So Sweet

I am having 2 extremely wretched weeks. Without getting into specifics as of yet, let's just say everything bad that could possibly happen, happened. And just when I thought I would break down at work from all my new found stress, my friend sends me these pictures and totally brightens up my day. Meet 'Heart-kun', a Chihuahua puppy who has been born with a perfect heart-shaped pattern in his fur. The breeder, from Japan, has never seen a similar mark on any of the 1000 pups she has bred in the past. The Chihuahua was born in May. So sweet.

The world is filled with stupid people

8 unfortunately placed ads

Dont mess with Karma

When my best friend suggested we watch Unfaithful the night it was released, I couldn’t be more excited. It had everything I wanted in a movie- Diane Lane, who in my opinion, is the epitome of classiness, Richard Gere, whose been one of my favorite leading men ever since his Pretty Woman days, and one very beautiful Oliver Martinez. Sitting in the packed theater, sandwiched in between my best friend and a very large, overweight man who spilled into my seat, I was completely uncomfortable. I think it was the moment when a very distraught Richard Gere bashed Oliver’s head in with a snow globe that I officially checked out. However, America went crazy over the flick and gave out Oscars nominations for Best Film, Actor and Actress. That is the funny thing about our country- we love good drama, especially when it comes to the matter of the broken heart. This country was built upon scandals and we live for them. I think we can all easily remember the day Jen and Brad broke up. It was the same week the war started but people were way more invested in Brad dumping Jenn.

All I Really Need To Know I Learned from Blog

Corporate America may have some advantages- free health care, free weekends, decent paychecks, but for the most part, working for Her is execrable. I dread coming to work every morning, knowing that while I am here I am dying of boredom. Thank God for the Internet and the ability to Google away some of my lassitude. Over the course of 5 years, I have done some intensive web-searching in hopes of finding anything more stimulating and more entertaining than calling on existing IBM clients. I have compiled a list of 5 of the best blogs that I think are worth taking a look at.

1. The Stone's Colossal Dream (thestonescolossaldream.blogspot.com/) Tania is one of the most talented writers ever. Her blog is nothing short of stellar. Extremely funny, always entertaining, and always brilliantly written.

2. Augusten's Blog (augusten.com/blog/) After reading Running with Scissors I became obsessed with Augusten Burroughs. He has a David Sedaris quality about him, very dry sense of humor in a very engaging manner. Augusten does not always update his blog in a timely manner, however it is worth the wait. Rather he is mocking the advertising world, dishing out his manic love life, or reminiscing on his alcoholic days as a successful copywriter, Augusten's work is always captivating.

3. Design Sponge (designsponge.blogspot.com/) Such a fun site dedicated solely to design. Rather you're a fashion lover, a design lover, a trendsetter, or an art lover, this site offers many must see pages. There are plenty of things to look at and even a chance to win a scholarship. A must see for anyone passionate about design (or anyone who just likes to look at pretty things)

4. Snark Hunting (snarkhunting.com/) A creative, branding blog. Stuck on a name for a new product? This blog even helps with that. A lot of great resources for creative folks.

4.5. AdGoodness (frederiksamuel.com/blog/) Ads from all over the world. Even tells what agencies came up with the ads.

5. Confessional Highway (.confessionalhighway.blogspot.com/) Deezee always delivers really funny essays on life and is a very smart, entertaining writer. I have been a fan of this blog since May 2006 and followed Deezee through crazy holiday stories, classic relationship struggles, and the constant search in the meaning of life. This blog is almost as good as Tonia's :)

Happy blogging!

Cheers!

mer

A very tipsey holiday

Why is it that as we grow older, we also become more high maintenance? We are choosier about who we associate with, obsessed with appearance, and sometimes try to pretend we are something we are not. And yet, it takes a lot to satisfy us adults, whereas children are happy the majority of the time. Think about it- as a child you don’t care if your friends are white, black, fat, thin. All you care about is if they can make you laugh and if they are fun to be around. It is not until someone (usually older) advises to stay away from “so-and so” because either they are bad or poor or not popular enough that we began to judge our friends more closely. Although we grow more mature the older we become, is maturity always better? Children are so fearless, rather it’s climbing the highest monkey bars without anticipation, without worry they might fall and scrape their knees, or picking up a nasty bug on the playground, or dance in public until their heart is contact. As adults, we become weary of taking such risks, choose the safe, reliable road instead of the more cautious yet perhaps more fun one. We, (and by “we” I mean “I”)become shy and timid to talk to strangers unless alcohol is involved. I for one have built myself many walls because I am scared of rejection and being judged, so to speak. But, who cares about growing wiser and more mature if maturity only leaves behind a lifetime of fear?

