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!

I just finished reading Tina Fey’s (of SNL and “30 Rock” fame) quick-read called Bossypants. It seems Ms. Fey and I share the same sense of humor, so I found it laugh-out-loud funny…and prompted me to ask what else Fixation is reading this summer.

Well the Fixation Book Club sets the bar a bit higher than I did; here’s a partial list of what they’re grabbing out of a beach bag, off a coffee table, or huddled with under the dim light of a bedside lamp:

Megan Campbell is investigating the dark side of polygamy in Under the Banner of Heaven, A Story of Violent Faith, by Jon Krakauer.

John Frantz recommends Buried Prey by John Sanford. Says the senior designer: “on the surface, it’s just a pulp detective novel. But this Pulitzer-winning writer can develop characters, plots and dialogue that are off the charts.”

New mom, Elizabeth Ellen, must be feeling romantic because she keeps My Mistress’s Sparrow is Dead: Great Love Stories from Chekhov to Munro, compiled love stories edited by Jeffrey Eugenides (author of Middlesex) at her bedside.

Carly Chomer has a copy of Uncle Tom’s Cabin under her arm.

Account Manager Alexis de la Rosa warns not to read Secret Ingredients: The New Yorker Book of Food and Drink edited by David Remnick on an empty stomach. “If you love food, this an eclectic collection of essays and a fun read. The only problem is I get hungry after I read it.”

Senior Art Director Randy Guseman offered up a long list of summer reads, prompting one to wonder if he’s doing much else BUT reading. At the top of his list: Adrian Mole and the Weapons of Mass Destruction, British pulp fiction by Sue Townsend.

Finance manager Julia Westfall is reading Mind Gym, a book for athletes on how to train mentally as well as physically. “But it’s also applicable to how we live our lives in general, and learning to visualize success in order to reach your highest achievement level.”

Kim Axtell says she’s keeping it light this summer on the beach with The Kingdom and The Jungle (by Clive Cussler), Hell’s Corner (by David Balducci), The Inner Circle (by Brad Meltzer)

Military history buff Sean Brown is reading One Bullet Away (Lt. Nate Fick).

Creative Director (and beer connoisseur?) Mike Gallagher is enjoying Beer, A Genuine Collection of Cans, a photo history of 60 years of beer cans from all over the world.

Kevin Nestor is reading 127 Hours: Between a Rock and a Hard Place (Aron Ralston’s true story, made famous last year by James Franco in the Academy Award nominated film).

Leo Salazar said he saved countless reading hours by watching 127 Hours on DVD.

Oleg Burdo is relishing Driver, “about the guy who set the record for the fastest drive between LA and NY by turning his BMW into a European police cruiser.”

Sharyn Collinson says she is so busy that she’s barely managing to stay current with People and Us Weekly.

And copywriter Lori Kurtyka is reading Your 4-year-old: Wild and Wonderful (when she’s not chasing her wild and wonderful 4-year-old around the ’hood).

So tell us…what are YOU reading this summer?

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!

From time to time, business owners are asked to throw their proverbial hat into the ring for various graphic design awards, Best Places to Work lists, Smart CEO honors and the like. So, it was no big deal when earlier this year we received a Top Agency nomination from BtoB, the magazine for marketing strategists, and were asked to complete a survey. All in a day’s work; answer their questions and move on.

Imagine our surprise a few weeks ago when we learned that Fixation had been named to BtoB’s (www.btobonline.com) 150 Leading Agencies list in their March 2010 issue. This particular honor stands out because a) it’s a national recognition that finds us listed among some of the nation’s biggest and best “name brand” agencies; and b) the questions took into consideration not just our personality or number of employees, but some deeper questions about year-over-year growth and how we were helping our clients deal with a fragile economy.

Look, we know this business is not all about awards. But as a small agency, we rarely get consideration in the rarefied company of the “big boys” like BBDO and Ogilvy & Mather North America. Let’s hear it for the little guy! And let me take this opportunity to first thank a great small-and-smart staff here at Fixation who work hard and produce terrific stuff that is sometimes unheralded. Second, let me honor our clients—many of them long-standing—who hire us to provide creative strategy, design and interactive marketing solutions that help keep them successful and help keep us on top of our game.

Congratulations to all. I’m so proud of this company.

Let’s talk about the success story of my friend and fashionista extraordinaire, Kimberly Wilson, who has employed some excellent social and viral marketing tactics over the years to build her businesses. Kimberly is a self-described teacher, writer, do-gooder, entrepreneur and eco-fashion designer who founded Tranquil Space Yoga in Washington, DC in 1999. Today, Kimberly is also the author of two books, Tranquilista and Hip Tranquil Chick, a fashion designer with her own clothing line, TranquiliT, and runs the Tranquil Space Foundation which provides opportunities for women and girls to develop leadership skills through creativity.

