Jamie's Blog

What I Do Does Matter to My Children....That is All That Matters

May 31, 2009

Sheesh, this has been a long year, wait that is not what I mean, it is not even half way over.  What I mean is this school yearhas been looooong.  I am not the only one at my little school that thinks this way - it has been an interesting year to say the least.  When we get out of school and the dust has settled, and I am no longer living in it, I will go into it....in great detail possibly.  Many will not believe the storm I have weathered.....living in my own little Harper Valley PTA if you will. 

Wake me When the Economy Picks Up

The whole year has not been bad, it has just not been a great year with JPD, but like I said not even half way over.  Even, with the Economy pretty much sucking for those of us in retail - it is going okay.  People ask me all the time, "How is business?"  My answer is - slow.  It has been the same answer for, oh let's see the past eight months. 

I know that not everyone is slow - but I am.  And I am fine with it.  Let's face it, in this blog I am also willing to be honest....and not everyone is.  I just don't have the time to put a spin on it.  Things are slower for everyone I am pretty sure, I just can't prove it.  I am not dumb enough to think that this will last forever, may be a slower than usual summer, but I do believe that this too shall pass........right? 

However, there is a bright spot for me this year.  I am waiting to go over our numbers for May because we sort of hit it out of the park in May.  We had our huge sale of Princess Plates to a certain someone in Tinsel Town, and of course our Tile Fundraiser we did for my children's school. 

My children's school also benefited from the slow economy, as I was able to take on more at school.  I spent time volunteering in my children's classes, helping with school functions and pretty much doing anything and everything that was asked of me.  And as my husband will tell you, they took complete advantage of the situation. 

Took on Way Too Many Projects

I am thinking this is not an unusual problem for many Mom's to have, especially working Mom's.  I took on too much this past year......and if you tell my husband that I admitted this I may have to come kill you.  Keep it on the down low k?  I feel I spent more time on campus than I did at work, probably too much time on campus.  Just so you can see what I am talking about, here are a few things what I have taken on this past school year:

• Room Mom for daughter's 1st grade class
• Art in Action Teacher  for 60 (yes 60) 4th graders
• Chair for Reflections (a PTA art contest thing for entire school)
• Joined a fund raising committee and designed t-shirts, plus wrote skit for assembly
• Regularly organizing a weekly, monthly cocktail party for the Mom's from our school
• Took the 60 4th graders art and  put it on tiles for the holidays
• Got 60 4th grader's art ready for Art Show and did special End of Year Game Show
• Made special tile for students to give baby gorilla at SF Zoo
• Took my daughter's 20 1st graders art and put it on tile for Mother's Day
• Agreed to help make decorations for 8th grade graduation, that consisted of designing a San Francisco skyline for the entire ball room, painting a 5 ft round moon and um I DON"T EVEN HAVE AN EIGHTH GRADER! 
• Chaired a Wall Art Tile Project for our school AND owned company that did the project  that consisted of; forming a committee, making flyers, brochures, planning an assembly, making posters, an art day for 620 students to design their tile, getting 444 tiles onto boards and grouted for display in the lunch court and another assembly on top of that to unveil the tiles..........anyone else exhausted?

Yep, the last one just about sent me over the edge....oh wait did I forget to mention that I sort of kind of tripped 2 weeks ago?  Ya, I was just going out the back  door and the stair jumped out and tripped me, I rolled my ankle, cut up my shin and killed my prized 20 pound palm tree plant that was in a super cute black pot?  Ya, so if you can imagine the last two weeks have been spent on crutches.....yes crutches....I hate crutches - you know why I am a tad bit overwhelmed.  I am even starting to resent those of you out there with two perfectly good working legs.  I so wish I could walk, talk and carry things at the same time! 

Not Another Pity Party Jamie?

After many tears this past year and realizing that I could not do it all, I started to feel real sorry for myself last week.  I had a mountain of work to do for my real  job business and I had another pile of responsibilities for things I had volunteered for.  Don't get me wrong - all me, all my fault and all totally avoidable.  No one signed me up for the company I started, the kids I had or the many numerous committees I decided to join chair this past year.  I have come to the conclusion once again that I can not do it all, I mean I can not do it all well.  Next year, I have to leave something for others to do.

Going Somewhere I Have Never Gone

Which brings me to last Thursday night and what happened to me.  At our school we have something called Founder's Day.  This is a big event in our school's gymnasium with anyone and everyone that wants to attend.  The PTA swears in and votes for the next year's officers, the 5th graders have a bake sale to raise money for......something, I refuse to find out till I have a 5th grader.  A couple of classes are asked to perform 2 songs.  Then, the PTA  gives out awards to teachers, staff and parents that have gone above and beyond the call of duty.  I have never (up until last week) attended Founder's Day.  To be honest it sounded dreadfully boring and I had no reason to attend.

After sitting through 8 songs by a 1st and a 3rd grade class (it was supposed to be 2 but I am guessing Math is not a subject either teacher excels in) they started handing out awards.  And I must mention that after my crutches fell over and the ENTIRE audience turned around to look at me.........I won an award.  I did!  I did not volunteer for this accolade, I could care less about some certificate in a frame.  I did not really want to gimp my way up to the podium to accept it.  I was humbled, I was honored, but again NOT why I volunteered.  Now, my children had a different take on the night.......

