It's Man Week

It's Man Week and Gavin Heaton has roped me into getting involved.

Apparently I'm surposed to write something about my feelings as a man.

But this blog is about the world of advertising. So I'll see if I can come up with something that combines both.

I left school early and took the advice of my parents - get yourself a trade and you'll be set for life.

Thing was, after a few years getting my hands dirty fixing things I realised that being a tradie wasn't for me.

So in my late 20's I set out to become a copywriter.

I was so excited when I got offered my first job in an ad agency.

As you can imagine I rang my parents to tell them.

Boy were they excited....Not!

"What d'you wanna do that for?" said my dad.

"You've got a good job, company car. Why would you want to give that up?"

"What about your super?"

I was gutted.

I was so proud. Yet they made me feel anything but.

They just could not understand how I felt, living my life as a square peg wedged into a round hole.

They knew only of their world. A world where you left school, got a trade, got married, had kids and eventually retired.

I didn't want to settle for that world. I wanted to venture out and discover a new one.

A world where you had fun at work.

A world where your opinons counted for something.

A world that was not a glamorous as it seemed on the TV, but was way more glamorous than the shithole where I worked.

Sadly I still don't think my parents understand my decision. Which makes me a little sad to be honest.

But I can guarantee you that when my kids Ruby and Max grow up and go out to work I'll support them no matter what they choose to do.

For more on Man Week click here.