Day 98
Dad's posts are so much more intellectual than mine.
Like he said I was out climbing a mountain last week. I brought the whole band! Even Marrque!
Updates on the mountain trek later on....Im moving into a new house this week.
Like he said I was out climbing a mountain last week. I brought the whole band! Even Marrque!
Updates on the mountain trek later on....Im moving into a new house this week.
Day 96
This is Friday, if our counting is correct. Ben has been incommunicado since Monday. So I'll write one more post.
I could not sleep, so I read an essay by Martin Heidegger called "Hegel and the Greeks" which would be impossible to summarize and is near impossible to read. But I would urge you to try it anyway, like cliff diving, but with less adrenaline - here's the link.
I probably should keep this sort of thing confined to my philosophy blog (which I have hardly touched since starting Time Trails!) but you have to understand this is therapy for me. So I ended up moving the rest of my post to my other blog.
Day 95
So this will teach Ben not to insist that I write a blog entry. I'll be savagely honest. The mystique of entrepreneaurship is really, deep down, self-torture. Doing the hardest work you've ever done, for nothing. Living with your broken work, and its unworthy comparison with the great idea you started with. Fighting off the blues, trying to keep going when the tank is on empty. No wonder you sometimes wish that every day didn't really count - that some days might as well be discounted and sold at bargain rates.
But then that mysterious power of positive thinking creeps back in. It tells you that you have not failed yet, that the power of the idea actually will outlast the excruciating pain of making it happen. So the project rolls forward. What you planned for to happen actually happens, after a fashion. Time Trails actually is a real business now, and really is attracting investors and participants. The software actually exists now, and does its job, however clumsily. The people who have stood behind us, who have shown an interest and reached out to us, really have helped create it. Togther, we can do it (now there's a catchy slogan...). The idea of Time Trails seems to be surviving the incompetence of its sponsors, and I believe it has a future. The day, with all its stress and breakdown, is, and will be, ultimately, counted.
Day 94
In the beginning, my brother Paul talked a lot about the power of positive thinking. I'm wondering who talks about its danger. Positive thinking is a tremendous thing until it leads to its natural corrollary of positive exhaustion. The root positive thought is "I can do it" which convinces us that despite all indicators to the contrary, the doing of an idea is possible. That leads to the thought "I must do it" because somehow all that positivity leads to bravado - a sad turn of events if there ever was one. This quickly devolves, upon execution, into various muddled groanings of "Why did I decide to do it? what possessed me?" before it bottoms out in "I can't do it" which turns into "Nothing really matters - we're all going to die someday" which nobody really wants to put into a blog, now do they? And all because the power of positive thought got carried away.
Thus did the great idea of a History Browser turn into the terrible idea of actually writing a History Browser. And that's how the days became a burden, not something I wanted to count, much less report on. It's hard, irritating, exhausting work to write that software, virtually alone. The first prototype proved to be wholly inadequate, and had to be completely replaced with a second prototype, which then turned out to be close, but still woefully broken.
And that cycle continues today. I'm deeply humbled by the steepness of the slope. I've written thousands and thousands of lines of code, and thrown away nearly as many. I'm learning new coding techniques with every new implementation problem. My eyes are blurry. My senses are numb. I'm a wreck.
(to be continued...)
Day 93
Karl here. Ben asked me to fill in for him on the blog while he's away climbing Mount Blanco. I'll try, but I must admit that my heart isn't in it. And I should, I suppose, try to explain why.
The point of Every Day Counted was that normally, we don't count the days - we leave it to history and calendars to do that for us. In the beginning of this odyssey, Ben and I wanted to bring that sense of workaday historicity to the fore, to say that somehow, to someone, every day mattered - that the day, itself full of endless possibilities, needs to be counted, not for itself (Time is a dead concept after all) but for its many living, hopeful participants, and their fascinating projects.
I guess that seems more true some days than others. My newest theory is that days count when one is hatching an idea, and days get submerged when one is merely doing it. The doing of the idea is the middle passage between the innocence of inspiration and the embarrasing burden of actualization.
(to be continued...)
Day(s) 70-92
The thing is, we have been very busy.
In the last half month we have made leaps and bounds on the new prototype - in fact we are close to releasing prototype 3. Now, we can edit resources and content straight from the website. That might not sound like a big deal, but it is huge - in fact, its so huge it has never been done before. Ever. By anyone. I wont go into the nitty gritty details...but trust me this is big.
Last week we made the transition into a new office, at OfficeThis on Harry street. It surely is something else, great office space, conference rooms, cafe's, unlimited printing access, new phone lines, 2 new computers, its just awesome.
We finally have some seed start up money in the bank so we can move forward at a much more rapid pace than earlier this month. I have been busy meeting with several potential investors and things are going great.
I've added another key element to the start-up team on my end, he's a good friend of mine named Richie McNabb. Richie definately has a head on his shoulders and has been hard at work getting us in front of new potential investors. We have 2 mammoth meetings coming up in the next few weeks, that, in my opinion, could be the spring board for us to go to the next level!
Richie looking...normal
The Navigator Employment system is moving along, that should be active and in place by the end of August with a handful of selected individuals (already have several in mind).
I successfully submitted our business proposal to the Great Plains Capital Conference coming to town in September. That was a task in itself getting the necessary documents in order but it was well worth the effort. Hopefully we are fully funded before that conference, but feels good to have back up engines already started...
Last week we had the first official Time Trails dinner party. People who have been closely associated with the start up of the company all met at the Fox and Hound for a night of Pizza and Wings. Attending were:
Me, Anna, Lily, Karl, Debby, Uncle Craig, Aunt Jan, Richie McNabb, Rich Mcnabb, Fayrene McNabb (the whole family has been very very supportive), and of course Tony say-it-isnt-so Guhr. Unfortuantely, the man in charge of setting everything up for the party, (He got us 100 dollars of free food!) Eric Ott, was called into work only hours before the party started. So that was truly unfortunate...we all wished he could have been there.
Also, there is some headway coming in from the south, my Uncle Paul (Karl's Brother) is working on some extremely important technical details of the project. It seems as though the momentum just keeps building and building. Its almost too exciting to write about!
In fact, that might be why I haven't been writing about it!! Its too good!
But really, I will make a conserted effort to keep up the daily blogging so people dont think we failed or disappeared or were abducted...
On a personal front, in a nutshell =
Music is going great. Having shows every week. Awesome.
We are moving to a new house this month, a large communal mansion with several other people. (Basically the whole band) Im excited about that.
I shot my best golf score ever the other day.
Tiger Woods won his 69th PGA tour event. No surprise.
I'm headed for Colordado in the morning to see family and take the boys on an adventure in the mountain.
My artwork was on display this month at one of favorite places ever, the Bayleaf Cafe.
Lily is kind of walking but not really.
Anna is visiting friends in Denver.
And finally, I want to go golfing with my brother Clay. Whenever.
Thats it for the half month update! feel free to invite others to the blog and leave comments because this will be steam roller pretty soon.
PS - a shout out to our other Time Trail associates in Garden City, KS - you know who you are.
PPS - Dad is working diligently at his desk. He grunts and acknowledges everyone. His excitement is obvious to me, because I know him so well.
Day 69
Anna's father Randy came into town on his way home from Uganda. He did dental work there for a mission organization. Randy has read all our plans and documents and I think could be a key player for us in the next few months, so its exciting to have him on board.
Anna and I had a picnic down at the river and went swimming. It was nice to relax for a bit. We drove through my old neighborhoods where I lived when I was young. Good memories...mostly.
Have a new meeting with yet another potential investor coming this week....although Im excited for it, Im a bit apprehensive.
Day 68
Basically the whole day was spent on the database and resource gathering for the prototype.
Met a good friend for lunch at Ghengis Grill, Tony Guhr. Tony is helping us try to get some investors on the table...and he is just the man for it. He knows so many people. I'm really glad for help.
I went to see Sasha Baron Cohen's new movie "Bruno". I dont recommend this movie to anyone who cant stomach strange perverse humor.
Day 67
In the morning I went over to the Recording Studio and worked on one of my songs called "Overgrown" It is a great song and I think everyone will like it.
After that I came back home and worked on a website for a friend called Marc Baker. My buddy Josh actually did all the work on this site, Im just kinda putting the last touches on it and getting the right info in before it goes live. Kinda boring stuff.
As far as Time Trails - it is hard to work full time on something that brings in no money yet. Its really frustrating have to spend so much energy on my artwork and am sometimes fried in the afternoon when I do time trails...but I have to pay the bills somehow. I think every entrepreneur goes through this.
The good news is I like the progress I'm seeing.
Day 66
Today I worked on artwork to make some money. Then in the evening I worked I adding more Historical Fiction to the Movie Database. I think in the next few days Dad's Editor will be working - so that will help out a ton.
Once this editor is in place, and the site is live (which it is, by the way) we could technically start to have cash flow. haha.
Day 65
Tuesday. Dad came into town and we went to lunch at an Asian Place. It was good. Then we went to Meads Corner Cafe and has some coffee while we discussed the prototype.
Then we went on a walk down by the river and talked some more.
It was really hot...but we got a lot of good talking in.
Its gonna be great when someone sees the value in our project. Because we need the money.
Day 64
Working on the master resource database.
Basically, this resource Database is a giant spreadsheet that contains valuable information that will soon be siphoned directly into the new prototype.
Here is an example of this database:
Its not as fun as it looks creating these things.....
But progress is being made!!!!
Day 63
Not much today. Dad told me that his internal resource editor will be available for me to work on sometime this week.
Worked on Adam Case's picture.
In the evening Anna's mom and sister came down - they just returned from Switzerland. So, they went to a movie while Paul and I headed down into oldtown for our show at Oeno's VIP corporate party. It went very well.
