Personal Homepage of: David Francis

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My New Camera!
Saturday, May 03, 2008 2:23 pm

Well I did it! I purchased the new Cannon EOS Rebel 450D / XSi.

I was being as patient as I could be and finally committed to purchase last week from Shutterbug Photo in Bowling Green. (www.sbphotomall.com) I decided to buy locally for a number of reasons.

1. I like to purchase from local small businesses to help my local economy.
2. They sponsored the magazine last year.
3. The price was the same as Amazon.
4. They had them before Amazon.
5. It included a free lesson on how to use it and discount on advanced lessons.
6. It included a coupon for free prints in many sizes.

WARNING: Be sure and purchase a memory card because one is not included. Also, make sure the camera and lens is actually in the box. (Funny story; I purchased the camera this morning and didn’t open the box until unveiling my $1,000 purchase to my wife. I got to the bottom of the box and there was no camera. I called Shutterbug and they were very apologetic and fixed me right up. As it appears, the regular camera sales people had not arrived and the nice lady who sold me the camera simply grabbed the box off the shelf and sent me on my way. We all got a big laugh out of it and by the time I got back to the store they had my brand new one waiting for me.)

Anyway! The battery has to charge for two hours and that frustrating because I was going to take my first pictures at a Kentucky Derby party at a local country club. Oh well.

More to come on this topic I’m sure!

Thanks for reading.

SOKY Happenings: One whole year!
Wednesday, April 30, 2008 8:37 am

My idea to create a publication that is a positive reflection of the community is about to release its 12^th monthly issue. More than just ticking the volume number up from 1 to 2, it represents a full year of being in print. I am very proud of what we have become and also how we have gotten to where we are.

The twelfth issue is 60 pages, up from our first issue at 36 pages. We have tripled our sponsor base and have many new feature writers and sections. From “The Wine Snob” to “The Garden Hoe;” and from “The City of Bowling Green” to “The Bowling Green Area Convention and Visitors Bureau;” we have some interesting, informative and entertaining regular columns.

Making a difference in my community was a key motivating factor! We receive comments and letters every month from the organizations that we feature in the magazine telling us that we helped them achieve greater turn out and greater contributions. Most recently, the Barren River Area Child Advocacy Center held a “Teddy Bear Run” to raise awareness of abused and neglected children in our region. They wrote us yesterday and told us they had their best year resulting in more than 900 teddy bears and $30,000 in contributions. They said that our efforts to get the news out were instrumental in the success of the event this year. I thanked them for the accolades and the letter, but also for working year round on behalf of neglected and abused children who might otherwise be forgotten.

It took a great amount of faith and a lot of hard work to get where we are. I can count the days I’ve had off over the past 14 months on one hand. I cannot count the number of nights I slept in the office nor the number of nights I didn’t sleep at all because of looming deadlines and the need to get this on the streets on or before the 1^st of each month.

I’ve had to learn or relearn many skills. From changing from the PC to the Mac, to unlearning web layout and learning print layout, offset printing, DPI’s and Adobe software. I have a whole new skill set that I must admit has evolved almost miraculously. I can do and create things now that I could not before and it just feels good, especially at the ripe OLD age of 43.

We have come to a place in the business that I can finally start considering hiring people! There is a good deal of preparation for this because I am going to have to consider office space, telephone systems, computer hardware and software as well as payroll, benefits and ways to keep the staff happy and motivated. I want to create a “team environment,” without losing control or authority in the process. I want good creative people who are eager to make the magazine better each month. I have a need for at least three talented people and I hope to be able to hire them in the next 90 days.

Don’t get me wrong, I don’t want “out” of the business at all. I would simply like to hire a few people I can trust and count on who will help bring this magazine to press each month. People who would allow me to take some time off; or dare I dream? To travel once in a while. Yes, I have a few other business ideas I would like bring to this market and others, but I have to have my wagons in a circle on the home front first.

I would like to write about my future plans but have learned to keep those to myself. I’m just getting started and it feels great! I’ve been able to build a little business without sacrificing my integrity nor giving into the temptation to be over competitive. I did not sit down and decide to hurt others in business, I set out to help my community and I feel as though I have without the need to lash out or attempt to destroy others. It feels good, even if it has been a challenge.

The first whole year of SOKY Happenings magazine has been a challenge. I’m sure the next year will be too. I intend to stay the course and continue my efforts to not only create a useful resource that enhances my community, but to grow and expand as we continue to help our area become a better place to live. I will face many more challenges and decisions next year, but with the first difficult year under my belt, I feel better prepared and equipped to make the next steps in business.

This is going to be great!

Thank you for reading. Let me know what you think!

Taste of Bowling Green
Sunday, April 13, 2008

This is kind of a follow up on a story we ran in the April issue of SOKY Happenings (pg 31) about an annual event that is very popular. “The Taste of Bowling Green” or as it’s simply referred to, “the Taste.” (www.tasteofbowlinggreen.com)

This is an annual event hosted by the South Central Chapter of the Kentucky Restaurant Association (www.kyra.org). The event was well attended and at $35 per ticket, the Dream Factory of Bowling Green likely raised a lot of money. Reportedly, they sold 700 tickets last year and raised about $15,000 to grant dreams to local children.

