If You Just Need A Laugh

Some days are a little more hectic and stressful than others.

I saw this a couple of times and it just makes me laugh...terrible quality but just hilarious.

It's from that show "Rob and Big" on MTV - they enter a car wash as the Enrique Iglesias song comes on, then just bust out singing and dancing. Pay attention at the end as they leave the car wash. :)

Glad That The Weekend Is Over

Yeah, you don't often hear that, do you?

I was so looking forward to my 3-day weekend and it really just didn't turn out as well as I had hoped. I had to simmer down a bit this week before I could write about it...

Another fun thing about moving to a new city is that you get to explore uncharted territory (to you, at least) and experience new places and things. Unfortunately, that also means driving around unfamiliar places. And what might happen when you're not as sure of where you're going?

I watched the signs very carefully in downtown Dallas around the American Airlines center and still messed up. :( I thought I was in the correct lane when I turned at an intersection but darn that extra turn-only lane that just pops up for a couple of hundred feet then disappears! Fortunately, I was very aware and managed to brake and maneuver for the most part away from the vehicle that I did end up hitting. No one was hurt and there was minimal damage to both cars, but it still sucks all the same.

So on my lovely day off for MLK Jr.'s birthday, I was calling up the insurance company and driving ever so cautiously - hard to do when people are whizzing by and honking at you because you're not driving as carefree and recklessly as they are (gimme a break, I just got in a wreck buddy!).

Everything seems to have settled down this week and I'm feeling a bit better.

You know, I would rather look forward to a weekend than dread it.

Some Workout Motivation

You know, I got this a couple of weeks ago and wanted to do something with it...so this is a little fun motivation for those of you that like to move to some music. :)

This Day Was Rockin'!

Well, I admit it didn't start out that way but it got pretty rockin'! :p

I was handed some research that didn't really look that fun and I didn't really want to do it. I spent the first half of the day figuring out the best way to attack it, pulling up several different resources, asking questions, and then starting to pull the information.

I was happy to get an offer to go out to lunch as I badly needed it and enjoyed some time away from work blabbing with some really fun coworkers. By the time I got back, I had a smile on my face and got down to work to try to get the rest of my research done. It's amazing what a small attitude adjustment can do to help you - I soon found a way to better find all of the information I needed and just rocked it for the rest of the afternoon. I felt much better about it and wasn't worried about having to stay later or jump back into it after the weekend.

During my search, I was looking up an article about one of our campaigns and came across a quote from my supervisor...yeah, in Adweek!! Sorry if that's not something new to you, but I thought it was pretty freakin' cool. :)

The last hour or so was spent catching up, getting odds and ends done, and looking forward to next week's work...I think a lot more is being put on my plate, and I like it! But this afternoon was pretty chill and another planner and I chuckled over this:


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My coworker says: "While there are certainly productive and purposeful uses of consumer discussion groups, following consumers blindly is a bad idea. It takes a good moderator and courageous planner (often one in the same) to understand what's resonating with consumers or not (and why)."

Finally, I got back to my desk and had a groovy CD that a friend had burned me waiting - such a fun way to end the day.

The Windy City

Alright, it's about time I blog about my business trip from this week to Chicago.

Sooo, Chicago is pretty darn cold. My flight got delayed and as soon as I looked at the news I knew why - the first big snowstorm of '08! A little daunting for this cold-natured Texas girl. ;)

But all was well and I only got in about an hour and a half after I was supposed to. I made my way to the swank Park Hyatt and was soon out on the cold and windy streets to find food and friends. It feels so awesome to know people all over the place! I spent some time catching up with a few undergrad and grad friends who have moved to Chicago to work at big important ad and media agencies...

The whole time I just felt like we had all made it - we worked toward this goal and we were finally there.

Monday night, I slept in probably the most comfortable bed I have ever been in and all day Tuesday was devoted to my seminar.

I was able to go to the AAAA Quantitative Research Seminar conducted by two Hall & Partners researchers. We went over the basics of the research process, different types of research, and we did activities related to writing and responding to a Request for Proposal (RFP) - basically, a request for research answered by a research proposal.

The thing I enjoyed the most about this trip was that I knew I would start to meet other junior planners. I got to talk to several people and was really impressed by the passion and attention everyone was giving to, forgive me, a seemingly very boring topic. However, the quant stuff really is quite interesting. As much as a person can tell you a story, numbers can reveal a story of their own based on people's behavior.

