months of updates...

Ok, not months because I just don't have the memory capacity for that but it's still an update.

I am soooooo close to getting the site live it's not even funny. Expect to see a Woohoo!! post within the next week. I can't even begin to explain what a pain in the ass this process has been but I'll summarize.

I hired a couple of consultants to help me figure out some weird stuff. The first consultant helped identify a corrupt install of the CMS & shopping cart. I thought that was all set and was ready to customize it to how I wanted. Some of the things I wanted I didn't have the programming skills to do myself. I don't write PHP so I hired another consultant to help with that. I got scammed - hard. After a day and a half of getting it the way I wanted, the consultant deleted *everything* off of my server claiming I needed yet *another* re-install.

ARGH!!! Not only did he delete all of the store stuff, he deleted my mail, my databases, my private files - everything. I could barely log in and called my hosting company, literally, in tears. *Thankfully* they had a backup that was just 2 hours old and put everything back where it was. Whew!

Nothing in life is perfect, however, and I ended up needing to re-install the CMS & shopping cart *again* - of course losing ALL of the customizations I had just paid the consultant to do. Fucker.

I seriously considered tossing my hat in and calling it a day with the website at this point. Thankfully my stubbornness turned into a boon and I started from scratch, again, determined to get it up and running come hell or high water - both things I have experience with and have overcome. ;)

No consultants this time, just me. I re-installed everything and got it all up and running, cleanly, not corrupted and customized!

Right now there's a blank page hiding the real deal. As soon as the photographer takes pictures of the remaining examples I gave her yesterday, the site will be live. I'm sure you can imagine the kind of happy dance I'll be doing once that happens!!

I have a list of sites I need to contact to see if they'll link to me, I have a bunch of places to visit to see if they'll sell my product. I have a few other designs in the works that need to be dog tested (any takers?) I have more supplies to order, customizations to make to the notification emails (because they're butt ugly), but all of that can be done after the site goes live.

Can you see what's been taking up my time lately? Hopefully it'll be worth it. :)

I plan on sending emails to every person I know - word of mouth advertising is everything. Even if you don't plan on using them, spread the word!

There will be a big sigh of relief when I can actually do other stuff (besides looking for a job - I've been doing that the whole time too).

Of course I'll launch the site live and will cry my eyes out when I don't get an order that first day. :p

Enough of that - I'll look forward to as much feedback as you care to give - both good and bad - when it goes live so *please* don't be shy and leave comments!

The kids are doing well. Millie gets more and more creaky every day so I've ordered some supplements that will be good for her and the other kids. The puppy is growing big! He's such a sweetheart and is a lot of fun to play with, until his distracted mind notices the wall or something. He'll get it - I hear it takes a little longer with the mixes.

Freddie has gone up in the flyball Miniature Pinscher ratings and is the 3rd Min Pin in the sport, for now. I say for now because monthly tourney season is about to hit and I'm sure the younger dogs will soon whup his ass in points. I take every victory I can get with my 10 yo man.

I had to take a picture of Tweak for her animal actor portfolio and it came out *awesome*! I guess there's a very specific shot they use and I was pretty darn close to it. A dog food company is looking for a pair of Border Collies for a commercial next month and she's one of the dogs being submitted for the job. Fingers crossed she gets it because the household could use the extra money!



Let's see - we're heading to a flyball tourney in PA the 1st weekend in April, Millie, Tweak and I will be returning as the Tricks demo for the Mass School of Law's Animal Rights day in April. I'm working with Tweak on some new moves for freestyle and hope to be able to go for some private training in April as well. I also hope to get her herding again very soon.

The boys (Freddie & Pacie) had another photo shoot with Pet Edge for their catalog this month. Can't wait to see what comes out of that.

I know I've mentioned this service before but I just have to rave about it again - Freecycle! My bread machine died and I was able to pick up another one from someone who doesn't ever use it. Today I'm meeting with some people to grab a crib/toddler mattress that they no longer need. Millie needs the extra support for those creaky bones! I went to one of those baby stores and couldn't believe the mattresses were like $60-$80! A lot for a dog bed. But, we're getting one for free today and, most importantly, keeping it out of a landfill for a while longer.

Since the site stuff has slowed down, I'm spending the weekend getting my house in order - dishes done, floors swept and washed, shit put away, pictures hung, etc. I guess my spring cleaning has started. I *hate* cleaning but like how everything looks when it's done. I'm even aiming to be able to see the kitchen table today!

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Millie on SNL..

I was trying to find this video and couldn't. I could've sworn I added it here! I'm probably too tired or too stupid to find it. Anyway, here's Millie on SNL last year.

Millie's 1.5 seconds of fame on Saturday Night Live 9/29/2008

I'm going to bed. Will *try* to write more frequently. :)

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presidential address to congress

I'm watching Obama's presidential address to congress. I don't know if I'll have any thoughts or questions but if I do, I'll type them out as I have them.

Boy I hope they'll stop clapping so he can speak.

Lord I wish I could stop coughing - I'm blocking him out more than the applause is.

I'm not sure American workers are the hardest working people on earth. I know we like to think we are, but I'm not really sure that's the case since there are people that work 14+ hours in a day, every day, for less than $1 a day. Just sayin'.

