Well, this is too funny and well worth taking time away from all I need to do to blog about. I just got today's mail and amongst all the credit card offers, corporate identity design offers, and the Val-Pak coupons, I found a little interesting tidbit...well, not so little as it was a huge, blazing orange envelope. The envelople contained information inviting your's truly to become...a member of the Handyman Club of America! Yes, friends, it's true. According to the invitation, "it's no secret among [my] friends and family that [I am] an outstanding handyman. As someone who is passionately devoted to do-it-yourself home improvement and maybe even woodworking, [I'm] exactly the kind of person [the] Club is looking for." (At this point, I checked to make sure I hadn't accidentally gotten someone else's mail.)
As anyone who knows me can well attest, I am about the least handy person that exists on the face of this planet. I make Bob Vila look like a god. As a prime example of this, the letter came with some freebies, one of which was a Drill Guage. It's a large plastic disc with holes cut in it with the size of the drill bits listed to the side of each hole. I had to read further in order to figure out what this contraption is. I thought it was just an odd drill bit holder or something. What a wonderful freebie. And, speaking of freebies, though I won't be sending my $12/year subscription dues or joining the Minentonka, Minnesota-based club that is not for "lukewarm handymen", I will, however, fully utilize the free address labels that have the Handyman logo, complete with hammer, next to my name. This, at least, is proof that I am indeed a handyman. Even if I don't know how to be handy.
Saturday, January 19, 2008
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
An Update
Well, it has indeed been some time since I last posted. However, life has been beyond insane for me and it doesn't look to be slowing any time soon. I am only about two weeks away from my company launch and it's absolute mayhem in my life right now. To top it off, I had to deal with the vet for two days over Matza's care (or lack thereof) as they ended up giving the poor little pooch a chemical burn from the shampoo---which I told them not to use in the first place. $364 and a whole bunch of steroid shots and stress later, she's doing much better. However, she's also now on Prozac as she's a very anxious little dog that bites her own fur off her back. It actually seems to be helping, but it's kind of a pain as I have to put that and her allergy pill inside a little dollop of peanut butter on top of one of her treats so that I don't have to shove the pills down her throat. She just thinks she gets a treat every morning. Little does she know. :)
In other news, the seamstress I had hoped to use has turned out to not be completely what I had hoped for. She sent me an estimate last night for $5000 to draw four patterns--and that doesn't include materials cost or the fact that I'm the one who came up with the actual designs. So, we're back in negotiations, but I have a feeling my kick-off date might be affected a little. Well, that or I'll just have to open without that part of my product line (which was the whole inspiration to begin with, so it's kind of a bugger). However, I have enough other vendors and items I'll be utilizing that it won't really destroy everything. I am just stressed on that one. Despite this, everything else is going very well--I just wish I had about three of me and 50 hours in a given day so that I could sleep AND get work done. I finally have all the inventory shelving and storage in place--after dropping the metal storage shelving on my big toe last night, crushing the thing and skinning the top of it off. That kind of hurt. However, the shelving racks look great and not at all tacky in my room. I had to spend a small fortune to pull this off, but I think it was worth it as I worked very hard to get my room to look how it does so I don't want to ruin it now.
I also got my new laptop (which I'm using now to write this) and I am beyond in love with it already. It is beyond fast--plus it has 250 GB of hard drive memory and a 500 GB back-up hard drive, so I think I should have enough memory space there. I also got my color laserjet printer, shipping scale and postage/label printer (they print side by side so I don't have to change out the label rolls to print both), my VOIP phone (which doesn't have to be hooked directly to my computer, as the base of it hooks directly to my wireless router while the cordless phone sits in the other room on my desk), my phone lines are good to go (toll-free, local, fax), the merchant account is all ready as soon as I get the final info back on my business checking, the zoning permit, LLC certification, and business license are all official and back to me, I got my business Visa card--but also had to bump my personal card to a $10,000 limit in order to cover all these crazy start-up expenses, I have my contractor and consultant agreements and confidentiality agreements all in place, my accounting software, etc., is all set up, and I have wholesale accounts set up with more vendors than I will possibly use at the beginning. I will order in about 750 t-shirts by the end of this week, once I narrow down which of the 70+ sayings I want to start with. I have my Duds for Studs, Stitches for Bitches, and Couture for Charity lines to divy those sayings amongst, but I still am not going to use all of them at first.
Oh, and in the middle of all of this, I've still been getting law school apps together (I have no idea at this point if I will go this fall or if I'll postpone, as it all depends on how the business is going--but I want my options open), and I have also been designing new product lines I hope to roll out soon too. My actual full-time job has been, um, interesting, to say the least. So, I'm looking at some options for change there. Essentially, my life is one big upheaval at this point. I spend so much time working that the rest of my life gets neglected, but at this point I don't have much choice. I found myself having friends over the other night for movie night--but I ended up sitting on the couch with my laptop, typing away while the movie played. I'd like to just have one night where I could relax without stressing over what's not getting done. I just keep reminding myself of how much progress I've made and how great the final product will be because of this work--somehow that helps to offset the lack of sleep and the stress I feel.
