The 9/11 Generation

I saw this article today and thought it was interesting take on the crowds of college students that took to the streets following the news bin Laden had been killed:

http://www.cnn.com/2011/LIVING/05/04/bin.laden.911.generation.react/index.html?hpt=T1&iref=BN1

Video of celebration at Penn State:

It didn't occur to me that it had a different significance to our generation than others; I just thought it was a typical college/young person thing to do. They're still awake late and night and always looking for an excuse to party so why not after the announcement? Yet this article points out that it's more than that to those who were just kids on 9/11. We've grown into adulthood in a post-9/11 world, where for nearly half of our lives, the arch nemesis of America has eluded our military and tight airport security has been the norm.

I heard a story of a friend's grandma who refused to fly because she would be forced to take off her shoes. This seemed a little absurd to me at first blush, simply because that's the way flying has been for the last 10 years of my life. I've (unfortunately) grown accustom to the pat downs, the color coded alerts, the shoes through the x-ray machine, the strict list of items you can carry on. We've come to accept all of this as "that's just the way it is" and that the measures are a necessary evil for our "safety." (The effectiveness of it all is another story though...and don't even get me started on the full-body scanners...ugh.) But for those who were adults when all the security measures came to be, I can see how they'd have a different perspective and feel like their privacy is being invaded. We haven't grown up with that sense of deserved privacy.

Terrorism has been in the back our generation's mind, a constant threat hovering over our heads for so long that it's difficult to remember what life was like when we weren't at war, when we didn't know the name Osama bin Laden, how to pronounce al-Qaeda, or where Baghdad was. How does this effect our collective psyche? According the the article, experts who have studied our generation say as a result, we're "more patriotic, more politically aware, more socially conscious and more plugged in than previous generations." I don't know about you, but I haven't observed that. Particularly the claim that we're more politically aware. Perhaps, compared to our parents' generation...but that's not something I've seen in the majority of my peer group.

However, I was glad to see that many of the students interviewed expressed the same sentiment as I did in my last post...that the death of anyone is not something to celebrate, and that it does not, by any means, mean the end of terrorism. Judging solely from the tone of the Facebook statuses following the news, I thought I was alone there...

Thoughts on reactions to bin Laden's death

A little over 24 hours ago, my roommate and I heard a "WOOO!" from friend who was watching tv downstairs. "Oh, he's probably watching the game," I said. Then I heard him yell, "We got Osama bin Laden!"

And so began a media frenzy that is still going strong . My Facebook newsfeed was clogged with praise for the military and celebrating bin Laden's death, and the news showed footage of masses of people in the streets and in front of the White House chanting, "USA! USA!"

I feel somewhat unpatriotic writing this, but I have mixed feelings on reactions I've seen. First of all...we're celebrating the fact that a person has died. One newspaper headline read, "ROT IN HELL." I fully understand that he was the leader of al Queda, the mastermind behind September 11th and other terrorist attacks, and symbol of hatred of America. But the crowds of people chanting in the streets reminded me of how some in the Middle East reacted to the news that thousands of Americans had been killed on 9/11. (I realize this isn't a perfect analogy by any means...the death of one man is no where NEAR on par with the mass murder of thousands of innocent men, women and children.) Is celebrating death, of any sort, who we are as a country? A nation largely made up of Christians, no less?

Since others can say it much more eloquently than I, here are some quotes I thought expressed what I'm thinking well:

Statement from the Vatican this morning:

"Osama bin Laden, as we all know, bore the most serious responsibility for spreading divisions and hatred among populations, causing the deaths of innumerable people, and manipulating religions to this end,” said Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi, the Vatican spokesman, who released a brief written statement reacting to the news.

“In the face of a man’s death, a Christian never rejoices, but reflects on the serious responsibilities of each person before God and before men, and hopes and works so that every event may be the occasion for the further growth of peace and not of hatred."

Statement from Rev. Mark S. Hanson, presiding bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA):

"The death of Osama bin Laden is an occasion for solemn remembrance. We remember the lives of all whose deaths resulted from his choosing hatred and violence. We stand with those who continue to mourn the death of loved ones while giving thanks for their lives, their love and their faith. We also continue to hold in prayer all whose service in the military, in government and in humanitarian and peacemaking activities contribute to a safer and more prosperous world."

"I mourn the loss of thousands of precious lives, but will not rejoice in the death of one, not even an enemy. Returning hate for hate multiplies hate, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that." -Martin Luther King, Jr.