Worked on Adam Case's picture.
In the evening Anna's mom and sister came down - they just returned from Switzerland. So, they went to a movie while Paul and I headed down into oldtown for our show at Oeno's VIP corporate party. It went very well.
Day 62
Today is the 4th of July.
Anna and I had a really relaxing day, and then in the evening we went to my cousin Danelle's wedding.
Without shooting off any fireworks, we were content to spend the late evening relaxing with friends and ended up staying up very very late with Paul talking about philosophy, religion, and economics. It was quite fun.
Had a chance to briefly catch up with Uncle Craig regarding the meetings on Tuesday: he reported there was a chance we would meet with another person soon.
In the mean time, Dad and I are continuing on marking July as the official Month 1 of operation, regardless of whether or not we are fully funded.
So: Prototype, Prototype, Prototype, Prototype.
Anna and I had a really relaxing day, and then in the evening we went to my cousin Danelle's wedding.
Without shooting off any fireworks, we were content to spend the late evening relaxing with friends and ended up staying up very very late with Paul talking about philosophy, religion, and economics. It was quite fun.
Had a chance to briefly catch up with Uncle Craig regarding the meetings on Tuesday: he reported there was a chance we would meet with another person soon.
In the mean time, Dad and I are continuing on marking July as the official Month 1 of operation, regardless of whether or not we are fully funded.
So: Prototype, Prototype, Prototype, Prototype.
Day 61
Finished work on the Map Grid program.
Also worked on my billable work = a new CD cover and illustration for a friend of mine named Adam Case. His new CD is entitled "Keys and Strings". (I'll be sure to post the final illustration...I like it so far.)
Tonight, we had a show again at Oeno's Wine bar in Old Town. The owner came to me and Paul after the show and requested us to come back and play again on Sunday night for a VIP corporate party. Sweet! He also said we were the best band to ever come through his restaurant. I thought that was quite a compliment.
Today is July 3rd, and tomorrow is a holiday. It doesnt really feel like one.
Also worked on my billable work = a new CD cover and illustration for a friend of mine named Adam Case. His new CD is entitled "Keys and Strings". (I'll be sure to post the final illustration...I like it so far.)
Tonight, we had a show again at Oeno's Wine bar in Old Town. The owner came to me and Paul after the show and requested us to come back and play again on Sunday night for a VIP corporate party. Sweet! He also said we were the best band to ever come through his restaurant. I thought that was quite a compliment.
Today is July 3rd, and tomorrow is a holiday. It doesnt really feel like one.
Day 60
Worked on KML files today.
I added the start of the Carthaginian, Roman, Macedonian, Persian, and Greek empires in our prototype. I haven't yet programmed any animations into them - but that come soon.
The Persian animation is neat because Ive got Alexander's march cutting through a previously established empire rather than just taking control of blank ground.
the hope is that every part of the globe, at every point in time, will have some sort of historical overlay via Time Trails technology.
It is really cool!
Although he doesn;t much blog about it - Dad has been extremely hard at work programming the functionality of the website. Everyday basically, thats all he is doing.
He has been working specifically on making an "Author Space". That is, anyone who has a unique time trails account will be able to add or edit existing time trail animations, add content and resources, and partake in an internal forum. This is the stuff we should be updating about more often - and we will - as soon as we get funding!
I added the start of the Carthaginian, Roman, Macedonian, Persian, and Greek empires in our prototype. I haven't yet programmed any animations into them - but that come soon.
The Persian animation is neat because Ive got Alexander's march cutting through a previously established empire rather than just taking control of blank ground.
the hope is that every part of the globe, at every point in time, will have some sort of historical overlay via Time Trails technology.
It is really cool!
Although he doesn;t much blog about it - Dad has been extremely hard at work programming the functionality of the website. Everyday basically, thats all he is doing.
He has been working specifically on making an "Author Space". That is, anyone who has a unique time trails account will be able to add or edit existing time trail animations, add content and resources, and partake in an internal forum. This is the stuff we should be updating about more often - and we will - as soon as we get funding!
Day 59
Today I had to go to the museum and give a tour. Very uneventful. I hope everyone reading this had a more exciting day than I had today.
Day 58
Woke at 1:30 AM.
Left Wisconsin at 2:00 AM.
Drove till 3:30 PM.
Showered.
Gathered Documents.
Dad came over at 4:00.
Met Craig at 4:30.
Met Investors at 5:30.
Whew!!
So, heres how it went. We met at Mike's house. He only lives a few blocks down from me, actually. Mike is the former boss of Craig's wife Jan. He invited 3 other gentlemen over to his house. These 3 guys are former oil men and extremely successful businessmen. We met in the parlor and spent a good hour talking about the project. They had interesting questions, and in fact were more concerned about the business end of things rather than the ideas behind the actual project.
Overall it went really well, and I think the most promising thing about the meeting was that we potentially have even more contacts now - these men said they would try to put us in touch with some other, younger, people who are at work in silicon valley right now!
After we were finished, my car would shift gears out of their driveway.
How embarrasing.
Oh well.
So, we'll see what turns up with the meeting. Like everything in this business, its SLOW. UGH!
Left Wisconsin at 2:00 AM.
Drove till 3:30 PM.
Showered.
Gathered Documents.
Dad came over at 4:00.
Met Craig at 4:30.
Met Investors at 5:30.
Whew!!
So, heres how it went. We met at Mike's house. He only lives a few blocks down from me, actually. Mike is the former boss of Craig's wife Jan. He invited 3 other gentlemen over to his house. These 3 guys are former oil men and extremely successful businessmen. We met in the parlor and spent a good hour talking about the project. They had interesting questions, and in fact were more concerned about the business end of things rather than the ideas behind the actual project.
Overall it went really well, and I think the most promising thing about the meeting was that we potentially have even more contacts now - these men said they would try to put us in touch with some other, younger, people who are at work in silicon valley right now!
After we were finished, my car would shift gears out of their driveway.
How embarrasing.
Oh well.
So, we'll see what turns up with the meeting. Like everything in this business, its SLOW. UGH!
Day 57
Our original plan was to leave early in the morning. But after a phone call with Dad, I realized I could work straight from Wisconsin.
Clay left for his job, Kristen and Anna went to the zoo, and stayed at the apartment and worked all day on creating an Alexander the Great time trail specifically for the new prototype.
When Clay got off work he was super surprised Anna and I were still there. So we had a great evening - Of course Clay and I went to a FREE par 3 golf course (why dont they have those in Kansas?).
We had to be sure to leave at around 2:00 AM because Dad and I have an important meeting with 3 potential investors/investor contacts at 5 oclock on tuesday. Thats exciting!!
Uncle Craig was gracious enough to pull some strings to get us those meetings, so we are thankful for that.
Day 56
Sunday in Wisconsin...
Today we went to the Wisconsin Dells. It is a city much like Branson, MO except instead of saloons and shows, there are waterparks.
I'm not kidding - indoor waterparks, outdoor waterparks, big, small, high, low, fast, slow....you name it, they've got it.
Clay was taking us to a popular waterpark called Noah's Ark. This happens to be the largest waterpark in the world, boasting the single longest waterslide in the world called "The Black Anaconda."
Anna and I went down that one, it was fun, and then several others. Clay, Kristen, Anna, Lily, and me would take turns standing in the long lines and going down the crazy slides. There was one particular slide called the "Point of No Return"
This slide is one that just drops just straight down. You lay on your back, way way way up in the sky, and just drop. No one else wanted to attempt it, so I went alone. There was no line - no one else in the park wanted to attempt it either.
Holy smokes, it was so fast, straight down, my stomach just shot up into my throat. It was worth it though!!
We had lunch under the trees outside the park, and then took Lily to the baby pool. Of course she loved it!
After most of the day had passed, clay took us down to the river and went fishing for about an hour. He caught a small Bass, but the beauty of the woods enough to keep me happy.
We then went to a small Pizza place where I tried Anchovies for the first time....they were salty.
My favorite snack in the world, Wisonsin Cheese Curds, were our dinner munchies as I cleaned house in a game of Scrabble late that night.
Another great day! However, the weekend is ending and Anna and I have a long drive back home and a long week of work on Time Trails ahead of us...
Today we went to the Wisconsin Dells. It is a city much like Branson, MO except instead of saloons and shows, there are waterparks.
I'm not kidding - indoor waterparks, outdoor waterparks, big, small, high, low, fast, slow....you name it, they've got it.
Clay was taking us to a popular waterpark called Noah's Ark. This happens to be the largest waterpark in the world, boasting the single longest waterslide in the world called "The Black Anaconda."
Anna and I went down that one, it was fun, and then several others. Clay, Kristen, Anna, Lily, and me would take turns standing in the long lines and going down the crazy slides. There was one particular slide called the "Point of No Return"
This slide is one that just drops just straight down. You lay on your back, way way way up in the sky, and just drop. No one else wanted to attempt it, so I went alone. There was no line - no one else in the park wanted to attempt it either.
Holy smokes, it was so fast, straight down, my stomach just shot up into my throat. It was worth it though!!
We had lunch under the trees outside the park, and then took Lily to the baby pool. Of course she loved it!
After most of the day had passed, clay took us down to the river and went fishing for about an hour. He caught a small Bass, but the beauty of the woods enough to keep me happy.
We then went to a small Pizza place where I tried Anchovies for the first time....they were salty.
My favorite snack in the world, Wisonsin Cheese Curds, were our dinner munchies as I cleaned house in a game of Scrabble late that night.
Another great day! However, the weekend is ending and Anna and I have a long drive back home and a long week of work on Time Trails ahead of us...
Day 55
Clay and I got up early and went golfing again. It was awesome! As usual, Clay did really well on the front nine and I did really well on the back nine.
