Today's blog is slightly off topic, but hey, it was an interesting day today. My day, excuse me, my Saturday, consisted of spending 6 hours (noon to 6) in the Science Library at Butler. Now see, I'm not sure why they call it the science library. It's in the Business building...but I mean, I guess there are lots of science books there. Anyway, the main focus of today was working on my lit review for my honors thesis.
Background:
I started the Honors Program at Butler my freshman year. That consisted of taking a variety of classes: everything from one that took place at the Indianapolis Museum of Art, one called "Hands on Spirituality" in which I did everything from yoga, smoke a peace pipe, and simulated dying...twice, a class that required reading the entire "Les Miserables"...unabridged version...and now, writing my honors thesis. It's the only way to graduate Butler summa or magna cum laude...so I have my goal set high for finishing college.
Anyway - my thesis is about consumer behavior. Why do we buy the items we buy? Especially those items that take you 10 seconds to decide on: deodorant, tissues, laundry detergent. Items that seem VERY irrelevant and not worth much conscious effort.
So today, I spent 6 hours researching about generations and gender buying behaviors, consumer behavior in general, and a lot of VERY interesting (maybe I'm just nerdy...) studies have been done. One that is SOO interesting, I wanted to blog about it.
A study was done by Samuel M. McClure, Jian Li, Damon Tomlin, Kim S. Cypert, Latane M. Montague and P. Read Montague called "Neural Correlates of Behavioral Preference for Culturally Familiar Drinks" or in layman's terms...a neuromarketing study between Coke and Pepsi on which tastes better.
You remember the Pepsi Challenge right? Blind taste test in malls, at games, wherever, and surprisingly enough, Pepsi wins almost every time. But Coke still dominates the soda industry. How can that be?? Well, a group of people were interested and they took 67 participants, hooked them up to a machine, and did another blind taste test. They found that only one part of the brain is used, the part that is stimulated by appealing tastes, and that in a taste test, Pepsi wins.
Then, the researchers told the participants in advance what they would be drinking. So instead of tasting blind, they KNEW whether it was Coke or Pepsi. And guess what? Most participants chose Coke! Even though, blindly, they like Pepsi better...confused?? So were they.
They found that when looking at the brain, when participants know what they are tasting TWO parts of the brain are affected. The one stimulated by appealing tastes and the one associated with memories. Basically meaning, people have such positive associations with Coke, whether it's the logo, commercials, history, childhood memories, whatever, that even though they like the taste of Pepsi better, emotions win and we tell ourselves we like Coke better.
Now if that isn't interesting, and frustrating for Pepsi, I don't know what is. So think about it. Are you a Pepsi fanatic? Coke fanatic? Neither? Maybe you should rethink WHY you like it...you may surprise yourself!
Saturday, January 29, 2011
Friday, January 28, 2011
Engagement Photo Shoot!!!
Kyle and I really wanted it to be natural - not too dressed up, but casual and fun. So we stuck to jeans, and even took some pictures in our Butler gear inside Hinkle (definitely Kyle's favorite part).
This blog will be quick - just want to show you a few of the 500+ photos that were taken. More will be added to our wedding website once we get the final edited pictures.
Thursday, January 27, 2011
January Update!
So it's been WAY too long since I've blogged, and I FINALLY have time to write. My blogs may be shorter this point going forward, since I'm busy with school, work, wedding planning, and my personal life! Today will be a hodge podge (fun little phrase) of random events that have happened up until this point is list format:
1. I attended my FIRST wedding gala at The Conrad hotel this past weekend with my maid of honor, Katie! We got to meet sooo many great vendors (including my new wedding coordinator, Deborah Sheeran :)) and got several great ideas. Plus, we had an AMAZING four course lunch that was served in synchronization with the whole white gloves, champagne, and fashion show. It was definitely one of the highlights of this whole wedding planning deal!
2. I'm slowly but surely getting all the major nuts and bolts of the wedding planning done, which feels awesome! It's been great to have my friends and family help me meet with vendors and bounce ideas. This weekend, Kyle and I are trying out cakes at Icing on the Cake in Nashville, IN. We are very excited about that!!
3. School has started...this is ironically the first full week of school and it's already January 27th, but hey, you got to love college! It's really weird knowing that school is ending and I have a wedding, big move, and career change ahead. But I'm definitely thrilled and feel blessed to have so much support. I have three really fun courses: 1) Intro to Visual Art (I just made a greeting card for a grade...), 2) Learning Golf through Games (yes, I am learning how to golf, and my final grade involves me playing a round of golf with my professor...we'll see how that goes), and finally 3) Marketing Management Strategy - the capstone marketing class. Now, I'm sure my marketing class will definitely not be ALL fun, but so far, we've been reading these amazing articles...which I will link now...that I think EVERYONE would benefit from, whether you're in college, just out, or have kids in college!
