posted
In the midst of all the craziness and bad news out there these days I thought it was time for a little good news.
I had a great week! Not everything went according to plan by any means. But I got to do some cool artwork. My dreams, as well as those of my clients came into a little sharper focus as I worked. I signed up a major contract which will help to keep us busy over the next year. I even had time to do a major (and badly needed) clean this week in my studio.
I had to attend a bunch of meetings this week. I was determined to be a positive influence there. And I think I mostly succeeded in my goal. Quality won out on some projects I'm involved in.
We are well at our house. Janis still loves me in spite of me being me. I continue to be madly in love with her. The kids are well and doing good.
Our new puppy Ditto is a constant sense of joy. Punky is still a little miffed but she can't help but play with the determinedly happy Ditto. And we had less puddles this week. There's hope on that front. And there is a certain joy as she sleeps on my lap as I type.
And it's a short week for us too as we combine a business trip to Vancouver Island tomorrow with a chance to visit with family over the weekend.
Life is good.
And I hope life is good in your shop and at your house too!
-dan
[ April 03, 2003, 10:01 PM: Message edited by: Dan Sawatzky ]
-------------------- Dan Sawatzky Imagination Corporation Yarrow, British Columbia dan@imaginationcorporation.com http://www.imaginationcorporation.com
Being a grampa is one of the the most wonderful things in the world!!! Posts: 8738 | From: Yarrow, B.C. Canada | Registered: Nov 1998
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Waited to get paid a large check that was due last week.....the f***** didn't come. *big sigh*
When I was making my grilled cheese sandwich..I got an important call...and forgot about it. My sandwich is now permanently embedded in the pan. Can't get the smell out of the house. Pan is obviously ruined.
The wind blew open my shop doors in the middle of the night and slammed against my new Acura. I am going to rip those suckers off .....hinges and all. The woodstove pipe decided to bust a leak. Yep. Nice new roof job I got.
The fine fence I built last summer is now leaning. Quite heavily.
My little buddy Bailey only messed up 15 yards of vinyl this week. He thinks it is great fun to chew on the vinyl that is hanging down that has been cut. When I am on the phone.....I can't always keep an eye on him. I had a couple of important meetings too. However one customer decided she could be 25 minutes late...and I wouldn't mind. She thought wrong. I left.
But you know what ...... you are right. Life is good!!! I have two teenagers who are thoughtful...happy and well loved. They are respectful, have jobs and don't do drugs. My little puppy snores contently by my face at night making me smile everytime I look at him....and spring is here!!!! We are a happy 'semi~together' little family. I love them. They are my world !XOXOXOXOXOX's
psssssssst Dan. I gotta be honest. I am happy you are so happy. But dammit. Post a "I am having a schit day" once in awhile will ya? I am beginning to think they have some mighty~fine 'happy drugs' up there in Canada.
Posts: 3729 | From: Seattle | Registered: Sep 1999
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posted
Well, for those of you that are thinking Dan has a case of terminally ill 'happy', you're right! This guy is exactly as he types.
And you should see his crew at work. 100 degree heat, and everyone is playing jokes, laughing. It's a contageous environment to be in.
As 'unreal' as it sounds, some people simply make their own environments. I wish I could have 1 day as good as Dan's lifetime. Who else could still remain so happy when it takes all day finding your tools for one quick job?
posted
That's fine. But how much fun is going to the mailbox?? When I skip down to my mailbox....it has bills. How much fun are bills? I am beginning to really wonder about you Canadians.
No really.
please note the smiley faces. we love you Dan....I am just teasing you.
Posts: 3729 | From: Seattle | Registered: Sep 1999
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posted
Going to the mailbox is cool! LOL! It gets me out of the house, I get to see the newly born calves with their mamas next door, we drag our gumboots through the puddles along the way, I take some time to romp with Cody and the dog...
I have bills too. Lots of them. But I forget about them pretty quick. I'm usually attempting to catch Cody and the dog at that point.
Ahhhh yeah, sniffin' that Canadian air! Whaddaya think Dan, should we market it?
posted
Donna lives right in the middle of farm country, like me. And we all KNOW what farm air smells like, especially this time of year! How are we gonna sell that??
And when I met Donna & Adrianne that first time while building Giggle Ridge I was about as stressed out as I have ever been... short on money (the project was more than $100,000 over budget at that point) and even shorter on time (we were three weeks behind schedule because of so much rain that spring). The concrete was baking in the heat with little time for us to get the texture into it before it turned to stone.
I had twenty-two people asking me what I wanted next and we had twelve people sleeping, eating and living in our little beach cottage for the duration of that project.
I was TOTALLY stressed out then...
Now I'm kinda mellow and relaxed.
All kinds of stuff happens in my life... every day!
I just count the good stuff.
And I don't get to go for the mail until monday because we are out of town for a three day weekend. But just think of how much good stuff there will be waiting for me when I get back!!!!