While we were out doing that, Kristen (Clay's wife) and Anna went to the market in Madison.
In the evening We all watched a great movie called "In Bruges".
Awesome time in Wisconsin!!
Day 54
Friday after work I had quite the company waiting for me! Ben, Anna, and Lily in my living room! Needless to say I was very excited to see them. Lily is such a sweetheart, and so well behaved–mostly. But ben and I had pressing business, and no sooner had I showered, endulged my gut with Kristen's delicious chicken enchiladas, we were out the door.
With the early summer evening we shared a round of nine at a local par 3 course. It's a nice little course, and not too busy at seven. I had been looking forward to golfing with Ben since he told me he was coming up. It was fine, and the competition was friendly. Ben came out on top by 3 strokes if my memory serves me correctly. We wondered if we should play another round, but quickly thought better of it as Anna and Kristen were waiting at home with the baby. We bid a reluctant farewell to the course and were off again, the sun setting over the Yahara river as we drove past, wishing we were on one of the many fishing boats lining the shore.
At home again, we watched a movie, "In Bruges", a funny and melodramatic comedy about two hit-men relocated to Bruges by their psychotic boss after a job gone horribly wrong. I crashed not too long afterward. As I fell asleep my mind was already fixed on the golf we would play the next day.
Day 53
Today, Thursday, was supposed to be a pretty major day in the World of Time Trails.
Unfortunately, things got postponed.
My uncle Craig had arranged a meeting with some potential investors! So, Dad drove in and met me in Wichita around noon and we worked on getting things printed out and refined for the meeting.
While we were at the print shop, Dad got a phone call saying the meeting was postponed to next Tuesday...so although we were bummed, we did feel good that we got a lot of small detail things out of the way.
Dad ended up driving back home to do billable work, and I ended up finishing a logo I had on contract for a band called OneTruth.
Good news - Leaving in the morning to go visit my older brother Clay in Wisconsin tomorrow!!!!!!!!
Unfortunately, things got postponed.
My uncle Craig had arranged a meeting with some potential investors! So, Dad drove in and met me in Wichita around noon and we worked on getting things printed out and refined for the meeting.
While we were at the print shop, Dad got a phone call saying the meeting was postponed to next Tuesday...so although we were bummed, we did feel good that we got a lot of small detail things out of the way.
Dad ended up driving back home to do billable work, and I ended up finishing a logo I had on contract for a band called OneTruth.
Good news - Leaving in the morning to go visit my older brother Clay in Wisconsin tomorrow!!!!!!!!
Day 52
Spent the previous night in Whitewater. Woke up early and went back downstairs to work as much as I could on my prototype work from the previous day.
I was only able to stay there until about 1 PM because I had an eye appointment in Wichita.
As for the eye appointment - my eye doctor was not to happy. She said my eyes are getting significantly worse at a quick rate, as well as my astigmatism getting worse. Also, she said I have severe allergic reaction exploding under my eyes, she described them as "nasty little lumps" growing under my eyelid. So she gave me some medicine to try and overcome that.
But I went and got a new pair of glasses, then went back home to work for the rest of the day.
I was only able to stay there until about 1 PM because I had an eye appointment in Wichita.
As for the eye appointment - my eye doctor was not to happy. She said my eyes are getting significantly worse at a quick rate, as well as my astigmatism getting worse. Also, she said I have severe allergic reaction exploding under my eyes, she described them as "nasty little lumps" growing under my eyelid. So she gave me some medicine to try and overcome that.
But I went and got a new pair of glasses, then went back home to work for the rest of the day.
Day 51
Today Anna and I drove out to Whitewater and worked ALL day on the new prototype.
Basically, downstairs in the office here is this:
Debby on her computer working on creating a content based database for historical dates and information.
Abby on her computer working on a resource category for antique dolls.
Anna on her computer working on assembling a huge appendices document.
Dad on his computer working on prototype animation.
Me on my computer working on historical content to integrate into the prototype.
It was like that all day. But we were very productive!
Basically, downstairs in the office here is this:
Debby on her computer working on creating a content based database for historical dates and information.
Abby on her computer working on a resource category for antique dolls.
Anna on her computer working on assembling a huge appendices document.
Dad on his computer working on prototype animation.
Me on my computer working on historical content to integrate into the prototype.
It was like that all day. But we were very productive!
Day 50
Holy Smokes. Its day 50.
Wow.
Monday - had an early morning meeting with our small business financial advisor Ken Elliot. We reviewed our plan of attack and solidified our decision to finish all incorporation papers in the coming week.
The weather is ridiculous. Heat Index at around 109.
In the afternoon, after working on Time Trail paperwork all day, I got a phone call from my sister Tina inviting me and Anna out to the Lake to go jet skiing and camping. Sounds like a good plan to me.
We went out there and I took Anna on a spin round the lake on the jet ski, and Justin and I taught Anna how to wakeboard!!
Unfortunately, I had a harder time of it. I actually feel I am a decent wakeboarder - but earlier in the day I had done over 100 pull-ups, and I had 2 callouses tear off. (I have a lot of callouses, which makes pull-ups easier - until they break off and the callouses turn into brand new baby skin...then it hurts!)
So - when I was trying to wakeboard the pull of the rope literally ripped my hand into a bloody pulp - to the point where I had to stop, and bandage my hand fairly heavily.
Oh well.....
I left the lake for a bit to go visit dad at the farm and discuss the new prototype.
Wow.
Monday - had an early morning meeting with our small business financial advisor Ken Elliot. We reviewed our plan of attack and solidified our decision to finish all incorporation papers in the coming week.
The weather is ridiculous. Heat Index at around 109.
In the afternoon, after working on Time Trail paperwork all day, I got a phone call from my sister Tina inviting me and Anna out to the Lake to go jet skiing and camping. Sounds like a good plan to me.
We went out there and I took Anna on a spin round the lake on the jet ski, and Justin and I taught Anna how to wakeboard!!
Unfortunately, I had a harder time of it. I actually feel I am a decent wakeboarder - but earlier in the day I had done over 100 pull-ups, and I had 2 callouses tear off. (I have a lot of callouses, which makes pull-ups easier - until they break off and the callouses turn into brand new baby skin...then it hurts!)
So - when I was trying to wakeboard the pull of the rope literally ripped my hand into a bloody pulp - to the point where I had to stop, and bandage my hand fairly heavily.
Oh well.....
I left the lake for a bit to go visit dad at the farm and discuss the new prototype.
Day 49
Today was Fathers Day. Here's what I did.
Anna woke up early and made a good breakfast and we hung out in the morning relaxing.
Then in the afternoon we drove out to West Wichita and had lunch at Uncle Craig's house. There, we had some good hamburgers and went swimming. Also present was Uncle Randy (Debby's brother) and his family, as well as Grammy and Grampy and Dad, Debby, and Abby.
Craig has been interested in the Time Trail project for awhile, so Dad and I had some free time to discuss details with Craig so he could understand exactly what we are doing. We are very thankful for Craig because he has been such a HUGE asset to us as we are trying to break through so many barriers.
I bought Dad a new book called "The Fatal Shore". Its a novel detailing the founding of Australia.
In the evening, Anna, Lily, and I went to one of my all time favorite restaurants, Mongolian Grill. We met Leah Williams there, one of Anna's best friends. I love the grill because its all you can eat Mongolian!!!!!
Overall it was a great Fathers Day.
Anna woke up early and made a good breakfast and we hung out in the morning relaxing.
Then in the afternoon we drove out to West Wichita and had lunch at Uncle Craig's house. There, we had some good hamburgers and went swimming. Also present was Uncle Randy (Debby's brother) and his family, as well as Grammy and Grampy and Dad, Debby, and Abby.
Craig has been interested in the Time Trail project for awhile, so Dad and I had some free time to discuss details with Craig so he could understand exactly what we are doing. We are very thankful for Craig because he has been such a HUGE asset to us as we are trying to break through so many barriers.
I bought Dad a new book called "The Fatal Shore". Its a novel detailing the founding of Australia.
In the evening, Anna, Lily, and I went to one of my all time favorite restaurants, Mongolian Grill. We met Leah Williams there, one of Anna's best friends. I love the grill because its all you can eat Mongolian!!!!!
Overall it was a great Fathers Day.
Day 48
Today actually Dad and Debby and little sis Abby came over in the morning so we could have a Time Trails brainstorming session.
We have so many avenues open in front of us - banks, different loans, investors, brokers, middlemen, bootstrapping, paperwork, incorporation, prototype design, navigator building....the list goes on. We spent about 3 hours restructuring and prioritizing things. Very productive meeting in my opinion.
Also today my sister Leslie came over and hung out at my house, as well as my brother Trevor and Leslie's boyfriend Andrew. It was fun.
We have so many avenues open in front of us - banks, different loans, investors, brokers, middlemen, bootstrapping, paperwork, incorporation, prototype design, navigator building....the list goes on. We spent about 3 hours restructuring and prioritizing things. Very productive meeting in my opinion.
Also today my sister Leslie came over and hung out at my house, as well as my brother Trevor and Leslie's boyfriend Andrew. It was fun.
Day 47
Today, Friday, was a pretty fun day.
Since I work occasionally at the Museum of World Treasures, I was called in to do a Geology presentation for hundreds of Kansas boyscouts.
It was great, I really enjoy rocks and geology. So, I showed the kids many different types of rocks and fossils. I think the scouts had an awesome time and maybe even learned something!
Next - I headed off to an appointment with a new contact. His name is Gary. He runs a business that helps start-ups secure the funds they need, especially if they are businesses that arent exactly conventional.
We met for over 2 hours. Basically what it came down to was that Gary thought he new some people who might be able to help us out - so he is going to go down that avenue and get back with me.