Other than that, there's not much to report. I wish I had my own apartment with no roommate, but that's a story for a whole other time. Meanwhile, I have to finish up some vendor stuff and then get to bed since I have an early morning meeting with the Durham Bulls marketing person, since we just signed to be their group sponsor again this season. I have been trying to get that marketing strategy put together, but then I also have a lot of other projects and a complete revamp of this quarter's contractor newsletter that I thought I was done with...until the senior VP wanted even more added. So, today was spent writing article after article in an effort to cover all the new material and double the size of the newsletter. Granted, this will be one of the few times the newsletter is this big, but it's just a lot of work to get through in two days as I want it completely finished and sent to all 750 contractors by this Friday. Anyway, enough chit chat. I'm going to work and then off to bed.
I hope all is well with each of you! And, remember, no dog deserves to be naked! (hint. hint.)
In other news, the seamstress I had hoped to use has turned out to not be completely what I had hoped for. She sent me an estimate last night for $5000 to draw four patterns--and that doesn't include materials cost or the fact that I'm the one who came up with the actual designs. So, we're back in negotiations, but I have a feeling my kick-off date might be affected a little. Well, that or I'll just have to open without that part of my product line (which was the whole inspiration to begin with, so it's kind of a bugger). However, I have enough other vendors and items I'll be utilizing that it won't really destroy everything. I am just stressed on that one. Despite this, everything else is going very well--I just wish I had about three of me and 50 hours in a given day so that I could sleep AND get work done. I finally have all the inventory shelving and storage in place--after dropping the metal storage shelving on my big toe last night, crushing the thing and skinning the top of it off. That kind of hurt. However, the shelving racks look great and not at all tacky in my room. I had to spend a small fortune to pull this off, but I think it was worth it as I worked very hard to get my room to look how it does so I don't want to ruin it now.
I also got my new laptop (which I'm using now to write this) and I am beyond in love with it already. It is beyond fast--plus it has 250 GB of hard drive memory and a 500 GB back-up hard drive, so I think I should have enough memory space there. I also got my color laserjet printer, shipping scale and postage/label printer (they print side by side so I don't have to change out the label rolls to print both), my VOIP phone (which doesn't have to be hooked directly to my computer, as the base of it hooks directly to my wireless router while the cordless phone sits in the other room on my desk), my phone lines are good to go (toll-free, local, fax), the merchant account is all ready as soon as I get the final info back on my business checking, the zoning permit, LLC certification, and business license are all official and back to me, I got my business Visa card--but also had to bump my personal card to a $10,000 limit in order to cover all these crazy start-up expenses, I have my contractor and consultant agreements and confidentiality agreements all in place, my accounting software, etc., is all set up, and I have wholesale accounts set up with more vendors than I will possibly use at the beginning. I will order in about 750 t-shirts by the end of this week, once I narrow down which of the 70+ sayings I want to start with. I have my Duds for Studs, Stitches for Bitches, and Couture for Charity lines to divy those sayings amongst, but I still am not going to use all of them at first.
Oh, and in the middle of all of this, I've still been getting law school apps together (I have no idea at this point if I will go this fall or if I'll postpone, as it all depends on how the business is going--but I want my options open), and I have also been designing new product lines I hope to roll out soon too. My actual full-time job has been, um, interesting, to say the least. So, I'm looking at some options for change there. Essentially, my life is one big upheaval at this point. I spend so much time working that the rest of my life gets neglected, but at this point I don't have much choice. I found myself having friends over the other night for movie night--but I ended up sitting on the couch with my laptop, typing away while the movie played. I'd like to just have one night where I could relax without stressing over what's not getting done. I just keep reminding myself of how much progress I've made and how great the final product will be because of this work--somehow that helps to offset the lack of sleep and the stress I feel.
Other than that, there's not much to report. I wish I had my own apartment with no roommate, but that's a story for a whole other time. Meanwhile, I have to finish up some vendor stuff and then get to bed since I have an early morning meeting with the Durham Bulls marketing person, since we just signed to be their group sponsor again this season. I have been trying to get that marketing strategy put together, but then I also have a lot of other projects and a complete revamp of this quarter's contractor newsletter that I thought I was done with...until the senior VP wanted even more added. So, today was spent writing article after article in an effort to cover all the new material and double the size of the newsletter. Granted, this will be one of the few times the newsletter is this big, but it's just a lot of work to get through in two days as I want it completely finished and sent to all 750 contractors by this Friday. Anyway, enough chit chat. I'm going to work and then off to bed.
I hope all is well with each of you! And, remember, no dog deserves to be naked! (hint. hint.)
Thursday, January 3, 2008
Kade becomes an LLC...
Hello all!
After months of planning, secrecy, and a whole lot of work, it is time for you and your pets to benefit from my labors! So, grab the dogs, leash up the kids, and hold on tight as we're down to less than one month until the planned date for my company to go live!! Yes, kids, its true--in less than 30 days, you can step in to a totally different custom canine clothing and accessories buying experience that you will not find anywhere else! (Believe me--I've looked.) So, start saving the pesos and measuring your pooches as the day is fast approaching for you to be able to purchase:
-Custom designs fresh from the runways of Raleigh--though you'd think it were France! You can purchase Second Coats' own designs in generic sizes from XS-XL or you can custom order any of the items using your own dog's specific chest, neck, and length measurements! Want to personalize it or give it as a gift? Monogramming and gift wrap packages are also available for a nominal cost!
-Your own custom designs! That's right--you, too, can be a fashion designer! Have a wedding coming up? Why not have your dog match the rest of your bridesmaids by ordering a custom matching dress? With Second Coats' Custom Canine Couture program, you can custom order any apparel item (not just dresses!) to be made to your specifications...you can even use your own fabric if you have something especially specific that you need to have made! Plus, you can always add monogramming to your custom design for that extra unique touch.
