Why am I up this early on a Saturday?

Originally posted on the RedEye Wrigleyville page: http://neighborhoods.redeyechicago.com/wrigleyville/viewpoint/2011/05/24/why-am-i-up-this-early-on-saturday/

The alarm goes off to the tune of “Danger! High Voltage” by Electric Six. It’s 7:30 am on a Saturday and a number of questions race through my mind, the first and most pressing obviously, “why the hell am I up at 7:30 on a Saturday?” The three word answer floats uneasily to the top of my head like a Magic 8 Ball: “Race to Wrigley.”

A recent Saturday marked the Cubs’ 5th annual 5k to help support local charities, and thanks to a generous contribution from my employer, I laced up my Nike kicks bright and early and hit the bricks. Kicking off to a hauntingly beautiful, albeit rain-soaked, rendition of “Go Cubs Go” by Mr. Cub himself, it occurred to me that this was the first time I had run in any context not involving catching public transportation in nearly a year. It also occurred to me that drinking with friends at Goose Island until close might not be the best pre-race strategy.

As the group turned on to Ravenswood and started to spread out, I could feel myself settling into a nice pace behind what appeared to be an 11 year old. My inner champion refused to allow this to remain a reality for long, and I was somewhat relieved to discover it was, in fact, a 12 year old. The course was planned out to give a nice cross-section of the neighborhood: start off down Addison, move up Ravenswood to Irving Park, finally finding its way home down Clark.

Approaching the field, runners were greeted by friends, family, and my personal favorite: a group of octogenarians in Cubs gear playing tunes from their heyday in a delightful brass and woodwind ensemble. Always liking a strong finish, I kicked into a sprint for the last 100 meters through the outskirts of the ballpark and crossed the finish line like a champion. In this context, champion is short for soaking wet, tired as hell and mildly hungover.

The record breaking 8,000+ runners helped raise more than $150,000 for the Chicago Children’s Hospital ($1044.69 of which from yours truly), ran a good race and got to see some of the most beautiful parts of Chicago this side of Division. I’d say that merits waking up on a Saturday morning any week of the year.

Danny Cox is a RedEye blogger.

UPDATE: I finally found out how to access my time, for those of you who may have wondered what ‘finishing like a champion’ means in quantitative terms- 23:40.

Let’s Get Dangerous

I think there’s something to be said for the wisdom hidden just below the surface of childhood cartoons. Today’s edition of Acumen Acquired via Adolescent-Aimed Animation (A^5 for short) comes from my favorite of the Duck spinoff universes, Darkwing Duck (with Duck Tales in a close second).

For those of you too old or too young to appreciate the glory that was Darkwing Duck, picture the lovechild of Donald Duck’s cousin and Batman, with just a dash of Don Quixote.  Our words of wisdom (and the title of this post) come from the titular character’s catchphrase: “Let’s get dangerous.” To clarify, I’m not advocating taking up chainsaw juggling (though if you do, please make more videos like this), but rather that you take a moment to move outside the comfort zone.

Some (I would argue most) of life’s greatest adventures come at those times when we’re a little unsure of what the outcome will be. Seven months ago, I decided that I wanted to play in a band again. One week later, I was the new bassist for Chicago’s Best AC/DC tribute band*, Riff Raff. Was I a great bassist? Absolutely not- I had bought the bass only a few months prior. Did I want to be in a band bad enough to answer a random ad on Craigslist and learn a 5-song set in as many days, not to mention buying a second amp on the way TO the audition (which has, to this day, not seen my apartment)? The short answer, of course, is yes.

How’s that gone so far? We received the honor of having one of the year’s best cover songs; appeared in America’s finest news source, The Onion; and have a summer full of shows lined up months in advance. Most importantly, I’m getting to travel all around Illinois playing kick-ass rock and roll and having an absolute blast.

To continue this trend, I’m making a commitment to myself to do at least one thing outside my comfort zone every week for the next 13 weeks. Why 13, you ask? By selecting a traditionally unlucky number, I’ve already taken the first step in living up to the title of the post. I’m defying superstition, thumbing my nose at the Fates, knocking on wood desparately and begging Destiny to be kind, pulling myself together and standing resolute in my new Devil-May-Care lifestyle.

