Great Creative. Neutral Country.

Swisster No More

2011-03-07T22:55:00.000+01:00

Just learned there's no more Swisster. I think this site lasted just a few months longer than I did.

Google Analytics says this blog is still getting hits

2010-07-25T05:50:00.000+02:00

Adieu, UBS. Adieu.

2010-07-08T21:53:00.002+02:00

I no longer have a Swiss bank account.The U.S. gave Swiss banks too much grief a couple years back for them to want to keep accounts for Americans who weren't living in the country. It was a fun novelty while it lasted.

Makin' Ads Abroad

2010-07-06T15:11:00.003+02:00

Since returning to the States, I've had a lot of requests for advice on getting a job overseas. To answer most of those questions, I wrote an ebook. Click here to download.Hopefully, it's more useful than self-indulgent. Enjoy.

Check this out

2010-06-24T22:29:00.004+02:00

After two years in Switzerland where every bill is either paid online or in cash at La Poste, using checks as a form of currency seems really lame and Third-Worldish.

Atticus on the Outside

2010-06-15T15:34:00.003+02:00

I just learned that I won a Certificate of Merit from the WPP Group's Atticus Awards. I'm not sure they know I'm no longer with the company. Hopefully, they won't disqualify me. Since this is the only award I was able to win for the Geneva office, I'd really like that certificate. If you're interested, you can read the original piece here.

Discovery

2010-06-10T21:21:00.001+02:00

Unpacking a box-load of books I'd kept in storage, I found the following note to myself.Nope. Never bought the dog.

Not the reason I left, but...

2010-06-08T05:51:00.007+02:00

I noticed that my old gig in Geneva is now listed on LinkedIn. I read the job description which included the following...I would add that "The real test of any agency is it's ability to spellcheck. Especially if it believes is doing whatever it takes to hire a new copywriter."

Buying a House

2010-06-05T03:47:00.003+02:00

Apparently, when you're trying to close on a house, having a Swiss bank account and making several large-sum transfers to the U.S. in a short amount of time really freaks out the underwriters.

Epilogue, Part 4: Swixas

2010-05-30T15:47:00.006+02:00

When people learn that I moved from Switzerland to Texas, they're quick to comment on how different things must be for me. Going from the most gorgeous mountains in the world to an expanse so flat people say you can see the back of your head if you stand on a tin can, the geographical difference is undeniable. But after a month in Texas, my wife started pointing out the cultural similarities.

Bakugan au combat!

2010-05-27T16:22:00.003+02:00

This is why I love my Bakugan au Combat! blog. It's long-ceased to have a purpose, and really pretty dumb.But every once in a while 50 people around the world suddenly decide to disagree.

What day is it?

2010-05-20T15:48:00.002+02:00

I'm having the hardest time remembering if you put the month first or the day first in the US.Is today 5/20/10 or 20/5/20?I think it's the former.Man, Europe really messed me up.

Epilogue, Part 3: Banner Cities

2010-05-14T01:00:00.001+02:00

Graphically speaking, the cities I've called home have all had some pretty cool flags.

Epilogue, Part 2: Watches to Tacos

2010-05-12T01:00:00.002+02:00

I've decided that taco restaurants are to Dallas what watch companies are to Geneva: Varied, ubiquitous and weakly branded despite being so awesome.

Epilogue, Part 1: Homecoming

2010-05-10T00:58:00.002+02:00

Back in the USA.

Maybe the Last Post

2010-05-01T01:00:00.000+02:00

Today, my family and I leave Switzerland.I still have a few interesting things to write about. One or two of them I'd consider rather mind-blowing. I'll have to check my contract to see what the statute of limitations is on my confidentiality contract.But maybe that's all just chewed down bone, and I've got more important things to focus on now.If I don't get around to another post, thanks for

Things I Learned In Switzerland, Part 5

2010-04-30T01:00:00.001+02:00

You can't really love being in a country and make fun of it's people at the same time.