-T-shirts as unique as your dog! That's right--these tagless t-shirts are exclusively designed for your dog by Second Coats with sayings that can't be found anywhere else! Be sure to check out the Stitches for Bitches, Duds for Studs, and Couture for Charity t-shirt lines for great designs at great prices! Plus, a $5 donation will be made on your behalf to the Wake County SPCA for each Couture for Charity purchase. Do you have your own saying that you want printed on a t-shirt for your dog? No problem! Second Coats can take care of that--and even let you design multiple shirts that you can give as gifts or keep for your own fur baby!
-Custom-sized hand-knit sweaters tailored to your dog's specific measurements! Second Coats offers hand-knitted sweaters in a variety of colors, sizes, and styles, but you can even expand that offering by ordering your own custom-sized sweater! Monogramming is also available for this great find.
-All-natural skin and coat care products, including shampoos, conditioners, between-bath spritzes, oatmeal soaps, flea protectants, paw rub, and more! Many of these items not only help reduce a dog's allergies, but also promote healing for hot spots, dry skin and allergic reaction areas.
-All-natural treats that will treat your dog as well as you do! Whether it's bakery fresh hand-made cookies, organic "sushi", fortune cookies, or even breast cancer awareness treats, Second Coats has your doggy's dessert covered! Second Coats features many all-natural treat options that are rewarding to your dog's health and happiness! Plus, to help preserve your pet's dental health, Second Coats offers all-natural toothpaste that is safe for your dog to swallow and a custom-designed dog toothbrush that will make the task of brushing much easier and effective for all involved!
-Spa items that will make bath time fun--and more convenient! Whether it's a highly absorbent Turkish bath towel, a plush bathrobe, or a bright yellow rubber duckie, Second Coats has your dog's bath needs taken care of. Tired of trying to hold onto the soap while scrubbing your fur baby? Try our bone-shaped oatmeal soap-on-a-rope. The rope allows for the soap to be hung around the dog's neck so that you know exactly where it is at all times. Need storage for your canine companion's spa accessories? Second Coats has that covered too with exclusive bathtub caddies and bone-shaped chrome baskets that will hold it all! You can even take the dog spa with you with our convenient travel-size packages--or you can even give them as a gift!
-High-end accessories--necklaces, collars, and leads that are available in both leather and eco leather! These beautiful and well-made items vary from a basic collar on up to a Fox & Hounds designer leather collar with Swarovski crystals--with plenty of options and price points in between! Need a Swarovski crystal necklace, tiara, or hair clip for your little furry royal? We've got that taken care of too! From tear-drop amber crystal necklaces to sterling silver collar charms, your dog's accessories are only a click away!
-Designer dog bowls and storage containers with handpainted designs, customized writing, and all-around great style! If you're looking for some of the most exclusive and unique pieces around, Second Coats is your place. With designs containing French twigs, paw prints, Fleur de Lis and a handfull of other options, you can find exactly what you're looking for. Both designer stainless steel as well as custom high-fired and restaurant-quality porcelain food and water bowls can be found at Second Coats! Need something to store your pets food or treats? Check out Second Coats' stylish food and treat canisters that will keep your all-natural foods fresh while keeping your counter-top or storage area stylish and organized.
-The most unique, trendy, and tough dog toys around! If you're looking for a plush Chewy Vuitton or Sniffany & Co. chew toy, you'll find them in the same Doggy Doo Dads section as some of the toughest toys around--the Tuffie Toys collection. Tuffie Toys are designed to take on even the strongest dog without sacrificing style and fun! With seven-layer stitching and black nylon stitch covering, these toys are built to play with the big dogs! Do you need something for your pooch that's highly prone to allergies? Check out our organic cotton and all-natural chew toys that will help your furry little allergy sufferer enjoy play time! Your dog can be a dog again without suffering all of the side effects of allergies!
-Custom-designed and coordinated crate and bedding sets that keep your dog comfortable while allowing your house to maintain its style! Exclusively designed by Second Coats, our beds work well both in and out of your standard-sized crates (S to XL)--but there's much more to it than just a bed! You can also order a crate cover that completely matches your dogs bed--and it comes with a handy travel pouch so you can take it where you go! Designed with several great features, including a slit for your crate carry handle to pull through, this product is not only stylish but useful as well! Noises are muffled and light is dimmed, giving you and your dog a more restful night and a more pleasant traveling experience. Crate covers are also recommended by veterinarians to help ease a dog's nerves and provide a safe-haven for them too. Though highly useful, these items are often bland or boring--until now! Want an even more customized look? Why not add monogramming to the bed cover or crate cover? To complete the ensemble, you can purchase a matching picture frame that has the same fabric as the crate and bed covers! The bed covers are machine washable and the inserts are hypo-allergenic, further helping your dog's overall health. Need a custom bed made? No problem! Contact us and we can take care of your order, whether you need a specific size, a custom cover, or both!
-Unique, high-end designer beds that look like they're fresh from Paris' runways...or European speedways! If you want a Furcedes, Furrari, Chewnel #5, Chewy Vuitton, Sniffany & Co., or taxi or limo-style bed, Second Coats can offer your pet the most stylish sleeping arrangements around!
