trading in the man card

It's me and 3 other ladies hanging out tonight. Lissy, my sister-in-law and my niece.

We were trying to decide what movie to rent from Blockbuster, and the girls agreed on 27 Dresses. Yup, that's right...27 Dresses. I traded in my 'man card' the moment I passed my rental card across to the clerk. Hopefully the protagonist can find true love in a super-dramatic and fulfilling way.

If you need me, I'll be starting a scrap booking club later in the month.

VALLTEL!

This week, I renewed my interest in a college website that brought me a lot of laughs.

Homestar was silly, irreverent and full of wit. The emails from Strongbad were classic.

Why do I bring this up? Well, it looks like Verizon Wireless is going to purchase Alltel Wireless--the account I work on. I think the new name should be Valltel! This was brainstormed with some co-workers of mine. The inspiration came from none other that Trogdor the Burnanator.

Burnanating the countryside, burnanating the peasants. Trogdor!

VALLTEL! Scary.

Why NI sucks

NI sucks because it decided that a certain someone would be more valuable to their organization in Massachusetts. What about Virginia? What is gonna happen to the Philip Morris's? What is gonna happen to the Military Intelligence agencies who need testing and measuring?

I am going to get together an online petition and see if I can generate enough negative press so that NI decides that it will lose all its Virginia business if it doesn't keep my friend here.

That is why NI sucks.

experiment time

Hey Everybody!

How many of you check back to see if I have updated my blog recently? My guess is 2, maybe 3 of you a month. And you are Always. Disappointed. Always. Cause I never post.

Well, for you lucky few, I have a new experiment. I will post everyday until Liss comes back from her internship. Don't believe me? Well, I guess we'll have to see who wins this unofficial bet.

Game on, sucka.

-Me

Guitar Hero, walk the walk

Guitar Hero, 3 times

chicken or the egg

I've started the 6th season of 24 on DVD. Why do I do this to myself? I hardly have enough time to keep up with the shows I am already invested in.

Now if this freakin' writer's strike doesn't end soon, we'll all be bombarded with so much reality television our brains will melt. Basically, a Darwinian gale force will wipe out the entire human race as 1 in 3 of us will be cast in a show by the end of '09. Cue the life-threatening televised hi jinks we're all bound to be contractually obligated to participate in.

Maybe it's because I am in Media at the Agency and I feel some sort of obligation to keep up with current television programming. Really, this is one of those chicken or the egg type conundrums. Did I gravitate towards advertising because I love media in all forms? Or do I now ingest more Media since I hear all about it at work and am naturally intrigued?

Either way, I am wasting precious time writing about it. I have work to do. Only 23 hours left.

Dove Hypocrisy

my first, and possibly last, organized race

I am participating in the NTelos 8k tomorrow in downtown Richmond. This was a bad idea. I signed up a couple months ago, with every intention of training and preparing in advance to condition myself for the run. Little did I know that "planning," as we call it in Media, would rob me of most of my free time and sanity the past two months.

The only consolation I have is the knowledge that I received a "free" T-shirt, and there will be plenty of medical staff close by to help me when I collapse after mile one.

Wish me luck.

like.no.other

want to be an ad major? a tutorial.

As far as Communications for a major, I really enjoyed it because I was exposed to working on marketing solutions for real clients. The BYU Adlab provided all kinds of opportunities to put our book knowledge of advertising and marketing to the test. Not all majors can promise the same type of real world experience.

The reason why I would highly recommend a BA in Communications and a Minor in Business Management, is three-fold.

First and foremost, the credit hours need to complete a Comms degree is 42 or so. Translation: Its a very fast major. This is a big plus because the majority of jobs in Marketing or Advertising are more concerned with real world experience rather than a complex degree. The main requirement is a Bachelors, nothing more. You do not need a Master's to work in Advertising. Your professors will recommend as many as 3 internships. These are vital at making the necessary connections to get into a career path. If you are curious how I made the leap from student to career, I can can go into more detail about my journey post-graduation experience at a later time.

Secondly, you aren't limited to working in an Ad Agency if you get a Comms degree. I had a senior capstone in which our class was broken up into 8 different groups of 8-10 students. Out of my group of 8, only 2 of us are working for an Ad Agency. The other 6 are scattered into all different types of marketing and sales positions. (i.e. sports marketing, Google, marketing for a small technology company etc. etc.). In the industry we call working for an Ad Agency the "agency-side" and working for a marketing department at any other company the "client side".

Third, it is a broad enough degree to do just about anything you want in a related field. Virtually every successful company has a marketing department. That being said, you could apply your marketing knowledge (and your business minor will help with this as well), to any, and I mean ANY industry you are interested in.

