First time caller...

I always thought I had important things to say. At least I never seem to be at a lack of something to say, although it may not always be "appropriate" or meaningful. I guess I am going to finally see if there is anything of great import rattling around in my head. Or at least things that I can get from my head to the screen. I am not sure where this experiment will take me. I guess the place for me to start is where I spend most of my time - my job.

I have spent the last 16 years working in consumer products marketing, convincing people they need to buy my brand of stuff. Chances are, if you have watched TV or gone grocery shopping in the last 16 years, you probably have seen stuff I have had my hands on - things like the giant Afrin nose, the kid hiding from her mom with a spoonful of Dimetapp and Jay and his talking dog who tries to sell the family recipe (my current employer so I probably need to be careful so the lawyers don't shoot me). That is not to say that I came up with the ideas or wrote the copy. Marketing is one of those fields that is hard to define because most of what you do is shape the content of what others do. I put together the strategy and then tell folks when their work is or is not on strategy. It is frowned on for marketing people to "play copywriter" although that frequently happens, in advertising and other venues. It has been an interesting gig - been places, seen things and had access that would not have happened if not for my job. It has also nearly ruined my marriage, my health and my spiritual well-being. It is easy for me to let my job consume me, for the stress/adrenaline addiction to get out of control. Luckily, I am in a semi-dormant phase in a new products role, which allows me to do reflect and recharge. It also allows me to get bored and look for creative outlets like this.