December 2009 Archives

This past year has certainly been a humbling experience for me. Thinking back, I was really excited and confident that I would have 09 within my grasp. "2009 I'm ready" was my end-of-year statement in my blog entry.

I can't describe 2009 with any words that's better than "humbling". Like many others around me, for the first time in my life, I felt the impact of an economic downturn, though far less than some of my peers, it was enough for me to feel the pinch to say the least.

I also think I've advanced and learned a lot from some of the most respected people in my field this year. They all helped me one way or another to give me a whole new perspective on things, for that I'm very grateful.

Lastly, out of many frustrations, for one reason or another, I definitely think I was again, blessed by some superior power. Some very exciting things happened right before this year's end, it was a complete surprise, too sudden, but it was so exciting that I couldn't pass it up. For those of you that hasn't heard yet, I will reveal the news soon. Until then, Happy 2010! and once again... I am ready :)

I LOVE Panera bread. The restaurant bakes fresh bread and has always got really tasty sandwiches among other things. With good food, they also offer free WIFI, its my perfect hang out. One thing I was never fond of, was it's advertising. I always thought if this company is so careful with their food, they should also put a lot of love into their advertising.

One thing I detest about restaurant advertising is over the top food porn shots, you see one, you see them all. So at Mullen, we tried a completely new approach. Instead of showing how good the food is, we wanted to tell people what Panera is all about - It serves fantastic bread, it's cozy, and warm, and that's it.

I'm really proud of this ad not only because it's an restaurant ad without food porn, it is also my first legit USA today full page ad. Special shout out to my copywriter Kerry Shea for being part of this impossible mission with me.

Jenny is the youngest of 4 cousins that grew up with me. Her graduation is in a school called University of Valparaiso. This trip was one of those typical "don't judge a book by it's cover" strips. The midwest was just swept with a blizzard, Valparaiso was one of those places people don't really know, in a state that I have little interest in - Indiana.

Coming into O'hare, overlooking the massive flat midwest covered in snow was pretty magical, almost like a scene from Starwars.

Marianne is one of Jenny's buddies who was there when none of her relatives are around.

Sally

U-Valpo is actually a pretty charming campus, complete with a post modern Library and Chapel, complete with a bell tower.

In their graduation speech, and this is something I haven't yet heard from all the graduation speeches I've heard before, was that they stressed on the balance of religion and knowledge, faith and reason. I thought that was really interesting.

Meeting up with my "Thanksgiving Orphan" friends in NYC seemed to become my newest tradition. Thanks Mike for letting me stay and Dines taking me to this awesome texas bbq called Hill Country.

Also seeing the Standard finally completed was a cool thing, I know this sounds bad, but I have to say, architecturally, its very cool. "The high line" which was a park converted from an abandoned raised train track next to the hotel is a nice touch too.