For posterity’s sake, recaps of exploits to come will follow. Until then, keep it risky my friends.

Some light 2011 Dusting

Well, it’s only been another quarter of a year since I last visited these friendly pages. Not to fall into the New Years’ resolution crowd, but it feels like the time is right to return to regular writing that’s NOT on behalf of a client. Let’s play a little catch-up, shall we?

Work

My work with Weber Shandwick has been focused primarily on the digital side of consumer tech giant Motorola. It was a great win for our agency, and it’s been a lot of fun being on the ground level of a new client. The first few months between an agency and a new client is a lot like a first date, where you’d REALLY like things to go well. So far, I think this date has been pretty splendid. With our work at CTIA, the viral (yes, I mean it- 1 million views in 3 days makes it real) video and most recently our contributions to the CES conference, my time spent at work is never dull.

Play

Like I said, I’m looking forward to some writing that ISN’T client related, and there have been many exciting developments over the past few months. For many, 2011 brings hope of a new year- a better year- and in that regard I’m no different. I can’t wait to begin working with the Audience Development Committee of the Steppenwolf Theatre sometime this or next month; I’ll be working with a team of dedicated individuals who are passionate about the arts to help create a sustainable model to bring more Millenial members into the Steppenwolf family. If that weren’t enough, there are already quite a few exciting gigs lined up for the band.

What band? Oh that’s right- it’s been a while. After attending a concert at the Metro last fall, I made the rash and impulsive decision that I wanted to once again be in a band and perform music. After roughly 10 minutes of Craigslist searching, I happened across a listing for a bassist for an AC/DC tribute band. I thought to myself, “Hell, I like AC/DC. That’d be a lot of fun to play around town!”

Wait, what? When did I get a bass?  My oh my, it HAS been a while. This summer, I decided that I wanted to merge my love of rhythm and drums with my exceptionally mediocre guitar skills and pursue the bass. As fortune would have it, over the weekend of the 4th of July, my friend Ryan both needed a place to stay in Chicago while his band completed their Midwestern tour, but also happened to be selling a Fender J-Bass for a very reasonable price. Fast forward back to late September.

I received a prompt response from the listing and was set to play 5 songs with the band to see if I had what it took. The following Wednesday. Though I had purchased a small practice amp the week before, I knew that it would not have enough juice to be heard over a full band. So I returned to the place that helped me locate my job, my first apartment in Chicago (complete with two lovely roommates), my bass and my potential band: the internet! Roughly 10 minutes of Craigslisting again, I located a very reasonably priced Ampeg 105 watt solid-state 1X15 amplifier. After a few email exchanges, the seller and I agreed on a price and a pick-up date: Wednesday. After purchasing the amp on the way to my audition, I briefly thought to myself, “What the hell am I doing?”

That thought was quickly squashed when precisely one week later I was not only the new bassist of an AC/DC tribute band, but we also had acquired a weekly gig at Lilly’s Bar on Lincoln Avenue. What’s the old Allstate motto, life comes at you fast?

Fast forward three months and you’ll find yourself here. I gotta say, 600+ words later; it feels good to be back.

Since U Been Gone

I’m not only breathing for the first time, I’m screaming at the top of my lungs for joy.

First, I would like to address my loyal readers who may have wondered about my extended absence: sorry Grandma. I hope you still love me as much.

Now that that’s out of the way, it’s time to get through the daunting task of bringing this blog up to speed on the goings-on of my, at this point, wildly exciting and incredibly optimistic life. For example, I just signed up for my 401k. Not words I really thought about 5 months ago. Let me get down into the nitty gritty.

1. Pardon my French, mais mon emploi c’est foutrement génial! I couldn’t be happier anywhere else. Tomorrow marks my 3 month anniversary working with Weber Shandwick as an AAE, with my 90-day review following on Thursday.

2. I sold my car. While this may not make much sense as to why it falls under the exciting category, it translates to $350 a month in my paycheck, rather than to a car I haven’t seen in nearly 6 months that I get to spend in a city where public transit can get me any/everywhere I need to go.

