The Kmiec Ramblings

Category Archives: Misc.

Understanding Life

Written on August 3, 2011 by Adam Kmiec in Misc.

On the first day of school the teacher addressed her students and explained that today’s class would be focused on what they wanted to be in life…when they grew up.

You can be anything you want to be in life, but you’ll have to work hard to make sure it happens. Nothing in life is simply given to you.

One by one she asked her students what they wanted to be when they grew up. Eventually she came upon a young boy. When he was asked the question he didn’t respond in the same manner as the other students. He didn’t want to be a lawyer or a doctor or a construction worker.

No, when asked what he wanted to be in life, the young boy responded, “I want to be happy.” The teacher shook her head in frustration and explained you don’t understand life, the assignment or the question. To which the young boy remarked, well you don’t understand life.

Tags: Perspective

10 Things To Pass On In Chicago

Written on July 19, 2011 by Adam Kmiec in Misc.

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My best friend is coming to visit at the end of the month. Whenever you have company visiting from out of town you try to be a good host. That’s not always an easy proposition. You need to figure out how to balance the really traditional touristy things with the things locals do every day.

Having lived in Chicago for roughly 6 years (over two different stops), I’ve got a fairly good handle on what’s worth seeing and doing…and what’s not. There’s hundred of lists for what to do in Chicago, but I’ve never seen a list on what to avoid doing in Chicago. Being the feisty guy that I am, I figured who better to create that list than me? So without further adieu, here’s 10 things to pass on in Chicago.

North Avenue Beach – The beach is small, it’s packed, the drink and food options are very limited. You’ll spend more time trying to find a place to sit down/lay out than you will actually sitting/laying out.
Navy Pier – I’m torn on this. Sure, it’s iconic, but there’s very little to actually do here unless you have kids. And even if you have kids, it’s challenging to get to, tourist trap priced and overall not a good return on the effort.
Wieners Circle – There are many hot dog options in the great city of Chicago. Winers Circle is usually on a must try/eat list. I would pass in favor of Hot Dougs.
East Bank Club/The Wit – The places to see and be seen. I live close to EBC and I have to say, it’s just not the people you want to hang out with. Too much flash and not enough substance; oh and the price (even for just the sun deck or a simple mojito) will make you wonder if you are in Cannes or the Amalfi Coast.
Little Italy – Tragic, for a city known for its great Italian food, Little Italy just doesn’t deliver the goods. Little Italy is roughly 5 blocks by 5 blocks. For comparison, that could fit into one corner of Little Italy in New York City. Getting to Little Italy is tough, it’s away from the center of the city and when you get there, there’s not much to do or eat. Even the authentic Italian Bakery concept is missing.
Field Museum – It’s big, but lacks oomph. Choose the Shedd Aquarium instead.
Mag Mile Shopping – There are plusses and minuses here. Yes, there’s lots to shop, but none of it unique to Chicago. Instead, head to Lincoln Park in the Halsted/Armitage area for shopping that’s not so chain focused.
John Hancock Center/Observatory – You really have two options for being able to see the city from a high vantage point. The Hancock Observatory is one and the Sears Tower is the other. The Hancock building is often mobbed because it’s right on Michigan Avenue. The Sears Tower however offers a similar spectacular view, but without the lines.
Gino’s East – Yes, deep dish pizza is on the menu, but I’d pass on Gino’s in favor of Giordano’s or Lou Malnatti’s.
O’Hare Airport – Fly into Midway, not only is it faster, cheaper and easier to get into the city, but then you can fly Southwest…and that’s always a win.

For what it’s worth, because I’m not a total curmudgeon :) here’s a list of 10 things I would have on my Chicago must see/do list:

