A SHAMELESS SELF PROMOTION

So I haven’t posted in awhile… there’s been a bit going on. First and foremost my new son was born, Augustus Clyde. And while he is already a vigorous and robust, if a little gassy boy, he’s not into waiting patiently while I screw around in the kitchen. Also, he doesn’t quite have the concept of day and night squared away yet. So my late night sessions in the laboratory dicking with F-stops and pig parts have had to take a break. Give him time, he was named after Cesar, he will know how to feast.

Also, my wife’s family and I recently lost a family member all too soon. And while I typically write and cook in times of existential quandary, writing about it just hasn’t felt right. I’ve cooked, photographed and remembered. I’ve talked, cried and grieved. I just haven’t posted. Sometimes words seem cheap. Given time I may write about it, but currently it just isn’t right.

Much, much, much further down the list of life events, I have written a book. As I’ve mentioned occasionally here, I’m a copywriter and creative director at an ad agency. It’s the writing I actually get paid for. And while I’ve done many things I’m proud of, mentioning them here has always felt a little like selling Amway or being some asshole hocking Cutco. People come here… correction, when people come here… and expect something that isn’t an ad. I’m not about pushing ads on people. Yes, it’s my livelihood but I TiVo just like everybody else.

All that said, I have a piece of work I’m very happy with. Barbasol is a client of mine who was nice enough to allow me and some very talented designers to create a book. In short, it’s a field guide to manhood: a collection of things you should know about eating, drinking and mowing your lawn, and also a collection of things you shouldn’t know about drinking blue comb liquid, fighting bears and digging foxholes.

Anyway, it was a great pleasure to write and 100% of the proceeds of every sale go to the Veterans of Foreign Wars. It makes for a great cause and a good Father’s Day gift. And hopefully for a pretty good read. A few sample pages are below, if you’re interested you can buy it here: http://tinyurl.com/fieldguidetomanhood

Check back in soon for a post about some guanciale that has been very patiently aging while I screw around with fatherhood.