New Year

My new year’s resolutions, because, hey, why not:

• reduce the amount of processed sugar and grains I eat, replacing them with more vegetables and fruits. Specifically, no more grazing on potato chips and cookies at work and stop making cookie dough.
• floss. At least 12 times, the entire year. (setting the bar this low is still an improvement)
• exercise 4 times a week.
• send a personal, thoughtful email to every friend on their birthday. Not just facebook “happy birthday, XX!”
• Spend more time on my business.

Any more resolutions out there?

Week 2 of 52 Weeks

This year feels like it’s going to be a momentous one for me, so I thought I would do another daily photo project, starting roughly around my birthday. I’m calling this one 52 Weeks, a collection of everyday photos.

Week 2
A week of Christmas trees, Menorahs, Christmas lights, carrying large items on my bike, creepy Christmas displays, Christmas party, and Christmas bike.  CHRISTMAS!

Larger photos and accompanying text here.

Week 1 of 52 Weeks

This year feels like it’s going to be a momentous one for me, so I thought I would do another daily photo project, starting roughly around my birthday. I’m calling this one 52 Weeks, a collection of everyday photos.

Week 1
A week of leftover Thanksgiving centerpieces and lots of Christmas decorating, with a few shots from around the house.

Larger photos and accompanying text here.

Facebook Ads vs Google Ads

I love Google, I really do.  I have definitely drunk the Google Kool-Aid.  And I hate Facebook, I really do.  I was late to joining it because it just frustrated me so much.  But from an ease of use standpoint for making ads, Facebook wins, hands down.

Facebook has a much easier interface, that makes sense.  Google has made their own nomenclature (or maybe it’s based on advertising jargon, I don’t know) that makes it difficult to understand what you are doing.

And Facebook sends me update emails about how my ad is doing.  Google? Nope. Instead they just let hundreds of dollars of ads accumulate, without ever notifying me of how the ad is doing. (Brian, you warned me of this!)  And they run my email platform!  My Adwords account and my email account are linked! ARRRGH!

Transient Lifestyle

I must have itchy feet.  The longest I’ve lived in one house/apartment/dorm since high school was our apartment in Sydney – 1 1/2 years.

We bought this house with the full intention of only living in it for a year, then renting it out and moving back to Australia. The decisions we make for a year time-frame are a lot different than for a three years plus time-frame.  We don’t want to invest too much, particularly in things that can’t travel with us, like furniture, landscaping beyond the basics, and tools.  So we buy cheap plastic Adirondack chairs, and make raised garden beds out of fencing instead of proper lumber. Things that are consumables. Not really a ‘green’ ethos.  And sometimes it feels way to consumer-oriented.

But on the other hand, when I look at design sites like Apartment Therapy, and lust after people’s perfect-looking homes, I think about how much time and money it took to get their homes looking just so, filled with SO MUCH STUFF. Maybe my lean, transient lifestyle isn’t that bad after all.

And my feet are itching again, I’m ready to get moving.

First Day After a Long Weekend

It’s time to DANCE.

darn you, Charlaine Harris, and your crack-like Sookie Stackhouse books!  I stayed up late last night reading the latest one in its entirety, and have had a headache all day as a result.

Things that drive me nuts: when people say government workers are treated too well, because they have better benefits, etc than private sector workers. Maybe private sectors workers are treated too poorly.

What’s Been Occupying My Time

I have been a busy little bee the past two months.  On top of my regular goings-ons, I have kicked my wedding rental business into high gear!  Ultrapom Event Rentals officially debuted at the Re-Event, a wedding expo and consignment sale focused on ‘greener’ wedding options, at the beginning of April.

I had read about the Re-Event in the newspaper a week before it started, so Jacob and I scrambled like mad to get the website up and running enough to publicize it, as well as get a booth together and have all the print items needed (like brochures and business cards).

Ever since, I have booked five events and am in talks with several more people! We have also been working to improve the website to include a shopping cart.

There really just isn’t time enough in the day to get done everything I want to do, but I really am enjoying it!  I like being my own boss.  Granted, we’ve got Jacob’s salary to fall back on, which makes it infinitely less stressful.

You can check out my website here!

I want to do it all