Back in black... well, OK, red & brown....

Well, I've almost hit the 6 month mark for the "new" business. Crazy - my last post was before the business was even off the ground. Guess that goes to show what I've been up to for the last few months!

It's been a bit exhausting, but otherwise, the first few months of business ownership have gone really well - better than expected really. The flow of projects has kept up, with very little effort on my part. I know that has to change, but for now, it's really been great to have had a chance to get my feet under me. Next step will be to exert some serious effort in recruiting and solidifying my clients.

It's still a bit weird to think that I'm a business owner. Must be a bit like becoming a parent, or a home owner... I don't really feel like I'm any more responsible, or grown up, but I own a business, so I must be... right???

Oh, and I've got a logo figured out now too. My website is still a work in progress, but it'll be up in the next month or so I hope, and it'll be full of the logo, info, etc etc etc. If you want to check it out in the mean time, it's at www.redcrowcreative.com.

Sean, if you're still out there, you asked why "Red Crow" Creative? It's from a book by Charles de Lint called "Memory and Dream". It's a fantasy, of course, and one of the characters is brought across to this world from the "before" through a painting. She spends a lot of time questioning if she's "real" or not, and thus questioning what makes someone "real". In the end, she decides that it's a combination of blood, dreams, and the creative impulse - the ability to create. She calls this cocktail the "red crow that beats inside our chests", and every "real" person out there has one. I liked the idea that what makes us more than just the sum of our parts is linked to our ability to dream, and our creativity, as well as the blood in our veins, and so adopted the name for my company. :) That and as I was walking home the day I named the company I saw two crows fly overhead - that tweaked my memory to the concept in the book, so I figured it was an omen. Man, between crows and fortune cookies, I'm just full of omens! You'd almost think I was superstitious...

Is this where I mention that my current D&D character has a pet rabbit for luck? Oh, and she gave it a necklace of finger bones from her fallen foes... Ponder the irony in that! ;)

Drum roll please...

AAAuuuggghh! Is it November already? And almost the end of the month to boot! Funny how time flies.

Well, this time, I've got REAL news to report. Drum Roll Please....
I have just registered my very own company! At approximately 7:15 pm, November 24, Red Crow Creative was born. Granted, the company doesn't really have any assets yet, but phase one is complete. Plus, financing is lined up to acquire the assets, and if all goes well, I'll actually be in operation as of the first of January.

It's all ridiculously exciting. I've got my own domain registered, and I've commissioned Thaumaturge IT Solutions to develop the web page. (Oh, and just FYI, that's Cory's brand new company. ) You won't actually be able to see the webpage till at least January - when I get my Shaw account hooked up, and take over the business location from Rock- but I'll keep you posted for the grand unveiling. Then it's just a matter of hanging my own sign on the door, and we're open for business. :) Sure... it's that simple... really!

So, little over a year after our move from the island, I'll have my very own company. Crazy huh? It's all a bit surreal really... Seems like only yesterday I was hanging out, barbecuing at Dan & Tina's, gaming weekly with you all, and working away at my minimum wage, marginal responsibility position at the book store.

Honestly, I think it's fate. After all, who can argue with a fortune cookie??

When opportunity knocks

Now that I've assessed the hive mind, I'll let you all in on what spawned the previous post.
I love my job. The people (person) I work for is great, I enjoy the project completion aspect of printing and small scale manufacturing, and the sense of accomplishment when I see my work up in the community. I love the creativity involved in the graphic design that I do - whether it's a billboard I'm creating, or a whole series of ads for promotional signage. And I love the autonomy I have in my side of the company - I'm the only one doing what I do, and I basically operate and manage it all by myself. Not bad for just under a year, huh? :)
So, I've been presented with an opportunity. You see, what I do for Rock, is really a small fraction of what the company does. The primary money maker is the sale of LED scoreboards, video display screens, big fancy tri-vision billboards... you get the idea. The part of the company that I work for/with is sort of a hanger on from the early days of Rock, and their foothold in the local community. But, it's become sort of divergent from the really lucrative arenas of business, and my boss is looking to streamline. Trick is, they still need the reprographics end of things. After all, someone's got to design and print stuff to go in the signs, right? So, they don't want to sign the business away to just anyone. Plus, if they're sending their clients to this off shoot business to get their reprographic work done, they want to make sure that the business is reliable - it's Rock's name on the line every time they make a referral.
So, my boss asked me if I want to run my own business. Comes with clients, equipment, computers, previous design files, referrals, and support any time I want to ask questions. All in a bright shiny package with a lease plan, so I wouldn't have to figure out how to get a bank loan with no collateral.
I'd get to do something I love, something that I've been learning how to do for the past year, and I'd be doing it for myself. Of course there are risks, and obstacles to overcome (like where the hell do I set up shop?). But the question is, if I have ever wanted, or will ever want to, run my own business, can I afford to pass this up?