Things I Learned In Switzerland, Part 4

2010-04-29T01:00:00.000+02:00

Friends back home will always see living abroad as an adventure, even though 90% of the time you're still doing stuff like buying dishwashing soap, look for a parking place, and paying electric bills.

Things I Learned In Switzerland, Part 3

2010-04-28T01:00:00.001+02:00

Generally speaking, when it comes to the Swiss, the French, the Italians, the Germans, and the Americans, all the stereotypes are painfully true.

Things I Learned In Switzerland, Part 2

2010-04-27T01:00:00.000+02:00

The French aren't that rude if you speak French, and no matter how fluent you are, the Germans still want to speak English with you.

Things I Learned In Switzerland, Part 1

2010-04-26T01:00:00.000+02:00

You can take your children to see the great cities of the world and introduce them to masterpieces of art and architecture and the highlight of the trip will always be the swimming pool at the hotel.

Things I Will Miss Most About Living In Switzerland

2010-04-25T22:36:00.005+02:00

I could just as easily make a list of reasons I'm glad to be leaving Europe. But in the spirit of optimism and premature nostalgia, here are the top 10 things I've loved about the last two years:1. Our friends and our kids' friends.2. Still seeing snow on the mountains in August.3. Eating chicken and fries at Chez Ma Cousine (my Potbelly's of Geneva).4. Pain au chocolate5. Seeing the Jett d'Eau

Well-designed money

2010-04-22T01:00:00.000+02:00

What do you get when you combine a country known for its banking system and it’s clean design?

Design Miami/Basel

2010-04-21T01:00:00.000+02:00

I doing some for a client who is a sponsor of Design Miami/Basel.I’d never heard of this event, but after doing a little research, I really wish it were held earlier in the year so I could attend. Add one to my “Things to do in my lifetime” list, right behind SxSW and TED.

The Swiss Experience

2010-04-20T01:00:00.000+02:00

In the last two years, I have worked on a watch account, a couple save-the-world-UN-related accounts, and three different bank accounts.Now, in my final month, I have been assigned to a chocolate account.I’d say my work in Switzerland is finished.

Giving up on Recycling

2010-04-19T01:00:00.000+02:00

The Swiss love to recycle. Paper. Plastic. Organic gunk for compost. You don’t just throw stuff away here. You sort it and put it in the correct container.But when our family visits, we just give up.Because under our sink, they see a container for regular trash and a container for compost. And next to the stove, they see a container for paper and a container for plastic and a container for

Eyjafjallajökull

2010-04-18T14:30:00.003+02:00

This Iceland volcano thing is pretty interesting - and I'm not just talking pronunciation. The skies around Geneva look perfectly clear, although it's said people with asthma will be able to tell a difference.A co-worker of mine was supposed to be in England for her brother's 40th birthday, and still hasn't been able to travel.Friends of ours are supposed to travel to the States for a brother's

Swiss precision timing doesn't apply to leaving your job

2010-04-17T01:00:00.000+02:00

If you ever want to quit a job in Switzerland, here's a tip: The sooner the better.Many foreigners are asked to sign contracts stating they will give two months notice. Since it took us more than twice that to move from Chicago to Geneva, I figured it wouldn't be a big deal.But when I finally gave my resignation, I was told that according to Swiss law, your resignation becomes official the month

Are Foreign Jobs Abroad Going to Foreign Workers?

2010-04-16T01:00:00.000+02:00

Working on getting a passport for our newborn daughter. I’ve called the US Embassy in Bern and the US Consulate in Geneva a few times. Each time, the person who answers has a British accent.Why are all these Brits working at the American Embassies? Are they Americans who are trying to sound European?

Yep. We had a baby in Switzerland.

2010-04-14T14:04:00.002+02:00

Last week, my wife gave birth to a baby girl – our fourth child, but our first in Switzerland.Based on our experience, giving birth in Switzerland was very similar to having a child in the US, but with a French soundtrack. (My wife was pretty amazing with her language skills. If I were in labor, I’d have a hard time being fluent in English, let alone a foreign language.)Where things really

Eeeeaaaasssstttteeeerrrr....

