GETTING IT OUT

Forgot I had a blog

2006-09-29T13:59:00.000Z

Yeah it's been a long time. To be honest I forgot I had this blog!

Well whats been going on since January....

Weekend trip to Sardinia - ace!

Weeks holiday in Rome - awesome!

Weekend Trip to Epernay in France for my birthday - truly brilliant

Weeks holiday in Annecy, France - very relaxing, beautiful place

I am now working full time from home which is wicked but I do think my mental health is starting to suffer a little from being with my own company all time.

The plan basically is to exorcise some of these little demons on this blog and post a few nice photos on the way.

I am now getting ready to drive up to Scotland for my girlfriends sisters housewarming party - a long trip but it should be a good weekend.

ttfn

ON THE WAY HOME!!! (thank god)

2006-01-31T22:34:00.000Z

Well I'm sat in the airport on wireless waiting for my flight home.

I must say this has been the most stressful trips I have ever been on. It has had some real highs and some real lows. I can't really figure out why though... The show was a success and should provide me with lots more work in the future and I had a great time away in West Pam Beach. I think the past month has just ground me down a bit and this trip away has been the icing on the cake.

I'm looking forward to getting home and seeing the people I have missed so much. Looking forward to some normality for a little while, looking forward playing my guitar and really looking forward to my own bed!!!

In fact, I think things are generally looking forward on a lot of fronts so I should shut my moaning and get on with showing you some pics from the trip.

See you back in blighty.

Sam

The west entrance of the Orange County Convention Center

Our stand (sorry, booth) complete with fancy golf bags

Palm Beach. Not sunny but wonderfully warm.

Stuart & Elani on Palm Beach

The West Palm Beach fuzz doing it in style. Chips anyone?

Kids playing in the fountains in downtown West Palm Beach

Stuart & our wonderful hosts; Bruce, Gelila and Elani outside their house in West Palm Beach.

HOPEFUL RUSH

2006-01-28T20:28:00.000Z

Bleauggghhh..... Feeling pretty crappy today. Went for a few beers last night in a couple of local bars, but had to get up waaaaay too early.

Very quick post as i'm off to West Palm Beach for a couple of days (if my clients don't need me *crosses fingers*)

Post piccies and report when I get back!

Sam

BALLS.... LITTLE WHITE ONES

2006-01-27T15:18:00.000Z

Aaaaaarrrrrrggggghhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!

*coughs*

Just a quick post live from the PGA Merchandise show in Orlando.

It's a very odd experience being here. I mean when you choose to attend a trade show or exhibition you attend because you want to, because there is something to see that interests you.

Let me get this straight. I don't play golf. I never have. I have no desire to. I do work for golfing companies because they are passionate about their products and they love their game. I am passionate about the work that I do. I can usually find something that grabs my attention at these things but this show is sooooooooo un-inspiring!

Lots of golf buggies, ball pickers, clubs, bags and incredible amount of software based training systems to help you improve your swing. *looks bemused*

My job is basically now done. The stand is built, the graphics are up. Everthing that needs printing has been printed. I just need to now hang about incase anything goes wrong...

Now where's the crazy golf stand......

Sam

PS: will post more when I get back to the villa - got piccies too!

MAKING A STAND...

2006-01-25T05:43:00.000Z

... or as they say over here - 'booth'.

Today was stand build day. The crate arrived safe and sound today and was delivered to our stand by a very skilled mexican fork lift truck driver who was an Arsenal supporter...

We the set to and built the thing in record time:

This is a short post as I am knackered. It's been a long day and I have an early start in the morning. After a couple of beers in the local (which is still 8 miles drive away) bar 'Misty Blues' and an entertaining trip round the supermarket I am ready for bed. Feeling a little like the sticker below:

G'night peeps

Sam

VICIOUS CIRCLES

2006-01-24T03:05:00.000Z

It's been and uneventful day really. I have been sat at my laptop since 7.00 am local time just getting my head down and ploughing through the multitude of tasks I have needed to get done.

It is now 10.30 and I am still here... Although I have just managed to clear a bottle of red wine, 15 fags and a large portion of Dominoes (map here - i'm staying to the left of the map about a 3rd up the page) pizza and cheesy bread stuff (they deliver! yay!).

The family have ditched me and gone off for an important business dinner/piss up :o) I opted to stay in as I think a combo of still wanting to be in the UK time zone and staring at a laptop screen for 12 hours straight has made me feel a little anti social.

