From the Desk 9/4/2008

This morning I decided to work on typing up the notes from the marketing meeting. I made a final count of the cards that we collected with ideas on them and we went through 225 cards! No wonder it took so long to get through the ideas themselves without discussing anything extra. I managed to type out the notes that were specific to 1st - 4th Quarter ideas. That information alone occupied 5 pages in a regular document. I will tackle about 4 categories a day until I am finished. Most of the information is still fresh on my mind, but I can only stare at note cards for so long before starting to lose focus. I then worked on an idea with Mike to correct a problem with links on our homepage. At the time they only worked if you were using Firefox as your Internet browser. (something about the code using image mapping as hotspots not being recognized in Internet Explorer or something....very technical junk) So I broke the large image containing all the boxes as one into 4 separate images and just linked the image as a whole to solve the problem. Now the site works equally as well for Internet Explorer as well as Firefox. After putting out those fires, it was time to eat some lunch.

After a brief debate on where to go, we ended up going to Guido's Chicago Style Hot Dogs for lunch. Carmen, Tausha, Blair and I ate there and then brought Mike back some food when we were finished. I had 2 Corn Dogs and they were just as good as ones that you might find at a country fair. (that's a compliment) They had a variety of fixin's for the dogs as well as offering regular dogs, Italian sausage dogs, bratwursts, and pizza pockets. They had a choice of fries, onion rings, or chips for sides. I had never eaten there before and will probably go back if I am ever craving a hot dog as theirs are top notch. We picked up Mike's order and then headed back to the office. Mike had ordered 2 Chicago dogs, which were hot dogs (I think there was one under there) a pickle spear, tomatoes, peppers, etc. Basically it was a side salad on a hot dog. Too many flavors for my liking. After lunch I typed up an email and sent it to everyone who participated in the marketing meeting, thanking them for their ideas and participation. I also ended the message with a request to meet again in about 4 months to discuss the upcoming events at that time to get every one's input and plan everything 3 months out as thoroughly as possible. I received a reply from Alison Brown, who we are following her journey to Africa to teach, giving me information to type up a welcome letter to people who want to follow her travels through our website. I used that info to finalize a letter and then got it in a format that I could post on the website. I hope to have everything with that project up and running by the end of next week. I will let you all know so you can let me know what you think of the idea and how well it was executed on our website. 5:00 came around and I headed home to crash briefly before running an errand or two with Christina once she got out of class.

I was working on the DVD label and insert for the newly created Dave Matthews Band Stoytellers DVD. I managed to create the label and will probably base the design of the insert off of the label images. Christina came over after a brief stop off at her parents' house. She also came bearing gifts: cake that her mom had made and wanted to share with me! We drove out to Target so I could buy a Birthday card for Papa as it is his 85th birthday on Saturday. I had a hard time selecting a card as I usually don't buy cards for any occasion just on principle of saving trees (or something that is a valid excuse). I finally selected a card while one the phone with Amy discussing the hiking trip and various things. I then drove to KFC to pick up a gift card. For those of you have kept track over the years, I have a hidden talent for going to a fast food establishment with the intention of purchasing a gift card only to find that my first stop, not matter the type of restaurant, is always out of gift cards. I thought that perhaps my talent would not transfer across state lines, but again I was wrong. They told me that they don't carry them in the stores down here in Georgia so once again I was forced to create a certificate and then attach cash for true usability. Once we returned to the apartment and I had made the fake gift certificate we watched a re-run of "Grey's Anatomy" to continue hyping up for the new season. We watched part of "The Addams Family" before I walked Christina to her car. We said goodnight and I returned inside where I went to sleep shortly after checking email.

Meditation for the day: Matthew 28:18-20 “Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”