Comments on: The Madison update (and the Britney update) http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/02/27/the-madison-update-and-the-brittney-update/ Advice at the intersection of work and life Sat, 13 Mar 2010 15:18:54 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=abc hourly 1 By: jsterlo http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/02/27/the-madison-update-and-the-brittney-update/comment-page-1/#comment-217499 jsterlo Fri, 08 Jan 2010 01:41:29 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/02/27/the-madison-update-and-the-brittney-update/#comment-217499 Hi, Found a great social community you all might like for best <a href="http://nipslipnation.com/" rel="nofollow">celebrity nipslip</a> Enjoy:) Hi,

Found a great social community you all might like for best celebrity nipslip

Enjoy:)

]]> By: Mary http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/02/27/the-madison-update-and-the-brittney-update/comment-page-1/#comment-172784 Mary Sun, 09 Nov 2008 15:34:21 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/02/27/the-madison-update-and-the-brittney-update/#comment-172784 I just discovered your website and I think that your advice is some of the best I've read on developing one's social skills. You give a new take on it and I like the specificity of your suggestions. First of all, I like how you wrote in another article that many people who are not like just don't care, and that just caring is a step toward moving forward-it gives hope! In this article, I like the suggestion to keep up on current events and the explanation of why. Both of these articles have made me feel optimistic and I am grateful for this resource you provide!! :) Thanks! I just discovered your website and I think that your advice is some of the best I've read on developing one's social skills. You give a new take on it and I like the specificity of your suggestions. First of all, I like how you wrote in another article that many people who are not like just don't care, and that just caring is a step toward moving forward-it gives hope! In this article, I like the suggestion to keep up on current events and the explanation of why.
Both of these articles have made me feel optimistic and I am grateful for this resource you provide!! :) Thanks!

]]> By: Patrick http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/02/27/the-madison-update-and-the-brittney-update/comment-page-1/#comment-99625 Patrick Tue, 03 Jul 2007 16:11:20 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/02/27/the-madison-update-and-the-brittney-update/#comment-99625 Penelope, I hope you're settling into Madison. I wasn't a NYC'er, but I did move here four years ago from the East Coast, and I like Madison, a LOT. But there are some things that take getting used to! Madison is mostly wonderful, and the people in it are mostly wonderful. It certainly isn't "cow town". People here are well-read and well-dressed. (Although there's that whole guys-wearing-white-tube-socks-with-khakis-and-black-dress-shoes thing. Please, stop.) I've discovered a few things: (1) Madisonians walk pretty slowly, especially when on State Street or at Farmer's Market. (2) They're kinda frugal. And by "frugal", I mean, "cheap". The current firestorm is the fact that Sundance 608 is charging extra fees at their theater. (You'd have thought they were asking people for spare kidneys by the hue and cry of some folks.) And (3), when you leave the city of Madison, it really is a bit scary out there - lots of advertising, chain stores and Wal-martopias. As for pop culture, it's like having a sweet tooth - sometimes you want something that's sweet and tasty with no nutritional value. But a steady diet of it would get you out of shape... Penelope, I hope you're settling into Madison.

I wasn't a NYC'er, but I did move here four years ago from the East Coast, and I like Madison, a LOT. But there are some things that take getting used to!

Madison is mostly wonderful, and the people in it are mostly wonderful. It certainly isn't "cow town". People here are well-read and well-dressed. (Although there's that whole guys-wearing-white-tube-socks-with-khakis-and-black-dress-shoes thing. Please, stop.)

I've discovered a few things: (1) Madisonians walk pretty slowly, especially when on State Street or at Farmer's Market. (2) They're kinda frugal. And by "frugal", I mean, "cheap". The current firestorm is the fact that Sundance 608 is charging extra fees at their theater. (You'd have thought they were asking people for spare kidneys by the hue and cry of some folks.) And (3), when you leave the city of Madison, it really is a bit scary out there – lots of advertising, chain stores and Wal-martopias.