The Dream Factory according to their website:

The Dream Factory operates using a network of volunteers who raise funds in their communities to grant dreams to local children. We receive no government funding but rely on the generosity of members of our communities. Donors are assured that their funds remain in their communities and volunteers can see the direct results of their efforts by serving local children. (www.dreamfactorybg.org)

I feel we are very fortunate to have such a wonderful organization in our area, especially after reading; “Unfortunately, we have no means to grant dreams where we have no chapters.” on their website. You can also read about them on page 31 of SOKY Happenings April 2008.

The Taste is a huge collection of restaurants, liquor stores, beverage vendors and food suppliers who set up small booths in a trade show fashion. Most of these displays offer samples of the companies featured goods. From Makers Mark Bourbon to Cosmos Tomato Cheesecake there are a variety of flavors represented.

There is a competitive spirit among the vendors to make a great presentation. I’m not sure what the criteria is exactly, but organizers arrange a kind of contest among the participating companies and award a best in show and honorable mention platter to the best booth. WhaBah Steel Horse Saloon (www.whabah.com) captured the top prize (for the second time in a row) and Bowling Green Technical College (www.bowlinggreen.kctcs.edu) was honorably mentioned.

Carrie and I enjoyed samples from many of the booths but there were two that really caught our attention.

Four Roses Distillery (www.fourroses.us) offered sample of two of their bourbons. The Four Roses Single Batch and the Four Roses Small Batch. I tried both straight up and have to say they both were quite pleasant. I’m not a bourbon drinker, but these were very rich and smooth. Of the two, I preferred the Single Batch.

Kenny’s Farmhouse Cheese was another stand out of the night. Not only did they offer some great  samples, but we learned that they are right here in South Central KY. We had the pleasure of meeting Mr. (Kenny) & Mrs. Mattingly and they explained that they have been dairy farmers in Barren County KY for many years and Cheese producers since 1998.

The cheese: I have to say that I have never tried a more unique and tasteful cheese as I did that night. They offered several of their handmade cheeses, but I could not stop eating the horseradish cheddar. According to their website (www.kennyscountrycheese.com), they produced 34,000 pounds of cheese in varieties that include Cheddar, Colby, Jack, Asiago, Swiss and Havarti, as well as some outstanding blue cheeses last year.  Also according to the website; “Two extra touches that he believes make his cheese more special for his customers are coagulating the cheese with vegetable-based rennet, to make it more acceptable to vegetarians and hand cutting/packaging each block or round of cheese.”

Oh, and then there is the band! That’s right folks, a great night of food and drink is not complete without a great band and the Taste did not disappoint. The popular group, “Skip Bond and the Fugitives” were the band for the evening and they did a great job. Admittedly, I am partial to this group because the drummer (Jim DeCesare) is a good friend; the trombone playing singer (Dave Gottfried) is the Father-in-Law of my son (does that make him like a brother-in-law? Not sure); and this band was featured in the April 2008 issue of SOKY Happenings.

It was a very enjoyable evening all around. We saw many friends, tried some great food and spirits, and came away thankful to live in such a great community. We are looking forward to next year’s event and plan to publicize it more completely in ’09.

A big shout out to Vicki Weaver who helped us get the article and information together for the magazine. She is a hard working nurse and is also the President of the Dream Factory of Bowling Green. THANKS VICKI!!!

More pictures http://sokyhappenings.com/gallery/2008_04_10TasteofBG4web/

April 2008 – My Journey Continues
Friday, April 04, 2008 7:16 am

For the friends and family who keep up with this web page, and others who read for whatever reason, it may come as no surprise that I am taking on a new hobby. Yeah, like I needed another hobby eh?

But first; let me bring you up to date:

My skills with the MAC computer and Adobe software continue to improve, develop and grow. I’ve been able to cut down the time per page on the magazine greatly! I still only use it during press week because I remain comfortable with the PC for general purpose computing and website development.

April 2008 Click for table of contents

SOKY Happenings: This is going great! We picked up The City of Bowling Green as a sponsor as well as several others. I have been asked to consider another significant sponsor which if we can work things out, will be something we will be very proud of. We will likely be taking the magazine up to 60 or 68 pages in May and adding a number of new sections. We are also looking at expanding a few current sections that seem to be popular. April has another winning cover and three new sections. Pick one up when you’re out and about.

Family: David III and Jenn have moved to TX and finally received their belongings. David is doing well in school and they are getting settled in. I think there is a little home-sickness but nothing that can’t be overcome. Jesse is settling into his new digs as well. Carrie and I still work all of the time but will be taking a little “micro-vacation” this weekend. We rented a cabin at Barren River State Resort Park and we plan to do a lot of nothing! Ahhhhhh.

Fitness and Martial Arts: Haven’t been going! This is really frustrating because I have no excuse! I simply need to get up and go, but I don’t. Oh sure, I have dozens of “reasons” not to go because of the work load, but the bottom line is I am not going. I have plans to start running at a local park to try to get myself back in the habit. But plans are far from action and I must be about the doing, not the planning.

Okay, the new hobby!

PowerShot SD200

Actually, it’s not new per se, but I am going to spend some more time on it. Photography! I am investing in another, more capable camera. I am driven by the need for better photos for the magazine as well as a desire for higher quality images. The Canon PowerShot S3 IS I purchased last year was a great step up from the Canon PowerShot SD200, but it still lacks some quality and control I desire.

Canon PowerShot S3 IS

My biggest issue with the S3 is it seems a little moody! I want to get more creative and use ambient light and when I do, images come out blurry and grainy. I really want a camera that I can use in a public setting without a flash and get high quality images for publishing and printing.

