December 2006

It’s the Friday before one of the biggest holidays of the year, and we all know that means it’s more difficult to focus today. Taking a five minute break to exercise our mind can be the perfect fix for fuzzy focus, and the internet offers a host of diversions, including advertising-focused web sites that bring a fresh perspective to an old profession.

Below are a list of some of my favorite web sites to check out when I’m in need of some gray cell exercise or some fresh creativity:

• AdverGirl - This blog is written by an AE of a Midwest advertising agency and showcases fun, creative advertising.
• AdRants - An advertising standby, this web site finds the good and the bad of the advertising world.
• AdForum - A collection of the greatest ads of all time.
• BrandSpankin - Advertising parody that is good for a laugh, though it can be off-color at times.
• Adverlicious - Another collection of the best advertising, broken down into categories.

So take some time out today to stretch your creativity - have a few laughs, jot down some ideas and bookmark a few of these sites in your web browser - and then get back to work!

Try finding news about career colleges in traditional media outlets or on the Internet and, more than likely, you’ll come up with little. Aside from the occasional press release, stock report or negative news piece about “for profit” career colleges, you’re out of luck, right? Not anymore.

Last summer, we launched CareerCollegeCentral.org to serve as a central online location for news and information about the career college sector. Along with blogs from industry experts in a variety of areas impacting career colleges, our web site provided up-to-date news, financial information and listings of vendors important to career colleges. The response to the web site has been so great, this January, we’re launching the magazine version that shares a similar purpose.

Upon publication, Career College Central will be the definitive voice of the career college sector of higher education. The magazine will provide in-depth coverage of the latest news and events impacting career colleges. Each edition features analysis of current trends, interviews with prominent executives, research on topics relevant to college directors, and wisdom from leading experts in all areas of for-profit education.

Combining all of these resources in one publication, Career College Central will be required reading if you’re involved with career colleges in any facet. And, of course, you’re going to enjoy it if you’re a fan of a good story. Subscribe to the magazine online at CareerCollegeCentral.org. Believe me … you don’t want to miss this.

I love my iPod … who doesn’t? Currently, it’s filled with a hodgepodge of festive holiday songs. I have rather eclectic taste … so when people in my department wanted to pilfer tunes from my collection … I warned them ahead of time. They are still reeling from hearing “A Very Spice Girls Xmas.”

Despite the fact that it’s busy as all ho-ho-heck around here, I still managed to find time to surf the Net for more holiday music to add to my burgeoning collection.

The Vienna Boys Choir has a holiday box set out. It’s called Christmas with the Vienna Boys Choir. That warms the cockles of my heart since I once tried out for the group. I dropped out, though, before the second callback … have you seen those kids? They look like Children of the Corn.

Sarah McLachlan has just released a new holiday CD. I interviewed Sarah once and I professed my undying love to her. Her Xmas gift to me was canceling the restraining order. I was going to buy Sarah’s new album Wintersong for my officemate, Tiffany, for Xmas … but thought better of it … because I spotted:

Twisted Christmas by Twisted Sister! I thought they were dead … or at least their careers were! So when I spotted their new CD, I purchased it immediately. It was a holiday miracle … 1) because I purchased something for one of my co-workers and 2) that Twisted Sister is still alive and/or kicking.

Something you WON’T find on my iPod this year is the latest by Flatulina. Her new CD, FLATULINA’S FABULOUS HOLIDAY SPECTACULAR! features your favorite holiday tunes set to … well, flatulence, which is apparently all the rage this year … even more so if it’s done with sleigh bells and background harmonies.

I’m hoping someone gets me A Dangerously Groovy Christmas by The Outtengrand Orchestra for Xmas. Why? Because when you think dangerous … you think me. And when you think groovy … again, me.

And finally, just because it’s REALLY been on my nerves this year … I would like someone to tell me why – for the love of God and all that is pure in this world – WHY The Carpenters are playing EVERY time I turn on XM radio or my digital cable music channel. I loved their Christmas Portrait album as much as the next person … but there seems to be a Carpenter conspiracy this year.

So from me to you … here’s wishing all of you … well, most of you … okay, just those of you who get me presents … a safe, festive, happy holiday season. See you next year!

Back by popular demand, the once-adored intern – and now worshipped Production Assistant – Becca.

Well, folks, it’s been awhile since we last spoke so let’s catch up. The rest of my summer vacation I worked on a film called Bunker Hill. I was the Key Production Assistant so basically I told other production assistants what to do, and it was rad.

“But how does this info tie into PlattForm life?” you might ask. Because I remembered the things I did and learned at PlattForm and used them to my advantage on set.

For example, when I was an intern here this summer and people made me do things I didn’t enjoy like tape logging, I remembered that. So when some of these people later worked for my team on the set of Bunker Hill, I made them do things like clean up horse poop and get me coffee.

Of course I also used my learned knowledge for production, set protocol, and my leadership skills gained from our awesome intern project, blah blah blah. But mainly I used my skills to seek sweet, sweet revenge.

And now I am back in the Production department looking to do the same. Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! But I digress; man, it’s good to be back.

That’s not a typo. Our proofreaders are super-detailed; they so would have caught that. (Just this morning Alex told me about one of the proofers fact-checking an ad. We’ve all wondered at one time or another how tall 500 stacked Sears Towers would be. Right? Well, Mike checked to ensure that our “Numbers don’t lie” ad didn’t lie. Told you they were awesome! But I digress …)

It’s the c-son for creativity and charity, at PlattForm. We held a food drive for the Mattie Rhodes Center at Thanksgiving; my heart still fills up when I think of the entryway being filled with bags. We also just ended a toy drive for Della Lamb Community Services. There’s nothing like giving to put a person in a good mood, and having a legitimate reason to wander around the toy aisle is a bonus!

This charitable mindset is evident even when the front hall isn’t filled with toys or food. A group of account executives came up with the following thoughts on the c-son:

Bows: $2.00
Wrapping Paper: $3.00
Wreath: $10.00
Instead, donating money to kids so they can have big smiles on Christmas: PRICELESS!

Yeah. Makes me feel good inside, too.

It also makes me think of decorating – here’s where the other c, creativity, comes into play. One department is hosting a cookie decorating party all day. I thought I didn’t have time to go (tick, tick, tick – see below!), but I got jealous of my coworkers’ sparkly, heavily frosted cookies and went to the Business Intelligence office. Took five minutes. Very fun. And tasty.

Another department came up with a hilarious way to use soon-to-be recycled paper. They’re using it to make a snow drift near the front door of their office, complete with two snowmen (one “melted,” so it’s just a hat and a carrot) and a toy hiker.

I like seeing my teammates doing creative stuff, and I love the giving spirit PlattFormers show this time of year and for the rest of the year as well.

Best wishes this holiday c-son!