On another note, on CNN they showed an old video of the first plane flying through the first tower flashed across the screen, juxtaposed to Osama's face while the newscaster said, "The man who did this is dead." Well...not exactly. I think it's dangerous to give any one person so much power and credit - it distracts from others who were also involved and still actively plotting attacks. Killing him does nothing to stop the War on Terror, and anyone who thinks so is naive. However, I do think destroying a symbol such as bin Laden is a powerful thing - particularly to the families of those who lost someone on 9/11. I'm very curious what their reactions were to the news. Relief, closure?

Also - why exactly is everyone giving Obama so much credit for this? I don't get it...

Okay, it's late and in my new effort to become a morning person, I'm ending this here...more later.

Recent Happenings: Half Marathon Training

In other news...

I was having trouble falling asleep one night about 3 weeks ago, so naturally, I decided to sign up for a half marathon. Why, you ask? Your guess is as good as mine...I've always despised running, thinking it a pointless, mundane activity that did nothing but make me feel like I needed to throw up. I think I put "run a half marathon" on my Bucket List, just as a joke.

So for the self-professed non-runner, training for my first half marathon has commenced! I roped a friend into doing it with me, which makes it 10 times easier. We'll be running 6 miles tomorrow...yikes! A month ago, I would have never thought that was possible. Or even more surprising, that I'd ENJOY it. Weird.

It has definitely had some favorable effects on my body, which I can't say I'm upset about. A plus, for sure, but not the goal of the training. I think I've dropped about 5 pounds in the 3 weeks since I've started, my stomach is significantly flatter, and "the line" is starting to show up again. "The line" is something I haven't seen since soccer season of my senior year of high school. It runs down the outside of my thigh (better known as the outside of my quad), and ohhhh how I've missed it! I'm very glad it's made a resurgence, because I was starting to think it was lost forever in my high school years...along with the insane metabolism that allowed me to eat two dinners a night (plus dessert) and still not put weight on.

Still getting used to the fact that I've become a "runner" (although I'm not sure if I've quite earned that title yet). I'm having a bit of an identity crisis over it: how in the world have I come to love something I adamantly hated for, oh...16 years?

Recent Happenings: Online Dating

A few friends (including my former boss) all decided to sign up for eHarmony together. (Cringe!) I was so against it for the longest time...at first, it seemed like an admission of defeat. It was like saying, "Yep, it's official. I can't meet people the normal way because I'm THAT much of a loser...guess I'll resort to meeting people online." But surprisingly...it was a TON of fun and I really enjoyed it. Ok, scratch that. It was fun for about 3 weeks, then just became a hassle and an annoyance. But for those few weeks, I went on a ridiculous amount of dates, met some very cool, interesting people (had some strange experiences as well), and it really helped clarify what I'm looking for in someone. But it became more of a chore than anything...when you go on that many dates, it isn't fun anymore, it's an obligation. However, I DID meet a really great guy who I've been seeing for about a month and a half now. :) Smitten.

I (mostly) got over my embarrassment about the online dating thing - especially after seeing that 95% of the people who do it are perfectly normal, non-desperate, sociable, and generally pretty attractive...not the unemployed 35 year olds living in their moms' basements who play World of Warcraft all day with Cheetoh dust on their wifebeater-covered beer bellies that I had pictured. Thank the LORD.

Happy(?) Singles Awareness Day!

I forgot it was Valentine's Day today, actually, which is quite a feat considering how much card, flower, chocolate and jewelry companies spend to ensure such a thing would never happen. It wasn't until I was at the grocery store on my way home from work that I really started feeling sorry for myself. I saw cute guy after cute guy in the check out line with roses, while all I had in my cart were some vegetables I begrudgingly threw into my cart after I thought about all the chocolate I'd probably be eating, two chicken breasts (both for me...), and a frozen pizza that was on the menu for my romantic evening alone. Great. I probably glared at everyone who looked even remotely happy on my way to the door, trudged through the pouring rain, and didn't even get to the first stop light before I felt my eyes welling up.

Now, I'm not one to feel sorry for myself, especially not on a stupid holiday like Valentine's Day. But given recent events with the state of my job plus the thought of going home to an empty house eating a "healthy" frozen pizza (alone) on the single day dedicated to love put me over the edge. I sniffled through a few more stop lights before my brain did a 180.

