Humor is a tool. Think of it as a hammer—no, make that a nail gun!

Generally, I’m the sort of person who hates addictions (let’s put caffeine to one side for the sake of argument). I consider them to be pointless, time-wasting, and ultimately demeaning.

I’m not going to go about trying to explain to you the many traits or trends considered signs of a hipster because some hipster sitting in the ferry building on his MacBook air already beat me to the punch.

The incorrect use of logo artwork and more commonly, oversight on low-resolution artwork are the bane of professionalism, especially in the creative industries.

Black magic. Liquid crack. Java. Or simply: the great motivator. All around the globe, people look to beat back the nature of the dreaded AM. The ad agency is no different. In fact, it’s safe to say that our shop runs on coffee.

If anyone has to make a definitive list of 2011’s People of the Year, the Occupy Movement would have to feature high on it.

A theme is showing up in RFPs and briefings with increasing frequency: “Audiences aren’t that into advertising anymore.”

The recent toe-curling self-promotional rap film from Sapient Nitro has traveled ‘round the business like wildfire: “Working hard day and night and coming up with big things” is just a sample of the lyrical flow that won’t be giving Eminem any sleepless nights.

As an English Alien of Extraordinary Ability who’s worked in a couple of San Francisco agencies over the last few months, I thought it was a timely moment to record my observations on some of the cultural differences.

Hopefully some of these lessons give you some insight into what you can expect when you land that first big magical internship and some best practices for making the most out of it.

Your results may vary, but here are a few ways that outside writing projects enhanced my day-to-day skill set

People are three times as likely to see an eye doctor than a general practitioner.

That makes sense to me, since it’s the rare optometrist appointment where you’re going to have to disrobe. Or get lectured about your bad habits. Or both.

Some might be under the mistaken impression that China’s Internet landscape is a rigid maze of red-taped barriers filled with dutiful automotons, constantly toeing the party line. While it is true that Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and numerous other western sites are blocked here, China’s Internet community is as vibrant as it is large (450+ million).

Every year, our team in Asia develops and distributes dozens of websites and applications for various markets around the Asia Pacific region. Most of the time, the online materials we produce are created in English before being translated into other languages.

I was shocked when I learned that small businesses are more at risk from cyberattacks than they are from all other forms of loss. Combined. Fire, flood, armed robbery, locusts, rogue mimes, Jay Leno…each of them is odious, but even in the aggregate they represent less risk than the losses that can result from inadequately protected systems.