On her second day of second grade, my daughter was given a worksheet with a variety of prompts for her to complete. They were personality-related, designed to encourage her think about her own traits and how she might like to be known to the rest of the class. It included things like: My favorite colors […]
Twenty years ago last week, walking through the door into Rare Bird would have been a decidedly different experience. First, there were only three of us to greet you (not 15 as there are today) and you’d have been entering a recently converted garage. (Yes, we were a classic garage start-up.) Back then, we spent […]
I’m sitting in Cafe Patachou’s flagship, the first location opened by local celebrity restaurateur Martha Hoover, when I see this notice posted in the middle of the menu: I think (and remark to my tablemates) that this simple message is a stroke of genius, from both a marketing perspective and simple, common sense. Too often […]
If you regularly read our emails or blog posts (first, thank you!), you know that we tend to look at the world in some unconventional ways. A slight tilt to the head, like a dog puzzling over whether or not it’s worth the risk to grab that filet off the counter. Much like the dog, […]
[Note: This guest post is authored by a certifiable “big brain” and friend of Rare Bird, Chip Neidigh. Chip is a graduate of the US Naval Academy, a former Marine Corps Officer, and a business owner specializing in helping leaders of organizations of all sizes become the best possible versions of themselves.] I run a […]
Fan Fest Housed in the Convention Center, this four-day event promises to be fun for the whole family. Check the schedule to see when you’ll find Brad on the trampoline dunk court. (Not really.) On the Ferris Wheel Have you seen this thing? It’s monstrous. And free to ride (thank you, Capital One!) though I […]
Edited (2024): The blog post below is old. Like…really, really old. Nearly 10 years old, in fact, which is forever in terms of content online. In the first few months of each year, though, we see a spike in traffic to this page because Indiana State basketball fans (and alumni) get excited when there’s a […]
In 1974, the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center complex stood as the highest buildings in the world. On the morning of August 7, Phillipe Petit, a 24-year-old Frenchman, stepped off the edge of the south tower to walk the wire he had rigged between them. This was not an official stunt. In fact, […]
So, the Super Bowl was last Sunday. (Spoiler alert: the Colts did not win.) This year’s game was perhaps more chat-worthy than many a Super Bowl of yore — Deflategate, Marshawn Lynch’s “I’m only here so I don’t get fined,” Tom Brady’s runny nose on press day, Bill Belichick’s questionable wardrobe choices and that unfortunate, […]
Some said it couldn’t be done and, for a time, it was easy to believe it to be true. But a strange thing happened on the way to launching our new site: Ben casually remarked, “Well, it will need to be up before the holiday to get a Christmas bonus.” Wallah! [sic] The cobbler, it […]
Before you ask yourself “What? Queen?” let me explain. Normally you’d hear the phrase “Content is king,” but this particular piece is being written by a female. A female working in a predominantly male tech industry. So for at least today, ladies and gents, we are taking a page from the Brits: the queen rules. […]
A friend called recently and asked, “What’s the purpose of a web site?” He was in a conundrum. Faced with updating (and hopefully upgrading) his company’s site, he was overwhelmed with suggestions, requests, possibilities and options. He was frustrated, irritated and exasperated. His question, in this context, was intended to elicit a response that he […]
