• by Kelly Samardak , September 8, 2010

Oh, Labor Day, I waited so long for you and now you are gone.  So many things happened before Labor Day, launching everyone (at least everyone I follow on Twitter and am friends with on Facebook) into an Earl-induced tizzy before heading off to something resembling rehab, or even sticking around for a little homebound happiness (I refuse to use that word that rhymes with vacation, but employs the antonym of go).  I don't know about you, but I needed the run-around respite, and now I am back, excited to tumble face-first into autumn.

Leading up to Labor Day, I experienced "massive [insert dramatic forehead fwapping and other sorts of unnecessary exasperation noises] change agita," as MediaPost boxed up one office and moved to another.  This move necessitated that I transfer from one computer to another, which, as I'm sure you're familiar with, means some files make it and others don't.  The move also plopped me as 100% work-from-home, which is a situation I am familiar with, so it's not a huge shake-up.  In fact, it's doing amazing things for my heart rate.  My view is the trees tickling each other in the courtyard and, rather than irritating my ears for eight hours with earphones, my background music lies in the hands of NYU students practicing their instruments, dogs getting busy, and the occasional day drinker yelling from Bar None.  It's wonderful -- when it's not above 80 degrees.

And really, 75% of my job is party coverage anyway, so where I could potentially turn into a night-vision cavedweller, the night work pulls me out of my apartment -- and, more importantly, forces me to shower.  

Vacation-wise, once again advertising/marketing observations snuck their way into everything, whether it was observing the church sign lettering targeting the surfer/beach bum set ("Body piercing changed my life") or the gas station campaign of "Delayed v Deceased," which took me awhile because I kept thinking more along the right and wrong side of the tracks.  I mean... the right side of the tracks is for late people and the wrong is for dead?  I get it now -- but then, not so much. 

Also while on vacation -- I'm about to commit West Coast blasphemy here, I know it -- I discovered Cookout burgers and their skyrise level of awesomness that far surpasses In-N-Out burger, gorilla style or not.  The fact that the burgers were delivered by a young woman with the best drawl ever helped, but people, the quality and flavor? Incredible.  I just drooled so much I think I heard my motherboard zizzling. 

Also while on vacation, I discovered the glory and wonder that is "The Redneck Riviera" or, as maps call it "Carolina Beach, N.C."  You  load up your pick up, van, scooter, or shaggin' wagon and drive right out onto the beach, rolling over discarded bikini bottoms and an errant Miller Lite can here and there, ultimately lighting on your beach-side destination. 

Trucks and cars are backed into "spaces" and out come the horseshoe poles (safely rusted for your tetanus pleasure), cornhole boards and bags, and coolers of beer, cylindrical meat, and sometimes water.  And you're there for the day, people.  Red faces, shoulders, and foot tops abound - while, in the ocean itself, children who seem unwatched get pummeled by the waves. 

I should also mention that one confederate flag heavy tent situation also hung a sign that read "Ta-Tas for beer" which didn't mean that if you walked over and said bye bye like an englishman they would give you a frothy beverage.  No, it meant some much more chestacular.

If you covet other peoples' dogs as I do, then you too would be in heaven.  Baby rottweilers, full-sized mastiffs, golden labs, heavy basset hounds,  pitbulls blinged out with the triple-choke collar (some off- leash!!) -- all bounding up and down the surf, eating the waves, and knocking down toddlers.  Fantastic.

Now I'm back, I'm brown, and I'm pumped to cover nearly every invitation that comes my way -- including quite a few Fashion Week events (ack, so intimidated), a pub crawl after-party (aka extortion-material-gathering expedition), and maybe even a little secret squirrel party (complete with codewords!). 

Things are really heating up party-wise as we start barreling towards Advertising Week, so make sure to send your swanky adverparty invitations to Kelly@mediapost.com so you're covered in Just An Online Minute!

Looking forward to running into your end-of-summer faces!

Larger type photos are up on Flickr!