I like to give practical gifts – it makes me feel like I’m doing someone a favor by giving them something they need, even if they don’t know they need it. One Mother’s Day, being the caring daughter that I am, I gave my mother a new shower curtain as a gift …

For years I had endured the sight of her nasty shower curtain. It was a horrible plastic material with a mirage of seashells repeated every few feet. One word: hideous. So, I went to Target, bought a metal shower rod, metal shower hooks, a mold-free shower curtain liner and an attractive lilac shower curtain. I individually wrapped each item, making her open the shower curtain last.

Needless to say, she wasn’t overly amused when she opened up the mold-free shower curtain liner on Mother’s Day. I guess the sentiment behind "20 years guaranteed no mold" was lost on her. By the time she finally unwrapped the shower curtain, I think she was more annoyed by the whole process than anything else. In the end, I had to assemble the gift myself.

My advice: don’t go practical when you shop for your mom this Mother’s Day. Just buy her the new purse she wants and call it a day. 

Photo courtesy of: AMCTV.com

I am literally the last person to jump on the bandwagon for anything. So, in natural fashion, I never watched “Mad Men” – even though everyone was raving about how good it was. I actually work in advertising, so my coworkers were constantly harassing me about it. I even gave them these really cool “Mad Men” promotional pens I didn’t want – the ad man falls from the building, just like the intro to the show.

Finally last month, I added all four seasons of “Mad Men” to my Netflix list, and immediately regretted giving away the pens! The show is incredible – witty, smart, captivating and tantalizing. I literally can’t get enough of the characters and the complex storyline.

Set in 1960s New York at the fictional Sterling Cooper advertising agency, “Mad Men” portrays account executives and creative types spending most of their days drinking, smoking and schmoozing clients. So, what’s changed?

I’m just kidding – a lot has changed. Obviously, we don’t smoke inside the office anymore.

But really, what are the differences between the Sterling Cooper agencies of the 60s and advertising agencies today? Obviously, 

Differences:

• Women aren’t restricted to simply working as secretaries.

• The dress code is far more casual.

• We use computers instead of typewriters.

• It has to be closer to 5 p.m., not 10 a.m., for us to start drinking.

• We don’t take naps on the couches in our offices.

• Lawn mowers are strictly prohibited from office use.

Similarities:

• Advertising remains a fun industry.

• We bring our dogs to the office, just like Duck brought his dog, Chauncey.

• Practical jokes still run rampant.

• We host office parties, although our Christmas party could never be compared to the “Führer’s Birthday.”

• The basic creative process remains the same: copywriters conjure up witty taglines, art directors create the artwork, and creative directors have the final say of what goes before the client.

For the most part, the advertising industry remains as colorful as it’s portrayed in “Mad Men.” The people are unique, and every day is different – you never know what is going to happen. In the words of Roger Sterling: "Believe me, somewhere in this business, this has happened before.” No matter what “this” is, it is probably true!

The award-winning series “Mad Men” returns to AMC this Sunday, kicking off Season 5 with a 2-hour premiere. If you haven’t seen “Mad Men,” I highly suggest you jump on the bandwagon. Trust me, I work in advertising.

Elvis Presley is considered to be the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll (undisputed in my opinion), but is his influence lost on the youth of today? Most people under the age of 30 think of Elvis as a cartoonish, lip-curling, pantsuit-wearing person who died on a toilet. Elvis died seven years before I was born; however, his impact is not lost on me.

On April 16, 1956, my grandmother and her friends, all teenagers at the time, saw Elvis Presley perform live at the Memorial Coliseum in her hometown of Corpus Christi, Texas. They were chaperoned by a mother of one of the girls, and on the ride home, after witnessing Elvis’ hip-shaking renditions, the girls asked her: “But Mrs. Campbell, how on earth are you going to go home to Mr. Campbell after seeing a man like Elvis?” Apparently, Mrs. Campbell softly giggled, kept her eyes on the road and replied: “Well, girls, it sure isn’t going to be easy!”