I am damn LUCKY. I have been blessed in so many ways, and have a lot of people who love me. I have loving, supportive friends and family, a warm place to sleep, plenty of food, my physical and mental health, and means to provide for myself - not to mention numerous luxuries I take for granted that the majority of the world will never know.

After I started counting, I began to feel a little guilty for the "poor me" moment. No, I don't have someone to go home to or the security of knowing what my next career move is, but I do have a hell of a lot of other things - most importantly, a lot of love in my life.

Shit My Dad Says- on dating

My sister and I have long thought the shit OUR dad says is at least as good (if not better) than the guy on Twitter. His comments and observations have made for some good Facebook statuses, but now that I have a blog, this seems as good a venue as any to share his wisdom with the world...or my 2 followers. :)

My dad's criteria for anyone I date:

"I need to interview these young men. I've got a list of questions I'd like to ask...and I'm a pretty good interrogator. First of all, do you know how to butcher a chicken? If I gave you a live chicken, could you kill it, butcher it, and cook it? Do you own a firearm? Do you know how to use it? Can you gut a deer? Can you plant potatoes? What are your political leanings?"

I cut him off there.

Random Things

Yes, it is indeed Friday night...and yes, I am blogging on one screen while watching The Office on my work laptop. I'm sick, and really tired of spending time in my bed. Daaah. So here's some stuff I've been meaning to post.

This video brought tears to my eyes. Truly a miracle.

If the embedded video isn't working, try here: http://youtu.be/sdZZmClD-rQ



If sex ed classes are teaching kids - explicitly - how to use birth control, perhaps watching a video like this should be part of the curriculum as well.

Learn some things! Common misconceptions

More evidence porn is damaging, particularly internet porn:
"…today's superstimulating porn, instead of satisfying more, numbs the brain's pleasure response. Then the user needs something even more shocking to get aroused—which the porn industry continuously delivers. Who's gonna get excited by 'PacMan' when he has been playing 'Grand Theft Auto' or 'Halo 3'?"

It literally rewires the brain and causes chemical changes. Kinda scary to think about for a 14 year old kid who hasn’t even kissed a girl, yet is being introduced to kinkier and kinkier sex through the eyes of porn directors, and in turn becoming bored by normal 14 year old things. So what’s a society to do? Can’t ban it, it’s “free speech"...right? (source)

Now THIS is a commercial.

Not many tv commercials qualify as art, in my opinion, but this does. Most car ads tout innovation and technology, but this ad invokes a sense of nostalgia...going backwards. Not faster, but slower. Its purpose is more of a branding effort, so who knows what it'll do for sales, but very well done nonetheless. Definitely targeting the Boomers.

Love the style in which it was filmed: the short, choppy close ups of faces mixed with parts of the cars, the angles, the black and white with occasional red and muted color, the rain, flashbulbs and old Hollywood glamor...the whole thing oozes class. Great song choice too. I can't figure out which agency was behind this and it's driving me insane!

Our Union's State. According to Obama.

Some quick highlights from tonight's State of the Union address:

Obama's trying to position himself
2012 is closing in and he's trying to up his approval ratings. How to do this? Make some promises and be ridiculously optimistic, of course...

"We're all in this together"
Bipartisanship in addition to the usual: religion, race, age, sexual orientation, etc. and anecdotes from "the every day American." He's used the latter two in basically every speech since he was a wee presidential candidate. It cracks me up, it's like he plays a game with himself. "How many nationalities can I list? Ready....GO! Now religions! This is such a fun game! Oh, eyes are starting to glaze over...moving on." Yes, making the point that we're all Americans is important, but gets a little old when it's used incessantly...limit the equality lists and touching stories to once per, por favor.

Sputnik...? I don't think so.

Boehner almost cried? Weird!

Liked his proposal for better transparency- putting meetings with lobbyists and tax dollar allocation online…we’ll see if that actually happens. My guess is no. But it sounds nice!

Liked what he said about Muslims being part of the American family, all the shout outs to the troops, and reaffirming his position against DADT. Also speaking to parents on instilling a love of learning at home, turning off the tv, and celebrating science fair winners rather than pro football players - YES.

In the end...it was just a speech. Made up of a bunch of words. Words he didn't even write, at that. I'll believe it when I see it...didn't do much for my distrust and cynicism toward government. But he, ahem, his speechwriters sure tried...

