Oct
31
I Love Change
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I love change, almost to a fault. But not just any change. Positive change. I learned a long time ago that reinvestment is the best way to improve a business. I also learned to listen to my accounting department before moving forward with any “improvements.” And so this year I waited patiently to see if Flag and Banners’ sales streak was going to last. With the bills paid and a little money in the bank, accounting finally gave me the green light to remodel our kitchen.
For 15 years we have been eating our lunches in a 10 x 20 ft. kitchenette, located in earshot of the retail sales floor. We at Flag and Banner are not shy people. We laugh alot. We speak our mind. You can imagine all the things shoppers must have heard.
Well, not anymore. With the help of a non-denominational Youth Group that meets here on Monday nights, we demolished the old kitchen and moved it to the area of the warehouse once known as “Doc’s Pool Hall.” Now our employees have a much more comfortable place to eat and our customers do not have to hear anything that might turn their stomachs. And “Doc’s Pool Hall” is now a party room which is great for small events. I can’t wait for the Youth Group to see the completed kitchen. They are coming tonight for a spoken word performance led by DJ Jennifer, from 6-7:30. I think they are going to love it.
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Oct
18
Flag Convention 07′
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Yep, even flag dealers have an association: the NIFDA, National Independent Flag Dealers Association. We met in Scottsdale, AZ this year. If you don’t golf or shop, there is absolutely nothing to do but lay around the pool and drink in Scottsdale. Not all bad, just boring. Scottsdale is one place I can check off my list. Thank goodness I don’t have to visit that city ever again.
At the flag convention I learned some stuff, got rejuvenated and networked with old friends. The flag business is a small group of friendly competitors. Some of us buy from each other, some of us compete against each other.
Every year the same old topics come up: buy American, keep the mass merchandisers out of the flag business, and keep the government out of the flag business. If you think about it, it is silly for the government to buy flags out of tax dollars just so the legislators can give them away to their constituents. It’s kinda like buying votes. Some states even have the prisoners sewing American flags. That is almost like buying from China ’cause it takes away jobs.
Our first speaker sounded like Paul Harvey and looked like Grady’s dad (my father-n-law). He was a little behind the times… he kept talking about the importance of sending ‘thank you’ cards. It’s true, but that is old news. And to keep us till the end, the old codger had the nerve to keep us all dangling for the big bang that will revolutionize our business: Jesus Christ. OMG! We had Jewish people in the crowd!
After the sleepy shift (lunch), the Internet lady came and gave a big talk on the internet. What I learned was the importance of incorporating You Tube into your website. After this we put our “How to Install a Flagpole” commercial on You Tube.
The heart breaker of the convention was the man whose son died in Iraq. He made a commemorative flag for his son, and Valley Forge is producing the flag. The act of getting a large company like Valley Forge to manufacturer and sell a flag made by an individual is not an easy thing to do. He cried through his whole presentation and every dealer there bought some of his flags. Here is his flag
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Oct
11
The Clinton’s Little Rock Pad
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Last night I was invited to a welcoming party, for some friends in from Hong Kong, at Bill and Hillary’s apartment in Little Rock. Their apartment is located atop his Presidential Library on the Arkansas River. The Clinton’s were not there but I got to see their modest and modern home. Designed and decorated by local designer Kaki Hockersmith, she also decorated the White House for them.
A small group of us watched the sunset on the river and then the city lights of Little Rock come up. It was breath taking. Thanks for inviting me.
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Oct
8
Dreamin
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Since I am from the South, I like leaving my g’s off words. It makes me feel like I’m writin in dialect.
Anyway, I have always thought my day-dreamin, especially during class and right before I fall asleep, have had a lot to do with my success. I am a good daydreamer. Growing up I visualized the house I wanted to live in, the building I wanted to work in, the clothes I wanted to buy and ,of course, the men I wanted to date. Did I say men? I mean man.
Now that I am older my daydreams have turned to night-dreams. I can’t sleep and I have all these really weird dreams. What do they mean? My gut feelin is, nothing, I am just brain dumpin the day’s activities. But what if I am wrong and they are tied to a more deeper meanin. Maybe even a spiritual one.
My church, Trinity Episcopal, is exploring the idea of Natural Spirituality and has begun a Sunday school class on dream studies. A thousand years ago the Christian church and dreams where united in their quest for knowledge. It is a 4 week study. I will let you know if I find out the meanin of life.
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Oct
8
Jason’s Blog
Filed Under creative stories, my business, human resources | Leave a Comment
Wow. These days, it seems, all I do is human resources. Today a rather interesting guy applied for an entry level position with my company. He is a friend of a friend. I kinda felt like we should switch places and he should be interviewing me. In fact the more I get to know him, I think he is.
Anyway, his resume is unusual, he has been a script writer for several very notable prime time TV shows, i.e. Touched By an Angel. Why is he sitting in front of me applying for an entry level job? Midlife crisis he says. I can certainly identify with that.
With all this said, look for Jason’s Blog, next to mine. He is fun to read and doesn’t really care what I think, which should make him even more fun to read. Get Jason’s macabre view as he learns the flag business and writes from the inside out about the industry and more specifically about the cast of Flag and Banner.
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Oct
2
I saw the Duggers, family of 19, on the Today Show this morning. They seem to be very nice people and very efficient in their life management and child rearing. But I am embarrassed to admit they are from Arkansas. Mrs. Dugger could have done so many socially right things with her abundant love and organizational skills. Instead she is procreating to a point of social irresponsibility.
Life is a long journey. Maybe this will give her the press and credibility needed to fund an orphanage or some other good deed for children in the name of God. If God is listening, “Give this woman’s uterus a break. Use her to do more good for more people.”
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