I am back in the office after an unforgettable weekend doing the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer in Washington, DC. I was one of 2,200 participants from 39 states who walked 39.3 miles over two days to help raise funds and awareness for Breast Cancer. It was an amazing experience.

At Fixation we are always thinking of new ways and ideas for our clients to create an event that sets them apart. With my professional hat on, I can think of some things the Avon Foundation for Women did right from an event experience standpoint:

• They have a great fundraising program powered by Convio that can be accessed online. It’s super easy to use.
• Once registered, every participant gets assigned a walking coordinator. She or he is your go-to person for any questions until the last day. And when I say anything I really mean anything.
• The event is organized by the staff but mainly run by volunteers. I cannot tell you how grateful I was to both groups during the walk for all their patience and kindness. I was in awe of how hard they all worked as a team to make the event for walkers a memorable experience.

The customer service aspect and user friendly tools were very important in making my event experience a great one. Something else just as important was the connection part. I gained new friends and fortified my relationship with old friends and my family. I am proud of what we accomplished this weekend. We raised $5 million and 10 local breast cancer organizations will receive grants. I am already thinking of ways to get involved next year.

Thanks to my fellow Fixators, friends and family, every donation and every action, big and small, has made a positive impact and an incredibly rewarding experience.

In the fallout that ensued when the Washington Wizards announced the redesign of the franchise’s visual identity, much braying and bally-hooing was to be found across the mediascape. Opinions abounded — fans were thrilled, some were appalled, there was ambivalence, there was confusion, but there was coverage — and it was kinda nice to see so much energy surround a “design issue.”

Not so surprisingly, there also appeared somewhere on the web a review of “worst uniform designs,” and to my horror, dismay and great consternation, there, amongst many perfectly deserving examples from the “Annals of Bad Uniform Choices” (oh, and there have been some doozies — i’m lookin’ at you, bill veeck) was the beloved “Curly W” of our very own hapless Washington Nationals professional baseball franchise. Somehow it had been construed that one of the most elegant and historic icons in sport was in fact not just fussy, but musty. Um, hellooo?

This is me taking much umbrage. Quake before the righteousness of my indignation.

Besides ruffling my feathers by bad-mouthing the home nine, what this did for me was shed just a little light on the idea of perspective and the eye of the would-be beholder, because clearly whomever put our graceful and stately logo on that god-forsaken list is no fan of the suddenly resurgent Nats, probably not a Washingtonian, a baseball fan, or evidently even one with a passing familiarity with the institution. Because if he/she was, they’d know that:

Hondo would approve.

The design resurrects/revives/revisits the look of the old Washington Senators, making a strong and direct connection not just to the local history of our nation’s pastime in the nation’s capital but to the deep roots of the game itself. Again, continuity is a beautiful thing. Countless scribes and scholars have waxed much more poetically than I, and unfortunately the old saying, “First in war, first in peace, and last in the American League” will not be soon forgotten. And while sadly, a visual connection to the Golden Era may be as close as we get for a while, a sense of historical awareness couldn’t be more appropriate for this town. Baseball has a long memory. No sport reveres its history like baseball: it’s the central tenet of its culture. “Respect the game” possesses the gravitas of “honor thy mother and thy father.”

Baseball, for all its foibles, still maintains a central sense of elan that the other major sports simply do not possess — for a sport played by big, often dumb young men it retains an inarguable sophistication where others pander — and for all the modernizing and “keeping up with the ever changing times” baseball remains somehow fundamentally unchanged. That quality is reflected in The Curly W.

and — duh — w stands for “win.”

On this eve of Thanksgiving 2010, marketing guru Seth Godin gave me this list to ponder of REASONS WHY WE WORK:

1. For the money
2. To be challenged
3. For the pleasure/calling of doing the work
4. For the impact it makes on the world
5. For the reputation you build in the community
6. To solve interesting problems
7. To be part of a group and to experience the mission
8. To be appreciated

Godin challenges us to consider how really important #1 is when what really ignites the passion in our souls are #2-8. Which brings me to more reasons why I’m thankful. (Of course family and friends, good health, pets I adore and a really nice little life…are all things for which I am ever grateful.) But I own this small company—Fixation Marketing—and I know how fortunate I am to have it and share it with a dedicated and caring staff. We are continually challenged to learn more and do better work. We solve interesting problems each day. I’d like to think we’ve built a nice reputation in the community. It is a priority for the company to give back to the community and we do so through our volunteer and pro bono work. We appreciate our clients and we love to be appreciated. And for all that, I am happy to come to work every morning. And I know that’s a gift. Thank you and Happy Thanksgiving everybody.

The recession is slowly ebbing. How do I know this? Because in the past few weeks, two of our favorite clients announced they are moving to new jobs and a long-time employee of Fixation shared his decision to follow his heart and move to the Big Apple. The news was stunning as I realized how long it’s been since I’ve heard much about anyone leaving jobs (of their own volition).