My last blog on the subject was way back in November of 2006 (http://blog.davidfrancis.org/2006/11/dave-shutterbug.asp). I’ve read it again and I guess it is safe to say that I am going to be making the transition from “Shutterbug” to amateur photographer. I am looking forward to a better camera, but will also consider an affordable class if I can find one.

The camera I have my sights on is the Canon EOS Rebel XSi. This is a brand new (yet to be released) camera from Canon with so many advanced features I don’t understand them all. The main thing to me is the quality of photo as well as the image stabilizing features. Also, the large 12.2 megapixel images will be easy to “crop zoom” with software which is something I do to hide my inability as a photographer. (grin)

I've wanted an EOS Rebel way back when digital was a glimmer in the eye of pro photographers and I used to carry around dozens of rolls of film when on assignment in public affairs. When the digital versions came out, they were thousands of dollars and way out of reach for me. They are still expensive, but this new one is less than $1000 and has many of the features of Canon cameras costing 5 times as much.

The major drawback to this camera is the fact it isn't being released until April 27th. This is frustrating because I need it before then for a special section of the magazine as well as a very special event we've been invited to that will require great photo's for the May issue of the magazine. I will limp along with my S3 and be patient for this great camera.

I also plan to talk with the fine folks at Shutterbug as well as Kenny Coots our photographer for the magazine. I may even join his amateur photo club to be able to learn and network with them.

The cost? From what I can tell, I'll be spending about $800 for the camera and lens. I will likely buy another lens once I learn about them a little as well as a strobe and good photo bag that will hold the stuff plus my other cameras. I'm excited about this! As much as I enjoy taking snapshots, I'm looking forward to taking real photographs.

Easter Weekend 2008
Saturday, March 22, 2008

It’s early Saturday morning; the sun is shining and the birds are chirping. It’s a nice day, outside. I’m here in the office preparing our 11^th issue of SOKY Happenings instead of painting Easter eggs. It’s a labor of love, yet it is labor nonetheless.

The recent weeks have been good. My eldest son married a wonderful young woman and moved to Texas for a year while he attends Air Force Tech School. My youngest son completed his Air Force training and has moved in with friends here in Bowling Green. We have added several new sponsors to the magazine this month and retained all but one sponsor whose selling season ends on April 15^th.  

In all, I would say things are going quite well. We have reached an important revenue point in the company and the task of putting the magazine together is easier each month as I continue to develop my skills and experience on the Macintosh computer.

There is a lot of work to do!!! Essentially, I want to double our sponsors, as well as double the page count of our little magazine. I want to reach out to the surrounding counties/communities and develop those markets as well. I also want to gain a few good clients who could use a good publisher to layout and print their periodical.

I’m on track even if I’m not as far down the path as I had hoped. Impatience? Perhaps more like wishful thinking. I had hoped that we would be a little further along than we are, though we have come a long way for sure. Just like anything worthwhile, it has taken time and hard work to achieve what we have within a year. It feels good to have accomplished what I have, even if the limited resources require that I continue to do most of the work myself.

All of the work. Yeah, I continue to be the publisher, graphics guy, salesman, promoter, accountant, marketer, computer geek and bottle washer. Everything from coaching writers to refining the printing process. I’ve learned a lot over the past year, and I continue to learn every day. It’s good.

I have failed to find my “zone” as far as personal fitness goes. I really want to get back in the habit of going to the gym. I want to get back into shape not only for the physical benefits, but also the psychological. I remember when I was exercising every day a few years ago and I felt stronger mentally as well as physically. I kick myself when I think of the condition I would be in now had I not stopped going to the gym, but remember that I can get it back and improve upon it if I will just get started.

It won’t be happening this weekend, that’s for sure! Actually, I hope to get the bulk of the layout work done this weekend, which would be way ahead of schedule, so I can consider starting my workout next week. At least a little running in the park or something.

So as you are getting all dressed up for Easter service, Sunday Brunch and Basketball, I’ll be nose to the grindstone working on my beloved SOKY Happenings magazine.

Whew, it’s been busy around here!
Thursday, March 06, 2008

But first, a quote from my American Marketing Association Newsletter:

"Success means never letting the competition define you. Instead you have to define yourself based on a point of view you care deeply about."

- Tom Chappell

It’s been crazy busy around here with the new magazine! We have kicked it up a notch with a few new features and even improved printing and paper. What many did not see was all of the database and layout work I was doing on the magazine website.

I’ve spent every “spare” moment working on a new section of the magazine website that lists all active advertisers, their ads, and even a map to their business. I am so proud of the coding because I was able to use the data in the database to feed right into the pages and create the elements on demand. No easy task with the Google map JavaScript and the need to insert specific information in the head element of each page. Then, I had to reprogram the global scripts to change the opening body tag for the map as well. Tricky!!! But I got’r done.

A few others that may have gone un-noticed is www.sifusam.com, www.yourgeminihomes.com, and www.shogunbg.com. All of these sites have been created or recreated in the past 60 days as well.

And it’s just me. WHEW.

Anyway, the pace continues as I hit the road this afternoon starting a two week effort to increase sales by 33%, and then at night, work on the coupon section of the magazine website. I also am building a complete database of local area attractions to include on the site as well. Then, when time allows, I will be adding all past articles with cross index. It’s a lot to do but it’s coming together nicely.

