Well, You Know What They Say...

"You know what they say..."

'It's like they say..."

"Well, they say..."

Who are "they"?

Sayings come and go, but one of the most puzzling, to me, is "You know what they say..."

As of this moment, my new goal in life is to become one of they. Think of it. What would it be like to be part of that mysterious thought governing body, they? Why, they have all the answers. They know everything. They have infinite wit and wisdom. They are, well, THEY.

So, just exactly who are THEY? Did they ever really exist? All that I can find on the subject is that it is an old English expression. If Ben Franklin were still alive I'd ask for the opinion of his Junto Society and see if Ben and friends could figure this out.

It's One of the Great Imponderables

Revisionists will tell you that "They really don't exist." Then, there are the doubters. Like RUSes (rodents of unusual size), "I don't think they exist." Well, I don't care-- I want to be one of they.

If you get the RUS reference, you just might be a prime candidate to be one of THEY. If, however, that reference eludes you, well, it's like they say... one can always hope.

I have to go now... they are waiting.

The Sun Goes Down on Shoes.com

Late yesterday the sun went down on Shoes.com. Two years ago it was an internet darling and tomorrow, it will be a memory.

There are lots of lessons to be learned from the Shoes.com saga.

First, the company had three entities: Shoes.com, OnlineShoes.com, and Shoeme.ca (the Canadian arm of the business-- which also included brick and mortar stores). They set up their primary warehouse in Columbus, Ohio. They had smaller warehouses in Seattle and Vancouver, British Columbia. Most of the product shipped from Columbus, Ohio. In my opinion, this three-entity situation created a lot of problems with cost controls. Consolidation would have been a much wiser way to go.

Second, the company managed the warehouse in Columbus by enlisting the aid of temp services. They used three different temporary work agencies, not one. That created confusion. In my opinion, every wave of new temps in a situation like this increases theft loss, increases a lack of productivity as people get up to speed, and if the temps are not given a full-time, permanent position quickly enough, it leads to a lack of dedication. This latter point can also result in more theft loss as people often think that their job is constantly in jeopardy and they have no vested interest in the profitability and health of the company.

Third, when a company started by a tech-industry entrepreneur grows quickly and does not seek retail professionals to help run the place, choosing, instead, to recruit Millennials who know all about social justice but nothing about running a business, it's a recipe for disaster. Break rooms adorned with pingpong tables, foosball tables, big-screen televisions and X-Box game consoles don't build excitement when you don't turn on the heat in winter until the warehouse temperature dips below forty-five degrees-- that was the policy. The company had lots of customer service complaints, too.

On Friday, January 27th, Shoes.com officially went dark. It's three online entities went offline. Employees in Seattle and Vancouver were shown the door and told that they'd receive pay through the end of the month (gee, four days pay, how generous). Shoes.com employees in the Columbus, Ohio warehouse were told at 9:00 AM that their job was over. The fulfillment side of the warehouse was run by Geodis-- a third-party operator and the second largest logistics company on the planet. Employees of Geodis who shipped material for Shoes.com were not told that they were laid off until after hours-- they were called at home.

Geodis is not to blame. In fact Shoes.com may even owe them money along with all the other companies that Shoes.com cannot pay. Shoes.com will be filing for bankruptcy protection and making plans for liquidation.

One can only speculate whether or not Geodis had any advanced warning about the situation with Shoes.com. I suspect that they did not have much notice. Information I have on the event is that Geodis was asking questions about the health of Shoes.com when they started seeing a huge reduction in freight coming to Columbus, but they weren't getting clear answers. It put Geodis in a real bind considering the time of year and the current business climate.

Geodis employees of the Columbus, Ohio Shoes.com facility will be looking for jobs. Some of them have lots of experience, an array of talents and diverse background. Others have limited skill sets and less experience, but they are young and energetic. If you know any companies looking for talent, spread the word. Post it on Facebook.

Good Luck to All.

Today's Lesson: CYA and Get Paid

Today's lesson is for all of you freelancers out there working for a living. CYA - cover your a$$.

Everyone knows that times are tough. Full-time jobs are hard to find in a lot of places and the competition in creative fields is fierce. Take copywriting, for example. Everybody wants to be a copywriter these days. Even displaced journalists have jumped on the copywriting bandwagon.

They're EVERYWHERE, they're everywhere.