-dan
[ April 04, 2003, 04:25 AM: Message edited by: Dan Sawatzky ]
-------------------- Dan Sawatzky Imagination Corporation Yarrow, British Columbia dan@imaginationcorporation.com http://www.imaginationcorporation.com
Being a grampa is one of the the most wonderful things in the world!!! Posts: 8738 | From: Yarrow, B.C. Canada | Registered: Nov 1998
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posted
There just is no substitute for positive thinking Dan, and you have got a good handle on it. I'm sure that talent and creativity have a lot to do with it.
-------------------- Bill Riedel Riedel Sign Co., Inc. 15 Warren Street Little Ferry, N.J. 07643 billsr@riedelsignco.com Posts: 2953 | From: Little Ferry, New Jersey, USA | Registered: Feb 1999
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posted
Can't say the same thing Dan ... week from hell
I'm not one to share personal life with the board, It's just not something I'm comfortable with... but this week has been a stunner..
Actually started march 21st when my wife's cherokee was hit by a dumptruck that was going the wrong way one a one way street. She wasn't injured neither was my 16 yo son who broke the windshield with his head. Needless to say the cherokees in the body shop for a while, estimate 4-5 weeks, it's gonna take a while to get the parts. Marie is now driving a rental provided by insurance co. ..
Wed. of this week, had a birthday (never a good thing) also had someone back into my Jetta .. $1500 damage... no injuries.. also or the first time in 2 years we actually ran out of work, can't complain we've had an amazing run, and cash flow is actually quite healthy.. just a bit disturbing, did manage to start a clean up..
Friday morning ... someone backed into Marie's rental ... no injuries ... about $1000 damage ... Body shop owner smiles when he sees me ...
Friday afternoon, a customers brand new C4500 GMC 4 ton truck catches fire in my garage while we are lettering it. My applicator burned his hand, not badly Thank God, while putting out the flames. He reacted without thinking, extinguisher & water hose were no more than 4 ft away, but he did save the day for which I am thankful. Electrical fault caused the fire in the center floor consul, It's a warranty job, dealer is scrambling to kiss everyones butt. Shop is no way responsible or liable, but I can only thank the stars that the fire started while someone was there. The vehicle had been in the garage since 5pm Thursday, if the fire had started during the night I would have likely lost the garage if not the entire shop, as well as having an insurance nightmare untill cause of fire was determined.
Anyway... It's a georgous day. I'm Gonna Ski, snowmobile & ice fish. We've a recreational weekend planned for staff and families. And next week were off on our annual pilgramige to St. Pete's.. I just think I'm gonna stay away from vehicles of all types.
posted
Hi Dan, This is such a COOL post! I feel happy already this AM just reading it. Last year from July to December, we had a crazy, mostly crappy year with shop building problems, lawyer problems, etc...and at times I felt overwhelmed! But just when I got to feeling sorry for myself , I got to thinking about all the other people who had it worse off. We have 4 great kids between us, 3 beautiful grandkids, fun pets, a great job and most important an incredible husband who puts up with me and I just have to smile and remember where I am and I feel so blessed !! Plus this year is already looking up for us, so like the weather, just wait around and something will change. Thats what we say in the Midwest! Like yesterday we had 3 rainshowers, 2 thunderstorms, 1 hailstorm and sun off and on all day. Really wierd, but cool! 4-5 golfball size hail fell in my yard, just happy I missed buckets of it like only 2 blocks away. They were riveted. See! Better here already! Thanks for the post, my day will be better for it...look forward to meeting you sometime at a meet! Kat (of TomKat)
-------------------- Tom & Kathy Durham Weber Hill Signs House Springs, Mo. 63051 636-671-4676 Posts: 11 | From: House Springs, Mo. | Registered: Mar 2003
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posted
Had a pretty great week here. Lots of work dropped in my lap. Some real cool stuff too.
I'm quite frazzled, been putting in mucho hours between work stuff, and house stuff.
Still at it workwize here today. Still grinnin' tho!
We'll be hitting the Blue's fest later in the park with Steve and Barb. KebMo and Delbert will be jammin'!
Nettie
hey Mike, can't believe the run of luck you've had this week! Hope you don't mind if I don't let you drive my trooper while you're here! Looking forward to your visit.
-------------------- "When Love and Skill Work Together ... Expect a Masterpiece"
""Good judgment comes from experience; and a lot of that comes from bad judgment" - Will Rogers Posts: 3486 | From: Beautiful Newaygo, Michigan | Registered: Mar 2003
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posted
Wow... Dan, can I borrow some of whatever it is that you take every day??
It's nice to read about good things. It makes a person stop to think about something they may have taken for granted lately.
And sometimes reading about yucky stuff puts your own yucky stuff in perspective.
