It's not a "calling" . . .but I love it

When I was 22 I read Wonder Boys by Michael Chabon. The professor character's wife is a copywriter in Downtown Pittsburgh. I remember thinking that sounded so glamorous! A copywriter. Wow.

Of course in the story the Mrs. hates her job because her whole life she was aspiring to be a "real" writer. And to anyone who graduated with an English degree a "real" writer means "novelist." It's a stereotype that all writers want to eventually publish a novel. And it's true. Many people look down on advertising and marketing and the media in general. But guess what?! If Apple didn't get so much publicity and hype every time they launched a product so that millions of geeks lined up to buy them, y'all would be paying three times as much for those overpriced miniature flat-screen "pads." In a way, advertising actually lower prices. Of course, the flip side is that it raises prices. Just look at GEICO.

Fortunately I graduated with a degree in journalism, so I'm happy doing the lowest of the low when it comes to "real" writing: blogging! And copywriting at an ad agency! How horrendous! It's like the equivalent of Talk Soup in the news world, but whatev! I love it.

Back to why "real" writers hate blogging. Stephen King wrote that when he taught writing classes at universities, he hated to assign personal essays. Why? Because the students enjoyed them so much. He hated the elated drivel that ensued.

Hmm . . . That is pretty much all that I do here at samlivesinnola. Whatev, Stephen King. Under The Dome s*#ked.

In other news, Buddy! is not housebroken.

In other news, we are are walking in the Barkus parade this Sunday! I am Dorothy and Buddy! is Toto. And Elbow is Dorothy, too! We got costumes. We'll have pics.

The Office 15?

So, um, let me be like, a 13-year-old girl right now and just say that I love love love my new job so far. It is so super fun! It fits everything I've been learning from school and from my past experience into one little box wrapped with an awesome bow!

But here's something I forgot about working in an office. The Mayor's office didn't really count because we barely ever even sat down when I worked with Ms. Toni. Speaking of the mayor, read his response to Newsweek naming New Orleans #1 Dying City: That Writer is Stupid.

Anyhoo, about working in an office. They want you to be fat. That is why the office manager keeps bringing in oatmeal chocolate chip cookies and why the graphic designer brought the cute little red velvet cupcakes her mom made last night. We all like to eat. But we all really like to eat when we are sitting at a desk trying to think "What am I going to write here? Maybe I'll try one of those brownies while I ponder it." Or "I really don't want to call that person back. I'll just eat another peanut butter ball instead."

It's chocolate city in this office this week thanks to Valentine's Day and I just ate my fifth dark chocolate truffle. This morning. We also have free sun chips in the back! Totally awesome! You can eat those while you wait for your documents to print!

In other news, I took the streetcar to work yesterday which nearly made me pass out with anxiety. I was so worried that I would be late and the car would not come or just stop working. Which happens more than you might think. Sometimes all it takes is some rain and they're like Sorry! Streetcar's shut down suckers!

The first one passed me as I was coming up the street toward St. Charles and I just could not get there in time. So I waited impatiently for 10 minutes trying not to panic for the next one. I was just about to hail a cab when the jolly trolley showed up. Only took 19 minutes to get to work! How's that for a commute on a rickety old shoebox on a track?

Buddy! update: Took him to Pup Play at Petco on Tuesday. He spent the whole time humping a weiner dog named Bebe. He's got fancy taste.

Ho hum. Another 70-degree sunny day in February

What's your weather like?

It's so bright in my office I have to wear my sunglasses at my desk. They keep calling me Jackie Onassis and saying I look like a drunk celebrity. Whatev. My eyes are really sun sensitive and it is sunny as s#@t in this town.

All of our house guest leave today. That's sad. Although I have to admit I'm a teensy bit glad that I do not have to do anything this evening. I can sit on the couch and read O Magazine. Yes, I love Oprah magazine. I've never seen the show, but I love the publication.

Buddy! vomited what looked like sea foam this morning. I'm trying not to panic. But he's not eating his food. Maybe it's because he ate the metal balls out of the bell we were using to house break him. Or because he ate the corner of the floor basket in the bathroom.

Okay, back to copy writing. It would really stink to get fired from my part-time gig. Today we are working on a hospital services direct mail piece. Which is funny, since I'm taking a direct marketing class right now. Basically direct mail is really expensive to send and really annoying to get. But for some reason, it gets a decent response rate. You know what gets the highest response rate? Telephone calls! Hard to believe, I know.

Happy Controversial Holiday!

I personally like Valentine's Day. (I also liked the movie, but nobody else I know did). I think Elbow knows that I might burn the house down if he didn't get me flowers, so we got that department covered.

Last night our friend told a story of a past girlfriend who said she hated Valentine's Day but then he was in deep s*&t when he didn't get her anything. Uh, duh. We know you hate it and we pretend that we hate it. And we kinda do. But we still want grand surprises and expensive flower bouquets and overpriced dinners. Mostly prix fixe tonight of course.

We have a few house guests, too. B and her daughter are in the guest room until tomorrow. Since they got here Thursday we've done several fabulous things like the WW II Museum, appetizers at Cochon, dinner at Dante's Kitchen (one of my favorites so far), cheering on people at the Mardi Gras marathon, the dog park (Buddy!'s favorite), Bacchanal wine fiesta, and a 30th birthday party that was hilarious and fun (karaoke! sushi boat!).Speaking of sushi boats, our friend A. is staying with us in the makeshift guestroom/man room while he interviews. We really want him to move here, so we made up his futon extra nice.

School is hard and a tad tedious. Work is awesome. The weather is totally awesome (67 and sunny right now!). Tonight we'll go out as a group and make up stories for the couples around us. But right now I have to finish a paper on direct marketing: three offers for the miracle product, WonderBar. I wonder how many times I will accidentally type the word "WonderBra" instead.

Dolly Parton is a sucker

I only work 8 to noon. Yesterday I had to stay late, until 1:45. But it's awesome. There was a sign on the door that said, "Welcome Sam." Never in my life have I thought to do that for a new employee or intern, but it really helps break the ice and calm your nerves when you walk in there for the first time.

So I've already volunteered to work on Sunday at the Rock 'n' Roll Mardi Gras Marathon this weekend. I have to run up to people after the race and ask, "Why are you running today? How did it feel?, etc." I'm going to be the next Erin Andrews! Minus that keyhole incident.

What else? We just returned from Texas where it was colder than Pittsburgh and it actually looked like Pittsburgh with all the drunks stumbling around chanting "Here We Go." Here we didn't quite.

We took Buddy! to Petco last night for Pup Play where puppies learn to socialize and pee all over each other. It was awesome because Buddy! took off out of the gates like a champ and then immediately got overwhelmed by the big dogs and barricaded himself in the corner of the makeshift fence for 15 minutes. Some girl's shar pei slobbered all over my hand. And a Swedish (maybe?) guy sat in the middle of the area and surprise! got peed on by a schnauzer. Finally Buddy! stopped being the playground wuss and made friends with a weiner dog named "Lucky." Indeed.