At the time, Elvis’ gyrations on stage were foreign and scandalous, but they were nothing compared to what you see kids doing today. Nonetheless, the present generation is so far from understanding how instumental Elvis was to bringing about change—not just to our culture, but to things we consider liberties, like dancing. Elvis was instrumental in pushing both racial and social boundaries, both with his music and his stage presence. Although he gained monumental success, he was also held accountable for allegedly tarnishing the youth at the time. Even as an overnight success, the road wasn’t always easy for him.

In 2009, my grandmother took me to Graceland—a first for both of us. It was a wonderful trip; however, at 24 years old, I was one of the youngest people there. In this day and age, apparently, Elvis just isn’t considered “cool.” My generation doesn’t want to learn about him or understand his legacy.

While watching the Grammys this past weekend, I noticed one performance in particular that appealed to me. Bruno Mars, one of the most talented breakout singer/songwriters of recent years, gave a riveting throwback performance of his 60s-inspired hit song “Runaway Baby.” Mars and his band were outfitted in black and gold metallic tuxedos, performing on a Vegas-esque brightly lit stage, with “Bruno Mars” written above them. Mars wore his hair in a 50s pompadour and shook his legs and moved his feet in a way that made little girls scream with delight. Sound familiar?

So, what were we witnessing here? I know what I saw, but did the youngsters even pick up on the nuances of Mars’ throwback performance? Probably not. (Mars even paid homage to the late James Brown.) Young girls confess their undying love to Mars on their blogs and Twitter pages, but it’s doubtful they even understand the correlation or significance of his Grammy performance.

Mars credits a wide array of musical genres as influences, which shows in his songwriting and performances, but one of his greatest influences was Elvis. Not only that, but as a young boy in Hawaii, Mars used to perform as an Elvis impersonator. Other influences include Little Richard and Michael Jackson, which is apparent when watching his Grammy performance. (wikipedia.org/wiki/Bruno_Mars)

Combine these influences with his dancing ability, his incredible voice and versatility, and you have a recipe for success. Mars’ Grammy performance inadvertently appealed (in many different ways) to a wide demographic of viewers, male and female, young and old. His Grammy performance was old school yet current—it was impossible NOT to enjoy watching him. He had that energy and appeal of someone we know as “Elvis.”

Let's hope that Bruno Mars makes old school cool again so our generation doesn’t wind up being remembered for “artists” like Nicki Minaj.

Watch Bruno Mars’ Grammy Performance of “Runaway Baby” and decide for yourself: bit.ly/RunawayBaby-BrunoMars

Sigh. Woody Allen once again creates a masterpiece of American filmmaking with his latest film, “Midnight in Paris.” I waited for the film to come out on DVD, so excuse me for just now writing about a film that was in theaters last year.

From watching the trailer, Owen Wilson’s character, Gil, is believed to be cheating on his fiancée, Inez—played by the lovely Rachel McAdams; we witness Gil leaving his hotel room at night to walk the streets of Paris alone. It is presumed that he is rendezvousing with a glamorous Parisian woman. While this is partially true, the film is, in fact, much more complex than your average romantic comedy.

Gil is actually leaving his hotel at night and being transported back to 1920s Paris. In his current life, he is unfulfilled by the lackluster American city in which he lives. His relationship with Inez is strained, and she doesn’t seem to understand his psyche. As a writer, Gil is nostalgic about the great writers who emerged during the early 20th century in Paris, and the era and city itself. When he is transported back in time, he encounters some of the literary greats, and truly feels like he has found his place. The idea of time travel can be hokey, to say the least, but “Midnight in Paris” works it in seamlessly and with comedic freedom—as only Woody Allen could do.

The film closely mimics the era, when up-and-coming American writers, such as F. Scott Fitzgerald and Ernest Hemingway, flocked to Paris for inspiration—usually leaning on each other for camaraderie while simultaneously being each other’s competition. Every party that Gil attends is like the Who’s Who of the Roaring Twenties. For the audience, it’s like a literary trivia game.

