Yesterday, I got some sleep. It was great.

I also realized, probably as a result of getting some sleep, that All Around the House isn't just going to grow itself as a business. I've got to do some kind of low cost advertising. I'm continuing with the flyers, but they're a labor intensive and scattershot approach. Plus, I had already developed what I think might be a better flyer, but I just never got it printed up....I put all the work into it but never did the follow up. Hmm. It makes me wonder....I can see where I'm shooting myself in the foot. It's like when I write something, then get overwhelmed by the idea of sending it to a publisher. Or how I pushed organizing and polishing the photo for the CMPG Gallery Show so far down my list of thing to do it fell off the bottom. It's like I can do the work...but some dark thing within me holds me back from taking the final steps that might lead to the reward.

Anyway, after I took a nap, I picked the girls up from camp and stopped by the local photo store in town. I'm not giving the name, because, even though I was WAY impressed with the place, the story I'm about to tell might not be a thing the guy in it wants everybody on the internet to know about him. It's not a bad thing or a bad story....it's just a guess, based on how I "clicked" with this guy.

The mess was a place, really: it was engulfed in that happy kind of disorganization common to people who love what they're doing so much they stop seeing their surroundings. A man was helping a customer at the counter, so I came in and looked around waiting my turn. But, when the counter guy acknowleged me, I heard another voice, almost a model Pleasant Voice:

"Hey, can I help you?"

A man close to me in age was seated on the floor attempting to bring order to a display. He pulled himself to his feet with one of those fast, practiced motions people who compensate for some physical disability do with aplomb, and grabbed his copper colored cane from it's resting place by the shelf.

"Yes, sir. I need some advice, and I've heard you're the place in town to come to....this is my little two bit digital camera I bought to try to learn a little about photography. I didn't worry that doesn't take the best quality pictures. When I bought it, I said, 'it's not like I'm gonna hang anything up in a gallery or something' Only, guess what? That's exactly what's gonna happen!"

"No kidding?! That's great for you. You have some of your work on here? I can't wait to see it - people who are just starting out often have a fresh take on things. What can I do for you? You're going to need blow ups? We have lots of options..."

He balanced leaning over the counter, instantly a partner with me in the project. He listened, nodding, thoughtful, to every question then gave clear, helpful answers. We decided to print what I had on my memory card in 5x7 prints to see how those turned out. I asked how quickly they could be done and he said in about an hour, which I said was "perfect."

I went over to the local EmbroidMe where I met equally helpful and talented graphic artists who helped me find a house to use as a logo on shirts and an apron. Not surprisingly, it was actually a bird house, but one of the artists got on the computer and replaced the hole with a door. They went over colors, fonts, sizes, prices, etc with great helpfulness and efficiency. "What look are you aiming for?"

"Hmmm. It has to be right on that line between professional and notice-me-scary." I answered.

"Gotcha" they said, and they did. They asked a lot of questions about AATH, and asked for cards and brochures. I left after placing an order for one apron ( bright blue, yellow lettering, primary colored house) and two shirts ( white shirts, blue lettering, primary colored house) $63.00- about the cost of a newspaper ad. I had the lettering done in a rounded font in order to make the whole logo look approachable. And no one looks more approachable than me: people ask me to get stuff down for them or help them find stuff in malls,stores, gas stations....I swear that people stalk me in order to ask me for directions. This is really "use what you've got advertising". Someone is bound to ask me about my shirt or, especially, my apron. I can't wait to see the "stitch out" and get the order.

Anyway, I needed to hurry to the photo place and pick up my pictures for the meeting, which was taking place at 7:00. It was about quarter of six.

"You've got some good shots in here, and some might take a bigger blow up." the photo guy said, by way of greeting as I came back in. He began to cut the prints carefully with a paper cutter. His phone rang, and it was a frustrated customer trying to work with a frame she'd bought earlier. He gave her a few suggestions, but it wasn't working out for her. "Can you hold the line, Ma'm? I have a customer here I was already working with." he asked politely.

"Take your time." I said. Not because I had lots of it, but because I know how it feels on his side of the counter.

"Do you have time?" He glanced up at the clock, "No, you don't. You've got to get out of here to make your guild meeting by 7:00"

"It's okay. I can wait while you assist that lady. She sounds stressed." I said. He gave me a bright smile, and quick turtled over to the frame display. As he went over the instructions for it in detail, I replayed my previous conversation with the Photo Guy in my head. I'm an "audio learner": I can remember whole conversations word for word.

I hadn't told him I had a guild meeting at 7:00. I hadn't told him the guild met in Ellicott City, about an hour away. He had just "clicked in" to my project, the way I sometimes do with people in the tile store. ( Like the time I said, "Oh you can use that blue sizzle strip to pick up the color of your toilet." And the customer actually jumped back and said, "I didn't tell you I have a blue toilet! I didn't even tell you this was a bathroom project.")

Anyway, I'm definately going back to Photo Guy at Photo Store. The prints turned out great and he was very helpful. But just meeting another person "like me" right here in town was a real boost. I hope I can persuade him to come to a guild meeting.

Things are looking up.