One Year Ago...Right Now

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Happy New Year!

Thankful

Being Thankful 2011

I am thankful for Switchfoot playing on my iPhone while I shower.

I am thankful for their lyrics.

I am thankful for the heat kicking in on a frost bitten November morning.

I am thankful for friends.

I am thankful for family.

I am thankful for a daytrip to Chicago with a friend and family.

I am thankful for meals that are already made.

I am thankful for mornings where I can make coffee, sit down and drink it.

I am thankful for a home.

I am thankful for Katy.

I am thankful that I can come to Dunn Bros., drink coffee, eat a muffin and blog.

I am thankful for work.

I am thankful for Mom & Dad.

I am thankful for a car that works and works well.

I am thankful for the money that I make.

I am thankful for Paul and his friendship.

I am thankful for the ability to speak, read and write.

I am thankful for entertainment.

I am thankful for the ability to work out and exercise.

I am thankful for my health, for Katy's health and the health of my family.

I am thankful for creativity.

I am thankful for Emily & Eric; Eleanor and Edith.

I am thankful for Megan & Mark; Mattingly and Myla.

I am thankful for the Sunday's I can relax and be entertained.

I am thankful for music that energizes and calms.

I am thankful for freedom.

I am thankful for God's provision.

I am thankful for Birthday Dinner's with Bob & Deb, Josh & Laura, Joe & Christen.

I am thankful for my education.

I am thankful that you don't ever have to stop learning.

I am thankful for the discipline that I've seen modeled in my dad.

I am thankful that I have a touch of it.

I am thankful that I can improve.

I am thankful for Twitter so I can read and learn and interact.

I am thankful for technology that makes my life easier.

I am thankful for the work experience I have gained.

I am thankful for change.

I am thankful for Calvary.

I am thankful for peace and quiet.

I am thankful for style.

I am thankful for the people who pray for me & Katy.

I am thankful for parents who care.

I am thankful for Emily's questions.

I am thankful for sports.

I am thankful for motivation.

I am thankful for the change of season.

I am thankful for energetic Coldplay music.

I am thankful for calming classical music.

I am thankful for that sip of coffee.

I am thankful for people who care.

I am thankful for people who motivate.

I am thankful for people who think about me.

I am thankful for extended family.

I am thankful for Aunt Naomi; Grandma & Grandpa Kletzin.

I am thankful for Jim and Karen.  Chris and Grant.  Josh and Laura.  Bob and Deb.

I am thankful for Mom & Dad, Jim & Karen that they come and visit.

I am thankful for Grandma Dischinger.  I am thankful for Grandpa Dischinger.

I am thankful for my childhood.

I am thankful for the lessons that were taught to me.

I am thankful for meaningful co-workers.

I am thankful for photography.

I am thankful for video.

I am thankful for Christmas with family at 1064 Roselawn.

What I Wore To Work

Tallia Orange double pinstripe suit.

Obsessed

*Materialistic Blog*

This is the most amazing shirt of all time.  Classically American because of the oxford cloth.  European style with the cutaway collar.

Perfect for me.  And a Christmas idea.

Bonobos

*Eric, you should try their pants.  Free shipping and free return shipping.  You'll have to read more to find out why.

Bonobos, an online retailer that originally got into the market to get men some pants that fit.  But really, many people can do that so how did they really get in?  If memory serves me correct their niche is pants that fit guys with big butts and thick thighs or in their words, "real" men.  It seems that they got in, made their mark and expanded to be, in my opinion, one of the better men's online retailers out there.  (In terms of products, quality, style, fashion etc.)

So, I follow them on twitter and facebook and found they had an open, casual webcast with some guy who we'll call "Sandwith Ventures LLC" and the CEO Andy Dunn.  I watched and listened to the conversation and even jumped in a little bit.

It was interesting that he actually answered my question as well.  I mean, directly, answered my question.  Used my name, reminisced a little bit about the question and answered it.  