As for pop culture, it's like having a sweet tooth – sometimes you want something that's sweet and tasty with no nutritional value. But a steady diet of it would get you out of shape…

]]> By: John Schroeder - Waunakee RE/MAX Preferred Realtor http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/02/27/the-madison-update-and-the-brittney-update/comment-page-1/#comment-79758 John Schroeder - Waunakee RE/MAX Preferred Realtor Thu, 31 May 2007 17:52:22 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/02/27/the-madison-update-and-the-brittney-update/#comment-79758 Penelope- I hope that Madison is treating you well. There are many things to do in Madison that don't involve watching tv. As you mentioned sports is fairly big in Madison with all of the university teams, the Madison Mallards, as well as our beloved Packers and Brewers. But there are many other things to do in Madison including going to the Farmer's Market, Art Fair on the Square, or Taste of Madison, all downtown during the Summer. How about catching a movie at the new Sundance 608 or spending a night at the Overture Center seeing a wonderful play. Don't forget that Madison's roads don't go straight east to west because of a couple reasons. They're called Lake Mendota and Lake Monona. Great spots for fishing (ice fishing too!!!), or boating, or even watching the 4th of July fireworks from the water. Madison has many things to offer it's residents. Even if it doesn't have all of that advertising. Penelope-

I hope that Madison is treating you well. There are many things to do in Madison that don't involve watching tv. As you mentioned sports is fairly big in Madison with all of the university teams, the Madison Mallards, as well as our beloved Packers and Brewers.
But there are many other things to do in Madison including going to the Farmer's Market, Art Fair on the Square, or Taste of Madison, all downtown during the Summer. How about catching a movie at the new Sundance 608 or spending a night at the Overture Center seeing a wonderful play. Don't forget that Madison's roads don't go straight east to west because of a couple reasons. They're called Lake Mendota and Lake Monona. Great spots for fishing (ice fishing too!!!), or boating, or even watching the 4th of July fireworks from the water.
Madison has many things to offer it's residents. Even if it doesn't have all of that advertising.

]]> By: European http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/02/27/the-madison-update-and-the-brittney-update/comment-page-1/#comment-49120 European Tue, 27 Mar 2007 22:51:41 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/02/27/the-madison-update-and-the-brittney-update/#comment-49120 Iliad ain't that good ??? !!! Uneducated Americans ... Iliad ain't that good ??? !!!

Uneducated Americans …

]]> By: Caitlin http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/02/27/the-madison-update-and-the-brittney-update/comment-page-1/#comment-38078 Caitlin Sat, 03 Mar 2007 09:34:33 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/02/27/the-madison-update-and-the-brittney-update/#comment-38078 I have to say that I'm amazed that you missed the news about Britney. I don't have a TV either and I am not hugely interested in the women (though I feel sorry for her now) but I read newspapers both in print and online and there has been pretty much blanket coverage even outside the US. But that's beside the point; if you missed it so what? I don't think knowledge of sport or celebrity gossip is fundamental to having good social skills. The fundamental thing is an interest in the person you are talking to and tact and sensitivity. There are bound to be other small talk topics that you have in common if celebrity gossip or TV is not one of them. I also agree with Working Girl - you don't need to keep up with celebrity goss, just listen politely when others tell you. If you enjoy reading People go for it but I don't think it's true that you need to read it to connect with the 'common people'. In fact, I think good literature is actually more useful. Reading Tolstoy or Steinbeck or Joyce might not give you something in common with regular folk but it will help you connect with people since it will expand your understanding of the human experience. I have to say that I'm amazed that you missed the news about Britney. I don't have a TV either and I am not hugely interested in the women (though I feel sorry for her now) but I read newspapers both in print and online and there has been pretty much blanket coverage even outside the US.

But that's beside the point; if you missed it so what? I don't think knowledge of sport or celebrity gossip is fundamental to having good social skills. The fundamental thing is an interest in the person you are talking to and tact and sensitivity. There are bound to be other small talk topics that you have in common if celebrity gossip or TV is not one of them. I also agree with Working Girl – you don't need to keep up with celebrity goss, just listen politely when others tell you.

If you enjoy reading People go for it but I don't think it's true that you need to read it to connect with the 'common people'. In fact, I think good literature is actually more useful. Reading Tolstoy or Steinbeck or Joyce might not give you something in common with regular folk but it will help you connect with people since it will expand your understanding of the human experience.

