One year ago today: March 17, 2017, spiritless & uninspired.
Five years ago today: March 17, 2013, I can’t find that tie.
Nine years ago today: March 17, 2009, did Spain do it?
Random years ago today: March 17, 2007, $50/hr! Obviously a typo.
There’s where I moved the fridge. You can see it right through where the wall used to be. The kitchen will be much more open, but still cramped with anything but a small ‘bar” table for two against one wall. Fine, like how much company have I had lately. The fridge door still has to be changed to a left hand and notice it is not centered in the available space. I have to install an outlet for that. I’ll do it when that single remaining large-enough space above the fridge is cut out for the air conditioner.
Okay, let’s hear about the hotdog cart. It’s a beauty and it is brand new. The burners have never been turned on and it includes all the extras. I can confirm separate charcoal grills and a tank for boiling, heated serving trays, dual propane tanks, water heater, and bun warmer. But it is not in the driveway, it is in behind piles of yard stuff in back of his garage, meaning the pictures were taken some time ago. I need to see everything. I’ve asked him to haul it out, since he’s not selling it to anybody if they can’t get right up to it. Dang, I need those pictures off Agt. R’s phone, now that he’s seeing the light on this.
I do not intend to run the stand, but I have two other parties willing to sign leasing agreements for a flat daily rental and a cut of the profits. There is no decision to go ahead, these are all preliminaries. The sales will be discretely monitored by Internet cameras. I’ve priced out an excellent front-opening freezer and the shelves from the red shed will hold enough supplies that, shall we say, if we sell that in four days, I’ll buy a bigger shed. I’ve discussed the options with others and since City Hall is being jerkfaces, have instructed Agt. R to follow up by interviewing a man he knows who runs a similar concession.
Financing? It would be through the club, so failure is not an option. Nobody makes millions unless we do, but on the other hand there is no corresponding chance of losing money. Each asset is purchased below resell cost and there will be adequate storage for all perishables. I’ve laid down the law that nobody can operate the stand within a minimum distance from a defined set of businesses that are friends of mine. Other than that, let’s talk money. Remember the gold sluice idea that I squelched? That money is still in reserve and unused. Put together with what I can rustle up in the next 20 days, there will be twice as much as I’ve calculated is required for a fully-funded operation with supplies, insurances, and floats.
Also, factor in that the club has always been mutually supportive, but as secretary-treasurer, over time most of the remaining assets are under my direct control. Interestingly, the only other person who is fully aware of the extent of this is JZ, who is not a club member. So trust him when he joked that if it comes to competition, my stand would be the only one with a million toothpick display, solar-powered advertising, and live entertainment.
First class, Luxembourg.
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See this photo? It’s here because I wanted it to be. This is your robot builder’s emergency kit. You can tell how active a club member is by the number of tubes he goes through. No home handyman should be without it. Remember to clamp for at least twenty minutes.
The work shed. Kept me in the back yard most of the afternoon. That, sunshine, is how retirement works. You might think your opportunities and energy got me beat, but think again. Apples and oranges, you will do well to be as attractive to women at my age. Of course, I’d rather be out bumping new incoming skirt. Who wouldn’t? I went out to Karaoke and there was one sweetie that gave me the something else. But then she melted into the crowd and I could not find her. I sang several numbers, of course carefully coaching the staff in advance what to watch for.
The concept fed on itself and now it could be that, ballroom-wise, I’m the best dancer in the place. I hold the mic aloft when the crowd yells “Tequila”, though that is to emphasize that I’m not singing. The crowd was unusually full of new people, and even I did not expect the wild success I’ve had with this song lately. By end of the first verse, the stage was lined with people holding up their smartphones and recording the event. And you bet, the staff witnessed the whole thing. As intended. This is a competitive business and I am a competitive personality. It ain’t braggin’ if you done it.
