I’ve never been good with these things, however I figure if it’s published into the world wide web (does anyone EVER call it that?), I’ll have to stick with it.
Never again will I dye my own hair. Learned that lesson all too well. The extra money is COMPLETELY worth it. (Thanks Illusions for fixing my mess!)
No more nail biting. OK – I’m kind of cheating. I stopped biting my nails this fall. But I want to continue keeping them nice, because I just feel better with pretty painted nails.
Cook at least 3 nights a week. Even if that means frozen pizza, (which it shouldn’t, since I just got a crock pot) I need to use the food I’ve bought, as well as enjoy the calories I’ll save by skipping the drive thru.
Stick to a cleaning schedule. This whole Sunday cleaning day is a pain. I figure I’ll do floors one night, laundry two (we wear a lot of clothes!), bathroom one and kitchen one. Shouldn’t be terrible, right?
Walk Yadi weekly. I’ve got to stop being lazy! That little ball of fur is FULL of energy. He deserves to get outside whenever we can! Weather permitting, of course.
What are your New Year’s Resolutions? Whatever they may be, I wish you the best 2012 can possibly bring!
Don’t judge on the cliche topic – I had a damn good year! Let’s go backwards.
5. Mizzou 100th Homecoming: You never forget where you came from, and Mizzou homecoming will always be a top event in my heart. After spending four years pomping house decorations, glittering alpha phi posters and watching Mizzou football, I was happy to be able to just enjoy this year’s festivities.
4. World Series Win: OK – I wasn’t directly involved, obviously, but I truly enjoyed watching along the Cardinals journey. (did that really just come out of my mouth?) I went to easily 10-15 games, including a few Cubs series with my favorite Chicago kids (the Cards won, of course). We also traveled to Pittsburgh for a series with the Pirates, so I felt like I could really enjoy this season’s victory.
3. Getting my first job: Now you might ask, “Ashley, didn’t you quit there?” And yes, I have since moved on, however, getting your first job is quite an accomplishment that should not be ignored. O&B gave me tools that I needed to enter the professional world as well as giving me my first real paycheck, which is pretty awesome.
2. Moving out: Sorry Mom & Dad, but moving out is awesome. Sure, it’s a lot of hard work and a lot of time spent cleaning, decorating, organizing, etc., but I now am able to truly appreciate everything you’ve done for me in the past 22 years. Plus, I love being able to cook for myself [hi, half my Christmas gifts were kitchen supplies!] and decorate myself [thank you Hobby Lobby]. Oh, and that cute roommate of mine helps.
1. My first puppy: I doubt this comes as a surprise to anyone. Yadi has been the best thing to happen to me this year, if not the past 22. There is something so special about coming home to a wagging tail and a huge lick on your face, and since July 30, I’ve been able to experience it first hand.
What will 2012 hold for me? Who knows, but I’m sure next year at this time, I’ll have five more great things to share.
Editors Note I’m not sure how I missed this, but I’d like to add a tie with #4 – watching the Boston Bruins clinch the Stanley Cup at the ESPN Zone in Orlando with my dad and a room full of Bruins fans. Nothing can beat that experience, unless of course the Blues bring home the prize in 2012.
It’s incredibly hard to believe that a year ago tomorrow, I graduated college. Three and a half years of finals, papers and projects all cumulated to that very moment where I crossed the stage. That being said, I’ve complete year one of adulthood, if you will. I figured I’d document some things I’ve learned.
It’s not easy. How I long for the days of 11am classes, Thirsty Thursday’s at Harpos and afternoon naps. The 9-5 world is just that – business, 9-5. Or, like most advertisers, closer to 8-6. Sure, the whole paycheck thing is awesome, but the free time isn’t close to being comprable.
Work isn’t perfect. Like most proud J-School grads, I expected some $50,000 glam job doing social media for a powerhouse like Budweiser or Old Spice. That didn’t happen. My first job was not a good fit for me at all, but I learned a lot. Will I go back to media? No. Did I really need to know the inner workings of a cow’s digestive system? No. But it’s experience, and an interesting conversation piece.
Respect is earned. I can’t emphasize that enough. It probably doesn’t help that I have a baby face and look like a 16-year-old without the acne, but you have to work very, VERY hard to gain respect out of college. Just because you show up with a degree doesn’t mean you’ve earned your stripes.
