From the Desk 8/27/2008

Today at work I was determined to get some small projects wrapped up so I could focus on preparations for the marketing meeting. That was the plan any way. I did manage to finish the testing flyer completely after some product revisions and text edits. Now we just have to verify that we will stock the same product and that the prices haven't changed before going to print. I began working on the next blast email that will go out soon containing both a thank you letter for shopping with us through the Back-to-School madness and a coupon as an additional thank you. We are trying something new with this coupon, making it valid for only 4 days to see what level of response we can get in a concentrated time period. I created the letter image box and the coupon image box before meeting with Chris briefly before lunch. We met to set the advertising schedule for Atlanta Parent Magazine and Chattanooga Parent Magazine. The rates for both of these publications rose only slightly from last year so we were able to keep the same schedule mostly and just adjust the size of some of the ads in order to cut some costs. After we met, Tausha, Blair, Carmen and I went to Willy's for lunch. My plan was to not eat out at all this week, but there was a meeting being held in the break room and none of us could get to our food or had a place to eat (the meeting in the workshop was still ongoing as well).

I ordered less than usual to cut my own costs a bit. We then ate too fast as we were starving and ended up with extra time on our hands. I got roped into accompanying the ladies to DSW next door. If you are unfamiliar with this store, as I was, it is a giant shoe store about the size of a Dick's Sporting Goods. I followed around various members of my group as I was uninterested in shopping for myself, but was forced to go along as I rode with Carmen over to lunch. We didn't linger too long and soon returned to work. Once back at my desk, I received a phone call alerting me that the stickers and donation cards we had ordered from Printing Impressions were ready for pick-up. I made a quick trip over to their store and picked up the items we were eagerly awaiting. I returned and divided the rolls of stickers out to the stores to use to cover the 20% discount stickers left on products not sold from the BTS sale. I spent the majority of the afternoon returning phone calls from several people who have called seeking advertising or wanting to team up for promotions. I usually hold returning these calls until I have several so by the time I get to the end of my call back list, my speech on why we cannot participate in their offer comes off as smart and professional. Just before 5:00 I ran to my car to grab some clothes to change for my hike with Christina, changed and then headed out the door to meet her.

We hiked at Burnt Hickory Rd. today as the weather was less rainy. We were making good time until we reached the small creek that we usually step across on stones. Apparently, due to the heavy rains we have experienced as of late the creek was swollen and the rocks we normally cross on were submerged. We continued along the edge of the creek on a path that I had never been on before. It took me a while to realize, but the path ended up connecting back to a portion of the main trail. Then after crossing a bridge, there was another side path that returned us to the loop we were hiking. We finished out the hike making pretty good time for the 3.5 miles we traveled. I dropped Christina off at her car and we made plans to get together later after I did some grocery shopping and she did some homework. I went home and showered before making my way to Super Target in Woodstock to buy some food to feed myself and Hickey this weekend. I was almost done putting things away when Christina called to let me know she was on her way. I started baking some cookies I had bought for us to eat while watching a movie. She arrived a few minutes later and the cookies were done soon after that. We ate and watched TV until it was time to say goodnight. We said goodnight and I went to sleep to recover from my hike.

Meditation for the day: Galatians 3:28 “There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”