At a risk of sounding like a straight-to-DVD Nancy Drew movie title, I often wonder what the deal is with the famous sub shop and its fickle apostrophe.

The teensy little punctuation mark is small in size, but immensely powerful in its ability to completely alter a word’s meaning. Rumor has it the yummy sandwich used to be officially called “Quizno’s,” so perhaps some of them still have old signs they have yet to replace.

Not sure about the rest of the country, but in Florida, I have seen large shop signs for “Quiznos Sub,” “Quizno’s Sub,” and even a “Quiznos Subs.”

Does the company offer franchises the freedom to choose, or do the owners just not get the memo passed down from corporate?

What do you think – is Quiznos an extremely flexible company, or negligent (perhaps apathetic) when it comes to brand consistency?

Delicious food, yummy ideas

You are what you eat. Or perhaps more accurately, you are where you eat.

Localized food review sites are getting dished out on the Web every day, and followers are eating them up, as seen by popular followings of Yelp.com and TasteBuds.net.

For those who need a bit of “quiet time” for work, you may find that sometimes the office just doesn’t cut it. It’s a little hard to crank out killer copy with outgoing co-workers or hovering bosses. Even if you work from home, it does your body good to get out of the house and serve yourself a little food for thought.

While you are waiting for a giant idea light bulb to land on your plate, I’ve compiled a short list of eats in Orlando that spark my creativity.

• Urban Think! THE place to meet and greet great authors and artists. “A calendar full of wonder and inspiration to nurture your intellect!,” this cozy, quaint bookstore is a perfect place to hole up for a few hours and kick out creative copy. Or, peruse the shelves for some creative inspiration. While books cost a buck or two more than normal, a portion of the proceeds to got Page 15, Orlando’s most alphanumeric literacy nonprofit.
• Drunken Monkey boasts top shelf coffee, gourmet soups and a variety of yummy, healthy treats (and a drive-thru window which come in handy during our random mid-day shower storms)! Drunken Monkey is a unique place to come with team or group members, since there a selection of old-school board games to help break the ice and provide creative “warm ups.”
• Dandelion Communitea – great vegetarian/organic food, comfy, random seats and décor, this adorable Thornton Park café is one of my top picks for creative eats. One of the co-founders, Julie hosts a weekly radio show focused on “all things local, progressive and rad.” For more info, check out Front Porch Radio.
• CityFish – while I am not a typical fan of seafood, this new trendy restaurant is absolutely charming. The outdoor patio area is a nice alternative to the same old places downtown, and the column art by Harmonious Universe is just plain cool (and almost makes me itch for a tattoo).

Beachside or lakeside locations are always my favorite brainstorm spots, but sometimes ideas need to be fine-tuned, hammered out and polished the same day. So what better time then during lunch break?

Bon Apetit Orlando!

Our attention is completely and utterly divided these days.

thanks ikea, for awesome pic

If you are married or in a relationship, face it.

Some days you spend more time with your laptop/phone/twitter whale/TV remote/ [insert other technological device] then you do with your significant other.

We read while we eat, we write while we listen to music, and we even talk while we drive (unfortunately). In fact, right at this very moment while I am writing this, I am also paying my bills online and chatting away online.

A.D.D.? Maybe. Isn’t there another word for it, though? Hmm…What was it…?

It actually used to be a “plus” on resumés and proudly announced in interviews along with its other buzz word pals, “team player” and “fast learner.” A glorious, responsible-sounding four-syllable word.

Ah yes, now I remember. Multitasker.

Now when I hear it, it reminds me of sharp, overly long nails pounding on a keyboard, or a silver spoon clanking against a cereal bowl. Not appealing at all.

Multitasking is absolutely necessary to keep up with the news and information that snowballs every day. From actual breaking news like the Hudson River incident to trivial virals that make people giggle like “Thumb Boy,” there is complete information overload –should you choose to accept it.

Multitasking is so completely engrained in our daily routines. With the unstable economy, employers have been asking employees to wear more hats than usual. Ten job descriptions now cram into a single position. Priorities shift and stuff slides, sometimes off the desk and into the trash can.

My point being: pretty much everyone should be able to call themselves a full-fledged, law abiding citizen of multitasking county. It’s a no-brainer; it’s a given. Some say part of a survival tactic few years ago in which you either swam or sunk into the hole with the other ten people who don’t know what Twitter is or how one can survive without a landline phone.

What employers should start asking, or start looking for is not the ability for prospective employees to multitask, but the ability for employees to actually Focus. On. One. Single. Task. At. Hand.

Can they get the job done, exceed expectations with a great attitude AND maybe complete the assignment before the initial project due date? Can they bring more pros/cons and insight to the table, leaving plenty of time for revisions and edits? Do they hit every possible story or design angle, uncover every stone or financial obstacle and communicate potential problems and prepare backup plans? Do they exhaust all resources to confirm the assignment is “the best they can do,” each and every single time? These wonderful qualities are all side effects of the person’s stellar ability to purely focus.