-Products for the ultimate dog owner! Whether it's stylish necklace charms for the proud parent, Swarovski crystal paw print earrings, silver bone-shaped keychains, or designer dog carriers, Second Coats has the items to help dog owners show their style and pride! Moving to completely practical items, in addition to the numerous all-natural products and pet carriers that Second Coats offers, pet owners can also purchase biodegradable waste pouches as well as pet medical kits that come complete with basic first aid instructions and over 50 first aid products! (Plus, each medical kit purchase helps give back to disabled individuals as they are employed to assemble these stylish medical bags!) Also, keep an eye out for the planned future addition of Bissell's ultimate pet care vacuum line! From basic wet-vac spot cleaners to the ultimate in ease and luxury--Bissell's Spot Bot Pet--Second Coats looks to offer even more exciting products to help ease some of the frustrations that can come from cleaning up after a child with four paws.
-Gifts to treat yourself or a friend! Why should dogs be the only ones to get treats? Second Coats offers unique gift baskets in every price range so that you can give the very best at a price you like! Whether it's a spa gift set, an all-natural-themed basket, a newborn puppy start-up basket, or a custom Christmas gift, we can take care of it all! Can't find what you're looking for or have a unique theme? Contact us and we can assemble a unique and stylish gift basket to match your exact price point and theme. Still can't decide on what to give? Second Coats gift certificates make a great gift and are available in $25 increments! Even with just one $25 gift certificate, you can let your friends know you care as they can purchase multiple top-quality items that they won't find elsewhere!
Second Coats has everything covered for you and your pet--truly giving your fur baby a designer second coat that you can be proud to show off! Great products at great prices are only a web address away! So, start thinking now of the custom designs and pieces you want your pet to have and be sure to watch for the grand opening website announcement! (Plus, special discounts, prizes, and coupons will be given too!)
Second Coats
Designer Doggy Duds
After months of planning, secrecy, and a whole lot of work, it is time for you and your pets to benefit from my labors! So, grab the dogs, leash up the kids, and hold on tight as we're down to less than one month until the planned date for my company to go live!! Yes, kids, its true--in less than 30 days, you can step in to a totally different custom canine clothing and accessories buying experience that you will not find anywhere else! (Believe me--I've looked.) So, start saving the pesos and measuring your pooches as the day is fast approaching for you to be able to purchase:
-Custom designs fresh from the runways of Raleigh--though you'd think it were France! You can purchase Second Coats' own designs in generic sizes from XS-XL or you can custom order any of the items using your own dog's specific chest, neck, and length measurements! Want to personalize it or give it as a gift? Monogramming and gift wrap packages are also available for a nominal cost!
-Your own custom designs! That's right--you, too, can be a fashion designer! Have a wedding coming up? Why not have your dog match the rest of your bridesmaids by ordering a custom matching dress? With Second Coats' Custom Canine Couture program, you can custom order any apparel item (not just dresses!) to be made to your specifications...you can even use your own fabric if you have something especially specific that you need to have made! Plus, you can always add monogramming to your custom design for that extra unique touch.
-T-shirts as unique as your dog! That's right--these tagless t-shirts are exclusively designed for your dog by Second Coats with sayings that can't be found anywhere else! Be sure to check out the Stitches for Bitches, Duds for Studs, and Couture for Charity t-shirt lines for great designs at great prices! Plus, a $5 donation will be made on your behalf to the Wake County SPCA for each Couture for Charity purchase. Do you have your own saying that you want printed on a t-shirt for your dog? No problem! Second Coats can take care of that--and even let you design multiple shirts that you can give as gifts or keep for your own fur baby!
-Custom-sized hand-knit sweaters tailored to your dog's specific measurements! Second Coats offers hand-knitted sweaters in a variety of colors, sizes, and styles, but you can even expand that offering by ordering your own custom-sized sweater! Monogramming is also available for this great find.
-All-natural skin and coat care products, including shampoos, conditioners, between-bath spritzes, oatmeal soaps, flea protectants, paw rub, and more! Many of these items not only help reduce a dog's allergies, but also promote healing for hot spots, dry skin and allergic reaction areas.
-All-natural treats that will treat your dog as well as you do! Whether it's bakery fresh hand-made cookies, organic "sushi", fortune cookies, or even breast cancer awareness treats, Second Coats has your doggy's dessert covered! Second Coats features many all-natural treat options that are rewarding to your dog's health and happiness! Plus, to help preserve your pet's dental health, Second Coats offers all-natural toothpaste that is safe for your dog to swallow and a custom-designed dog toothbrush that will make the task of brushing much easier and effective for all involved!
-Spa items that will make bath time fun--and more convenient! Whether it's a highly absorbent Turkish bath towel, a plush bathrobe, or a bright yellow rubber duckie, Second Coats has your dog's bath needs taken care of. Tired of trying to hold onto the soap while scrubbing your fur baby? Try our bone-shaped oatmeal soap-on-a-rope. The rope allows for the soap to be hung around the dog's neck so that you know exactly where it is at all times. Need storage for your canine companion's spa accessories? Second Coats has that covered too with exclusive bathtub caddies and bone-shaped chrome baskets that will hold it all! You can even take the dog spa with you with our convenient travel-size packages--or you can even give them as a gift!