4. Wishmakers on Campus update - on top of school and wedding planning, the organization I started this year with another bridesmaid, Rachel Gold, is getting very close to granting our first wish! We are only $700 away from our goal of $6,000! Which means we raised $5,300 in one semester!! Our wish child, Emily, wants to go skiing in Colorado this April so we are busy planning a flag football tournament for March 31 to get everyone on campus involved and donating!!
5. Kyle and I scheduled our first of only two appointments with the relocation people for April 13!! At that meeting we will plan our trip to Philadelphia to meet with a real estate agent to look at apartments and potentially sign a lease in May for July! We are very excited about what's in store for us, and even more excited that we're doing it all together.
We know it will be a challenging five months ahead, but are also excited about conquering these challenges together.
More updates to come!!
1. I attended my FIRST wedding gala at The Conrad hotel this past weekend with my maid of honor, Katie! We got to meet sooo many great vendors (including my new wedding coordinator, Deborah Sheeran :)) and got several great ideas. Plus, we had an AMAZING four course lunch that was served in synchronization with the whole white gloves, champagne, and fashion show. It was definitely one of the highlights of this whole wedding planning deal!
2. I'm slowly but surely getting all the major nuts and bolts of the wedding planning done, which feels awesome! It's been great to have my friends and family help me meet with vendors and bounce ideas. This weekend, Kyle and I are trying out cakes at Icing on the Cake in Nashville, IN. We are very excited about that!!
3. School has started...this is ironically the first full week of school and it's already January 27th, but hey, you got to love college! It's really weird knowing that school is ending and I have a wedding, big move, and career change ahead. But I'm definitely thrilled and feel blessed to have so much support. I have three really fun courses: 1) Intro to Visual Art (I just made a greeting card for a grade...), 2) Learning Golf through Games (yes, I am learning how to golf, and my final grade involves me playing a round of golf with my professor...we'll see how that goes), and finally 3) Marketing Management Strategy - the capstone marketing class. Now, I'm sure my marketing class will definitely not be ALL fun, but so far, we've been reading these amazing articles...which I will link now...that I think EVERYONE would benefit from, whether you're in college, just out, or have kids in college!
4. Wishmakers on Campus update - on top of school and wedding planning, the organization I started this year with another bridesmaid, Rachel Gold, is getting very close to granting our first wish! We are only $700 away from our goal of $6,000! Which means we raised $5,300 in one semester!! Our wish child, Emily, wants to go skiing in Colorado this April so we are busy planning a flag football tournament for March 31 to get everyone on campus involved and donating!!
5. Kyle and I scheduled our first of only two appointments with the relocation people for April 13!! At that meeting we will plan our trip to Philadelphia to meet with a real estate agent to look at apartments and potentially sign a lease in May for July! We are very excited about what's in store for us, and even more excited that we're doing it all together.
We know it will be a challenging five months ahead, but are also excited about conquering these challenges together.
More updates to come!!
Thursday, January 6, 2011
New Found Motivation
It's a new year, and tomorrow marks my last Christmas break at home as a college student (and an unmarried one). With the excitement of all that has happened this last semester, there is something motivating about ending a semester and starting a new one. But, I'm surprised with how motivated I am for EVERYTHING (not just working out!). I feel like motivation always comes when a big moment is so close. For instance, I didn't write my college application essays until it was about two weeks before applications were due. I'm pretty much the stereotypical procrastinator. This Christmas break though, and even more so since the New Year, I've found this source of motivation I didn't know existed.
I went for a run today, and I must admit, it's been hard for me to just go out and run. I've been doing more of a variety of exercises. But 30 minutes into the run I still feel GREAT! It was like I had been training for months. I already had planned my run for tomorrow, and am looking forward to this mild winter to run more outside.
My motivation though has exceeded the running and working out. It's 1:19am as I write this, and I've been knocking out e-mails, plans for Wishmakers on Campus second semester activities, working on booking an engagement photo shoot, and organizing everything for my thesis. I quickly realized this break how much there is to accomplish before I'm no longer a college student: honors thesis, graduate, part-time work, Wishmakers on Campus, DG, plan a wedding, figure out moving, etc for Philadelphia. Whew!
To go with this new found sense of motivation I feel it is only fitting to talk about my bucket list. See, I just listed all of these "fun" things I need to do before I graduate. But what about the real fun things?? Like getting painted up for a basketball game? Or kayaking down the canal? Or taking a cooking class with friends??
