So the power and internet access have been restored in Hurricane Irma’s wake and I’ve finally adjusted my body clock back to Eastern Standard Time, so it’s time to resume regular blog order.

On the menu this week? Szechuan sauce. Specifically the McDonald’s variety. Specifically its botched re-release in response to a viral online campaign as the result of a cartoon.

Sound good? Great—let’s start.

A brief explainer: Rick and Morty, the wildly popular animated series on Cartoon Network’s “Adult Swim” featured McDonalds’ limited edition Mulan Szechuan sauce in one of its episodes earlier this year. Said sauce was released in 1998 as a promotion for Disney’s Mulan. Naturally, in response to the Rick and Morty episode, the internet began to demand its sauce.

McDonalds, seeing a clever opportunity for a bit of a PR stunt, announced that the Szechuan sauce would be available in limited supply at specific locations throughout the United States.

Poor McDonalds: you underestimated Meme Power.

The event was a predictable disaster, with throngs of Rick and Morty diehards swarming McDonald’s locations throughout the country, demanding the heralded dipping sauce. Stores quickly ran out of their supplies, leaving hordes of irate customers—some traveling as far as Canada—to stage impromptu Szechuan protests. People took to MdDonald’s parking lots with signs emblazoned with “We Want Sauce,” and police were called to quell the crowds.

Ah, the internet.

McDonald’s acknowledged its bungling of the promotion, and has since apologized—and announced that Mulan Szechuan sauce will be widely available this winter. The pandemonium goes to show that not all quirky corporate events designed to engage the online community are particularly well-advised.

It feels like just yesterday that I boarded my Norwegian flight bound for Berlin, Germany, but I’ve returned from my latest jaunt through Europe! That’s the way it always goes, it seems.

What an incredible, incredible trip. My list of destinations this go-round included Berlin, Germany, Prague, Czech Republic, Cesky Krumlov, Czech Republic–a UNESCO World Heritage Site about two hours outside of Prague–and Krakow, Poland.

As a history nut–particularly surrounding World War II–this was a trip that I’ve wanted to take for quite some time. It was surreal wandering the streets of Berlin, knowing the historical significance of the city. Exploring the ruins of the Kaiser-Wilhelm Memorial Church, the Berlin Wall, and the various monuments that dot the city was somewhat of a dream realized for someone who had spent his life reading about these places and events in books. It was remarkable.

Poland also presented the opportunity to visit the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp. Words can’t properly describe the horror of such a place–it’s something that just needs to be experienced first-hand to truly comprehend the depths to which humanity can sink. I will never return to such an evil place, but I’m so glad I was able to visit and pay respects to the millions who lost their lives during the Holocaust.

Through the beautiful, exhausting, awe-inspiring and horrifying: it was another trip of a lifetime.

Thank you to all of my clients for your flexibility while I was away–I trust the transition and adjustment was minimal. I know Russell appreciates the opportunity to dust off his agent shoes, so I know all of you were in great hands. While traveling Europe was wonderful, I’m glad to be getting back into the swing of things and resuming work on your campaigns!

Well, that was…interesting.

After it seemed like Orlando was in the clear, Hurricane Irma decided a visit to the theme parks was definitely on her agenda. Things began to really get nasty Sunday evening, with the eye wall taking an eastward shift — bringing it right over us.

By late Sunday and early Monday most of Orlando was being battered by 80+mph wind gusts and blinding rain. It sounded like a busy interstate outside, but it was just…wind. We were greeted with that familiar freight train sound as Irma made her presence known.

Most of Orlando is without power, there are massive oak trees down everywhere and random debris littering the roads, but all things considered: we got lucky. Orlandoans were out in full-force Monday morning, chainsaws in hand, clearing trees and brush and helping neighbors. It’s what this city does.

The cleanup effort will be massive and time-consuming, but we’ll be alright. Extremely thankful for our friends and family throughout the state who came out the other side safely.

We’re open for business this week, but unfortunately the office is still without power. We still have full access to our email, so that would be the best method to reach us until further notice.

Thank you to everyone who reached out prior to Irma rolling through, and those who checked in after the storm had passed. Your support and well wishes provided comfort and confidence during a truly frightening event.

Texans are still in recovery mode in the wake of Hurricane Harvey, and now the threat of another–and possibly stronger–hurricane looms. Hurricane Irma was upgraded this morning to a Category 5 storm, and it appears to have Florida in its sights.

Essentially, I may have jinxed us last week when I referenced the fact that I’ve never been in a storm as powerful as Harvey.

Where the storm heads over the week and into the weekend is some strategic guesswork, but Russell and I are prepared to ride this thing out here in Orlando. Clients, colleagues, and friends: we’ll keep you posted as to our hours next week, pending Irma’s path.

Fingers crossed!

As Florida residents, Russell and I are acutely familiar with the impact a hurricane or tropical storm can have. I distinctly recall the ravages of Hurricane Charley in 2004—emerging from the house after hours of blistering rain and wind gusts mimicking freight trains to find my neighborhood in seeming disrepair.

The 2004 hurricane season brought four named storms through Orlando—Charley, Ivan, Frances, and Jeanne. I remember having to call my girlfriend’s mother—who had taken the family to New Orleans in the aftermath of Charley—to let them know their roof had collapsed. Nothing adequately prepares you for something as violent, as visceral, and as devastating as a strong hurricane.

But we’ve never seen anything like Hurricane Harvey. For that I’m thankful.

Hurricane Harvey has decimated the southeast coast of Texas, and continues to dump millions of gallons of rain on Houston and the surrounding areas. Reports have stated that the area has already received nearly a year’s worth of rainfall—with more on the way.

The images out of Texas are harrowing. Buildings and homes leveled. Water nearing highway overpass signs. It’s akin to something out of post-apocalyptic fiction.

But then there are the images of Good Samaritans rescuing people in their own boats and rafts. Ordinary individuals taking to the flooded streets to help strangers. It’s these situations where all differences are set aside and the only issue on the table is lending a hand.

Texans are quite the proud bunch, and in the wake of such a monumental natural disaster, they’re showing the rest of the world their strength and resilience.

We empathize with those affected in Texas, thank the brave first responders, and hope that Mother Nature eases up a bit in the coming days.

If you have the resources, please head over to the American Red Cross website and donate a few bucks to the relief effort.