2010-04-06T15:55:00.002+02:00

Easter in Switzerland (and I'm assuming most of Europe) is celebrated 4x longer.In the States, it was never a holiday I took time off for. It was Easter Sunday.But today's my first day in the office since Thursday. The office was closed on Friday for Good Friday and yesterday for Easter Monday.I'm going to miss that about these Europeans.

Shopping at Lake Geneva

2010-04-01T07:39:00.003+02:00

The Swiss have done a great job keeping Lake Geneva unpolluted. Except, apparently, when it comes to shopping carts.Most supermarkets make you deposit a 2-franc piece to use things things. I guess at least two people decided that wasn't a big enough reward for returning them.

Watches: The LHC Watch, by Greg

2010-03-30T01:00:00.000+02:00

Questions:1. How can this be better?2. Who wants to make it?

Watches: Rolex

2010-03-29T01:00:00.000+02:00

Here are two watches from the Rolex catalog my coworkers picked up at Baselworld, They are the least expensive and the most expensive. This is the least expensive at 4,400 Swiss Francs (about $4100). This is the most expensive. At 262,000 Swiss Francs it is a little more expensive than my house in Chicago. Notice that the more expensive one displays the date and day of the week. I'm guessing

Watches: Hublot's Big Bang Maradona

2010-03-28T01:00:00.001+01:00

Some of my coworkers recently attended Baselworld, and brought back a stack of brochures. Flipping through them, I came across the Hublot Big Bang Maradona, a limited edition (only 250 pieces made) celebrating Argentinean superstar, Diego Maradona.It features Maradona's number and signature in Argentinean blue. And the counter goes up to 45 minutes so you can time each half of a regulation soccer

Change of scenery

2010-03-26T01:00:00.000+01:00

Just for fun I did a Google image search on "Swiss landscape" and "Texas landscape." These were the first two results.I can live with that. Makes me feel all Lonesome Dovey.

Baselworld

2010-03-25T10:04:00.002+01:00

Baselworld is the most important trade show for watch manufactures in the world. Who knew? A few of my coworkers recently attended (I was offered a ticket, but had prior obligations – rats). Even though the majority of the booths are accessible by invite only, I would have loved to browse. What blows me away is that the average high-end watch manufacturer (think Patek

This does not apply to driving an Alfa Romeo

2010-03-24T11:26:00.005+01:00

I'm reading In Praise of Slowness by Carl Honore, which is about the various ways people around the world are slowing down to enjoy life. Honore's not a self-help guru; he's a journalist who approaches each slow advocate skeptically, so it's enlightening without being preachy.One of the chapters deals with Cittaslow, a movement by cities to slow down their pace to make life more enjoyable.But

Watches: Swatch

2010-03-22T01:00:00.005+01:00

Back in 1984 when Howard Jones and his rack of synthesizers were inspiring my classmates to bleach and feather their hair, and girls started taking their fashion cues from Molly Ringwald movies, the fashionistas of my elementary school were discovering Swatches, sometimes wearing two on the same wrist, or using them as pony tail bands.In my Levi jacket, spangled with enough Van Halen pins to pass

Schadenfreude

2010-03-18T01:00:00.000+01:00

Passed this on my way to work. Sorry, but I think it's funny.

Obama style (from a Swiss perspective)

2010-03-17T01:00:00.004+01:00

No matter what policies Obama's implementing (or failing to implement) back in the States, his brand is still strong overseas. We have a Swiss copywriting intern in the office, and I asked him to write several lines for a client who's wants to announce how they tailor their products to their customers' needs. One of his suggested lines was this: You wish, we made. (Obama style) I'm amazed that

RIP Merlin

2010-03-16T09:03:00.004+01:00

From 1997-98 I was a producer at the Graham Group, which made all the TV commercials for the Rocky Mountain Chevy Dealers. Merlin Olsen was their spokesman, and I just heard about his passing.Most people know him as one of the best defensive linemen of all-time. Others know him as Jonnathan Garvey from Little House on the Praire or Father Murphy. So I shouldn't be too disappointed that those

This blog's days are numbered.