The way that the average freelance writer, graphic artist, web designer, or copywriter works these days is this: He or She jumps online, checks out the job boards (like Upwork, Craig's List, or Online-Writing-Jobs.com), and submits a bid. The person who posted a job might be in your home town or located on the opposite side of the globe.

A smart freelancer never does any work without a contract. In addition, a smart freelancer asks for at least 50 percent of the job bid up front and waits for payment before starting to work on any project no matter how big or small. If the project is under $500, many freelancers want the entire fee up front. The balance is to be paid in exchange for the finished product, whatever that may be.

Here's where covering your ass becomes really important.

I know countless numbers of freelancers who have been stiffed after sending the client their finished project. They will have received the 50 percent up front (or whatever percentage that was agreed upon when they took the assignment); but, when it came time for final payment, the voice on the other end of the line goes dark.

That sound you are hearing right about then is crickets... yeah, loud and clear. You've been hosed.

Most of the copywriting and freelancing I used to do was in my own city. I had plenty of work to do and I received a lot of work by referral. It's a good idea to explore the potential for that in your home town. Seriously. People often get caught up in the whole Internet hype thing --there's money in them there ones and zeros. Yeah, cyber-space can be a gold mine, or a complete waste of time. That all depends on you.

The number of Internet scumbags has grown exponentially in recent years. It seems that people think nothing of robbing you of the hard-earned cash that you were promised when they have your work in their grubby little mitts. So, be warned. Don't turn over the final product until you have been given payment.

If there is something that someone can learn from the scenario above, it is this: A TON OF MONEY can be made for the SMART individual who develops a business that will allow the freelancer to deposit the finished product that will only be released when the buyer (the one who listed the job in the first place) deposits the payment. IS ANYONE LISTENING?

Some bright individual can contact me on this idea and, perhaps, we can put something together. But, trust me, if someone develops this it will forever change the way we do business and the days of people getting stiffed by someone they trusted will be over.

It's Monday - Start of A New Week

It's Monday, start of a new week and that means new opportunities.

Lots of people get into a funk from time-to-time. They get demoralized. They occasionally get depressed. Well, don't fret. Life is full of ups and downs, just  like the thermometer. So, don't stress, just roll with it.

Yesterday is gone. Like the painting on the right, the sun goes down and the moon lights up the night sky. It's time to inhale slowly and just let it all out and think about what tomorrow may bring. I painted this image from a reference photograph I took on the deck of a three-masted schooner in the bay at St. Augustine. The ship was "Freedom" and to me, it symbolizes a bright future is coming and things of the past are behind us. The future awaits us.

People tend to be cynical. They tend to expect the worst. If that is you, it's time to reprogram yourself. Rather than fear the unknown, embrace tomorrow for the coming of a new day. Embrace MONDAY as the start of a new week-- new opportunities are on the horizon. So, chin up there, kiddo.

Rather than seeing all of those visions of doom and gloom you've had running through your head, imagine yourself being happy, laughing, having a full wallet, a nice car, a beautiful home, and the love of your life. Tell yourself, you are good at what you do and if you work in a place where people don't recognize that, that's okay. You can look for a place that will give you the opportunities you want and the chance to reach for the stars.

It's Monday. The future is yours if you will only reach out and grab it!

When the Going Gets Tough

When the going gets tough, the tough get going.

I am a big believer in the idea that you cannot accomplish anything if you never set any goals in life. It's like the old saying: Nothing ventured, nothing gained.

January is the slowest month of the year for business. The holidays have come and gone and seasonal lay-offs have just hit-- or soon will. Lots of retail and warehouse-type jobs reduce hours and the result is less money in peoples' pockets.

The trend in recent years has been hiring more people than you need and sending them home when the work is done. Thanks to the Affordable Care Act, even people working reduced hours still receive full-time benefits, but, after medical insurance is withheld, people are taking home less money. So how do you survive in this sort of business climate? That's a good question, and here is your answer:

Multiple Income Streams

Setting up multiple income streams is one of the best ways to keep the money flowing. There are several ways that you can do it.

The first thing you need to do is make an inventory of your marketable skills. What services can you provide for which people are willing to pay? Do you have more than one service that you can provide?

Do you have a blog? If so, you can set up an account with Google AdSense to monetize it. You can do the same with YouTube.

