A new Competition – Name that Top!
After several months of designs, fittings, changes, etc., our new top is here! We’re very excited by it and I think it might be my favorite top – you might not see me in anything else! As you can see it has a flattering halter style front w/ some light ruching around the middle – so feel free to have that extra muffin. So while we’re busy finishing up the test drive mode and getting it ready for production – we’ve got to figure out a name.
For quite awhile, Spinner and I have been debating the merits of having some sort of competition, sweepstakes, etc., but haven’t been able to agree – essentially she hates them, I think it’s worth a try. At our last status meeting, we were discussing our new shirt and what we should name it. In the past, we’ve generally named them after a women who has been a source of inspiration, either publicly or in our private lives. I suggested that perhaps we open the naming up to our fans and that they give a tweet length blurb on why this woman is inspirational and should have our new top named after her, we’d even offer this new top as a prize for the winner. Spinner – didn’t love this idea. (But I think she was distracted by her idea for us to bake muffin tops for all of our tennis matches – a blog for another day!)
So as we talked through this more, maybe it would be better if we each had an idea and then our fans could vote which one was better, Spinner thinking that we need to make it a no-brainer. Spinner’s 10-year-old daughter had been quietly listening this whole time and was probably getting bored with the minutia and decided it was time for an executive decision, “Let’s go with Jayne’s idea and have the contest and you can include both your ideas, plus a blank option if they have their own idea! Oh, and by the way – I’m voting for Jayne’s name!”
Love this girl! She listened to the pros/cons, then cut through the mire and came to a recommendation. Plus it didn’t hurt that she’s voting for me! I also like her Girl Scout cookie selling technique – Last week I walked into the door to pick up Spinner and barely through the door, she came sprinting towards me with her cookie order form. Spinner suggested that she take a softer approach, but she said, “Not when I’ve got a live one here!” So I placed my 100th order for Thin Mints, no one else better come knocking on my door!
Guess what? With very little to argue about, we’re taking her recommendation and putting together a poll to have you help decide what we should name our new shirt. We’ll post it soon on Facebook with the stories behind Spinner and my names and maybe you can win a new top in our drawing of all entries.
To boot – Spinner is thinking up ideas of what the loser needed to do, while feeling pretty confident that I would be the one performing these losing acts, as she thinks she has the winning name. But I plan on winning – I mean, who would vote against a plucky 10-year-old Girl Scout named Caitlin?
Have a Smashing Day!
2012 Copyright Smashing LLC 2012 Copyright smashingonline.wordpress.com
15 Things You Don’t Know About Us
In a recent interview, the interviewer didn’t want to know about the clothes, she wanted to know about us. Why? Because she found us “fascinating.” This alone sent us into fits of laughter that were then quickly followed by fits of nervousness that the editor found out about all the skeletons in our closets (btw, Boss has WAY more than me).
Yet as I was preparing to dial my lawyer on speed dial, I realized that she was right. People want to know about the people they are buying from. Smashing’s product story has been told by many in the media (NBC News, WBBM/CBS, Shape, More, Golf Digest,etc) but our personal story hasn’t.
Now the story of how Smashing started is on our website, but we also wanted to add a section that let you in on the little quirks of the Smashing Owners.
15 Things You Don’t Know About Us
1. The Boss is very superstitious and after winning a tennis point will only play with the “winning” ball.
2. Spinner has no sense of direction & often gets lost on the golf course.
3. The Boss is always a professional — except on the tennis court where she swears like a truck driver.
4. Spinner can not fall asleep at night until she wins at Solitaire on her phone.
5. The Boss & Spinner are doubles tennis partners and The Boss will never take a deuce point.
6. The Boss breaks her New Year’s Resolutions by Jan 2nd every year.
7. No matter where the water is on the golf course, Spinner’s ball will go in. Even when the lake is BEHIND her ball (sigh).