My first question was whether there was any plan for an actual store, since last April Fool's Day they sent out an email saying they were opening tons of new stores.  He said that maybe there was a time and a place.  He said they used some google data and plugged them into google maps, which probably had you put in your zip code to find it and it located "fake" stores.  He also said he'd like to model themselves after Apple in the sense that they're "awesome" and give them the same customer service they provide.  He also went into experimenting with their FitNinja's and pop up stores and possibly selling their products in existing stores. 

Anyway, he did a great job interacting with whoever was watching this webcast.  It just seemed interesting how well he answered questions and gave out information.  Maybe I'm just used to certain leaders closer to me where it's more difficult to get information from.  He even gave sales information   

They're bringing in Moseley Tribe, Sierra fall jackets, Eastland boots.  They're making a pair of pants that go for $100 and $40 worth goes to feed two kids for a year abroad.  They're thinking of doing a Made in the USA shop.

Anyhow, that's what I'm interested in and what I do on an occasional day off.  A chat with a CEO of an online retailer.  Business.  Clothing/Fashion/Style.  Information.

Really. No, really!

Really, Taleo just doesn't get it.  They just don't get it.  I'm sorry.  They don't.  Do they?  Can someone tell me if they do for sure or not?  I want to be right on this one.

UPDATE at 3:59 pm.

HR technology "tools" blow my mind.  And not in a good way.

September 13, 2011 9:35:31pm

Winners!

Katy and I had a great weekend off together.  One of our events included going over to Ace Hardware on the corner to visit, walk around and see their Fall Festival!  The owner, Mike, put together a Cub Scout Troop selling hot dogs, chips, soda and popcorn.  He also had a chainsaw artist making bears out of huge logs.  He had painting activities for kids pumpkins, which he was able to collect himself in the field for a low cost and early in the morning he had a petting zoo with a camel, kangaroo and well, I forgot the other animals.

So, we walked in, browsed through the aisles with numerous other people.  It looked like a good turnout for his first time event planning this Fall Festival.  Before we left, we dropped our names in the give away buckets.  A Craftsman toolbox, a Stihl leaf blower, Scotts turf builder and maybe birdseed.  I forgot.  We both tossed our names in the Stihl leaf blower thinking that would be our best shot to win something.  But we never win anything, so I wasn't overly worried.

Well, Sunday afternooon Katy got a call from Mike and we/she won the Stihl leaf blower!  It was great news and she went to pick it up that afternoon.

It is pretty similar to this one here.  It's simple and occasional use but it's a two cycle gas blower!  It's not even a cheap electric one!  I love it and I have yet to even use it!  And better yet it matches my chainsaw!

Thanks Mike!  Thanks Ace Hardware!

(They do a great job in the community.  On our block party night they donated four $10 gift cards and Scotts Turf Builder and I think something else, birdseed?  But they're great!)

Merrell Boots-Emily, Megan, Katy?

I need to buy these boots for one of you this winter.  I think they are fantastic. 

Merrell Natalya Waterproof

Herberger's has them which is how I noticed them. 

Rugby Retweet

As you know, Paul and I went to Chicago on a whim on October 4th.

When we were in the Lincoln Park neighborhood, just off of W. Armitage Avenue and N. Sheffield Avenue I sent off a tweet.  Paul and I were visiting the Ralph Lauren Rugby store. 

It said this:

And on October 9th at 8:31am @RugbyRL retweeted me!  (That means they sent out my tweet to all of their followers, 15,424 of them.)  Normally 50-70 people look at a picture that I send out on twitter.  Well, soon I was over 1,000 views on my picture I took and tonight it's at 1,700 people looking at my picture!

Anyhow, I thought that was cool! 

America's Next Great Restaurant to Ratio/Clothing

Does anyone remember the NBC show America's Next Great Restaurant?

Well, Katy and I watched it because we enjoy cooking & food shows, the owner of Chipotle, Steve Ells, was an investor in the new concept restaurant and one of the three locations was to be Minneapolis. 

As the season progressed many places seemed like it'd be a great place to eat.  But from the beginning, despite a simple and probably not the most profitable idea, I liked the guy who had concepted "Meltworks."  It was a take on grilled cheese.  Well, not a take on grilled cheese, it was grilled cheese.  But he was to get creative with cheeses, combinations and dipping sauces.  I liked the idea and wanted it to succeed. 

