Remember when George W was elected?
The World’s opinion was a mixture of fear and ridicule and yet I bet we’d all have him back in a heartbeat compared to the mess that is Trump.
But that isn’t what this post is about, it’s about an article I read on Bush and Bill Clinton and the close friendship they have developed between each other. [No seriously, check this out]
Before I go on, this is the article.
To be honest, I found it enlightening.
Not just because you learnt the foundation of their friendship was based on how they respectfully handled each others victory and defeat, but because Bush brilliantly explains how a professional reputation can be forged and destroyed.
“The Presidency is often defined by the unexpected. It makes the job interesting.”.
I love that.
It’s a great lesson to us all.
Sure, there are more eyes on the President’s actions than a planner in LA [or NYC, Shanghai and London] but the principal is the same, how you are viewed by others is by how you deal with the unexpected.
And if that scared you to death, here’s the good news.
Given the majority of us are exposed to unexpected events on a fairly regular basis, you have the chance to redefine or cement your reputation on a continual basis … which might be a useful thing to remember next time a crisis hits your plate.
Wow, I’ve just been nice about George W but then, as I wrote before, it appears the Bush family become far more human with age.
Filed under: A Bit Of Inspiration, America, Attitude & Aptitude, China, Culture, Embarrassing Moments
You know you lived in Shanghai when you’re driving, see the sign above and think it’s a Chinese street name rather than how American’s roadsigns say ‘pedestrian crossing’.
I wish I was joking, but I’m not.
How I passed my driving test is anybody’s guess.
I’ve got to be honest, while I am really enjoying my time in the US, I am finding it harder to adapt to certain things than I thought I would.
Not just because I feel my frame-of-reference is more Asian based than American, but because there are some things I am being subjected to that I just never encountered before.
To be honest, this is a post for another day – because it’s actually been quite challenging for me – but let me just leave you with this as a ‘teaser’ for next time.
I had just been in a very, VERY boring meeting with someone.
When I got out, I was asked how it had been.
I replied, “I feel I’ve just been brain raped”.
Their mouth almost hit the floor. Literally hit-the-floor.
Trust me, there’s so many more stories like that. I’m amazed I’m still allowed in the country.
So a while back, Marcus [remember him?] sent me this …
Like him, I immediately thought it looked like me.
Then I looked again and I am convinced it’s me.
Sure, the glasses are wrong, but the rest is scarily right … so scarily right, I swear it has been taken from this video.
Now of course, there is a chance this is all one massive coincidence which would mean one of two things.
1. There is someone very, very unlucky out there.
2. If this ad career goes to shit, my calling appears to be in Tech Support.
Filed under: Attitude & Aptitude, Crap Marketing Ideas From History!, Marketing Fail
… then the answer is a definitive no.
So I was in a toyshop recently when I saw this …
Now I appreciate this might say more about how my brain works rather than the manufacturers, but does this sound dodgy to you?
Woodman?
WOODMAN?
OK, so the thing is made of wood, but come on …
Look at the pose of that ‘icon’.
Hands on hips.
Thrusting groin.
Shit-eating smirk on its face.
This is pure filth masquerading as innocence.
Then there’s the fact we’re talking about a toy that is a big, steam engine that is thrusting itself into a deep, dark tunnel and the manufacturers may as well just slap a ‘Pornhub’ logo on the box and be done with it.
I know … I know … I’m talking utter shite, but it’s Monday morning so what do you expect?