Intentionally or unintentionally, the film’s greatest attribute is its underlying theme of nostalgia. Although the film is ultimately a love story, it is the nostalgia premise that will resonate with anyone who has an appreciation for literature, the arts or history. In truth, you’ll become nostalgic about the film that is about nostalgia; although, the youngsters will undoubtedly be hard-pressed to grasp the essence of what makes “Midnight in Paris” so mesmerizing.

The film is Oscar-nominated for Best Picture, although I believe either “The Help” or “The Artist” will beat it. Woody Allen is nominated for Best Director and Best Original Screenplay, both of which would be a well-deserved win.

All in all, “Midnight in Paris” is a truly heartfelt and whimsical film that will leave you wanting to be transported to the Jazz Age with Gil to drink a stiff drink with Fitzgerald and Hemingway … and then maybe get in a boxing match with the latter.

When I was five years old, I underwent surgery to remove both my tonsils and adenoids. Apparently, I was rather “nasally” when I spoke. The surgery required a two-night hospital stay and I was put in a room with five other beds, most of them empty.

There was a girl about my age in the bed across from mine. I remember her vividly because she had tubes going in her nose and she wasn’t able to leave her bed. At certain points during the day, the nurses would enter our hospital room and section off her bed with a curtain for privacy. At this point, they would beat on the little girl’s back with such force that she would cry, and I would sit in horror listening to all the commotion.

On my second evening in the hospital, I was recovering from my minor surgery while my mom read to me from my favorite “My Little Pony” book. A few pages into the story (which I had heard a thousand times), my mom stopped and looked across the room at the little girl who was sitting all alone. My mom got up from my bedside and said, “I’m going to go read to her for a little while.”

What happened next is something that I am still ashamed about to this day. As my mom walked away from my bed, a pang of jealousy hit me. I started kicking the bed and screaming, “No! That’s my book. I don’t want you to share it with her. It’s mine!” My mom hadn’t even made it halfway across the room before she turned on her heel and marched right back to my bed with fury on her face and her finger pointed in mine. Whatever she said shut me up quickly. She then walked back over to the little girl (who looked mortified to be the unintentional cause of such commotion), and read her my “My Little Pony” book. I sat there seething over the next hour as I watched the little girl warm to my mom’s presence as they read, laughed and talked together.

The next morning, I awoke feeling rather guilty for my selfishness; I felt bad that I had embarrassed the little girl with my behavior. I sat up in bed and looked across at her bed, smiling apologetically; however, the little girl was not there. Her bed was neatly made and what little belongings she owned had been removed.

It turns out the little girl had succumb to her illness during the night. I would later find out that she had spent her short life battling cystic fibrosis.

My mom later told me that the little girl had been sick for so long, her parents had no choice but to go back to work and take care of their other children at home. Understandably, they did the best they could and made sure to visit her at least once a day.

I can only hope the kindness that my mom showed to the little girl overshadowed my actions that night – I will always regret the way I acted. I was too young to truly understand the situation. Now, when I think about the little girl, I can’t imagine what her life must have been like to live in a hospital and to be so lonely and scared. Sadly, a story similar to the little girl’s is one that you will find in every hospital, in every town, in every country across the world.  

This Thanksgiving, I would like to give thanks for my health and the health of my family members; our health is something that we often take for granted, but it should be cherished as it can be taken away without a minute's notice. On Thanksgiving Day, I will take a moment to think about the families that are spending their Thanksgiving in a hospital room or with a sick family member. I certainly have a lot to be thankful for again this year.

Remember when Facebook was new and mysterious—sort of like a dark, attractive stranger eyeing you from across the room?

Remember when Facebook was an elite entity, only available to those who possessed a college email address?

Remember when Facebook basically existed to chronicle the debauchery of college students?

No? Well, I do.