Indianapolis has so much to offer, and as the break ends I feel more anxious than ever to enjoy EVERY moment I have available to be productive and motivated! My bucket list contains 25 items I must complete before graduating college. Some are challenging, some are just fun, and some are quite plainly ridiculous but just something you have to do in college (i.e. slumber party in an academic building during finals week).
I have New Year's Resolutions, but I think this Bucket List is even better. Maybe you should make a bucket list for school, or before your next birthday, or even just a 2011 Bucket List! Trust me, when you sit down and think of what you want to do in the next 6-12 months, it's amazing how many little things you've just never made time for. Now's the time to make the time :)
I went for a run today, and I must admit, it's been hard for me to just go out and run. I've been doing more of a variety of exercises. But 30 minutes into the run I still feel GREAT! It was like I had been training for months. I already had planned my run for tomorrow, and am looking forward to this mild winter to run more outside.
My motivation though has exceeded the running and working out. It's 1:19am as I write this, and I've been knocking out e-mails, plans for Wishmakers on Campus second semester activities, working on booking an engagement photo shoot, and organizing everything for my thesis. I quickly realized this break how much there is to accomplish before I'm no longer a college student: honors thesis, graduate, part-time work, Wishmakers on Campus, DG, plan a wedding, figure out moving, etc for Philadelphia. Whew!
To go with this new found sense of motivation I feel it is only fitting to talk about my bucket list. See, I just listed all of these "fun" things I need to do before I graduate. But what about the real fun things?? Like getting painted up for a basketball game? Or kayaking down the canal? Or taking a cooking class with friends??
Indianapolis has so much to offer, and as the break ends I feel more anxious than ever to enjoy EVERY moment I have available to be productive and motivated! My bucket list contains 25 items I must complete before graduating college. Some are challenging, some are just fun, and some are quite plainly ridiculous but just something you have to do in college (i.e. slumber party in an academic building during finals week).
I have New Year's Resolutions, but I think this Bucket List is even better. Maybe you should make a bucket list for school, or before your next birthday, or even just a 2011 Bucket List! Trust me, when you sit down and think of what you want to do in the next 6-12 months, it's amazing how many little things you've just never made time for. Now's the time to make the time :)
Sunday, January 2, 2011
It's been a while since I've blogged, and I apologize! It's been a whirlwind of a few weeks with vacation, engagement, and wedding planning, but it's been awesome. This blog is more of a "catch up on lost time" before I start back in on regular blogging. Despite the business, I've been able to have some adventurous workouts, a new diet, and some helpful books that have lifted my spirit through this stressful (albeit exciting) time...
Costa Rica
I was very fortunate to go back to Costa Rica this past week with my parents, brother, aunt, uncle and cousins for Christmas! Kyle and I had studied abroad there 2 summers ago, so it was nice to get back and be reminded of such great memories. We did everything from beach, mountains, volcanos, and big city living to get the true Costa Rican feel. One of my favorite moments though, was going back to Heredia where Kyle and I studied, and visit my host mom, Lucy, on Christmas Eve. It made her day, and definitely made my Christmas break. She was so excited, and although there was a language barrier between her and my parents, you could tell that sometimes moments like those don't require words.
Through all the adventure, and necessary family time, getting a workout in was surprisingly never an issue - it was just the nature of the vacation. We hiked the Continental Divide (an even split between the Atlantic and Pacific that runs from Canada to Argentina) in Monteverde, ziplined through the cloud forest (lots of upper body strength, and emotional strength required!), hiked the beaches and national park at Manuel Antonio on the Pacific, white water rafting on the Reventazon River on the Carribean, and ended with a relaxing trip to the thermal hot springs!!! All-in-all it was an amazing vacation, and I am truly blessed to be given such wonderful opportunities to share these moments with my family. It makes me excited for future vacations with Kyle, and even more so for when we have a family of our own to see where the world and God takes us.
Engagement Party
Not much wedding planning has happened since my last post - I took the Costa Rica trip to just relax and enjoy being engaged, without the stresses of planning. I've been given so much advice on how to make the day just about Kyle and I and not on the little details of whether we use cream or ivory, the different shades of navy, the shape of the wedding cake, and what favors would be the most creative or most exciting...instead, we've been focusing on how this is a day about us and our commitment to each other.
We've been blessed with two wonderful families and friends, and have been able to enjoy them in our first engagement party (this morning!!) in Kyle's hometown, Peoria. It was put on by his parents and included Kyle's high school friends and family friends as a chance for me to meet many of them and share in our happiness.