Copy testing is one of the most notorious types of research but even that needs its place. Yes ads get tested in unrealistic situations but clients need the reassurance that their ads will do what they were intended to do. Does everyone use this tool correctly? Absolutely not - that's why it's so important to get a base knowledge in order to know how it is done right and how it is done well and if it's not done well how to explain the findings. It all comes back to human nature and that's what planners are out to understand.

After a long day of absorbing lots and lots of information, I headed home with a feeling that this is another level - I have grown up again. Ever have that realization? I know I had it a couple of times in college. This one felt really good because I knew I was really entering the adult world and doing it pretty well. I still have a lot to learn but I am more confident in my abilities.

This industry just keeps amazing me.

Major Kudos

I will blog about my Chicago trip a little later but I just had to mention this morning...

An entire brand team was assembled this morning to hear a presentation...a presentation given by me. This is not the most important thing I have done at my job but it was the most exposure I have received with the agency so far - as in, it was great to get to show my talents to other agency people and there were several head people in this meeting.

I was put in charge of understanding a new website/research tool and was trying to communicate by e-mail my findings. Upon discussing this with another planner, I mentioned that the best way to get people acquainted (and to get them to pay attention) was to just do a quick tutorial.

So I took people through the tool this morning and it was received really well. People were interested in what it had to offer and asked me lots of questions. I was able to clearly and concisely explain everything I had found out.

And the best part...my supervisor gave me great feedback - kudos to me! :)

It's so exciting to know that I got in front of some important people, gave a well thought-out presentation, and was commended for my efforts. I hope to continue in this great direction for future presentations!

It Unfortunately Happens

I was actually going to write about this already, but an example of something very unfortunate happened again today - our admin was let go.

First of all, I'm really sad about her leaving as she is just a very sweet and fun person. She got back from maternity leave not too long ago and has a precious baby boy. Taking care of her entire family is probably on her mind today and I just feel so sorry that it had to happen.

Unfortunately, advertising is full of uncertainty and high job turnover. When you're dealing with minds as a resource, the mind must be in a nurturing environment in order to be capable of doing work. Some people find their perfect fit but I can also see where some just don't align with the attitude and way of working in a particular agency.

What really sucks about it though is that sometimes there is absolutely nothing you can do. You can do your best job every day, giving 110%, but for business reasons you just have to be let go. There is no rhyme or reason at that point. I guess all you can do then is pick yourself up, dust it off, and get out there again.

A sad day and an eye-opener. But I guess all you can do is your best.

Great Learning

Wow, this week has really been a great one for me to jump in and do some great planning work and learn a lot in the process.

First, I was working with data tables this week to analyze the results of a research study. Though numbers aren't my strongest area, I do have a basic understanding of them and it really gets interesting when those numbers turn into a story. By understanding what makes good research, how numbers relate to each other, and what your findings can mean for your brand, I have just had a great time digging into something that could be considered very dry.

Along those lines, I head off to Chicago early next week for the AAAA Quantitative Workshop for Junior Planners. I'm really excited about refreshing my quant knowledge from grad school and having a deeper understanding of how best to use numbers to the advantage of my brands. [Once again, a note on becoming a resource in and of myself, these quant skills will only better serve me and our Planning department.]

Another fun exercise happened today when I worked through an entire brief with a fellow planner. Something interesting that popped up while working on it was my comparison with doing planning work in grad school.

Whenever I was writing a brief in grad school, I felt like I really didn't know the consumer very well so though I tried to keep them in mind it was difficult to relay what they believed. I finally realized that this was not some sort of lack of competence on my part but simply an absence of true knowledge about the consumer that is gained over time. You see, in grad school we had several projects throughout the semester and always had new clients. That meant that you had anywhere from 1 to 3 months to get to know not only your consumer, but the entire business environment in which you were trying to advertise. On top of that, deliverables were not just a brief and consumer knowledge but a full marketing plan. No wonder I didn't feel like I knew my target well enough - there was no time for learning!

This was completely different and such a refreshing experience. I have product knowledge, category knowledge, and most importantly consumer knowledge. Not only was I briefed on information that had already been gathered about the consumer, but I also helped put together information from a few pieces of research and also did trend work around this target. Slowly these small pieces of information that didn't seem to stand out at the time came together beautifully to paint a bigger picture of who this target is. I felt secure in making my recommendations and the hardest part was trying to evolve ideas into inspiring words in the brief. This was so much better than feeling like I really didn't know what was going on with my consumer.

