I'm just trying to picture that sentence on my resume

I know it's an exciting new era, a dynamic time of change and blah blah blah, but is this, really, good career advice? "'People can decide to do anything anytime without any particular rationale.'"

Remember: "cluster" was his word, not mine

This is how 7-Eleven's VP of Marketing describes FreshWorks, the buzzy new integrated Omnicom creation that will manage the account: "They essentially assembled a cluster of agencies managed by a single account team that presents one face to us and ensures complete integration and quality control." Of course, what we all want to know is how this will work. Is FreshWorks an uber-agency that can raid Omnicom resources at will to generate bold thinking, or merely a client-like middleman making sure everyone uses the same typeface? Uh. Well. They'll get back to us on that. "Details of how the units will interact have yet to be worked out."

Interjections show excitement or emotion

Upon review, it has been found that NotBillable relied on an immoderate -- and ultimately ill-advised -- amount of exclamation points this week and for this, I apologize.

A Dynamist trifecta

Do you get giddy when Virginia Postrel talks Target, glamour AND advertising all in one post? Me too!

Like Mae West, when food is bad, it's even better

Margaret Webb Pressler might be my new hero. Her article about the new menu at Ruby Tuesday delivers up so many wonderful real-world findings, it's hard to single out any one highlight.

There's this of course: "while customers say they want more nutritious choices, they rarely order them. As a result, fast food and casual dining chains — which together account for three out of four U.S. restaurant visits — are slowly going back to what they do best...high-calorie, high-fat fare." There's no shock in learning people won't admit to their bad habits. No, the real news is that someone out there is apparently getting my allotment of upscale restaurant visits. Oh, and that people can view something as simple as eating at Chili's as a reward.

Or this: "'in 1972...the No. 1 item people ordered when they went out was a hamburger and french fries....Today, the No. 1 items people order when they go out are a hamburger, french fries and chicken tenders.'" Progress?

And this: "at Wendy's, the Homestyle Chicken Strips Salad, eaten with one pack of ranch dressing, packs 670 calories and 45 grams of fat — more than any hamburger or sandwich on the menu." Better get a Diet Coke with that. Then ponder why it might take a stunt to sell Chicken Fries.

Maybe billionaires can't stick to budgets either

Can someone loan Mark Cuban a buck or two? Or, at least, donate some hairstyling services?

Your theories, while interesting, didn't test well

American Copywriter, with the help of Malcolm Gladwell, gamely tries to kill the focus group. A commenter at AdPulp gamely tries to prop it up again. I don't know what to think so later this evening I'll be calling consumers at their home -- probably right around dinnertime -- to get their thoughts.

And if that doesn't work, tomorrow: mall intercepts!

Get off the street

Bad reviews for a new HBO effort.

Can we all now -- finally -- agree that graffiti is not guerilla marketing? It's not original, fresh or buzz-worthy. It is, in fact, only the advertising equivalent of your mom wearing a belly shirt.

Freon = lifeforce

You'd reach that conclusion too if your air conditioner went out Sunday. Then again Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and, oh yeah, Thursday evening. But I'm not complaining!

And not a moment too soon

Hollywood can't be Hollywood! if everyone is shooting stuff in Canada. Or, Lord help us, Louisiana. So California lawmakers are introducing tax breaks for the film industry. Television commercials are included. Porn is not.

Let's all go to the movies. Well OK, maybe not "all."

Movie theaters for grown-ups. Complete with babysitting services, gourmet concessions and over-21 age restrictions for all movies. Whether or not you think it's brilliant, you have to admire the innovative theater owners who recognize that the movie business can't depend solely on teenagers and foreign audiences to turn a profit.

Astoundingly, no word on whether your $18 ticket means the movie will be ad-free.

Quote of the day

It's early I know, but it has to be this: "'I used to fantasize about getting married in a church, even though I'm Jewish, just because that's how they all do it on soap operas.'"

Savvy traveller or TV addict? You decide.

Like Pavlov's dog, I am now thoroughly conditioned to shut down at 6 bells so I can watch Attack of the Show. Every day. Every single day. And I have been richly rewarded. Where else would I learn about the Catsup Crapper or how to degauss my monitor with nothing more than magnets and a drill? A girl needs to know these things.

So let other people get excited about high-priced hotels with their gaming butlers and XBox set-ups. I know better. Thanks to my little G4 friends, I can stay at the Red Roof and still have fun. Flashtastic!

Kinda like college kids, but with a bigger vocabulary

Do we, as a society, really want British tourists: "Britons are the biggest boozers on holiday and the most likely to get into trouble with police. They are also...the first to run out of money, a survey of holidaymakers from 16 countries by Halifax Travel Insurance has found." I say bring 'em.

Back to shopping

USAToday tells us back-to-school spending is expected to be down from last year but really can't explain why. Parents will "spend significantly less on electronics" but new school dress codes will dictate more purchases of "modest apparel."

Could it be that the idea of back-to-school shopping makes less sense when classes start in the middle of August heatwaves or even continue year-round? Anchor Blue president Tom Bush -- a man who can chant his brand mantra but struggles with definite answers -- describes back-to-school as "a period of time leading into September (and even continues once the kids see who wears what to school) and it does happen earlier and earlier. And there is the 12-month-a-year school." And what happens to back-to-school purchasing when big districts like Dallas adopt school uniforms?

Oh, I know. I shouldn't worry so much. After all, retailers can still count on the kids in Plano.

The money you lose in Vegas stays in Vegas

A few months ago Clear Channel, seemingly the owner of every radio station in America, happily signed on to sponsor Las Vegas' Centennial Celebration. It was not a money-maker. (Who's gonna put down a 99¢ shrimp cocktail at Slots-A-Fun to go see the Red Hot Chili Peppers at a city soccer park?) Now, deciding that civic-mindedness and contract terms really aren't all that, Clear Channel has decided to bill taxpayers for cost overruns. We shouldn't be too hard on Clear Channel, though. They're having a bad year.

Influential or just insular?

A New York Times readers survey, explained.

He counted to a trillion y'all

No matter how limited your audience, no matter how complex the process, someone will always check the accuracy of your ad claims. Hence weasel words.

The $1 million Target ad

Target takes over the New Yorker for an issue. Just because they can. But the illustrations are sweet.

"Happiness in a bottle"

That's how I've always referred to Bombay Sapphire Gin but now Coca-Cola has gone and co-opted it. "Agencies preparing to pitch ideas for Coke Classic's global campaign are working off the brief 'Happiness in a bottle,' sources said. The winning approach will supplant the current 'Real' platform." I'm genuinely eager to see where they go with this.