]]> By: laurence haughton http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/02/27/the-madison-update-and-the-brittney-update/comment-page-1/#comment-36893 laurence haughton Thu, 01 Mar 2007 00:08:28 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/02/27/the-madison-update-and-the-brittney-update/#comment-36893 I agree with Vanessa ("If you want to read People, read People… but don’t try to justify it by saying you’re keeping in touch with the common folk. If you think People is junk, then you’re free to think that without trying to give yourself intellectual credentials for hating it.") My wife reads People for fun and work (she's a VP in the fashion biz) so I just ask her for a heads up. BTW did you know that Elliot Yasmin (American Idol 3rd place) had $50,000 worth of free dental work so he could sing and look even better? Neither did I. <strong>* * * * * *</strong> <I>Laurence - Info like the dental work. I really like that. Now I know that dental work is going mainstream. This, of course, makes me look at my own teeth more closely. But really, all good reading makes us see ourselves differently :) Penelope </i> I agree with Vanessa ("If you want to read People, read People… but don’t try to justify it by saying you’re keeping in touch with the common folk. If you think People is junk, then you’re free to think that without trying to give yourself intellectual credentials for hating it.")

My wife reads People for fun and work (she's a VP in the fashion biz) so I just ask her for a heads up. BTW did you know that Elliot Yasmin (American Idol 3rd place) had $50,000 worth of free dental work so he could sing and look even better? Neither did I.

* * * * * *

Laurence – Info like the dental work. I really like that. Now I know that dental work is going mainstream. This, of course, makes me look at my own teeth more closely. But really, all good reading makes us see ourselves differently :)

Penelope

]]> By: Vanessa http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/02/27/the-madison-update-and-the-brittney-update/comment-page-1/#comment-36812 Vanessa Wed, 28 Feb 2007 19:46:45 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/02/27/the-madison-update-and-the-brittney-update/#comment-36812 Everybody loves to talk about themselves and loves imparting info - that's the best way to connect, I find. I get my pop culture by the Web - in quirk-spurt doses, at my control - and for free. If you want to read People, read People...but don't try to justify it by saying you're keeping in touch with the common folk. If you think People is junk, then you're free to think that without trying to give yourself intellectual credentials for hating it. Far, far, far more people have cable than read People, so if you want to connect with "average" people, you're better off with cable. Services like On Demand take care of the "we don't want TV to take over our lives" problem. If you want to connect with the pop culture of people under 35, a print subscription is not the way to do it, BTW. MySpace and LiveJournal are better bets. A quick look at these every couple months is worth the couple minutes it takes to register and log in. Everybody loves to talk about themselves and loves imparting info – that's the best way to connect, I find. I get my pop culture by the Web – in quirk-spurt doses, at my control – and for free.

If you want to read People, read People…but don't try to justify it by saying you're keeping in touch with the common folk.

If you think People is junk, then you're free to think that without trying to give yourself intellectual credentials for hating it.

Far, far, far more people have cable than read People, so if you want to connect with "average" people, you're better off with cable. Services like On Demand take care of the "we don't want TV to take over our lives" problem.

If you want to connect with the pop culture of people under 35, a print subscription is not the way to do it, BTW. MySpace and LiveJournal are better bets. A quick look at these every couple months is worth the couple minutes it takes to register and log in.

]]> By: Stever http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/02/27/the-madison-update-and-the-brittney-update/comment-page-1/#comment-36781 Stever Wed, 28 Feb 2007 18:54:22 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/02/27/the-madison-update-and-the-brittney-update/#comment-36781 Boys - http://www.perezhilton.com Girls - http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com Now we can all have something to talk about! Boys – http://www.perezhilton.com
Girls – http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com

Now we can all have something to talk about!

]]> By: Stacey http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/02/27/the-madison-update-and-the-brittney-update/comment-page-1/#comment-36765 Stacey Wed, 28 Feb 2007 18:17:27 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/02/27/the-madison-update-and-the-brittney-update/#comment-36765 So... besides the lack of advertising (which the locals prefer to keep as is) and the lack of newsstands (which as Madison is one of the most connected cities in the US hasn't been an issue) how is Madison working out for you? I was expecting to hear if you were feeling at home or what you've discovered to be great or lousy about our area. As a local it would also be interesting to hear your opinions on how some of your advice applies here in this "island in the sea of reality" that we call Madison. So… besides the lack of advertising (which the locals prefer to keep as is) and the lack of newsstands (which as Madison is one of the most connected cities in the US hasn't been an issue) how is Madison working out for you? I was expecting to hear if you were feeling at home or what you've discovered to be great or lousy about our area. As a local it would also be interesting to hear your opinions on how some of your advice applies here in this "island in the sea of reality" that we call Madison.

]]>