2007/01/21

Variety

WSJ - Jan-16th,2007

Too much variety makes us overeat. In one experiment, snackers were given bowls of M&Ms with either seven colors or 10 colors. Snackers with 10 color options ate an average of 43 more candies than those with just seven colors to choose from.

WSJ - Jan-12th, 2007

PepsiCo Inc. is launching a series of designs, to debut every three or four weeks - a marketing shift that the company hopes will grab the attention of increasingly fickle, restless and distracted young consumers.

Annual sales of Pepsi's flagship cola in the U.S. have declined 18% since 1998. Still, the average person spends 20 to 30 minutes drinking a can of soda, giving Pepsi much longer to catch a consumer's eye than a cereal-box label might have.

The can-design changes are the latest sign of how established consumer companies are wrestling to connect with the short attention spans of teens and young adults.

Valerie-said: The more color-options in M&M, the more candies you eat - Now, Pepsi wants customers to drink more cola with more can designs.

The rich or the poor - what we eat, drink or wear can be the same if we skip the brand, the design and those interesting emotion factors that make people feel better, cooler or more important. Our inner self is always looking for an outlet of self-expression. We want people to know who we are, what we like and how we see ourselves in any form of media, including a can of Pepsi or the choice of your M&M color. While we were taught not to judge a person from the appearance, but aren't we meanwhile asking to be treated differently by how we look and what we eat, drink or use? No definite answer but I wonder living in a world where everyone looks the same and has only one option for each need to sustain our life - the only difference that tells us apart is the soul and the way of thinking. How much fun will we lose? Or gain?

2007/01/07

2007/01/06 - Invitation

大學帶社團營隊, 設計教案活動, 帶著一群小國中生演話劇, 廣播劇, 玩遊戲 ...
有時候會在過程中發現自己為了示範而不自覺地跳脫了舒適圈
或為了鼓勵小朋友的自信心而暖了原本封閉的自己..

從Chicago搬到Charlotte後
常常想起那每個星期四晚上在Jess家的Girls' night

大家一起作餅乾, 卡片, 蠟燭等等, 圍著窩在沙發上
聊天,
在Jess家看Friends完結篇, 打地舖過夜 ...


一直相信
想讓我這個生命很單純的只有一個目的
讓很多生命可以覺得快樂一點, 幸福一點, 勇敢一點
從徬徨無措和絕望中找到被忽視的價值

寫了那麼多
只是很高興自己在新的一年
好像開始了些什麼

幸運地
一個大太陽的午後
計畫了很久的arty craft party
在股起那一點點的勇氣後實現了

媽媽幫忙將家裡重新裝潢了一番 ...
一起買foam 一起挑布料
作客廳的椅墊
買相框 給了那些躲在電腦裡很久的相片 一點點接觸氧氣的機會

then...here goes the party


white wine, cheese and crackers with hot dip

candle kit, wood-painting and gingerbreadman cookie dough

大家專注著畫著圖
討論用色

專注地加熱wax
研究著如何變化蠟燭的顏色

試著加入花和葉片作變化
學會冰箱可是冷卻candles的好幫手

圍繞著客廳
談著生活
吃著cheese and crackers

用mold印出gingerbreadman cookies

點起蠟燭

許個心願

願大家新的一年裡 都能幸福快樂

Album: Yummy & Arty Party