Official responses from Republicans (normally one, but good ol' Michele Bachmann, Teapartier Extraordinaire, wanted a piece of the action):

I liked what Paul Ryan had to say...(note to self: learn more about him). His main message was "we're all to blame for this mess, let's use this challenge as an opportunity and turn things around." He didn't sugarcoat what's going on; he painted the picture that our country is currently at a precipice, and without immediate action to get spending under control, we're going to become the next Greece. I am still deciding if this is a little bit alarmist...

Speaking of alarmists, Michele Bachmann gave her response on behalf of the Tea Party next. Now is it just me, or is she sounding more and more like her so-totally-awesome big sister Sarah? Anywaay, she came in hot with some hard facts and figures - the multi-trillion dollar bill Obama's racked up and how many millions of jobs that have been lost since he took oath. While she's correct about the numbers, the alarmist, visceral tone so typical of the Tea Party is utterly useless in moving forward as a nation. Instead of taking some responsibility for the situation we're in now, like Paul Ryan did, all she can do is blame, blame, blame. And say "spike" a lot.

Other:

Date Night: stupid name, great concept. Authentic or just for show? It IS Washington...

The ribbons for Gifford were a nice gesture - tonight must have been difficult with that empty seat in the room and the events so fresh in everyone's minds.

Boehner's tan makes Biden look like he belongs in the next Twilight.

Standards

A childhood friend from Anchorage, Mitch Kitter, took these. (Click for larger images) I've watched the evolution of his photography over the years - just online, sadly - but it's been very cool to witness how he's grown as an artist. He's got the skill, for sure, but what I love the most are his concepts. His subject matter is edgy, thought provoking, and sometimes controversial...how art should be. Check out some of his work when you get a chance: www.propagandaak.com.

This trio specifically grabbed my attention. First of all, I love how they have sort of an aged, dirty look to them, and the angles he used in the first two makes them very "real"...like you're a fly on the wall. But the concept he portrays here is what I really love.

The pictures of models covering the mirror while she scrutinizes her own body...I think that type of comparison is something most women are all too familiar with. Yet it's heartbreaking to see it from the outside looking in...seeing the ridges of her spine and the outline of her ribs...you want to grab her and shake her out of it. Tell her to stop, you don't need to change! But we all do the same thing...

And the second one. Have you ever heard of a sorority hazing "technique" (for lack of a better term) in which guys (and girls too) take a sharpie to pledges' bodies, highlighting the areas that are supposedly fat or ugly? I cannot even IMAGINE the psychological damage that must cause. It makes me sick to think people would do that to someone, and almost as sad that women of all ages mentally do it to themselves...

Striving to have the perfect body is not something new, really...but the means have become much more dangerous and extreme in the last several decades as the ante has been upped by the media and celebrities. Not to mention the pressure we put on ourselves. But with so many options available, it's becoming so mainstream to "get a little work done." Go get a few injections of Botox on your lunch break! Just had a baby? Well obviously you're going in for a tummy tuck and a "vaginal rejuvenation" surgery....riiiight? The post-40 boob job - almost as routine as a mammogram.

It's seen as normal to pick apart our bodies and see them as imperfect, ugly, needing to be fixed and constantly improved upon. Why do we allow the media and celeb culture to set these standards for us? Granted, some print magazines like Glamour are really making an effort to include "plus sized" models in their pages. Remember "the woman on page 194"? It was a small photo in the corner of a page of a very normal sized woman - but in the pages of a fashion magazine, it was so unheard of to publish a photo of a model bigger than a size 2. (FYI she's a size 12-14 - which I believe is the American average). The response was overwhelmingly positive, so Glamour decided to instate a "normal sized model" policy...in some of their pages. Others still feature deathly thin models, but hey...gotta applaud their effort thus far. That's a lot more than other magazines are doing. Here's the gorgeous girl who caused such an uproar:


Read more about it here. Soooo much to write about this subject, but it's bedtime...more ranting to come.

Warning: may cause death by cuteness overload.

If you don't think these are the cutest things EVER you're obviously lying to yourself.

I almost talked my dad into a shared custody arrangement (and by almost, I mean not at all). I proposed raising it til it was an adult (and no longer looked cute dressed up in little clothes and posed in fun pictures), then move it to "the ranch," where it could roam freely with the chickens. Here's what my dad had to say..."We'll invite you to the barbecue." In the words of Stephanie Tanner....how RUDE! Besides, what would be the point of eating such a little piggy like that...you'd get two slices of bacon, tops.