Oh, and just to add icing on the cake - I got a fortune cookie last weekend that said "You will take a chance in the near future and win." Question is, does it mean adding that extra spoonful of curry powder to the chicken last night, or buying my own business?

Drone or Queen Bee???

So here's my question to all of you "out there"...
If you could work for yourself, would you?
Would you take the "security" of knowing that your next pay cheque is coming, and that it'll be for roughly the same amount as the last one, or the opportunity to get paid based on what you bring in for the company? Would you rather work for someone else's schedule and rules, or do it your way, on your time frame?

Idle curiosity.... just wondering what you all think. Would you choose to be a secure drone, or a responsible Queen bee??

feed me your thoughts.

All by myself...

So, it's been about a month... time for a post!

It seems that it takes a weekend with Bilbo away to make me resort to the computer for companionship. Or maybe it's just that I can actually get some time on the computer... ;) In reality, I get lots of opportunity, I'm just rarely in the mood to be chatty of late (on the computer or otherwise). But, with Bill visiting his mom this weekend, I've got the house to myself, and I'm finding that it's quite nice! I'm on my own schedule for chores, meals, work, and recreation. It's kind of funny how unusual this feels - it's not like Bill is horribly demanding, or that when we're together things have to be rigidly structured, or even that he prevents me from doing the things I want to do - quite the opposite.
And yet, there are often days when the apartment just feels crowded. We've almost always got the TV on, which means I can't listen to my tunes, but you can listen to the TV - in every room. And yes, we've got a separate computer room that was to double as an art room, so I'd have somewhere to play. But, with all the bookshelves, the computer desk, and the laundry rack, well, it's not so much of a sanctuary.
We've always said we each need our own space - a little corner where we can each hide with our hobbies, and our thoughts, but still be near-ish to each other (to share the video-game level conquests, or internet finds, or sketch book accomplishments). And we were spoiled, 'cause we had that at the Cedar Hill house. Unfortunately, in an apartment, that's a luxury we just don't have.
Ah well. Sooner or later we'll move on to a house...Hmm... probably later than sooner. Maybe in the mean time I'll have to hook Bilbo up with a hobby for a few hours each week... One that gets him OUT of the house!

Summer trips

Greetings all.

Yup, the blog is still active - I've just been in computer denial. :) That, and the comic is taking a fair bit of time (go figure). Tina's making great inroads on the text, I'm just trying to keep pace with the pictures.... Maybe I should just draw it all in stick men???

So, a quick up date on the summer so far...
We've seen ZZ Top, and Evanescence in concert, been camping on Shuswap Lake, lounged by the pool in Salmon Arm, seen any number of movies, been to the farmer's market several times, made swords out of fiber glass and duct tape, and re-fitted the car with a new timing chain (*ouch*). Oh, and most of this has taken place in 35+ degree weather. I'm kind of liking this Okanagan summer thing. :)

The next chapter? Why, the trip to Vic of course!! We're out of here a week tomorrow (that's the 20th) and we're gone till the 30th! VERY exciting. The week so far is packed with bright lights and music all night, a visit to the inlaws and the new nephew (part one of the neiphlings - the neice will actually be visiting in the Okanagan till we get back), visit with Gram, Bar B Q, perhaps a cameo appearance in D&D (I REALLY miss gaming), and camping at Lizard Lake. Yes, we are only on the Island for a week.... Do I plan to sleep??? Not a chance! :) Contact Tina for the up to the minute schedule changes - we'll actually be house-sitting for my sister, so we won't be sleeping at D&T's, but we'll definitely be found there for most of the waking hours we're in Vic. ;)

Can't wait to see everyone. Hope you're all well.

Signing off from Kelowna-fornia (No joke, they really call it that!!)

"spoogy" & "greasy spooning"

So, over several weekends, we (the Okanagan foursome, Cory, Shannon, Bilbo & I) have decided that the English language just isn't comprehensive enough. In fact, there are distinct deficiencies, and we decided that new words were needed to accurately express several concepts. It all started with "Greasy Spooning"....

The conversation was actually about where to go for breakfast. It was decided that as a hangover cure was needed, and there is no Dutch Panacoke House in Salmon Arm (and hence, no de Boers Panacoke, the ultimate in hangover remedies), we'd hit the local diner - a.k.a. the greasy spoon. "Well then," someone exclaimed, "I guess we're Greasy Spooning!" My response? "That sounds dirty!" Yup, it really does. So, a new term was born!

greasy spooning v.1. to eat at a diner or other greasy spoon. 2. to spoon with someone, while extremely sweaty or greasy. 3. slang term for slippery greasy monkey sex. (or thereabouts).

However, our lexicon enhancing didn't stop there. Nope, not at all! Did you know that "spooge" can also be used as an adjective or adverb? As in "Eeewwww that looks spoogy!" or, as an exclamation of pretty much anything "Spoogy!!" Also, "spoogalicious" ads a new dimension to the realm of compliments(?).

I'll keep you all posted on any other new terms and phrases you ought to know about - don't worry!