3. I still live in Chicago. Yes, I know that some of you were worried that in my absence perhaps I had lost my job, sold all my belongings and hitchhiked home to Ohio, or worse… Logan County, and abandoned all hope to ever finding happiness. Though I appreciate your concerns, I assure you- I am fine.

Though it’s late and I’m tired after a long day’s rocking, this post is essentially to mark the joyous occasion of my return to blogging. Though sometimes it’s not easy to work on social media projects all day and still find excitement and joy in telling my story, it’s something that brings me joy and, one day might have a little sentimental value. If nothing else, it helps keep my writing sharp and my ideas alive.

It’s good to be back.

Playing Catch-up

My how the time does fly. Much has happened since my last post, but it’s late so I’ll be brief and give you the bulleted list:

• My internship with Weber Shandwick, which was supposed to last 16 weeks ended abruptly and unexpectedly after 8…
• …because I was offered and accepted a full-time position as an Assistant Accout Executive!
• Then most recently, I graduated from OU.

I will elaborate tomorrow, but I wanted the record to show my past 2 1/2 weeks.

Thank you and good night.

#ImAnIntern Chat Transcript

For those of you who missed last Wednesday’s #ImAnIntern Chat, here’s the transcript. Enjoy!

DannyCox
@KelseySpellman Continue writing about your experience; broaden your lens to focus on trends in the area/others’ experience #ImAnIntern
10:00 PM May 12th via web in reply to KelseySpellman

NicoleBersani
@DannyCox Good luck and thanks for setting up the chat! #ImAnIntern
9:18 PM May 12th via web in reply to DannyCox

NicoleBersani
@JenniferMYang & @annahellgeth Thank you! and everyone else on the #ImAnIntern chat!
9:16 PM May 12th via web in reply to JenniferMYang

annahellgeth
Great #ImAnIntern chat! Thanks @DannyCox for organizing!
9:13 PM May 12th via web

heatherbartman
@DannyCox Thanks so much! This was very beneficial! #ImAnIntern
9:09 PM May 12th via web from Athens, OH

JenniferMYang
Thanks for hosting the chat @DannyCox. Great idea! #imanintern
9:08 PM May 12th via web

nicklucido
@DannyCox Thanks for hosting! Looking forward to future chats, and maybe an in-person meet up this summer, too. #ImAnIntern
9:07 PM May 12th via TweetDeck in reply to DannyCox

DannyCox
#ImAnIntern If you missed the chat but have questions youd really like answered, please dont hesitate to reach out. Thats what its all about
9:06 PM May 12th via TweetDeck

DannyCox
#ImAnIntern Thank you for those of you who were able to join us tonight! Keep your eyes peeled for future chats to focus on spec. areas
9:05 PM May 12th via TweetDeck

annahellgeth
@NicoleBersani the scariest part is that everything moves at a very fast pace. As long as you can multitask you will be great! #ImAnIntern
9:02 PM May 12th via web

MarandaSaling
I just got home, am I too late for the #ImAnIntern twitter chat?!
9:01 PM May 12th via web

DannyCox
@NicoleBersani Both are incredible, I’m loving every moment. Nothing too scary yet (knock, knock, knock) #ImAnIntern
9:00 PM May 12th via TweetDeck in reply to NicoleBersani

DannyCox
@annelw Provide consistent, high quality content while always writing for YOUR audience. Find like-minded blogs and connect #ImAnIntern
9:00 PM May 12th via TweetDeck

eabradley
@nicklucido I have def done that. I say yes to a lot but can’t do everything #ImAnIntern
9:00 PM May 12th via TweetDeck in reply to nicklucido

nicklucido
@DannyCox Truth. It’s almost worse when you take on too many projects and overpromise. You need to be reasonable. #ImAnIntern
8:59 PM May 12th via TweetDeck in reply to DannyCox

NicoleBersani
Thanks @DannyCox How is Weber and Chitown? #ImAnIntern Have you had any scary situations yet? ha
8:58 PM May 12th via web

nicklucido
Get noticed by introducing yourself to coworkers and offer to help with their projects (but don’t spread yourself too thin). #ImAnIntern
8:55 PM May 12th via TweetDeck
1 Retweet

