Stolen

For my 1000th post, I would like to make a public service announcement:

Earlier this afternoon at the Robinsons Metro East Grand Mall, my wallet and mobile phone were stolen. So contacting me through mobile would be impossible until I secure a new phone and number.

Naturally, I have been sorely inconvenienced.

That's the problem with mall shows featuring major stars--there ought to be regulation prohibiting such events in venues too small. The multipurpose area of Robinsons Metro East Grand Mall could not hold the crowd, particularly this crowd who wanted to see Robin Padilla. It was a stampede waiting to happen.

My pockets were low (about knee-high) and deep and even had flaps over them. Whoever picked them must have been really vertically-challenged, or a kid. And very experienced with crowds, seeing the sardine-can proceedings as an opportunity.

And to think all I wanted to do was grocery shopping and buying a gift for my nephew. He turned seven today.

Well, hello there....

This is officially my 999th post.

Last month, I only posted once on this blog, a stark contrast to those days when I'd be revved up to posting everyday--twice a day, even. Recently, motivation has taken me elsewhere, and the astrologer I consulted told me that I was at the tail end of a creative cycle. So the slump I've been experiencing is serendipitously aligned with the stars. Felt that way, too.

A couple of months ago, I resigned from Summit Media. I thought to myself that, perhaps, trying my luck again as a solo creative would turn for the better. I had my laundry list of activities ready for ticking. However, the company head honcho contacted me and offered me a promotion, to be part of another department. Naturally, I felt important, but I was anxious, too. I have never experienced being "promoted" in my 18+ years of employment.

Plus, there's my lack of experience. The new job required me to conceptualize advertising materials, but I spent less than four months in two advertising agencies. First was way, way back in 1991 in Well Advertising, then fast forward to 2005 in Harrison Communications. The biggest project I handled in my three months in Well was for Kao Biore--I wrote and drew manga-style comics featuring two female office workers. In Harrison, a one full-page ad for Globe was all I did in my two weeks there.

I told Summit Media head honcho about my lack of experience, but she didn't sound bothered by it. I was more bothered than she was.

After days of deep thought, I accepted the offer. I moved from being Art Director of Real Living magazine, to Creative Director of Special Publications - Key Accounts. Sounds scary, doesn't it? But conceptualizing ad materials is the kind of job I actually had wished for when I was in high school and college. After over 18 years, I got the job that I wanted.

Fortunately, my no-nonsense boss has bona fide agency experience, and I'm learning a lot from him, particularly fine tuning my thought processes to address advertising challenges. My graphic design experience and marketing education is helping lots, but advertising is a different end of the same boat. I don't think I have a problem with creativity per se, but it tends to scatter or run off in tangents.

So we'll see. The potential for mental stress is greater in this new job; it's only been over a month and I'm already feeling it. But I like the variety and the rest of the team are wonderful talented folks. Also, I've been in Summit for over four years. It's the longest I've ever been in a company, so that's enough for a pat on the back.