-High-end accessories--necklaces, collars, and leads that are available in both leather and eco leather! These beautiful and well-made items vary from a basic collar on up to a Fox & Hounds designer leather collar with Swarovski crystals--with plenty of options and price points in between! Need a Swarovski crystal necklace, tiara, or hair clip for your little furry royal? We've got that taken care of too! From tear-drop amber crystal necklaces to sterling silver collar charms, your dog's accessories are only a click away!
-Designer dog bowls and storage containers with handpainted designs, customized writing, and all-around great style! If you're looking for some of the most exclusive and unique pieces around, Second Coats is your place. With designs containing French twigs, paw prints, Fleur de Lis and a handfull of other options, you can find exactly what you're looking for. Both designer stainless steel as well as custom high-fired and restaurant-quality porcelain food and water bowls can be found at Second Coats! Need something to store your pets food or treats? Check out Second Coats' stylish food and treat canisters that will keep your all-natural foods fresh while keeping your counter-top or storage area stylish and organized.
-The most unique, trendy, and tough dog toys around! If you're looking for a plush Chewy Vuitton or Sniffany & Co. chew toy, you'll find them in the same Doggy Doo Dads section as some of the toughest toys around--the Tuffie Toys collection. Tuffie Toys are designed to take on even the strongest dog without sacrificing style and fun! With seven-layer stitching and black nylon stitch covering, these toys are built to play with the big dogs! Do you need something for your pooch that's highly prone to allergies? Check out our organic cotton and all-natural chew toys that will help your furry little allergy sufferer enjoy play time! Your dog can be a dog again without suffering all of the side effects of allergies!
-Custom-designed and coordinated crate and bedding sets that keep your dog comfortable while allowing your house to maintain its style! Exclusively designed by Second Coats, our beds work well both in and out of your standard-sized crates (S to XL)--but there's much more to it than just a bed! You can also order a crate cover that completely matches your dogs bed--and it comes with a handy travel pouch so you can take it where you go! Designed with several great features, including a slit for your crate carry handle to pull through, this product is not only stylish but useful as well! Noises are muffled and light is dimmed, giving you and your dog a more restful night and a more pleasant traveling experience. Crate covers are also recommended by veterinarians to help ease a dog's nerves and provide a safe-haven for them too. Though highly useful, these items are often bland or boring--until now! Want an even more customized look? Why not add monogramming to the bed cover or crate cover? To complete the ensemble, you can purchase a matching picture frame that has the same fabric as the crate and bed covers! The bed covers are machine washable and the inserts are hypo-allergenic, further helping your dog's overall health. Need a custom bed made? No problem! Contact us and we can take care of your order, whether you need a specific size, a custom cover, or both!
-Unique, high-end designer beds that look like they're fresh from Paris' runways...or European speedways! If you want a Furcedes, Furrari, Chewnel #5, Chewy Vuitton, Sniffany & Co., or taxi or limo-style bed, Second Coats can offer your pet the most stylish sleeping arrangements around!
-Products for the ultimate dog owner! Whether it's stylish necklace charms for the proud parent, Swarovski crystal paw print earrings, silver bone-shaped keychains, or designer dog carriers, Second Coats has the items to help dog owners show their style and pride! Moving to completely practical items, in addition to the numerous all-natural products and pet carriers that Second Coats offers, pet owners can also purchase biodegradable waste pouches as well as pet medical kits that come complete with basic first aid instructions and over 50 first aid products! (Plus, each medical kit purchase helps give back to disabled individuals as they are employed to assemble these stylish medical bags!) Also, keep an eye out for the planned future addition of Bissell's ultimate pet care vacuum line! From basic wet-vac spot cleaners to the ultimate in ease and luxury--Bissell's Spot Bot Pet--Second Coats looks to offer even more exciting products to help ease some of the frustrations that can come from cleaning up after a child with four paws.
-Gifts to treat yourself or a friend! Why should dogs be the only ones to get treats? Second Coats offers unique gift baskets in every price range so that you can give the very best at a price you like! Whether it's a spa gift set, an all-natural-themed basket, a newborn puppy start-up basket, or a custom Christmas gift, we can take care of it all! Can't find what you're looking for or have a unique theme? Contact us and we can assemble a unique and stylish gift basket to match your exact price point and theme. Still can't decide on what to give? Second Coats gift certificates make a great gift and are available in $25 increments! Even with just one $25 gift certificate, you can let your friends know you care as they can purchase multiple top-quality items that they won't find elsewhere!
Second Coats has everything covered for you and your pet--truly giving your fur baby a designer second coat that you can be proud to show off! Great products at great prices are only a web address away! So, start thinking now of the custom designs and pieces you want your pet to have and be sure to watch for the grand opening website announcement! (Plus, special discounts, prizes, and coupons will be given too!)
Second Coats
Designer Doggy Duds
Wednesday, January 2, 2008
Late Night Thoughts
Shalom!
Well, I should be in bed--I should've been two or three hours ago, actually--but I have had so much to do that I haven't quite made it there yet. To further procrastinate my head hitting the pillow, I shall write a long (yet riveting) blog.
I am sitting here surrounded by piles and piles and piles and piles of Christmas decorations, bags of cookies and empty pizza boxes, a great new coffee table centerpiece, loads of unpacked luggage, a yet-to-be-assembled storage rack, and two little white furballs that are sleeping soundly. One furball is curled up in her pajamas and is on a pillow next to me. The other has curled up on the back of the couch, resting against my neck and shoulders. Were one to walk in and see my apartment at this very moment, the scene would appear to be an unorganized trash heap complete with furry critters everywhere (myself included, I reckon as I haven't shaved in a week's time) and yet there's so much explanation behind everything here--and lots of fun memories too.
