Archive for Stories
Fail. Fight Passed the Shark.
This morning Tal and Soren (3yr & 4yr) annoyed the patience out of me while I was working in the office. I was already behind because of procrastinating a few items from last week. “Daddy, can I have a piece of paper?” Daddy, Daddy, Daddy… ”Can I put this paper in the mixer (paper shredder)” “sure… oh WAIT, WAIT, That’s a $1,284.34 check, no NO NO…”
How can I deny these kids!
The “too busy Dad” guilt gets the best of me.
Soren & Tal looking for Daddy Time
OK guys, lets go outside and find something to do. We have some new toys to play with. (I have no idea what new toys we have – so I have to make something up). Quickly.
I pulled out the ramp from last Summer’s July 4th psychotic break. Dads are like that.
That’s when I learned what separates winners from quitters. From Tal.
Fight PASSED the Shark. (2:02)
He is much better after getting back up. (0:15)
How bad (complacent) would you be WITHOUT the shark?
2010 Mother Cluck’n Hen
My predictions for brands and bloggers this year.
2010 is the year for brands that who care. Brands who mother and nurture their guests.
How long will you wait to monetize?
Snow Memories
A quarter century ago I did the same. Back then I was 7, today Brielle is 6.
Tal, Soren, Paul, Marlena, Brielle
Dad and Mom went to the dreaded school conference while I and my four siblings stayed home numbing ourselves with anything we could to unguilt ourselves of the usual scolding that would descend upon their return. Creativity was not one of the three R’s at Melita School and bucking the system has its consequences.
So… We built our family the way we wanted us to be; all in a row nice and orderly made out of snow that would soon melt. ‘Cause instinctively we knew “all in a row nice and orderly” was merely a facade that melts with heat.
Top: Matt, Lill, Paul, Seth Bottom: Anna, Paul
What snow memories do you have?
Birthing a Business. Help us Name it!
We are crazy I know.
Two realities voiced themselves just before Thanksgiving as the shadow of an opportunity flitted across our path.
Dad scoured the countryside for a soft pretzel stand without luck and I tucked my last lawn in for the winter. Now What? Should I get a job over the winter? And Dad, he will never decide. Marlena came home from a hectic Saturday at Mom-in-law’s candy stand in Maryland and updated me with the latest gossip of the day “Hey the pretzel stand is for sale.”
“We can do that!” Two weeks later we are applying for a Maryland food license, signing a lease, lining up vendors, setting up bank accounts, credit card processing, and generally losing our sanity.
NOTICE the WE. Yes, Dad and I. WE are working together on this. Not just us either. We’ve got wives and kids that want to help. YES three generations of hormones, testosterone, and general Greekness. It’s like we have been pregnant for months and missed all the obvious signs. Now the Due date is December 17th and I am all tied up in knots hoping and praying that the umbilical cord doesn’t get wrapped around this babies neck… And We have got to deliver this baby. A special needs baby. We just don’t know how special. (Don’t worry. Our lactation consultant will be on standby for the first month.)
Will she ride the short bus or will she be the short bus.iness to la la land?
We’ve got all the bases covered and we just need some help with the NAME. A NAME to bring this baby home.
Please share your boring creative Ideas in the comments below!
Pick one of these that strikes your fancy or suggest a new name.
- Pete’s Pizza, Pretzels, & surPrizes
- Happy Tal’s
- Pete’s Twist
- Uncle Dan’s
- Dan & Lydia’s
- David’s
(my brother David died at 9 months old back when I was 4 years old)
Our names:
Paul & Marlena Stoltzfus kids; Brielle Rebecca, Soren Tate, Tal Jamal
Daniel & Lydia (Grandpa & Grandma)
Commodities we will sell:
Pretzels, pizza, soda pop, coffee, and ice cream.
Sound fun?!
Stuff we will give for free to excuse the emotional markup on commodities:
Happy, Smiles, Hugs, Laughs, Entertainment,
kinda like: Family operated Country Store/Old fashioned Ice cream parlor/Pike Place Fish Co. (without the fish!)
P.S. I like love using the strikethrough.
Ethan and Paul Episode #1
Ethan and I get together to share marketing business life war stories. Our minds beagle all over the map so hang on and don’t take us too seriously. Serious.
YouTube
Meatball Sunday, Seth Godin
Big Red Fez
Bootstrappers Bible
MathUSee
WiseGrass Lancaster’s fine grassery.
I first heard of Sam Calagione founder of Dogfish Head on Real American Stories
