Upfront season seems to start earlier and earlier every year, and with the continuing expansion of the NewFronts, last longer and longer.  A little over two years ago, Catherine Sullivan, the then-new President of U.S. Investment at Omnicom Media Group (OMG), took a look at her and her colleagues' calendars, crammed with events from mid-March through mid-May, and wondered how they were supposed to do their jobs during this time period.

Put aside the usual indicators of a strong economy -- a robust stock market, low unemployment -- for a moment.  Think about the people around you; friends, family, people you encounter on your commute.  Do they seem more stressed than they were even just a few years ago?

In 1960, as he accepted the Democratic nomination for the presidency, John F. Kennedy said, "We are not here to curse the darkness, but to light a candle that can guide us through the darkness to a safe and sane future."  The passing of almost 60 years has not dimmed the truth of these words, which if anything are even more relevant in today's tumultuous times than they were then.