So I moved on to trying to convince my office mates, who are all much more reasonable than my parents, why we needed an office mascot. I think I had them going for awhile. I presented my arguments...they're incredibly clean (much more so than dogs), easy to potty train, need virtually no care, would eat all of our scraps from lunch, therefore reducing how much garbage we produced, and of course, would provide endless entertainment. In the end though, I bet you can guess what the verdict was. :(

The F word

(No, no...not "feminism." I'll have plenty to write on that another day.)

Have you ever had themes to your days? You'll think about something and then all day, everything seems to tie back into it? Songs, random things people say, articles or news you come across, etc. Well...today was definitely one of those days. And the theme was forgiveness.

I took a personality test that was supposed to rank your core character strengths in 24 areas. (My top five were 1. Appreciation of beauty and excellence 2. Gratitude 3. Judgment, critical thinking, open-mindedness 4. Curiosity and interest in the world 5. Perspective/wisdom. I found the first one a little strange...?) But anyway, the one ranked next to last was "Forgiveness and mercy."

I'm very aware (and not proud) of the fact that I'm a grudge-holder, and not exactly known as one to forgive-and-forget. Seeing it there in black and white as my lowest "strength" kinda hit me hard though. It definitely got me thinking about one person in particular that not only have I not forgiven, but hold active anger and resentment toward. Not for something they did to me, but for the unspeakable hurt they've caused someone else.

So amidst thinking about this, a few random things happened throughout the day that seemed to reinforce the idea that "to err is human, to forgive is divine." The most blatant one was at the doctor's office, of all places. I was sitting on the little exam table waiting for her to come in, and on the wall about 2 feet from my face was a chalk board with a quote of the day. Today's was:

Have the courage to forgive yourself
Have the compassion to forgive others.
Holding to resentment, anger, hurts...
Knits wounds into your bones.
Forgiveness is a healer.

-Mary Anne Rademacher

Yeaaah. I don't think that, or anything else that happened today, happened by accident. While you could argue that I noticed things related to forgiveness disproportionately today because I had already been thinking about it...I don't believe that's the case.

It's hard to think long term when you're in the midst of something with high emotion involved. I'm only thinking why they're wrong - not that later on in life I might regret letting the relationship slip. I like the quote attributed to Buddha..."holding on to anger is like holding on to a hot coal with the intent of throwing it at someone else; you are the one who gets burned." It doesn't hurt the other person whatsoever, only the one who harbors the resentment. It's hardest to forgive, I think, when a tie has long been broken, they have admitted no wrongdoing, and haven't sought your forgiveness. Then you're not forgiving them directly...it's just an internal thing to let it go.

So, I am slowly beginning "Operation Defrost." It'll be a process, that's for sure.

Ooops

Friday came and went with no favorite song posted....maybe Fridays are bad days to try to do that, but no other day starts with F so we're stuck.

Ain't No Reason - Brett Dennen

It's hard to choose favorite lyrics because basically all of them qualify. Brett Dennen is one of my new favorite artists...his observations/lyrics are simple but so profound. It's like the rest of us are all going about our lives in a half-asleep daze and he's wide awake seeing it all clearly. I hadn't seen the video until tonight, but it's nearly as moving as the lyrics themselves. How lucky most of us are, and how we take it for granted.

Favorites:

Prophets on the sidewalk beggin’ for change

People walk around pushing back their debts/Wearing pay checks like necklaces and bracelets

People walk a tight rope on a razors edge/Carrying their hurt and hatred and weapons.
It could be a bomb or a bullet or a pen/Or a thought or a word or a sentence.

Keep on buildin’ prisons, gonna fill them all/Keep on buildin’ bombs, gonna drop them all

You don't need no reason or a three piece suit to argue the truth.

Slavery stitched into the fabric of my clothes/Chaos and commotion wherever I go, love I try to follow.

Hello, ladies...

Disclaimer: yes, I realize my timeliness on this is about a year late, but I just started the blog less than a week ago so gimme a break!




I really wish that I was still in school so I could write a 50 page long case study on this campaign. It is sheer brilliance and one of the few examples of a social media slam dunk.

Old Spice (parent company: P&G) was established way back in 1934 and was suffering from serious old-man appeal/young man aversion...that is, until Wieden + Kennedy came riding in on its white horse. The goal was to create some buzz around the recently revamped brand image by tapping into a younger market, in hopes of grabbing more market share.