8. The Boss once flirted with JFK Jr (it didn’t work out).
9. Spinner swam in a pool with Keanu Reeves at the Chateau Marmont.
10. The Boss has dual citizenship US/UK because she wants the short passport line.
11. Spinner only uses 3 clubs for golf — driver, 7 iron and putter.
12. The Boss believes anything with fruit is healthy — she loves Peach Cobbler & Apple Pie.
13. Spinner has been to more Countries than States in the US.
14. The Boss is addicted to Words with Friends.
15. Spinner hates the cold, snow and ice. She even hates ice in her drinks.
Spinner is Managing Partner of Smashing Golf & Tennis. She is a fitness enthusiast and loves to watch “The Biggest Loser” while eating a big bowl of ice cream. Right now she is freezing cold in Chicago
New Years Resolutions – Fail
Hello everyone and a very belated Happy New Year – I hope it’s been Smashing so far. I apologize for my blogging absence since the new year – I prided myself with a blog every week during 2011, even when I was on vacation. So let me explain my recent drought. Like everyone, we’ve been busy making our personal and company goals and resolutions. While I’m not so sure that some of my personal resolutions will last, Spinner and I agreed on our “Top 10 List” for 2012.
Then she agreed on #11 – “Let’s make our blog more relevant and professional, OK?” So for the last 2 weeks, I’ve been trying to think of relevant and professional things to say. Like all of my personal resolutions, I’m going to have to admit defeat – I’ve got nothing! I’ve got loads of inappropriate and funny antics (at least in my mind), but nothing professional.
Warning – If you’re eating breakfast right now – you might want to finish before proceeding!
My initial 2012 blog that I had in mind before Spinner came up w/ #11 was going to be titled – “2011 Year in Review – My Many Conversations about Crotches!“. Seriously, I’m not sure Spinner realises the countless times this has come up during my discussions with our pattern-maker, sample-maker, fabric mills and factory – who knew? While she is having a myriad of professional Sales & Marketing conversations – many of my production conversations seem to ultimately lead there.
Although, I have yet to have a crotch conversation with our bookkeepers or accountant – No fear, as I am in the process of getting our 2012 files together for our tax returns and I have no doubt that it will come up. Perhaps something like, “Sorry, you cannot afford the new crotch fabric you’re planning for 2012″!
Sadly, this blog does not have room for all of these conversations and I realize I have mentioned one of my earliest crotch conversations in my blog The Land of Misfit Skorts in August 2010. This was the time we were testing different factories and asked them all to make a skort sample for us, so that we can compare quality. One factory was supposed to make a pink skort with white shorts underneath. When I went to collect the sample, I was shocked that they decided to make an executive decision and use the pink fabric for the crotch panel, which could be seen if you were to sit in an unladylike manner after a match. The most perplexing thing was that the female factory owner and female floor supervisor did not seem to comprehend why this was not a desirable feature. Needless to say, they did not win our business. (Although this piece is still sitting in our workroom and will one day be displayed in the Smashing Hall of Fame.)
Earlier this year, I was having a conversation with one of our sample-makers and while we usually don’t have a language barrier – she started talking about “crushes”. Assuming that I would be able to put it in context if she kept talking, I let her talk for another 5 minutes explaining to me this problem she was having. Still not getting this new sewing term, I asked what a “crush” was….Not “crush”, but “crutch”. Oh, that clears it up – so she kept telling me about our crutch problems. She must have noticed the bewildered look on my face, so I confessed again I had no idea what she was talking about. So she pointed. Aha, “crotch” I exclaimed! So we had an English pronunciation lesson on the word crotch – she never quite got it, but I now know what she means when she talks about our crutch design!
Not long afterwards, I needed to conduct a survey of whether tennis players wear underwear under their tennis skorts. I did promise anonymity to those that participated, but several hilarious moments. BTW My not statistically relevant survey puts it about 50:50.
One of my last meeting of the year was with our pattern-maker. We’re in the process of creating a new dress design and during the technical conversations on construction, we spent a good hour talking about improvements to the shorts and of course 59 minutes of that conversation focused on crotch design. Thinking that she must know the secret, I mention to her that something has always baffled me about some women’s shapewear and confessed that I didn’t know how it worked. (BTW I have asked several others this question – see not professional conversations.)