2010-03-15T01:00:00.004+01:00

I have accepted a job at the Richards Group in Dallas, Texas.By May, the Swisstensens will be the Christexans.I've still got a few interesting posts coming up, so please keep reading.At least for the next month and a half.

Swiss Navy

2010-03-12T01:00:00.001+01:00

Pretty cool branding. Cracks me up.

The Scarlet Number

2010-03-11T01:00:00.000+01:00

In Switzerland, if you get too many speeding tickets, they make you put a sticker on your car that indicates you're only allowed to drive at reduced speeds. They honestly shame you into not speeding. As long as this sticker's on his window (usually 3 months, depending on the violation), this poor guy has to display that he can't drive over 45 kilometers per hour. Maybe it's because this hasn't

Euro-pizza

2010-03-10T01:00:00.001+01:00

Went skiing with my kids this weekend. For lunch, we went into the lodge and ordered pizza and hot chocolate.I didn't really pay attention to the pizza I ordered. Which is why I ended up eating a slice of pizza with chunks of potato on it.Dear Europeans, when will you stop putting weird stuff on your pizzas?

Geneva's International Auto Show 2010

2010-03-09T01:00:00.001+01:00

Ahh, the International Motor Show in Geneva. One of the premiere car shows in the world with such mismatched communication. While I think this year's poster is a little less bizarre than last year's, it's still a little odd. I'm guessing the image is supposed to evoke images of light trails on the highway? It looks more like DNA art to me. Looking at the floor plan, a couple things stood out to

Watches: The Greg Christensen Collection

2010-03-08T01:00:00.000+01:00

We've looked at Patek Phillipe, Enigma, and DeWitt. This week, I present my personal watch collection:On the left, is a Swiss Military. Made in Switzerland, but purchased at a Costco in Oregon.In the middle is a Puma, which I love, but the battery has been dead for about two years.On the right, a Skagen from my mother- and father-in-law for Christmas. Easily my favorite. But since it's made in

Who's Who in Zurich

2010-03-04T01:00:00.001+01:00

I saw this book of "Who Is Who In Zurich" on the coffee table in a business lobby.I picked it up out of curiosity, thinking there's no way I'd know anyone in Zurich. And this is the page I opened to...It made me laugh. But I had the Beyond Thunderdome song stuck in my head for the read of the day.

The Value of Fridge Packs

2010-03-03T01:00:00.000+01:00

Here's another stealth photo I took in line at the grocery store.If you're picking up a 24-pack or even a 36-pack, you look like you're having a party. But if you just load up your shopping cart with cheap beer, you look like a lush.

The Buzz at the Agency

2010-03-02T01:00:00.001+01:00

Recently, the intercom to our agency lobby was malfunctioning. This sign was posted near the elevators.The top line reads "PLEASE NOTE THAT THE BUZZ IS NOT CURRENTLY WORKING.""BUZZ" was scratched out and replaced with the only-slightly-more-correct word "INTERPHONE." Apparently, interphone is a real word (though not one I'd ever use with a straight face). I think it was just scrawled there by

Watches: Tissot

2010-03-01T01:00:00.002+01:00

Tissot is a Swiss watch brand you've probably heard of. They advertise in Wired and they're not astronomically priced.I've noticed a lot of watches have interesting, see-through backs. Tissot has quite a few. It's a shame that the only thing to really see this is a sweaty wrist. But it's probably a cool feeling for the owner to know they've got this back door they only let a few select members of

Branding in Brussels

2010-02-26T20:19:00.003+01:00

I recently passed through the airport in Brussels, Belgium. Although I didn't get to visit the city, I did take note of a few Brussels-related branding opportunities in the terminal. For example...The M&M's candy dispenser incoproates the city's Atomium landmark. Nice job. Makes me want some gigantic M&M's. The Coca-Cola vending machine also makes use of a Brussels icon: the Manneken Pis.Coke is

Walking to work

2010-02-25T01:00:00.000+01:00

I like this view of the Salève (the mountain in the background) and St. Pierre's cathedral. I also like this view.

