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Category: Personal Life

a bright yellow softball inside a softball glove
May 25, 2022 The Cranky Creative

What a high school softball game taught me about life, people, and winning on my own

Let me tell you about the time I “broke the Matrix” in high school gym class, and what that taught me about life and living well. I remember it was

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The blue sky and white sands of Indian Rocks Beach in Florida overlooking the Gulf of Mexico
May 19, 2022 The Cranky Creative

Son of a beach! The Cranky Creative moves to Florida

I fell in love with Florida somewhere between Tampa International Airport’s main terminal and the Alamo Rent A Car. At that time — about eight years ago — the walk

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a cranky update and a heartfelt thank-you to end 2021
December 19, 2021 The Cranky Creative

A personal update and a heartfelt thank-you to end 2021

What to write for my last Cranky post of 2021? Rather than end the year lambasting another dopey TV commercial, how about we spend some time getting personal? Come, Dear

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movie poster for idiocracy showing a destroyed and dumb downtown Detroit
December 5, 2021 The Cranky Creative

Why the hell is everything so broken?

Is anyone else experiencing a complete and total breakdown of everything that used to “just work”? I’m talking about placing an online order, or getting a car repair, or speaking

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rob placing wedding ring on bride's finger
August 19, 2019 The Cranky Creative

The Cranky Creative ties the knot

I wrote the most important copy of my life in July 2004. I was responding to an online personals ad posted by the woman who is now my wife. We

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swarm of honey bees
February 26, 2019 The Cranky Creative

“The Beekeeper’s Secret”

A Very Short Story. Some years ago, I worked for a creative director who regularly organized activities meant to inspire her copywriters and designers and reset our creative brains. One

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odyssey2 video computer game system
January 29, 2019 The Cranky Creative

How video games made me a marketing copywriter

Unofficially, my career as a marketing copywriter started in 1980 when I was 10. Then, as now, I loved video games. I loved the technology—cool-looking plastic boxes that pumped colorful

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creative people suffer more from anxiety mood disorders
January 7, 2019 The Cranky Creative

Anxiety and creativity: How they’re linked, tips to cope

The Cranky Creative explores the link between creative people and anxiety. Plus, tips for keeping the demons at bay. I jolted awake, gasping for breath. My heart was racing. My

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start 2019 right with wisdom from the pocket pema chodron
December 26, 2018 The Cranky Creative

Start the New Year right with wisdom from Pema Chodron

The Cranky Creative shares life-changing words from someone a lot smarter than he is. Happy New Year, Cranky readers! I’d like to tell you about a book I’ve been reading

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Cranky Creative blog, happy thanksgiving creatives
November 19, 2018 The Cranky Creative

A Cranky Creative Thanksgiving

This week, I share my thoughts on a recent freelance copywriting assignment and the things I’m thankful for this year . . . Happy Thanksgiving, my fellow creatives! It’s November

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The Cranky Creative blog, the dark side of workplace niceness culture
October 8, 2018 The Cranky Creative

When “nice” is not kind: The dark side of workplace niceness culture

On my last day at the direct marketing agency where I had worked for two years, I scrolled through my LinkedIn newsfeed and spotted an article that seemed written just

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Today’s Top Posts

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  • Yes, the Gillette Venus Pubic Hair and Skin razor ad goes (down) there
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