Two Weeks Notice

I submitted my two weeks notice today. I was expecting a shit-storm, but my immediate boss took it quite well. The owner took it well enough.

The fact of the matter is, I'm not an ideal employee and I'm an awful manager. I just have no interest in managing someone else's business.

But I'm really great at generating creative ideas, at writing, and at creating marketing systems (just not at managing them). And that means my skill set is more suited to be the occasional "hired gun" NOT a full-time staff member.

So starting January 1, I'll officially be unemployed...and LOVIN' IT! Not the unemployed part...the part about being an entrepreneur starting my own business.

It's the only way to true wealth.

And the great part about being a marketing consultant is that I know exactly how to market my services! It won't be long before I've landed my first client. I've got my plan all laid out.

Anyway, now that I've actually given notice, I'm relieved. Talk about a big load off. I can't tell you how nervous I was anticipating the "shit-storm," and it didn't even happen!

I think they realize it's best for the company, anyway. (I really not the ideal employee.)

The Stan

Coming Soon...FREEEEEEDOOOOMMMM!!!

Okay, time to clear out the cobwebs on my blog. Been awhile...and during that time I've endured stress, triumph, depression, more stress, hope, horror, disappointment, more triumph, more stress...you know, life as usual.

But my life is about to change dramatically REALLY soon because of a promise I made myself more than a year ago: that 2007 would be the year I start my own business. Yet here it is with December half way over and where's my business?

I've felt trapped in my job. Trapped because I felt like I needed to achieve a certain minimum level of results before moving on. Yet my boss is such a perfectionist and miser that it takes forever to get anything done. Things that needed to be done MONTHS ago. Things that have held me up from finishing important projects.

Like when he decided to save money on implementing the new software system by configuring it himself. Took 5 months to get just the first half done. We STILL haven't implemented the web store. Testing data that I needed in February was done just a month ago. Last week was the final photo shoot for photos that I needed back in March. The only reason we hired a photographer (instead of John doing it himself) is because he finally realized he didn't have the time to do it.

But I don't care anymore. Come January 1, I'm outta there. I've held up my dreams for too long waiting for things to get done. It sounds pathetic...like I'm passing blame on someone else, but I really had no control over those things that needed to be done. It was my boss's responsibility. I can't order my boss around. If he wants to do something himself, but doesn't have time to do it, what can I do?

I can decide when it's time for me to move on and start my own business once and for all. So come January 1, come hell or high water, I'll be the president of Multiplicity Marketing (web site currently in development.)

Before I leave, I'll finish up the catalog/special report at the very least. As for the rest, I don't really give a damn. My damn has already been given. I've no more damns to give.

I'm really looking forward to my freedom. I know it will come with more responsibility and an even greater need to manage my time well. But at least I'll sink or swim based on the decisions I alone make.

This is the last job I will ever have. I swore that to myself one year ago and I'm keeping it. Whatever happens, I'm an entrepreneur. I'll figure something out.

Here's to freedom!

The Stan

Barbarians at the Gate

Enjoy, my friends....

New Video of the L.A. Metropolitan Brass Band

This just in...a trombone feature from the Mother's Day 2006 concert. The video quality is poor--this wasn't a professional video. But it's the music that really counts, isn't it?

Once I find out the actual title and arranger of this piece, I'll post those details. In the meantime...enjoy

Back By Popular Demand!

Okay, not really. I've been on hiatus from blogging for quite awhile, though. Been busy as a one-armed paper hanger in a hurricane. In fact, I'm so far behind I've got to walk backwards just to catch up. I've got more work cut out for me than a one-legged man in a butt-kicking contest. I've got a few more, but I digress.

The 21 Day Experiment was a success! Changed my life. Though I've gotten lazy lately ever since the power went out last week and the alarm didn't go off! Next day, I set the alarm right, and it STILL didn't go off. It was then that I realized Alba had set the time 12 hours off. So the third day, the alarm goes off, but in my half-daze I hit the snooze button and sleep in until 8:00 am.

I suppose there is daylight savings time coming up in a couple of weeks to help set me straight, but I'll have to repeat the 21 Day Experiment sooner than that.

