My Job

When I started in my field 35 yeas ago, the tools of my trade consisted of a jar of rubber cement and an exacto knife. My desk tilted upwards and I used a t-square to line up the board on my desk. I used a proportion wheel, a loupe and a blue pencil to make sure my work was just perfect. Just like you’d expect an old person to say, it was a real craft back then.

Today, my tools consist of a keyboard and screen.

Even the name of my field has changed. What used to be called advertising is now split up into marketing, communications and — social media. I would never have imagined that what I learned in college years ago would take the shape it is in today.

Most of my old colleagues call the transition in my business a disgrace. I find it just the opposite. Imagine back then. We’d do an ad and place it in a magazine. Months later we’d do a focus group to get feedback. Today, I place an ‘ad’ online and get instant two-way conversation. That just makes my heart race!

I’m going back to school this summer at Parsons to refresh my skills. In order to re-train myself I am setting a goal to learn every single thing I can about this exciting new field, social media. I want to learn how to Twitter in my sleep, how to log in my location with FourSquare, and how to make a video go viral.

I have set a goal to walk every single square mile in NY while there . . . and post on Facebook all the experiences along the way. On my return, I just know I will have re-packaged myself as cool, hip, bad . . . and I’ll surely blend in just perfectly into an office filled with newly-minted 25-year-old marketing professionals just like me. Ya think?

Please go to my Facebook page and hit the LIKE button. I promise to take you on the same magical mystery ride I’m about to undertake.

3 Comments
  • sonia katchian
    Posted at 17:44h, 09 April

    I think you must mean Manhattan and not NYC. Walking every street in NYC could take a lifetime. I love your plan though. PS: when you’ve been to Pitt, Attorney and Cherry Sts, you’ll know you’re almost done! lol

    • lisaweldon
      Posted at 17:58h, 09 April

      yes! Manhattan only! But I’m not ruling out the other parts of NY . . . someday!

  • Cindy Mills
    Posted at 20:59h, 16 June

    I love love love NYC. You wouldn’t think coming from “small-town Alabama” that I would. You feel energy like crazy, I say its feels like the center of the universe. So excited to take this journey with you. Wear AU stuff and see if you don’t run into some “Family” while you’re there.