2 days ago, of the copywriters joined fellow PC students in celebrating Independence Day. At first I was a little timid in leaving my comfort zone and mingling with the designers. At school, typically designers hang with designers, copywriters hang with copywriters, and illustrators hang with illustrators. Funny how 2 empty kegs later everyone acts like best friends. Why can’t everyone just be cool all the time? I know for me, I have had so much tragedy happen in my life that I choose to personify a party girl image, keeping the most private and intimate moments to myself and a very select few. Life experiences have taught me to keep my distance from the majority of people and not to let people in to the “real” me. I know it’s sad but such is life. This evening I know I’ll go to school and I am sure I’ll by shy to say hello to some people I was cool with yesterday. We probably won’t talk again until the next party, when everyone is all boozed up again. It’s kinda funny in a messed up way. It makes me think of a very famous quote said by a very famous, wise man, “Alcohol, the cause and solution to all of life's problems”. Touche.

loves,

mer

It's official!

The four women who spiced up Manhattan's singles scene for six years are def headed for a big-screen reunion after all. On Thursday, July 5, 2007, New Line Cinema, a corporate sibling of HBO sealed the final deal to finance and distribute the long-stalled picture. The project is set to begin shooting in the fall. Longtime series executive producer Michael Patrick King will direct the film from his own script and serve as producer, along with Parker and series creator Darren Star.

The movie presumably would arrive in theaters sometime next year.
Yea to Kim and Cynthia who couldn't find any other work and missed receiving a paycheck and therefore had no other choice but to make Sex into a movie!

Very strange

So it's Monday morning and I am sitting in my Corporate America cube drinking Starbucks and reading the news when I come across shocking piece of information:

Bart Simpson will be getting naked in the new Simpson feature film. And by naked, we mean full frontal nudity. Bart’s bare essentials are cleverly concealed by strategically-placed props until a gap in some hedges reveals his naughty bits, as the Brits say. Simpson's creator Matt Groening spoke to the crowd and noted that he expects the brief cartoon nudity and certain digs at politics and religion to raise objections, but pointed out that part of the series’ appeal is its willingness to go out on those limbs and offend the easily offended.

If this were a normal film and a child actor (who is about 8 years old) showed his thing, the movie would not get a PG rating. Is it okay to look at little boy's boyhood just because it’s animated?

Hmmmmm. Something to think about.

Tragic but true

Now some may disagree with my love for Perez but the man is hysterical. He is my guilty pleasure and without his blog I may have no other choice but to actually work at my Corporate America job- now where's the fun in that? I actually have tried to ween myself off of him but I just cant do it. My day consists of coming into work 30 minutes late, Checking Perez, reading Fox News while drinking Starbucks, checking Perez again, making a couple dials to some of my IBM accounts, checking Perez before taking a 2 hour lunch, check email, play on youtube, read Tania's blog, call on a couple more accounts, then end the day with Perez. Right before i left for lunch I read this on Perez. Say what you want about him but what he says about Brit Brit is harsh but true. Tragic, but it is all true.

Look at her.
She just doesn’t care!
While most young mothers of two children would stay home on a Monday night, Britney is not like most.
While most working women attempting a comeback after having kids would stay in and focus on their career, Spears just doesn’t give a damn.
While most recovering addicts would stay away from bars, Britney’s already been reported to be drinking again and hitting the clubs.
While most any normal female would never wear an outfit like that, Spears wants to look like a prostitute.
While most healthy adults have friends and family that tell them what they should here, Britney surrounds herself with paid friends and professional relatives, like cousin Alli, who joined her while partying at Club Joseph’s on Monday.
This crazy bitch rules!!!!
Don’t ever expect her to change her ways.
Trashy Brit to the end!!!!

loves mer

A very Special birthday

Conniving up creative, revengeful and merciless way to destroy someone’s life is an art, an ability not everyone can achieve, or so the Sopranos and the Godfather would like us to believe. It can take months, sometimes years, to plan the perfect, ruthless antidote. Growing up with a Sicilian mother I quickly became acquainted with the mafia. When my family gets together for holidays, our stories do not consist of those sweet, heartfelt, tearjerker memories. Instead, we sit around drinking bottles of vino and stuffing our mouths with cannolis while my cousins glorify my grandfather, boasting details about his days working and revenging against Al Capone. I try to ask my mother for details of my grandfather’s life, anything that would give me sufficient bragging rights. But the only thing I can get out of my mother is, “Forget about it. Not worth talking about.”

