God bless you!

Have you ever heard a baby panda sneeze? If not, you've just got to see this:



God bless you, baby!

If it's Tuesday, I must be worrying about money

Jesus God, the economy sucks. My highly successful and incredibly self-involved father says that it must just be my market because he's making money hand over fist. I'm sure not. This is the worst it's been since September 11. I'm a marketing-based graphic and web designer who owns Julie & Company, LLC. Here's the standard marketing blurb:

Founded in 1997, Julie & Company provides a comprehensive line of creative services. We specialize in developing effective logos and corporate branding, and have also developed over 250 websites for clients in a wide range of industries. Our services include brochure design, advertising, direct mail, project sheets, pocket folders, giveaways, product packaging, trade show booths, and more. If you need to promote your organization, Julie & Company can help.

Anyway, you can tell times are bad because:

• Lots of people now think they can be web designers and make a killing. I dated a shmoe last year who had never designed a thing in his life. He decided that he, too, could become rich if he only bought a web design franchise and a book about sales. God help the person who actually hires him because he doesn't know a thing.
  


• I get emails and phone calls multiple times a day asking if I hire freelance designers. Sorry, kids, I don't.
  


• I've been ripped off by two people who have failed to pay me after I did a small amount of work. We're not talking about a lot of money, but when you put the two of them together, it's almost $1000. I could use that $1000 about now.
  
  
• My brother was laid off a couple of weeks ago after working for 25 years at the same company. He thought he'd retire there but now he's on the street.
  

Scary times. I guess the bottom line is that I should take George Harrison's advice and recognize that all things must pass - including these bad economic times. I just know that if one more financial pundit questions whether we're in a recession, I'm going to go postal. This includes my financially astute father who insists that since he is making so much money, there must be something wrong with me.

Now it's time for an affirmation: I am rich, debt-free, and have more money than I'll ever need. Amen.

I have a dream...

Or at least I had one...

Last night, I dreamed I started a blog that included my thoughts about business, marketing, branding, design, politics, relationships, knitting, the economy, pugs, cooking, and everything else that runs through my beady brain. So here we are.

I'm in knitting mode this morning so I guess we'll begin there. My boyfriend Tom's chiropractor's wife is pregnant (how about that for six degrees of Kevin Bacon?) and I'm pondering knitting something for her. The mother-to-be is in her 40s and frankly I envy her because I tried to get pregnant in my early 40s to no avail. The baby stop just wasn't on my spiritual bus route, I guess. But she's had better luck and I'm happy for her.

I'm dying to make this cute bear from Blue Sky Alpacas! I dug through my greatly reduced but still mightily impressive yarn stash and found a ton of cotton yarn. The mother-to-be is environmentally sensitive so I'm guessing she would appreciate the organic fiber; I know that I would. So this is a real possibility... maybe with a matching knitted baby blanket?

My chiropractor's nurse is also pregnant and I want to knit her something, too. What's this with all the chiropractor-related women getting pregnant!? Maybe there's something in the spinal adjustments. :-)

Yesterday, Tom and I had Easter dinner with my gracious and lovely aunt and uncle, David and Christa. Christa taught me to knit when I was four, so I made Tom wear the sweater I made him for Christmas. Everyone was duly impressed. What is it about the ability to make a garment with your own hands? I've always been fascinated with knitting, crocheting, and sewing, even as a little girl. In this world where everyone wants to meditate (or at least where everyone who watches Oprah wants to meditate), I think everyone should take up knitting. Nothing is more meditative. Focus on your stitch... mind wanders... now bring your thoughts back to the stitch...