Good-Bye Dr. Mac. The Send-off.

Dr. Mac, Vietnam. 1967.

The Business of Life is sometimes saying good-bye… until later.

And for Heaven’s sakes… do it in style.

This Friday I say good-bye to my father.  Bag-pipes, a no-black policy are a part of the send-off worthy of a man that loved life, cherished the written word and the exchange of ideas.

He also like Wagner, AC/DC, Nina Simone and Enya.  Go figure…

He often took the road less traveled and throughly enjoyed himself silly do it.

I will miss him.

Some favorite pictures of Dad….

A favorite, he and my Mom, Finish Line. 2008 P.F. Chang's Marathon in Phoenix. My Dad was 70...

The.Best.Super.Bowl.Car.Commerical.Ever. (if not best period.)

+

= SUPER-AWESOME CAR-MERCIAL!

The Business of Life loves Super-Bowl Commercials. Loves them. (Did I say love them?)  Loves them!

I love Super-Bowl Sunday (yes, you freakin’ jerks TM’d the phrase “Super Bowl” but noticed I’m talking about the day not the… umm, “Big Game.”)

Oh, honesty time: What I love are the parties.  The crappy half-time shows (Making fun of bad production values, oh I’m so your girl) but the game?  Whatever.  Sure, you’re heart-broken of elated your team lost or won just wait 364 more days and you’ll be over it.

But the commercials… oh for a marketing, creative and business-centric gal like myself…it’s… heaven. It’s a “shut-up-and-drink yer-Bud-and-leave-me-alone” because I’m transfixed.  And folks, it would seem Christmas came early as I think I’ve found the winner a whole 24+ hours a head of the game.  This is good news for me, as some of you might know, I’ll be flying to California on game day.

IMHO, VW’s “The Force” Passat commercial is the one to beat tomorrow.

My prediction we’re going to remember this spot long after we forget who won tomorrow.

“The Force” has broad-appeal: it’s nostaligic, sweet, funny and charming, it touches a potential consumer on all levels.  It also clever- it actively involves the car  (and it’s special features) into the storyline versus being just an accessory.  More memorable tie-in (and buy-in).

For advertisers it’s all about impressions, they get that by paying millions during the “Big Game” for the eyeballs watching — but it’s harder to finesse the quality of impression made. And VW did quality —  because if you’re in the market for a new car — you’ll probably add Passat (or at least think about it) to your potential list, even if you weren’t entertaining the idea of a four-door.

That’s why it get’s my vote today as the best in show for tomorrow.

And just to prove “The Force” (I couldn’t help myself, that spot is so freak’n charming) of a good commercial, here’s another “best in show” that did wonders for the brand Reebok. Here’s Reebok’s “Terry Tate: Office Linebacker”.  But (super-bonus brownie points, no Googling) can you tell me who the hell was in the game? My favorite part? Terry Tate saying “Heeeeeeeeey Janice!”

Hospice. “Live Through This.”

The Business of Life… is saying good-bye.

A few days ago the decision was made for my father to go home.  To die.

I am going to California, as soon as weather allows, to be with him.

I can think of no tougher time than now.

I can think of no more heartbreaking moment than the cerebral act of letting go.

It also doesn’t get more personal than the passing of a loved one.  And I take this very, very personally.

But, I cannot think of a better option for my father than this.

Death is a part of life, I’ve come to figure out that the processes of dying is also a part of the process of living.

It doesn’t make it easier.

I could never figure out… well not figure out… but maybe the better word is appreciate, Courtney Love’s album title “Live Through This,” released days after the suicide of Kirk Cobain.  I do now, because that’s exactly what you have to do… live through this… and make sure you come out the other side intact.  Not bitter. Not damaged.  Not back to normal — you can’t expect that — but with your sanity and wits intact. I still have to get up, I still have the little ones to dress, feed, help with their 20 mins of reading a night, and make sure that lunch isn’t a fistful of Oreos and a juice box (though I don’t think my nutrition lately has been much better.)

But I see how the next few weeks are going to play out….

It’s as if there’s a tidal wave I can see far off.  It’s been there, but now it’s coming straight at me, the water has receded from the beach, exposing miles of barren, skeletal sand.  Now the wave is closer, much closer and it’s cresting higher and higher.

I can’t outrun it.

I can’t seek shelter.

It will hit.  And hit hard.

So here I am.  Bracing myself for it.

Heavens to Betsy!

The classic.

The Business of Life seems to be a Crossroads…. I’ve been a bad blogger lately, not posting.

Folks, I’m sorry about not being attentive but the truth of the matter is that I’ve been really tired. Frustrated with a capital F. A drift.

I usually have an opinion.  A direction.  A fabulous edge.  Some chutzpah.

The twinkle seems to have taken a break lately.  Not that I don’t know what to write, I have ideas but it’s in the intersection of execution and time that have been on differing planes and not intersecting.  It’s like the drunk test, you know the one, where you close the eyes and try to bring your two index fingers together… except you don’t. Or can’t.  They keep missing.

And I’m sober.

Perhaps I’m hitting bottom.  (Does one know “Heeeeyyy THIS is bottom!” ’cause I’m not feeling it.)

I think I might just start writing about what I want in my life.

Perhaps that will help me figure out a path.