The ad agency I work for isn’t your typical, zany, creative-type company.  Nope, I’ll guarantee you we’ve collectively lost our ever-lovin’ minds.  That translates in to chaotic fun and unrelenting frivolity almost on a daily basis. 

On Tuesday, we had a meeting of upper management.  It happens four times a year.  There are about 75 of us who help chart the direction of the agency.  We all get together for a “what-the-hell-is-your-team-doing-that-we-should-be-aware-of-and-gosh-have-you-lost-weight-you-look-good” mind meld. 

After 30 minutes of pleasantries and agenda items, we were informed that we were going to be broken up into groups of five … for a “team-building exercise”.  In most companies, this announcement is followed by an eye-rolling, groan-inducing wave of insubordinate dissention.  At the agency, the last time we had team-building, there was ice cream involved – so how bad can it be?  Although – come to think of it – two recent group activities have involved trips to the emergency room … less I digress. 

This time around we had a good ol’ fashioned scavenger hunt.  You know, where players have to scramble to find an arbitrary list of miscellaneous items in an allotted amount of time.  Our team was determined to win no matter what the cost or what laws we’d have to break.

While I’m familiar with the premise, I’ve never been on a scavenger hunt before.  This one seemed even more ridiculous and more random than usual.  My team went for the big ticket items.  Get a picture taken holding a snake.  Get an authentic recipe from an Italian restaurant.  Bring back the mayor.  (Believe me, he wasn’t happy about it.)

And the list went on and on.

Picture of a mullet.  Concert poster.  Bird feather.  Origami swan.  A lock of hair from a stranger’s head.  Photo of a family with four or more kids. 

I found myself walking up to complete strangers like a crazy person and asking for things.  Most obliged and didn’t ask questions.  Obviously they had been on scavenger hunts before.  In the end, we ended up winning by THREE points over our nearest competitor.  It was our gas receipt for $.50 that helped propel us to victory.

If your company hasn’t had fun lately … I’d strongly suggest a scavenger hunt.  Our company’s motto?  “That which does not kill us — only makes us win more gift cards!”

MichaelMackie.com is now a year and a half old.  We haven’t reached the terrible two’s yet … but we’re becoming bit of an ill-behaved toddler.  And we’re learning the pros and cons of the World Wide Web.

Now if USA Today’s Craig Wilson can take a moment to respond to the thousands of e-mail comments he gets each week, I can do the same … for both of my fans.

On average, I get about 200+ hits on my website each day.  That makes me happy … borderline giddy.  I started this website as a simple outlet for my daily musings.  Now, I’ve got a following of devoted readers … most of whom also happen to be related to me.

The e-mail comments I get are few and far between.  Oh sure, I’ll get the “great story, M2” or “that was funny stuff”, but I have yet to stir up controversy or scandal.  My cousin Brooke always sends helpful links or ideas on how to improve my articles.  (She’s the smart one in the family.) My dear friend Kiki always makes mention of all the inside jokes that only she would get.  My old roommate Alyssa always adds questionable, snarky commentary that I should have included in my original draft. (She never misses a beat.) And my best friend Deirdre always makes mention of how exaggerated and unbelievable my life is.  She should talk.  Besides … I have to impress my readers somehow.

My father will use my website as a forum to tell me what he had for breakfast, what the dog has been up to and other late-breaking developments.  (He took TWO naps.) My friend Judith – a life coach – professes wisdom and sincerity on nearly every post.  And then there’s the occasional whack job from, say, Botswana who wants to know how big Jay Cutler’s feet are.  (Yes, that actually happened.)

So keep those comments coming, people.  You know I enjoy each and every one of them.  And I have nothing but adoration for my blog readers … 200 down, 5,900,800 to go to topple Craig Wilson’s fan base.  It’s a good goal for 2010.