Once I get my sales to where I can hire a couple more people, I will be able to devote more time to the website and grow this bad boy exponentially.

Here are the new links to the sponsor pages...

103.7 THE POINT
440 Main
95.1 WGGC-FM
Ameriprise Financial
Anna's Greek Restaurant
Bowling Green Athletic Club
Buckhead Cafe
Burgers on the Square/Sassie Lassie
Cambridge Market
Crossroads IGA
Crouch Chiropractic
Earnhart + Friends
Edmonton State Bank
Gemini Homes
Harley-Davidson Bowling Green
Jewelry Barn & Pawn Shop
Kentucky Downs / Winning Colors
Liberty
Mariah's
Micki's on Main
Morris Jewelry
Motor City Bar & Grill
My Friend's Place
Nutrition Center
PC Gurus
Professional Tax Service
Sassy Lassie Cafe
Shogun of Japan
Smokey Bones
Soky.net, llc
South Central Bank
Suitable for Framing
TGI Friday's
Tranquility Spot LLC
Wha Bah Steelhorse Ranch
WKU-Preston Center
Yogaloft
Zappos Outlet Store
 

From the Publisher of SOKY Happenings:
From Snobs to Hoes
March 2008 Editorial
- David Francis

SOKY Happenings March 2008; this is a significant month for me because it is one year ago that I decided to create SOKY Happenings. It is also significant because the magazine is taking shape as I had dreamed and the community is embracing it beyond my expectations. This is much more to me than another business or a way to make a living, this is my way of doing something for the entire community. I am proud of what we have accomplished even as I continue to consider new ideas and ways to expand it. Thank you for reading our little magazine and for all of the words of support.

We are all very happy to bring you a higher quality issue this month. The paper is a little heavier and the process we use to print it has changed. It costs a little more to print the magazine this way, but we strive for quality and wish to bring you the best publication possible.

We are introducing three new regular features this month; The Frugal Wine Snob, The Bridal Guide, and The Garden Hoe. These new articles are intended to continue our expansion from a simple guide to a magazine that includes topics of interest.

We were so excited about these new features that we wanted to do something special. Misha Ambrosia, who has turned out to be something of an “artist in residence” for SOKY Happenings, offered to hand paint the artwork for the Wine Snob and Garden Hoe features. We also included one of her works in the SOKY Culinary section. 

We are very excited to continue to bring you the best area events and interests magazine. We appreciate your support and encourage you to keep sending us your thoughts and ideas. This magazine will continue to expand and it is our sincere desire that it grows in the ways you would like. To me, this is your magazine; it’s a positive reflection of the community we share and it is made better through your continued suggestions and contributions.

Our sponsor list also continues to grow and I wish to thank all of the sponsors listed on the sponsors page This magazine is not possible without the financial support of the companies listed and I am grateful. They each received a letter from me explaining the ways we intend to make their investment go a little further. I don’t want this to be just another place to advertise, I want it to be a tangible investment in the community we share and an effective method of advertising. To this end, the price of advertising includes the full color print advertisement, a dedicated web page on our web site, the current advertisement online, a map to the business and even an expanded description with photos and more. We are also working with current advertisers to offer coupons online so we can all receive “SOKY Specials” and print them from the web site. www.SOKYHappenings.com 

It is my hope that you continue to enjoy SOKY Happenings, and that the businesses that make it possible are tangibly appreciated through our continued efforts to make their sponsorship rewarding. We don’t have to print full color on every page, or print on heavier paper, or spend time and money expanding the web site. But we do because we are dedicated to our community, this magazine and all who make it possible.

- David Francis
Publisher/Owner
Soky Happenings

Leaping into the future
Friday, February 29, 2008 9:16 am

Today is leap day 2008 and I feel the need to open my websites back up. Mostly because I have plenty to say about today, but also because of a number of requests and inbound links to older blog posts.

Today: My eldest son is getting married to a wonderful woman! They will be leaving within two weeks so David can be on active duty for about a year. It’s a good day!

Tomorrow: I pick up our latest edition of SOKY Happenings magazine which is printed at a higher quality and on better paper. This is our best issue yet and will introduce three new features as well as include most of the recent additions as well.

Next week: SALES! I’m hitting the road and going to try to grow this “little magazine” by 33% per month for the next 3 months. I have personal and company goals to meet.

March: Besides the sales goals, I have many web company related goals which include some major additions to the magazine web site as well as a few new client sites. (www.soky.net)

Sorry for the brief silence, but I had to get my wagons in a circle. I am happier than I’ve ever been in my life. I feel it’s all finally coming together and frankly, it feels great! Besides the wedding, there seems to be a lull in the drama that is my life and I feel focused and centered, even if still a little off balance with the requirements of business, it just feels good.

That's all for now... thanks for reading.

I’ve been doing it again!!!
Saturday, January 12, 2008 12:11 pm

I’ve written several personal journal posts this week that were never published. Some were too revealing, others were too personal, and a few were just too silly to post. In a nutshell, my mind is racing with ideas and plans for the future. 2008 is shaping up to be an incredible year.

Two of the personal journal entries might be of interest to my readers here. The first was about travel and my plans to start traveling again and to write about the trips. I also have an idea of establishing a luxury travel club for people in the area who want to accompany Carrie and me on these trips. The second was about my internet development company and how I seem to be drawn back into the business by need, requests and desire. From website design and hosting to a complete data center and NOC, my plans are quite complex and very exciting.

