The American Specialty Toy Retailers Association is having their conference next week, starting Sunday morning. I will be at that conference, representing Kidstop Toys, along with the owner and her husband.

Gosh, this is the tough part of the new career – having to go to Anaheim, in June, and learn about (and play with!) a bunch of new toys, and meet the industry movers and shakers … [sarcasm=OFF]

I have arranged a meet-and-greet with some excellent blogger friends for Saturday evening. I have already met two of them in person, this is going to allow me to meet more of these fine folks. You will find them in the sidebar, with their blogs listed. I’ll have an after-action report when I get back from Anaheim.

Why after I get back, you ask? Well, we only have the one laptop between us, and since TMBWitW is the one tracking things like bills and whatnot, we decided it would be best if I left the laptop at home. Now, unless I can find a public access computer in the Anaheim Convention Center, I’ll be off line for the next week. It’s OK though – after the ASTRA Conference, the family and I will be enjoying some downtime together – TMBWitW and MEG will be joining me on Thursday of next week. I will also be catching up with a distant cousin, one who helped my family pack up for the move from the LA area to Colorado, before I was born. I don’t know if he reads this, so I don’t know if he’s aware of the passing of Dad, Lea Ann, and Mom – half of the group that he helped move …

At any rate, I will be MIA for a few days, at least. I am still connected by the cell phone, and if you follow me on Twitter, I will be twitting my adventures there, or at least I’ll be trying. Bosslady moves fast at these things, and I’ll be keeping up with her. One thing I’ve learned – tweeting and walking don’t mix.

Chat ya later…

Thank you for stopping by, In GOD We Trust, God bless you all, don’t buy or breed cats or dogs while homeless pets die (spay, neuter & adopt a pet, one by one, until there are none), Wear Red on Fridays, and support Warriors for Innocence!

Tweet

Saturday morning, I’m hopping on the “hitcharide” express bound for Anaheim and an industry conference/workshop/trade show. Yeah, bummer, I have to spend a week playing with and learning about toys. Some ‘job’, huh?

My biggest concern is our dog, Cinnamon, who has canine diabetes. Next Thursday, THMBWitW and MEG will be driving out to join me for a couple days of vacation, and our dogsitter is pregnant. I’m sure it will work out OK, but I’m still concerned.

My second biggest concern is the fact that TMBWitW and MEG are coming out to join me next Thursday. TMBWitW hasn’t driven long distances lately, and she’s not real fond of driving long distances in the first place, but I am certainly not going to subject them to the unconstitutional strip searches at the airports. The last thing anyone wants to see is a YouTube video of MEG being traumatized followed by TMBWitW going into Mama Bear mode. (maybe my concern is more for the safety of the tsa goons, knowing that they probably wouldn’t survive an encounter with MEG’s mommy)

At any rate, a distant cousin will be joining up with us for some catching up once the two of my ladies get out there.

I’m saying all that to say this: Blogging my be even lighter than my usual grueling two-or-three posts a week over the next couple of weeks. Please try to avoid going into any kind of withdrawal mode.

By the by, did you notice I’m on Twitter? over there in the sidebar – little blue button with a birdie on it … not that I tweet a lot, but in case you need to hear from me more often than I blog …

Chat ya later…

Thank you for stopping by, In GOD We Trust, God bless you all, don’t buy or breed cats or dogs while homeless pets die (spay, neuter & adopt a pet, one by one, until there are none), Wear Red on Fridays, and support Warriors for Innocence!

This has felt like a very long short week. Four days of work, but it just feels like longer. Today marks the fifth day, third without the other manager who is on vacation, but it is a Saturday – which is always fun in the toy store. No freight, great customers, and if it’s slow and the store is recovered, we try out the games and toys ourselves – in the name of product research for better selling, of course!

This is ramping up towards the industry conference that the boss lady is taking me to – it’s in Anaheim, running from the 18th to the 23rd – and this is the big one. This is when the Christmas season toys are discussed, and the catalog for The Good Toy Group is finalized. New toys, new games, meeting people you only talk to on the phone – this should be fun and educational. Oh, and darn it, I have to play the new games and with the new toys while I”m there …

Chat ya later…

Thank you for stopping by, In GOD We Trust, God bless you all, don’t buy or breed cats or dogs while homeless pets die (spay, neuter & adopt a pet, one by one, until there are none), Wear Red on Fridays, and support Warriors for Innocence!

First, pardon the fuzziness (i was trying to get the shot before she realized i was taking a picture), and ignore the lady on the ladder talking on the phone while merchandising … and look at the wall beyond her. This is the area that was worked on. I tried to get some other pictures downloaded from my phone, but there seems to be a glitch – like the fact that the phone won’t let me see the pictures I took through the USB cord, I have to message them to myself in order to get them, and the one of the other side is too big to message … weird, huh?

Now, this shot shows the same wall, but with the retro-fitted Borders bookcases, library rail, and lighting valance.

And, the last section of wall. This is the view as you enter the Education Room from the cash/wrap area.

Nothing like a job actually completed once in a while.

Chat ya later…

Thank you for stopping by, In GOD We Trust, God bless you all, don’t buy or breed cats or dogs while homeless pets die (spay, neuter & adopt a pet, one by one, until there are none), Wear Red on Fridays, and support Warriors for Innocence!

Chat ya later…

Thank you for stopping by, In GOD We Trust, God bless you all, don’t buy or breed cats or dogs while homeless pets die (spay, neuter & adopt a pet, one by one, until there are none), Wear Red on Fridays, and support Warriors for Innocence!