The Charlie Brown Christmas tree sitting across the room from me--looking even more pathetic than it did two weeks ago, if that's even possible--is a reminder of this evening's gift exchange I held with a friend. The nice Christmas tree that graced my living room for the past month (on loan from said friend so that I had a good looking one for my party a few weeks ago) was taken down earlier today--before we had a chance to do our gift exchange. As it didn't feel like Christmas without a tree and all the festivities, I dragged my roommate's hideous tree into the middle of the living room, put Matza in her elf costume, and put Christmas music on. The only thing that wasn't so Christmas-like was me yelling at everyone to get some dang Christmas spirit and stop being so crabby--followed by orders to report to the living room full of Christmas joy and happiness. Once past that, it was great.
The empty pizza boxes and open cookies bags tell of a fun-filled evening spent with friends, during which we just relaxed (for the most part) and watched British comedies. It was one last hoorah before having to return to the real world of work in just a few hours from now. Tonight was the first time I had ordered pizza online. It was quite fun, actually. I do love me some pizza.
The Christmas decor piled around--to the point it consumes most of my living room and dining area--was acquired yesterday and today, as I decided to take advantage of post-Christmas sales and thus bought my first Christmas tree (artificial, that is) and cleared out two Targets in order to have plenty of coordinated decorations, lights, and ornaments. Even more than I love pizza, I love me a good sale. So, $250 later, I have $1200 worth of Christmas stuff. Needless to say, my tree will not be bare. As I am not remotely a patient person, I can not wait a full year before I see the whole thing put together, so I am putting it together in the next two days and I will enjoy it for the month of January. Crazy, I know, but I want to see this tree in all its glory. As I bought enough decor for two trees and then some, it should indeed have some glory to it. In my shopping excursion at Target, during which I filled the baskets and bottom racks of three carts (an utter and complete pain to shop with), I also found some cool stuff to use for a coffee table centerpiece. So, that is now prominently displayed too. It was a battle tonight to get everyone who saw it to agree on how it should all be put together. Ultimately, since it's my stuff anyway, I did what I wanted and I am quite happy with the results. Go me.
The furballs are my own beloved Matza and my co-worker's dog, Lacy. Lacy is basically a miniature version of Matza (if you can picture that, as Matza can't get much smaller herself). Lacy is about three pounds and is a white fluff ball. She's a hoot too. She's now gotten herself wedged between the cushions on the back of the couch, with her butt just dangling in the air--yet on she sleeps. It was quite the menagerie of animals here earlier today. Not only was there Matza and Lacy, but Peanut (my friend Adrian's dog) was here and of course my roommate's cats, Milo and Morris, were here too. Then, I was also dog-sitting for another co-worker (I didn't keep Bailey here, as he's 130-lbs. and would eat Matza in two bites--well, one if he didn't chew), so I took off for a while today to go take care of the big baby. It's about a 30 minute drive each way, so it isn't the most convenient thing to do, but I do it at least once a month and Bailey's just too cute, so I can't say no. He's a mix of pitbull, St. Bernard, yellow lab, and something else...an overgrown saliva gland perhaps? I can't remember. Anyway, it's quite the combo, but he's adorable. I told him he should've been named Fifi and I think he kind of liked the idea. He will stand on his two hind legs and dance with me (eye-to-eye almost) and he loves his walks around the lake.
As for the luggage, it's sitting unpacked and in the hallway, as I have been too busy to do anything with it since getting back from Utah on Sunday night. I usually don't get a bag unpacked until about a month or two after returning from a trip, so heaven only knows how long it will take me to get around to unpacking TWO bags. As the cats are curled up on top of the luggage while I type this, it makes me think I need to get unpacked quickly so as to not have my luggage smelling like cats. I'd put it in my bedroom, but there's no room there as I've re-arranged my furniture in order to put the yet-to-be-assembled storage shelving unit in my bedroom. The storage unit is going to hold all of the inventory for my business and has been a big ol' pain in the heiny to deal with as there just wasn't room for it. I had to move Matza's tent in order to have space and she's not a happy camper (no pun intended).
Speaking of my company, I am excited to announce that I have found a web designer who is incredible and is going to design my site for about $3000 less than he would normally charge for a basic site. It's my uncle's best friend and he owns his own design company that is very successful. He is giving me the "friend of the family" discount, which is also going to include about $40,000 in free upgrades and software that he's rolling over to me as his large clients have already paid for it. I couldn't be more excited! Part of the reason I'm up so late is because I just got done e-mailing him pages and pages of notes and design ideas, along with rough sketches I did on the flight to Utah, in order to give him an idea of what I'd like. This is the same reason as to why tonight was not totally relaxing, as I was working on all of that while trying to be sociable and watch the show too. The designer, Kayvon, and I had quite the discussion on the phone the other day and the information I sent tonight should move us much further along so that the site can be on its way to my (hopefully) February 1st kick-off! Wahoo!