To explain delicately, some shapewear has what can only be described at a “female fly” underneath, so that she doesn’t need to remove the garment under her formal wear in the lady’s room. She laughed, she didn’t get it either and shared an unfortunate story about someone who needed to use the facilities at her offices and unsuccessfully attempted to test the “female fly”. Let’s just say the experiment failed.
Don’t worry – Smashing is not designing the “female fly” into our garments, although I’m now going to claim the copyright on the name. But if anyone has any insight on how they’re supposed to work, enquiring minds want to know!
Have a Smashing Weekend
PS How many resolutions you broken already? I confess that I’m not doing so well with my personal ones, but Smashing is going strong on our “Top 10 List” and were on the Phoenix NBC affiliate Ch12.
Additionally, I’m going to apologize that I’ve included them in the same blog – But we are very excited about Smashing’s new partnerships. Our first announcement of the new year is that we’ve partnered with the PGA Tour Wives Association. The PTWA mission is to support children and their families via fundraising and service project on both a local and national level.
Use code PGA20 for 20% off and 10% back to the PGA Tour Wives Association charities.
2012 Copyright Smashing LLC 2012 Copyright smashingonline.wordpress.com
4 Things to Consider Before Starting Your Own Business
It is the New Year and many of us (ok, a few of us) are still going strong with those New Year’s Resolutions. If you are like me many moons ago, my resolution was to go out and create something on my own — no more working for the big man — little cottage industry is where I want to be. You all know the big risks — lack of money, lack of time, lack of resources — but I wish someone had fully prepped me for the little things that I miss dearly.
Here are the top 4 things you should consider. Why 4? Because you are an entrepreneur now — you need to think differently. The number 5 is sooooo 2011.
1. Expense Account Is Lacking
Actually it is non-existent. It is hard to go from a Gold Member on American to a piece of cattle on Spirit. Even harder to get a good nights sleep at the Red Roof Inn when there is a questionable stain on the bed spread.
2. Fashionistas Beware
Working in Advertising, our clients loved when we came to town. We were the fashionistas and we loved to dress the part. Those of you that have followed us from the beginning may remember one of our first blogs where I describe walking into a factory meeting in a “questionable” neighborhood dressed like I was getting photographed for the cover of Vogue. Witnessing a drug deal and drive by shooting, I never knew how fast I could run in heels. That was when I realized that I was trading in my heels for sneakers; runway dresses for yoga pants; briefcase for body-guard. Sigh
3. Build it and They Will Drive Right By
You have all seen the South Park episode which spelled out the following business plan:
Phase 1 — Have a Great Idea
Phase 2– ???
Phase 3 — Profit!!
When we launched our website for Smashing, I cleared my calendar. I made sure I was available all day to fill, pack and ship orders. Because we “built it — they’ll come.” Needless to say, that first day I spent looking online for yoga pants. Customers aren’t free — you need to find them, entice them and keep them. We find the best way to keep each customer is to find a good piece of blackmail on them — it will really launch us to Phase 3.
4. Invest in Good Eye Concealer
I’m pretty sure United is going to start charging me $30 for the bags under my eyes. I knew I’d save some money on dry cleaning my expensive suits, just didn’t know those savings would need to be reinvested into my makeup.
If you can handle finding a good eye concealer, yoga pants (ughh) and the Red Roof Inn — well, then you can handle just about anything. Good luck to all you future entrepreneurs.
Spinner is a Managing Partner at Smashing Golf & Tennis and mother of 3. She is a mediocre tennis player, a really God awful golfer, but can tell a killer knock knock joke at the dinner table.
2011 in review
The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2011 annual report for this blog.
Here’s an excerpt:
The concert hall at the Syndey Opera House holds 2,700 people. This blog was viewed about 17,000 times in 2011. If it were a concert at Sydney Opera House, it would take about 6 sold-out performances for that many people to see it.