The original Facebook had only one rule: you had to have a college email address to sign up. There was no moral filter and no unspoken rules; it was just college kids sharing pictures from fraternity parties and theme nights—and trust me, these pictures weren’t always rated PG-13. (Have you seen what college kids pass off as Halloween costumes?) The novelty of Facebook was exciting. Unfortunately, steady changes caused it to quickly wear off.

In the first of many changes that would leave Facebook members disgruntled, Facebook announced that they would let “outsiders” join. (Outsiders definition: anyone who wasn’t an original, college email-possessing Facebook member.) The result of this long-awaited invitation was over 700 million people acting like kids all hopped-up on Mountain Dew. The excitement and jubilation was anticlimactic, to say the least. (The reason James Dean was cool was because he didn’t go around talking about how cool he was.)

It spiraled from here. Next, your parents were “friending” you on Facebook. Accepting this request, as any dutiful son or daughter did, brought on a modern-day inquisition: “Are you dating so-and-so in that picture with you?” “Why did you think it was appropriate to post that as your status?” And the worst: “Don’t tell me you actually wore that as a Halloween costume, let alone out in public?” All of a sudden, college-age kids were being told what they could and couldn’t do with their own Facebook page—and by their own parents, nonetheless!

THIS was the point when the Facebook rules changed. The elite group was compromised and your Facebook etiquette had to be tailored to accommodate the outsiders.

Today, Facebook has all of these “unspoken rules” that have changed it entirely from what it used to be. Since your list of friends now includes your boss, your co-workers, your 13-year-old cousin, your grandma, your parents, and the kids down the street who you babysit on Saturday nights, you are limited in what you can post. No profane language; no risqué pictures; no late-night, grammatically-incorrect status updates that will raise eyebrows as to your sobriety; no complaining about your job; and most importantly, no Halloween pictures!

Sometimes I get a little nostalgic and try and remember the carefree Facebook I once knew. This is nearly impossible considering the amount of changes that have taken place over the years.

Understandably, I could spend hours meticulously going through my friends list, editing the privacy settings for each individual as I see fit. But, to be honest, I can’t be bothered!  

Don’t get me wrong, it’s not that I don’t like Facebook (because I’m as enthusiastic about it as the next person); it’s just that Facebook isn’t ever going to be what it used to be—which is probably a good thing, considering I’m not in college anymore.

London is considered to be one of the top tourist attractions in the world, and rightly so. The city exudes history, pomp and swank, and there are historical attractions on every street corner. It is home to some of the best restaurants, museums, architecture, shopping and nightlife that you can find.      

London, however, can be a daunting city to traverse as a tourist. The streets are complex (not the typical north to south, east to west street grid common in most American cities), and the underground and bus systems can be confusing to any newcomer.

So, let me introduce you to what I consider one of the greatest entrepreneurial developments to hit London in recent years: smallcarBIGCITY. Aptly named, smallcarBIGCITY offers tours of London in classic Mini Coopers. Whether you are planning to visit London for the first time or you have been before, you must make an appointment to take a smallcarBIGCITY tour.

The idea is ingenious – a native Londoner acts as your driver and tour guide, giving insight into facets of London that you can’t find elsewhere. The tour is personal – no craning your neck to hear the muffled sounds of a tour guide over the loud speaker of a bus – it’s just you and your fellow travelers along for the ride. The Mini’s small size gives it the ability to weave in and out of heavy London traffic, exploring smaller streets and back roads that buses and other tours just can’t navigate.

Another benefit of smallcarBIGCITY is that you pick a tour that suits your interests – and there are plenty to choose from. The Royal London tour is great for those interested in the monarchy, while the seasonal William and Kate tour is perfect for people still enamored with the recent Royal Wedding. Film buffs will love The Italian Job tour, which actually includes a blue boiler suit and tweed cap for each passenger to wear. (Great photo opportunities here!)