This was an especially emotionally stressful week at work. Started off on Monday... to make a very long story way too short, basically a few months ago we received an abandoned dogs complaint.
Our officers pulled an almost dead dog out of a house, that survived only because he ate parts of his buddy, who died of starvation first. I booked him in. From what we learned, Scooby was never a very nice dog to begin with. That became incredibly obvious as he gained weight and health. Only two people were able to handle him.
Unfortunately in the court case, it was basically a slap on the hand. Monday afternoon we had to put Scooby to sleep.
This afternoon we had a 10-12 year old boy fighting back tears, carry his dead cat into our surrender lobby. Seems his Dad was going to throw it in the garbage, but 'warmed' up enough to drive the kid and the cat over... dropped them off in the parking lot and went home.
Poor kid tried so hard to be brave and not cry in front of all the people in the lobby. After leaving his beloved pet with us, he had to walk home. Wonderful 'father' huh?
You can use your imagination to fill in the Tuesday through Friday part of the week...
Thanks for letting me vent a little about something that has nothing to do with signs.
Now, you guys keep up with the happy stuff for me, ok??
-------------------- Dana Ferry St Cloud, MN Posts: 1556 | From: St Cloud, MN | Registered: May 1999
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posted
Sorry Dana. I don't know how people can be like that. My boys mean the world to me and come first.
yesterday morning I put them on their leashes and let them out the front door. We have the leashes that are on reels so we extend the leash and hook the handle on the door, latch door and they're ok. Well, as soon as I walk back into the bedroom, I hear something and come out to find Rocky's handle at the door but he's on the other side of the yard going. Seems the leash broke where it meets the reel part inside. I run out, and try to get near him without him thinking we're playing so he doesn't take off. We're 1/4 to 1/2 mile off the road but the whole time I was afraid of him getting down on the road and getting hit.
I get home last night and the strong winds we had yesterday caught our basement screen door, bounced it off the stone wall, leaving shattered glass everywhere. My first thought, Don't bring the boys out this way.
-------------------- Chris Welker Wildfire Signs Indiana, Pa Posts: 4254 | From: Indiana, PA | Registered: Mar 2001
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posted
Dana ...... you have a tough job. I admire you for what you do. I don't think I could do it, mostly because it involves people like the 'dad' you just described. I feel so bad for the boy who had to bring his cat in. That is not a 'lesson' his parents should have let him learn. I know how much I love our pets, but most important....my kids are tops with me.
Keep up the great work Dana. And here is wishing you many happier days at your job.
Take care
Posts: 3729 | From: Seattle | Registered: Sep 1999
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posted
Oh I'm having such a marvelous week.....I'm just so wonderful!...... CHASING MONEY ALL WEEK.......MY EX IS ON MY ASS OVER NOTHING......MY KNEES ARE KILLING ME..........MY NEIGHBOR'S TREE FELL DOWN AND ALMOST HIT MY VAN........MY DOG CRAPPED ON THE CARPET......MY PRPERTY TAXES ARE DUE......AND I'M DEFINITELY IN TROUBLE CAUSE I DONT HAVE ONE O THEM GERBER CONTRAPTIONS. BUT I'M BUSY AS HELL AND CAN'T GET THE WORK OUT ON TIME. LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL! BUT I DO NEED A VACATION, AND A COLD BEER (whichever comes first)!
posted
I'm not sure if we are doing good or not. We are getting quite a few calls from the internet from out of state companys to quote jobs. We have lots of little piddle stuff that is taking me away from the bigger stuff. So much so that I have been interviewing students for an internship job. Finally found someone that is great, a christian, and has a lot of hobbies in common with me.
<p>Thursday we started having freezing rain and by Fri the electricity went out for the final time in the shop so I closed up at 3:30 and went home. When I got home we didn't have any juice there either but we at least had a generator that runs the electricity for the house, satelite dish, and internet. Yeah! Unfortunately it won't run our pump. So its now Sun. still no electricity, the phone was out for hours but is back on, we have been feeding horses by flashlight and watering by dipping water out of a creek.
<p>The ground had defrosted enough that I was making plans for digging holes for a new sign going in but tonight we are under a winter storm warning. This is kinda late for snow in Mich. but then again this is Michigan. If you have ever lived in Michigan you'll know what I am talking about.
<p>Despite my son-in-law being deployed, my daughter 5 months PG, and my 16 mo old granddaughter that all live with us, is driving me crazy, everything is going great.
-------------------- Laura Butler Vision Graphics & Sign 4479 Welch Rd Attica, Mi 48412 Posts: 2855 | From: Attica, Mi, USA | Registered: Nov 2000
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, I got to thinking about all the other people who had it worse off. We have 4 great kids between us, 3 beautiful grandkids, fun pets, a great job and most important an incredible husband who puts up with me and I just have to smile and remember where I am and I feel so blessed 
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