For those of you who haven't been counting, I've written 365 of these pieces in the last year, one a day no matter what. "No matter what" covers a lot of ground.
When I first started, my nephew Jeremy urged me on. Jeremy is in L.A., where he's the Mac technician to the stars, and a very good guy. His company name is Macman. But even his familial loyalty gave out after a month or so, and I haven't heard from him since.
All of these pieces have been written for educational purposes. Writing them is how I educate myself. My students of advertising and marketing say they like them as well. Maybe I should give them a quiz.
The other morning one of my colleagues told me this blog has a lot to offer. I asked how she happened to read it and she said it was recommended by a friend of hers who teaches in the United Arab Emirates. He emailed her that he recommends it to his students.
An average of a thousand different people read this every month. That's scary. It really whips up my anxiety level.
On days I commute from Berkeley to San Francisco, I write these in the morning on BART, the trans-Bay train. The other days I write them at PIQ, the wonderful Italian coffee house in Berkeley. Then I edit them in the evening and post them first thing in the morning. It's become an obsession.
Starting today, I hope to go on a different schedule. Mondays-Wednesdays-Fridays. But since there are hundreds you haven't read, you're still invited to come here tomorrow. That would be good.
When I first became an ad agency creative director, I was a wreck. The title was great, but what if all my time was taken up doing administrative stuff? So I decided to take advantage of my new position and assign all the interesting jobs to myself. People started grumbling, but then I decided it was not only fine but appropriate. Those kinds of tough problems deserved my thinking.
Besides, every writer has to write. Thus, my blog.
I'd like to hear from you, so please keep commenting. That way, I won't run out of ideas. Hopefully, neither will you.
See you Wednesday.
You helped create my first professional business card, advertising materials, and stood beside me that I could make a career. Heck, you were one of my first clients. You showed me trust and loyalty.
ReplyDeleteI am proud of you, Uncle Harvey. Your blogs have been an inspiration to me and, I'm certain, many others. Your commitment is impressive. It's like you've been training for a marathon. Rain or shine, uphill or downhill, tired or awake, you wrote. It's clear to m,e why you have had such a long career. You are dedicated to it. May MacMan be so lucky. I agree I have not read as many as I should. The ones I have read (a few a month), I have enjoyed. Mostly because it has given me a chance to get to know you better. We all need that from each other. Thank you for staying true to your word. I love that about you. I also, simply, love you. Nephew Jeremy
Congratulations Uncle Harvey! I second Jeremy's sentiments. While I read your entries, I did not read as often as I could and should. The ones I did read were insightful, sharp and true to you. I can hear your voice as I read. Your blogs are like little lessons and you get to teach me things that you would otherwise not have had the chance to do. I encourage you to keep this up! With love, Niece Liz.
ReplyDeleteP.S. I will do my best to check in 3 times a week and comment when I have something useful to contribute. But if you don't see a comment from me, it doesn't mean I didn't read it. Quiz me at Thanksgiving!
Bravo, Harvey! What a huge and wonderful accomplishment. Thank you for all the wisdom, humor and insight you have shared.
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