All told however, I will keep my private plans private and make announcements when the time comes. No need stirring the pot until I have added all of the ingredients.

On other fronts; I’ve hired a second sales person who I think is going to do very well! My truck is still not fixed, though I believe I will be driving it this week.  The Titan’s lost to San Diego; we’re going out with the new in-laws; business is good and we are happy.

The coming week:
We are a week away from “press week” and this week will be about nailing down some new advertisers and getting the ad work proofed. We will be launching the first version of the magazine website which will include a page for each of our advertisers and we will start publishing previous month’s issues online as time allows.

I expect a good week for sales, and the next issue is coming together faster and better than usual. We already have much of the content and may start laying it out earlier than previous months. I think we are finally getting the hang of this magazine business which may be a good thing because we are poised to grow rapidly over the next few months. My goal is to double the size of the magazine and include more articles about interests, hobbies and touching stories from the community.

That’s my weekly update... thanks for reading.

Wisdom gleaned from NFL playoff commercials
Sunday, January 06, 2008 6:23 pm

As I sit watching the Titans lose the playoffs (9:47 in the 4th: 10 – 6), I noticed two commercials...

Yellow Book – “People know what they want, just not where to buy it.” Now that says it a good bit. It’s true on so many levels!!! If they have never heard of you, can’t find you or have no way of discovering your business, then they cannot buy your products or services. The comprehensive marketing plan accomplishes all of those things by getting your company name in front of potential buyers and by being in the right directories that when they are buying, they find you.

Bucket List – I have not seen the movie (yet), but I have noticed something from the previews...  those two old guys seem to do a lot of traveling! Watch the previews, they are in different locations doing different things.  Okay, they skydiving thing can be done fairly close to home, but everything else requires a good travel agent. This would be a good place to plug my other website... but my observation is for two reasons. 1) I notice all of the places I’ve been in my life. From camping in the Grand Canyon to all over Europe, I have been a lot of places. 2) All of the places that I would like to go. On my “bucket list” are places like Israel,  Egypt, South America and more. It almost seems that a full life includes travel.

Another observation since I started this post... THE SECOND EFFORT! I’ve noticed it for year in Football, but also in my own fitness and business efforts. Many times, it’s the second effort that results in the greatest gains. San Diego took the score to 16 to 6 through a second effort at the goal line on fourth down, I’ve met fitness goals though extra reps, extra miles or extra weight, and I’ve captured a new client through an extra sales call, special attention to detail or a simple note sent on the weekend. The second (extra) effort is a powerful tool in life.

Small business blog SOKY.Biz
Sunday, January 06, 2008 6:15 am

I posted this on my small business blog yesterday and thought I would share here too. Apparently, I was recommended to Forbes as a competent blogger for their new "Forbes Business and Financial Blog Network." I'm not sure what all this means but it has lit a fire under me to blog more often and more appropriately for the network. Supposedly, I can make some money at it too so who knows???

http://www.soky.biz/2008/01/another-incentive-to-blog-more-often.asp

Preparing to be Productive
Sunday, January 06, 2008 6:03 am

Note: This is my Monday morning blog post for SOKY.Biz. I decided to post it here as well for your enjoyment.

I recently read that any well organized person is a person obsessed with lists. It makes sense and I do my fair share of listing, though my lists are not very well thought out. A list is great if you know where to find it... ya think?

As I enter into the first full week of the year, I find myself overwhelmed with the number of things I need to get done. From writing letters to making sales calls, the next two weeks are going to be very busy. Throw in a couple of websites and getting my truck back from the body shop, I’m feeling a little overwhelmed.

A lesson I learned many years ago was to write down a complete list of everything that needs to be done as you think of it and in no particular order. Once you have the master list, take a sheet of paper and draw a big plus sign from top to bottom and side to side. The top left box is for those items that must be done now and above all else, this is the important and urgent box. The box below this one is the urgent not important. Then on the right top, list those items that are important but not urgent, and yes, you guessed that the bottom right box is for items that are not urgent and not important.

Note: At 5:00 A.M. on Sunday morning, writing a blog is not urgent and not important but something I just want to do.  This brings up another good point, this method of organizing priorities can also be broken into “roles and goals.” It tends to complicate the process but basically, there are personal, business and other categories that can be created and items can be listed there.

Oh, I do recall that the Urgent/Important concept came from Franklin Planner training (yes I went to a class) and the Roles and Goals concept came from 7 Habits training (yes I went to a class) that I received many years ago.

I have a plan to reach several hundred businesses in the next two weeks, with that in mind, I must prepare to be organized or I will lose control of the information streaming in. Taking time (making time) to consider the day before it starts as well as the day as it ends will help me keep track of all of the new items that will invade my to-do grid.

Another tool that I like to use is a “contact card.” It is something that I have used in the past and it works for me quite well. Basically, I take a stack of 4x6 index cards and run them through my printer. Simple lines for date, time, names, places and a block to staple a business card is all I need. The main areas are for notes and follow ups.

Using the contact cards allow me to physically sort the contacts that need attention, or to put them in follow up piles for later reference. It provides me some assurance that I won’t forget a contact while allowing me to forget them for now so I can concentrate on the urgent/important and new items on my list.

As an experienced application developer, I have been working on a contact manager that would accomplish much of the same tasks but having the pile of cards seems to be more manageable than an obscure database of information.

