*Bounces in and plops in chair and puts feet on ottoman*
Good Morning Mr. Blog!
I am happy you'll let me come early sometimes so you can see me in full cheer gear.
So the UW Medical Center called back and gave me an appointment October 27th to get my kidneys screened to see if I can be a living donor.
I hope I can give one to Sissy 'cause dialysis sucks! She has so many medical problems already that is just isn't fair she has to do that. Because she doesn't have kids or a full time job she has to take the times those people can't make. Five AM at the hospital! She has to get up at three o'clock in the morning! Poor Sissy.
If I'm a good match and she can have one of my kidneys she could live an extra ten years!
Thank God she doesn't need a heart or a brain 'cause I only have one of those.
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
9/29/09 Trendex Tease, Binder Blunders, Contests
Hi Mr. Blog. Binder Bob of Trendex mailed me samples of their game boards and I am just so sad I can't afford to put my game on a real game board. Did you know when you apply for a small business loan that you have to set up a repayment schedule? I couldn't do that because I don't have a way to make sales projections.
So then Craig, from UPS e-mails me that their store is closing next week. I was crushed. I like him so much and thought we'd be doing business together for the next two decades.
Connie suggested trying another FedEx for printing and that is a good idea.
I'm also calling Jet City Printers and Land Printers up in Bothell tomorrow.
I learned a lot about paper weights, lamination, scoring and cut to bleed trims.
I also learned about pricing, labor costs, shipping and manufacturing.
I refuse to panic about speaking at the Washington State DECA conference October 27th at the Meydenbauer Center in Bellevue. I still have five games left of the original print run of fifty to take if the new product is not complete.
The important thing is my new idea. I am making flyers with my biz card magnet attached to give to the teens at the conference. Nixpix Youtube jingle and commercials with cash prizes.
I think over 1,000 teens will be at the conference so I need to hustle up these flyers.
So then Craig, from UPS e-mails me that their store is closing next week. I was crushed. I like him so much and thought we'd be doing business together for the next two decades.
Connie suggested trying another FedEx for printing and that is a good idea.
I'm also calling Jet City Printers and Land Printers up in Bothell tomorrow.
I learned a lot about paper weights, lamination, scoring and cut to bleed trims.
I also learned about pricing, labor costs, shipping and manufacturing.
I refuse to panic about speaking at the Washington State DECA conference October 27th at the Meydenbauer Center in Bellevue. I still have five games left of the original print run of fifty to take if the new product is not complete.
The important thing is my new idea. I am making flyers with my biz card magnet attached to give to the teens at the conference. Nixpix Youtube jingle and commercials with cash prizes.
I think over 1,000 teens will be at the conference so I need to hustle up these flyers.
Friday, September 25, 2009
9/25/09 Troy Passed The Test
Oh Mr. Blog!
I have the best news! Troy passed his driving knowledge test today and he said the game really helped him study! I created Pass The Test, Rules of the Road, specifically for him and was so worried it didn't work and now I know it did work. He was so happy and I am happy with him.
So now he can drive with me or Terry and when he turn 18 it will turn into a license. Yay!
I have the best news! Troy passed his driving knowledge test today and he said the game really helped him study! I created Pass The Test, Rules of the Road, specifically for him and was so worried it didn't work and now I know it did work. He was so happy and I am happy with him.
So now he can drive with me or Terry and when he turn 18 it will turn into a license. Yay!
Thursday, September 24, 2009
9/24/09 Lamination Lamentations
Oh Mr. Blog, thank you for being here for me! Ugh.
I went to the Kenmore UPS store yesterday for my appointment with Craig Jones and he greeted me with, "Oh Gretchen, my lamination guy went out of business. Bankrupt."
I felt the floor opening me up and I was falling, falling, falling into the bottomless pit
of business startup complications. When I psychologically crawled up from the pit
I felt like my life was passing before my eyes. Pictures of friends and relatives spinning past.
So, I did what I always do. I gave myself a sharp, mental slap on my own face.