I also have come up with two additional products I want to develop that don't already exist in the market--or at least that aren't nearly as well-designed or developed as they should and could be. So, that's on the agenda to get to at some point, but as I'm already putting 50-75 hours/week into just getting the thing up and running, I think the extra product development is going to be a slower process than I'd like. Fortunately, my consultants are going to sign my agreements next week so that I can get them working and have my proprietary information protected too. That will definitely help and I can get them working on further ironing out some of the new product details I won't have time for right away. I have ordered in about 35 items that I'm going to be testing out and those should get here in the next week too (actually, the shipping confirmation notice just arrived in my inbox, so they will be here this week!). I have my Articles of Organization ready to go (there was a bit of a snag with those, so I had to delay the submittal of such) and I have my PO box, my business Visa is on its way, and I have all of my equipment ordered and so all of it is either in production or shipping right now, with the last of it arriving on January 16th.
It almost gives me a heart attack each time I make $1000s in purchases, but I'm quickly learning that you do indeed have to spend money to make money. Gratefully, I'm a very fiscally responsible person so I know I'm not buying frivolously and I definitely do not pay asking price for anything, so that has helped too. So far, I've almost been taken for about $5000 in hidden charges and even in a phishing scheme too, but I am following my gut instinct on everything and reading the fine print in every contract and agreement that hits my desk. I never thought there'd be so many dishonest people openly functioning in the business world. I'm not so naive as to think all are honest, but the ratio of honest vs. dishonest people is of a completely different proportion than I would have guessed. It's really quite sad, but I am fortunate to have found so many honest and good people and companies.
Well, I do believe that is all for now. As it's 2:30 a.m. and I have to be up in just a few hours, I suppose I'd better sign off. My thoughts at this hour are many, but the overriding thought is that I'm incredibly blessed to have such a wonderful family and friend support system, a great life (I didn't say it was perfect--but it doesn't have to be perfect to be great), and a loving Heavenly Father that watches over me and blesses me, despite my seriously high amount of flaws and imperfections. I couldn't ask for anything more than what I have as I don't even really deserve this much.
On this, the first of a new year, I can honestly say that I am happy, blessed, and fortunate to be in the place I am at in life. This upcoming year has more challenges for me than I can even anticipate (just looking at the variables with starting my own company AND law school gives me more than enough to think about, let alone living everyday life and knowing that I have a third knee surgery coming up in a few months--I just have to find some time to schedule it in), but I know that despite the problems that will undoubtedly come my way, I can make it through with the support of my God and my family and friends. For each of you, may 2008 be the best year of your life and may you be blessed beyond measure with good health and personal growth! Happy New Year!
Well, I should be in bed--I should've been two or three hours ago, actually--but I have had so much to do that I haven't quite made it there yet. To further procrastinate my head hitting the pillow, I shall write a long (yet riveting) blog.
I am sitting here surrounded by piles and piles and piles and piles of Christmas decorations, bags of cookies and empty pizza boxes, a great new coffee table centerpiece, loads of unpacked luggage, a yet-to-be-assembled storage rack, and two little white furballs that are sleeping soundly. One furball is curled up in her pajamas and is on a pillow next to me. The other has curled up on the back of the couch, resting against my neck and shoulders. Were one to walk in and see my apartment at this very moment, the scene would appear to be an unorganized trash heap complete with furry critters everywhere (myself included, I reckon as I haven't shaved in a week's time) and yet there's so much explanation behind everything here--and lots of fun memories too.
The Charlie Brown Christmas tree sitting across the room from me--looking even more pathetic than it did two weeks ago, if that's even possible--is a reminder of this evening's gift exchange I held with a friend. The nice Christmas tree that graced my living room for the past month (on loan from said friend so that I had a good looking one for my party a few weeks ago) was taken down earlier today--before we had a chance to do our gift exchange. As it didn't feel like Christmas without a tree and all the festivities, I dragged my roommate's hideous tree into the middle of the living room, put Matza in her elf costume, and put Christmas music on. The only thing that wasn't so Christmas-like was me yelling at everyone to get some dang Christmas spirit and stop being so crabby--followed by orders to report to the living room full of Christmas joy and happiness. Once past that, it was great.
The empty pizza boxes and open cookies bags tell of a fun-filled evening spent with friends, during which we just relaxed (for the most part) and watched British comedies. It was one last hoorah before having to return to the real world of work in just a few hours from now. Tonight was the first time I had ordered pizza online. It was quite fun, actually. I do love me some pizza.
The Christmas decor piled around--to the point it consumes most of my living room and dining area--was acquired yesterday and today, as I decided to take advantage of post-Christmas sales and thus bought my first Christmas tree (artificial, that is) and cleared out two Targets in order to have plenty of coordinated decorations, lights, and ornaments. Even more than I love pizza, I love me a good sale. So, $250 later, I have $1200 worth of Christmas stuff. Needless to say, my tree will not be bare. As I am not remotely a patient person, I can not wait a full year before I see the whole thing put together, so I am putting it together in the next two days and I will enjoy it for the month of January. Crazy, I know, but I want to see this tree in all its glory. As I bought enough decor for two trees and then some, it should indeed have some glory to it. In my shopping excursion at Target, during which I filled the baskets and bottom racks of three carts (an utter and complete pain to shop with), I also found some cool stuff to use for a coffee table centerpiece. So, that is now prominently displayed too. It was a battle tonight to get everyone who saw it to agree on how it should all be put together. Ultimately, since it's my stuff anyway, I did what I wanted and I am quite happy with the results. Go me.