A Tale of Two Cities

2010-02-24T01:00:00.000+01:00

Digging through some old files I found another old time-y postcard from a few years ago. I guess I've been collecting these things for a while without realizing it.

Switzerland from the air

2010-02-23T01:00:00.000+01:00

My friend and co-worker Claire recently flew to Zurich for a meeting and took this picture from her window seat. Thought it was worth sharing.

Watches: Mido

2010-02-22T01:00:00.000+01:00

Mido is Swiss watch company that sounds like a Japanese one. They're not as intriguing as DeWitt, and not as high-end as Patek Philippe. But they've got an elegance about them.I'm not a rectangular-watch-face guy. Not sure why. But I like how they treat the roman numerals on this one.I don't particularly like this model. But it's the highest-priced one in the Mido catalogue: 9,400 Swiss Francs (

Vancouver 2010 as seen from a small European country, Part 4

2010-02-19T08:39:00.003+01:00

My friend Perry asked how the Euro-centric websites have dealt with the fact that America now leads in both gold medals and the total medal count.Here's how the Swiss-based EuroSport page has tackled the problem...I would suggest that this is because the page is targeted to German viewers. But it's eurosport.ch (a Swiss URL), not eurosport.de (a German one).

Vancouver 2010 as seen from a small European country, Part 3

2010-02-19T01:00:00.001+01:00

I would have thought that Olympic coverage in Europe would be very similar to what I've seen in America. We all like skiing. We all like hockey. We all like watching figure skaters biff it.But there's one major difference: I have never seen more biathlon coverage in my life."It's prime time, and they've been showing the freaking biathlon for a half hour!"- My wife

Vancouver 2010 as seen from a small European country, Part 2

2010-02-18T01:00:00.002+01:00

Check out the medal count on any US-centric site and America is #1 because we have the most total medals.But go to a Euro-centric site and Switzerland is #1 because they have the most golds.Check it out on any African-centric site and you'll be like, "Serious? There are African-centric websites for the Olympics?"

Vancouver 2010 as seen from a small European country, Part 1

2010-02-17T01:00:00.003+01:00

After watching Olympic coverage in French on EuroSport Channel 15, I realize I've got a big Matt Lauer-shaped hole in my life.

Pancake Tuesday

2010-02-16T21:56:00.004+01:00

Okay, who knew about Pancake Tuesday and never told me?Seriously, how did I make it into my mid-30s without ANYONE telling me there was a day called "Pancake Tuesday"? Come on, you guys! You can't hold out on me with stuff like this!Fortunately, an Irish co-worker explained the whole thing to me today. She told me how the Anglophone Catholics used to clear out all their eggs and milk before Lent

Yet another reason the Swiss are not known as great lovers

2010-02-16T01:00:00.006+01:00

They can't even get Valentine's Day right.My Swiss co-workers are a little surprised that my wife and I gave Valentine's gifts to our children. Apparently, in Switzerland, it's a lovers-only holiday.This country must already sell enough chocolate to think that promoting it any more would just be overkill.

Watches: Flik Flak

2010-02-14T01:00:00.001+01:00

The last few watches I've featured have been out of my price range by $1000 to $65,000. So I'm taking a break from crazyland to feature the three Flik Flak watches we gave our kids for Valentine's Day.My wife introduced me to Flik Flak. They're the children's line of Swatch (kind of the Land of Nod to Crate & Barrel). Honestly, they seem more Old Navy than Swiss precision machines to me. But our

Book store view

2010-02-12T01:00:00.001+01:00

I was browsing through a book store a few blocks from my office the other day. They'd rearranged several of the racks, revealing a huge window looking southeast. Here's the view.The funny thing is that the shelf that had been obscuring this view for so long was a rack of photography books about the Swiss countryside.

Woody's Coming

2010-02-11T01:00:00.001+01:00

Even before I realized who this was for, from a distance I thought, "That poster feels American." Maybe it's the Western serifs.As American as the poster feels, I think it fits well in Europe. Kind of like the washed-up metal bands who leave the States and make it big in Japan.I tried to see Woody play in New York in 1995. He used to perform Monday nights at some club on the Upper East Side.