I met Kimberly Wilson eight years ago when she was teaching my yoga class at Joy of Motion studio in Washington, DC. It didn’t take long for me and many other Joy of Motion students to become devotees of her classes. She taught a select number of classes there, but lucky for us, we quickly learned that she was teaching additional classes at her own studio called Tranquil Space Yoga.

10 years ago, when Tranquil Space was just getting off the ground, Kimberly’s strategy for attracting students was organic and authentic. She created buzz about Tranquil Space by wearing "Tranquil Space Yoga" t-shirts to the classes she taught around town. She patiently built her business, step by step, by relying on her students to spread the word. She posted flyers on community boards in coffee shops. She had a website that clearly outlined her philosophy, class schedule and "brand". And, ultimately, she put her money where her mouth was by providing an excellent service and product that filled the need of many DC urbanites that were looking for a creative, challenging and vibrant yoga practice to balance their busy city lives.

All of these tactics helped the studio to grow from a few classes with a few students a week in her living room to what it is today multiple studio locations in the Washington metropolitan area with more than 75 weekly classes and recognition as one of the 25 best yoga studios in the world by Travel + Leisure magazine. The studio has also been the springboard for Kimberly’s other business ventures.

Back then, Kimberly hit the ground running to spread the word about Tranquil Space Yoga. Today, she’s still doing that with help from a full-time staff and viral communication tools like Twitter, Facebook, a blog, and podcasts. Kimberly understands that when these tools are used authentically - to engage, to start a discussion, to provoke thoughtful awareness, to spark an inspiration, to share a success story – they can be effective for growing a community.

As marketing professionals, we sometimes get so excited by the functionality of new interactive tools that we forget to ask the crucial questions: why and how do we use these tools to engage our communities and get them excited about our products, services and events? We could all take a page from Kimberly’s strategy book in understanding how the universal rules of authenticity, engagement and delivering on your brand promise can equal success and growth regardless of whether you’re in the business of yoga or tradeshows.

It can’t be all work and no play. Learning experiences come from both. Following is a noteworthy vacation experience…

Last week, I was vacationing off the coast of Long Island, NY, near Ocean Beach. One morning while running on the boardwalk along the sand dunes, I nearly crashed into an elderly man. As I approached him at a running speed, I halted in reaction to what seemed to be some sort of SOS signal from him—both arms above his head, waving up and down. He was pushing a wheel barrel filled with grocery bags. I removed my headphones and said, "Hi, are you ok?" He put his arms down, smiled weakly and replied, "Yes, but I need you to lift my cart and help me home." I picked up the handle to his wheel barrel and began on an hour-long detour from the run I had planned. Along the way, he told me his name (Winthrop), age (82) and that his partner of 62 years had just died this past December.

We stopped at his friend Jack's place to borrow his electric scooter. He scooted the rest of the way home and I trailed behind him pushing the wheel barrel, concerned he might run off the boardwalk. Finally, we arrived at Winthrop's house in one piece. He removed the house key from around his neck and I helped him open the door and unload his groceries.

The end of the hallway opened to a large TV room with kitchen off to one side. Winthrop pointed to a gold-leafed box on a table, and said, "That's Peter, my partner. Those are his ashes in there." Feeling a sudden, heavy wave of responsibility and concern, I asked, "Winthrop, do you have folks around here that check in on you regularly?" He said, "Oh sure, there's Lorraine next door. She's a pediatrician." I then noticed the dishes in his sink, a bag of overflowing trash and a plate of half-eaten food on a TV tray. He continued to assure me that he has a variety of neighbors with whom he interacts daily—neighbors who supposedly check in on him from time to time.

I felt compelled to offer him some immediate support—washed his dishes, took out his trash and tidied up a bit. I repeatedly asked him if he would be okay. He laughed it off and told me to get going. I scribbled down my number on a pad affixed to the refrigerator, but knowing my few days here would hardly be the solution to getting this man the sustained support he clearly needs. I momentarily shook off the guilt I felt by leaving him, said goodbye and continued my run. But his face and his words wouldn't leave me. I kept hearing him say, "Oh yes, I have people who check in on me all the time." His SOS signal on the boardwalk and the state of his house told a different story.

Here I am back in DC tending to my "real" life while working to find a reliable line of support for my new friend. This experience has reminded me that everyone deserves support in whatever capacity they need it, but sometimes we wait until things are dire before asking for help. And sometimes, we can’t bring ourselves to ask at all. For those who have the power to help, we sometimes get so caught up in our own lives—acquiring, competing, advancing—we may not recognize when someone else is throwing out the distress signals. I was feeling guilty taking a vacation when things were crazy at work. But if I had cancelled my trip and not taken the time to stop and smell some roses, I would have missed the opportunity to meet Winthrop and help someone in need.