After I left the meeting with Gary I headed over to Guitar Center to pick up a new Pedal for my piano (a Korg M3).
I had a show at Oeno's wine bar in Old Town. Its a really great location in downtown wichita. My band, which includes Myself, James Paul, Scott Fowler, Ryan Knut, and Nathan Williams (Ryan and Nathan were just filling in though for the regulars) had a fantastic show.
Some old friends from high school showed up that I hadn't seen in years. Overall it was a good night of music.
Since I work occasionally at the Museum of World Treasures, I was called in to do a Geology presentation for hundreds of Kansas boyscouts.
It was great, I really enjoy rocks and geology. So, I showed the kids many different types of rocks and fossils. I think the scouts had an awesome time and maybe even learned something!
Next - I headed off to an appointment with a new contact. His name is Gary. He runs a business that helps start-ups secure the funds they need, especially if they are businesses that arent exactly conventional.
We met for over 2 hours. Basically what it came down to was that Gary thought he new some people who might be able to help us out - so he is going to go down that avenue and get back with me.
After I left the meeting with Gary I headed over to Guitar Center to pick up a new Pedal for my piano (a Korg M3).
I had a show at Oeno's wine bar in Old Town. Its a really great location in downtown wichita. My band, which includes Myself, James Paul, Scott Fowler, Ryan Knut, and Nathan Williams (Ryan and Nathan were just filling in though for the regulars) had a fantastic show.
Some old friends from high school showed up that I hadn't seen in years. Overall it was a good night of music.
Day 46
Thursday. ?? I seriously can't even remember what happened on this glorious thursday. I don't think it was exciting or noteworthy in any way.
Day 45
Depressing Day.
Feel like nothing can ever get accomplished. Feel like I'm in a dark tunnel. Worried about personal finances.
Feel like nothing can ever get accomplished. Feel like I'm in a dark tunnel. Worried about personal finances.
Day 44
Today, I, Anna (Ben's wife) will be blogging, because Ben wanted a break.
The last few days, I've been researching what Time Trails needs to sell securities to investors. Basically, it's like selling stock. I've never done any work in this area before, so I was overwhelmed a bit with trying to find this information. Thankfully, Debbie pointed me to the U.S. Securities and Exchange website (www.sec.gov) where I could find the forms I needed. Reading that stuff is about as exciting as watching your fingernails grow.
So, that leads me to today's activities. I took the links and paperwork I found and studied them more closely. I took some notes and tried to decide what I thought might be relevant to Time Trails. I also did some research on the exponential growth of websites that Time Trails will be modeled after. Recorded some numbers, took more notes, etc. I also printed off a form that we'll need for the IRS.
It's strange that I enjoy doing this, but I love it! Hey, someone has to be the odd ball and gets satisfaction from the boring work.
Other than that, I played with Lily, complained about the hot weather, and wished that Ben didn't want to build my character by refusing to use the air conditioner. I curse hot weather...
Lily is the absolute highlight of my day. While Ben was practicing for a show he has Friday night, Lily screamed in my face. Finally after 30 minutes of this, I found out it was because she was hot. So what do people like to do when it's hot? What else but swim? Since we don't have a pool the next best thing is the bath tub. Or in Lily's case the kitchen sink. It's just her size, and I don't have to worry about her drowning quite so much as I might if she were in the bathtub.
Well, the cool water did the trick. Her screaming stopped as soon as I put her in the water. She splashed in the water for about 10 minutes and laughed and smiled. Oh she just melts my heart!
After that I introduced her to the best toys in the world: a pot and a wooden spoon. I remember using them as a drum set when I was a kid. She couldn't quite figure out how to use the spoon as a drumstick. Actually, she was using as it as a drumstick, but of the chicken variety not the musical instrument kind. However, she did realize that she could beat on the pot with her hand and make a pretty cool rhythm. (As an after thought, I realized that I might regret introducing this to her someday...)
Ben came home, fed Lily her bottle, and she fell asleep in his arms.
Now I'm ready for bed...I really hope it's not too hot tonight.
The last few days, I've been researching what Time Trails needs to sell securities to investors. Basically, it's like selling stock. I've never done any work in this area before, so I was overwhelmed a bit with trying to find this information. Thankfully, Debbie pointed me to the U.S. Securities and Exchange website (www.sec.gov) where I could find the forms I needed. Reading that stuff is about as exciting as watching your fingernails grow.
So, that leads me to today's activities. I took the links and paperwork I found and studied them more closely. I took some notes and tried to decide what I thought might be relevant to Time Trails. I also did some research on the exponential growth of websites that Time Trails will be modeled after. Recorded some numbers, took more notes, etc. I also printed off a form that we'll need for the IRS.
It's strange that I enjoy doing this, but I love it! Hey, someone has to be the odd ball and gets satisfaction from the boring work.
Other than that, I played with Lily, complained about the hot weather, and wished that Ben didn't want to build my character by refusing to use the air conditioner. I curse hot weather...
Lily is the absolute highlight of my day. While Ben was practicing for a show he has Friday night, Lily screamed in my face. Finally after 30 minutes of this, I found out it was because she was hot. So what do people like to do when it's hot? What else but swim? Since we don't have a pool the next best thing is the bath tub. Or in Lily's case the kitchen sink. It's just her size, and I don't have to worry about her drowning quite so much as I might if she were in the bathtub.
Well, the cool water did the trick. Her screaming stopped as soon as I put her in the water. She splashed in the water for about 10 minutes and laughed and smiled. Oh she just melts my heart!
After that I introduced her to the best toys in the world: a pot and a wooden spoon. I remember using them as a drum set when I was a kid. She couldn't quite figure out how to use the spoon as a drumstick. Actually, she was using as it as a drumstick, but of the chicken variety not the musical instrument kind. However, she did realize that she could beat on the pot with her hand and make a pretty cool rhythm. (As an after thought, I realized that I might regret introducing this to her someday...)
Ben came home, fed Lily her bottle, and she fell asleep in his arms.
Now I'm ready for bed...I really hope it's not too hot tonight.
Day 43
I'm going to take a break from my regular blogging (not that it is regular in any way...) and focus on the amazing exploits and adventures of one of my closest friends, Josh Moore.
The reason I am writing about Josh is because he arrived in Africa today. This isn't odd - Josh has spent the last 4 summers traveling across the continent. However, for the first time Josh is participating in a distinguished cross cultural Language program. After beating out thousands of applicants, Josh was selected to stay in Cairo, to be immersed in the Arabic language and culture. This is an amazing accomplishment!!
So, Josh will spend the next 8 weeks in Egypt as he attempts to become fluent in Arabic. He is already conversational, but Im sure when he comes back his fluency will have increased exponentially.
Josh exemplifies what it means to be a true friend. He is 100% percent grounded in Integrity, Character, and Idealism. An all around athlete, Josh was once a Muay Thai champion, BMX biker, and nationally recognized Dancer - however, he has put those amazing talents on the back burner to focus on furthering his intellectual pursuits.
His true passion is experiencing and learning about the beautiful and diverse cultures scattered across the earth, with a special interest in the Near East and Africa. He has an uncanny ability to translate his experiences into poetry and writing - exemplified in his often updated website blog:
My roommate this past spring, Josh is one of the few people I've ever met who share my passion for travel and adventure. In fact - it was several years ago the Josh himself encouraged me to follow my dreams and just "leave" - leading to my first amazing overseas adventure in Ukraine. I've been hooked ever since.
Since then, Josh has continued his escapades across the remote deserts of Africa. I LOVE his mantra when it comes to TRUE ADVENTURE TRAVELING. From Indiana Josh himself:
However, its the Treks and Journeys we've taken together over the past few years that have been the highlight of our friendship - we leave society behind and embark into the remoteness and serenity of nature. Some of our journeys include:
Near the summit of one of the highest peaks in the United States
Dangerous waterfalls in the Ozarks. (If you don't think this waterfall looks intimidating - look at the next picture)
Yeah. It's the same waterfall. Josh and I survived a Flash Flood that ravaged the Canyon we were in.
A Kayak Adventure down the Arkansas River. Winter was coming on - cold conditions.
Stranded in the New Mexico Wilderness
The reason I am writing about Josh is because he arrived in Africa today. This isn't odd - Josh has spent the last 4 summers traveling across the continent. However, for the first time Josh is participating in a distinguished cross cultural Language program. After beating out thousands of applicants, Josh was selected to stay in Cairo, to be immersed in the Arabic language and culture. This is an amazing accomplishment!!
So, Josh will spend the next 8 weeks in Egypt as he attempts to become fluent in Arabic. He is already conversational, but Im sure when he comes back his fluency will have increased exponentially.
Josh exemplifies what it means to be a true friend. He is 100% percent grounded in Integrity, Character, and Idealism. An all around athlete, Josh was once a Muay Thai champion, BMX biker, and nationally recognized Dancer - however, he has put those amazing talents on the back burner to focus on furthering his intellectual pursuits.
His true passion is experiencing and learning about the beautiful and diverse cultures scattered across the earth, with a special interest in the Near East and Africa. He has an uncanny ability to translate his experiences into poetry and writing - exemplified in his often updated website blog:
My roommate this past spring, Josh is one of the few people I've ever met who share my passion for travel and adventure. In fact - it was several years ago the Josh himself encouraged me to follow my dreams and just "leave" - leading to my first amazing overseas adventure in Ukraine. I've been hooked ever since.