Consumer knowledge...I look forward to building it over time for all of my brands.

And in general, I like to think about and study Baby Boomers because they're just so darn fascinating! ;)

I feel inspired by the work I did this week and the steps I'm taking to fill those big planner shoes.

Zero and Slow Time

Spend no more time doing things that you don't enjoy.

Spend more time doing the things that make you happy.

Preparing For Something That Never Comes

Have you ever been baffled by impending doom that fizzles into nothing?

I don't know how else to explain it except for seeing a big storm cloud approaching - you make an effort to get inside somewhere, you flip on the tv to watch the weather report, and you check out the window frequently to see what's happening. Then, next thing you know, the sun is cracking through the clouds and soon after that the dark clouds just seem to disappear, as if they were never there in the first place.

It's an odd feeling but a great one, right? It puts a smile on your face.

I don't know what it is but I have had a few moments like that at work - a big project that looks complicated and like it will need intensive work, but then things simply work out and everything is fine. What was originally needed is found in some form and the crisis has dissipated.

Actually, it's a very good thing because it means to me that you're ready with a defense, willing and able to attack a problem, and by looking at the problem from all sides first (strategy!) an alternate way is found.

So here's to the storms that just pass over...it means a bright, sunny day. :)

Time Really Does Fly

Today marked the beginning of my 6th month at my job...

I have already been working for 5 months!

It's true - time really does fly.

Sometimes It's Sad

So another part of moving and all that jazz that I have yet to talk about too much is that sometimes lonely feeling you get when you're in a new city, still don't know a lot of people, away from friends and family, and what are you to do? I know that I haven't written about it on the day it happens because I'm down, don't really want to write about it and make myself more sad, and I think I wanted to give some time for reflection so I could bring it to the ol' blog with some sort of lesson learned.

I don't know if I have found that lesson just yet...mainly sadness will hit me on the weekends because I'm not busy with work. During the week, I think of all sorts of fun things that I can do on the weekends to explore Dallas more, get out and get some exercise, sun, fun, and fresh air, or just do something. However, when the weekend actually comes I spend a lot of time at my apartment.

I blame it on being tired and needing to catch up on sleep, needing to do things around the apartment, needing time to just relax and not run around so much, but really I think it would be good for me to get out and do more. For one, I wouldn't think so much about not having someone to hang out with because perhaps I would contact someone to do something fun. Or I would just keep myself busy and, as I said, get to know this city a little better. But it boils down to my belief that I have fun doing activities with other people and I just don't think I have as much fun doing things on my own.

I may need to get over that one. This experience may be all about being more comfortable doing things on my own.

But I have to ask, what is the secret to dining alone? That, to me, would be just the most boring experience...unless I was on some tropical beach, sipping a frosty beverage, and watching the sun set. That's one of those things where the experience entertains you. But just a night out to dinner with yourself at a regular place - what makes that fun?

So at least I've pinpointed an area that I need to work on, improve, grow...

I Made a Drastic Change!

Anyone who knows me knows I have long hair. That has just been me for ever and ever. Even when I cut my hair "short" it was still below my shoulders. But I have done something drastic.

I didn't really want to cut my hair but I have been thinking about donating my hair to Locks of Love for a while now. I just felt like it was about time to do what I said I would and cut that 10-inch ponytail off.

Of course I had help from my life-motivationalist, my old roomie Julie. I have now for 2 years gone to Houston for New Year's and while I am visiting done something drastic. Last year was getting my eyebrows done for the first time and this year was the big haircut. (Yes, yes - I know. I should have done my eyebrows long ago but I needed to feel secure in that decision first and I am a slow adopter of fashionable things. At least I finally did it and they look fabulous.)

So on New Year's Eve, we walked into the salon, the guy put my hair in a ponytail and with a few whacks took off the hair. With trimming the dead ends first, taking the 10-inch minimum requirement, and then just trimming my hair and adding layers, my hair was cut a full foot!

Here are the dramatic results:

Before

(Yes, my hair was quite long.)

After

And the natural waviness of my hair created this...

Many a person commented on this change. It was really nice and I soon knew that anyone I happened upon would pretty instantly notice the difference and say something very nice. I have to say my favorite comment was from my next door cube neighbor, Andrew, who said this, "Something got a hold of your hair." Hahaha, he's awesome. :)

It's great that something so simple can make such a positive change - I hope that my hair makes a very nice wig for one of the children.

