Wednesday, August 29, 2012

Of Daisies and Little Girls

So we are mov-ed.  We are living in the new place.

I can now walk through my garage on 3 different axis.  Much like an H pattern.

Progress has been had.  My office not so much.  I can see my desk.  I can see my paper and writing stuff.  What I can't find is my sanity.

So I managed to get the mailing done and have received a TON of responses.  Mainly US.  I will be doing the drawing for that at the end of next week when I have everything for the package.  We are having "Gold Rush Days" in Sacramento over the weekend and I need to acquire some things from that event.

I have only received a few responses from overseas (kind of disappointed there so some goodies going out to everyone that did reply (it pays to reply :).

On to the Daisies thing.

Kaylee is in school now.  Real school.  You know home work and stuff.

We bought the back pack, lunch pail (she picked it out) the Happy Napper Unicorn (pillow).

Now comes the "fun"stuff.  This is the part where Mommy and Daddy get hit up by every organization with their hand out to "fund" activities and make her time at school "fun and enjoyable".

Folks if you need money JUST ASK FOR IT.  Don't try to sell me something you are going to get 20% back on.  I would rather just give you a flat donation where all of the funds actually go to the organization.  I really don't want my soon to be 5 year old pedaling your wares.

See this is the part that makes me feel REALLY OLD.  I am turning 44 on Friday.  I drop Kaylee off at school every morning and stand there with the 20 something parents whom honestly look more like they just got our of high school themselves. Dressed like they are in high school (YES PULL UP YOUR DAMN PANTS AND TURN YOUR HAT STRAIGHT).. See crabby old man..

Now I know there are other parents out there who I believe are still reading my blog (yea yea.. I've been busy.  Not Tammy Orr busy but busy).  When you are dropping off your kids for school, how many times have you seen parents pulling up while talking on the cell phone and almost taking someone out in the process.  This has happened to ME TWICE in the past 2 weeks.

Oh yea the Daisies thing..

Kaylee has/will be joining the Daisies (Girl Scouts).  She seems very interested in this one as there are a bunch of her class mates in the Daisies as well.  So Daddy, will be taking his little sweetheart to the Girl Scout store next week to gear her up.  I am TRYING to not get her bogged down in after school activities.  You know them well..

Let's see... Suzy has soccer on Wed and Friday.  Gymanstics on Monday, Thursday and Sat.  Macrame class on Tuesday.  Hog tying on Sunday..  When do your kids get to be KIDS.

We did a REALLY good thing when we moved.  There is a swim club across the street from the house.  We joined that.  Our little fish called Kaylee LOVES it.  She finally got the nerve to go down the water slide and hit the diving board in the deep pool.

Well I got my old fart monologue out of the way for awhile.  Promise to start sending some stuff out soon.  I mean hey, Halloween is just around the corner and I have another mailing to do.

Wednesday, August 8, 2012

Game on.. A drive into the gap

Some of you may know I have a penchant for Field Notes Brand notebooks.  I truly love these little books.  I carry one around in my shirt pocket daily for keeping my notes for work related stuffs.  Network settings, application install instructions, phone lists and such.  You know, things that the 43+ year old mind has a tendency to forget if not used on a daily basis.

Note: don't leave your notebooks laying around a 2 year old..


For the uninitiated, Field Notes Brand started out as a little project with Aaron Draplin and Jim Coudal.  Now I don't know the whole sordid tale of how these two met, what they had for dinner, who was on top, nothing.  What I know is that the continual flow of what they are calling the "color subscriptions" are worth the price of admission alone in checking out their site.

I have infrequent emails/conversations with Aaron mainly asking where my freakin' shirt I want him to put together is (and he came through - Thanks Big Guy!).  I have emails bouncing with the folks at coudal as well (asking to set some stuff aside for me - And they always come through).

So what is it about these little books made of 24 folded pieces of paper and a cover that make me desire them and collect them?  Am I just one of the many sheeple?  Not so much.

As many of the people that read this blog and others like it.  We long for a simpler time, a return of tactile feel.  In other words. PEN/PENCIL TO PAPER.  That in a nutshell is it.  I have these little notebooks everywhere.  I carry them on my person, have one in my truck, I keep one in my packs.  WHY so many?  The folks at Field Notes said it best. (lifted the logo guys..) 

That's right - I'm not writing it down to remember it later, I'm writing it down to remember it now. (their tag line).  Mine goes more like this " I'm writing it down now because I'm getting to many cases of CRS and can barely remember what day it is let alone what I may have to recall this crap later.  Who are you again?  I'm scared..  Do you know where I live?  Dad says I'm a good driver.. Yea..  K-Mart sucks.."

So where was I, oh yea the notebooks, subscriptions, colors thing. They came out with a NEW colors one for late/mid summer that has me all giddy.


So this one comes in 3 colors in the collection.  Outfield Green, Infield Brown and Hardball White.


Along with the normal 3 pack of notebooks you get a copy of a Drive into the Gap.  A great little story published by Field Notes Brand Books.  A first from them as far as I know.

I will be sending off one of these sets to one of my readers and another to someone who sent me something special during my baseball mailing.  I need to try and get a hold of a few more.

Disclaimer.  The folks at Field Notes or Draplin Designs have never given me anything for review.  I purchase their products because of the simplicity and great design of an american made and designed product.  They put a lot of effort into the design and use of the product.  I really like the sense of humor  they put in them as well.

If you would like to know what I'm talking about and have never put your hands on one drop me a line and If I have some spares laying around, I'll send you one.  They (the regular craft paper) come in lined, graph and blank.  The colors come in various graph or dot patterns (my favorite).

They include goodies in every shipment.  Could be a button, pencil, pen (also a big favorite), sticker or notebook.  If you catch them on a special day you get a free 3 pack (subscribe to their e-mail listing).

Till next time..