Since then, Josh has continued his escapades across the remote deserts of Africa. I LOVE his mantra when it comes to TRUE ADVENTURE TRAVELING. From Indiana Josh himself:
"Forget all the conventional wisdom of traveling; it just doesn't apply here. One-way tickets, a rucksack with only the bare necessities, a sleeping bag, and a sense of adventure are the only things I travel with. I travel rough, I travel dirty. I've explored the world living off of nothing more than a handful of cash and the contents in my backpack. I've climbed mountains in Africa, jumped off waterfalls in Morocco, gotten totally lost and crossed into hostile territories with rebels and civil wars, trekked through the Sahara Desert with Bedouin nomads, and explored the Middle East by foot, camel, donkey, bike, car, bus, train, and plane. I've been through bustling markets and bazaars, jungles and rainforests, deserts larger than the entire United States, medieval imperial cities, ancient ruins, tribal villages, and that's just for starters..."
However, its the Treks and Journeys we've taken together over the past few years that have been the highlight of our friendship - we leave society behind and embark into the remoteness and serenity of nature. Some of our journeys include:
Insane Waterfalls deep in the Mountains of Colorado (Check out the Video for the complete experience!)
Near the summit of one of the highest peaks in the United States
Dangerous waterfalls in the Ozarks. (If you don't think this waterfall looks intimidating - look at the next picture)
Yeah. It's the same waterfall. Josh and I survived a Flash Flood that ravaged the Canyon we were in.
A Kayak Adventure down the Arkansas River. Winter was coming on - cold conditions.
Stranded in the New Mexico WildernessAs you can see, our adventures never end. We have plotted and planned many trips to come in the future. Of course, we have to find a way to squeeze them in between work, school, travel, and taking over the world. But when you live every day with the expectation that that day might be your last - the time suddenly opens up.
Our motto is a quote from one of our favorite authors, Ralph Waldo Emerson:
Our motto is a quote from one of our favorite authors, Ralph Waldo Emerson:
Always Do What You Are Afraid To Do.
I encourage every person who reads this blog to visit Josh's site. You will be instantly hooked to his prose, his pictures, and his unshakable idealism that the world is ours to explore and to become one with. You can donate money to support his travels (He has been known to live on around a dollar a day in his most extreme ruck-sacking) so something small goes a long way. Not to mention, his writing is so captivating I have no doubt that someday it will be published media. (Not that Josh cares about things like that in the least)
We wish him luck in Cairo and hope he comes back safe. Of course, when he does come back it will only be for a short time. To Josh, a new day means more than a different tie to wear to work. A new day means a new mountain to climb, a new river to navigate, a new culture to explore, a new language to learn, and a new road to travel.
From all of us at Time Trails - Carry On.
I will finish the post with a recent poem Josh composed about his love of the Sahara Desert, a poem called "I Followed the Open Desert".
We wish him luck in Cairo and hope he comes back safe. Of course, when he does come back it will only be for a short time. To Josh, a new day means more than a different tie to wear to work. A new day means a new mountain to climb, a new river to navigate, a new culture to explore, a new language to learn, and a new road to travel.
From all of us at Time Trails - Carry On.
I will finish the post with a recent poem Josh composed about his love of the Sahara Desert, a poem called "I Followed the Open Desert".
I followed the open desert to find
the greatest temple hidden in the palms
of my heart; I sat and considered
how honey gold hills, burnt brown
by seering sun, bled alms of thanks
to my shade.
Brown phallic mountains thrust upward
in cobalt sky, giving birth
to conscience-shackled stillborn clouds
storing drought for a rain that will never come--
unleashing deprivation upon desert
and deserting those who walk in faith and color
and light.
I left the suffering desert to find
the greatest pain burned in the ruins
of my heart; hear my hollowing mind--
how weeping clouds give birth to Life.
the greatest temple hidden in the palms
of my heart; I sat and considered
how honey gold hills, burnt brown
by seering sun, bled alms of thanks
to my shade.
Brown phallic mountains thrust upward
in cobalt sky, giving birth
to conscience-shackled stillborn clouds
storing drought for a rain that will never come--
unleashing deprivation upon desert
and deserting those who walk in faith and color
and light.
I left the suffering desert to find
the greatest pain burned in the ruins
of my heart; hear my hollowing mind--
how weeping clouds give birth to Life.
Day 42
Today I worked on some artwork for a Christian Band called One Truth.
Clay called in the afternoon so we talked for a long time. Anna and Melanie went to a church function in the evening, I stayed home and worked on music. Watched the NBA finals.
Has anyone read the book Conversations with God? Very intriguing.
Mostly, this Sunday was steady and calm. Just like I like them.
Clay called in the afternoon so we talked for a long time. Anna and Melanie went to a church function in the evening, I stayed home and worked on music. Watched the NBA finals.
Has anyone read the book Conversations with God? Very intriguing.
Mostly, this Sunday was steady and calm. Just like I like them.
Day 41
Saturday.
I can't speak for Dad. But I can speak for me.
I was very lazy today. Relaxed. Shot some basketball. Watched an episode of Man Vs Wild and Survivorman. Played some Tiger Woods PGA Tour 07. Took a Nap. Played with Lily. Composed some music.
Happy times.
I can't speak for Dad. But I can speak for me.
I was very lazy today. Relaxed. Shot some basketball. Watched an episode of Man Vs Wild and Survivorman. Played some Tiger Woods PGA Tour 07. Took a Nap. Played with Lily. Composed some music.
Happy times.
Day 40
Is it really day 40?
Wow. I think in some cultures thats a milestone. haha. I dont know which one.
Eric and his wife Oggie
Dad and I met at Chipotle for lunch. We were meeting with a former colleague of mine named Eric. Eric is business savvy, young, enthusiastic entrepreneur. After several years in the navy, he is finishing up his business degree at WSU and is interested in joining Time Trails. We met for about 3 hours and discussed the future plans and current logistics of the project. It is good to have Eric working with us, especially as we encounter several intense business issues that he can help with immediately. Remember Dad and I are self taught in business - Eric has a degree in it. So that is good.
Eric actually has several good ideas himself for new inventions. Maybe in the future those can come to reality.
I went back home and worked on some business documents. Worked on a new Piano song friday night. I'm tentatively calling the song "The Alchemist".
Wow. I think in some cultures thats a milestone. haha. I dont know which one.
Eric and his wife Oggie
Dad and I met at Chipotle for lunch. We were meeting with a former colleague of mine named Eric. Eric is business savvy, young, enthusiastic entrepreneur. After several years in the navy, he is finishing up his business degree at WSU and is interested in joining Time Trails. We met for about 3 hours and discussed the future plans and current logistics of the project. It is good to have Eric working with us, especially as we encounter several intense business issues that he can help with immediately. Remember Dad and I are self taught in business - Eric has a degree in it. So that is good.
Eric actually has several good ideas himself for new inventions. Maybe in the future those can come to reality.
I went back home and worked on some business documents. Worked on a new Piano song friday night. I'm tentatively calling the song "The Alchemist".
(Karl adds...)
Afternoon - we engineered a three-way call to Tom Moore, the SCORE advisor I met last week in Denver. He had read our business plan, and had some excellent comments and recommendations. He also has the perception that we must find investors, that there is virtually no prospect of a lending scenario. Tom seemed to like the idea itself - he recommended using much stronger "big deal" wording in the executive summary, partly, it seemed, because whereas we had wanted a buttoned-down banker summary, he wanted an explosive first-impression investor summary. So he made lots of suggestions that basically echoed our best arguments for the business and put them front and center.
Tom also corrected and realigned our financials away from a loan and into a stock-holding investment scenario. This area is still a little hazy - especially how we plan to sell stock to investors, but apparently we are about to learn. All in all, our Denver contact with Tom was an important and productive one, reinforcing our impression that there is an amazing depth and quality of free busines counseling out there, waiting for good people to stumble in the door and avail themselves of it!
Day 39
Thursday.
Day started early with our meeting at the Kansas Small Business Development Center. To get a one on one counseling session with an advisor, we had to jump through several hoops - going to seminars and filling out paperwork and getting placed and then matching with an advisor. A week and a half process....
Anyway, our mentor was a guy named Ken Elliott. Dad and I met with him from 9:00 to 10:30. Overall it was a good meeting. We didnt discuss the business itself, just the necessary financial and business oriented step we needed to be exploring in the coming weeks. Very positive, very helpful.
The funny thing here was that after the meeting, Dad asked Ken if they knew each other. It turns out, Ken and Dad grew up on the SAME street when they were kids. In fact, Ken was very close friends with my mom Virginia. After the meeting I gave mom a call and asked if she remembered this guy - of course she did. What a strange coincidence!!!
Dad and I had a coffee break at starbucks. He then departed back to the farm and I left for Fidelity Bank. Had a good meeting with a wonderful woman named Suzy, she was very cool. Even though she wasn;t the loan officer, just the branch manager, I'm glad we met - perhaps she will be a good contact down the road if we need one.
Then I left for west wichita for a meeting at Commerce. Had some time to spare so I stopped at Marble Slab Creamery. I noticed right away the lady working there had a northern accent, so, as I often do in public places, turned on my own accent - in this case a heavy Wisconsin accent.
I mentioned her accent reminded me of central Wisconsin. Dead on. She was from a town not far from where my bro Clay lives now. So I got to practice my accent on her, she took it hook line and sinker. Funny thing is I never got any icecream, just an empty cone. I dont know why...well I do know. I wasnt that hungry.
Anyway, the meeting at Commerce was long. I will go back to them if needed. Collateral presented itself as a major issue. Again.
mmmm. Anna made a pesto pasta for dinner. Holy smokes it so good. I'm naming it "Pesta."
Day started early with our meeting at the Kansas Small Business Development Center. To get a one on one counseling session with an advisor, we had to jump through several hoops - going to seminars and filling out paperwork and getting placed and then matching with an advisor. A week and a half process....