Moving on...

The brass band is slowly coming together. November 11 should be a great concert and I expect lots of people to be there. In case you haven't heard the band, here's a "secret" video that recently came to light. Enjoy...

The Stan Gets Political

A man walked into a very high-tech restaurant in a fancy hotel. As he waited to be seated, he noticed that the Maitre D' was a robot.

The robot clicked to attention and said, "Sir, there is a one hour wait. And I am programmed to converse with you until a table is ready, If you please."

Intrigued, the man said, "OK."

The robot clicked a couple more times and then asked, "Sir, what is your IQ?"

The man answered, "Oh, about 164."

The robot then proceeded to discuss the theory of relativity, interstellar space travel, the latest medical breakthroughs, etc.

The man was most impressed. The next day he returned, But thought he would try a different tack.

The robot again asked, "What is your IQ, sir?"

This time the man answered, "Oh, about 100".

So the robot started discussing NASCAR racing, the latest basketball scores, and what to expect the Red Sox to do this weekend.

The guy had to try it one more time. So the next day he returned.

Again the robot asked the question, "What is your IQ?"

This time the man drawled out,....'bout 50."

The robot clicked, then leaned close and very slowly asked,

"A-r-e

y-o-u-r

p-e-o-p-l-e

g-o-i-n-g t-o

n-o-m-i-n-a-t-e

H-i-l-l-a-r-y?"



The Stan ;)

P.S. Wasn't that "Hillaryous?"

Little Jimmy's Letter From Camp

Dear Mom & Dad:

Our Scoutmaster told us to write to our parents in case you saw the flood on TV and are worried. We are okay. Only one of our tents and 2 sleeping bags got washed
away.

Luckily, none of us got drowned because we were all up on the mountain looking for Adam when it happened. Oh yes, please call Adam's mother and tell her he is okay. He can't write because of the cast.

I got to ride in one of the search and rescue jeeps. It was neat. We never would have found Adam in the dark if it hadn't been for the lightning.

Scoutmaster Keith got mad at Adam for going on a hike alone without telling anyone. Adam said he did tell him, but it was during the fire so he probably didn't hear him.

Did you know that if you put gas on a fire, the gas will blow up? The wet wood didn't burn, but one of the tents did and also some of our clothes. Matthew is going to look weird until his hair grows back.

We will be home on Saturday if Scoutmaster Keith gets the bus fixed. It wasn't his fault about the wreck. The brakes worked okay when we left.

Scoutmaster Keith said that with a bus that old you have to expect something to break down; that's probably why he can't get insurance.

We think it's a neat bus. He doesn't care if we get it dirty and if it's hot, sometimes he lets us ride on the fenders. It gets pretty hot with 45 people in a bus made for 24.

He let us take turns riding in the trailer until the highway patrol man stopped and talked to us.

Scoutmaster Keith is a neat guy. Don't worry, he is a good driver. In fact, he is teaching Jessie how to drive on the mountain roads where there isn't any cops. All we ever see up there are logging trucks.

This morning all of the guys were diving off the rocks and swimming out to the rapids. Scoutmaster Keith wouldn't let me because I can't swim, and Adam was afraid he would sink because of his cast, it's concrete because we didn't have any plaster, so he let us take the canoe out. It was great.

You can still see some of the trees under the water from the flood. Scoutmaster Keith isn't crabby like some scoutmasters. He didn't even get mad about the life jackets.

He has to spend a lot of time working on the bus so we are trying not to cause him any trouble. Guess what? We have all passed our first aid merit badges. When Andrew dived into the lake and cut his arm, we got to see just how a tourniquet works.

Steven and I threw up, but Scoutmaster Keith said it probably was just food poisoning from the leftover chicken. He said they got sick that way with food they ate in prison.

I'm so glad he got out and became our scoutmaster. He said he sure figured out how to get things done better while he was doing his time. By the way, what is a pedal-file?

I have to go now. We are going to town to mail our letters and buy some more beer and ammo.

Don't worry about anything.

Love,

Jimmy

(The Stan's Note: I got this in my inbox from my Dad and thought it was hilarious!)