Wednesday, January 28, 2009

Sunday, January 25, 2009

conerning women and economy

In Dr Suess’s “The Lorax” the oncler uses the following phrase “business is business and business must grow, regardless of crummies in tummies, you know.”

I have often contemplated that phrase and it’s implications on the environment and economy. But now I have begun contemplating it’s implications on families.

I have determined that businesses do not have to grow. That if they can make a consistent profit, it should be good enough, and that to grow a business should be a conscience choice. However, businesses that use debt financing are forced to continue growing to pay of the ever increasing interest and investment. And that is often why business have to keep “biggering and biggering.”

(ok, off track, back to families) To have a higher standard of life.. (to enjoy life more, have more health, time, and experiences) are not tied to the economic impact we make. The problem with economics is that is measures money changing hands. It does not measure success, happiness or family unity. Therefore holding the Gross National Product (national economic numbers) as the indication of how well a country is doing is very misleading. It seems to suggest that anyone not earning or spending is not valuable, therefore the traditional roles of women and families get pushed away in favor of increasing the GNP.

Traditionally all the work women do (the cooking, cleaning, sewing, child rearing) were not counted in the economic figures. When women decided to get jobs and add to the GNP, not only did their wage add to it, but the money they paid out to daycare, to fast food, to housecleaning services all added to the GNP too. But just because they increased their impact in economic terms does not mean that they increased their standard of living, or their happiness.

Housecleaners, daycares, nannies, quick and easy foods, only in semblance replace the value of the women’s work in their homes, but the true value and power of having all of that unified into a nurturing and loving whole is missing. Homes loose their drawing power and families forget why they are.

As the nourishing food and family time get pushed aside, the crummies in tummies (and hearts)happen to our children and to ourselves. As a women and mother I have made the decision that my economic impact pales in value next to the hopeful, joyous eyes that look to my guidance everyday at home. No successes outside of the home will ever replace failure (for lack of being there) in it.

Friday, January 23, 2009

more breast feeding needed

Why it should be mandatory for women to breastfeed in public.

Good for Mommy, good for the baby,
good for the on lookers :)

read here

Wednesday, January 14, 2009

Top 10 things to do when it's 30 below.

10. Snuggle with hot cocoa under a blanket.

9. Go out for a DQ.

8. Plan a Luau. (indoor pool party with all the Hawaiian decorations).

7. Snicker at people who forgot to wear their coat or hat or mittens, and are subsequently freezing as the run from the car into the store.

6. Share your bed and body heat.

5. Plug in you car.

4. Wish you had an extension cord that would reach your car.

3. Let your cat in at night.

2. Shop for swim suits, shorts and sundresses.

1. Seriously think about moving to Florida.

Saturday, January 03, 2009

build a better cart

I just saw an advertisement for a building a better cart game. I was hoping it was actually advertising a better on-line shopping cart system, but it was just a game.

So instead of sharing my desires for a better cart with the game people- I will share it with you.

For a better shopping cart- it needs integrated inventory control and tracking. And of course management's ability to go and change any details in it by hand. It needs to be able to print a nice packing slip- right from the cart system. IT should track sales of items per month and groups of items per month. It needs to be web based- and not housed on individual computers that may crash at any time. IT should ask customers if they would like to join our e-mailing list and then create an easy to use emailing system for alerting customers to current sales and promotions.

It should be integrated easy into website- probably and HTML code cut and paste ability. And when new inventory comes in it should alert customers who have looked at similar things in the paste.

I had doubling the work load- so the inventory imputing should be able to feed directly into my quick books files for up to date accounting with a quick download.
It should also download all sales and returns at the same time.

It would also suggest items at check out- like chocolates or candy at the cash registrar. And the customer can come back any time to the cart, just as they left it. The cart will notify the customer if prices or availability changed.

ok- I will revisit this idea some more, but had to write these thoughts down before they are forgotten.

Friday, January 02, 2009

The first day of what's left of my life

As far as I am concerned today is the first day of the New Year. Yesterday was a day out of space and time.

this year I am planning to slow down and avoid the holiday sales. no more 18 hours per day 6 days a week for 9 weeks before the new year. 60k of inventory left my small building in that time this year. (or that is what it will be when I finish my last retail order).

My store is closed and I have to remind myself that I no longer have to check my email every few minutes and that I no longer have to answer the home phone "Round Belly Clothing."

Today I am planning to print out some packing slips, after folding enough laundry to find all the washed diapers that the kids lost when they piled that load with the rest of the laundry. :)