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Category Archives: Kvetches

The Black Hole – by Brad

Has sending brief but cordial rejection letters gone the way of the Gulf Coast sea turtle (ooh, too soon?)?

This Life Is Under Construction, Please Check Back Later

It was a tough decision to write this post.
I’m someone who believes that when you think and act positively and with hope, those things come back to you. Likewise, the converse is true. We all know people with a cloud of doom over their heads. They expect their lives to suck so their lives suck so [...]

A Bitter Pill – By Brad Mislow (who’s not bitter)

I admit it. I’m a frequent visitor to advertising websites. Like the one you’re reading now. Then there’s Agencyspy, Adage, Adweek, Stuart Elliott’s New York Times ad column (yes, it’s still relevant) and George Parker’s rant-filled Adscam. I make the rounds several times a day. This also means I read the growing comment sections that [...]

Blood On The Floor – By Brad Mislow

Tell me. When you have a killer idea, who do you trust more to get it through? An ego-driven, bombastic leader? Or a group of individually sound-minded, patient people who believe everyone should get a say? There are pros and cons to both approaches, but I’d bet any future award show money that the ego-driven [...]

It’s The Most Wonderful (Stressful Angst-Ridden Worrysome) Time Of The Year

There are times I feel I’m writing as an authority on what to do after losing a job. I’ve gone through it three times! Look at me, I’m an expert!
Then there are times when I feel as vulnerable as the next unemployed person, seeking answers wherever they may be.
And that’s what’s been so great about [...]

Wealth? Nah, Just Sanity.

We don’t have expensive taste. Other than perhaps another bathroom (four people sharing a single bath doesn’t do much for one’s sense of privacy), we’ve got everything we need.
We don’t want millions. We want the absence of worry. Money-wise, it would just be really nice if every first of the month wasn’t a fingers-crossed-athon.
So two [...]

The (Not So) Nuanced Etiquette Of #PFTA

Chances are pretty good that if you’re reading this, you’re also following me on Twitter. Chances are also pretty good that you know about the #PFTA hash tag I created so that Animals could pass along job opportunities to other Animals.
The basic premise is this: We have each other’s backs. Maybe you’re too junior for [...]

Don’t Call It A Family

I should have known better.
I should have known better than to think the worst was over. That the anecdotal hires and increased headhunter activity signaled a respite from the putrid pall of pink slips littering our lives these last two years.
But no. Not yet. Not even close.
I should have remembered the June 30th closing bell. [...]

Would You Turn Down A Job Offer Right Now?

With more bad news from BBDO, The Richards Group and the entire media industry, the pink slip craze is alive and kicking. Layoffs still lurk on every corner. Hiring agencies are still hard to come by.
So if you’re fortunate enough to get a job offer, by all means, pop some champagne. Hundreds of thousands of [...]

We Need Another Term For “Book”

Books are printed, tactile things. They come in hard cover and soft cover. Dozens, hundreds, even thousands of pages. Some with pictures, some not. Dust jackets. Spines. Paper. Words. They are things to be read.
In ad school, we started calling our portfolios “books.” And why not? They were also printed and tactile. They came in [...]