The Bean – I know the official name is Cloud Gate, but the “Bean” sounds cooler.
The Drake Hotel – It’s a piece of iconic history. The bartenders are top shelf. Not only do you get to see a true classic, you’ll have a great drink inside of a stunning hotel bar like no other.
Lou Malnatti’s – Different than other Chicago Deep Dish institutions because of the cheese to sauce ratio. In my opinion, it’s the best pizza in Chicago.
Grant Park – Even if it’s only to see the fountain, it’s a nice experience and great for picture taking.
The Art Institute Of Chicago – The best collection of impressionist art work I’ve ever seen. Not badly priced, but note on most nights the doors close at 5.
Wrigley Field – Baseball fan or not, it’s such an amazing experience. The people watching alone coupled with the bar scene surrounding Wrigley makes it a must do. Make sure to get an Old Style beer.
Billy Goat Tavern – No fries, chips and your choice of a single, double or triple burger. The legend of the Billy Goat lives on today.
Tree Streets – This area is where all the high end shopping is. But, you aren’t going to visit for that reason. Nope, it’s all about the people watching. More salmon colored shirts and deck shoes than you could shake a stick at. At night the scene is so over the top, it’s almost impossible not to take your camera out and start snapping photos.
Architecture Tour – How can you beat a boat, water, the sun and some serious knowledge? You can’t, well unless you paired it all with a beer. It’s a nice leisurely experience and something that’s 100% unique to Chicago.
Steak – Chicago has no shortage of great steak places. Some of the few I’d recommend are Smith & Wollensky, Gibsons and Gene and Georgetti. The portions are usually huge and cooked to perfection.

So there you have it, the good and the bad. See, I’m fair!

Tags: Chicago, Food, Things To Do, Tourism

Hospitality

Written on July 4, 2011 by Adam Kmiec in Events, Misc.

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Webster says “the quality or disposition of receiving and treating guests and strangers in a warm, friendly, generous way” is how to describe the word hospitality. I tend to think of it as making visitors feel like they belong. This isn’t an easy task. I’ve been on the receiving end of some poor hospitality. Have you ever had one of those visits where you just feel like you’re a bother? As if the people hosting you clearly preferred you weren’t there?

Basically, think of that famous scene in Pretty Woman when Julia Roberts walks into the store, armed with cash and ready to shop, but the staff looks down on her and suggests she shop elsewhere. Well I have experienced that kind of hospitality (in-stores and at-homes) and it’s not fun.

Growing up my grandmother, her sister and my mom amazed me with how generous, warm and yes…hospitable they were. Paraphrasing my grandmother’s eulogy, there was always another seat to be had at the table, another glass that could be filled and more rice to be spared. That’s just the way things were and still are, in my family. I’d probably also add, there’s always a floor, bed or couch to sleep on/in and someone to pick you up from the airport. Again, that’s just the way my family does things.

This past July 4th weekend I was given a taste of hospitality that was wonderfully reminiscent of my own family. From the get go I just had a feeling these were “good people” as my dad sometimes says. They offered to pick up and drop off from the airport, asked what I’d like to drink ahead of the trip (lots of pepsi in the fridge!), took me for a tour of the island, provided keys to the house as needed and access to their bikes, took an interest in my interests and even let a friend of mine “crash” the party at the last minute.

That’s all well and good. It makes for a nice list. But, the true testament for how wonderful the hospitality was, is how I felt throughout the weekend. It simply felt like I fit. That’s a hard feeling to create. I’m so thankful to have met these wonderful people.

I know it sounds like I’m gushing and this is a little over the top. But, if you had been here in Ocean City at this house, with these people, you’d be doing the same. Creating a sense of hospitality is not easy. Retailers like Tiffany’s and Barney’s have mastered this art. And, so have these people. I can’t wait to come back.

Tags: Manners, New Jersey, Vacation

Time – Something To Think About

Written on June 30, 2011 by Adam Kmiec in Misc.

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Every year, the National Bureau of Labor releases a report that outlines how people are “spending” their time. I’ve always felt that the key word was “spending.” Imagine if you had $24.00 to spend. Every hour is a $1.00, every half-hour $0.50 and ever 15 minutes $0.25. So when all you have is $24.00…and only $24.00 (we don’t get more time in a day), how you choose to “spend” that time gives you an idea of where your priorities are at. The WSJ released a tool a few weeks ago that lets you identify how much time you spend in specific categories; for example sleeping. You can then compare your time allocation to the National Bureau of Labor averages. Check it out. I think you’ll be surprised with the data.

While the WSJ tool lets you see a nitty gritty analysis of time, let’s take this to a simple high level overview. If you work 8 hours a day and sleep 8 hours a day you only have 8 hours for “you.” Let’s break apart those 8 hours. How about 90 minutes for meals and another 90 minutes for “getting ready” and 1 hour for your commute. All of a sudden you have 4 hours left.