When I called to wish my friend, Sherry, a happy 25, I anticipated loud, piercing screams streaming through my Razor. Upon dialing, I could already hear the obnoxious bragging about her “blinding and very expensive” engagement ring she so sure was getting the evening before. 2 months prior, Seann, Sherry’s boyfriend of 7 years, walked in to find Sherry and another man performing similar scenes from A Night in Paris. Apologies were made and forgiveness was given almost immediately. All of her friends, me included, never really gave it a second thought considering we all know how “special” Seann is. And by “special” I mean really, really dumb.

At the age of 15, Seann’s father died leaving Seann millions in trust funds. Seann was not supposed to receive a penny until the ripe age of 30. The weekend before Sherry turned 25, she receives a call from dumbass himself.

Seann: Yo! So I was all talking to my mother today? And she was all, dude, you have been working really hard lately and its about time you cash in those trust funds. So, babe I was thinking for your birthday we should totally celebrate or whatever.

Sherry: OH MY GOD BABY! Are you serious?

Seann: Yea, so I was thinking? Maybe you should let me plan your birthday dinner or whatever. I’ve already got a baby blue box ready for you.

Sherry (in a very squeaky voice, you know, the voice only dogs can understand): OH MY GOD!? Really?

Seann: So like you should dress really, really nice or whatever.

Of course, Sherry calls me 2 minutes after totally freaking out. The whole time all I can think is, WTF? A girl cheats on her boyfriend and she still gets Tiffany’s? Where the hell is the justice?
Turns out justice can be found conveniently in Atlanta’s Blue Point. They arrive at the restaurant at 7:30 and sit down in the back. Seann tells her, “Babe, this is my birthday gift to you so I'll take care of the ordering this evening.” In the course of the night Seann orders one bottle of Crystal, 4 tequila shots, three Jack and Cokes, and two very strong Cosmos. They share 2 orders of Sushi rolls, calamari (which is my favorite thing on the menu), 2 Fillet Minions, and desert. Just as they are about to finish, Seann grabs Sherry’s hand and says, “I need to ask you something very important.” He reaches in his coat breast pocket but pulls out empty handed. “Fuck. I left my present in the car. I’ll be 2 seconds.” He runs out of the restaurant to which Sherry tipsy text messages me, “He abot 2 aks me.” She takes lipstick and coats her lips with a dab of shine at the same time the waiter drops off a baby blue box. Inside a note is discovered, “You like getting fucked bitch?”

Mortified Sherry gasps so loudly everyone begins to stare. She looks around and since Seann is no where to be seen, calls his cell. It rings once followed by his voicemail. “You like to get fucked, don’t you bitch! Thanks for the dinner. Happy birthday slutty.” Beeeeep. Sherry resorts back to 5 years old, sobbing uncontrollably and very, very loudly. She calls again. Voicemail comes on after the first ring, again. “Are you crying bitch? Are you fucking kidding me? You wasnt crying that night you fucked Jason? Stop your fucking crying sluttina. So pathetic. And yo, if this is anyone else calling, ya like just leave a message and I’ll call you back or whatever.” Beeeeep.

The dinner only came to like $3 or $400.00 but the memory is priceless. I am so proud of my Seann. I would never believe he could do something so creative, so conniving, let alone keep it a secret for 2 months. Whenever I ask about that evening, Seann just smiles coyly and says, “Forget about it.”

Loves!
mer

Just another reason why not to vote for Hillary

just awful!

The last cigarette

I was 18 when I started smoking. I have admired smoking the majority of my life- the look of a cigarette, how it feels in between my fingers, everything about smoking I love. When i was 3 I tired to pretend I was my cousin who smoked, desperately wanting to look as glamorous as she did. I never smoked in high school because I was afraid of what my mother would say. But when I turned 18 and realized smoking not only looked cool but also helped women lose weight, I was addicted fast. I would smoke everywhere, after working out, at the clubs, in the middle of the night- anywhere that allowed smoking. I was living in Rome when my addiction really got intense. I would go through 2 packs once a week.