Anyway, our mentor was a guy named Ken Elliott. Dad and I met with him from 9:00 to 10:30. Overall it was a good meeting. We didnt discuss the business itself, just the necessary financial and business oriented step we needed to be exploring in the coming weeks. Very positive, very helpful.
The funny thing here was that after the meeting, Dad asked Ken if they knew each other. It turns out, Ken and Dad grew up on the SAME street when they were kids. In fact, Ken was very close friends with my mom Virginia. After the meeting I gave mom a call and asked if she remembered this guy - of course she did. What a strange coincidence!!!
Dad and I had a coffee break at starbucks. He then departed back to the farm and I left for Fidelity Bank. Had a good meeting with a wonderful woman named Suzy, she was very cool. Even though she wasn;t the loan officer, just the branch manager, I'm glad we met - perhaps she will be a good contact down the road if we need one.
Then I left for west wichita for a meeting at Commerce. Had some time to spare so I stopped at Marble Slab Creamery. I noticed right away the lady working there had a northern accent, so, as I often do in public places, turned on my own accent - in this case a heavy Wisconsin accent.
I mentioned her accent reminded me of central Wisconsin. Dead on. She was from a town not far from where my bro Clay lives now. So I got to practice my accent on her, she took it hook line and sinker. Funny thing is I never got any icecream, just an empty cone. I dont know why...well I do know. I wasnt that hungry.
Anyway, the meeting at Commerce was long. I will go back to them if needed. Collateral presented itself as a major issue. Again.
mmmm. Anna made a pesto pasta for dinner. Holy smokes it so good. I'm naming it "Pesta."
Day 38
Well today was interesting.
We met with the Kansas Director of the SCORE offices, a man named Roger. He was a very nice guy who had good things to say about our project - mostly re-enforcing that it was an unbankable plan and needed to be financed by Investors - not bankers.
After the meeting Dad and Debby came back to the house to load up furniture from the office to take back to the farm until we secure our next temporary office space - likely OFFICETHIS on Harry St.
After Dad left, I continued on to a few more banks, going to UMB and the Bank of America. I had a bit of a rough experience at Bank of America. I went to lobby, asked to speak to a commercial loan officer. The teller had no clue who to send me to, so she told me to wait until the one other lady in the office was off the phone. I was finally told to go to the next floor up (this is a HUGE complex) where I talked to another receptionist. Finally, I was whisked away into another section of the bank before landing in someone's office. I asked if they in fact did start up loans and she said no. This is interesting because before I came to the bank, to not waste my time, I called them and asked if BOA did small business start up loans. She said they "certainly do! Is there anything else I could help you with today sir?? :)"
She was wrong. Waste of time. Waste of 2 dollars in the parking garage.
However, as I was exiting the bank, I bumped into my old boss Verell. He is now working as the show room manager at Scott Rice office furniture. He invited me to come back to his office where we caught up for a while. It was a good meeting - the funny thing is 3 of his co-workers are from whitewater. Josh Wuthrich, his dad, and a man named Lauren Theissen. In fact, the Wuthrichs once lived in the house just down the road from the Farm (where the Cron's live now). So that was a weird connection.
Anyway, Verell and I had a great meeting. It was good to see him again.
After that, I went to a Credit Union to check on some contacts, made a new one, and got my foot in the door with a manager at Fidelity. So, overall productive day.
We met with the Kansas Director of the SCORE offices, a man named Roger. He was a very nice guy who had good things to say about our project - mostly re-enforcing that it was an unbankable plan and needed to be financed by Investors - not bankers.
After the meeting Dad and Debby came back to the house to load up furniture from the office to take back to the farm until we secure our next temporary office space - likely OFFICETHIS on Harry St.
After Dad left, I continued on to a few more banks, going to UMB and the Bank of America. I had a bit of a rough experience at Bank of America. I went to lobby, asked to speak to a commercial loan officer. The teller had no clue who to send me to, so she told me to wait until the one other lady in the office was off the phone. I was finally told to go to the next floor up (this is a HUGE complex) where I talked to another receptionist. Finally, I was whisked away into another section of the bank before landing in someone's office. I asked if they in fact did start up loans and she said no. This is interesting because before I came to the bank, to not waste my time, I called them and asked if BOA did small business start up loans. She said they "certainly do! Is there anything else I could help you with today sir?? :)"
She was wrong. Waste of time. Waste of 2 dollars in the parking garage.
However, as I was exiting the bank, I bumped into my old boss Verell. He is now working as the show room manager at Scott Rice office furniture. He invited me to come back to his office where we caught up for a while. It was a good meeting - the funny thing is 3 of his co-workers are from whitewater. Josh Wuthrich, his dad, and a man named Lauren Theissen. In fact, the Wuthrichs once lived in the house just down the road from the Farm (where the Cron's live now). So that was a weird connection.
Anyway, Verell and I had a great meeting. It was good to see him again.
After that, I went to a Credit Union to check on some contacts, made a new one, and got my foot in the door with a manager at Fidelity. So, overall productive day.
Day 37
Mid-day Tuesday right now. Have lots of paperwork that needs to be done, mostly loan work and business plan appendices.
My extreme sunburn transitioned into the "severe itch" stage. Around 8 last night the itch started and lasted all night long. I did not go to sleep once - so am trying to work through the dizzying sensation today. I hope it goes away before tomorrow morning because Dad and I have an important meeting with the District Director of SCORE.
My extreme sunburn transitioned into the "severe itch" stage. Around 8 last night the itch started and lasted all night long. I did not go to sleep once - so am trying to work through the dizzying sensation today. I hope it goes away before tomorrow morning because Dad and I have an important meeting with the District Director of SCORE.
Day 36
Ok. Its Monday. A new week of work. We are all very very excited about the Time Trails Project. Anna and I are going to the farm house this afternoon to work on business documents and paperwork grinding. Anna is making the transition to Time Trails Secretary....
Seriously though this sunburn hurts so bad I want to cry. I won't though - people might actually read this blog eventually.
Day 35
Sunday Relaxation.
Anna, Me, Tina, Justin, Abby, Lily, Alexis, and Judah all congregated at Uncle Craig and Aunt Jan's beautiful house for an afternoon of swimming and hamburgers.
Uncle Craig and Aunt Jan - Party Time.
Can it get any better than that?!
For dinner we all met up at Redrock Canyon Grill with Dad and Debby. Thunderstorm raged through the city and we were on the patio - it was awesome.
Anna, Me, Tina, Justin, Abby, Lily, Alexis, and Judah all congregated at Uncle Craig and Aunt Jan's beautiful house for an afternoon of swimming and hamburgers.
Uncle Craig and Aunt Jan - Party Time.
Can it get any better than that?!
For dinner we all met up at Redrock Canyon Grill with Dad and Debby. Thunderstorm raged through the city and we were on the patio - it was awesome.
PS - Tiger Woods is a freak of nature. Did anyone else see his approach on the 18th from 184 yards out? Excuse me while I throw up a little in my mouth.
Day 34
Saturday -
The Week had been long and stressful. Anna quit her job, and I had been running around to banks for several days, so we needed time to get out of the house.
We drove out to Whitewater and slept at the farm friday night, got up at 5 ish and drove out to Fall River near Eureka, KS for a day of fishing and swimming. After struggling to get a working pole, anna and lily took a nap on the shore bank while I swam down the river looking for a good hole. (I prefer swimming, holding my gear above my head because you dont have to navigate tricky banks and you get a good feel of water depth) Note - Where we were camping was not a public camp site. We literally drove through a field and navigated down a steep mud bank miles away from the road.
Anyway, I caught a small Drum Fish and took it back to Anna and Lily to get a picture with Lily and the fish - she was mad I woke her up :(
I saw several deer drinking from the water as I caught several more drum before deciding to go back to the girls. We made a fire and roasted some hotdogs and then went swimming in the calm water for an hour or so. Since Lily can now sit up on her own power, she just got into the water and played with the rocks.
It was such a great day!
The only real negative was that I got roasted by the sun. I hope in a few days i'll be able to put on a shirt again.....
The Week had been long and stressful. Anna quit her job, and I had been running around to banks for several days, so we needed time to get out of the house.
We drove out to Whitewater and slept at the farm friday night, got up at 5 ish and drove out to Fall River near Eureka, KS for a day of fishing and swimming. After struggling to get a working pole, anna and lily took a nap on the shore bank while I swam down the river looking for a good hole. (I prefer swimming, holding my gear above my head because you dont have to navigate tricky banks and you get a good feel of water depth) Note - Where we were camping was not a public camp site. We literally drove through a field and navigated down a steep mud bank miles away from the road.
Anyway, I caught a small Drum Fish and took it back to Anna and Lily to get a picture with Lily and the fish - she was mad I woke her up :(
I saw several deer drinking from the water as I caught several more drum before deciding to go back to the girls. We made a fire and roasted some hotdogs and then went swimming in the calm water for an hour or so. Since Lily can now sit up on her own power, she just got into the water and played with the rocks.
It was such a great day!
The only real negative was that I got roasted by the sun. I hope in a few days i'll be able to put on a shirt again.....
Day 33
From the Rocky Mountains (Karl): So this was an amazing couple days for me. I drove from Alamosa to Santa Fe New Mexico, down through the "closed basin" valley that is the upper Rio Grande - a beautiful scrub desert region cut by the spectacular canyon. I veered over to Taos, just for fun. It seemed a little over-rated, mostly tourists is what I remember seeing, but the scenery is fantastic.
As I approached brother Eric's place, I reflected on the essential travel secrets of penniless entrepreneurs I had learned so far:
- Rest Areas
- YMCA's
- Good Coffee Shops
- Friends
Without these I never would have survived so well. And unhurried travel. Time to reflect and sort things out. While good news kept pouring in from Ben in Wichita on business plan success, I rounded my own corner.