The ballroom steps gave me another idea, or more like resurrected a plan to learn to do a foxtrot box step while I’m playing bass. I’ve never seen or heard of anyone doing this and in the past I’ve admired bass players who had distinctive stage moves. We’re talking over forty years ago, so duh, maybe I should put something novel together in that department. Give me some practice time, I mean I can do both independently already so it’s not like rocket surgery.
Another contrast is when I’m not on stage. If I’m not chatting up some gal, I’m working on something with pencil and paper, and the whole place knows it. If they haven’t figured out I’m not from around here by now, it’s probably too late. Except for the gal who evaporated, it was all pairs tonight and I don’t bother with women who hang on some guy’s arm, even if it’s her brother. The topic tonight was the lowly hot dog. I’ve researched how the big chains started. Kroc, Rosenberg, Saunders, Penny, Walton, and Disney. Not one college grad in the lot. But none of them were early successes and nor did they take an existing concept and expand it. Nope, they had a new idea and they stuck with it. I don’t think I can do that in a business setting. Music, I hope so, but business I’m not so sure.
What I have done is haul out my old textbooks and carefully gleaned the parts I enjoy the most and it rapidly fell to my old fondness for costing. This is the study and practice of tracking the costs of production, now likely to soon be applied to the lowly hotdog. There are always two types of cost, the direct and the indirect. Examples would be the meat itself, the most direct cost, and then indirect such as the gas to tow the wagon and any bribes, pardon me, city licensing. I’ve more than once been called on referring licensing and insurances as bribes. But it is the most descriptive term available. A fee you must pay to people you don’t like to be permitted to operate your business. The only difference is the way in which you pronounce ‘permitted’.
Now comes the educational part of today’s post. If you intend to follow along, this will give you a head start. I eventually plan to blog it, but that’s not feasible unless we get past the planning phase. The study of costs is not a science. Here is the basic structure I usually follow:
Materiality: trace only those costs where it is economically feasible. If the cost is too small, accumulate it and assign it later when sales are known. However, I consider most direct materials cost to be worth tracing and I can be deadly at this. I usually go the extra decimal point. Soon, you too will know the true cost of that County Fair hotdog that just set you back six bucks. Plus the ‘drank’.
Facility & Operations Design: Each hotdog operation is bound to be different in some ways, and somebody should be looking after those idiosyncrasies which impact the process. I tend to be a whiz at field repairs and modifications. Look at what I drive.
Data-gathering technology: this is one area I never skimp. It could be a challenge to apply to hotdogs, I mean, is anyone else looking into artificial intelligence? To produce the perfect hotdog. Who remembers my report on the laser that could etch a business card on a steak? Well, you know those grill marks on your hotdog? They are just marks, after all. My office is already computerized. I know there is something I will eventually stumble across in this area, probably something so dumb I can’t imagine it right now. The hotdog and the evolution of the Arduino, a novel concept.
ADDENDUM
The diet, you ask? This is low-key around here, as in no big deal. But the combination of slow days and the way I can’t just shed pounds like ordinary people sometimes makes mention. Oh no, I can’t just steadily diet and keep active and do the pound a week thing, I have to have the one system that strays miles off the norm. This time it is 48 hours without sleep so I know I’m at a crossroads. I’m finally dropping inches quite steadily where before it was nothing for two or three hungry disheartening weeks and then one good day. It’s now around a half-inch per week after 107 days for dieting that by the rules of the game are agony for most.
I’m not claiming victory because I know this is how gyms sell memberships, stressing the short term water loss and toning as if it’s going to continue. The fact is my weight has not changed much since December 26th, 2017. There is some marginal improvement in that although my total loss to date has averaged 20 pounds, the last few days I’ve notice how much lighter I am on my feet. I have the same body strength now shoving around twenty pounds less and I like it.
Without bragging much, damn rights I notice when women a half and third my age at least glance my way again. Hasn't happened for years, and I like it back. Guys, quit kidding yourselves. Lose that weight and lose that monkey shape.
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