I remember the first time my father caught me smoking. I was walking to one of Rome’s Piazza’s to meet my parents for breakfast. I was early, they were earlier. I walked into the Piazza with a lit cigarette in hand. It was then I caught my father’s face go from ecstatic to absolute disgust. I abruptly threw the cigarette to the ground and tried to convince my father it was no big thing. I cried all afternoon- I was so shameful I disappointed my father. It didn’t stop me from smoking, it just made me more cautious of where I smoked.

I am now trying to quit- for health reasons. It’s a habit I absolutely love and I really upset I am quitting- especially at this point in my life when I feel I could always use a cigarette. It’s not that I am addicted, because im not. I don’t get nicotine cravings or go into anxiety if I can’t get a cigarette. As crazy as it sounds, smoking is just the one thing that has always made me happy. It’s a great way to meet new people, it’s a wonderful ice breaker, and it’s a great way to distress. But considering I am scared of lung cancer and looking like Donatella Versace when I turn 40, I am saying good bye to my faithful friends. Sad

Sweet Talk Talk Phone Company Commercial

Such an awesome commercial

Now, they've gone too far.

First they make Steve cheat on Miranda. Then they make Carrie wear bad clothing. Now, they kill of one the 4 women.
WTF HBO??? So upsetting. Sex is beyond ruined for me. Here is the news (according to Perez, which makes it 100 percent true because everything he publishes on his blog is true. for real).


Spoiler alert! Spoiler alert!

Stop reading here if you don't want to know!

Sex & The City's token ginger head, Cynthia Nixon has blabbed that one of the characters in the film DIES.

She refused to say who it is, though.

One of them dies?!

Who do you think it will be?

We think it will be Charlotte or Samantha.

Charlotte could die giving birth to that baby she's supposed to be preggers with.

Samantha's cancer could come back and maybe kill her?

It would be amazing if they killed of Carrie, though!!!

And so it goes...

It’s studio week, roughly 11:30 on a Saturday evening. Ty has just come back to school after finishing another grueling day at work. I don’t quite know what he does at Target, however I can just imagine him humming endless hours to himself as he carefully displays the latest collection from “sell out” Isaac Mizrahi. I am freaking out for the about the third time today. Noah asked me to write copy for his Kurt Vonnegut project and I want to impress him. Although my concepts are creative, I can’t quite get the correct wording. Just 15 minutes earlier Ty assured me that “we” would make it perfect. Ty is so good like that, helping me when he himself has his own work to complete. We are trying to come up with different ways to advertise a dark beer using one of Kurt's favorite ponders, “What is the purpose of life?”

2 weeks prior to studio week I hardly knew anything about Mr. Vonnegut, a man, who in my opinion, shares similar physical features to that of an old Mark Twain. Once Noah asked me to write copy for his project, I tried to read as much as I could by Kurt in the little of time I had. I analyzed everything from his short stories to Slaughter-House Five. I immediately fell in love with Kurt’s extremely dry sense of humor, a talent very few people can pull off. I also made Ty read the same stuff (just so he wouldn’t try to get out of helping me).

So, here we are on Saturday evening trying to write something very Kurtish and whimsical. We work for about an hour laughing continuously. There is a designer in the lab who is trying to give us some ideas but they are absolutely awful, to say the least. He suggested we answer, “What is the purpose of life” by saying, “To find a good beer… and a girl who you drop off at 3 in the morning.” Yes, I realize that makes absolutely no sense at all but for some reason the designer thought it was pure genius. (We now understand why the designer changed his focus from writing to design). Finally, Ty and I come up with the perfect copy. It sounds awesome. One month later, the project even manages to find its way into the front case at school.

A couple days ago Mr. Kurt Vonnegut died. I don’t really know what to call the event, it’s not ironical, it’s not a coincidence, it just is what it is. I’m very sorry to see him pass. He was an extremely interesting and philosophical man. Through Kurt's profound words of wisdom, Ty and I became even closer with one another. Every time I think of Mr. Vonnegut I will now think of my Ty. It’s just one of the many reasons why Kurt has become one of my favorite authors of all time.

LOVES!
mer

Reminds me of my Corporate America job

One of my favorite shows on TV right now is The Office. Besides being very well written, the show mocks everything wrong in Corporate America. During studio week, I was introduced to the British, original version of the Office and it is far funnier than any NBC Office episode. I fortunately and unfortunately work for Corporate America- that is, when they actually have work for me to do. The company is a small sales and marketing company owned by a British man. Over the years the company has established itself as one of IBM’s business partners, a title that has turned everyone in our office from fun to absolutely insane/crazy. This week marked one of the worst weeks I’ve ever had during my 2.5 years there. I need money and yet I’m hardly getting any. Actually, take the “hardly” out of that sentence and replace it with “not.”

