“Branding is hard”, said Ken

Remember the “Math is hard!” Barbie?  We’ve come a long way since then.  There’s even a Computer Engineer Barbie now.  Girls have been encouraged to pursue male dominated professions and activities and the overall efforts and results are still being endlessly debated.  But men still face very rigid social conventions and expectations.  The primary progress we’ve made for acceptance for men to pursue previously female dominated occupations and activities are nursing and it’s okay to be effeminate if you’re one of those gays.

I realize there are plenty of men in branding and advertising and a not insignificant portion of them are straight.  But while women are encouraged to pick up technical, mechanical, and analytical skills no matter what profession they choose, any natural talents or skills men may have picked up in their childhoods or pre-career determination life that are not considered “manly” wither and die. I used to color and draw as a child and was taught a rudimentary understanding of the color wheel.  In high school I was taught basic concepts of marketing, branding and sales in English class alongside how to write a business memo.  I was quite literally forced to take an art class in middle school and proceeded to clash with my art teacher as to whether a computer could be a tool to create art.  Note to self: Must track her down and mail her entire Pixar library with an “In yo face!” letter.

When my wife suggested I start this blog with my second tour as the primary care-giver the question of what to call it immediately came up.  I figured it would end up being somewhat tech focused, so I thought of “Engineering Fatherhood”.  Clever, right?!  Taken.  As were all other flavors of Geek/Nerd Dad/Father I could think of, which granted wasn’t much.  I can’t imagine how hard it is for SAHM’s to come up with their blog names since they are so much more numerous.  Although presumably they’ve maintained some of their branding skills no matter their professional pursuits.

In the end I was forced to fall back on my reductive engineering skills to get to the essential aspect what I really wanted my blog to be.  I knew I wanted it to be Insightful and Well Written.  And then I was all out of branding skills, so I stopped.