Do you work out? Do you own a dog? If so, take off another 90 minutes. Now you have 2.5 hours left. Take out the 30 minutes for miscellaneous socialization (email, Facebook, personal calls, etc.) and you have 2 hours. Keep in mind, I haven’t even touched on things like watching TV and I think we all know that we work more than 8 hours.

What would you do with those 2 hours? Who would you spend it with? Where would you go? What would you borrow from to increase your “you” time? Something to think about.

Tags: Time, Wall Street Journal. Investment

Getting Up

Written on June 5, 2011 by Adam Kmiec in Misc.

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Earlier today I took the kids the park. Not just any park, but the park referred to as the “Shoots And Ladders” park. Honestly, I have nom idea why the call it that. The park is massive. It contains a water only area, a sand box, tire swings, a centralized mini play area (bridges, slides, ladders, etc.) and an entire section reminiscent of something from Neverland. The Neverland area has cargo nets to climb, tunnels to crawl through and of course slides to, well, slide down. Really, the Neverland area feels like a gigantic tree fort community. It’s cool. Heck, I want to play in it.

Well, as soon as we get there, Cora and John take off running and head over to these very large steps that lead up to a cargo net climbing area. Cora ran, jumped and climbed these stairs. While doing so, she frequently turned back to remind us she was #winning and that we needed to move faster. Her gloating caused her to take a huge spill. She fell like a ton a bricks. We thought for sure she’d end up with scrapes, cuts and tears. Nope. Instead, she picked herself up, didn’t brush herself off and said, “hurry up.” A parent witnessing the scene marveled and said, “that’s one tough little girl you have.” That she is.

Here’s the thing. We all fall down at some point, literally and figuratively. Falling down is expected. Failure is the norm. The real question, the real thing we’re evaluated against is what we do after we fall. It’s how we pick ourselves up that’s remembered. Did we sulk? Whine? Dwell? Point a finger? Complain? Cry? Look for pity? Or, did we take responsibility, learn from the experience and gracefully start again?

I don’t dwell or point the finger. I learn and move on. The quickest way to succeed is to fail. Seriously. Ever watch someone learning how to ride a bike? They fail repeatedly. They crash. They scrape. They cut. They cry. They fall. But, eventually they ride. Failing often and fast, while learning from the experience helps you go from not knowing how to ride a bike, to never being able to forget how.

Tags: Cora, Perspective

My Next Project For My Next Kid

Written on May 5, 2011 by Adam Kmiec in Marketing & Advertising, Misc.

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If I ever have another kid, this is exactly what I’m going to do:

Sure, my 1 Photo A Day Projects were cool…

and

…but I have to admit, this is brilliant. Well done Google.

Tags: Google, Video, YouTube

Reasons We Watch How I Met Your Mother

Written on April 29, 2011 by Adam Kmiec in Misc.

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Tags: Graph, How I Met Your Mother, Tumblr, TV

Home Is Wherever I’m With You

Written on April 25, 2011 by Adam Kmiec in Misc.

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Recently, I fell in love with the song “Home” by Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeroes. The beat is hypnotic and the style it’s sung in, keeps you engaged throughout. The sentiment of “Home Is Wherever I’m With You,” is powerful. As someone who’s lived in New York, New Jersey, Minnesota, Pennsylvania and Nebraska, I know it all to well. Give a listen and check out the words.

Alabama, Arkansas, I do love my Ma & Pa
Not the way that I do love you

Holy roly, me, oh my, you’re the apple of my eye
Girl, I’ve never loved one like you

Man, oh man, you’re my best friend, I scream it to the nothingness
There ain’t nothin’ that I need

Well, hot & heavy, pumpkin pie, chocolate candy, Jesus Christ
There ain’t nothin’ please me more than you

Chorus:
Ahh, Home
Let me come Home
Home is wherever I’m with you
(2x)
La la la la, take me Home
Baby, I’m coming Home

I’ll follow you into the park, through the jungle, through the dark
Girl, I’ve never loved one like you

Moats & boats & waterfalls, alley ways & pay phone calls
I’ve been everywhere with you

That’s true

We laugh until we think we’ll die, barefoot on a summer night
Nothin’ new is sweeter than with you

And in the sticks we’re running free like it’s only you and me
Geez, you’re something to see.