DannyCox
@NicoleBersani Just think strategically, consider what you do from other perspectives, and if all else fails: ask #ImAnIntern
8:54 PM May 12th via TweetDeck in reply to NicoleBersani

DannyCox
@NicoleBersani the scariest thing is doing something incredibly stupid in a public, permanent space (read: social media) #ImAnIntern
8:53 PM May 12th via TweetDeck in reply to NicoleBersani

heatherbartman
@DannyCox Okay. That’s what I was thinking, but I didn’t know if that was okay. Thanks! #ImAnIntern
8:53 PM May 12th via web from Athens, OH

DannyCox
@heatherbartman As far as presence: seek out blogs that discuss what you’re passionate about and participate- comment! #ImAnIntern
8:52 PM May 12th via TweetDeck in reply to heatherbartman

DannyCox
@heatherbartman If nothing else, start off building a continuous online portfolio #ImAnIntern
8:52 PM May 12th via TweetDeck in reply to heatherbartman

NicoleBersani
What’s the scariest part as an intern? I’m working at FD in Chicago this summer and will admit I’m a little nervous #ImAnIntern
8:50 PM May 12th via web

heatherbartman
I really want to have a blogging presence, but I don’t know what to blog about. Any ideas? #ImAnIntern
8:49 PM May 12th via web from Athens, OH

annahellgeth
@DannyCox ask questions, be proactive, find a mentor to talk to, and always send daily updates to your team #ImAnIntern
8:47 PM May 12th via web

DannyCox
#ImAnIntern For those looking to go agency side, start building relationships with bloggers now. Have a presence before you need it
8:47 PM May 12th via TweetDeck

eabradley
Def listen a lot and show you are proactive #ImAnIntern
8:44 PM May 12th via TweetDeck

DannyCox
@annahellgeth @nicklucido Some advice for our soon-to-be interns: how do you get noticed for the right reasons the first week? #ImAnIntern
8:43 PM May 12th via TweetDeck

KelseySpellman
@DannyCox i never though of it that way but so true! @jennifermyang i definitely will, that’s great advice! #ImAnIntern
8:40 PM May 12th via web

annahellgeth
@AndreaHarless make TO-DO lists and keep them in front of you all day long! Check off after each task is accomplished #ImAnIntern
8:38 PM May 12th via web

DannyCox
@AndreaHarless Honestly, most days I look up at the clock for the first time at 4. If you’re busy and love what you do, days fly #ImAnIntern
8:37 PM May 12th via TweetDeck in reply to AndreaHarless

DannyCox
@KelseySpellman That means your ideas are 10% of the workflow. You have a great opportunity to make a difference- rock it! #ImAnIntern
8:36 PM May 12th via TweetDeck in reply to KelseySpellman

JenniferMYang
@KelseySpellman Be willing to take on more than your internship description. Especially at a non-profit! #imanintern
8:36 PM May 12th via web

heatherbartman
@DannyCox The plant manager is a family friend so he told me about it so I applied. & I like that analogy! #ImAnIntern
8:36 PM May 12th via web from Athens, OH

AndreaHarless
What are some tips to get through the long work days? #ImAnIntern
8:35 PM May 12th via web

DannyCox
@heatherbartman The best way to open doors is to ask questions. It shows your interested and inquisitive. #ImAnIntern
8:35 PM May 12th via TweetDeck in reply to heatherbartman

KelseySpellman
I’m interning at a non-profit this summer that has an office staff totaling about 10 employees, any advice? #ImAnIntern
8:35 PM May 12th via web

DannyCox
@heatherbartman Think about networking like a plant- the more attention and care you give it, the bigger and stronger it grows. #ImAnIntern
8:34 PM May 12th via TweetDeck in reply to heatherbartman

heatherbartman
@DannyCox thanks again! Even if I can’t intern there this summer, should I contact him already to show that I’m interested? #ImAnIntern
8:32 PM May 12th via web from Athens, OH