School is off to a great start. This is going to be a very tough quarter but I think the end result will be awesome work. Here’s hoping. Today I spent the majority of the day working on upcoming projects. During the day I worked with the wonderful copywriters at Barnes and Noble. At night I ended up at Starbucks with a very adorable designer. I actually had a lot of fun this evening. Who knew working this hard could actually be fun? Go fig

LOVES,
mer

I heart a boy named joshua

I am so hungry for a real job these days. School has been fun but I am ready to face the real world again, problems and all. I just finished reading the best book ever, And then we came to the end, by Joshua Ferris, aka my new boyfriend. It is about a Chicago advertising agency that is experiencing a downturn at the end of the '90s Internet boom and is so funny. The book was named one of the best books of the year, by New York Times, and was a national book finalist in 2007. A definite must read, especially anyone who loves the advertising world. Joshua also sold his book to HBO. In turn, HBO will make a new show based on the characters from the book. I think it will be even funnier than the office.

Intrigued? Here is an excerpt. This is exactly why I love the advertising world so much.

"A good deal of our self-esteem were predicated on the belief that we were good marketers, that we understood what made the world tick- that in fact, we told the world how to tick. We got it, we got it better than others, we got it so well we could teach it to them. Using a wide variety of media, we could demonstrate for our fellow Americans their anxieties, desires, insufficiencies, and frustrations- and how to assuage them all. We informed you in six seconds that you needed something you didnt know you lacked. We made you want anything that anyone willing to pay us wanted you to want. We were hired guns of the human soul. We pulled the strings on the people across the land and by God they got to thier feet and they danced for us.

The beginning of the end.

Today is one sad day for Starbucks. They went from using these cute green cups


























to using these ugly brown ones.






People loved walking around holding the green cups. Who wants to be seen holding this ugly brown looking thing.













Also, they changed their adorable logo











to this hideous thing.






awful. just awful. On the bright side, Starbucks has lost so much money they have been forced to dump T-Mobile and hire AT&T in order to access free wifi in all their stores. welcome to the 21 century, Starbucks. Although, I think it may be a little too late.

And the rich get richer while I am in some major debt

Every couple days I receive advertising newsletters via email. They keep me updated on work/ latest news from ad agencies all over. This evening, only an hour after telling Jamie how much I hate Ketel One ads, I discovered Ketel One is spending $50 million on more print ads. They are using a very well-known agency on the west coast. They have been doing ads for the last 3 years. They are horrible. Even the Washington Post agrees with me and said, "the most urgent question raised by this campaign- what can be done to make it stop?" I guess not everyone has to have talents to be successful in this industry.


***ads up above are from copyranter.blogspot.com. so funny. almost as entertaining as my perez.

Best. Night. Ever

I hate Corporate America. For the last 2 weeks I haven't worked at my job because they are going through a huge lay off period. I haven't been laid off yet but I suppose it's only a matter of time. I wouldn't care so much if I didn't have all these bills to pay. I tried to search for a new job this evening but I haven't had that much luck. It's kinda of stressful especially when I should be focusing my attention on school. This afternoon I searched online for jobs for about 2 hours. I would really like to work as a receptionist at an advertising agency but as luck would have it, I cant find anything at all. Here's hoping I wont have to work in another restaurant. Anything but that.

I was having the worst day today. I was all stressed about school and being poor but then out of nowhere I reconnected with someone I hadn't talked to in a while and it totally brighten me up. Now I am in the best mood ever. Too bad I wont be sleeping any time soon. Im off to pull my first all nighter. I have to work on making an extra large man's shirt resemble my life at this present moment in time. I am totally not digging this arts and craft project. Taking Sylvia's class burned me for life. And may I just end my blog with this final thought- kinda crazy how my Sylvia poster is still hanging up. They just moved it from one wall to another. It's not like it's that good. It's actually quite bad. However, Sylvia did think I was the only one who incorporated humour into their poster. Maybe she thought it was so bad it was funny? Who knows. Off to paint

loves,
mer




"All of us get lost in the darkness, dreamers learn to steer by the stars" Bob Dylan

lol quote of the day

"Bitch may be the new black, but black is the new president, bitch."
Tracy Morgan on SNL this past weekend.