If you can do some freelance work on the side you might be able to make more money than your day job as you build a reputation in your field. I know several graphic artists, web developers, and copywriters who have made good money as freelancers.

The future of work in America will most likely be a combination.of freelance and part-time jobs that together provide the equivalent of full-time income. To ensure income stability, the more individual streams the better.

Hold on Tight to Your Dreams

When I was a kid I fell in love with art-- drawing in particular. I wanted to be a professional artist.

In the late 1970s I took my portfolio to Columbus College of Art and Design and hoped to be accepted and enroll there. The lady from admissions told me, "You are not an artist." Then, she said, "You are an illustrator."

I responded by telling the lady, "That's what they said about Normal Rockwell."

My wife, Mary Rose, had a similar thing happen at the University of Dayton. Her professor said that she should give up art and pick another major. I guess he just didn't like realism in sketch. My wife was crushed. She switched her major to communication arts, whatever that means. I might take a stab at it and say that it is like the huge percentage of young ladies who go to college and study psychology. Unless you get a PhD in the field, chances are that your only job will be as a school counselor.

Mary Rose used what she learned later in life as a relationship coach and a copywriter. She's a professional communicator and a past member of the National Speakers Association.

I went on with my life and pursued my dreams. In doing so, I remained ever the artist. I combined my passion for fly tying and fly fishing with artwork. I did a lot of work as a photographer, combining it with writing articles and eventually books (including one on photographic composition). I continued drawing in pencil, charcoal, pen & ink, and now on computer with a Wacom tablet and stylus. I used to do a lot of watercolor painting, but I gave that up when I switched to using a computer for paintings. I still do calligraphy with various quill and fountain pens.

The image of the lighthouse above-right was painted using Corel Painter and Sketchbook Pro on my computer with a Wacom tablet and stylus. I took a photograph of Marblehead Light and used that photo as a reference image to do the painting.

If there is a lesson that can be learned from what Mary Rose and I have experienced it is this: If you love art, don't give up if someone tells you that you are not an artist, or they look down their nose at you. Keep drawing. Keep painting. Keep learning and refining your art. Even if you never reach the level of a professional artist, paint or draw just for the love of it and don't be discouraged.

Art, like music, takes time to master. If you give up you will never know what might have been if you had kept going.

Hold on tight to your dreams. You just might discover your inner artist.

Hope Springs Eternal

Hope springs eternal. I don't know who said it first, but as far back as I can remember this phrase rang in my head.

I have always tried to be an optimist. My parents were typical of their generation. My father is eighty-five years old and my mother is just a few years behind him. They grew up with the cynicism of a generation of Americans, those whose parents weathered the Great Depression.

Back then, people might have been cynical, they may have been pessimistic, but they were also self-reliant and determined. If they fell, they got back up, dusted themselves off, and went onward. They were less likely to whine and whimper about their plight. Those who were successful just got tougher and even more determined.

People in the media and academia are now telling young, impressionable kids that there never was and never will be an "American Dream" --that it was all a myth. Kids, don't believe them. They are lying to you.

Countless waves of immigrants came to America to take part in the American Dream. It was real. In the United States of America, you could make a decent living, even if you had no formal education. And with education, and hard work, you could set your goals and achieve almost anything IF you were willing to work for it. You see, the key to the American Dream was not government hand-outs or a welcoming committee-- it was OPPORTUNITY.

The success of past generations of immigrants can be summed up in that same thing that helped people survive the Great Depression-- it was determination. People came to America for a chance to succeed, not for hand-outs. Some how, our government seems to have missed that important fact.

If you came to America from some other place and you want to be part of the American Dream, welcome. Plant your feet here and become an American citizen. Raised your family here and plan for your future and the future of your generations. This country was built on the hopes and dreams of people just like you.

Right now, it is bitter cold. Just like the winter weather. America is frigid at the moment. But spring will come and, with it, will be warmth and sunshine. 2017 has just begun. Before you know it, summer will be upon us. So, rejoice! Sing and make melody in your heart! Reach for the brass ring!

...and Smile, Smile, Smile.

The Ticket to Freelance Success

Many years ago, I spent lots of evenings writing advertising copy and putting together newsletters and catalogs for small to mid-sized businesses. I made, on average, about $500 a night. When I wasn't copywriting, I was taking pictures and writing articles like how to shoot airshows or how to photograph amusement parks.


