From the Desk 9/5/2008

Today I worked mainly on a new template for the blast emails we will send out to our mailing list. It took a bit longer than I had hoped to learn some more tricks on Dreamweaver to manipulate the background and header images that I wished to alter. I went through several concepts and designs for the header, from which I was going to base the rest of the design upon. I soon realized that I was working the process backwards and needed to create a theme/idea for the whole appearance before creating any graphics. I soon came up with an idea and then altered the background image first to put in place the foundation for the look of the rest of the pieces. It will look like a piece of notebook paper with the information boxes overlayed on the page to notify our customers of what we are promoting at that time. I set the new header in place and it didn't look quite right, but I decided to leave it for now and I would re-visit the design next week. I was going to eat lunch that I had brought, but instead decided to delay my lunch to eat with Mike, Blair, and Carmen for a cheap lunch at Ted's. I met with Chris at noon and we planned out the entire rest of the year's blast email schedule and themes. We were finishing up on some donation requests when Mike asked if Chris would like to join us. She replied with a big smile and said yes. Apparently Dave isn't a fan of Ted's so she doesn't get to go very often.

We all rode in Mike's car and found that it was a bit more crowded than it usually is at 11:00am when they first open. We were seated quickly and also received our food quickly. I had a bowl of New England Clam Chowder that was close to the best I've ever tasted. I also had two mini-bison burgers from Mike's 4 mini-burger plate. It was a good and filling lunch for only $4.55 (Mike picked up the burgers) We returned and I said hello to Christina since she had arrived while we were gone to lunch. Chris and I wrapped up the donation requests. I then began working on typing up some more notes from the marketing meeting. I didn't get too far on that as I had to re-work the coupon offer on our next blast email to better define the exclusions of the coupon and to change the date as we decided to push it back a week from the original schedule date. I worked on some various things until it was 4:30 and then I asked Mike if I cold leave early to go home and pack for my trip to Birmingham later tonight. He said of course and I stopped off on the sales floor to say bye to Christina until tomorrow night when we got back.

I went home a quickly packed a change of clothes for the moving day and then a few items to get ready the following morning at Brian's townhouse. I drove and picked up Stacy at her house around 6:00 and we then drove to Leslie's house where we would leave my car. We piled in Leslie's car and hit the road to Birmingham. I was the elected navigator, being in the front seat, and directed us with Google maps directions to I-20. We drove for what didn't seem like very long and we were in the state of Alabama. We arrived at Brian's place around 8:30 (Central Time). We rested briefly before going out for the evening. Brian drove us to Papa ??? restaurant (I can't remember the exact name). Stacy and I split a sampler appetizer and we all ate and conversed with one of Brian's friends Ray who joined us shortly after we arrived. We listened to the live band play an eclectic selection of music that was in the range of their female lead vocalist. We laughed ate and drank until we were tired and then we returned to get some sleep before moving early the next morning. Stacy ended up crashing on the love-seat as her air mattress had mysteriously developed a hole. I crashed on the couch for the night and went to sleep quickly once I could lay still.

Meditation for the day: Psalm 143:10 “Teach me to do your will, for you are my God; may your good Spirit lead me on level ground.”