Welcome back. Did you eat lots of easter eggs?
Let’s be honest, even if you didn’t – as long as you had a long weekend, it was all good. Haha.
So to welcome you back I thought I’d write a wholesome post. No really. Maybe the sweetness of all the chocolate eggs I almost ate, got into my blood stream?
Anyway, a couple of days ago, it was a year since Bonnie came into our lives.
As people who have followed this blog for a while, you’ll know it was quite a big event for us because:
1 We had lost our beloved, very well-travelled, loveable-but-grumpy cat, Rosie the year before.
2 Jill had wanted a dog for as long as we had been together, but we’d resisted as we had moved countries so much and so often.
However, the loss of Rosie had shown just how much we missed having an animal in our house and lives.
Sure, Otis his budgie Sky … who, despite being very small, is louder [and grumpier] than a Brexit voter on twitter … however it wasn’t the same and it got to a point where the silence in the house was amplifying the loss of Rosie.
The thing was, having another cat felt wrong. I know that sounds mad, but it felt – at least to us – that doing that would be almost disrespectful towards Rosie. As if we were saying she could be replaced as quickly and easily as the average Hollywood marriage.
But I must admit I was still cautious about a dog. I’ve always loved them – and Jill, up until she met me, had always had them – but we live in a treehouse and so I felt we needed to give real consideration as to whether we could give it the life it deserved.
But three things – much to Jill and Otis’ delight – tipped me over to ‘yes’.
Firstly, I realized how good a dog would be for Otis.
Not just in having a ‘companion’ but in helping him manage/overcome some of the issues he was dealing with thanks to his dysgraphia.
Second was we found a breeder who specialized in dogs who were especially good at helping kids with issues of anxiety and confidence – not just in terms of parentage, but training.
And finally, was the fact I’d got healthy … so the idea of walking a pooch a lot was a positive rather than a negative.
So, with those 3 positives we took the plunge – which pleased Paula Bloodworth immensely after her 10+ years of lobbying for me to get a dog as she unashamedly prefers them to cats, hahaha – and then waited until the breeder informed us of a litter she felt contained puppies who could be very good for us.
And how right they were …
In a perfect world, we wanted a female dog, with a dark brown coat. And we got her. But more importantly, we wanted a dog who would be loving, gentle and – beyond the odd ‘zoomie’ calm for Otis. And we got that too.
In fact, from the moment she came into our house, Bonnie – named after a bourbon biscuit, as my tattoo celebrates – has been brilliant.
Sure, she ate all the zippers off cushions, has an unnatural love of socks and barks at her own reflection… but apart from those little quirks, she is a kind, loyal, caring dog.
And the impact she has had on Otis has been remarkable.
I won’t go into the details as that’s his story to own, but literally within weeks – the positive impact on Otis was unmistakable.
In many ways, she has changed his life and the trajectory of his life in immeasurable ways and I don’t say that with any sense of hyperbole whatsoever.
So Bonnie, thank you.
I cannot overstate how grateful we are to you for all you have done for us.
You’ve brought laughter, love and colour into our lives – especially to our brilliant boy Otis.
Seeing how you are together literally makes my heart smile.
Always by each others side, whether that’s for cuddles or mischief.
Even Rosie would approve … albeit through slightly pissed-off eyes.
So thanks for an epic first year and here’s to a shitload of them to come.
Filed under: A Bit Of Inspiration, Advertising, Agency Culture, Ambition, America, Amsterdam, Asia, Attitude & Aptitude, Auckland, Australia, Bands, Billionaire, Birkenhead, Bonnie, Campaign Magazine, Canada, Career, China, Colenso, Colleagues, Comment, Context, Corporate Evil, Creativity, Culture, Dog, Dream Small, Easter, Empathy, England, Experience, Family, Fashion, Fatherhood, Hong Kong, Japan, Jill, LaLaLand, London, Management, Martin Weigel, Metallica, Michael Jordan, Miley, Mr Ji, Mum, Mum & Dad, Music, My Fatherhood, New Zealand, Nike, Otis, Paul, Paula, R/GA, Relationships, Rockstar Games, Rosie, Shanghai, Singapore, Sunshine, Sydney, The Kennedys, The Kennedys Shanghai, UK, Virgin Atlantic, WeigelCampbell, Wieden+Kennedy
I have written before that apart from my friend Paul, I owe almost everything in my life to the fact I left the UK and went on an adventure.
Without that, I would not have met my wife … would not have had my son … would not have had my pets … would not be working with rock stars … would not have had all the life experiences and adventures I’ve been fortunate to enjoy and almost certainly would not have the career I currently enjoy.
That’s pretty huge when you think about it and while there’s a whole list of people I need to thank for making it all possible, one of them is an old boss.
Who was a prick.
I had a rather complex relationship with this individual.
Because while they were pompous, petty, condescending and rude, they were also smart, knowledgable and experienced.
On top of that, they gave me a shot on a couple of projects that they probably shouldn’t have. I should point out that wasn’t because they necessarily believed in me – it was more there was no one else to do it – but I appreciated it all the same.