The furballs are my own beloved Matza and my co-worker's dog, Lacy. Lacy is basically a miniature version of Matza (if you can picture that, as Matza can't get much smaller herself). Lacy is about three pounds and is a white fluff ball. She's a hoot too. She's now gotten herself wedged between the cushions on the back of the couch, with her butt just dangling in the air--yet on she sleeps. It was quite the menagerie of animals here earlier today. Not only was there Matza and Lacy, but Peanut (my friend Adrian's dog) was here and of course my roommate's cats, Milo and Morris, were here too. Then, I was also dog-sitting for another co-worker (I didn't keep Bailey here, as he's 130-lbs. and would eat Matza in two bites--well, one if he didn't chew), so I took off for a while today to go take care of the big baby. It's about a 30 minute drive each way, so it isn't the most convenient thing to do, but I do it at least once a month and Bailey's just too cute, so I can't say no. He's a mix of pitbull, St. Bernard, yellow lab, and something else...an overgrown saliva gland perhaps? I can't remember. Anyway, it's quite the combo, but he's adorable. I told him he should've been named Fifi and I think he kind of liked the idea. He will stand on his two hind legs and dance with me (eye-to-eye almost) and he loves his walks around the lake.
As for the luggage, it's sitting unpacked and in the hallway, as I have been too busy to do anything with it since getting back from Utah on Sunday night. I usually don't get a bag unpacked until about a month or two after returning from a trip, so heaven only knows how long it will take me to get around to unpacking TWO bags. As the cats are curled up on top of the luggage while I type this, it makes me think I need to get unpacked quickly so as to not have my luggage smelling like cats. I'd put it in my bedroom, but there's no room there as I've re-arranged my furniture in order to put the yet-to-be-assembled storage shelving unit in my bedroom. The storage unit is going to hold all of the inventory for my business and has been a big ol' pain in the heiny to deal with as there just wasn't room for it. I had to move Matza's tent in order to have space and she's not a happy camper (no pun intended).
Speaking of my company, I am excited to announce that I have found a web designer who is incredible and is going to design my site for about $3000 less than he would normally charge for a basic site. It's my uncle's best friend and he owns his own design company that is very successful. He is giving me the "friend of the family" discount, which is also going to include about $40,000 in free upgrades and software that he's rolling over to me as his large clients have already paid for it. I couldn't be more excited! Part of the reason I'm up so late is because I just got done e-mailing him pages and pages of notes and design ideas, along with rough sketches I did on the flight to Utah, in order to give him an idea of what I'd like. This is the same reason as to why tonight was not totally relaxing, as I was working on all of that while trying to be sociable and watch the show too. The designer, Kayvon, and I had quite the discussion on the phone the other day and the information I sent tonight should move us much further along so that the site can be on its way to my (hopefully) February 1st kick-off! Wahoo!
I also have come up with two additional products I want to develop that don't already exist in the market--or at least that aren't nearly as well-designed or developed as they should and could be. So, that's on the agenda to get to at some point, but as I'm already putting 50-75 hours/week into just getting the thing up and running, I think the extra product development is going to be a slower process than I'd like. Fortunately, my consultants are going to sign my agreements next week so that I can get them working and have my proprietary information protected too. That will definitely help and I can get them working on further ironing out some of the new product details I won't have time for right away. I have ordered in about 35 items that I'm going to be testing out and those should get here in the next week too (actually, the shipping confirmation notice just arrived in my inbox, so they will be here this week!). I have my Articles of Organization ready to go (there was a bit of a snag with those, so I had to delay the submittal of such) and I have my PO box, my business Visa is on its way, and I have all of my equipment ordered and so all of it is either in production or shipping right now, with the last of it arriving on January 16th.
It almost gives me a heart attack each time I make $1000s in purchases, but I'm quickly learning that you do indeed have to spend money to make money. Gratefully, I'm a very fiscally responsible person so I know I'm not buying frivolously and I definitely do not pay asking price for anything, so that has helped too. So far, I've almost been taken for about $5000 in hidden charges and even in a phishing scheme too, but I am following my gut instinct on everything and reading the fine print in every contract and agreement that hits my desk. I never thought there'd be so many dishonest people openly functioning in the business world. I'm not so naive as to think all are honest, but the ratio of honest vs. dishonest people is of a completely different proportion than I would have guessed. It's really quite sad, but I am fortunate to have found so many honest and good people and companies.
Well, I do believe that is all for now. As it's 2:30 a.m. and I have to be up in just a few hours, I suppose I'd better sign off. My thoughts at this hour are many, but the overriding thought is that I'm incredibly blessed to have such a wonderful family and friend support system, a great life (I didn't say it was perfect--but it doesn't have to be perfect to be great), and a loving Heavenly Father that watches over me and blesses me, despite my seriously high amount of flaws and imperfections. I couldn't ask for anything more than what I have as I don't even really deserve this much.
On this, the first of a new year, I can honestly say that I am happy, blessed, and fortunate to be in the place I am at in life. This upcoming year has more challenges for me than I can even anticipate (just looking at the variables with starting my own company AND law school gives me more than enough to think about, let alone living everyday life and knowing that I have a third knee surgery coming up in a few months--I just have to find some time to schedule it in), but I know that despite the problems that will undoubtedly come my way, I can make it through with the support of my God and my family and friends. For each of you, may 2008 be the best year of your life and may you be blessed beyond measure with good health and personal growth! Happy New Year!
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