For the next couple days, visiting Eric, Roxann and Hannah (my father's widow), as well as seeing niece Emily and her friend Oliver, was just the best therapy. Their home outside Santa Fe, which Eric has built on as an addition to Hannah's compact adobe house, was familiarly restful, utilitarian, homy, and uniquely theirs in character. We talked a lot, and worked some (moving three yards of gravel by shovelfuls for the drive). We toured the historical museum and ate out with plenty of lively conversation. And in the end, they were, as if the last piece of the jigsaw got jiggled into place, ultimately able to unknot the rope that had so worried and harrassed me, and I drove home the next night freed up considerable.
*****************
(Ben)
Another Day another dollar. Back at the grind of the banks.
Commerce Bank = The officer wasn't there. Spoke to a nice teller manager and got some forms to fill out. Will follow up soon.
Fidelity Bank = Initially felt like I received a cold reaction. The lending floor was the 5th floor, but they didnt even get me up there. I spoke to someone who gave me lots of forms to fill out thinking that would keep away for a while. Wasn't too impressed, but will return with the paperwork to show them I'm not a pushover.
Emprise Bank = Wonderful meeting. Met with a top business banker, and was in the office for over an hour I believe. A very detailed, positive meeting. She is going to review the plan in great detail before contacting me next week for a possible follow up appointment. Arguably my most positive bank thus far.
Southwest National Bank = I new this conservative bank likely wouldnt lend to a tech startup, but wanted to go in anyway. The lender was very nice, politely told me his bank didn't do tech lending, but gave me the card of a technology based business advisor he thought I should meet with.
Well, it was nearly 4 oclock, but on whim called up this new contact and he was free for the afternoon so I drove to his office, was warmly welcomed by his receptionist (who doubled as a business colleague I believe) and went to a nice conference room. The man came in and we talked for nearly an hour about the project. Since I was thinking this guy was an advisor I wasn't in full "pitch" mode, but it was a professional environment and I think everything went well. He then asked me if I knew what he did, I said yeah - you're a business advisor for tech companies.
Haha. He told me he was in fact an Angel Investor.
???? What????
Yeah, an Angel Investor for tech companies exactly like myself. He seemed quite enthusiastic about the plan, and steered me onto the next stage of funding, which is form submission etc.
How exciting is that? An Angel Investor, unlike a bank, doesnt require you to pay them back for their initial investment, but in return expect to own a significant part of the stock and have a multi million dollar per year return.
I will continue paddling down this particular river while continuing my spree of bank visits. A trip to Kansas City is on the horizon, a trip to Denver is on the horizon - strictly business of course. Wichita doesnt have as many banks as those other places!
So an entirely positive day, I am super pumped up, and don't get in my way....I'm on a mission. To save the world, of course. Maybe from myself.
Day 32
They and their wives were very hospitable, and it was good to catch up with old friends. We had some deep conversations, like connective tissue, ranging from global events to food and child-rearing, from economic hardships to spiritual matters, and both gave me valuable input on the project and its presentation.
I have to describe Matt's "chow ranch" - a 40-acre patch of chico grass and loamy sand with a nice white house a few miles outside Alamosa, within sight of the Sangre de Christo mountains and the Great Sand Dunes. Matt keeps four large black Chows - dogs that have been genetically programmed to defend their owners and terrorize their owner's guests (or any non-friendly trespasser). So when Matt took me to look at the artesian wells on his property, he carefully penned the fearsome pack. But completely unknown to him, they were ready and willing to dig under the fence and teach me a lesson.
The Pack
We heard Matt's wife shouting something, and I was still wondering vaguely what could be up, but then I saw Matt get really serious really quick, trying to get between me and two hurtling black figures loping across the desert straight at me. This all took about 10 seconds. I tried to keep facing them and look fearless, but they skipped behind me and both these male dogs planted painful little nips "one-two" on my posterior. Then they stood back and gazed at me, complacently having made their point. The dogs didn't break skin and their bites were like power-pinches that smarted for an hour or so. Matt was very apologetic, but I told him the dogs were just doing exactly what they were bred to do, and I didn't mind the lesson they offered.
MEANWHILE IN WICHITA:
While Dad was crossing the beautiful mtns of Colorado, I (Ben) had the pleasure of scenic drives through downtown Wichita. :)
Thursday marked the official launch of the bank campaign, and I started strong - visiting Sunflower Bank, Intrust Bank, Bank of the West, and Meritrust Credit Union in Day 1. My meetings went well, and the dynamics were interesting. You have to understand that I don't especially look like the archtypical business student graduate kid. You know, I dont have an expensive suit, a fancy briefcase, perfectly trimmed short hair, and professionally binded documents. Instead, I have long wavy hair pulled back with khaki's and a button up shirt, a computer case, and paperwork in a manilla folder. I have to admit the initial impression isn't awe-inspiring - but thats the angle I want! (Am I foolish? TBD.)
You see, if someone won't give me the time of day for my hair, I don't want to meet them anyway. They may be sizing me up - but hey I can size them up too. They may be the ones giving the money but I don't care. I'm stubborn like that. Of course, there's more to it than that...You see, the SBA advisors told me my long hair and khaki look actually was better than the clean cut option because I exuded the look of the young, savy, web-smart up and coming generation of overnight millionaires that are sweeping the nation by storm via the power of the viral internet.
Sunflower Bank = He liked me, liked the plan, referred me to another SBA bank officer who was out of town.
Intrust Bank = Very nice guy, apologetic that he didn't think it would work in this economy, and was adamant my plan would not fly at his bank. Said we didnt have enough tangible collateral.
Bank of the West = Very enthusiastic about the plan. Wished his bank was less conservative. Gave me some good contacts, and even promised to do what he could with what I gave him. Very uplifting meeting.
Meritrust = A good meeting. She was a bit hard to read, but the meeting was long and she asked lots of questions and seemed to be impressed. Waiting on response from her, likely next week.
So, the first day was good. All 4 bankers commented that our business plan and financial preparedness was better than 95% of people who walk in the door. I guess 30 days straight of prepping those documents really helped out. I hope to continue my quest!
Notes = need to find 3rd party gaurantor to help secure tangible collateral and also investor for early stages of development while looking for large funding. WHEW!
Day 31
From Karl in Denver:
Oddly I am much more compulsive about the blog while on my mission to shake down the big city than when I was home. It's as if this activity is some mental and spiritual lifeline when everything else is so tenuous and uncertain.
Drove to the west end of Denver - Arvada, had a terrific and much needed shower at their very friendly YMCA,parked at the "Park and Ride" lot (for free) and took the express bus downtown ($3.50 one way) to avoid downtown parking.
I looked for a Daz Bog coffee shop, but went into a Starbucks instead. I needed to connect and check email. Mistake. It was a bust. No free wireless. Packed with obnoxious loud people full of themselves. Very frustrating.
I was walking down the 16th Street Mall, and met a middle age woman, well groomed and pleasant, selling papers to "help the homeless" and when she accosted me, I said "I'm homeless!" and passed her by quickly. I really felt bad - I don't usually fall for street vendors like that, but I also don't lie carelessly and contemptuously. I'm not homeless, I'm just hapless. I have a wonderful home and family waiting for me back in Whitewater USA. Why did I brush her off?
So I went farther and this feeling kept coming back. I had left bad energy with the exchange, and so much now hinges on positive. So I started wondering whether to act on that feeling and repair it. At that minute I spotted a Daz Bog with free WiFi. Before going in, I went to a machine and took out some cash, walked back to the homeless paper lady, and gave her a donation, and apologized. Things will start to look up, I'm sure. And here I am - blogging from Daz Bog.
Oh - the woman's name is Lovie, and she isn't exactly homeless either. She's praying for us.
Everything went well enough after Lovie. I spent some time at the Denver Library - they also have free WiFi. My meeting with Denver SBA advisor Tom Moore went well. He agreed with the other commercial lenders I talked to that Denver and the Front Range are deeply affected by the fallout from the "collapse" and will have a very hard time finding money for risky startups. I sensed an unreasoning fear running through our regional financial nerve center. Nevertheless, he agreed to look at the plan and offer whatever advise he could. I have nothing but praise for the SBA SCORE advisors we have encountered - if you are starting a business by all means seek them out!
I also encountered more kindnesses - I accidentally boarded the wrong bus and the driver took me several miles to my intended destination.
Day 30
From Karl: I am in Denver this morning. Slept fine in car. Raining all over. Found a Russian coffee shop downtown (Daz Bog) to look at email and blog. More later.
Here's the rest of the day, plus reflections: I drove from Daz Bog downtown, parked for $12, found a Kinkos which is now FedEx Office, and there I found everything ready to work - a laptop station, printers. I edited the business plan and printed three copies from the master, and Ben sent brand new Time Trails business card as pdf, and I had 20 made, then cut them by hand to save money - so they look ragged, just like me. I also talked to people on the phone - not really making a lot of progress, but pushing myself.
I was exhausted at 4:30 when I headed out of downtown. Right at rush hour. The traffic was so intense it just drained me - much worse because I was in a strange city and did not know where I was going. I literally drove in a huge loop around the city, looking for a spot to stop the car and sleep. I finally found a rest area at 10:30, and slept well even with a very cold early morning.
The interesting thing about that mammoth drive was how I kept second guessing myself. I had thought of driving to Summit County 80 miles west in the mountains to stay with old friend Ben's uncle Dave. But he didn't call back until late, and then we were both too tired to meet up. Ben recommended staying with Joe, who is a good family friend, a pastor now, and would have gladly given me a couch, I'm sure. But I was just too exhausted to call him. So I drove around trying to reduce the tension, which for me always means getting out of a busy city and into the countryside.