Anyway, when I decided to leave – to go explore opportunities in another country – they were pretty pissed off with me.
While I’d love to say it was because they didn’t want me to go, the reality was they were frustrated I was leaving after they’d agreed to give me a payrise.
That this ‘rise’ was still below market rate and they’d fucked me around for literally 2 years, seemed to have completely slipped their mind … which is maybe why on the day I left, they thought it would be ‘funny’ to write the following comment in my leaving card.
“You’ll be back. Come crawling”.
I remember watching him going around telling people what he had written, laughing hilariously at his own ‘joke’ and while I didn’t take it too much to heart – because everyone knew he was a bit of a prick – it still hurt.
Little did I know then, how those 5 little words would play such an pivotal role in how my career would turn out.
You see, when I ended up in this other country, I initially found it very difficult.
Not just because I didn’t have friends, contacts or a job … but because my Dad was very ill back in the UK.
In all honesty, the temptation to go back was huge but there were 2 reasons I stuck it out.
1. I wanted to show my gratitude to my parents for supporting and encouraging me to go, despite them going through a terribly tough time because of my Dad’s major stroke.
2. Those 5 little words.
While I’d like to think the former was the biggest motivator, I fear it may have been the latter.
That’s pretty pathetic isn’t it … especially as I could have gone back without having to go back to that old job.
But I wasn’t going to let him have the satisfaction directly or indirectly.
And so I persevered.
Pushed, prodded, walked the streets, did shitty, temporary roles … anything that kept me from gaving to go back with my tail betweeen my legs.
And it everntually worked out.
Not because of any talent I did or did not have, but because of my perseverence.
And willingness to take any bullshit salary … hahaha.
But for me, getting a break was my main objective … because while I knew I was not the smartest strategst, I knew my work ethic meant I could out-work most.
Now don’t get me wrong, I appreciate that is a toxic trait – but it is my trait – and back then, it was a way for me to prove my worth to agencies/clients who didn’t have to give me a chance or keep me on board.
Of course, over the years, my motivation for continuing to explore the possibilities of the World and my career have evolved.
These days it is far more about wanting to feel I’d be making my parents proud than it is me reacting to 5 little words from a toxic, little manager.
But I also have to acknowledge that without that persons toxic motivation, it is unlikely I would be in the situtation I currently enjoy.
So thank you AC … you were a strange little man, but for all the fucked up shit you did – and there was plenty – you did one thing right, even if it was wrong.
And while I doubt you even remember me – let alone care what I’ve done – it doesn’t matter.
Because I didn’t come back and didn’t come crawling and so for that, I won, so there.
It’s Easter long-weekend that then leads into a big week for me/Colenso – from us hosting Fergus and his OnStrategy podcast to me saying goodbye [for the second time] to someone who is very special to me … so have a great weekend, overeat Chocolate and Hot Cross Buns and I’ll see you Tuesday.
Till then, this is for you AC.
With thanks.
Filed under: April 1, Bird, Bonnie, Cats, Dog, Family, Home, Jill, Otis, Rosie, Sky
It’s April 1.
Normally on this day, I undertake an elaborate ‘April Fool’ post.
There’s been some good ones in the past.
The ‘Method Planning’ post.
The ‘Sniffer Dog, Retail Location Scout’ post.
The ‘AI Human Robot Focus Group’ post.
The ‘Poetry Drives Communication Effectiveness’ post.
… I say good, mainly because some people fell for them and then repeated the ‘methodology’ without realizing they were actually publicizing their own gullibility.
That said, there have been many that have just been shit … and I don’t mean that just because people saw through them like a greenhouse.
But today there is no April Fool … both because I’m trying to come to terms with the fact we’re in month 4 of 2025 already and because later this week, the joke is on me – because in just 5 days, we welcome a dog, Bonnie, into our lives and home.
A puppy is very different to a cat.
More energy.
More dependence.
More biting.
More noise.
More trouble.
More mess.
And yet, despite all that, I have to say I’m very much looking forward to the house having an additional member in the place.
While we have Sky – Otis’ bad-tempered budgie – the loss of Rosie, is still felt … despite the fact that she slept for a lot of her final years, and no one feels this more than Jill.
She used to love having Rosie sitting next to her as she worked.
Snoozing on a pillow next to her computer. Occasionally waking up to quietly judge her or her work or demand that Friskies be fed to her by hand whenever she chooses.
It was a nice interruption given she spent a lot of time on her own while I was at the office and Otis was at school.
And while she likes the momentary peace and quiet she gets from us being away – going from 1000 decibels of noise to 1 is extreme.
For her, the silence becomes loud-as-fuck with the time passing slower than a snail.
It can be pretty lonely and intimidating to be honest … and while she has never complained about it, I know that’s one of the reasons why she has always loved animals and why they’ve always been so important in her life.
So while Bonnie will, for all intents and purposes, be Otis’ pooch … she, along with Sky, will be Jill’s workday colleague and after 20+ years of waiting for a dog, I’ve never been so happy to be the April Fool.