Like most people, I’m not crazy about change. When things shake up in a client’s organization, for example, it can, at least for awhile, make things a little shaky for the marketing firm. And, on a personal note, I really hate losing touch with someone I care about and is beloved by our clients. But at times like this, I try to embrace change for all the good that it can bring: new opportunities, new perspectives, new energy, new relationships. I recognize that an organization can become stagnant with no staff turnover, and movement, from time to time, is a positive thing. But breaking up is hard to do, even if it’s healthy for all of us in the end.

The death of former Washington Bullets (now Wizards) player Manute Bol on June 19th has generated a lot of media attention. He is remembered not so much for his on-court accomplishments as for his commitment to fund the construction of hospitals in his homeland of Sudan. The depth of his generosity is enhanced by the fact that he delayed treatment of a serious kidney ailment in order to oversee the construction of one of those facilities. It has also been reported that he died virtually penniless.

To my knowledge, Bol did little to publicize his good works. But now through the power of the media, his accomplishments are known around the world. His dedication and activism inspired others to spread the good word. In a world of jazzed-up messages and outrageous claims, the life of Manute Bol speaks to us in a different voice—one of authenticity and humility.

I recently read about the latest crop of NBA players chosen to be inducted into the Hall of Fame. They were big stars of course, whose names I should remember. I’m embarrassed to say that I’ve forgotten them. I won’t forget Manute Bol.

I was late for work today but that’s okay. I stood in line in blistering heat for 3.5 hours today but that’s okay, too. I now have in my possession a shiny new black iPhone 4^®. I ordered it on June 15, the first day Apple^® started accepting pre-orders. This morning, I proudly joined about 120 members of my tribe’s subgroup—the pre-order folks—that stood alongside the other 400 or so general tribe members outside the Apple store in Bethesda, Maryland. I patiently waited to add to my collection of Apple products which includes an iPad^™ and MacBook^® Pro. Am I crazy? No. I am just a passionate believer in a company that consistently turns out innovative technology that makes my life easier and more enjoyable. Apple is not perfect and I don’t expect it to be. But, I have faith that they will fix whatever glitches come up. Seth Godin, you’d be proud of me. I’m actively recruiting tribal members. Just ask my co-workers. If I have my way, we’ll all be communicating via iPhone 4 soon.

As I stood in the 100-degree heat, I couldn’t help marveling over how Apple has the ability to create this amazing buzz over a phone—and lead people to camp out to get to one!

I listen to the radio station DC101 while red lights are flashing along the Beltway and my mind is racing. I ask myself things like, “Is that car getting too close?” And, “This truck is driving so slow…why am I still behind it?” The most important question though is, “What am I going to do today at Fixation?” But I know the answer. I don’t know exactly what I’ll be doing, but the thought sparks a sequence of imaginative ideas. Once my master plan is thought out, I arrive at Fixation’s parking garage.

Like a puppy eager to get inside the house, I cannot wait to be let into the office. I ring Fixation’s doorbell and walk to my desk which is located at the “office bridge” connecting the art department and the account team. The talented graphic designers quietly yet meticulously focus on their work and often listen to soothing jazz music. Conversely, the rest of the office zealously discusses projects aloud. When I need to connect, I visit Sharyn, who is the life of the office, or I will spark a conversation with anyone. After all, talking is what led me to my most exciting project. I was chatting with Mike, the creative director, and he asked if I wanted to help him on the HIV/AIDS awareness campaign pitch. Needless to say, I gladly accepted the challenge since I was and am still so excited to contribute to a great cause. I brainstormed social media and online marketing ideas and ended up creating a wireframe idea that features interactive promotions to encourage HIV/AIDS testing. The wireframe is centered on a user’s ability to upload videos and win prizes. Moreover, I thought it would be effective if people could print out flyers about testing to place in public areas. For those who take a picture with the flyer in public and tweet the picture, they would receive SWAG. A couple weeks later, Mike told me that the potential client liked my ideas! To think that they might be used to positively affect the world is an indescribable feeling.

Helping with the HIV/AIDS campaign pitch has been the highlight of my internship but I have really enjoyed learning all the different aspects of marketing. My job entails a lot of research on unfamiliar topics, but I love finding the answers and thinking of ways to apply my knowledge in the office. Unfortunately, my time with Fixation is dwindling as the end of summer approaches. I will take my amazing experience to New York University where the unknown awaits me. I feel privileged to have been a part of such a friendly and talented company. After all, how many people receive an awesome marketing internship from meeting someone on the beach? My cousin introduced me to Sharyn there this summer. So the next time you decide to doze off at the beach, I dare you to expand your network. You might be surprised—and rewarded!