For the more adventurous types, the Tale of Two Cities is the tour for you; a tour of London and Paris in the same day, with all of the details coordinated for you. If none of these tours peak your interest, no problem. smallcarBIGCITY also let’s you be the boss. Just hire a Mini (complete with driver) for a full or half day and tell them where you want to go! The smallcarBIGCITY drivers are extremely knowledgeable (not to mention young and charming), and since you are one-on-one with them during all the tours, they can personally answer any questions you might have about London.

Above any other sightseeing experience, smallcarBIGCITY tours are the best, most stylish way to experience London. Plus, the presence of the classic Mini Cooper doesn’t scream “tourist” like most organized sightseeing tours – people will actually stop and stare in awe as you whiz by in a classic Mini looking like one of London’s elite.

Learn more about smallcarBIGCITY on their website: smallcarbigcity.com or on Facebook: facebook.com/smallcarBIGCITY

Oh, and did I mention, it happens to be my brother, Alastair, and his two friends, Robert and Oliver, that started the company? Book your tour today – you won’t be disappointed! 

Henley, my Pomeranian, is a little devil. He is equivalent to a mischievous little toddler; you can’t turn your back on him for more than a second without something happening. On paper, he seems perfect: housebroken, well mannered, and good with kids and other dogs. However, in truth, he is the Eddie Haskell of pint-sized dogs.

One evening, I was in the kitchen making dinner and listening to Bruce Springsteen. I wasn’t even two minutes into “Thunder Road” before I thought to myself, “Where’s Henley?” It was then that I peered into the living room and made the gruesome discovery. Henley had devoured an architecture model that my boyfriend, Domingo, had spent days building for a school project that was due the next day. The remains that Henley didn’t digest were strewn all over the house.

I swear he is the Tasmanian devil disguised in a cream puff exterior. It looked like a cardboard bomb had exploded in my house. The architecture model was beyond salvageable; in fact, it deserved a proper burial after what it had endured. I tried to explain to Henley how much time and effort had gone into building it, but he didn’t care. He just stood there, staring at me flippantly. Needless to say, his extracurricular appetite cost him his real dinner that night.  

We have Four-Legged Fridays at my work and Henley attends on Fridays when I have an ounce of hope that he’ll be well behaved. Having him at work is as exhausting as chaperoning a bunch of screaming kids to Six Flags.

One day at work, Henley was the epitome of the well-trained dog, just sitting quietly under my desk while I worked. I bent down to pet him and praise this unusual behavior when I noticed something in his mouth. To my utter horror and disgust, he had been proudly chewing on a giant cockroach the entire time.

On a different Four-Legged Friday, Henley decided to befriend my boss and jump into her lap while she was working. He didn’t stay long and with one swift move, he was on top of her desk. A tiny whirlwind ensued (think Tasmanian devil), and before anyone knew what was happening, everything on her desk went crashing to the floor. Thankfully, my boss thought it was funny. I, on the other hand, did not.

Everyone that meets Henley falls in love with him. People gush about how cute he is, how fluffy his hair is, how they want to take him home with them. “He’s yours if you want him,” I always joke, because I know they would return him the very next day, explaining to me in disbelief that a scene from the 1984 movie “Gremlins” took place while he was in their possession.  

I often peruse various design blogs, getting inspiration for design projects that I will probably never get around to executing. On more than one occasion, I had noticed the simplistic idea of arranging books on a shelf by color. It made me think of my current display of haphazardly stacked books and after some deliberation, I came to the conclusion that they weren’t adding anything to the overall appeal of my living room.

So, last weekend, I decided to go for it. I wasn’t exactly diving off the deep end in the world of design; I was simply arranging my books by color. After nearly two hours of coughing up dust and separating books by hue, I realized how much fun I was having. Every book I took down from the shelf evoked a different memory.  

When I took down “Catcher in the Rye,” I remembered the summer my mom gave it to me to read; I was a teenager and just reveled in Holden Caulfield’s every word. Looking at the worn cover and torn pages of “Rebecca,” I was transported right back to my dorm room at boarding school, jaw open in shock when I learned the truth about Rebecca’s death. The smell of my old copy of “The Night Before Christmas” brought a tear to my eye—I was six years old again, filled with the excitement of Santa’s impending arrival, sitting on my dad’s knee in my Christmas pajamas while he began with words, “Twas the night before Christmas.”