4% unemployment = kick out the foreigners

2010-02-10T06:45:00.003+01:00

The Swiss government has cut the number of living permits to non-EU foreigners by 50%.They're a little paranoid about their 4% unemployment, and blaming it on us foreigners. (I have a few words about Swiss unemployment in an upcoming post.)My friend Chantal has a pretty interesting post on it here.

Watches: Patek Philippe

2010-02-08T01:00:00.002+01:00

It seems around Geneva, Patek Philippe is the king of watch brands. Which is pretty amazing for anyone to stand out, considering the market is so choked with competition.To me, it's not surprising that that they have such a strong brand, and seem to be one of the only watch manufactures that have a strategy behind their advertising. Their line for years has been, "You never really own a Patek

More Old Time-y Illustrations

2010-02-08T01:00:00.001+01:00

A few more in a series. I really like the Geneva one. Wish I could find it poster-sized.

Feed Your Brain Allowance

2010-02-03T16:54:00.002+01:00

Our agency has a pretty cool perk called the "Feed Your Brain Allowance." Each employee can spend up to 200 CHF a year on anything that inspires or motivates them. (Hadrian's Wall used to give us $100 a month, which was uberawesome, but in this economy I'll take whatever they're giving.)I just blew my entire 200 CHF in a single Amazon order. Too bad I had to use 30 of it on shipping, but I don't

Bad timing

2010-02-02T01:00:00.000+01:00

The day after the iPad was announced, I received our company newsletter with this on the cover.Just one week ago, this would have been pretty cool. Now it feels like they're shuffling through the discount bin.

Watches: ENIGMA

2010-02-01T01:00:00.001+01:00

Bulgari Enigma was a luxury watch and jewelry brand we pitched last year. Pretty interesting to be in the room with a real-life member of the Bulgari family. (We didn't get the business, which was too bad. We had a fantastic idea for it.)Still, their watches are pretty nice. The one on the left is the Genius. I tried on the one on the right when I visited their boutique in Geneva. They had me

I can't find a worthy image for this

2010-01-30T00:30:00.000+01:00

I learned a new French idiom today:"No arms. No chocolate."I'm not even sure what that means.But I'm going to start saying it all the time.

Risky Children

2010-01-29T01:00:00.000+01:00

Friday night I decided to introduce my kids to Risk (actually it was Lux, a free download). I wasn't super aggressive at first. But my 7-year-old caught on pretty quickly. By the time I decided I needed to take my destiny in my own hands and defend my people, he was already in position to rule the world. It was like being in a Greek drama where the son returns to dethrone his father.I am sorry,

Jumping for Jumpers

2010-01-28T01:00:00.000+01:00

I received three new sweaters for Christmas. And I have since had a few Australian and British friends tell me they like my jumper. Of all the Queen's English idioms I've heard, I never knew a that "sweaters" were "jumpers."I know they mean it as a compliment, but I can't hear "What a nice jumper!" without feeling a little humiliated.

Rhapsody in Meat, Vol. 1

2010-01-27T01:00:00.000+01:00

You've got to hand it to the Europeans: they know what to do with pigs.

EasyJet Advertising, Part 2

2010-01-26T01:00:00.000+01:00

As I've written before, I'm a fan of EasyJet's advertising. Not award-winning or revolutionary. But I look forward to them.I had to look up where Faro and Heraklion were. I certainly wouldn't have said, "Oh, Faro! Use a mandolin-looking thing for the visual. They play those all the time there."Maybe it's just because I'm an American.

