If you're happy something is wrong.

"Business Week" ran a story last week about how Americans only rank 23rd on the list of the happiest countries. While the research was a little subjective, you have to agree that unchecked poverty and a weak health care system affects the overall happiness of our country.

Well, I just discovered this tid bit about how being happy isn't necessarily a good thing--what a bunch of nonsense.

Happiness Sucks
Why joy is bad for you.
By William Saletan
Updated Tuesday, Jan. 29, 2008, at 8:02 AM ET

A study suggests extreme happiness may be bad for you. Findings: 1) "The highest levels of income, education and political participation were reported not by the most satisfied individuals, but by moderately satisfied individuals." 2) Extremely happy people "earned significantly less money" and earned lower school grades than moderately happy people. 3) They "may not live as long," either. Theories: 1) Happiness makes you complacent and kills your drive. 2) It makes you slow to adapt. 3) It makes you too optimistic and insufficiently vigilant about your health. 4) It may overstimulate your cardiovascular system. Researchers' conclusions: 1) "Happiness may need to be moderated for success." 2) "Extremely high levels of happiness might not be a desirable goal." Human Nature's conclusions: 1) Success may need to be moderated for happiness. 2) Extremely high levels of success might not be a desirable goal.

Download my resume

To get the nuts and bolts of my experience, download and read my resume by copying and pasting this link into your browser:

http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=d4mdtzb_10gxcwcqj9

I'm all about men's French underwear

If you look on the right side bar of this page you'll see an ad sponsored by Google. I've noticed that these lovely ads change every time I enter a new blog and, based on which ads they run, I'm guessing the Google folks use their Googly technology to decide how to target the ad's audience.

For example: I had a post about J-Lo preganacy rumors and for a few weeks they chose to run an ad for some J-Lo celebrity news.

Well, today things got a little more spicy, like an ad for men's French underwear spicy.

Apparently J-Lo + the workplace + cursing + the Red Sox + copywriting = men's French underwear. I should have known.

BTW: Even if you're not in the market for men's French underwear, it's not a bad experience finding out just what men's French underwear looks like--hey, Google ran the ad, not me.

Take a stand, men.

Because I'm a Red Sox fan, I've been watching an unGodly amount of television during Rocktober. The good news is that the Red Sox won the World Series--yay! The bad news is that if I have to watch that stupid Bud Light commercial where the two "clueless" guys reluctatly go to the opera with their dates, beers stuffed in their pockets, again I'm going to scream.

Yes the bottles break inside their coat jackets and there's the wisecracker who obnoxiously shakes his can at them, "First time at the Opera, boys?" Ugh. Why do men put up with this sort of back-slapping-how-bout-those-Bears sense of humor? In the 21st century men can go to the opera, enjoy it and even talk to their male friends about it. Take a stand, men. Refuse to buy that cheap stuff you beer-bonged in college until they make a commerical that represents your collective IQ (and that has to be higher than 90).

I want my reality TV

I've been writing a column for the Salt Lake Tribune's weekly publication In Utah This Week for more than a year now. Sure it's about reality television, but I try to work in a few life-lessons-learned commentary as well. Check it out:

http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=d4mdtzb_3dtwkw5

Go Saux

Yeah I've lived in Utah nearly all of my life and I became a Red Sox fan after meeting the man I would eventually marry, but I'm not your typical band wagon fan. First of all, it was Pedro Martinez who helped me sell my soul to the Saux. His gem against the Yanks in the '99 playoffs got me hooked. And I've had my heart broken by the Red Sox a couple of times: I suffered during the '03 playoffs when Boone hit a walk off that sent us home for the season. I cried when we were down 0-3 to the Yanks in the 2004 playoffs and I sat in shock when the Saux won the 7th game and eventually the World Series. And, in my book, if you know nearly all the players stats and refuse to pet your cat when Big Papi is at the plate because that might bring him bad luck, then you're a fan. Holla.

My blood, sweat and tears.

Yes, I spent some time debating whether or not I should capitalize the title of this entry. On the one hand, old school thinkers may gasp when they see the missing caps, and I don't want anyone fainting on me. On the other, most savvy marketing and advertising gurus know that caps aren't a requirement and they aren't shocked to see a period, either. Had I used an ellipses, you know, ..., at the end, I wouldn't blame anyone for closing this page in record time. But I didn't and you're still reading. Thank you.

Now that you're a little bit interested, let me tell you about my copywriting experience. After more than a decade as a freelance journalist and a public relations specialist, I tried my hand at copywriting and found myself really thinking about words. Now I cringe when I see terms like "ancient wisdom" and "that's just the beginning" because people, generally speaking, aren't stupid and they will tune out unless you talk to them, really talk to them. So, that's what I've learned how to do for my clients--the big and the small.

And I've had some big clients, like Microsoft and Verizon, but I've also had my share of small companies who are just as committed to creating the most intelligent, attractive, accessible marketing material possible. It's always a thrill to hit the mark on the head for a client, to know that the copy I've written is going to help their business.

I invite you to download and read my samples and if you think I can help your business, let me know. I promise not to waste your time with silly, out-dated, cliched content, but copy that reaches and excites your target audience.

Read:

A brochure for Interactive Intelligence: http://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=d4mdtzb_4htq3x5&hl=en#

A product script for Novell (click on view demo): http://www.novell.com/products/teaming/