Just Don’t Do It.

Tags: Mary Schmidt, Glen Campbell, perspective

Yvonne got the brain ball rolling with her Are You Earthy? post about the upcoming Earth Day.

Even if we don’t care one jot about the planet (“Who cares? I’ll be dead by the time NYC is underwater…”) we can save time, money and aggravation by going at least a little green. As Yvonne notes, “turn off the lights.” Sure, one family doing this isn’t going to save the polar bears, but it’s a start…and it’s also the start of taking some more responsibility…AND it’ll save you some dinero.

As regular readers know, I’m a bit of a liberal progressive (Back, back, Ann Coulter, I have a cross!) tree-hugger type. Albeit, an imperfect one…I sometimes dump things in the trash instead of recycling…and I actually agree with my sane, intelligent Republican friends on many issues. I’m weird; I like things to make sense and I’m a big fan of personal accountability…;-)

So, here are a few things I’ve done/been doing over the past couple of years to get more “earthy.” Painless (really) and saved me both money and aggravation.

1. Xeriscaped my front yard. Note I did NOT say “Zero scaped.” I’ve not paid a city water/garbage bill in over two years (Albuquerque has a great rebate program.) And when I do water (a lot less), it’s with the push of a button. I also don’t have to mow grass. I’ve already got the plan approved for my back yard…and have been doing a lot of the work myself, with old-fashioned hand tools. It’s amazing what you can accomplish with a hoe, a rake and some patience. Good for the planet. Good for me.

2. Cut back on paper products. I now have ONE roll of paper towels for the truly icky clean-ups. That lasts me a good six months. Saves money. Reduces my garbage. Good for the planet. Good for me.

3. Turned up/turned down the thermostat. (I can hear you yawning from here…;-) I lived in Dallas for 13 years, was addicted to frigid air. Now, when I visit the city, I nearly freeze to death and long for a breath of real air. A little sweat doesn’t kill me and I love the breezes. I put on another layer of fleece in the winter; and there’s nothing better than a warm bed in a cool room. Good for the planet. Good for me.

4. I buy local (You knew that one was coming, didn’t ya?) That includes locally produced food. A friend and I have started splitting my bi-weekly delivery from Los Poblanos Organics. Sure, it’s a little more expensive than “regular” produce, but I don’t use that much produce and it’s also gotten me to eat better, since I paid premium…don’t want to waste the money. (An orange for a snack versus a cookie.) Good for the planet, good for us.

5. Use It Up/Use It Differently. I’m a veteran putterer and home nester. I love the challenge of coming up with new uses for old things. (Hey! I’m not cheap. I’m frugal. But, trust me, when I want to, I can spend money. Drunken sailor on shore leave? That’s me on vacation. I don’t budget, I enjoy.)

Instead of buying a television cabinet for example, I figured out how to use a table I already had…with video components nicely stacked and easily accessible. I don’t redecorate, I move some art around (and buy many of the frames at the Salvation Army and Goodwill.) The rug in the bedroom moves to the den, etc. My kitchen, which drove me crazy when I first moved in, is now one of my favorite rooms. I’ll eventually remodel it but granite countertops won’t be involved…;-)

6. I walk more. So, it takes me longer to get to the library? I’ve got the time. My neighborhood is shaping up nicely (Trader Joes is building a mile from my house and I’m already surrounded by many local businesses, from bakeries to spas.). Soon I could leave the car in the garage for weeks, if I wanted. (I already leave it there three or four days a week.)

If you don’t live in a walkable neighborhood, you can still walk more…drive downtown, park and walk the rest of the day. My friends and I used to do this all the time, back east. Drive from Philly to Manhattan (or Baltimore, or DC.) Park. Walk blocks and blocks and blocks…and enjoy the life and scenery along the way. These days, when I go to Santa Fe - I either take the train or drive and park…and walk, walk, walk.

Now, I’m going to go dig in some (real) dirt…and maybe even hug one of my trees, if nobody is looking…Happy Friday!

Related Posts:
Martini Musing: Being Green Is Exhausting!
Earth Day & Why Bother?
Martini Musing: We’ve Always Been Changing The Climate

Tags: Mary Schmidt, Earth Day, going green

I had a Friday ‘tooni post all ready to go, talking (ranting?) about toxic people…and then I woke up this morning, looked out on the snow-covered mountains (and the black plastic bags I’d put over my peach trees twigs last night) and decided….nahhhh, not in the mood to talk about toxic people. Lord knows, they’ll always be around.

I’ve got a sign on the table in my den, which looks out on my - um - “vast estates” (rose bushes, the aforementioned peach twigs, and bird feeders…) which says, “Life is too short to be in a hurry.” - Thoreau.

Thoreau’s mother might have had a different perspective, since he wasn’t exactly roughing it out at Walden Pond. He walked home for his meals (which she cooked) and dear ol’ Mom was also still doing the cleaning and laundry. So he had a lot of free time to think great thoughts.

All that said, life is too short to always be rushing around. You miss a lot when you’re driving maximum speed all the time (particularly when you’re not really sure where you’re headed in the first place.)

I’ve been living life in the slow lane (or trying to) since I moved to New Mexico eight years ago. Sure, I’ve got busy - even overwhelming - days, but overall, I’ve slowed down a lot. I work at home (thanks Oh Great Technology Gods!); I take long “nonproductive” walks; I go for meandering Sunday drives on the back roads; I bake from scratch; I do more volunteer work; I’ve fallen victim to that most cheerful form of insanity, gardening.

I estimate it’s worth at least $100K a year in lost revenues to me to NOT work (and travel) all the time…so I can enjoy living here - including that view of my “vast estates” every morning as I drink my coffee, made fresh in my french press (and browse through gardening catalogues.) The first summer I lived here, I had a high-dollar consulting gig in Atlanta…I spent a total of about 8 days at home that summer. Rush. rush. rush. Fly home on Friday night. Do laundry. Fly back out on Sunday morning. Insane! When they called with another gig, I turned it down…I was planning to take ski lessons.

Of course my “slow” may well be your “deadly boring.” And, that’s fine. Start talking about golf or basketball, for example, and I’m head down on the table in about two minutes…Zzzzzzzzzz (Is there some sort of big b-ball thing going on???) Life is also too short for us to be living to other people’s specifications of fun, success or happiness.

Now, I’ve got to go refill my coffee cup and then - yes - do some “real” work. Happy Friday!

Sort-of-Related Post: Don’t Cry Because It’s Over. My Friday guest post at Lipsticking.

Tags: Mary Schmidt, happiness, perspective, the slow life