Been a nice evening though. The house is quiet and empty, the pizza and wine were good and I watched Oceans 12 on the huge 61" TV they have here. American NTSC film quality still sucks though, no matter how big your TV.

I now have the task of making up all the swing tickets for the show golf bags. As production was done in a rush, I need to hand make them from stickers my brother printed for me and some pre cut card circles. The card circles are about 2mm too big though, so i'm having to edge everything with a black marker... it's taking roughly 2hrs per swing ticket at the mo.... and I only have 9 more to do. Time to get the coffee machine in action I think!

Also met the pool guy today. I was expecting a Mexican, but he was cockney! "Come ta put sum chems in ya fisherman's daughter mate..."

The hitchcock birds weren't about today. If they come back, i'll snap em tomorrow!

Sam

EVENING OVERVIEW

2006-01-23T04:28:00.000Z

It's 11.35pm and the end of another day here in Kissimmee. Just before I hit the sack I thought I'd get down some of today's key events to let you all know its not all pools and big houses :o)

The day started with a jolt when I got a rather rude awakening by a large bellied man dressed only in his pants at 6.30am. He had come in to wake up who he thought was his son as the client family were going off to play golf together for the day (he got the wrong room). I was having such a nice dream at the time too! It was all shattered by his hairy, round silhouette standing in the doorway telling me this was my early morning wake up call... i think having an ice cold bucket of water chucked over me would have been a more pleasant way to wake up!

Well as you can imagine after that I couldn't sleep, so lay awake until they had all left the house and then ventured downstairs for a cuppa.

As this is my first real day off this year, I got down to some hardcore chillin'. Stuck some tunes on and sat by the pool pretty much all morning and read my book - 'How to be a Graphic Designer Without Losing Your Soul'. A bloody fantastic read if you like that sort of thing.

It's all went a bit Hitchcock round here at a bout 12.30 when I decided to go for a run. I had noticed earlier in the day these whopping great birds soaring through the sky. They almost looked like eagles, and it wasn't until I was out running that I realised they were. There wasn't just a few either... there must have been about 30 -40 of the things literally covering this house a few doors down from us, they were perched on the roof, on the walls and on the grass out the front. I mean, I know it's dead round here but these guys looked as if they wanted to make it deader..... Needless to say my running pace quickened a bit as I passed them! Will try and get piccies tomorrow.

The rest of the day has been fairly calm. The family came back and tried to get me talking work stuff, but I deflected the questions rather well and managed to delay doing any work for the rest of day.

Dinner was another gargantuan Florida portion affair at Tony Roma's rib restaurant where I must have been terrible company. I had offered to drive our rental minivan as the family father's attempts at driving have been scaring the shit out of everyone. As a result I didn't drink and seemed to spend the entire meal staring into space day dreaming of the ones I love who I wished were here with me. Good ribs though!

Stopped at the 7-11 on the way back and picked up 5 packs of fags for a very civilised $13! Nicely designed packs too, none of this 'Health Warnings by Marlboro' crap.

Well, should hit the sack. Hard to believe it's nearly 5 in the morning at home. It's a full on work day tomorrow, so should get some sleep.

Sam

THE MILLION DOLLAR QUESTION AND OTHER STORIES

2006-01-22T20:57:00.000Z

Hey all, well what an eventful start it to 2006 it has been. I am writing this sitting by the pool in a 7 bedroom house in Kissimmee, Florida..... (please everybody stop swearing at me)

There has to be a pay off though, and this I will explain. But first a couple of photos to make you all a little jealous:

It's a shame isn't it. All this warm weather, this huge 7 bed house, this nice pool and jacuzzi and having to spend my time here with a group of people I have nothing in common with.... arse.

Let me explain how I came to be here. 7 months ago I was approached to design a new golf bag with some very innovative features. This project evolved and a fantastic product came of it. This week is the project launch and it is time to see the last two months blood, sweat and tears of preparation for the launch come to reality.

We are exhibiting at the immense PGA Merchandise Show (www.pgamerchandiseshow.com) in Orlando and it promises to be a very fruitful week.

Now here's the problem.... I am out here living in a villa with, company MD, her husband, their 2 sons, and their financial director. It's like being on a bad family holiday.... and they're not even my family!

Well it should be an interesting week. I have to try and remain detached from them for my business's sake (and also my own sanity) whilst still being pleasant polite and gracious....

Wish me luck...

And what is the million dollar question I hear you ask? Well only one other person knows..... and the answer is still NO... :o)

I'll keep this blog posted with how it goes.

Sam