Smashing’s Ab Workout — the Year in Review
I can hardly believe it has almost been a year since we launched Smashing. As I was reviewing our blogs for our “year in review” today, I couldn’t believe how many crazy things have happened! I mean seriously folks, we can’t make this stuff up.
So sit back and prepare for some ab exercises, as you relive the highlights of 2011 with us in Smashing’s Year in Review.
We learned that the devil is in the details when it comes to our many systems– including inventory What Charlie Sheen, Bernie Madoff and Smashing Have in Common ,
shipping in Going Postal with a Blender , E=MC2 and The Tale of the UPS Man, My Bathrobe and the Heart Attack
and our factory/product Our Factory is SOOOO sleeping on the Couch Tonight
We learned while we love a trunk show, they are all not created equal in Hypothermia & She Bop on Repeat and the Panera Trunk Show
We learned that different departments have different criteria for financial success Marketing Math vs CPAs which is why I’m not allowed at the bank anymore APB out for Spinner
We got tons of GREAT media in our launch year (including Golf Digest, Shape, More, WBBM/CBS, Make It Better and countless others), although not all was easy Marilu Henner wants Smashing and The Chicken, The Electric Toothbrush and Smashing . And we learned that to get noticed at the PGA Show you need more than great clothes in Smashing’s Marketing Tool Box – A Flask, A Stack of Dollar Bills & The Fuzz
We learned my mom is not allowed on Google in Whatever you do, DO NOT CLICK ON THE ADS
We also learned that we seem to have a lot of dirty laundry in She Pooped in Her Pants and Smashing’s Dirty Laundry
But most of all, we learned that through on the bumps along the way, we still keep our sense of humor. Big Foot Sighting, Pimped out Golf Cart and Renal Failure at the Photo Shoot.
2012 is shaping out to be a banner year. Stay tuned for our big announcement in January, for our new Spring styles and of course, our blog.
Happy New Year!
WOO HOO what a ride!
A confession – I did not write this and do not know what genius did, but in this crazy holiday season have been having a hard time finding time to write my usual hilarious blog, and then like a miracle a friend posted this on Facebook and voila – a blog! So Enjoy:
Some advice for the holidays:
1. Avoid carrot sticks. Anyone who puts carrots on a holiday buffet table knows nothing of the Holiday spirit. In fact, if you see carrots, leave immediately.. Go next door, where they’re serving rum balls.
2. Drink as much eggnog as you can. And quickly. It’s rare. You cannot find it any other time of year but now. So drink up! Who cares that it has 10,000 calories in every sip? It’s not as if you’re going to turn into an eggnog-alcoholic or something. It’s a treat.. Enjoy it. Have one for me. Have two. It’s later than you think. It’s Christmas!
3. If something comes with gravy, use it. That’s the whole point of gravy. Gravy does not stand alone. Pour it on. Make a volcano out of your mashed potatoes. Fill it with gravy. Eat the volcano. Repeat.
4. As for mashed potatoes, always ask if they’re made with skim milk or whole milk. If it’s skim, pass. Why bother? It’s like buying a sports car with an automatic transmission.
5. Do not have a snack before going to a party in an effort to control your eating. The whole point of going to a Holiday party is to eat other people’s food for free. Lots of it. Hello?
6. Under no circumstances should you exercise between now and New Year’s. You can do that in January when you have nothing else to do. This is the time for long naps, which you’ll need after circling the buffet table while carrying a 10-pound plate of food and that vat of eggnog.
7. If you come across something really good at a buffet table, like frosted Christmas cookies in the shape and size of Santa, position yourself near them and don’t budge. Have as many as you can before becoming the center of attention. They’re like a beautiful pair of shoes. If you leave them behind, you’re never going to see them again.
8. Same for pies. Apple, Pumpkin, Mincemeat. Have a slice of each. Or if you don’t like mincemeat, have two apples and one pumpkin. Always have three. When else do you get to have more than one dessert? Labor Day ?
