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..

Rules, rules, rules, rules..

OK, some of you have started receiving the postcards...

But Derrick, what do I do with the amazing old west postcard that you have mailed me?

What does the number mean?

Why is Martha staring at her reflection in the sliding glass door?

Well dear mail recipient/reader/frequent mail buddy.. Reply to the postcard.  With the number.. And she heard something on the other side of the glass door and then became entranced with her own reflection.  Why else would she do that sheesh..

Don't toss the card with the junk mail.  It's not..

The way you were chosen as a recipient of my largest mailing to date was you are either have a posting on Good Mail Day, a reader of this blog, or someone I have been bouncing stuff back and forth with for a while.

I have started moving into the house in earnest this week.  a long and not pleasant process with the lovely triple digit temps here in Sacramento this past week.  When it hits 103 while driving back and forth between houses, you start to contemplate just leaving it and sending the landlord a check for disposal.

I'm probably 3 days from a finish though.  Had to pull my laptop out tonight and get this post done as I should have had this done the night I sent out all of the cards.

I NEED to get this move done soon though.  It has been a whole week and my office is still not setup.  That has NEVER happened before.  Trying to have everything in there before getting it setup.

So with that, here is the final instructions for the giveaway.  I need to go and take something for my aching ankle and rusty knees before tomorrows trial again.

1. Receive post card.
2. Read postcard.
3. Marvel in all it's glory
4. Admire the fine artwork
5. Wonder if you can extract some of my DNA from the back of that stamp. YES I licked every one.  Do these stamps make me loo fat??
6. Reply to the postcard with your number or without, but you must send me something and mention the mailing.  Just lets me know your paying attention.

Address (new.. and the peasants rejoice.. yea)

Derrick Dodson
6325 Matterhorn Drive
Sacramento, CA 95842

All of the items included in the giveaway are on this post A Call for printers and Giveaways

Thanks to all for reading and playing along with me.  Hoping to get back to writing and posting in the next few weeks when I have my room put together and not in pin every night from this moving thing.

And they're out of the gate!

The cards are on their way. 

Stats:
158 cards
5 sheets of 29 cent stamps
2 sheets of 85 cent stamps
2 sheets of 1 cent stamps.

The post cards were pre-stamped with 19 cent per.  So to make the 1.05, a single and an 85 worked well.  Wondering how long it will take to get to some of the further reaches.

Cards went out to Brazil, Poland, Germany, Australia, England/UK/Great Britain, Russia, India, Canada and the Philippines for the international portion of the giveaway.

So IT'S ON.

I will eventually be sending out change of address cards when I recover from actually getting in the house.  Of course it had to be 100+ all week with no end in sight to get this done.

I said it before and I'll say it again.  I WILL DIE IN THIS HOUSE.. I am NEVER MOVING AGAIN.  We have learned one really cool thing during the move.  The term I don't want to move this has become the mantra of the day.  The only place those things are moved to is the end of the driveway where the local vultures are circling wondering what we will drop out there next.  We have started to see regulars pop up when we return to make another load.

Remember when I did the "Crap Fest Mailing", think that on a much grander scale.  Instead of office garbage, I'm finding homes for some of my antiques.  Old Pie Safes, shelving (NO, I'm not putting that stuff on the street).

I'm writing this from work because I have yet to put my office back together.  Until I have everything that will go in the room there, I don't want to start setting things up knowing they will be moved.  The book cases are just to heavy when loaded.

Question..   Do any of you folks have hard wood floors.  and if so do you use a moving office chair?

I really don't want to jack up the floors rolling all over it with the chair.  Trying to figure out if I should put down a rug and a office mat on top of that to protect the floors.

So with that, back to the grind tomorrow.  I'm taking the rest of the week off from work the get the move complete.  The temps at 8am in the morning are much better than at 5pm after work.

It's Official, for sure, maybe, OH HELL I GIVE UP!

OK!  So the slow wheels of lending institutions being what they are, I FINALLY signed the papers for the new Casa de Dodson.  I won't bore you with the details here.  I mean if I did that what would I have to write about in 5-6 pages to wear your already shot peepers with.  HUH??

SO.. I am getting ready to start moving, packing (OH MY GOD NOT PACKING!!).

See this is the part where we start thinking..  How much insurance do I have on my stuff?  If I left the windows and front door open and conveniently left for a few hours, just think of how little I would have left to pack.  INGENIOUS!!

This is the start of the Dodson Moving Method (trademark).  you to can have State Farm/Farmers/Bobs Insurance Shack pay for your move.  Why move your old crap when you can have a newly furnished home!!