Watches: DeWitt

2010-01-25T01:00:00.000+01:00

I suppose it's hard to be in Geneva this long without starting to think watches are pretty cool. I never gave them much thought, but since I pass at least 20 different watch billboards and posters on my 20-minute commute to work, and another 10 to 15 shop windows with different brands all displayed, I've started to drink the Swiss-made Kool-aid.Last month, our agency pitched and won the account

My Little Sister Goes to Haiti

2010-01-23T06:52:00.003+01:00

My sister Liz is a social worker in LA. She's worked in orphanages in Quito and Nairobi. She's been asked to go to Haiti to help displaced orphans.She needs to raise $2000 within 24 hours to go. If you can spare $10, the details are in this email from Liz:The group I am going through is Visiting Orphans Org. (visitingorphans.org) They have an orphanage in Haiti - Danita's Children's Home. I will

Ski Season Finally Began

2010-01-23T01:00:00.000+01:00

We were finally able to start skiing (good mountain snow was a little late this year).Just over that hill is a tiny resort we take our kids to in the Jura Mountains. It's not Snowbird or Jackson Hole, but it suits us. And it's pretty awesome to see trains headed to France roll by.

R.I.P. Barnes Bank

2010-01-22T01:00:00.003+01:00

This is my great-great-great grandfather, John R. Barnes. He started Barnes Bank 118 years ago in Kaysville, Utah. At it's height, it was one of the most respected and fastest-growing banks in the region. My grandfather worked there his entire life. He even authored a biography of John R. Barnes and the establishment of the bank. But a week ago Barnes Bank was seized by Federal regulators and

Effective Meeting Best Practices

2010-01-21T01:00:00.000+01:00

Saw this poster in a corporate conference room. It reminded me of David Letterman's old joke about staying in a hotel in Times Square. You take out the Gideon Bible from the dresser, look out the window, and check off the 10 Commandments as you see them being broken.

No one dreams in Geneva

2010-01-19T00:08:00.004+01:00

I couldn't figure out why I was getting so many "out of office" replies today. Then I realized it was Martin Luther King, Jr.'s birthday.I could only get responses from Swiss co-workers and friends in Arizona.

Bakugan Au Combat!

2010-01-18T01:00:00.001+01:00

Looking for Bakugan information? Click here: www.bakuganaucombat.com and please notice the ad links. If you find them relevant, click them. Thank you!The reason for that post is the recent resurgence in Bakugan related activity according to Google Analytics. I cannot figure out how or why this is happening.Recap:About a year ago, I wrote this post on Bakugan - a toy and pastime my son discovered

Anyone Want An Obama?

2010-01-12T01:00:00.000+01:00

Having had Barry as a guest in our house for the last four months, I'm about to send him on.I'm told there are some people in Paris who want him. But if you live in Switzerland and want to participate in the Obama In Our House project, you'd save me some postage.

Location, location, location

2010-01-11T01:00:00.000+01:00

Dear Catholic Church,If you would like your basilicas to be pictured on more postcards, make sure you build them in places where the city will not eventually install lots of street car tracks and bus stops. They make it much too hard for the postcard makers to photoshop out.

2009 Book List

2010-01-08T01:00:00.001+01:00

Every year I publish a list of every book I read during the past 12 months.If you'd like to see it, you can download it here.Any recommendations for 2010, happily welcome. Even if I don't get around to them until 2014.

Clean hands. Full car.

2010-01-07T01:00:00.001+01:00

Driving through Switzerland and into Germany, I saw something at a few gas stations I hadn't noticed before: courtesy gloves to keep the petrol spilling on your hands. Are these relatively new? Do they have them in the States?Now all I need is a swine flu mask.

Jolly Old St. Fidel

2010-01-06T01:00:00.000+01:00

While in Germany, we spent a couple days with my wife's distant cousins. Lovely, lovely people, who fed us amazing food.Their home was full of traditional German Christmas decorations: 12-pointed stars, huge candle pyramids, wood-carvings in every window illuminated by candlelight, and this elaborate nativity scene.In the background you can see the shepherds visiting the New Born King. In the

World's Most Unreadable Road Signs

2010-01-05T01:00:00.002+01:00

Just got back from a week in Schneeberg, Germany. Gorgeous, hidden place near the Czech border. We drove, and I'm very glad we have a GSP console in our car.Navigating in an unfamiliar city is difficult.Navigating in an unfamiliar city with road signs written in an foreign language is more so.Navigating in an unfamiliar city with road signs written in an foreign language on a foggy day is just

Worst. Christmas Decorations. Ever.