Pay is a bummer when starting @ an Ad Agency (wah-wah). It is an industry that is extremely difficult to crack, and dues must be paid, but the rewards are tremendous if you stick it out. (I am currently in the paying of my dues phase). Once you have worked at an Ad Agency for a few years (in my case, I am planning on about 10-15) you can jump back and forth between agency and client work. It does not work in reverse. Translation: You can't really work in a marketing department on the client-side for a few years, and expect that experience to translate over to an Ad Agency. Client-side does usually pay more right out of school (about 5k+ more), but you do limit your opportunities down the road, in my opinion.

I hope this helps...and more importantly makes sense.

Good Luck in your search for a major!

I understand what "the grind" means now

Buckle up. Only 30+ more years of leaving the house before 8:30am. Yuck.

What advertising is all about

back from hiatus

I am loving the new TiVo commercials. Check it out. You will not be disappointed.

Oil is pronounced OL

Virginia weather is crazy. My first weekend in the grand ol' city of Richmond, hurricane Ernesto dropped on us. "Luckily" at this point, the storm was downgraded to a tropical storm. The boiler in our house went KAPUT and we were out of hot water for a week while it was being fixed.

Since this time, we have had our cellar flooded 2 and a half times. Welcome to Virginia! Locals have told me that the weather this fall is abnormal. I am not so sure.

For years, I wondered why the weather channel actually existed. Why on earth would a channel need to dedicate 24/7 programming to something as boring as the weather? Last thursday I watched this channel for over two hours. I eat my words.


There was a TORNADO WATCH! Does this scare anybody else? At the height of the storm I was outside brooming water away from the house as it was pooring down into our cellar. Since I have moved here, I have learned the joys of a sump pump and an above ground oil tank.


Oil is pronounced OL in Richmond, VA.

Never become committed to a show with cocky Executive Producers

This summer, I made the leap into a cultural phenomenon. It cost me $87 to join, and I have invested at least 50+ hours into the cause.

I am a Lost addict.


I admit this with a reluctant heart. Even to the point of self-ridicule and the knowledge that I did this to myself. While I was in NY on my internship, I needed something to do to pass the time while I lived as a "single" dude in the City. Since money was tight...I was paying my dues in the form of an unpaid internship AND tuition, I needed something to do that was free (a one time cost at least;)

I also needed to get OUT OF THE HEAT. (Man, I don't miss the scorching temperatures of an NYC summer).

I digress.

So in my mind, I justified the purchase of season 1 on DVD. I knew what I was getting into. Instantly, I was hooked. Perhaps it was the power to watch as many episodes I wanted at my fingertips. The storylines were intriguing and the action and character development were fun and satisfying. I zipped through season 1 in about 3 weeks, tops. As an addict, I could not control my urge to purchase season 2 on iTunes as it had not made it to DVD yet. Two weeks later, and I was done with that season as well.

Now, here I am, 6 weeks into season 3 and I am not a happy camper.

This is the meat of what I am trying to say. NEVER BECOME COMMITTED TO A SHOW WITH COCKY EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS. Mr. Carlton Cuse and Damon Lindelof how I despise you now.

Really. I do.

As a public service, I have created a quick how-to guide for any up-and-coming Television producers.

GUIDEBOOK FOR COCKY EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS

1. Create a brilliant show. TV viewers get hooked on said show with a huge budget, all-star cast and great location. Throw in some mystery, clever flashback sequences and mix all together...


=the most popular water-cooler TV show in recent history.

2. Entice these fans to interact with all aspects of the show. Create a community in which people can speculate about the mysteries of the storyline and the island. These said fans will spend loads of money on DVD's and whatnot. Win some Emmy's.


3. Let it all go to your head. This includes smug podcasts, teasing of loyal fans, arrogance and the ability to write mysterious storylines into a corner. Make sure to avoid answering any real plot questions or mysteries.

The sad thing about the show is it really used to be brilliant. My feeling is that the production staff is trying to milk the series for all the money its worth. Pressure from ABC and its investors have put the creators of LOST in a hard position.

They are stretching out the show.

My feeling is that the writers really only had a story which would be told in about 4 or 5 seasons. Since the LOST franchise has brought in so much revenue, they are trying to spread out the show to last much longer than originally, or creatively planned.

Anyone who has seen Season 3 can testify of this. Each week, the fans get their hopes up. "This week will be better...some questions will be answered....it'll get moving." And each week we are dissapointed.


Sad thing is, since I have invested so much time into the series, I have chosen to stay until the bitter end. In the meantime, these two smug Exec Producers, Mr. Cuse, and Mr. Lindelof continue to insult the intelligence of their viewers. They do this by systematically neglecting to answer any real mysteries that have arisen since LOST began over 2 years ago.

