We celebrated Jotsalot's first birthday by doing our taxes. The Marketing and PR Departments thought huddling in a dark corner over pitchers and wings was the way to celebrate, but I'm the boss. Maybe not the brains, but the boss.
Thank goodness the Plasma Sales Division generated pure profit because the Publishing and Companionship Sales Divisions were--cute. Not puppy cuddly cute, gum will hide the tequila breath cute. Not too bad for a first year, although I really expected to have more to show people like. . .um. . . something.
Many of you received the inaugural marketing ploy t-shirt with corporate tramp stamp. I did invent the corporate tramp stamp and I'm really hoping that will lift the company into the black. I'm not pinning my hopes on it, though. You pin hopes on lottery tickets and rich widows who like tequila. The corporate tramp stamp is a well thought out plan for the future just ask Ms M.
Technically the first year was a learning experience on so many unsharable levels. I understand a lot more and have a more defined vision for the business. I think focus will help.
That's all there is from Jotsalot this week.
Friday, March 25, 2011
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Friday, March 18, 2011
Fishing a New Stream of Consciousness
 |
| Mr B |
His response was businesslike, yet playfully cryptic.
"Splashing around in a river isn't always about finding food, sometimes it's just plain fun to bitch slap a salmon."
I think that says it all, or at least something. It certainly sums up the approach of Jotaslot's Secret Projects Department. Really, it needn't be a secret and I'm only using it as a ruse to keep you coming back. "Will it be this week he reveals he's started writing a children's book?" One of the secret projects is a children's book that I think will make the parents and kids laugh. If nothing else, we're about fun around here. Fun and Ka-ch$ng!
Timpkins' books are an evolving work I really hoped to have had finished by now. We started with the idea of four separate books tentatively titled Wisdom, Vices, Virtues and Misspent Youth (I never liked that one. I don't think she reads this so I can say that.) I had redecided to put them together in one book, but now that I see them listed it might be fun to mix Wisdom & Vices and Virtues & Misspent Youth.
What do you think?
Friday, March 11, 2011
Repressing Memories of Deadlines Passed
On Monday I decided reading once in awhile isn't such a bad idea. Peek at what others are doing, support the industry, look smart that sort of thing, but now I'm not too sure. Someone recommended a book which begins with the dog dying. At least Old Yeller offered up a few happy moments before--you know. I can't say any more about it because I haven't read it, but I suspect I won't fall out of bed laughing.
This week was all about working on the secret projects that give me goosebumps. And no, not another greeting card those goosebumps are because it's cold and I'm naked. Actually, the last Christmas card wasn't so bad because the string of lights and tinsel were surprisingly warm. I'm talking about magical goosebumps that only appear when you're doing exactly what you were put on Earth to do. One project is for me and no one else will ever see it. You might see parts of it, but you won't know it's from it or I'll never be able to write it. The other I hope you'll see because showing it off is the reason I'm doing it; showing it off and goosebumps. I'm having way too much fun right now to even pretend it's work.
Yeah, about the title. Perhapsing here, but creating 126 illustrations in three months was thinking too ambitiously. Sometimes I hate the mortal limitations of time and attention span. They're inversely related, if you think about it.
This week was all about working on the secret projects that give me goosebumps. And no, not another greeting card those goosebumps are because it's cold and I'm naked. Actually, the last Christmas card wasn't so bad because the string of lights and tinsel were surprisingly warm. I'm talking about magical goosebumps that only appear when you're doing exactly what you were put on Earth to do. One project is for me and no one else will ever see it. You might see parts of it, but you won't know it's from it or I'll never be able to write it. The other I hope you'll see because showing it off is the reason I'm doing it; showing it off and goosebumps. I'm having way too much fun right now to even pretend it's work.
Yeah, about the title. Perhapsing here, but creating 126 illustrations in three months was thinking too ambitiously. Sometimes I hate the mortal limitations of time and attention span. They're inversely related, if you think about it.
Friday, March 4, 2011
Love, Technically Speaking
I love the familiar and by familiar I mean low tech and by low tech I mean pencil. Pencils respect my giant intellect and do exactly what I want them to do with unquestioning awe. They never question my spelling with squiggly red lines or try to finish my words. Oh yeah, Auto Spell reminds me of the very first dirty joke I brought home from grade school
A: What word begins with f and ends with u-c-k?
B: I don't know.
A: Firetruck.
Yep, that one wowwed the dinner table and I wasn't even trying to use it as a verb. Nor was I trying to use it as a verb all last week when I was trying to print landscape and my computer wouldn't let me. But the superiority of pencils over computers isn't really what I learned last week. I've known that for years. It's the superiority of creativity over machine.
I love the wonder of making thoughts appear. I'm amazed how scratching words across paper can create something that makes me laugh for days or how painting chemicals on an ordinary sheet of paper lets it capture light and I can hand that piece of paper to anyone, at any time, and they can see that light and I can say, "This moment of light was important to me and I want to share it with you."
I think I just wrote the Jotsalot Media creed. Odd, I meant to ask whether you would like to hold a real book or an ebook and I just answered my own question.