Ouchy. Nobody can kick my ass better than my own self. Seriously.
So I went to the counter with my huge box of stuff and Craig and I started talking turkey.
He is fantastic. His dad, Glenn Jones, was one of my dad's best friends.
Kenmore, The Next Generation! Hahahaha. *laughs at self*
So Connie arrived in her chronically late style and my blood pressure dropped back to normal.
She is the antidote for my chronically "out there" ideas. My personal anchor.
Lisa showed up so we showed her what we were doing and she had some great ideas.
She is so nice and her daughter is in my favorite top ten kids I sub with.
I like people Mr. Blog. I just think they are interesting and funny and full of good stories and fresh ideas.
So Craig made some calls and Connie and Lisa and I looked at the old 22" x 17" and compared it to the new 15" x 17" game. It got small because of the high cost of lams and the cut to bleed problem and the folding problem that seems endless... Until...
So we talked turkey till we turned blue then Connie and I went next door to Toshi's.
I LOVE Kenmore Toshi's Teriyaki. Kim and I were born the same year, 1956 and her kid John is already in college and her mom is STILL ALIVE in Korea. I'm pretty jealous about that.
Even though I don't cry as much over mom and Lyle now, I still miss them so much.
I couldn't pick many blackberries for years cause that was one of their favorite foods.
Blackberry cobbler.
It says it all: The joy of summer, the promise of industrious autumns. The shiny black segments that huge spiders will charge at you over with their swords drawn.
The stickiness of your purple hands and the snakes that slither past, stopping to glance at you as an inconsequential intruder in their world.
The sink full of soaking berries that you hope you can clean
before they ferment
and lead your teenagers into a life of alcoholism and hopelessness.
The scent of the lemon zest as you grate it into
the berries in your blue glass baking pan
that your wonderful mother-in-law Suzanne gave you.
The crunchy, gunky feel of the sugar and flour as you tenderly
mix them into the berries and try not to cry,
because it was your mom and dad's favorite.
*blows nose and wipes eyes*
So Connie says at lunch, "We can't work today."
And I say, "I'm coming to your house and we will assemble those last two games."
Her poor son was still sick but he said he didn't mind if we worked.
The four panel assembly is a A THING OF THE PAST.
Later on I called Steve-O and out of the blue he said,
"Perfs."
I went to the Kenmore UPS store yesterday for my appointment with Craig Jones and he greeted me with, "Oh Gretchen, my lamination guy went out of business. Bankrupt."
I felt the floor opening me up and I was falling, falling, falling into the bottomless pit
of business startup complications. When I psychologically crawled up from the pit
I felt like my life was passing before my eyes. Pictures of friends and relatives spinning past.
So, I did what I always do. I gave myself a sharp, mental slap on my own face.
Ouchy. Nobody can kick my ass better than my own self. Seriously.
So I went to the counter with my huge box of stuff and Craig and I started talking turkey.
He is fantastic. His dad, Glenn Jones, was one of my dad's best friends.
Kenmore, The Next Generation! Hahahaha. *laughs at self*
So Connie arrived in her chronically late style and my blood pressure dropped back to normal.
She is the antidote for my chronically "out there" ideas. My personal anchor.
Lisa showed up so we showed her what we were doing and she had some great ideas.
She is so nice and her daughter is in my favorite top ten kids I sub with.
I like people Mr. Blog. I just think they are interesting and funny and full of good stories and fresh ideas.
So Craig made some calls and Connie and Lisa and I looked at the old 22" x 17" and compared it to the new 15" x 17" game. It got small because of the high cost of lams and the cut to bleed problem and the folding problem that seems endless... Until...
So we talked turkey till we turned blue then Connie and I went next door to Toshi's.
I LOVE Kenmore Toshi's Teriyaki. Kim and I were born the same year, 1956 and her kid John is already in college and her mom is STILL ALIVE in Korea. I'm pretty jealous about that.
Even though I don't cry as much over mom and Lyle now, I still miss them so much.
I couldn't pick many blackberries for years cause that was one of their favorite foods.