Years later, my wife wanted to try her hand at freelancing. She was good with graphic design and she could write marketing copy. In fact, she had strong sales skills and copywriting is really salesmanship in print. But, with all her talent, she still needed a few tips to help her make the whole venture profitable.


If you want to be a successful freelancer, whether it is writing marketing materials, writing newsletters, creating resumes, web design, or graphic design, there are several principles you MUST fully understand before you will actually make a comfortable living.


First and foremost, your time is worth money. You have to learn, very quickly, how long it takes you to complete every project. You must have an hourly rate that is high enough to make the whole idea worth your time. Then, don't bid by an hourly rate, that is your performance target and useful, but never share that information with a client. Instead, bid on a job by a total amount of time padded by an extra amount to cover edits and possible delays so that you remain profitable.


For example, say your target is $40 per hour. You figure that a job will take five hours. So, your hourly target will fetch you $200 if you actually accomplish the task in five hours time. You bid for the job at $300 not your target rate/time estimate. That gives you a little room to keep you profitable in case your job takes a little longer than you expected, or there are more revisions than you thought it would take.


The next point to remember is that when you work from home, people tend to think that when you are home, you are available to run errands, talk on the phone, or have time for other distractions. You have to be firm and tell everyone that you are working. You are not available between the hours of whatever to whatever time you are actually engaged in business. You need to create a work-space and when you are in that space, you are not to be disturbed.


You must remove all distractions from the work-space you have created. Since you will likely be working on a computer, you have to remove all distractions from it, too. Don't open a web browser unless and until you need it. You are working, remember? Forums are a time-killer. Avoid them like the plague. Disable all instant messengers, all social media, and anything else that could pop-up while you are trying to get things done.


You Are A Business Owner


You work for yourself. You are a business owner. You rely on customer satisfaction to be successful, but, don't sell yourself short. You have to know what you are worth and don't allow yourself to be pressured into working for peanuts. You are a professional-- act like one. You must SELL VALUE. There will always be someone cheaper. And there will always be someone shopping for price.


Know What You Are Worth and Stick With It


You won't be a success if you don't stick to your target price and stand firm when it comes to handling the low-ball. Your competition is not the fiver college kid. Your competition is the serious freelancer who already knows the game.


By the way, you'll hear a lot of people say that a portfolio is not needed when everything is done online. Sorry Charlie, you are dead wrong.


Today, my wife is a successful copywriter with a loyal customer-base. She has won business with a leather portfolio with hard-copies of her work. She presents herself in a professional manner. She networks with the best of them and it has won her lots of business. And, yes, I am very proud of her.

You can do it, too.

In Pursuit of Passion

In life, passion is everything. If you are not in pursuit of passion you are not living life to the fullest.

In America, we are known by what we do for a living. Remember when Barack Obama was running for president and all of the hoopla erupted in the media about "Joe the Plumber"? Yeah, poor Joe, the lowly plumber. The media sought to crucify him because he was just a plumber and not a fan of His Royal Highness, Prince Obama. Had Joe been a nuclear physicist, perhaps the media would have been kinder and gentler toward him, but no, Joe, after all, was just a plumber.

For years I was a fly tying and fly fishing instructor. I was at the top of my game and I was rated a "world-class fly tyer" before the term became cliche. I reached that point by working really hard and dreaming of the day when I would become "...the best fly tyer living in the world today." That quote was my goal. I am not saying that I actually accomplished that goal, I am just saying that I made that a goal because I believed that in order to be one of the best I had to shoot for the top and be willing to work for it.

Now, Joe the plumber might really be at the top of his field. He might even have a passion for plumbing-- who knows? It might just be a way to make a comfortable living and nothing more. Who am I to judge him. The important thing in whatever you decide to do in life is happiness. Are you happy with your life? Do you hate your job?

I chose a path that I wanted to take at age ten. I wanted to be in the fly fishing industry. That gave me a few options. I figured out that the best way to get into the business was learning to tie flies and become really good at it, hence the aforementioned goal.

If you are my age, when you think of fly fishing you think of Curt Gowdy and the TV show, "The American Sportsman" with its celebrity guests fishing for trout or hunting game in Alaska or the Rocky Mountains. At one time fishing meant fly fishing or bait fishing. When balsa-wood lures were invented bass fishing took on an appearance much like that of today. But I was interested in fly fishing.

