Simpsonize me

It seems everyone I know loves the The Simpsons for one reason or other. While I find myself fidgeting whenever I watch the show, I have my own reasons for being a fan.

• Not one, but two ways to "Simpsonize" yourself. At the Web site for the Simpsons movie, you can create an avatar (like mine here) and play a game. Or, you can upload your own photo at the SimpsonizeMe site and be automotically transformed.
  
  
• Recently, I found one more reason to be a fan. Stormy weather and Delta airlines had joined forces to delay my trip to Ireland for a night. Instead of being airborn, I was housebound. I turned on The Simpsons in time to see, "In the Name of the Grandfather," in which the family flies to Ireland (on Derry Air) so Grampa can revisit a pub where he had the best night of his life. They also visit several places I've been to and some on the itinerary of my delayed trip. Many thanks to Homor and Marge and the rest for letting me see a wee bit of Ireland in advance.
  

Brand smart?

Branding helps companies create a personality for themselves, instant recognition in the general public, and customer loyalty to certain products and services. At least it does when done right.

Most companies put a lot of time and money into the numerous components of branding, which starts with the company name. So what happens when that name -- the first thing a potential customer or employee or business partner sees -- is less than appealing?

Here are some of my un-faves:

• The Dump: TV ads for this bargain furniture store stick in my head because of the amazing number of times the announcer repeats the company name in an annoying way. As for the name, I thought the whole reason to buy new furniture was to keep your home from looking like a dump.
• Rent-A-Wreck: This name under promises and over delivers. That's usually a recipe for success. But with cars, the word "wreck" is an accident waiting to happen. It makes me think the car I rent won't be reliable, and it doesn't matter if I trash it because it's a wreck anyway.
• Goof Off: I actually use (and like) this self-proclaimed "miracle remover" (another misnomer because it doesn't really remove miracles). What it does remove are all the spills, drips, and splotches I leave behind. But Goof Off? If I'm working that hard to clean up after myself, I'm certainly not goofing off. But I guess it's a better name than Obsessive Compulsive Cleaner.

I thought long and hard before naming my own business. It was in the midst of trying out some options when AMY INK became shorthand for this venture I started in 2000. And the moniker stuck. Still, it can create confusion. Some people say it's a good thing I'm a writer, with a name like Amy Ink.

Simply amazing, simply Wawa

I first knew Wawa as a convenience store, on par with 7-Eleven, but with a stranger name. It was a quick stopping point for coffee or snacks on my way to somewhere else. Now it has become a destination in its own right. Many businesses, even those beyond the service sector, would do themselves a favor by studying the Wawa model.

Wawa's core purpose is "To Simplify Our Customers' Daily Lives." And that's exactly what it does.

• Need a little caffeine pick-me-up? Wawa has dozens of fresh coffee pots to pour from, so you never have to wait for a fresh brew-- or someone else to pour.
• Concerned about the once-and-trash nature of disposable coffee cups? You can drink "green" with a refillable Wawa coffee mug that fits snugly in the console of your car.
• Lunch? Head to the touchscreens to place your order, and it's ready in minutes. Couldn't be easier.
  

What impresses me more than a specific service is the fact that Wawa gets it. It offers simple services quickly and in a smart way, with an interface -- like a touchscreen or coffee center -- that's easy and even enjoyable to use.

I know I'm not the only Wawa fan. There are 149,099 on Wawa's Facebook page. There's even a Facebook "Addicted to Wawa" group.

No, I don't work for Wawa. I just love being able to satisfy my everyday needs with one quick stop. And the gas prices are hard to beat.

Where does the money go?

Like most people, I like to keep track of my money. Now I can do so in an entirely different way. For instance, the $20 bill in my wallet has traveled 121 miles in 110 days, 11 hours, and 15 minutes--or an average of 1.1 miles per day--since its last owner reported in. The bill is now 121 miles from its previously noted location in Hughesville, Md., where the owner received it as change at a Wawa when buying coffee.

I'm not sure what the value is of knowing so much about your money, but it's a fun bit of mind trivia. To learn where your money comes from--and where it goes--visit Where's George.