With their "Old Spice Man" campaign, creative directors Jason Bagley and Eric Baldwin did something that (to my knowledge) hasn't been done by another male body wash company - and that's to appeal to the ladies. It makes perfect sense: we want them to smell good and they want to smell good for us. It's by no means a stretch of the imagination to picture a man buying the type of body wash or cologne his girlfriend likes. Their strategy: getting the girls to like it = getting the guys to like it.

Enter Isaiah Mustafa, the new face of Old Spice. A beautiful man with a beautiful voice...not to mention those abs. Combine all that with his complimentary smooth-talking, and you've got the the man we wish our man could be. But they can smell like him! The humor appeals to both men and women - hyperbole and utter ridiculousness, specifically - so you're hitting both audiences.

The response to the ads was huge, to say the least. One just one week, YouTube views topped 40 million. W+K had anticipated as much, and was ready with a plan to capitalize on all the buzz they'd created. In the next 2 days (TWO. DAYS.) they filmed 186 video responses to fan comments on YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, etc. (I can't imagine how exhausted the crew was) They became the #1 all-time branded channel on YouTube, their fanbase, followers, website traffic, yadda yadda went up a bajillion percent, they ended up winning a bunch of awards, got a ton of press, and their sales skyrocketed.

So, what did W+K do right in what they call “the fastest-growing and most popular interactive campaign in history"? Oh...just everything imaginable. But here are my ideas on the specifics:

• Appealed to women on the surface, but to both men and women in the humor used.
• Isaiah Mustafa - the perfect brand ambassador. Enough said.
  
• Went for the ultra-masculine appeal - a backlash against the current (now becoming former) trend of guys being metrosexual.
  
• The style of filming: did it all in one shot, keeping it fast-paced, engaging, and it helped to cement the character trait of "smoothness."
• Used the right channels to reach their target audience of youngins - Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Digg, etc.
• Understood the immediacy of social media, the need to participate in the conversation right away, and the desire for people to engage with characters they love.
• Capitalized on the high traffic and kept the momentum going with the 186 rapid-fire, personalized video responses.
• Caught on to the fact that celebs were engaging (Ellen DeGeneres, Alyssa Milano, George Stephanopoulos, etc.) and responded via video, thereby grabbing their fanbases as well.
• Captured the highly passionate Digg and Reddit crowds by targeting Kevin Rose (Digg founder) and giving Reddit a shoutout.
  
  

Watch W+K's case study of the campaign and its results here. Kudos to the Old Spice team - a social media campaign done right. Very rare indeed.

The big, sparkly world of ad agencies

I used to think I wanted to be a part of the whole big-time ad agency scene...come up with the million dollar ideas for billion dollar companies with endless budgets. This dream started when the (now former) VP of Creative at McCann Erickson (largest ad agency worldwide) came and spoke to one of my college classes, and I was pretty starstruck with the acclaim, status, and money that comes with working on huge ad campaigns. Being able to say, "Yeah, those Christmas polar bear/Coke ads? I came up with that..." would have been pretty sweet, I thought. Not to mention the paycheck that comes along with it.

I kept in touch with the VP, who sort of became a mentor to me and even put a good word in for me when I applied for an internship. I was sufficiently freaked out that I could possibly land my dream position and was even prepared to give up my summer abroad trip to Europe that was in the works. But it turned out to be a graphic design position, an area in which I had zero experience. Apparently Microsoft Paint doesn't count. So needless to say, my hopes of working for McCann Erickson that summer were dashed - and just so you feel extra sorry for me, my trip to Europe never happened either, due to a last minute semi-emergency surgery. Good times!

In my next few years in college, my tune changed a little. I started looking a little more closely at the ethics of advertising...and wasn't sure how I felt about the whole "creating a need" thing that's so often the purpose of advertising. I took a class in PR my senior year and was hooked thereafter.

But sometimes, like when I've gone to the Wieden + Kennedy offices here in Portland, I get that itch again. Or when I see awesome ad campaigns, like the one I just intended on posting and saying how fun it'd be work on a campaign like this....but it turned into a huge post instead. (btw - W + K has the sweetest office space I've EVER seen. Look up pictures.)

The Nest, where they hold meetings. Jealous? I know I am...

Since this is getting ridiculously long, I am going to make another post for the campaign. Hey, it'll look like I blog more than I really do! Bonus!