(P.S. It’s amazing how many times someone will hesitate, then go back to their desk to redo an assignment when you innocently ask, “so, this is the best you can do, right?” My old boss used to do it to me all the time – trained me well!)

So, as you can clearly see, I have come to think of multitasking as the nemesis of focus. Multitasking whispers evily in focus’s ear, “psst-have you checked facebook today? Maybe someone commented on your status.”

It can’t hurt to make a to-do list in the morning, whether you enjoy scratching through items on good old fashioned paper or prefer Google tasks and dashboard stickies. Turning your IM message to away, letting the office manager know you are busy and shutting your door also helps give the hint that you are busy and just may help reduce distractions.

Helpful sites:

http://www.davecheong.com/2006/08/14/18-ways-to-stay-focused-at-work/

http://www.dumblittleman.com/2007/09/how-to-focus-your-mind-on-project.html

http://www.care2.com/greenliving/8-tips-to-focus-your-mind-how-to.html

http://www.myprivatecoach.com/myPrivateCoach/articles/Tips_Focus_Coach_free.php

http://blogs.bnet.com/teamwork/?p=265

http://www.bizzia.com/slackermanager/5-practices-to-sharpen-your-focus-at-work/

No matter how many lists I throw at you, it may not help. Everyone has their own unique way of getting into their focus zone. Try out a few things and once you find what works, stick with it.

I have worked on it a lot and now I am almost too focused at work. Unfortunately, I get so into my work that I almost forget to eat or use the restroom! I am super competitive though, and like to get things done fast – see my previous post for more info on prepping your brain for quick thinking.

I’d love to hear your thoughts and comments on the subject. How do you focus at work and resist the urge to do a million other things at the same time?

The competition is fierce out there, no matter what your industry.

From designing an illustrious billboard or scripting a masterpiece of a press release, to innovatively cutting [the right] corners so you stay “in the black” this quarter… one thing remains certain: creativity is a must-have these days, not a luxury.

Creativity block?

Ever leave a brainstorming meeting in the morning, only to have your mind flooded with great ideas later that day, when you are cruising with the windows down and music blasting? It’s just as inevitable as thinking of the perfect ‘comeback’ to a bully an hour after he leaves. Sometimes, it’s unavoidable. But other times, you may be able to tinker with fate by psyching yourself out long enough to plan a preemptive “creativity block” attack.

Try this:

When a client or supervisor requests a brainstorming appointment, request a meeting agenda prior to discussing the project at least three days in advance. Think about the basic project goals for a few minutes, stew over the concepts, and then force it out of your mind. Chances are, random yet relevant ideas will creep their way into your head a day or two later. Whether you were triggered by a song on the radio, the latest reddit post, or a snide comment your barista spewed this a.m., you’ll still have plenty of time to structure your thoughts and prep for the meeting.

While I want to save some good stuff for later, it’s been way too long since I made a lovely list. And I love lists. So, below are a few classic creative quickies:

- Poem journals
- Dream notebooks
- Visual storyboards – Joe Duffy-style http://www.duffy.com/
- Making a home made gift for someone you love (extra points if you have never attempted that particular item before.) I am trying a blanket right now, and so far it’s me: zero, needles: 57. But it will be worth it.  And also recently, created my first YouTube-esque video that is a spoof of a favorite spoof. Just think of the thing that person is very excited about at the moment, pop culture or otherwise, and see how you can “make it your own.”
- Balderdash or Scattergories. These games get your mind going like no other. Don’t knock ‘em til you’ve tried ‘em.
- Reading Shock Therapy. If you typically swoon over Nicholas Sparks romance novels, try to get a thirst for Twilight. If you usually dig humor books like Stephen Colbert, see how quickly you can solve a mystery novel. Switch it up as often as you switch shampoos, and you may be pleased with your shiny new ideas
- Attend those cocktail hours or movie nights that are slightly out of your inner circle. Before declining, ask yourself “why not?” You can learn something new and inspiring every day, if you pay attention. Often in the least likely of people.
- Take a mini notebook attached with a pen with you everywhere. I mean, everywhere. Recently, I captured an idea while cycling at the gym. Had I not recorded it then and there, it may have escaped entirely, since we tend to second guess ourselves about what is “worth” saving or repeating. If you keep your random ideas in this little notebook, you can refer back to it from time to time.

Intimidated that you won’t be able to top your last victory? Thanks to Zen Habits, I found this insightful video on Elizabeth Gilbert, author of Eat, Pray, Love. The last half is my favorite:
Elizbeth Gilbert on Nurturing Creativity on TED, Zen Habits

Ironically, a little bit of insomnia and this post topic inspired the concept of a regular AMUSEing Fridays ~ Weekly Creativity Ideas piece. Here’s to hoping it’s a good omen!

I have pages, doodles and post-its filled with creativity musings, but please feel free to share your own comments, thoughts and musings on the subject.