Blackberry cobbler.
It says it all: The joy of summer, the promise of industrious autumns. The shiny black segments that huge spiders will charge at you over with their swords drawn.
The stickiness of your purple hands and the snakes that slither past, stopping to glance at you as an inconsequential intruder in their world.
The sink full of soaking berries that you hope you can clean
before they ferment
and lead your teenagers into a life of alcoholism and hopelessness.
The scent of the lemon zest as you grate it into
the berries in your blue glass baking pan
that your wonderful mother-in-law Suzanne gave you.
The crunchy, gunky feel of the sugar and flour as you tenderly
mix them into the berries and try not to cry,
because it was your mom and dad's favorite.
*blows nose and wipes eyes*
So Connie says at lunch, "We can't work today."
And I say, "I'm coming to your house and we will assemble those last two games."
Her poor son was still sick but he said he didn't mind if we worked.
The four panel assembly is a A THING OF THE PAST.
Later on I called Steve-O and out of the blue he said,
"Perfs."
Sunday, September 20, 2009
9/19/09 Scoring Idea
Hi Mr. Blog, I think I've got it. Our production problem of gluing the laminated panels is a huge time waster. I woke up with the idea to have the laminated top of the game run through a professional scoring machine! I found a bindery in Greenwood and I'm calling them first thing in the morning! I hope it solves all of our buckling problems!
It was a gorgeous sunny day! Troy and I have new colds with sore throats and coughs.
I went to Costco with Angela and for eight dollars I got enough saran wrap for this lifetime
and about ten reincarnations. What a secure feeling that is.
We popped up to Office Depot and I bought 200 peel and stick business card magnets and got them all made tonight,
Quinn and Joe came over to go canoing with Troy and they had a blast and they are both in DECA and Quinn is ready to work for me right now and excited. Let's see if he can pass out 200 magnets for $20.00!
Terry left for union shop steward training in Gold Bar so the boys and I watched TV together.
They are cranky that Terry took the X-Box 360 but, oh well.
Wish this cold would go away!
It was a gorgeous sunny day! Troy and I have new colds with sore throats and coughs.
I went to Costco with Angela and for eight dollars I got enough saran wrap for this lifetime
and about ten reincarnations. What a secure feeling that is.
We popped up to Office Depot and I bought 200 peel and stick business card magnets and got them all made tonight,
Quinn and Joe came over to go canoing with Troy and they had a blast and they are both in DECA and Quinn is ready to work for me right now and excited. Let's see if he can pass out 200 magnets for $20.00!
Terry left for union shop steward training in Gold Bar so the boys and I watched TV together.
They are cranky that Terry took the X-Box 360 but, oh well.
Wish this cold would go away!
Saturday, September 19, 2009
9/18/09 Car Show Fun
Hi Mr. Blog, it is so nice to see you.
I got to the Kenmore Community Clubhouse right at eight and served pancakes until eleven.
It was pretty funny. I love Bud and Annette Eaton so much. They are the managers and she asked if I could help serve a few weeks ago. Since I'm done as a scout and PTA leader after ten years I thought a little volunteer work would be good for me and it was. Bud, Annette and Dennis Karger were cooking the pancakes and sausages and Bev Peterson and Don and Wendy and me were serving the food. Lots of people asked for seconds and the cooks said we had to be,
"Careful" so we wouldn't run out. Don and Wendy said they just ignored what the cooks said and gave people whatever they wanted. It cracked me up and we had lots of laughs.
The Mayor's wife Sherry organized the carshow that followed the breakfast and it was awesome.
I had never been to a car show before and it was so much fun. I helped Sherry Baker and Kathy Straw set up for the car show and they were very happy. We hauled a bunch of tables outside and put on bright yellow table covers. Sherry let me set up my card table and sell games
and I did sell two. One to a guy a bit older than me, Pat and Bev. Pat got his for a party game for him and his carshow friends and Bev bought hers for her "grandma's toys closet."