DannyCox
@HeatherBartman I think you’re our only client-side participant so far: how did you get your Pepperidge Farm internship? #ImAnIntern
8:31 PM May 12th via TweetDeck

DannyCox
@JenniferMyang I actually reached out through Twitter to some folks who I knew worked at Weber #ImAnIntern
8:30 PM May 12th via TweetDeck

annahellgeth
@heatherbartman that’s fabulous that you already landed a internship.Try to get as much experience as possible before graduating #ImAnIntern
8:30 PM May 12th via web

JenniferMYang
@DannyCox Thanks! Same as @Abernst. Learned about org through info interviews. Networking is big! How did you start at Weber? #imanintern
8:28 PM May 12th via web

DannyCox
@heatherbartman Use alumni connections that exist @abrownFMPR is a good resource to start with as an OU grad #ImAnIntern
8:27 PM May 12th via TweetDeck

heatherbartman
thanks @nicklucido & @dannycox! I eventually want to intern at Fahlgren Mortine. Any past/current interns there? #ImAnIntern
8:25 PM May 12th via web from Athens, OH

nicklucido
@DannyCox There’s always a wicked learning curve whenever you start somewhere new. You have to be receptive to a new environment #ImAnIntern
8:23 PM May 12th via TweetDeck in reply to DannyCox

DannyCox
@jennifermyang Remember that there’s a learning curve and you’ll catch up. Don’t be afraid to ask questions if you’re unsure #ImAnIntern
8:21 PM May 12th via TweetDeck in reply to JenniferMYang

JenniferMYang
What can I expect in my first week of internship? Any pointers? #imanintern
8:19 PM May 12th via web

abernst
I wish I had done more internships in college.They make a big difference…take advantage while you can. #imanintern
8:19 PM May 12th via web

DannyCox
@heatherbartman First of all, congrats on landing one so soon! You can never start too soon. My biggest piece of advice: smile #ImAnIntern
8:18 PM May 12th via TweetDeck in reply to heatherbartman

nicklucido
@heatherbartman Great to see you’re gaining experience so early! Be a sponge, ask big picture questions and work hard. #ImAnIntern
8:18 PM May 12th via TweetDeck in reply to heatherbartman

heatherbartman
I’m a freshman, and my first internship is this summer at Pepperidge Farm:) Anything I should know? #ImAnIntern
8:16 PM May 12th via web from Athens, OH

DannyCox
@Abernst Each office will have it’s own personality, but at #WSChi there is a very supportive and welcoming environment. #ImAnIntern
8:16 PM May 12th via TweetDeck

abernst
Anyone current Weber interns who can tell me what it’s like? #imanintern
8:13 PM May 12th via web

nicklucido
@DannyCox I’m right there with you trying to keep up with #PRStudChat and #ImAnIntern tonight!
8:13 PM May 12th via TweetDeck in reply to DannyCox

DannyCox
@Jennifermyang my experience (very small in-house, very large agency) is fairly small. In both, u work for clients best interest #ImAnIntern
8:11 PM May 12th via TweetDeck

DannyCox
@Abernst I couldn’t agree more. Speaking of networking I’m participating in both #PRStudChat & #ImAnIntern tonight
8:09 PM May 12th via TweetDeck

JenniferMYang
What is distinctive about agency vs. in-house PR internships? Will be a Fleishman-Hillard intern in a few weeks. Stoked! #imanintern
8:08 PM May 12th via web

abernst
networking is key! I met someone who works at Weber and he put me in touch #imanintern
8:07 PM May 12th via web

DannyCox
@abersnt To get us started, how did you find/land your internship with Weber Shandwick? #ImAnIntern
8:05 PM May 12th via web

DannyCox
For any who are joining in, feel free to ask questions at any point. Are there any students who have a burning issue to start? #ImAnIntern
8:04 PM May 12th via web

abernst
I’m starting a post-grad internship at Weber Shandwick in a few weeks…very psyched! #imanintern
8:04 PM May 12th via web

DannyCox
Just kicking off the first #ImAnIntern chat! For those who want to join but are unsure how, just search or create a column for #ImAnIntern