Living on your own is not what you did in college. Sure, I had an apartment, I had roommates. I had to buy groceries and pay electric bills, but that was all highly supplemented by my parents. Being on my own now, I realize the importance of budgeting and free time. Laundry doesn’t do itself, trash does not get taken out automatically, and you have no idea how grateful you are for your parents until you’re no longer living with them and calling them up to install a shower head for you.
B-Averages no longer cut it. To give myself credit, I was an A-B honor roll student. However, in the real world, that missed comma or misspelt word that would have gotten a few points off now can cause meetings with your boss, client, or worse – HR department. Practice makes perfect is no longer the motto – get everything right the first time by double and triple checking your work is.
Responsibility is nice. I wasn’t allowed to have a dog as a child, teen, or college student. Now, living on my own, I was able to get Yadi. Yes, he’s a damn handful, but I enjoy being responsible for him and myself. When you have to count on yourself, you quickly learn to appreciate what you do.
Life goes on. I had a breakdown or two that I wouldn’t ever see my friends after graduating early. That’s false. Keeping your relationships is just as important as landing a job. Are their things I miss about college life? OF COURSE. But all in all, I’m enjoying the grown-up life.
In advertising, bringing a brand to top of mind awareness is key. If your ad gets the following response, you should feel pretty damn good about your marketing skills.
1. People recognize it without actually seeing it: We’re all guilty of it. A commercial comes on and you go grab a soda, finish doing your make up, whatever. But, just because your full attention isn’t on the screen doesn’t mean you don’t know who’s invading your brain. Whether it’s the sound of Flo’s annoying voice, the whisper of “zoom, zoom,” or a familiar tune (did anyone else want “written in the stars” to be permanently removed from airwaves during the post-season?), you’re able to call out the brand immediately.
2. Pop Culture References: Aaron Rodger’s 13-0 Packers are making headlines, but his Discount Double Check move is making appearances (and references) are making SportsCenter broadcasts.
3. Flattery:see, copying. The Old Spice man has won the hearts of many, and won the (dis)honor of being used by other products, Velveeta Home Style meals as well as Dairy Queen have taken the “manly man” and “things you could only dream of” concept.
4. Halloween Costumes: Flo has quite the following. Progressive even sells Halloween kits to #DressLikeFlo. Not to mention, my beloved boyfriend plans on going as Discover’s favorite competitor (and star of a previous blog) Peggy.
5. Sell Outs. Not you silly – your product! If your ad is doing its job, your product will sell to the right people at the opportune time.
Saturday marked the return of St. Louis Blues forward David Perron, who missed 394 days with a concussion from a hit by Joe Thorton (as seen here). While we did lose his first game back, it wasn’t without effort – Perron scored the first goal. This 23-year-old is the real deal folks.
1. The numbers: OK, I realize you can’t discuss an athlete without stats. In his first three seasons with the Blues, he tallied up 48 goals and 76 assists, with a career high 50 points in his sophomore season. No slump for this kid. Prior to his concussion, he had 5 goals and 2 assists in 10 games. He’s two for two this season with a goal and an assist.
2. His hands: Talk about dangles. Perron has quick, skilled paws that allow him to rack in those numbers mentioned above. With Perron, you’re not afraid he’s going to screw it up like many other forwards his age. Coaches feel confident with the puck on his stick, and opponents feel intimidated.
3. His attitude: Have you heard ANYTHING negative about this kid? He has that just-started mentality – arrive early, play hard and have fun. Every post-concussion interview tugged at your heart strings because all he would say is how hard it is to be away from the rink. “That’s probably the toughest thing. You don’t get to come to the rink. It might sound weird but that’s probably the toughest thing…it’s not being able to skate everyday and be with the teammates” (via YouTube). So often pro athletes forget that their being paid to play a kids game. Perron is the kind of guy that forgets he’s getting paid.
4. He Tweets: Now, @DP_57 may not have the following of fellow player Paul Bissonette (@BizNasty2point0), but he knows how to connect with his fans. Whether it’s correcting the NHL for misspelling, giving other players crap about their following (@JackJohnson3 is giving out free Ferrari rides for follows, by the way) or just being generally greteful for what he has, Perron’s personality shines in English and French.