Cutting to the chase, the owner Eric Powell, didn't win.  But he still had plans to open his "Meltworks" grilled cheese concept, I believe I read somewhere in the past. 

So, recently I've found a twitter account and website, Dappered, who is a knowledge on style and sales basically.  He must get a ton of emails and turns them into posts. 

But he featured a newer custom shirt company, ratio/clothing.  In the post, here, Five Favorites from Eric Powell, Owner of ratio/clothing.  I recognized the name, did some researching on the internet and found it's the same guy who was on America's Next Great Restaurant.   

In any case, I found it interesting he's an entrepreneurial enough to want to start his own restaurant but also jump into a different world of online retail sales.  I find both ideas of the restaurant and the custom shirting good concepts.  So, good for him on getting out there. 

Joel & Paul Head to Chicago

Can you handle a little spontaneity?  Can you do things on a whim?

Well, Monday afternoon Paul and I were chatting when Paul seemingly randomly asks if I wanted to go to Chicago.  He found a good price on a flight going out the next day, Tuesday.  I had spend the previous five days on vacation with a cold, fighting off soreness and congestion.  Mom did come for the Bethel Alumni board on Thursday but it was a pretty non-eventful vacation. 

After a few minutes of thinking about it, finding flight information, tickets and availability I got Katy's approval and we were going to go.  The final conversation went something like this.

Paul:  Am I clicking purchase or what?

Joel:aaaaaahhh, sure

yeah

yes

do it

let's do it

oh boy

Paul: shoot, we're going to Chicago tomorrow

Joel: haha

excellent!

And plans were made.  Weather was forecasted to be 74 degrees and all sun and it turned out just that way, perfect.  

We didn't have a particular itinerary but if you look at Paul's great work and map this is what the trip looked like.  

Map:

 http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF&msa=0&msid=209008218330530932968.0004ae8fcd27ff4cc8b2d

 

 

 

View Chicago 2011 in a larger map

 

 

 

Go ahead and street view our walking too.  

05:13 MSP

07:06 MDW

07:30 Orange Line - Midway

08:04 Orange Line - Madison/Wabash

08:13 McDonald's

08:36 Cloud Gate

08:42 Millennium Park

09:19 Navy Pier

      Orange/Green Line - Madison/Wabash

      Pink Line - Adams/Wabash

      Pink Line - Quincy

10:32 Willis Tower

10:46 Skydeck

11:47 Jamba Juice/Starbucks at S Wells St & W Jackson Ave

      Brown Line - Quincy

      Brown Line - Armitage

      Thread Lounge

      Ralph Lauren Rugby at W Armitage Ave & N Sheffield Ave

      Walked down Sheffield Ave

      CVS at N Marcey St & N Sheffield Ave

      Headed East down North Ave

      J.Crew

      Banana Republic

01:27 Apple Store, Lincoln Park

01:28 Red Line - North/Clybourn

      Red Line - State/Lake

02:02 Potbelly at N State St & N Lake St

      Headed N on State St

      Went E on E Wacker Dr

      Continued E on E Wacker Pl

      Walgreens at E Wacker Pl & N Michigan Ave

      Headed N on N Michigan Ave

      Hit up for $ at Michigan & Wacker Dr

      The Shops at North Bridge (nothing to really see)

      Gap

      Levi's (closed)

03:07 Niketown

03:20 Apple Store, N Michigan Ave

      Zara (former mall-Chicago Place)

      Allsaints Spitalfields (former mall-Chicago Place)

      Banana Republic

      Polo Ralph Lauren

04:13 Chicago Water Tower

      TOPSHOP / TOPMAN (former Borders) at Michigan & E Pearson St

      Headed South on E Tower Court

      Headed East on E Chicago Ave

      Stopped at the McDonald's at Chicago Ave & State Street

04:40 Red Line - Chicago

04:50 Red Line - Lake

      Headed East on Randolph St

05:01 Green Line - Randolph/Wabash

05:26 Green Line - Oak Park

      Head N on Oak Park Ave

      Eric & Emily's on Nashville Ave

06:09 Michael's Beef

08:40 MDW

10:49 MSP

 

The drive at 5:00am to MSP.

