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Yesteryear

Wednesday, December 9, 2009

December 9, 2009


           This is a pair of grey slippers about to become black slippers. The sharp-eyed will notice my background as a house painter, the way I cut in the seams. Isn’t is eerie how live coalesces around the basics. Except for this type of coloring I have no measureable patience for this kind of finishing work. This was an extremely happy day for money at the shoe shop, may I add.
           Theresa called. She reminded me that we get along about as well as we ever did. We talked about the flyer again, although I did not get a chance to clarify that I do not have the 15-20 hours per week needed to produce that caliber of copy; that the premise is for me to show her how to do it for herself. I’m too expensive and most of the time it looks like I’m just sitting there. It is called “thinking”. I quit the dog wig place over that one. A bit too much of the old “What have you done since I saw you last.”

           Now this flyer is becoming important by momentum alone. It is a retrograde idea that everybody can identify with it. We, or at least I, have no information about the potential for selling the spaces. But Theresa is most confident that she can move the product, both by its upscale content and her experience working for the “PennySaver” when it was around. Plus, and this is a big plus, we did not require expensive equipment to get the pilot issue out, it was done on less than $300 worth of used computer gear.
           It seems this “PennySaver” was a husband and wife team, complete with office and underpaid staff. The paper made enough to outsource the printing, never a cheap option. Theresa reports she worked as third in command, and thus knows how to measure circulation and customer contact. (I am forbidden to participate in any sales activity [stress-related]. Theresa is very clear on that.) Stick around, as you know I always like to have a venture with some hope to keep me out of the libraries and lecture halls.
           No progress on the puzzle patent, but I may change the title to avoid confusion with a mispronunciation of the word “Yorkers”, people from New York. Gee, I wouldn’t want to offend the Seinfelds or anything. Analysis shows that two puzzles may be better than on, so I did some extra research into Sudoku construction. What’s this I find out? Who remembers years ago when I wrote that any nine symbols would work just as well as numbers? Well, I’m remembering it right now.

           I did a little socializing after work, mostly talking about music. One item came up I like to report. It seems I’m not the only one that thinks that Steven Hawking is a little puke. Stevie-Boy, the whole world can see you are in a wheelchair, do you have to mention it every conversation? He’s been parodied on the Simpsons, which I’ll watch for, and his antics are very unpopular among those who prefer their facts without the theatrics.
           It was a three hour meeting. All bass players present agreed it was very difficult to do vocals and play bass simultaneously, where I thought it was totally a matter of practice. Despite this good advice, I intend to continue as planned. To practice standing up, playing bass, remembering lyrics and singing at the same time. Guitar seems easy by comparison.

           We’ve begun running an ad for the front area [at the computer store] that I currently rent. This is prime space but also an area that requires constant attendance for every business anybody can think of except my Internet computers. Diversification is no longer an option, something must be sold from this retail space. Of course, everyone wants it to be a few expensive sales per week as opposed to ringing up a cash register all day long. That limits things. I’m partial to selling gadgets but I can’t find anyone who will supply the inventory where I’m leery of purchasing it outright.