2010-01-03T18:35:00.002+01:00

Before we bid adieu to the beautiful Christmas decorations of Geneva, I thought I'd post this. I passed it on Rue de Mont Blanc, the second-largest pedestrian mall in the city.Apparently, the owner of the booth wanted to contribute to the holiday cheer by displaying a Charlie Brown-style Christmas tree on a sled that some 8th grader made in woodshop, on top of a pile of broken up styrofoam panels

More airline advertising

2009-12-30T01:00:00.000+01:00

When I first arrived in Geneva, one of our clients was Baboo airlines. About a month into the job, their holding company forced them to consolidate agencies and vendors, and the account was sent to Saatchi & Saatchi, here in town.These are a couple of the current billboards. I rather like them.I think they do exactly what EasyJet's ads do. But in a different way. They're clearly branded - you

Burning through the waffles

2009-12-24T01:00:00.000+01:00

I have an awesome recipe for gingerbread waffles with blueberry syrup. I used to make it every Thanksgiving and Christmas morning. But since moving to Geneva, we've had the waffle iron in storage.After our 18-month waffle fast, I pulled out the iron for some regular waffles. Not sure what the voltage is, but it burnt out the 500-watt transformer I had it connected to after only a couple

Christmas Market Comparison

2009-12-22T16:01:00.003+01:00

My friend, Chantal, recently did a post on her favorite European Christmas markets. It reminded me of the one in Chicago's Daley Plaza, which is always really nice. I used to love to stop for a bag of roasted almonds on my way to the train station, and walk by the window displays at Marshall Field's.Geneva's Christmas Market, however, is surprisingly and profoundly lame. I don't have any pictures

Large bills

2009-12-22T01:00:00.002+01:00

This is some of the money I won for the Rica Hotels contest.I find it interesting that the larger the denomination, the larger the bill. The largest barely fit in my wallet. I find it even more interesting that the Swiss have a 1000 franc bill - the equivalent of having a $1000 bill. Maybe it's designed not to fit into a standard wallet as a reminder that most people shouldn't be walking around

Down for Thanksgiving

2009-12-21T09:14:00.003+01:00

This is a month late in posting, but here you go.Every Thanksgiving weekend the ex-pats in our church organize the Turkey Bowl - i.e., a bunch of guys past their prime and a few kids just approaching theirs throwing a football around. I was out on the first play. The QB yelled hike, and my left leg slipped out from underneath me on a patch of mud and I pulled a groin muscle. I wasn't the first to

Is display. Is not display.

2009-12-21T09:07:00.001+01:00

I passed this watch store a while back. I thought it was an interesting window display. Kind of "Our watches are so cool, you'll try breaking the windows to get them."Then I realized it wasn't a display at all, but the handiwork of a bunch of punks acting in the name of "anti-capitalism" during the WTO in Geneva a while back.

The 13th Month

2009-12-20T01:00:00.000+01:00

In Switzerland, base salaries are paid in 13-month increments.What this means is that my December paycheck is twice the amount of my usual monthly income.Most people use this money to pay their taxes in the coming months. But since I've been in the country less than three years, I'm already taxed at source (i.e., taxes are taken out of each paycheck, just like it always was in the U.S.).So this

Missing my producers

2009-12-19T01:00:00.000+01:00

In Chicago, we had awesome producers. And I took them for granted, they were so good. Anything we needed, they'd find a way to come through. In Geneva, we have no producers, so I end up doing the production work when necessary. We currently have a US-based client, who wants to conduct interviews around the globe for a corporate video. They want to do an interview in Stuttgart, Germany, and asked

Celebrating the Escalade

2009-12-18T01:00:00.001+01:00

A couple weekends ago was Escalade - a Geneva holiday. Not a Swiss one. Just for the people in Geneva. While the name may lead you to think it's the day the Genevoix celebrate full-size luxury sport utility vehicles, it's actually a little more interesting. In a nutshell:In the middle of the night on December 11, 1602, the French mounted a surprise attack on the city-state of Geneva, hoping to