This last week, though, I decided I’d take a vacation. You know, the “relaxing, kick-back-n-nap by the pool kind of week” that many of us need to recharge the branding battery and focus.  Well, this is what I did…

I cleaned. Boy did I clean.  My house looks like we just moved in.
I gardened. It finally stopped raining in central Iowa, so I pulled about 100 lbs of weeds and found that my garden still survived underneath it all…
I played with the kids. I have three great kids that are on Summer vacation, so after I made them help me weed and clean, we had some quality family time.  Movies. Fireworks. Carnivals. Dinners out…

It really was a great week!

But I couldn’t stay away from social media, work and talking about branding. I tweeted and used social media to coordinate projects for work.  I scheduled meetings.  I went to business and sales improvement seminars…  (relaxing?) My coworkers tease me, but maybe this will show them that I should get MORE vacation days. I seem to be pretty darn productive when I’m not sitting at my desk. 

One of the activities I’m VERY proud of accomplishing this week was going on-air for the first time in 20 years with Michael Libbie and his Insight On Business webcast that airs daily at http://www.webcastliveone.com We talked branding, business, social media, banking, cause marketing and general current events.  I had a blast!

Below is the stream.  You may need to jump forward a minute-or-so to get through the set up, but it’s well worth the watch.  Maybe I’ll do more of these in the future!  (click here for the video in FaceBook and Feed readers)

Thanks again to Michal Libbie (@MichaelLibbie on Twitter). I had a great time. I hope to do it again soon.

Until next time -

Keep Cooking (great relationships and education for your community)!
Andrew B. Clark
The Brand Chef

This morning, I was sitting in my “home office” (the dining room table) going over my most recent list – a “priority list” of projects coming up at work. My 7 and 10-year old sons were in the kitchen making microwave bacon and pouring some orange juice for breakfast.

I paused.

“Simon… C’meer…” I called to my oldest boy. He walked around the corner, still wearing his “pajamas” (underwear and nothing else), and stood there, sleepy-eyed.

“Yeah, dad?” he muttered.

“Whatch’a wanna’ do today, Bub?”

He looked at the table. He looked at the piles of papers, the pens, notes, portfolios, sketchbooks, and finally to the list.

“You gotta’ work?” he asked. Which I interpreted as, “What does it matter, you’re not going to be involved…”

Then, I followed his gaze. I looked at the table. I looked at the piles of papers, the pens, notes, portfolios, sketchbooks, and finally to the list I was making.

For a Sunday, the list was long. It had over 15 items on it, not necessarily “Hot” jobs, per-se, but all projects that I “Needed” to get done. Case Studies, Web site drafts, collateral graphics, site reviews / updates, e-mails, blog posts… all things on my list, but nowhere on the list was “Play with the kids.”

So, I looked up at Simon and said, “Ya’ know what I do?”

“Graphic design?” he said.

“Yup… That’s pretty much sums it up.” I said calmly, almost embarrassed. Then, I smiled and poked him in the belly, saying, “It’s not like I’m a Fireman or anything. I don’t rescue kittens from trees. I don’t save lives…”

“Yeah, dad, but you save people from dying of humiliation.”

***

What do you do when you’re not rescuing kittens from trees? What do you do when you’re not saving lives? Can it wait for those that matter more than the next item on the list?

I live my life by lists. I make lists for everything. Today the list has only one item on it. “Play with the kids.”

Keep Cooking (Time for those that matter most)!
Andrew B. Clark
The Brand Chef
The Clark Kids’ Dad

A friend – no, really, a guy I’ve met a handful of times – died yesterday. While driving to see his mother in a rural area of Iowa, he had a heart attack and crashed his car.

I always admired Ray. From what I could tell, he was a good man. He was infectious and passionate. He spent true, quality-time with his family. He gave back to his community – so much so that they elected him Mayor. He raised what I consider to be great children (My daughter goes to school with his daughter, and his son is a leader in professional football).  But, with all his goodness, all that generosity yet to give, God decided it was Ray’s time to leave.

I’m shocked and saddened.

So, this is how I choose to deal with the passing of someone I’d wished was a closer friend. This is how I choose to deal with my own mortality.

Stand Proud

Stand proud my father. Stand proud.
Bring the past with you – leave it at the door,
For, with me, the past has gone.

Step up and walk with me, father. Walk.
Ease your mind. Soften your brow.
Breathe easy and talk.

Keep your eyes high, father. Look ahead.
Raise your thoughts, your gaze your spirit,
For your work is done and done.

Take my hand, father – hold tight.
Let me guide you,
As father and son like when we were young.

Stand proud my father. Stand proud.
Bring our past with you – for all to see.
For from here, we start again. We start anew.

I’m going to read it to him tonight.

There are lessons here, but I’ll let you figure them out this time.

Keep Cooking! (to strengthen connections to those that matter)
Andrew B. Clark
The Brand Chef

Ray, you’ll be missed.

2/2/10 – I didn’t call my dad and read the poem to him.  I chickened out.  But this morning, I emailed him this link.  At least the door has been opened.