I'm not sure laying broadband is equal to alternative energy sources but I'm also not against it being the online junky that I am.

Did I just see McCain in the audience?

Recovery.gov - a website the public can use to track recovery spending.

I like that interest rates are lower but how can someone who's been laid off take advantage of that?

Buy fancy drapes? Is there a CEO-buying-fancy-drapes epidemic that I haven't heard about?

I bet his approval rating goes up every time he speaks publicly.

Please stop standing up and clapping, half of the audience can't take the increase in exercise and might injure themselves.

Energy, health care and education - that's a good start.

Who was Biden pointing to?

Clean coal? Isn't that an oxymoron?

Who was the injured military man sitting next to Mrs. Biden? How was he injured?

Why do I notice and wonder about things like that?

Wow. I can't believe he spoke about a cure for cancer - that's a freakin' huge goal.

If people don't stand up while applauding does that mean they don't agree or that they just don't want to stand?

Did I just hear boo's when he said Senator Edward Kennedy?

I thought Millie was growling at the puppy but it turns out she was snoring. :p

What programs do we lose if we cut 2 trillion from the budget?

I think I just saw a congressman chewing gum - isn't that inappropriate?

The checks are on the way he says. I haven't got mine, have you?

I think it's kinda gutsy for him to include the cost of the war in the money total.

If we honor our military men and women, does that mean we'll take care of the veterans that have brought us here today?

Obama just said we would. One can hope.

Quantanamo bay is being closed and we'll no longer torture terrorists. Not that I'm for it but I wonder how much information we'll lose.

"In our hands lies the ability to shape our world..." Yup.

Mentioning Greensburg - makes me think he's serious about alternative fuels and energy.

If it's not an "official" State of the Union, is he going to give an "official" one at some point?

How come I don't see any secret service personnel? Do they just blend that well?

Nevermind, I see them now.

I wish I could get one of the programs they handed out. That would be pretty damn cool.


Overall I think his speech was hopeful yet still realistic. I hope he can accomplish all that he hopes to. I also hope there can be true bipartisan cooperation in getting this country back on its feet.

Since I've been sick I've been going through the West Wing seasons like they're cough drops so I like to think I have a tiny bit of a clue on what some of the negotiations are potentially like. :p

Ok, back to the West Wing.

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ahhh...flyball

This weekend I get to play flyball and I couldn't be more excited. :) Friends from Canada have come down and friends from the PA area have come up. It'll be hectic and tiring but oh so worth it!

I hired a consultant to help me figure out what I was doing wrong with the business site. As it turns out, it wasn't me at all! I had been doing everything right but my CMS install was corrupted so it wasn't parsing the information correctly. I'm bummed that I had to hire a consultant for that but pretty stoked that it wasn't something I was doing wrong. I have another session with him next week. Fingers crossed that it will *finally* be up and running next week.

I'm fighting off a cold, which sucks. Good that I'm still fighting it, sucky that I'll probably succumb to it after I push myself to the limit this weekend. Bleh.

Ok, I have to potty the dogs and hit the hay so I can get plenty of sleep yet still get up early.

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just to shut Sarah up

I don't have a ton of time, I need to get on the road but we can't have a cranky Sarah so here's a little something-something to tide you over. I'll *try* to remember to post via cell phone while gone.

I'm off to New Jersey to work on a few things and hang out. We'll be doing a lot of camp planning and of course a lot of dog stuff. I was planning on getting down there on Monday but I had water coming in from my ceiling fan and had to get that fixed. Then I ran out of hot water and it wasn't coming back so I had to get that fixed. The guys are finishing up as I type. They had to replace some stupid part. Whatever, I just want to shower because I can't quite put into words just how much it's needed right now.

Still working on the website. I realized I don't have a few pictures I need so I'll have to make the products and get pictures taken quickly. If it's ready to go up before I have the pictures done, oh well, it's still going. One of the reasons I'm heading down to NJ is to finalize the addition of some other products I'm licensing the rights for. This official business stuff sucks, I'm just saying.

I'm only going to be in NJ until Sunday. I have a disc dog meeting so I'm hitting that on the way home. Why did I say I'd do this? Sigh.

Anyway, the most important thing is Camp. We'll be working on what new classes to teach, who's teaching what, etc. etc. For all of my local friends, I want to see some New England people representing this year!! There's a couple that come down from VT and have a freakin' ball so save up your pennies and come and have fun with me this year!!

Tweak ran a few races this weekend and I think she did pretty well! It's so freakin' hard watching your own dog while you're trying to run her. We didn't have extra people so there was no one to see how the pups were doing. The photographer got a few pictures of Tweak on the box and I'm thrilled to report that it looked like she was holding it together. Scott said she was chucking up at the box so she could set herself up properly. I think experience will help her with that. Fingers crossed anyway.

I watched the news last night and was quickly reminded as to why I don't watch the news anymore. What inane drivel. I had to shut if off after a few minutes. I really don't think that a drug to make your eyelashes grow should be national news. I mean seriously. wtf?

Ok, the guys are done and I'm off to shower - finally!

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