I kept driving off the hectic main channel roads and wandering around in small developments. One I liked was called Louvains, south of Denver. It exuded calm and peace - older houses well maintained, set in a beautiful mountain swale. I could have slept in the street, which looked very clean, with signs like "We have lots of children, and want to keep each one" here and there.
********
(Ben)
Moved out of the stables. I was sad to go but the business is moving in a new direction.
Day 29
Monday. Started fifth week of startup phase of Time Trails. We got through Ben and Anna's weekend, but there were fireworks all today rippling through the neighborhood, probably reflecting high levels of negative energy associated with the family rope being knotted too many times at the same place then pulled both ways too hard, but the good news is that miraculously everyone survived, more or less. So we have that going for us.
Anyway, in a surprise move to everyone including himself, Karl set out on a road trip to re-collect other friends and family not yet knotted in, and make parallel funding maneuvers with Ben's Wichita campaign. So everyone will pull together and try to manage a suddenly national corporate presence (ahmmm).
Watch for news of Karl's Don Quixote move, right here as we continue to count every day, and the adventure continues to evolve, or revolve, toward its ultimate outcome.
Day 28
Had a big breakfast with the Family. Uncle Paul and Aunt Julie were present. Except for a few more minor family squabbles it was a good relaxing morning.
Came back into Wichita and worked on some BP revisions, focusing mainly on competitors. Dad is working away at a sweat-equity page and a contract worker operational method.
BANK NEXT WEEK
Unless there is some sort of strange disaster of sorts nothing can derail us now as we sprint for the finish line of the preliminary race.
Came back into Wichita and worked on some BP revisions, focusing mainly on competitors. Dad is working away at a sweat-equity page and a contract worker operational method.
BANK NEXT WEEK
Unless there is some sort of strange disaster of sorts nothing can derail us now as we sprint for the finish line of the preliminary race.
Day 27
Saturday.
Ummm....busy day all around. Worked hard all day getting the ceremony put together.
It threatened to rain but not much actually came down.
Big Surprise = Grandpa Dave (Pops) came to kansas for the reception.
I think the party was a success except for a few minor family squabbles. Maybe Anna should fill in this section with more detail......
Business?? Told Uncle Craig and Jan about Time Trails. Always pitching!
Ummm....busy day all around. Worked hard all day getting the ceremony put together.
It threatened to rain but not much actually came down.
Big Surprise = Grandpa Dave (Pops) came to kansas for the reception.
I think the party was a success except for a few minor family squabbles. Maybe Anna should fill in this section with more detail......
Business?? Told Uncle Craig and Jan about Time Trails. Always pitching!
Day 26
Whew.....
Early morning, hot morning.
Dad, Justin, Clay, and myself hit the golf links early for some rough and tumble golf. After 16 holes tempers were flaring so we called it a tie and left.
Dad met Uncle Paul at the office...and then went back home.
I spent the afternoon building a basketball goal in my driveway. I'm quite proud of it!!
Early morning, hot morning.
Dad, Justin, Clay, and myself hit the golf links early for some rough and tumble golf. After 16 holes tempers were flaring so we called it a tie and left.
Dad met Uncle Paul at the office...and then went back home.
I spent the afternoon building a basketball goal in my driveway. I'm quite proud of it!!
Day 24
Today was actually a great day in the land of Time Trails.
You see, we've been grinding out on this business plan stuff for over 20 days...and many are telling me that is WAY TOO LONG to spend on a business plan. Well, its not. Not when the quality of the document will determine your financial future.
I went to the SCORE meeting this morning to review our latest version of the business plan and the financial projections. The advisors told me that our business plan was one of the best documents they had ever read since they started counseling. How big of a confidence booster is that!!
After spending 3 solid hours with the business advisors going line by line through the documents we discussed our next major goal: Turning the plan into money.
Over the next few weeks rest assured that lots of posts will be dedicated to my experiences (good and bad) at the banks.
The plan is to approach roughly 5 or 6 banks with the business plan, each bank requiring multiple appointments and meetings. I'm convinced we will get funded - it is up to me to make sure we optimize our funding situation...
After a brief stop at the museum for a tour (While Anna and Dad went to the park for lunch) Dad and I went to the Wichita State University Metroplex Small Business Development Center. There, we attended a 2 hour seminar an small business start ups. Hopefully this center will open some more doors for us.
********
Its a big weekend coming up - My brother Clay is driving down from Wisconsin for the wedding reception party we are throwing at Tina's house.
My Brother Clay and I looking fearsome as we camp in the Colorado Wilderness
Also - hey hey hey the blog is up to 3 followers now!! Awesome! Is this exponential growth or what?!
Day 23
Karl hard at work! As always of course...
Back in the office today. Not getting much done, except for catching up on blogging.
Ben has a meeting in the morning the SCORE office of the SBA. It is his follow up from the meeting a few weeks ago...
Also, he has a small business workshop at the WSU metroplex to hone his business skills.....
Day 22
Monday as a holiday, but not for me. Did more business plan all day, especially refined the financials while Debby proofed, edited, slashed and burned the text.
Then we had "My Good Friend" Tony, our first and so far only Every Day Counted Supporter, over for dinner and had a great time talking and eating leftover grill on the porch. I call Tony "My Good Friend" because he knows so many people, and people who know other people - he has the six degrees of separation down like nobody else I've met. So when he says something like "I was talking to my good friend...so and so" you know he has a story to tell. This one was about some expert who approached the Obama administration with a pitch, and landed a job, and then got waylaid by - you guessed it - politics. The next one was about the president of a major French aviation company telling Tony "I'll give you just enough rope to hang yourself" and then signing a deal with him.
Tony Likes to Fish. Alot.
So much for the fast lane. Tony may be the closest we get to it.
Day 21
Sunday off - sort of. Spent most of the morning mowing and cleaning up the yard.
Had a big crowd for a Memorial Day hamburger and hotdog grill.
Day 20
Dad worked continually on the Business Plan Ad Nauseum.
I was not kidding. Dad literally cut and pasted his notes on the business plan to a 10 foot long mammoth edit. He's kinda crazy.
I was not kidding. Dad literally cut and pasted his notes on the business plan to a 10 foot long mammoth edit. He's kinda crazy.As for me, I couldn't get much done business wise because Anna's folks came into town. But thats OK I needed a break. I feel the business plan is coming together - Dad has taken our entire rough edit and is spending massive hours on rewriting it - he stayed at the office till about 1:30 last night...
I was able to create a TIMESAIL visual to add to the pitch powerpoint. I think it is looking pretty good. We have done lots of editing on the pitch in the last few days. Here is this visual I created:
This is an element of the Time Trail that provides complex time/space based resources to the users.
Day 19
Worked steadily all morning on the Plan - we cross-checked our resources - about 4 books on writing business plans - and made an exhaustive outline to test whether we had covered everything in our existing draft. Then we cut and pasted the old text across the new outline. (Insert picture here) Took it to the office and transcribed until 12:00 midnight. I'd say Day 19 made up for 18.
Also, in the middle of all that, I was thinking about software architecture again - solidified ideas about caching tt's in sql, as well as treating area tt's like contours. Very interesting and exciting stuff, but it must wait.
.......Ben Says:
Spent the early morning working on the Powerpoint Pitch, and covered and edited it with Dad in the afternoon before diving back into the business plan. I couldn't stay all night with dad because Annas family came to town. I am getting very excited about the progress, it seems very slow but everything is worth it!!
Here is a Sneak Peak at the Pitch cover:
Day 18
Woke up and knew it was a bad day for work, could not get into BP, so in frustration stayed home and cut hay. That's right, hay. By hand. With an old-fashioned scythe - the kind "Old Man Time" carries over his shoulders. It is oddly relaxing to swing that thing through the thigh-high grass and watch it fall over in pages. I have a patch of hay meadow the size of a big front lawn. I will try to make a haystack this year. This is my own weird little historical farming research project slash relaxation exercise.
I wondered at the end of the day if you need to engineer a mini failure to grab onto success. If the failure is not too dramatic, maybe it can help set you up for a successful run the next chance you get. Day 18 did not count for much... but maybe it set up the future by cancelling itself out.
Day 17
Ben hung one of his brother Clay's Paintings in the office.Day 16
Dad worked from home today.
After my morning tour at the museum, I kinda pitched our project to one of the teachers. She LOVED it. She told me that as soon as we get it up and running to come to her school and do a demonstration for the other teachers. So that was really encouraging...
After that I went to lunch with the Founder and the CEO of the museum, Jon and Mike. We went to one of my favortie little japanese places downtown called Kyoto Gardens. Anna and Lily met us there. I pitched the plan to Mike. He liked it a lot and was very intrigued. He had good knowledge about non-profits and business models. I think Mike could be a good resource down the road when the business things get sticky...I need more Mikes. As for Jon, I think he liked the idea but doesnt quite understand the magnimamigority (I invented that word, it means HUGE SCALE) of the project.
Day 15
Dad worked on finding proper tech beds for new version, and built up the finance spreadsheet.
He is creating the financial analysis as a "living document". It is quite neat.
I was swamped early morning at the Museum (thats my version of "billable work") but came into the office late and worked on.....what's it called....hmmm....can't seem to remember what it was......um....OH YEAH - the BUSINESS PLAN!!
:|
Day 14
Today, Sunday, Dad stayed at the house to work in his favorite spot - an overrun pig sty and weed bed in the back of the farm. It clears his mind, I think - and its starting to look really nice.
For me, well, I drove home from Garden City...a gruelling 4 hours. Listened to some Eddie Vedder and Into the Wild Soundtrack. It was awesome.
This soundtrack is one of the greatest ever created.
This soundtrack is one of the greatest ever created.
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