According to the Neilsen Ratings, Lost has continued its downward slide in the ratings. Hmm, imagine that. I guess money really does talk. Hopefully this 'lost' revenue will cause these dudes to wipe the smug look off their faces and give us some real answers.

ahhhh Richmond

Looks like we made some national news.

Voting mishaps

Yorktown

Last Saturday, we went to the 225th anniversary of the Battle @ Yorktown, VA.

I am from the OTHER Washington, as in the state, and I have no recollection of this all-important battle during the Revolutionary War. Not to say that the education system let me down as a child. Its just that the happenings of the eastern United States 200+ years ago went in one ear and out the other.

I (heart) history, just not when I am tested on it.


I learned an important lesson on this particular sunny Saturday. Do not, under any circumstance, give your email address to a Revolutionary war actor/volunteer. Even if it is your junk email account. I have received 4 group emails* (see spam) since Saturday. He is a nice enough guy(on the left), just REALLY passionate about these reenacments.

Those costumes are extremely expensive, and I was suprised to see the following these events have. People from all over the country convene and a good time is had by all.

change

The past year has been filled with big changes. (in no particular order)

1. marriage
2. three different jobs
3. leaving Provo
4. un-paid internship in NY
5. living apart for the summer. this one was interesting to say the least as I had 4 single roomates and no Elissa :(
6. 2nd internship/slave job
7. supportive law school spouse (wink)
8. renting a real house
9. finding real job (still working on that one).

The hardest change so far? Getting a Virginia license. Yeah. So I am lame. During my 4.5 years as a college student I proudly displayed my WA drivers license to anyone who would ask to see it. I didn't get very many requests, but thats not the point. I had my identity as an outsider, a rebel without a clue if you will.

Lenny the Lumina had his matching License plates 111-AHM (*) (* changed to protect my identity ;) Whenever I would drive my 4 door grandpa-mobile around P-town I would happily display that plate like a badge of honor. "Hey...I'm not from Utah, check out my Washington plates. That is why I am a better driver than you."


Now, I look at Lenny and all I see is assimilation. As far as anybody knows, I am from VA, I have always lived here, and I'm not going anywhere. This is entirely not true! I am from the great state of Washington, birthplace of the apple and grunge music.


Don't get me wrong...Virginia is a beautiful state...HELLO! "It's for Lovers" TM. It's also home of the Dave Matthews Band and Philip Morris! I just miss the noteriety (albeit small), of standing out a little in a sea of bland license plates. I live in Virginia now, and that is not gonna change anytime soon.

Now that I am in Nascar country I need to take some pride. Tom Cruise drove a Lumina in Days of Thunder. Beat that.

paradigm shift

Two weeks ago, I had a paradigm shift.

I know thats a rather heady way to begin a post, but there is not a simpler way to describe the events that transpired to get me to this declaration.

It all started on the morning of September 20th. About 7:30am I did one of those half awake full body stretches. You know the type that causes your legs to defiantly resist the movement by involuntarily spasming (well not a REAL spasm... *ask if you need further clarification on the morning stretch). On this particular morning, I was not even 15% awake when I did the stretch. The next thing I knew, I was SCREAMING, as pain shot from my lower back. I could feel it all the way down in my legs. I swear that Elissa about had a heart attack as she was still fast asleep when she was instantly woken up by my outburst. No matter how I moved, it hurt.


Back story: A week previous to this occurance my back had started hurting at work as I was shuttling clients from a hotel to a photoshoot. It wasn't too bad, but the pain was annoying.

Anyway, long story short I "threw out my back." as the old-timers say. I insisted to Lissy that I needed to go to work and plead my case. When my boss saw me, she knew that my shuffle walk was a result of said injury and allowed me to go home. Both Wednesday and Thursday were spent on my back, watching episodes of 24; the most highly addictive show on TV. Don't start unless you have the stamina to watch at least 2 a day. Other side effects include perpetual teeth clenching.

Back to the story. I learned a few important lessons while being quasi-immobile for 2 days.

1. Never take your back for granted. EVERY movement you make involves your back, and when you are injured, every movement you make can be felt in said back. ouch.

2. When you have legitimate back pain, if something drops on the ground, its as good as gone. At one point, I dropped the entire container of Q-tips on the bathroom floor. They might as well have been lost in the Bermuda Triangle...they were GONE.

3. Too much 24 makes you paranoid.



COMING SOON TO A BLOG NEAR YOU....

"The Paradigm Shift Continues" (Including excerpts from the crazy phone story and the trauma of getting a VA license).