During the holidays, most of us will have more retail experiences than usual. And more than one of us is bound to run into that holiday-wrecking creature, the “rude cashier.”
As a student, I had the pleasure and privilege of spending more than my fair share of time on the business side of a cash register [...]
I need a computer person.
Specifically, I need a computer person who will actually do stuff for me. Now, I’ll admit, it’s mundane stuff. I need to upgrade my OS, install some new software, and do all of that without compromising any of the data I’ve already got stored.
Sure, I could do this myself. And [...]
Some phrases strike fear in my heart, for I know they forecast pain and suffering in my future. These include:
You’ll just feel a little pressure. (Dentist)
Your brakes need work. (Mechanic)
That’s the creative challenge. (Client or account exec.)
I learned very early on in this industry that when someone says “creative challenge,” they don’t mean: [...]
It’s a good thing I didn’t decide to be extra healthy last week and walk to my doctor’s appointment (a trek that would have taken an hour one way – but on a nice day, I’ve been known to do it.)
After driving out to the building, finding a spot in the $3 flat-rate parking [...]
I’m hoping you can help me figure out an ad that’s been intriguing me for the past month or so. It runs in The Coast (Halifax’s alternative weekly newspaper) and has a visual of a plump, ripe banana, but the peel has been pulled back to reveal that the fruit inside is battered and bruised. [...]
For years, I kept quiet about the fact that I had it. I thought I wasn’t normal. Or that I should just be able to shake it off and keep going. Hell, back then, I didn’t even know this problem had a name.
Others certainly never mentioned if they had it. And while there were [...]
I’ve written my fair share of tag lines/slogans in my career. But the one I’m best known for is: “Land the plane!” (Frequently comes out as “Just land the &*^%ing plane!”)
If you haven’t had the pleasure of hearing me mutter/scream/plead this phrase, allow me to share its origins. Then you’ll know exactly what I’m [...]
You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make it read the brochure.
As someone who has made her living as a professional communicator, I’ve long had to live with the sad knowledge that a huge number of people simply will not read your message, no matter how compelling, clever, or easy you make [...]