We began our journey on the orange line from Midway to Madison and Wabash in downtown Chicago.

 

Soon enough this was our view, staring at the State Street Macy's Karl Lagerfeld window eating breakfast at McD's.

 

A short walk later we were at The Bean or Cloud Gate.  

Millenium Park and Navy Pier were next.

After Navy Pier we made our way to the Willis Tower and the Skydeck and found ourselves on the glass enclosure 103 floors up, 412 meters, 1353 feet.  Paul was courageous enough or dumb enough to get right out on the glass enclosure, lay down and sit down.  Outrageous.  I didn't think about falling and dying as much this time so I was able to go out there for a few seconds and here's the proof that you may have needed to see via my tweet.  

We stopped at Jamba Juice and Starbucks for a snack and headed on the brown line towards Armitage and the Lincoln Park neighborhood as I wanted to go to the Ralph Lauren Rugby store. 

We started our walk to the next train back downtown and before I knew it we were approaching North Avenue, where Emily has taken me shopping just about every time I'm there.  That was pretty cool to recognize where I was enough to think I was close to that street before the Patagonia store jumped out at me!  So, we jumped back on the train and it connected us with Pot Belly for lunch and then Michigan Avenue again where we wandered through some stores.  

Like it says, we stopped in Gap, Levi's, Nike, Zara, All Saints, Banana Republic, Topman and also saw the Chicago Water Tower. 

But before you knew it we had to head to Eric and Emily's on North Nashville.  So we took the train to Oak Park and started our walk up before Eric picked us up.  We were able to see their new place, enjoy a nice dinner, hang out with Ellie and Edie a little bit and even say hello to Mom and Dad as they were taking care of the girls while Eric and Emily were in Mexico.  

It was a whirlwind day and Paul's first time in Chicago was a ton of walking, a great time navigating public transit and it couldn't have been better timing with the price of the flight, having perfect weather, a great day off to explore, the chance to have Emily and Eric just move and be able to see their house and enjoy dinner and even have Mom and Dad there to say hello with.  

I just hope they survived taking care of Ellie and Edith for a few days!

It was quite the day.  It felt like more than one day in fact.  But I'd do it all over again; even if it wasn't going to be as ideal as this trip. 

E4 Drive Through

Last Friday, on their way to Verndale, E4 stopped in Minnetonka for the night at Eric's aunt and uncle's.

Only alot of niece fun and sibling bonding occurred.

Ellie, check these pictures out!

Also, Eric dunked!

But we enjoyed some chinese food, talked about jobs, our house, their new house and saw some of the impressive demolition they have done.  We taught Eric how to tie a bow tie, heard a very very (very) long story about a customer yelling at me for 20-25 minutes at work, looked for a snowblower on Craig's List and more.  It was a great evening and I was glad to drive down to them to say hello and enjoy some food.

As always, it makes me happy that Ellie gets to excited to see me and Katy.  It was also great to have Edie, however tired, walk over to me and calmly sit on my lap for a few minutes before bed.

Possibilities

Retail merchandiser/planner. Public relations specialist. Fund-raiser. Merchandise planner. Team trainer. Sports equipment sales/marketing. Retail sales/management. Landscape architect. Interior designer. Landscaper and grounds manager. Professional photographer. Merchandise displayer. Dietitian/nutirtionist. Exercise physiologist. Personal fitness trainer. Photographer. Film producer. Promoter. Special events coordinator. Costume/wardrobe specialist. News anchor. Entertainment and sports agent. Television camera operator. Radio/television announcer. Athletic coach. Exercise physiologist. Dietitian/nutritionist. Personal fitness trainer. Fund-raiser. Marketing executive: radio/TV/cable broadcast industry. Sports equipment/merchandise sales. Public relations account executive. Merchandise planner. Customer service manager. Health club manager. Athletic coach.

ESFP