Empty Bottles and Cigarettes

Call me Don Draper.... or so I wish some days. I love MadMen. I LOVE Advertising.

Some days I miss agency life. Don't get me wrong, my current job rocks!!! I get a lot of satisfaction,
creative drive and all around fun from it. As I have said a million times - I love what I do for a living.
My career (and the path I am currently on) is going the way I want it too.

I know this is a hard time for many and design & advertising is hurting as well. I have new friends
to the business as well as old friends getting the hell out. It is a hard & long road that you must have
patience for otherwise it will eat you up.

There is obviously some hurdles but I know I have room to grow with my employers. AND they are supportive
and want to cultivate me as an investment. Obviously, like most, I wish I made more money and
better benefits but I am working on it. Plus, I still do freelance (hint, hint).

I have been on a tear with design lately. Soooooooo busy, but in a good way. My BIG project is the
re-branding of our company,as far as EVERYTHING... Corporate ID (That's Business Cards for the layman),
Packaging, Web, Interior, Exterior, and everything that would require our new logo on it. After the
beginning of the year I will be mycompany's Brand Manager, as well as still being Senior Designer.

I have been looking at, absorbing, consuming, and getting as much good(and bad) design around me
as I can. Everything from Branding, Packaging and Advertising.

I'm not in the most Creative place as far as collaboration. I miss bouncing ideas off of another designer
or design group. I have to look more inside myself to be honest with my designs and if they hit the target.
I do ask friends and other designers their opinions, but be prepared... "Ummm, why did you pick THAT color?!"

Here are some good places for designers, artists and creatives to get excited and inspired...

http://www.underconsideration.com/brandnew/

http://thedesignfoundation.blogspot.com/

http://adsoftheworld.com/

http://adweek.blogs.com/adfreak/

http://www.holidaymatinee.com/

http://subtextgallery.com/blog/

http://inspirationpad.com/

http://www.friendswithyou.com/

http://www.logoblog.org/

http://www.colourlovers.com/blog/