And after 3-5 years, you can enjoy it with your spouse after you get out for good behavior and say good bye to Bubba who has been just like your spouse for those lonely years.

Where was I??   Oh yea, back to that moving thingy.

So here is the new address.

Derrick Dodson (and clan)
6325 Matterhorn Drive
Sacramento, Ca 95842

Please update your address book/contact list/piece of paper you dropped and is now stuck to the bottom of your shoe because you walked over some gum and now every time you take a step you hear this crunching noise under your foot that you can't really tell where it's coming from until your kid says daddy what is that on your foot.

This way your letter/postcard/packages/small children don't get lost in the mail because they would get hungry and possibly die and I really don't need that kind of pressure on my head wondering if I made it down to the post office in time before the oxygen runs out in their box.

OH, almost forgot.  I'm doing this little giveaway thing.  If you have a chance and would like to get in on the action.  The cut off is on July 4.

Just leave a comment here with your address.  or email to me as it will never reach me before the 4th.  The email address is on the Aboot Me page.


If you run a blog, I would appreciate the kind mention of the goodies on yours, if you don't mind.

Well, I'm off to figure out if I can legally run a fire sale.  I mean hey, it's the 4th of July.  I have plenty of fire extinguishers  what could possibly go wrong.

A Call for Printers and Giveaway announcement

So, the slow wheels of the real estate market grind on.

Through this lovely process I have discovered a few things.

A. I am 43 years old.
B. I will DIE in this house.

I never want to go through this process again. Being that I will "hopefully" have this thing paid off before Kaylee is out of high school we shouldn't have to move.  I know, I know never say never.  or die for that matter.  Or pull my finger in mixed company after a trip to Taco Bell.

We almost lost the house yesterday when the appraisal came back 10k under our offer.  Remember kiddies, the bank won't let you pay more for the house than it's worth.  So my awesome agent got to work and saved the house for us.  The owner was going to pull the house and wait out the 6 months for the appraisal to run out and ask for a conventional loan (they can ask for what ever they want with that type of loan - see dinner and a show - you learned something today - you can now go home).  So with a bump in the interest rate and a cut in commission fro our agent (can't believe she did that for us) we are now on the path to home ownership.

Kaylee is enrolled in kindergarten and starts Aug. 9.  We are really excited about the school and Kaylee likes the teachers.  She met them at orientation. and it's only a few blocks from the new house :)

I have managed to get a few letters out and have everything I need for the giveaway, but I need to wait until I am clear to move in so I can get the change of address cards out and have a definitive place to have stuff sent.  I really don't like to have mail forwarded.

So with that..  I need some ideas on change of address cards.  Here is a chance for someone out there to get some printing business from me.  I would like letterpress if possible.  The order would be for around 120 cards.  Yes I have a bunch to send out.  Like you guys didn't know that.  How long have you been hanging out here??

IF you could send me a sample (email would be fine) and some pricing for quantity, you to could be the next contestant on The Price is Right!!

Now for the fun stuff.  The July giveaway.  You will be receiving in the mail a postcard with a number on it (I'm getting my stamping hand limbered up).  I have over 100 cards going out on this one and the prize it pretty good.  So here is a sample of the goods.


So tell em what they could win Chuck.

Well Derrick, if they call back within the next 10 minutes they can get this:

This lovely hard bound Legends of the West book with cover to keep those nasty dust bunnies off of your treasured collection (bad bunnies).

But wait there's more.  As you are one of the callers in the next 10 minutes you will also receive this:

This absolutely lovely collection of stamps all un licked by the house Chesapeake Bay Retriever (you can find your own dog - or I'm calling PETA)

And if that's not enough we'll throw in this:

A full set of first day release of The Legends of The West postcards.

Now our offer would be an istillwrite giveaway with out an added bonus..

But Derrick, you've already provided so much in this amazing offer.. what else could you throw in??

I'm so glad you asked.  I've been searching high and low and I've found something unique.  something made from the finest fuax bronze that could be had from some third world country. (sorry no pics - yet) a Pony Express commemorative coin.

Oh MY.. you can offer all of that can you for that price!!

YES, I' Can and yet I'm not done.  I'll also include a pony express advertisement and a pony express route map!!

But Derrick, How much are you selling it for?? $800?

NO, not $800.. Not even $400.. Not even $100

REALLY??

I'm offering you all this for the low, low price of a stamp (well that and some paper, you gotta stick that thing to something).

So hope that wet's the appetite.  All of the pieces are there, I just need a permanent address.

So what do you folks think?

