Be Where You're From.

I watched this film last night about Jimmy Carter during his Palestine: Peace not Apartheid book tour. Jimmy's life and work is woven into intimate moments from the tour.

What struck me most is how true Jimmy is to himself and his roots. He's lived in Plains, GA almost his entire life, he loves barbecues, and he throws "y'alls" around like it's his job. And yet, he's as worldly and individual as you can get. His southernness–something that's easily mocked–coexists perfectly with his image as a renowned statesman. Maybe it's because I'm from Atlanta, but it flies in the face of the idea that becoming a citizen requires forfeiting the regional aspects of your being.

I think there's a direct connection between maintaining who you are and doing great advertising.

As Mark Fenske pointed out when he came to the Circus to speak and on his blog,

The danger to your development an ad school poses is:
there's more pressure to be like someone else than there is encouragement to become more of who you are.

Going to Ad School has caused my Southern Accent to slip away. I've had three people in the last few months ask me if I'm from the West Coast. A few people at work have been shocked to hear I'm from Atlanta. It's troubling that I might be losing a part of my Southernness. And even more troubling that, at times, I've thought that was a good thing.