Flies, as far as fly fishing is concerned, are imitation insects made of bits of fluff and feathers twisted around a lightweight hook. The image to the right is a caddisfly adult. They are found on warm water streams and cold water streams all around the world. There are about 1200 species of caddis  in North America. Mayflies also inhabit warm waters and cold. There are about 800 species in North America.

Flies, as they have become known are not just insect imitations. There are baitfish imitations, too (like darters and other so-called "minnows"). There are crayfish imitations, and scuds, cressbugs and other aquatic species. We even make imitations of water snakes and lizards.

My primary interest was tying trout flies and flies for bass (smallmouth mostly, and occasionally for largemouth bass). As you might expect, I loved the creative process. Tying flies is considered an art. I love it and I eventually did become one of the best in the industry by rating. You might say that it's my claim to fame. I've even invented patterns that catch tons of fish and several of my creations have become famous. Most of the patterns I've created have been imitated by others.

So it is that my flies will be around long after I am gone. In a way, they are my legacy. Indeed, we are defined by what we do and, perhaps, what we become by it.

If I am remembered in the future it will most likely be for my fly tying, and possibly some of my visual art, or the books I have written. Whatever the case, I lived my life with passion. If I could choose how I am to be remembered it would be for that. Let it be said that I was a man of passion-- a man who worked hard, played hard, and pursued his dreams; because, when all is said and done, our dreams lead to all achievement.

It is passion that brings richness to life.

Happy New Year - Back On Track

This is the first post I've made since the end of July.

I normally don't go dark for so long a period, but I have been working on a lot of other projects that took a lot of time and energy. With the start of a new year (2017), it's time to get back in the swing of things and start writing.

I have been working feverishly on a new ZAZZLE store to promote my artwork. I have been an artist my whole life. It is one of my many passions. But, in this case, I have switched the paint brush and the charcoal pencil for a WACOM tablet and a stylus. The work I have been doing is computer generated using a photograph as a reference. For example, here is a portrait of my wife, Mary Rose.

This was painted using a computer program called ArtRage and it took quite a bit of effort to complete it. Virtually every hair on my wife's head was drawn. Skin tones were carefully blended with the tools available in ArtRage and the result is photographic quality. Really, it is amazing what can be done with a computer, a WACOM tablet, and the right software.

I have been making paintings of songbirds, birds of prey, wading birds, lighthouses, seascapes, and more.

Since I have been an artist my whole life, I have always drawn the things that interest me. That included classic horror characters, like Dracula, the Wolf Man, and Frankenstein. I made charcoal sketches of musical performers, presidents, and military aircraft. I sketched wildlife, and fantasy art. I've painted scenes of Americana in watercolor or drawn them with pen and ink.

One of my other artistic pursuits is photography. I have shot professionally for years. As a writer, I have found that providing my own photos makes it much easier to get published. It's a sort of one-stop-shopping experience for a publisher when a writer can produce a good article and excellent photographs or illustrations along with their copy.

The painting on the right was made using one of my original photographs as a reference. I have a great photographic image and a really wonderful painting with exquisite detail and texture. The former is stored on my computer and backup system while the latter is printed and in my portfolio.

The difference between an artist and an average person is the way they see. An artist sees the world as a smorgasbord of compositions. It can be a landscape, a seascape, or a lantern hanging on a wall. It can be large, small, or way beyond macro. An interesting image is really a two-dimensional design. In the case of a photograph, we are seeing the world through a lens. We capture light in a box and turn it into a picture, whether printed or uploaded to the world-wide web.

With a great painting, light helps create a mood. It makes something look realistic, or three-dimensional. It adds drama to a painting. It adds contrast and value. In the end, my goal has always been to mimic real-world things.

I took my portfolio to the Columbus College of Art and Design in the late 1970s and they told me that I was not an artist, I was an illustrator. My response: "Yeah, that's what they said about Norman Rockwell." If you don't know, Rockwell made more covers of the old Saturday Evening Post than anyone in the business. Rockwell's "America" captured the hearts and minds of people across this great country.

In the end, art is a way to share what we see and how we see it with others. It is a way to celebrate life. Art is passion. Art tells a story. Art is about the heart and soul of the observer, not just the artist. And that is what makes it so important that we teach young people to appreciate it and to eventually carry the torch when the current crop of artists is gone.

Here is a link to my ZAZZLE store...
http://www.zazzle.com/mickeymaguireart