I had never seen such amazing cars up close! Many from the 1930s on up. Some were mint stock buy my favorite were the customs. Especially Pat's custom pink '32 Chevy coupe. He won two trophies for it.
It was a little cloudy and cool but no REAL RAIN. We walked around or sat in folding chairs and yakked and looked at cars and listened to the Husky football game. We were so glad they beat the Trojans by two!
It was just a darn pleasant time and car show people are very friendly and interesting.
It is the perfect venue for selling car games. If Connie had gone I would have had double fun!
I learned all about the car show circuit and clubs and
I REALLY WANT TO DRIVE A CORVETTE AT 180 MILES PER HOUR SOME DAY!!!
I got to the Kenmore Community Clubhouse right at eight and served pancakes until eleven.
It was pretty funny. I love Bud and Annette Eaton so much. They are the managers and she asked if I could help serve a few weeks ago. Since I'm done as a scout and PTA leader after ten years I thought a little volunteer work would be good for me and it was. Bud, Annette and Dennis Karger were cooking the pancakes and sausages and Bev Peterson and Don and Wendy and me were serving the food. Lots of people asked for seconds and the cooks said we had to be,
"Careful" so we wouldn't run out. Don and Wendy said they just ignored what the cooks said and gave people whatever they wanted. It cracked me up and we had lots of laughs.
The Mayor's wife Sherry organized the carshow that followed the breakfast and it was awesome.
I had never been to a car show before and it was so much fun. I helped Sherry Baker and Kathy Straw set up for the car show and they were very happy. We hauled a bunch of tables outside and put on bright yellow table covers. Sherry let me set up my card table and sell games
and I did sell two. One to a guy a bit older than me, Pat and Bev. Pat got his for a party game for him and his carshow friends and Bev bought hers for her "grandma's toys closet."
I had never seen such amazing cars up close! Many from the 1930s on up. Some were mint stock buy my favorite were the customs. Especially Pat's custom pink '32 Chevy coupe. He won two trophies for it.
It was a little cloudy and cool but no REAL RAIN. We walked around or sat in folding chairs and yakked and looked at cars and listened to the Husky football game. We were so glad they beat the Trojans by two!
It was just a darn pleasant time and car show people are very friendly and interesting.
It is the perfect venue for selling car games. If Connie had gone I would have had double fun!
I learned all about the car show circuit and clubs and
I REALLY WANT TO DRIVE A CORVETTE AT 180 MILES PER HOUR SOME DAY!!!
9/18/09 Educational AND Fun
Hi Mr. Blog. I dropped off our game to Craig at the Kenmore UPS store to start working up bids on the revised edition. Not sure if we can go much bigger because of the laminated panels having to be cut to the bleed lines. Very complex to upgrade, yet oddly exciting. Like having another baby. I'd be satisfied if we can just increase enough to change the font a bit bigger.
That is the number one suggestion for improvement, to make the fonts big enough to read easier.
UPS has different print machines and I have a very good feeling about this situation.
As much as I convinced myself I was happy with the smaller size because of the lamination trimming, I did not like the fonts going below a twelve. I'm just going to pray up a storm that UPS comes through for us on a good bid. It will be the final Washington that we have to have as close to perfect as we can get with self-assembly because it will be the progenitor of the USA version that will be next. The minute this one is done, even in a few weeks, we'll be doing the cheat sheets and minor changes.
It is very exciting and makes me very very happy.
My worst day as my own boss is better than my best day working for anyone else.
That is the number one suggestion for improvement, to make the fonts big enough to read easier.
UPS has different print machines and I have a very good feeling about this situation.
As much as I convinced myself I was happy with the smaller size because of the lamination trimming, I did not like the fonts going below a twelve. I'm just going to pray up a storm that UPS comes through for us on a good bid. It will be the final Washington that we have to have as close to perfect as we can get with self-assembly because it will be the progenitor of the USA version that will be next. The minute this one is done, even in a few weeks, we'll be doing the cheat sheets and minor changes.
It is very exciting and makes me very very happy.
My worst day as my own boss is better than my best day working for anyone else.
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