I discovered a new game this week, which by the way is not sold in the game area at a large retailer, it is actually sold in the puzzle area. That said, I found a new game. It's called Bananagrams.
Bananagrams is sold in a yellow banana shaped pouch. All you need to play is the yellow banana pouch and a table. Simple. You don't need dice. You don't need cards. You don't need to keep score. You don't need a pencil. All you need is the banana with the 144 letter tiles in it. It's a game where you make crosswords. If you're a fan of Scrabble, you're really going to like Bananagrams, but here's the thing about Bananagrams that I learned, Bananagrams is not just a game. It is an exercise in flexibility.
I was playing with my aunt, my uncle, my 94-year-old grandmother, my mother, and her friend. We were all playing together, and at one point, I took all of my letters; after forming all of the words I could and I had two letters left over. Right in the middle of a round, I scrapped the whole thing, mixed them all up, and decided to start again. My aunt looked at me and said "what are you doing? How can you do that?" I said, that it wasn't working so I decided I would just try it a whole different way. She looked at me and said, "that would make me so nervous, but hey, I guess that's what you do in your life, isn't it? When things aren't working, you try to fix it and then you just start again."
How many of us are stuck with circumstances being the way we think they have to be and the way that's been set up, and even if it doesn't fit, we stay and contort ourselves to the situation? How many of us are comfortable scrapping everything we've done and starting again with an idea and a plan of how things could be better?
I want to invite you to try the game, Bananagrams, and from there, take a look and see how flexible you're being in your real life. Maybe taking risks and being flexible in a game where there is nothing to lose will help us all to realize that in life, there really isn't any losing. There's just learning and possibly making things better by shaking them up. I wish you lots of fun on game night.
Monday, March 28, 2011
Monday, March 7, 2011
Economic Optimism in Fashion
Did you know that fashion trends mirror the economy? The economy is showing signs of new life and an optimism that is reflected in spring fashions.
The stock market is coming back to life, the Consumer Price Index rose by 0.4% during each of the past two months (the largest back to back gains in two years) and thanks to the Middle East, oil prices are rising, which drives up other prices but also increases wages, which is a goal of the US Federal Reserve (they want inflation of about 1.5-2.0% each year). US manufacturing is increasing for high value items, and American companies are hiring again. US Unemployment fell below 9% for the first time in almost two years, across almost all sectors except state and local governments.
As a result and fingers crossed by retailers, consumers are spending. Maybe people are just tired of bad news, but fashion spending is trending toward cheerful purchases of bright colors, happy patterns, and hopeful combinations.
What is in for Spring?
Fashion for spring 2011 displays a strong vibrancy. We're seeing people feel confident as they make clothing purchases that reflect a more positive mood and uplift their spirits.
Colors get brighter when the economy improves. We are seeing bright pinks, turqs, reds, greens, purples and even yellow. Platform shoes are in. (Maybe we are finally standing on the platform of an economic recovery?) Skirts are still all lengths, but many moved shorter, in hopeful confidence.
Straight leg and wide leg pants are still very present as people are serious about functionality and ease of movement, paired with bright prints in vibrant enthusiasm.
Enjoy spring fashion and hopefully the upward spiral we are all feeling and yearning for, with happy bright colors will continue. Don't forget to wear yellow. It will stimulate your creativity. And have some fun with prints… go ahead, pair a polka-dot scarf with a floral dress, and invest in yourself and others. According to economists and fashionistas alike, this is the time to do so!
By Carolyn Strauss with Dr Mary C. Kelly
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