“The only place outside Heaven where you can be perfectly safe from all the dangers and perturbations of love is Hell.” –C.S. Lewis, The Four Loves
Three weeks ago, when Amanda and I were in way over our heads, I ran into a lady that goes to church with my parents. I stopped and asked how her 19 year old daughter was, and I saw tears start to well up in her eyes and it took her a moment to compose herself. The situation was bad, my mom had informed me a few weeks earlier; her daughter suffered from both bulemia and anorexia and was away at a very expensive, very hard-core camp that helped kids through stuff like this. Her name was Julie, and her mom explained to me that it wasn’t likely she would even get to come home for Christmas. “Well,” I said, my heart overpouring with sympathy, “I can’t do much, but when she does get home, if she needs a job, have her call me. We could always use an extra set of hands to package something.”
You should have seen the radiance from her mother’s face when I said that. “Really? Are you serious? That makes my day! She’d love that! And getting to hang out with fun girls all day would be fabulous for her!” Ok, maybe she didn’t use the word “fabulous”, but basically, that’s what the smile on her face told me.
Around the same time as that conversation, I had a sales meeting with one of my rep groups; one of my favorite rep groups. One of the reps was new, and I was asking her questions about herself and her family, trying to get to know her. Turns out she has a daughter, Anna, who, in two weeks, would be graduating from my alma mater with a degree in interior design–just like me. Of course, I have twenty cows and am like, “Omigosh, well, if she’s looking for a job, have her call me!” and of course, her mother is all, “I absolutely will!”
Anna called immediately and I interviewed her and gave her the schpeel about how crazy it is around here; that I am the chicken without a head; that everyone has to start in packaging, because if you don’t know that, you don’t understand about how the business runs; that it doesn’t pay fabulously well, but it’s money; that if it doesn’t suit her after a few weeks, absolutely no hard feelings, just let me know. She left the conversation very excited about her new job and called her mother who called the principle of the rep group and the whole clan is excited about it.
My mom just called this morning, who just got a call from Julie’s mom, who informed her that Julie was very excited about working for me as well. In case you can’t tell, I’m a sucker for poor lost things who need help, often at the risk of giving away my own shirt. There was a girl who called Monday who needed work through the end of the month and I told her she could take the ornaments off the Christmas tree (among other things). Fact of the matter is, I get more satisfaction out of seeing my money going to everyday people who need it, rather than buying silly little treasures from retail priced shopping malls. Now, I’m just praying that by February 1, the good Lord will give me enough business to employee them all.
I have a theory about the Bachelor/Bachelorette series on ABC. I’ve always speculated that the Bachelor relationships will never last, because men are hunters, and in that show they are being hunted. It’s not in a man’s nature to find himself caught, and happy being there.
On the Bachelorette series, however, the guys are doing the hunting. The prime piece of prey is the prize, and if they catch her, they get to keep her. I never really thought about it before, but if this is true, then when the Bachelor is taking his pick between the last two women, he’s never going to pick love. He’s going to pick game, so that he can keep hunting, even if deep down he really does love one of those girls. I guess men love challenge, and they’re always going to make selections accordingly. So what does the Bachelorette pick? Love? Game? Security?
- Go to bed at eight o’clock. Sleep until ten the next day.
- Think of all the wonderful compliments you’ll get just by finishing something early.
- Make a list of hurdles that are keeping you from moving forward.
- Ask for help and/or advice.
- Make a list of things you will be able to do once your de-motivating task is accomplished.
- Make a pot o’ coffee. Drink three cups.
- Throw in Mountain Dew for added caffeine buzz.
- Ask everyone around you for other motivational suggestions.
Any suggestions?
I’ve been living on borrowed steam for the past couple of days, trying to get ready for January. Officially, I’ve got only this week, and if I stretch it, next weekend, to get ready for the first January show. I’ve barely slept for the past two nights, mostly from anxiety. Good news is, the fatigue is catching up with me and I think I’m going to sleep very well tonight.
My brother-in-law just called me to ask what color zucchini was because his wife told him to chop some while she was at church and there were two colors in the drawer. Must remember: yellow = squash, green = zucchini.
I’ve the hankering to do a swell redesign on this site, but that’ll have to wait until January is over. I’ve got some ideas for some more creative-type pages, but if anyone has any suggestions, drop a note in the comment box. For now, here are some inspirational Funlinks to start off the new year:
- Lisa Solomon
- Bella Vita
- Jill McDonald
- Kim Parker
- My French Things (this one reminds me of Kathleen)
- Helen Jane
- Sara Henry
- Susie Muise
- Whitney Gaskell
- Bu and the Duck
- Serena Dugan
Ok, now try not to freak out over all that cuteness. How’s everyone’s new year so far?
So I’ve been designing, designing, designing my little brain out for the past three days. The entire house looks like a paper plant threw up all over it, then sprinkled it with confetti (I’m very into the dot thing, for some reason).
I decided to approach the design thing from a different angle this year: all invitations first, then go back and design matching notecards. I’m trying to make it look more like a “collection” and less like a bunch of random doodles. I’ve spent a ton of time on it, and only plowed through half of my ideas, and I’m crossing my fingers and holding my breath that buyers don’t start walking by
it in January going, “That looks like so & so’s stuff” because I’m telling you right now IT DOESN’T. For some reason, that’s the biggest insult for me to hear. A rep actually came into my booth last May and said “Oh, it’s sort of This, Inc. and That Company and a little Insert Stationery Manufacturer Here.” She decided she didn’t want to rep it, I said fine, and then wrote a $3000 order for her
state and got to keep all the profits. Obviously, her loss.
Anyway, the invitations are done, for the most part. I’ve got to stop, anyway. The printing budget does have a ceiling. And a catalog still has to be put together, and the reps need their samples, and the shows are in two weeks. TWO WEEKS. I’m insane. Amanda will be back on Monday and I think it will take every single thing I have not to beg her to never leave again and please take out the matches and light a fire under my tail.
Hi, I'm Whitney. I am first and foremost a child of God, a mum to two rambunctious little boys, and lucky enough to call the most amazing man I know my husband. By day, I run a stationery company, and consult at the intersection of tech and graphic design. At night, I dream of charming cottages by the sea, silk ballgowns, and a perfectly organized office.