We now live in a world of iPhones and Kindles; a world where we are constantly trying to distance ourselves from the material book. We are made to believe that real books are such an inconvenience, that they take up too much space and are a commodity we need to dispose of in order to be current in this technological age.

Call me nostalgic, but I like to cherish every book I’ve ever read. I don’t care how much room they take up; in fact, I hope to have a whole library of books one day. My color-arranging design project made me understand the importance of holding on to things we cherish, even if others are changing with the times. You never know how something could become a portal to a memory long since forgotten. 

The workplace can be a fast-paced and hectic world. New graduates can feel lost and confused at the direction they are supposed to take; even seasoned employees can find themselves in sticky situations now and then. Luckily for us, the Bs have compiled an extensive list of recommended reading for everyone from new graduates to advertising and business professionals.

These recommended books contain information to help you choose the right career, hone your networking skills, deal with common workplace issues, become a successful entrepreneur and so much more! Perhaps some of the best advice of all is in the words of Dr. Seuss: "Step with care and great tact and remember that life's a great balancing act. Just never forget to be dexterous and deft. And never mix up your right foot with your left."

Advertising & Business Professionals

• "Blue Ocean Strategy: How to Create Uncontested Market Space and Make Competition Irrelevant"
  by W. Chan Kim & Renee Mauborgne
  Stephanie Scott

• "Built to Last: Successful Habits of Visionary Companies"
  by Jim Collins
  Stephanie Scott

• "Execution: The Discipline of Getting Things Done"
  by Larry Bossidy & Ram Charan
  Stephanie Scott

• "Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap…And Others Don't"
  by Jim Collins
  Stephanie Scott

• "How to Market to People Not Like You"
  by Kelly McDonald
  Lynne Swihart

• "Never Eat Alone: And Other Secrets to Success, One Relationship at a Time"
  by Keith Ferrazzi with Tahl Raz
  Chip Hanna

• "The Art of Client Service"
  by Robert Solomon
  Jennifer Haynes

• "The Power of Nice: How to Conquer the Business World With Kindness"
  by Linda Kaplan Thaler & Robin Koval
  Lynne Swihart

• "Who Moved My Cheese?: An Amazing Way to Deal with Change in Your Work and in Your Life"
  by Spencer Johnson, M.D.
  Lauren Turner

New Graduates

• "Do What You Are: Discover the Perfect Career for You Through the Secrets of Personality Type"
  by Paul D. Tieger & Barbara Barron-Tieger
  Stephanie Scott

• "Go Put Your Strengths to Work"
  by Marcus Buckingham
  Stephanie Scott

• "Life After College: The Complete Guide to Getting What You Want"
  by Jenny Blake
  Lesley Mason

• "Now, Discover Your Strengths"
  by Marcus Buckingham & Donald O. Clifton
  Stephanie Scott

• "Oh, the Places You'll Go!"
  by Dr. Seuss
  Mick Swindall

Everyone

• "48 Days to the Work You Love"
  by Dan Miller
  Stephanie Orges

• "Enchantment: The Art of Changing Hearts, Minds, and Actions"
  by Guy Kawasaki
  Brian Blankenship

• "Grammar for Grownups"
  by Val Dumond
  Lynne Swihart

• "Harold and the Purple Crayon"
  by Crockett Johnson
  Lynne Swihart

• "How To Win Friends and Influence People"
  by Dale Carnegie
  Alan Parchman

• "Rework"
  by Jason Fried & David Heinemeier Hansson
  Brian Blankenship & Scott Nichols

• "The Associated Press Stylebook and Briefing on Media Law"
  by Associated Press
  Lynne Swihart

• "The Little Red Hen"
  by Diane Muldrow
  Lynne Swihart