Today will be about cleaning up the urgent and important items on my list. Some of those items are quite old and need to be addressed. As many of the other items will also be addressed or delegated if possible so that I can enter into the week with a clean slate, open mind and prepared to make business happen.

ICE Campaign– “In Case of Emergency”
This is a great idea!!! Thursday, January 03, 2008

ICE Campaign– “In Case of Emergency”

We all carry our mobile phones with names & numbers stored in its memory but nobody, other than ourselves, knows which of these numbers belong to our closest family or friends.

If we were to be involved in an accident or were taken ill, the people attending us would have our mobile phone but wouldn't know who to call. Yes, there are hundreds of numbers stored but which one is the contact person in case of an emergency?

Hence this "ICE" (In Case of Emergency) Campaign.

The concept of "ICE" is catching on quickly. It is a method of contact during emergency situations. As cell phones are carried by the majority of the population, all you need to do is store the number of a contact person or persons who should be contacted during emergency under the name "ICE" (In Case Of Emergency).

For more than one contact name simply enter ICE1, ICE2 and ICE3 etc.

The idea was thought up by a paramedic who found that when he went to the scenes of accidents, there were always mobile phones with patients, but they didn't know which number to call. He therefore thought that it would be a good idea if there was a nationally recognized name for this purpose. In an emergency situation, Emergency service personnel and hospital staff would be able to quickly contact the right person by simply dialing the number you have stored as "ICE".

Source: Virginia Crime Prevention

A Safe Productive and Profitable 2008
www.SOKY.Biz Wednesday, January 02, 2008, 5:00 AM

Starting the New Year off right! I probably should have wrote this last month as I was preparing for the new year, but I didn’t and now I am. There are a few things I’m doing this week to try to make 2008 a little safer, a little more organized and a lot more profitable. Here are a few things I’m looking at very closely this week...#1 - The business plan! I’m reading through it and seeing where...

http://www.soky.biz/2008/01/safe-productive-and-profitable-2008.asp

Happy New Year!
Tuesday, January 01, 2008

Well we made it! 2008 is here and not a moment too soon! I have been looking forward to the end of 2007 and the start of another great chapter in the book I call life. I am very excited about this year. I anticipate many challenges and changes; I embrace them all and look forward to each.

Carrie and I enjoyed a great night with some new friends as well as some familiar faces.

Looking Ahead
Monday, December 31, 2007

As promised, here is a little peek into my mind and plans for 2008.

I just spent the last half hour writing out some of my business plans for the Magazine and the Web businesses. I’ve decided to withhold that information for now simply to protect my business interests. I have some great ideas and I don’t need them turning up elsewhere before I get a chance to make a go of it.

I read my pre 2007 journal and I am so very surprised at the changes I have subject myself to this year. Last year at this time, I had no idea I would be a magazine publisher. There are many things different this year from the last; the people I trust are different; the tools I use are different; the dreams and plans are much different in so many ways. Though there are so many differences, there are many things that remain unchanged. My personal commitment to do the right thing, keep my integrity and to serve others above myself remains intact and that brings me comfort.

I anticipate many changes this year. Carrie and I [still] want to sell our house and I [still] want to get a more professional office. Funny though, the office I envisioned last year is in the same place, though the business conducted will be vastly different than I had envisioned just 12 months ago.

I intend to be more aggressive this year. No more Mr. Nice guy? Well, I’ve learned a good deal observing other businesses as well as how public relations and politicians achieve their objectives. It seems that if I want to “win,” I must be willing to man up and say what I need to say. In the past I have not said things or done things simply because it might hurt some feelings or because I didn’t want to be selfish. Those days are over! I must do what needs to be done to build my companies even if I have to be more “in your face” or more aggressive.

I will also be making the decision to (or not to) run for public office this year. That’s an entirely different post and probably for an entirely different website. (grin)

My desire to get back into shape remains and I will be about the doing of it this year. I did it before and I will do it in 2008. I will journal my progress though I may not publish the pictures and all until I am in better shape. I’m quite disappointed in how far I’ve let myself go in the name of building a business or being too busy. My routine will be simple to start with and progress as it did last time. My goal is to lose some weight at first, but then to gain it back as muscle.

There is another desire for 2008. Carrie and I have talked about it many times and we are going to start getting out more. We are going to attend more events that are listed in our magazine; we are going to meet more people; I’m even thinking about joining the masons to expand my personal network of people I can trust. There is likely to be an “image improvement” this year as I have a desire to change my dress and appearance.

As you can see, I have many things I want to do this year. Many things I want to change and accomplish. In hindsight, I didn’t list most of the changes that took place in ’07, yet I am completely transformed from this time last year. I can’t say that I will achieve all of these goals, but I do think it is useful for a man to look at what he wants to change once in a while. A great feeling of accomplishment can come from reaching lofty goals. I believe that setting your personal expectations a little higher and accomplishing them is much more satisfying than not expecting so much... and reaching it. I want to be a stronger man, a smarter man, a man who has fun and enjoys life and a man who can look back and know that he has achieved his goals with honor and integrity. So far so good... why stop now?

May all who find this have a wonderful 2008. Remember the past, look to the future and set your sights on a goal you don’t think you can reach; when you reach it, you’ll know you’ve done something great.

