Love the skin you're in

Work is slow today so I thought it a perfect opportunity to update. Okay, where to start. I don’t know how many of you have seen the new Jerry Seinfield and Bill Gates Microsoft commercials. If you haven’t you aren’t missing much. They were slated to run five separate spots, each building on the previous. Well they were met with mixed reviews, let’s be honest, they just plain sucked. Microsoft was trying to spin this as a “buzz building” campaign, but how much additional “buzz” does the world’s largest software provider need? Anyway the spots are being pulled after only two of the five spots aired. They are being replaced with an Apple knock off commercial with a look-alike saying “I’m a PC, and I’ve been stereotyped.” I can’t even begin to tell you how lame that campaign is going to be. I can’t believe Microsoft signed off on that direction. That must have been an interesting pitch, “So you know the, I’m a Mac and I’m a PC commercials? Well imagine that but in reverse.” “That’s perfect, someone else has already done it and we’ll just steal the idea. Excellent Smithers, excellent.” (Also, Mr. Burns is the new Chief Marketing Officer at Microsoft.) The good news is McCann Erickson didn’t have anything to do with either of these campaigns. That makes me happy. I thought they were from us for awhile and I was trying to figure out how to explain that on my resume. “Worked at McCann Erickson, but I didn’t have anything to do with the Seinfield, Gates stuff, promise.”

Enough about work and ad-nerdness; it’s time for a house update. We are in the process of getting the loan taken care of. There is a lot of paperwork, you wouldn’t believe. Right now we can blame lenders for destroying our economy and single handedly wiping out the rain forests. They sent us a little care package with pictures of the trees we just caused the destruction of, but hey what the heck they grow back eventually right, no worries. We had a home inspection performed Monday night and all was well with the house. A few minor things that we already assumed would need attention, nothing major. However, the roof on the garage needs to be replaced, which we knew from the beginning. When you stand in the garage and look up you can see the sky through the shingles, which is bad. Our realtor drew up an addendum requesting a credit toward the replacement of the roof. I’m sure the sellers are less then stoked to refund us $5,000 (that’s a rough estimate; it could be more than that). Tonight we will find out if they accepted that request. If they don’t then things can get interesting. The closing date still stands at October 2, and is steadily approaching. It’s going to be awesome to have a house, I can’t wait and Natalie is beside herself with excitement. I think she’s mostly excited about being able to have a cat. In the near future we will host a “name the kitty” competition on the blog so get those names ready, and let me warn you, I have some pretty awesome kitty names in mind so bring you’re A-name-game. That is just about all there is about the house.

I went on a walk today during lunch (I didn’t have hand weights, a fanny pack, or visor but it was fun none-the-less). Down town SLC is a strange place. I was struck with the dichotomous nature of the city. The old beautiful monoliths left behind from the early twentieth-century and the new citadels of industry overshadowing them. On Market Street I came across a three story building I have never seen before; the corner stone proclaimed 1891, and the bricks in the windows and doorway whispered a history of neglect and marginality. My building was built as a retreat for executives and the Salt Lake City bourgeoisie in 1908, and has been well maintained throughout its life. My desk is located in what was once a large Roman style bath. I love the re-tooling of the past. But I started thinking about what was the difference between this building of one time luxury and excess, and the 1891 building less then a block to the west. I don’t have any answer to that, but I think someday the 1891 building will be used again. The lot next door is being prepped for a foundation—across the street a shiny new slab of concrete waiting to support a new citadel of industry. A second chance at immortality. Salt Lake is nothing if not a city for second chances. That’s the duality I enjoy so much about Salt Lake. You can just about have it all here—modernity peppered with rooted history, city convenience under the shadow of tectonic playgrounds, and did I mention they have Carls Jr? I’m stoked to be here.