A Grace and Frankie moment if ever there was one …

Yesterday afternoon my friend Sharon sent me a clipping from 18 years ago, when there was a massive black-out in Ontario. The series of events we went through seems hilarious now but back then, not nearly as funny. At the time she and I were partners in a small ad agency.

For us the adventure started a few days before. We were working on a project that involved the acquiring of a very large number of all kinds of luxury items, from American Express Be My Guest certificates to Louis Vuitton bags, golf clubs, TVs, you name it.

Without going into all the gory details, let’s just say there was an epic screw up

Just a couple of days before the deadline we found ourselves — at 5:00 or 6:00 pm no less — with no merchandise! None. Zip. Zilch. The supplier had totally let us down. There was no time to get angry, no time for blame, no time for tears, no time to run and hide, no time to do anything but come up with a solution — pronto!

Day 335. Say Cheese

It’s funny.  You have no idea how much time I’ve spent at photo shoots over the years.  Countless.  As a writer/creative director in advertising it was part of my job, along with my art director partners, to attend shoots.  To make sure we were getting the shots we wanted.  It was the same when I worked in the fashion industry.

That’s why yesterday’s WordPress Daily Prompt really resonated with me:  “Are you as comfortable in front of a camera as behind one?”  

Over the years I developed a really good ‘eye’.  Just standing there, watching, I could pretty much tell which shots were working and which weren’t.  Poring over contact sheets and low res scans has never been a problem for me.  And I can always tell how to crop a photograph for the most drama and impact.  What’s necessary and what isn’t.

Photography is also a hobby of mine.  Not that I’m good technically.  But, again, my eye is good.  I can spot an interesting shot immediately.  And most of the time when I take a picture, I shoot it cropped.  I never realized I did that until my trip to India.  One of my fellow travellers is a professional photographer, and she made me

Day 180. It’s Sacrilege

I’m almost afraid to say this out loud for fear of the repercussions.  But I just feel I must.  Right here, right now, you’re looking (metaphorically speaking, of course) at the one human with access to a TV, and cable, who will NOT be watching the Super Bowl this Sunday.

No, your eyes are not playing tricks on you.  I did say I would NOT be watching.  I wanted to make sure you heard me.  Understood me clearly.  Which is why I used all capital letters.

I know it’s unAmerican.  Hell, it’s even unCanadian.  But it is what it is.

What can I say?  I grew up in unusual surroundings.  Ours was a non-football-watching household.  When it comes to sports my parents liked tennis, golf, baseball and basketball.  And hockey playoffs.

(sigh).  I hear you sighing.  Shaking your heads in disbelief.  Even pitying me.  Wishing you’d known sooner, so you could have removed me from that damaging environment.  Before it was too late.  Before it came to this.  I know.  I know.

Thank you.  I appreciate your concern.  But really, there’s no cause for alarm.

If it makes you feel any better, my parents certainly wouldn’t have cared if I’d wanted to watch football.  It’s not like