What I’m working on
Sunday, December 23, 2007

I guess the title should be, “What I’m working on today and the rest of the week until I’m done.” But I like short titles. My full attention has been placed on the website for the magazine. We have just published our 8^th issue and I have always wanted to put the previous month’s stories online. The process of learning the print business and bringing all of the elements of each issue together have weighed so heavy on my time that I have not “made time” for the online version of my company. I’ve decided to “make time.”

We were finished with the magazine on the 20^th and though we will receive the shipment tomorrow, won’t be distributing them until Monday. I spent the 21^st through the 24^th converting all of the past issues to HTML and formatting the images, ads and illustrations for use online. The conversion process was made easier with InDesign CS3 but each article/page will have to be manually manipulated to present well online.

The overall plan is simple, and though I have been keeping quiet about it for months, the time has come to share my strategy for the magazine website.

This new site will be “revision one” in that I am deploying it on my old core programming written in ASP (classic) for now. I have already started working on revision two of the website but I think that is 90 days away and we have too many great stories and ideas not to publish now and then again later.

( I just removed a complete description of the online features, both intended for January and beyond for privacy reasons.)

Basically, the new site (revision one) will include:

• All articles for previous months issues of the magazine. We will not be publishing the current month for the foreseeable future.
• The calendar will remain in print only with simply today’s events online.
• All “current” advertisers will have their ads displayed on the pages they were published on. I’m still working out a policy on cover sponsors and older ads.
• All current sponsors will be listed online with a link to their own webpage which will include their current ad in the magazine.

That’s basically it. The reason I am not including the current calendar and articles is to protect the interests of my advertisers. I want my advertisers to get their money’s worth and I believe that keeping the current month in print only serves my advertising sponsors best.

I do have a couple of client websites that I will also be working on to have released by the 1^st. I will be putting my personal websites on the back burner for now simply because they are not important for the growth of my business and that they are based on the same code technology as revision two of the magazine website.

I have many MANY plans for 2008! My priorities remain on getting the magazine in a stronger position, hiring the right people and then expanding the product. I have a couple of other business interests I would like to pursue in ’08 as well as my own personal commitment to health and fitness.

My business plan is just like the fitness plan;

• I will gain strength and stamina slowly and methodically. I will walk before I run concentrating on posture and endurance, not only on the treadmill, but also in my business.
   

• I will lift lighter weights so that I can maintain the proper form, realize the greatest benefit and prevent injury; it will be the same in my business as I concentrate on good business practices, sound financial management and great customer service.
   

• I will push myself at the gym to continue to gain mass, loose fat and increase strength; the same will be in business as I will continue to strive for greater market penetration, continued cost management and increased revenue through dedication, hard work and integrity.
   

• I will devote myself to the fitness plan yet remain flexible enough to modify my workout to reach specific goals; the same will be for my company as it takes a great amount of perseverance, dedication and specific plans, it also takes the willingness to adjust those plans to reach specific goals.

I have found that it takes a great amount of effort to reach fitness goals as well as business goals. There is no magic pill, no “easy” routine, and no shortcut. No matter if the fitness goal is to loose weight, gain mass or increase strength, it takes many adjustments, many days of effort and a commitment to the end result. Business is much the same as it takes many days, long hours and the willingness to work hard and do the things that are hard. Reaching the goal usually means reaching many intermediate goals along the way.

Reaching the goal can be the most rewarding thing in life. Working out for 6 months straight to reach specific goals results in more than a bigger bicep, a thinner waist or a stronger heart. Reaching the goal also brings a feeling of accomplishment and a satisfaction that far exceeds the tangible benefits of looking better. The accompanying feeling of accomplishment and victory is unexplainable and can only be realized through many hours of hard work and devotion to the plan. The end result is indescribable and worth every bead of sweat, every day of soreness and every week of devotion.  

It’s the same in business.

The companies I’ve mentioned here and on my other blogs are still on the radar so to speak, but just like my plans for fitness and growth, I will concentrate on the best exercises to reach my goals. If I were to attempt to bench press 500 pounds right now, the weight would be unmanageable and likely hurt me as it crushed my chest. I will however work hard daily to be able to bench press 500 pounds... and similarly, I will work hard daily to bring my business goals and objectives to pass.

A Wonderful Christmas
Wednesday, December 26, 2007 9:25 am

We shared a wonderful Christmas yesterday! Christmas is much different than it used to be. This year I woke up 6:30 and sat in the kitchen with my coffee and note pad for an hour and a half until Carrie woke. We sat and talked for a long time, then took showers and made ready for the day. We made a run to the office to pick up the camera cuz I forgot.

At 10 AM, the kids are nowhere to be found and the gifts under the tree are exactly where they were the night before. Now that’s weird. (All but one gift that I had to give to Carrie that is... I had to give her the digital frame with 91 pictures on the flash card. I couldn’t wait for her to see it so I asked her to open it early.)

What’s weird about all of this is that all previous Christmas’s involved making the boys wait in their rooms until Carrie and I woke, had some coffee and prepared for the gift opening frenzy. This would typically start before the sun came up and by 7 AM we would be finished with the presents, have eaten breakfast and would be longing for the comfort of our beds again. Here we are at 10 AM with no sign of the boys and the gifts remain under the tree.

David and Jennifer were to be at the house at 10:30 and Jesse was sleeping downstairs. We woke Jesse and started making breakfast for everyone. Dave and Jenn arrived, we ate and shared and laughed and then we retired to the living room and the cache of gifts that lay under the tree.