2 Helpful Books
Last night, Kyle and I were given our first book on preparing for marriage. His mom thought it'd be a great way to prepare our hearts for such a big life transition, so we read the introduction last night (Kyle likes to take things in small doses...). The book is called "Inviting God to Your Wedding" by Martha Williamson. It looks like there will be a lot of good discussion points and things to consider, but more importantly, it's supposed to be a way to wind down after stressful days of planning to remember what's really important - and the vows we will be making for God. If anyone reading this is engaged or knows a couple who is engaged and are looking for a good present - I recommend this book!!
The other book I'm reading is not about fitness, it's not about marriage, it's just a fun book. And it's helping me to enjoy the things I've always enjoyed doing before all of this and remember to slow down. I'm reading "The Help" (again, I strongly recommend this) by Kathryn Stockett and it's about women in 1962 during the civil rights movements and how people came together through different races and backgrounds to change something that needed changing. It reminds me again how lucky it is for us to be in 2011 and having the luxury to work, stay at home, whatever we want!!
Wrapping up 2010 - Beginning 2011
This was a long blog post - but considering it's been over a week, I thought it was necessary :) Hopefully everyone had a wonderful new year and Christmas...so I thought I'd leave with 2 of my New Year's Resolutions (I tend to make like 100...and hope 20 or so come true!)
1. Learn how to paint
2. Read the Bible everyday
Look forward to more blogging in the next few days - and enjoy the rest of the holiday season!!
Costa Rica
I was very fortunate to go back to Costa Rica this past week with my parents, brother, aunt, uncle and cousins for Christmas! Kyle and I had studied abroad there 2 summers ago, so it was nice to get back and be reminded of such great memories. We did everything from beach, mountains, volcanos, and big city living to get the true Costa Rican feel. One of my favorite moments though, was going back to Heredia where Kyle and I studied, and visit my host mom, Lucy, on Christmas Eve. It made her day, and definitely made my Christmas break. She was so excited, and although there was a language barrier between her and my parents, you could tell that sometimes moments like those don't require words.
Through all the adventure, and necessary family time, getting a workout in was surprisingly never an issue - it was just the nature of the vacation. We hiked the Continental Divide (an even split between the Atlantic and Pacific that runs from Canada to Argentina) in Monteverde, ziplined through the cloud forest (lots of upper body strength, and emotional strength required!), hiked the beaches and national park at Manuel Antonio on the Pacific, white water rafting on the Reventazon River on the Carribean, and ended with a relaxing trip to the thermal hot springs!!! All-in-all it was an amazing vacation, and I am truly blessed to be given such wonderful opportunities to share these moments with my family. It makes me excited for future vacations with Kyle, and even more so for when we have a family of our own to see where the world and God takes us.
Engagement Party
Not much wedding planning has happened since my last post - I took the Costa Rica trip to just relax and enjoy being engaged, without the stresses of planning. I've been given so much advice on how to make the day just about Kyle and I and not on the little details of whether we use cream or ivory, the different shades of navy, the shape of the wedding cake, and what favors would be the most creative or most exciting...instead, we've been focusing on how this is a day about us and our commitment to each other.
We've been blessed with two wonderful families and friends, and have been able to enjoy them in our first engagement party (this morning!!) in Kyle's hometown, Peoria. It was put on by his parents and included Kyle's high school friends and family friends as a chance for me to meet many of them and share in our happiness.
2 Helpful Books
Last night, Kyle and I were given our first book on preparing for marriage. His mom thought it'd be a great way to prepare our hearts for such a big life transition, so we read the introduction last night (Kyle likes to take things in small doses...). The book is called "Inviting God to Your Wedding" by Martha Williamson. It looks like there will be a lot of good discussion points and things to consider, but more importantly, it's supposed to be a way to wind down after stressful days of planning to remember what's really important - and the vows we will be making for God. If anyone reading this is engaged or knows a couple who is engaged and are looking for a good present - I recommend this book!!
The other book I'm reading is not about fitness, it's not about marriage, it's just a fun book. And it's helping me to enjoy the things I've always enjoyed doing before all of this and remember to slow down. I'm reading "The Help" (again, I strongly recommend this) by Kathryn Stockett and it's about women in 1962 during the civil rights movements and how people came together through different races and backgrounds to change something that needed changing. It reminds me again how lucky it is for us to be in 2011 and having the luxury to work, stay at home, whatever we want!!
Wrapping up 2010 - Beginning 2011
This was a long blog post - but considering it's been over a week, I thought it was necessary :) Hopefully everyone had a wonderful new year and Christmas...so I thought I'd leave with 2 of my New Year's Resolutions (I tend to make like 100...and hope 20 or so come true!)
1. Learn how to paint
2. Read the Bible everyday
Look forward to more blogging in the next few days - and enjoy the rest of the holiday season!!
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