First blog posts are about introductions, so here goes: I'm a communications professional with 30+ years of experience, but I've been a writer since I was four. Words are just about my favorite thing in the world. I love the beauty and respect the power of words, especially words-well-wrought. I know I'm not alone.
Words - ink on a page or pixels on a screen - can take you to places you’ve never been, to places that never existed before except in the imagination of the author. Has anyone experienced the joy of getting lost, really lost, in a good book? How cool is that?
Words can hurt or heal, tear down or build up, end or begin, wage war or make peace. Like Marvel comics superpowers, they can be used for evil or for good - the propaganda of Hitler and Stalin or the Declaration of Independence.
I am passionate about words.
So the other day Maggie, one of my many nieces, and I were watching television when I first saw the latest commercial for Dr. Pepper 10. "Not for Women." Seriously. Because, as a USA Today article on the ad campaign noted: "Dudes don't drink diet."
After rolling my eyes - several times - I turned to Maggie and said, "Josh needs to blog about this." Joshua is one of my many nephews and Maggie's cousin. I've been enjoying his posts on the Manly Sports blog since 2010. (He's a terrific writer; so’s Maggie. Must be in the genes.)
What is it about men that they can't bring themselves to quaff a diet soda, but "10 Bold Tasting Calories" is okay? And, "Not for Women"? Oh, please. Is someone's masculinity getting stepped on?
Now, don't get me wrong. I like men. Some of my best friends are men. I especially like Manly Men - the lumberjacks and hunters, the adventurers - in spirit and in deed, the providers and protectors. I like men. I just don't understand them sometimes - like why sugar-free is such a threat to machismo.
Cut to Sunday after church, standing around outside, talking with family and friends:
"You should blog about Dr. Pepper 10," Maggie says to Josh.
He squints and cocks an eyebrow trying to see where that non sequitur came from."
Teta says." Maggie points to me in self-defense.
Teta. That's me. It's a Slavic word for "aunt" and when my siblings and I always called our paternal aunt and godmother,. When I became an aunt (and godmother), I adopted the title, too.
After I explained my take on the Dr. Pepper ad to Josh, I thought, why send a man to do a woman's job?
So here I am. Because Teta says it's silly to have to make and market 10 bold calories to men who are intimidated by diet drinks.
C'mon guys. Man up. Pop that top of diet-whatever and take a hit. Maybe with a manly hunk of quiche. Be bold. Get in touch with your feminine side.
Teta says.
Now, for the gentlemen, I'm wondering: Would you drink "diet" beverages? Have you tried Dr. Pepper 10 or similar sodas (e.g., Coke Zero or Pepsi Max)?
And to the ladies: Do you find yourself buying Dr. Pepper 10 to prove you can? (I might have, once or twice.)
Cut to Sunday after church, standing around outside, talking with family and friends:
"You should blog about Dr. Pepper 10," Maggie says to Josh.
He squints and cocks an eyebrow trying to see where that non sequitur came from."
Teta says." Maggie points to me in self-defense.
Teta. That's me. It's a Slavic word for "aunt" and when my siblings and I always called our paternal aunt and godmother,. When I became an aunt (and godmother), I adopted the title, too.
After I explained my take on the Dr. Pepper ad to Josh, I thought, why send a man to do a woman's job?
So here I am. Because Teta says it's silly to have to make and market 10 bold calories to men who are intimidated by diet drinks.
C'mon guys. Man up. Pop that top of diet-whatever and take a hit. Maybe with a manly hunk of quiche. Be bold. Get in touch with your feminine side.
Teta says.
Now, for the gentlemen, I'm wondering: Would you drink "diet" beverages? Have you tried Dr. Pepper 10 or similar sodas (e.g., Coke Zero or Pepsi Max)?
And to the ladies: Do you find yourself buying Dr. Pepper 10 to prove you can? (I might have, once or twice.)