A: What word begins with f and ends with u-c-k?
B: I don't know.
A: Firetruck.
Yep, that one wowwed the dinner table and I wasn't even trying to use it as a verb. Nor was I trying to use it as a verb all last week when I was trying to print landscape and my computer wouldn't let me. But the superiority of pencils over computers isn't really what I learned last week. I've known that for years. It's the superiority of creativity over machine.
I love the wonder of making thoughts appear. I'm amazed how scratching words across paper can create something that makes me laugh for days or how painting chemicals on an ordinary sheet of paper lets it capture light and I can hand that piece of paper to anyone, at any time, and they can see that light and I can say, "This moment of light was important to me and I want to share it with you."
I think I just wrote the Jotsalot Media creed. Odd, I meant to ask whether you would like to hold a real book or an ebook and I just answered my own question.
Friday, February 25, 2011
The Business Plan aka The Anal-Retentive's Procrastination Guide
The richest man who ever lived wrote, "Without a vision The Minions will spend a lot of time on Facebook."
I decided this week was a good one to define the corporate vision beyond just Ka-CH$NG! We needed plans for our products. Production plans, marketing plans, distribution plans, suitcases of cash to Switzerland plans. All these plans required steps, steps required deadlines and deadlines required a calendar. The good news is we now have a plan, on the wall, of every minute of every day for the next year. I even inked in blog updates and haircuts. Now the questions of what? and when? will never be uttered around here again.
That being said. . .
Have you noticed it's easier to write while painting? Taking a walk or playing with cameras works for me too. What is it about not sitting purposefully at my kitchen table that allows me to get more done? It's like I have to sneak up on writing to do it. Good thing I have Timpkins and The Minions to do the creative heavy lifting.
I'm still blaming the weather.
I decided this week was a good one to define the corporate vision beyond just Ka-CH$NG! We needed plans for our products. Production plans, marketing plans, distribution plans, suitcases of cash to Switzerland plans. All these plans required steps, steps required deadlines and deadlines required a calendar. The good news is we now have a plan, on the wall, of every minute of every day for the next year. I even inked in blog updates and haircuts. Now the questions of what? and when? will never be uttered around here again.
That being said. . .
Have you noticed it's easier to write while painting? Taking a walk or playing with cameras works for me too. What is it about not sitting purposefully at my kitchen table that allows me to get more done? It's like I have to sneak up on writing to do it. Good thing I have Timpkins and The Minions to do the creative heavy lifting.
I'm still blaming the weather.
Friday, February 18, 2011
The Vice of Virtues
A horrible, confusing and largely cloudy week in the office. That emotional weather report brought to you courtesy of Any Excuse in a Storm.
This week I explored the gray areas of vices, virtues and how to organize a book where forgiveness appears as both. Do I play Webster and list by word or cling to having vice and virtue sections? If forgiveness is both, how to illustrate? And, why didn't I stick with being a busboy? There's a question keeping me up at night. I was really good at it and loved the free food. I'm vamping now because it moves the cursor along until just maybe it bumps into the idea I'm searching for. . .and. . . nothing. I'm thinking a little practical procrastination might help the process. I'll do that when I'm done with this.
The movie division of Jotsalot Media is working on a screenplay or rather one of five depending on Mr B's mood. I would prefer he finish the one on the drawing board, but he seems inspired by an animated script featuring a dancing pig. I'm the boss in title, but The Minions only obey inspiration and mood. Is obedience a vice or a virtue? Timpkins didn't write anything on the subject and, if she does, she'll probably make it both to torment me. For Timpkins being a smartass is definitely a virtue.
Ms M is convinced there's a future in refrigerator magnets. I'm convinced her idea belongs under Practical Procrastination and she needs to be redesigning our logo. But she's inspired so I'll give her another week.
Maybe next week there'll be pictures of refrigerator magnets posted here. I'd check back, if I were you.
This week I explored the gray areas of vices, virtues and how to organize a book where forgiveness appears as both. Do I play Webster and list by word or cling to having vice and virtue sections? If forgiveness is both, how to illustrate? And, why didn't I stick with being a busboy? There's a question keeping me up at night. I was really good at it and loved the free food. I'm vamping now because it moves the cursor along until just maybe it bumps into the idea I'm searching for. . .and. . . nothing. I'm thinking a little practical procrastination might help the process. I'll do that when I'm done with this.
The movie division of Jotsalot Media is working on a screenplay or rather one of five depending on Mr B's mood. I would prefer he finish the one on the drawing board, but he seems inspired by an animated script featuring a dancing pig. I'm the boss in title, but The Minions only obey inspiration and mood. Is obedience a vice or a virtue? Timpkins didn't write anything on the subject and, if she does, she'll probably make it both to torment me. For Timpkins being a smartass is definitely a virtue.
Ms M is convinced there's a future in refrigerator magnets. I'm convinced her idea belongs under Practical Procrastination and she needs to be redesigning our logo. But she's inspired so I'll give her another week.
Maybe next week there'll be pictures of refrigerator magnets posted here. I'd check back, if I were you.
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