A big chunk of our job is reminding potential clients that we exist. Just following up. Hey, hope you’re well. We’re ready to talk next steps when you are. After working in editorial for years where you pitch, write, edit, then publish a story the transition to client services* has taken some getting used to. I’ll often have a great conversation with someone who appears to be very interested in what we do and has a need for our services and that won’t turn into a project for 11 months. It’s much different than pitching a magazine story based on a news peg. It’s not a bad thing, it’s just a different cadence.
The upside is that I get to talk to cool people all the time and take up all the oxygen in the room telling them what we do. Then, five weeks later, Noah reminds me to follow up. If our batting average is better than the 2021 Yankees (.237) we’re in business.
*or whatever you want to call it. If anyone has a better idea of what to call it so I can tell my mom what I do, I’m all ears.
An Article
Making His Marathon Debut, With a Lot of Help From New Friends
A bunch of people are going to run through the five boroughs tomorrow. Both of the Three Point Four boys have run New York (thrice for me, twice for Noah—we took the ferry together in 2017). I’ll say this much: it’s a hell of a lot more fun to spectate than it is to run. It’s a very exciting race to run, but taking a ferry to Staten Island at sunrise and then sitting on pavement for hours in the cold is not conducive to running well. It’s also extremely hilly. Anyway, American Ben True is making his marathon debut and I enjoyed this story about how he has run alone for most of his professional career because of this detail: “True has never raced with a wristwatch, he said, but he plans to wear one for the marathon to protect himself from himself.”
Runners stare at their watch too much, especially me.
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A TV Show
Seinfeld, the best television show of all time, is on Netflix now. You could watch the episode about the marathon (season 7, episode 5: “The Hot Tub”) if you want to stay on theme. We randomly decided to go back and watch season 5 for no reason other than it was the season our weird bluetooth remote landed on. It’s like candy. Not super serious or involved, 23 minutes of your time, entertaining, comforting, full of petty people and storylines. Highly recommend.
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A Project
We’re putting together a tone and voice bible for [redacted] bourbon brand. Very exciting. Need help telling your story? (Or know anyone who needs help telling their story?) We can do that.
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A Movie
[leans in to whisper] I just watched the first two Lord of the Rings for the first time. Not sure how I missed out on the whole phenomenon, considering I was a huge dork when they came out (and all my friends were huge dorks). Good movies. The soapy, early aughts lighting is very fun. I approve of how much hobbits like to snack. I talk about Second Breakfast a lot at my house—never knew it was a Lord of the Rings reference. Learn something new every day. Can’t wait to watch the third one.
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A run
Lately I’ve been leaving the house with slightly vague ideas of where I’m going to run. After years of running laps around Prospect Park three to five steps behind Noah it’s nice to go out and see where the road takes you. I’ve made it a point to try and run on as much gravel is possible. Right after I took this picture I got passed by a woman who was running at least 60 seconds per mile faster than me.