when life gives you lemons...................... make lemon aioli

I tend to buy the Saturday age and probably not read it until maybe a Thursday morning the following week?  I have always had a habit of tearing out little things from the newspaper, whether it be articles or images and squirrelling them away. A few weeks ago I read an article about a Melbourne couple who had quit their jobs to pursue the dream of a start up gaming venture. There was a quote which I wrote down “It takes discipline, time and will power”. I was planning to write it on a piece of masking tape and stick it right above my computer at eye level. I think I will still do this.

I was pretty devo on the evening of my AWARD school graduation. I had quit my job at an awesome advertising agency as a Senior Designer and been an unemployed bum for 2 and half months to dedicate myself 100% to finishing AWARD. I plastered my walls in quotes from the Hey Whipple Squeeze This book, so the first thing I looked at when I woke in the morning were ideas about advertising. I didn’t get in the top ten at AWARD school, I didn’t even get 1 flippin’ piece on the wall at graduation. For about 30mins I walked around not really being able to speak to anyone. I think a few people did.

I did try to dust myself off and try again (thanks Aaliyah), but there was secretly a little part in my heart  that had given up. Don’t give up.

I entered some work that I had developed at AWARD school into the Melbourne Advertising & Design Club (MADC) student category for their gala ball. When finalists were announced 2 weeks ago, there was no mention of the student category. I emailed and said I had entered the student award, but would only consider the $265 ticket if I was a finalist. Their response was blatant - there are no finalists for this category, just a winner.

mmm. so I crossed that one of my list.

Somehow the advertising fairies sprinkled some magic dust on my case. The day before the ball I received a phonecall asking if I was considering purchasing a ticket - my response was - is this a sales call? Are you stuck for numbers? No Helen, you need to attend this ball. why? I’m pretty sure you’d want to be there. Also can you please send through a jpeg of the work you entered? WTF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

SO yeah, I won.

If I had of got to make a speech, it would have gone like this:

“Firstly I would like to thank my AWARD school tutors - Dave Scott and Kate Lightfoot at Ogilvy One, Aaron Pepper and Connor Beaver at George Patts Y&R, and special shout out to the old crew at Marmalade - Tove Ekstrom, Garry Simm, Frank Trobbiani and John Akritidis. Lastly I would like to say, when life gives you lemons - make lemon aioli”

And yes this is true. When life does give you lemons, be pragmatic about the situation.
But perhaps do it in a slightly unique way.