9. Did someone mention fruitcake? Granted, it’s loaded with the mandatory celebratory calories, but avoid it at all cost. I mean, have some standards.
10. One final tip: If you don’t feel terrible when you leave the party or get up from the table, you haven’t been paying attention. Re-read tips; start over, but hurry, January is just around the corner. Remember this motto to live by:
“Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, chocolate and wine in one hand, body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming “WOO HOO what a ride!”
Happy Holidays from Smashing Golf & Tennis!
Don’t Forget – 10% of our sales in December go to Juvenille Diabetes Research. Use codeJDR15 to get an extra 15% off as our holiday gift to you. We’ve also added Free Priority Shipping until 12/31.
2011 Copyright Smashing LLC 2011 Copyright smashingonline.wordpress.com
This photo has been making the rounds on Facebook – Look closely, it’s not what you think. While it’s pretty funny, I bet the lady wished she wore sleeves to the office party.
A group of friends and I took a picture at a holiday luncheon last week and only afterwards did they all explain to me their secrets to looking good in photos. I.e. 3/4 angle pose with one foot slightly forward and hand on hip. So after seeing the photo – they all did look great in their perfect poses and I needed to insist that the photographer NEVER post it on Facebook.
I have a new rule - If you Want to Take a Photo of me, you better have a Stepladder in your Pocket! It’s been scientifically proven that if you take a picture from above that you look thinner, younger and less risk of the double-chin. (OK It was on Wikipedia, but my kids do all of their science research there! But also my friend LB also taught me this secret a few years ago – which somehow I’ve forgotten until now.)
My only problem is convincing others to take a picture from above, even slightly above will make a big difference. Someone was taking a photo of Spinner and I last week at a function and knowing that this person has an uncanny ability to take unflattering pictures, I asked this person to make sure she take it from a higher angle. I just asked her to extend her arms a bit, not actually get on a step-ladder – but she pretended not to hear me. Even though Spinner and I were frantically repeating ourselves 10 times, more loudly each time – our demands fell on deaf ears. I then raised my hands to visually demonstrate how to unbend their arms. Flash, Snap! So we now have a picture of me with my arms in the air – thankfully wearing sleeves!
A few days ago I went out to lunch with some sorority sisters to celebrate a friend’s 50th birthday – I did start college when I was 9, so I’m MUCH younger than the rest of them! We had a great time catching up, but I’m very jealous and not sure how everyone else is still a size 4. (Alright, maybe I was never a size 4, but there was a day I was in the single digits!) So time for some group photos and I explain my demands for a tall photographer.
Fortunately, I spied a 7′ bus boy and convinced him to take the photos, but sadly he couldn’t figure out how to work the camera. C’mon, hardly a new fangled piece of equipment, just push the button man! (Dear Maggiano’s, can you please require your taller bus boys to learn photography – I think it would be a good selling feature.) Then the other end of the table found a waiter with more intelligence to work the camera, but he was about 5’6″ – this won’t be good I thought. So I explained the trick to take the shot from above, again demonstrating the unbending the arm secret to get more height on the angle. You guessed it, another shot with my hands in the air and my mouth open and everyone else perfectly posed! (Funnily, it turns out he wasn’t a waiter, but another guest from the next table – I was wondering why he wasn’t too pleased with my posing instructions, even when I told him I’m a big tipper.)
So a friend took a picture of me and a couple of friends at our end of the table – she still looking beautiful in her sized 4 skinny jeans – I reiterated my demands that she at least stand up. Baffled by this request, I then proceed to explain that it alleviates the photo double-chin while also feeling the need to exaggerating and demonstrating the double-chin. Flash! Snap! A photo of me with my hand pointing to my chin. (Mental note – stop talking with my hands!)
While researching this blog, I also learned several other pose secrets. (Did I miss this lesson in college?) Another biggie that I always seem to do is to keep my arms against my body, creating an appearance of an even wider body, rather than creating a gap between body and arms. I noticed this problem in another photograph at a function this weekend with a friend that is one of Smashing’s models – she already having the benefit of being a size small knew to create this space. I on the other hand did not know this secret.