Appreciation in My Children's Eyes

When my friend started describing me and listing the crazy things I volunteered for the things I had done and describing me without using my name, my daughter's face lit up.  Her eyes got big, she turned to me with the biggest smile on her face and she said, "That's you, it's you Mommy!"  To my right my son sat.  He started laughing, looked up to me and said, "I knew it!  I knew you would get an award!"

As I slowly made it up to the stage my two biggest fans sat and clapped, and clapped and clapped.  They were so proud, they were so happy for me.  And they are the reason I do, or did all that I did this year.  I have no regrets.  I am happy that it meant so much to them...........I got more pleasure out of those two comments from them than anything I have done this year. 

My business will be here when they grow up and don't need me at school.   All of the headaches I got and crazy political garbage I had to deal with will be long forgotten.  These years that they need me at school, want me at school will be also be long gone.  But the memories will not.  I will remember that I was there for them when they needed me, but more importantly they will remember I was there.

Are we on a Break?

May 12, 2009

I need to make a call.  I have been avoiding this for some time now.  Hold on.

Ring, ring.....oh wait is it not more like...."the theme song from American Idol" - yes the cell phone is ringing.....

"Hi JPD Mom Blog, it's me Jamie.  We need to talk."

"You probably have noticed I have not been around as much....and my posts are getting fewer and fewer....wait, wait don't cry, let me explain...."

Blame it on the Al-Al Alcohol, Uh the Economy

  "I wish it had not come to this, I mean I really wish we were on better terms, I feel though that a quick call to you is the best way to get my feelings across.  First, let me say how sorry I am for being so out of touch, I mean it is not like it is the first time I have neglected you.  I feel bad for ignoring you and not giving you the attention you deserve.  I know, I know you should be a priority, but sadly other parts of my life have had to take front stage."

"Now don't go and take it personally, it's not you - it's me.  Now wait, don't cry, it's not that my blog is not important, really I mean it.  It is just that when my husband is gone week after week on  business trips my um, my time and my mind is in another place.  I am not putting  you down, and I do not think any less of you.  I mean you are important to me.....I sometimes  just do not have the time to give you what you deserve.  Does that make sense?"

The Other Woman, Er, the Other Blog

"What?  What did you say?  How dare you throw the other blog in my face!  Silicon Valley Mom Blog is not, do not use that word with me!  You are just jealous!  That is different......YES it is .  I have a commitment, I signed a contract.  Oh, gosh the water works, here we go again.  The content is very different, that is more Mommy blog stuff - this blog is about my company, the up's and the downs."

"I swear sometimes it is like talking to my i-pod you are not LISTENING!  What?  I am sorry, I will stop yelling....okay now calm down, calm down.  I never said the other blog meant more to me....no I did NOT...okay, not yelling, not yelling anymore."

A Light At the End of the Tunnel, Um the Summer?

Seriously in my defense I have been juggling a lot lately.  No, no you are right I have started to see the Economy start to turn around.  Not a huge turn but it has started to pick up again at JPD, and it started the middle of April.  I am not sure what everyone else said about consumer spending, our weeks are slowly picking up.  We are noticing that each week the sales are up....not up to what we are used to, but beggars can not be choosers.  As much as I love blogging, I sort of have needed to be pro-active on the business front and make sure that the work is done and that we survive this slump.  I am not giving up on you, just you do not make me any money right now, so I need to focus on places that do.  OH, come on don't cry again.....please.

Good Sales, Even if They were a Rush Order

Which brings me to an exciting order we had last week.  I am not sure if you heard, but we had anorder for 52, actually 62 plates for a party.  A special princess plate that was given out as a party favor - it was a huge undertaking to get the plates made and packaged by Thursday to ensure a Monday delivery.  But do you know what?  We (me) did it!  We got a huge order out and that is what I have to do these days - I even did the shipping, since it was not our regular shipping day.  Not so say I do not miss blogging, but I have to make money first.  Not sure who will be attending this birthday party, but I am putting my money on that Suri Cruise and maybe Brad Pitt's little girl....I can wish right?

Wall Art Tile Fundraiser Project

Truth is a lot of my time this Spring has been spent working on a Fundraiser project and it really has taken a lot of my time.   Not only have I been the chair for it, but I have been the company doing all the work for the project.  It has been a good thing - we are taking the children's original drawings and putting them on tile.  The tiles were sold as a fundraiser, then we are going to make the tiles, grout them onto plywood and hang them in the lunch court.  All in all it was a huge success....what is wrong? I thought you would be happy for me.  Sheesh....I did this for us, for you - so that we could spend more time together!  I had to do something when business was slow.....I hear you sniffling, are you crying again?  Allergies?  Right....

New Products.....Soon

Also, I have been working on a double secret project....okay not that secret.  I do have two new products that I was hoping to release in March - but could not get it together.  I have also been working on some exclusive designs that I still need to finish....which brings me back to not having time for you.  It won't be like this forever, I promise - I am just busy now....I need kinda my space.

Okay well I hate to leave it like this, with you all crying and everything.  I will um, I will call you okay?  It's not over, I swear.  I just can't give you the commitment you want right now, I can't really be with you every day or anything, maybe every week I will check in - I need to um, focus on me now.  K?

Hey I am going to Blogher did I tell you that?  I am.....so we can uh hang out then?  We can uh, you know - it will be like old times okay?  Okay?  Oh, gosh please stop crying already.....

I will call you in a few days. I gotta go my husband will be home soon from his trip and I really crave some conversation with a um, human....oh gosh the crying again?  Gotta go....By-eee.