The All-Important Job Hunt

So I kinda feel like I haven't quite done with this blog what I originally set out to do - I want to talk about my move, my new job, and what all that does to your life. This includes the ups and downs, and I feel like I haven't completely represented things accurately.

I absolutely love my job; I'm not diggin' on my apartment much anymore...these things I've represented well in my blog.

But there are some things I haven't talked about that I may start doing posts on. Forgive the time-shifting. I will try to reference when these things happened so you'll have a better idea.

I wanted to talk about the time-consuming, boring, sometimes depressing, and just downright horrible time when you are looking for a job - yeah, sorry I made it sound so awful.

Let's start with everyone thinking you must have that job tied down before you graduate. I don't know about anyone else, but I was freaking busy at the end of my last semester. You still have to finish up projects, do presentations, take tests, and turn in papers. On top of that, you're sending out invitations to your graduation, coordinating graduation day activities, and you may be thinking and/or packing for an impending move. I am not all about adding something very important to that already-packed schedule.

So I decided that it was not important for me to add stress to a time when I should be finishing up my last semester and celebrating my graduation. Now I understand that not everyone has the luxury to do this - I feel lucky that I could. I graduated, I celebrated, I moved out of my apartment and back home with a firm idea that moving back in with my mom was temporary and that I really wanted to work at finding a good job. This plan doesn't always work out for everyone but suited me well. My motivation was that I enjoy working, I enjoy having a place of my own, I love my mom but don't really want to live with her, and having all of my stuff in boxes sucks.

I can't say that I was the most tenacious job hunter. I think it was incredibly boring to get up and sit at the computer all day looking at job postings, preparing cover letters, and e-mailing a bunch of companies - you just can't do that all day. I think a better way would have been to reach a goal every day of contacting so many companies, and then spend time doing other things just so you don't go crazy. I hate being un-busy. I actually really love when I have a lot going on so I feel like I'm not wasting time. I think when you're not working it's pretty hard not to feel like you're wasting time...I dunno, maybe it was just me.

The exciting time was when you got that coveted note that you have been accepted to interview. Then there can be all sorts of preparation work to get ready for said interview: do you have copies of your resume and references, directions to the company, confirmation of your interview time, have you gone over potential interview questions, checked out the company, have questions for them, do you know what you want, do you have your most capable outfit picked out, and so forth and so on.

After the interview is the most terrible waiting game. They can give you a ballpark of when you might hear but it's not certain. My waiting game was a month long! A month!! I literally thought I was going to explode every time I checked my e-mail or phone to see if I had heard anything back, every day...did I mention that was every day for a month.

And I was one of the lucky ones, I think. I waited to hear a long time about my job but it was one of the first jobs I applied for and one of two interviews I had before I actually landed the job. The other incredibly lucky thing for me was that it was the exact position I wanted with the kind of agency I wanted (big name but not a huge office), in a city I wanted, and when I interviewed it felt too good to be true. Lucky, lucky, lucky is all I can say. I feel so special that I got the exact job I wanted.

So there is light at the end of the tunnel! I didn't mean to make everything sound so horrible but it just really isn't a great time. The payoff is getting that coveted position with the company you want and things turning out great. Stick with it and all that mindless applying will pay off!

Great Quote for Planning

"If you want to understand how a lion hunts, you don't go to the zoo -- you go to the jungle."

- Sandy Thompson, global head of strategic planning for Saatchi, owned by Publicis Groupe

I am a Resource

Hmm, I have become quite valuable at my job, no?

I get requests from every planner to listen in on this teleconference, explore that new site or trend, keep up with new techy/bloggy coolness, and it has all made me quite the little resource in and of myself.

Not only have I set up a resources folder for the entire department to use, but I am pretty well informed on each of the articles that I put in there. I always send out new notes in an e-mail but also site myself as a resource for answering questions.

By gaining all this knowledge on trends, current events and news, presentations, research tools, etc., I have already noticed crossover of knowledge. I am more readily able to link trends to things, to see the emerging trends after reading several articles, and apply this learning to our brands. How cool! Though I don't have as much work experience in planning, I have this knowledge that perhaps the other planners don't have as much time to look into.

Knowledge = power! And I feel empowered that I have something very significant to offer my team. :)