More cash back. More ways. More often.

So I'm on the plane to NYC this morning, contentedly reading my Newsweek and sipping my complimentary beverage, when I turn the page and think to myself, "Wow. That ad looks familiar."

And then I shout (still to myself), "Oh my god! I wrote that ad! And it's printed in ... (clutch the pearls) ... Newsweek!"

And then I look around and realize nobody around me would really give a shit that I wrote a friggin' credit card ad -- even if it's printed in a national newsmagazine. But I make a silent vow to fire up my cell phone the MOMENT we land and call my parents to tell them. Which I do. And they're duly impressed.

(OK. I know you're dying to look it up yourself. OK. I'm going to let myself fantasize that you're dying to look it up yourself. It's on page 9 of the August 16 issue (with the ominous headline "Target: America" on the cover). And, for the record, it was the least cool of the concepts we presented to Citi way back in like April. But they picked it and they ran it. And there it is: My headline. My ideas. My words (with a few "adjustments" by various legal and branding departments). In ... (clutch the pearls again) ... Newsweek.)

And that was just the beginning of the excitement for the day. Our client presentation went smashingly well, and we were showered with ebullient praise when we finished. The Citi folks ended up leaning toward some Chinese-menu hybrid of two of the three concepts we presented, one of which was mine. So I got to feel even prettier than I did on the airplane.

And then an impressive storm delayed us almost three hours at lovely LaGuardia -- though it looked mighty cool as we watched it roll in over Manhattan during our presentation from the Citi building in Long Island City.

And speaking of the Citi building in Long Island City, that Orange Alert stuff that you've been reading about in the news -- you know: that stuff about terrorists plotting to blow up the Citi building in Manhattan -- extended to the building where I was today. The place was crawling with cops who searched our bags before we entered the building and then X-rayed them before we got on the elevators. All of which did nothing to make me feel more (or less, for that matter) safe while I was there.