A bonus this year... Jennifer! David’s beloved fiancé joined us this year. This is quite the exception as we have held the family tradition of Christmas morning sacred and reserved for family only. This year however, we gladly made the exception for Jennifer and were blessed by it. She is a joy and we embrace her as our own. We look forward to many more Christmas’s with our new daughter.

That’s about it! We stayed and talked for hours and simply enjoyed each other. Jesse’s girlfriend Leslie joined us and that was a treat too. She is a great girl and we are happy to share Christmas day with one who is so important to our son.

Jesse and Leslie had other engagements planned and left, as did David and Jennifer to be with the “other side” of the family. (grin) It didn’t take long until Carrie and I found our way back to bed and took the required Christmas Day siesta.

We had a wonderful day with the family and topped it off by watching a movie together. I am very blessed to have such a wonderful wife and two sons a man can be proud of.

I hope that everyone who reads this had a wonderful Christmas day as well.  

Christmas EVE EVE update
Sunday, December 23, 2007 10:34 am

It’s been a great week putting together the magazine and I’ve had a couple of days here in the office to do some programming. I’ve written no fewer than 3 blogs for this site but didn’t post any of them; they were either too rambling or contained too much information.

We are looking forward to a nice quiet Christmas with the family. That is as they make themselves available. It seems we will doing our gift exchanges in shifts as David and Jesse fit us into their other social events for the day. Carrie and I will have a nice quiet dinner for two. Christmas Eve will include some friends and fun but only for a few hours.

Yes... I still have some gifts to buy. Typical really. I’ll make a run later today and get them wrapped tonight. I tell myself every year that I won’t wait until the last minute; who I am to break with tradition?

I have a lot going on and intend to post a nice year end article next week. This is just a brief update for those I care about and the others who like to keep up with the Francis’. I have many things to be grateful for this year and some things I wish never happened. In all, it was a great year. I will turn my attention to the meaning of Christmas and my heart to thanking God for the gift of His Son and the many blessings I’ve received in 2007. Even some of the challenges were blessings when they all played out. I am thankful.

Getting my Tahoe Fixed!
Monday, December 10, 2007 5:39 pm

Getting my Tahoe Fixed!

I’m so excited I can’t stand it! I got to drive my beloved Chevy Tahoe today after “borrowing” Jesse’s battery to get it started. I drove it to a new body shop (new to me, it’s been there for years) to get the frame straightened.  3B Automotive is the place and the owner Mike Rankin seems to be a great guy.

How I got to 3B
The insurance company for the guy who collided with me FINALLY sent the adjuster last week. The adjuster was a very knowledgeable guy and gave me a lot of advice. He’s the one who recommended 3B, he also arranged for the parts I needed to replace the ones damaged.

I talked to Mike for a while and he took a close look at the frame before declaring, “Yeah, I can fix that.” I asked how much and he retired to his office to use the calculator. The quote came out a little less than expected and I was pleased. Mike seems like a nice guy who is honest and works hard. I hope my first impression is right because during our second discussion, I asked him for a quote to put all of the parts back on the truck.

Here is what it looks like now...

I will post again when it is done.

ZOOM ZOOM
Saturday, December 08, 2007 8:16 pm

All I can say is ZOOM ZOOM! I’ve spent the better part of the day installing Parallels on my new Mac Pro and then installing all of the PC software I’m accustomed to using. Most of it is on there and the ease and speed is really surprising.

XP Pro was installed and it went so fast I couldn’t believe it. I installed MS Office and a myriad of other software packages in record time. I’ve even downloaded and installed many supporting software like HTML KIT, EditPad and NoteTab with no trouble.

What really shocked me is the ease in which Parallels joined my network. Hesitantly, I typed the local Small Business Server address in the browser and clicked the network configuration link. Almost faster than I could enter the information, I was joined on the network and ready to go.

I’m typing this out on the old computer but it very well could be the last time. The only reason I am is because my login credentials for the website are stored here... but that’s just laziness I think.

I can highly recommend the Parallels software! My new Mac Pro with two dual core processors and the Parallels software make my Windows applications fly like never before. I’m most pleased with the combination.

Making Progress
Saturday, December 08, 2007 11:49 am

My transition to the MAC continues! It has not been without some frustration I can tell you. It seems so many things are on the opposite side of the screen on purpose and the lack of a right click button was about to drive me insane.

I’ve made some significant progress today! After I stole the two button scrolling mouse from my wife’s computer, I went about installing the ... more>>.

Remember December 7^th
Friday, December 07, 2007 7:48 a.m

The attack on Pearl Harbor was a pre-emptive military strike on the United States Pacific Fleet base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii by the Empire of Japan's Imperial Japanese Navy, on the morning of Sunday, December 7, 1941 that made the United States enter World War II. Two aerial attack waves, totaling 350 aircraft, were launched from six aircraft carriers with the intent to destroy the United States Pacific Fleet.

The attack wrecked two U.S. Navy battleships, one minelayer, and two destroyers beyond repair, and destroyed 188 aircraft; personnel losses were 2,333 killed and 1,139 wounded. Damaged warships included three cruisers, a destroyer, and six battleships (one deliberately grounded, later refloated and repaired; two sunk at their berths, later raised, repaired, and restored to Fleet service late in the war). Vital fuel storage, shipyards, and submarine facilities were not hit. Japanese losses were minimal, at 29 aircraft and five midget submarines, with 65 servicemen killed or wounded.

More : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pearl_Harbor_Day

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