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Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Walking and Chewing Gum
I've never had a hard time walking and chewing gum, but lately it feels as if I'm walking, chewing
gum, playing tennis, and baking a cake at the same time. We're trying to figure out how to market our Presidential
Solitaire in a more effective way. We just bought the domain name XtremeSolitaire.com with the hope that that title might
be more interesting to customers. It's always a process of setting up a new page and re-directing efforts that's
an effort.
Most importantly this week, I'm trying to focus on writing an article I've been asked to submit
for the My Peace City magazine. My former colleague who teaches at St. Cloud State University in the areas of peace
and social justice has kindly included me in the list of authors of mypeacecity.com's first print magazine. This
is actually one of the greatest honors of my life, to be asked to write for an organization whose goals are relective
of the 60's movement in America. But it's a little frightening as well. This week is being spent reading
"Moral Politics" by George Lakoff and I'm trying to digest his ideas to incorporate in a meaningful, interesting,
fun-to-read essay. So in essence, I'm walking, chewing gum, shipping highlighter tape and software, and wishing
and hoping I can create a piece worthy of the task before me. Wish me luck!
1:07 pm pdt
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Getting Ready for the Conventions
What are we doing?
Is this the right direction? All I know is we're doing a lot of work for
what is not a sure thing, but for something we believe in - the Solitaire series.
Right now, I'm taking a
break from burning CD's and printing packaging to write this blog. The CD's will be sent to our colleagues in
Minneapolis to take to the Republican Convention. One of my former co-workers from the fantansic TRIO Student Support
Services Program at Hennepin Community College in Minneapolis is taking our "Obama Solitaire" to the Republican
Convention, but not for the reasons you might think. He is the co-creator of mypeacecity.com which offers an amazing
collection of peace, social justice, and environmental topics and events for the Twin Cities area where I lived
before moving out here to my lovely California. (I feel I own it now.) Anyway, Michael's group will be
demonstrating in front of the Republican Convention and we're donating our software for them to sell throughout the Twin
Cities where the protest groups will be gathering.
My other colleague, a former student, wants to sell our "McCain
Solitaire" outside the convention. This will be very, very interesting.
So our job right now
is to prepare the software for distribution in Minneapolis.
I would love to get our programs to the Democratic
Denver Convention, and if any of you know how I might do that (short of going myself) please let me know!
The concept
of Presidential Solitaire (whether it's Obama Solitaire or McCain Solitaire) has yet to take off as we'd like, but
we continue to believe that students and those interested in Politics will enjoy it and feel more stimulated than playing
just an ordinary game of solitaire. I personally love playing the game and sometimes have to force myself
at midnight (when I finish working on our business) to not go to our game page and play before going to bed.
(I never can stop at one game, so that's why I have to discipline myself to not start.) I really can't be the
ONLY person who loves this game. Or maybe I can. I love being able to know the Presidents in order for some reason.
It puts history in a timeframe I can handle. Where are my people who like the same thing? But onward we go with
this project until we find them.
So here's to the project YOU believe in- may all of our beliefs in our creative
endeavors find validation!
Cheers,
Billie
Monday, July 7, 2008
To Do List
It's not another whole month again since my last entry, is it? Cheez... Well, enough of wallowing in regret - onward.
The List:
1. Quick Topic Message Board
Convince you, my readers to add to our message
boards! How? Think I'm going to try to get a newsletter out the week to my highlighter tape customers
of which there are many of you (THANK YOU, THANK YOU!) I might offer a contest with a $50 award for the most exciting
use of highlighter tape. Think that will get people to comment? We're going to add individual message boards
to our special pages.
2. Our CDs at Minneapolis Political Convention
Our company's
goal. This week we have to get a bunch of "Obama Solitaire" and "McCain Solitaire" CD's
burned and packaging ready for our friends in Minneapolis. My former colleague from mypeacecity.com will use the
"Obama Solitaire" as a found raiser as their group assembles outside of the convention. (Maybe we'll see
them on TV.) My former student and entrepeneur in Minneapolis will get a vendor's license to sell the McCain
Solitaire at the convention. The ethical issue is this: Should a company sell to the party with whom it isn't
affiliated?" My daughter's response: "This is a democracy, Mom and everyone has a right
to both products." So there we go. Besides, these CD's will be donated items to our friends
for their own discretionary use. We're all about the friends and supporting each other in our endeavors!
3. Searching for a Publisher
Submit my new children's story to as many publishers as
I can this week. It's cute, it's helpful. I love it, so hopefully someone else will. If we don't get
a publisher by December, we'll search for an artist and publish it ourselves. The title will give the surprise away,
so we'll hold that in abeyance for now.
4. Find an artist for our phenomenal new idea
Problem? Financial resources. We need to find a fantastic illustrator to create a pitch of a product for us at
a minimal cost with the assurance that if this project is as successful as we believe, we'd all share in the
profits.
5. Wish you a Happy "After-4th"
May the fun
of the fireworks continue to brighten your summer
11:29 am pdt
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