We are so back.

As is my way, I started a newsletter, wrote four editions, then promptly took a break. I think a healthy work-hobby balance is important, and sometimes you just need to take a break from having fun to have a different kind of fun.

Anyways, we had a very nice trip to Cape Cod, where four children under the age of like 8 (im bad with ages) played harmoniously and only cried intermittently. We see these friends once or twice a year, and it is always the most special time. It’s rarer and rarer to find people who you can go months without seeing yet pick up right where you left off.

I tell myself I don’t really need friends (oh god, therapy was YESTERDAY, Blake), but every time I’m in a social situation, I’m like, “this is ok.”

So welcome to JackJams, a podcast about a baby’s playlist that happens to also be written by a baby.

Here’s our FRESHLY UPDATED PLAYLIST, and much more below.

In today’s issue:

-Punk has entered the chat playlist

-When it’s time to leave (a job)

-Why do I like Emily In Paris?

Punk never ages.

As I’ve mentioned before, it’s hard to add a new song to our playlist. There’s a flow, there’s a vibe, and there’s a curly-haired wannabe New York Times Culture critic named Jack Solomon. Two chords in and he is typically out. “Next,” he says, as if he’s watched every season of American Idol (instead of just 3).

We plead, just give it a chance! Sometimes he does, but a lot of times he puts two thumbs down like the emperor in Gladiator (which he has only seen because we’re big Russel Crowe fans and he claimed he wouldn’t fight his nanny to the death).

Wait, are we bad parents? Don’t answer that.

Anyways, recently we tried a few VERY eclectic additions that could all be considered on the punk spectrum. We’re talking “Sk8r Boi” by Avril Lavigne, “My Friends Over You,” by New Found Glory, and even “Part of the Band” by The 1975. These are songs that all, in one way or another, mean something to me.

For instance, I remember hearing “Sk8r Boi” on the way to a baseball game I was being forced to play. Just me and my dad in the car, and me sulking about sports stuff, and then this song about a misunderstood rock star comes on. I think even then I knew punk music was mostly silly and, ugh, dramatic, but guess what? SO AM I! That was by no means the first rock song I ever heard, but it was one of the first to have a different viewpoint. As a slightly off-center kid from Texas, that was big for me.

I spend a lot of time thinking about how we will act when Jack can TRULY form his personality and his view of the world. I want him to play video games with me, but do I want him to be a gamer? I want him to be funny, but do I want him to pursue comedy? We spent a lot of time this weekend, obviously, talking about our kids and their activities. Jack does gymnastics, swim lessons, has passes to two museums and an aquarium. That’s a lot! When do you stop and say, “give the boy a few minutes to breath?” Sometimes I wish we could (safely) leave him alone in a room and let him have like 4 uninterrupted days to just be like, “who am i?” (Actually, can I do that too?)

I think the only way to do this is to show him the various paths and then follow him. Too often we think we have to lead our kids, but as I said recently in a criminally overlooked instagram post, when they take charge we all end up somewhere really interesting.

Ok, now seems like a good time to listen to “Misery Business” by Paramore. Unfortunately, this song is 17 years old.

On to the next.

If there’s one thing I have too much experience in, it’s getting a new job. By my count, I’ve had 450 of them in about 13 years of being an advertising professional. When I was younger, this was due to the industry’s seemingly allergic reaction to giving raises or promotions.

But as I’ve grown and my titles have become more unwieldy, I find myself leaving because my views and priorities do not align with my employer. That’s the situation I find myself in now, and while it sucks, I feel very lucky to be able to explore and not be forced to eat a shit sandwich for the next 30 years.

As I dip my toe back into the job pool for the second time in two years, I figured I’d lay out a few things I ask about, in case you also find yourself in need of a new gig.

1.) Ask about work-life balance. Just do it. If the answer is weird or non-commital, run. Simple as that.

2.) Ask why the role is open, or more importantly, why it’s been open for so long? There is no such thing as a diamond in the rough, and a company looking for that is going to be hard to please once inside its walls.

3.) Ask the expectations of the role. Most job descriptions are copy/paste, but when you get in there, really drill down to the core responsibilities. Sometimes after talking with the hiring manager, what was presented as one job has the duties of 4 people. That’s a big ol’ red flag.

4.) DO NOT WAIT to talk money. How they handle compensation is a bellwether for how they handle everything. You’re there to get paid. So get paid.

5.) Nobody has ever lost a job because they emailed someone to clarify a question or ask for an update on the role. Not knowing is the worst feeling, and if they leave you hanging, be wary. (I’ve got a lot of stories about this one, email me at [email protected])

Any more tips for those of us back on the job market? I’ll post any helpful ones in the next edition!

So Emily lives in Paris.

But, like, why do I care? She refuses to learn French, her wardrobe makes no sense from a financial perspective, and, most frustratingly, every time she has a thought about advertising it is perfect.

Further: This show is silly and dramatic and makes Paris look like a movie set. What started as a love triangle is now like a love tetrahedron. There are too many characters and now even a Me Too storyline 9 years too late.

But dangit it’s fun! I love a show that I can find mindless while the creators are taking it super seriously. Other shows like this: The Morning Show, anything by JJ Abrams, the nightly news.

Also I know this comes off as me being some sort of TV snob, which is maybe true, but I’m on record as saying my favorite show of all time is Monk. But I suppose if you are in need of something that can be watched quickly, that has enough intrigue that you have to ask your wife what happened while you were in the bathroom, and looks beautiful, Emily In Paris just premiered the first half of its fourth season on Netflix.

That’s it.

Wow, I had a lot to say. Maybe I shouldn’t take a week off! As always, thank you so much for reading. It’s been really nice to hear from some people that they are enjoying this little brain splatter. You can always forward this to friends and send me suggestions or song recommendations at [email protected].

See you next week.

BLAKE