Chorus

“Jade?”
“Alexander?”
“Do you remember that day you fell out of my window?”
“I sure do, you came jumping out after me.”
“Well, you fell on the concrete and nearly broke your ass and you were bleeding all over the place and I rushed you off to the hospital. Do you remember that?”
“Yes, I do.”
“Well, there’s something I never told you about that night.”
“What didn’t you tell me?”
“While you were sitting in the backseat smoking a cigarette you thought was going to be your last, I was falling deep, deeply in love with you and I never told you ‘til just now.”
“Now I know.”

Ahh, Home
Let me come Home
Home is whenever I’m with you
Ahh, Home
Let me come Home
Home is when I’m alone with you

Home
Let me come Home
Home is wherever I’m with you

Ahh, Home
Yes, I am Home
Home is when I’m alone with you.

Alabama, Arkansas, I do love my Ma & Pa
Moats & boats & waterfalls & pay phone calls

Ahh, Home
Let me come Home
Home is wherever I’m with you
Ahh, Home
Let me come Home
Home is when I’m alone with you

Tags: Music, YouTube

A Tourist In My Own City

Written on April 24, 2011 by Adam Kmiec in Misc., Travel

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I spent some time in New York this week. I’m a New Yorker. Born. Raised. And, still in love with the city that never sleeps. For years, I always thought I’d eventually want to move back to New York. A few months ago I was in New York and I was stuck by the realization that I have no burning desire to get back to New York. I’ve outgrown it. I think when we’re young we have the energy to live in New York, but not the financial means, and when we’re older we have the financial means, but not the energy. I’m ok with that realization.

I still love the city. It’s the best city in the world for more reasons than I can write. But, the one I want to call out is that the city is never the same. It’s a living, breathing organism that’s constantly changing. The other day, I spent an amazing night out in the Big Apple. I hit up several new places for me: The Ace Hotel, The Breslin, Crif’s, Schiller’s and Please Don’t Tell.

Please Don’t Tell (a place I’ve never been to before, but can’t believe I hadn’t) was the last stop of the night. At roughly 1:30 AM, I stepped out, looked up, saw ACTUAL STARS, and had the realization that I’d become a tourist in my own city…and the person leading me around was the real deal New Yorker. The irony was not only was she a transplant, but had only been living in the city for the last 10 months. Just too damn funny.

Tags: New York, New York City

The Art Of Misdirection

Written on April 22, 2011 by Adam Kmiec in Misc.

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In World War II, the United States intentionally sent messages that they knew the enemy would decrypt and read. This was a tried and true practice that kept the enemy on it’s toes, because if you could decipher the message, then you had to treat it as a real threat. Advancing 50+ years to today, the NFL draft is nearly upon us. Coaches, general managers and team staff are already flooding the media channels and airwaves with misinformation. They’ll make it seem that they really love player X, so that hopefully, they can actually get player Y.

I usually call this the art of misdirection. We feed people with information that’s not correct, lead them down a path, so that we can ultimately get what we really want. As humans I think we are hard wired to believe what we hear and what we see. My mom offered me some advice as a kid and it sticks with me today: believe nothing you hear and only 1/2 of what you see. Our eyes lie to us and the truth, even when not intentionally done, gets skewed. The whole telephone game Imagine, how that telephone game plays out when the original call was just a bunch of misdirection?

We often talk about trying to find the signal amidst the noise. In today’s day an age there’s more noise than we know what do with out there in the space. Some of it is real noise that simply gets in our way. But, there’s a lot of noise that’s intentionally being put out there to keep you focused on the stuff that doesn’t matter, because it’s stuff that’s not true. Whenever I think I’m a situation where the misdirection game is being played, I try to trace the information back to the original source…the truest signal if you will. But, often, I’ll just ignore the information…no sense in focusing on things that just don’t matter.

Misdirection is a powerful tool…when used well, but can also cripple you if you fall prey to it.

Tags: Business Advice, Management Philosophy