I get almost ALL of my addresses from Good Mail Day.  So if you would like to be included in the mailing leave your address there by July 4th.  I will begin the mailing after that.  There are over 100 addresses in that listing.  I have my own  as well, so this will be the largest mailing I have done to date.

There may be some other goodness included as the prize mailing will be around Sept 1st (allowing for respondents) which coincides with Gold Rush Days in Old Sacramento.  So I will be picking up some more goodies at that time.

There will be some secondary prizes, I have a bunch of coins and posters of the pony express to spread around and some pressed pennies.

Bear with me folks.  I just need to get settled in the new house and get caught up.  Remember if you send me something I will write back.  Just might take a bit longer than normal.

Of Clampettes and Maui

The Clampettes are movin to Maui.  OK not really but close (ish).

We are in a CONTRACT..  and the peasants rejoice (yea)..

On Saturday we finally entered into a contract on a nice little house. A bit smaller than what we are in now but to my liking and in a MUCH better neighborhood.  Close to what will be Kaylee's new school (she starts kindergarten in August) within walking distance.  And work is now only 1.4 miles (according to google) away.  So with that whole math thing.  I "should" be able to go almost an entire month on 1 tank of gas.  Yea right and pigs might fly out my butt.. I mean if I never went anywhere other than work and home.  Which for the next few months might be the case.  I can feel the vacuum that is a home purchase already taking effect on my bank account.

This is what I can't believe.  We found a selling agent with morals.  WHAT????  Yup, they do exist.

They looked at our offer which was for asking (and what the house will actually appraise at) and accepted it within hours of submission. A lovely little 4bdr 2.5 bath 1435 sqft home.  with REALLY nice landscaping.  Kim and I get separate offices (BONUS).

We even managed to do a little recon after the office was accepted.  The owners wanted to go through with the open house they had scheduled for Sunday.  So we went.  Why not.  The selling agent had never met us, so we went in undercover to see what would happen.  To our surprise Mr. Morals was just that.  We were greeted at the front door with a pamphlet  and the statement "We are currently under contract as of yesterday"  YES!!  " But fell free to look around".  So I started chatting with Chad (agent) and told him our tale of constant outbidding on all of the previous housing purchase attempts.  He informed me that the offer they accepted was for asking and if they had had a bidding war offer (you know those 20-30k over asking to "get in" offers) that they would have turned it down as the house wouldn't appraise for that and they didn't want to have to re-negotiate the contract.  You Go Mr. Morals!! 

See..  Yes Virginia there is a Santa Claus.

So, now I can stop pouring over listings every waking hour of the day.  Am I sleeping any better?  NO.  Not until my posterior is sitting on my couch looking through the screen door my puppy is bound to destroy (I have faith in her) in our new home.

We are to close on July 1.  When I know for sure it's going to happen I will post the new address as well as sending out change of address cards.  I there any of my readers out there with a letterpress that wants some work???

Derrick

And the hunt goes on

So, yes I'm still hanging around.  Yes, I'm still sending our stuff albeit at a much slower pace right now.  and YES house hunting is the most time consuming and frustrating thing I have done in YEARS.

Child rearing is not this frustrating.  I'm not sure how many of you guys have gone through this process but for all the stories in the press stating the housing market sucks, they should try to be out there searching for one.

While the NEW construction sector might be in a downturn, the existing market is BOOMING.

We live in the Sacramento area which is fairly spread out.  Much like any urban/suburban area all over the country.. out instead of up in the city.  There are good and bad areas like anywhere.

Now one would think that your spouse, who has lived in this town/city/area for the past 30+ years would know the city.  Might even know how to get from point A to point B  (yes I'm making a sexist remark here).

So here is the problem when you are having your significant other searching for houses using various real estate searches on the internet or ipad app.  While she is finding houses, she is neglecting to actually look at the MAP on the SAME PAGE and zoom out a bit to actually show where that house is.

Ooooo  Look at this one..  Dear that house is at the end of the runway..  Oh.

Ooooo Look at this one..  How fond are you of backyard train sets.  Because it's going to seem like we have one in our room at 2 am.  Oh.

Oooooo... Look at this one.. Fan of helicopters??  Cause I can guarantee you be hearing them at least 3 times a week with a loud speaker yelling GET ON THE GROUND..  Oh..

So this has been my life for the past 2 months.  So while I have not been posting much lately, I have been busy :)

So bear with folks, I can almost see the light at the end of the tunnel.  Hopefully it's not an officer shining a light in my face asking me to step back from the ledge.

And with that, I promise to at least keep ya'll up to date on my pending mental trial (I think it's scheduled for mid July) on my ongoing housing saga.

more to come..  getting ready for another mass mailing (think horseys and indians)