So here are the tips that I discovered online:1
- Determine your best angle. Finding the right angle for your face can be challenging. Experiment using a digital camera so you see the results of each pose immediately. It will very quickly become obvious which angles are most flattering for you. Once you’re aware of this, use the best angles as much as possible in the future.
- The classic model’s pose is to arrange your body three quarters toward the camera with one foot in front of the other and one shoulder closer to the camera than the other. Women tend to do this naturally, but it’s harder for men, who tend to present a square angle front-on to the camera. If you turn your head slightly to the side and look straight ahead, you will appear to be looking straight at the viewer of the photo no matter the viewing angle (like George Washington on the US one dollar bill). Making it appear too like a model isn’t the best pose for everybody, however, and it can look a little overdone when used in a family photo right next to your Uncle Wilbur.
- If sitting, slightly angle yourself.
- Try looking slightly above the camera when the picture is taken. If the photographer is at a lower level look more or less directly forward, not at the camera, so your eyes aren’t mostly closed. Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis always used this technique for photographs and portraits. Additionally, it helps reduce the “red eye” effect.
- Lean slightly toward the camera; it adds interest, improves facial definition and helps to minimize the appearance of wrinkles and flabby skin. Just keep your chin tucked down.
- Tilt your head up slightly and try to position yourself so that the camera is above your eye level. This will hide a double chin effectively. You can also put one hand under your chin as though you’re resting your head on your hand (keep the thumb side of your hand out of the camera’s view, if possible). Don’t actually rest any weight on the hand, however, or you will push the skin into an unflattering position. Also, try resting your tongue against the roof of your mouth.
Wondering, if these trick make you look better in photos, will they work in real life? So rather than my usual diet and exercise resolution in January (this has been an unusually fattening few months), I think I’ll just walk around at a 3/4 angle, arm slighty akimbo and ensure that I only hang around with tall people.
Have a Smashing day.
Don’t Forget – 10% of our sales in December go to Juvenille Diabetes Research. Use codeJDR15 to get an extra 15% off as our holiday gift to you. We’ve also added Free Priority Shipping until 12/31 - so order those last minute gifts for the Smashing girls on your list.
2011 Copyright Smashing LLC 2011 Copyright smashingonline.wordpress.com
If you touch my butt….
You are going to buy a Smashing outfit. It has been scientifically proven.
We were invited to a holiday shopping night at a nearby country club. While we weren’t sure how we would fare, since these shows mostly sport jewelry, scarves and hostess gifts, it was for a friend and decided to give it a shot.
Boss, Cozmo (our intern) and myself show up and within the first hour spent more at the various vendors than we were making. While sipping champagne and shopping are two of my favorite pastimes, I decided we really needed to kick in the sales charm.
As I’m explaining to Cozmo our sales technique, some woman goosed me.
“I’ve GOT to talk to you about this outfit,” she says “It is just adorable.”
She tells me she’ll be right back. As I start speed dialing my therapist, Boss stares longingly at the miniature soups, but reluctantly eats her granola bar. Our intern Cozmo, has another engagement and so heads out the door before she gets goosed.
Then Christmas arrived.
A group of women swarmed the booth and bought up tons of merchandise.
After they left it was quiet again for a short time. Being in sales, I thrive on the adrenaline rush of a new sale, so I don’t like to stand idle (or I’m most likely to start spending $$ again at other booths).
I tell Boss to eat another granola bar. She looks at me astonished, as it is the holiday season where every calorie counts, and she is not so sure she wants to waste anymore on Quaker Oats.
I tell her to trust me — I see a pattern.
Now a novice sales person may not have noticed the pattern that set the sales in motion. However after suffering for many years of superstition OCD, I saw it.
I start walking the room. I spotted a group of women chatting and very nonchalantly back into them. They touched my butt.
“Oh so sorry,” I say
“Wait. Are you the Smashing girl?” they ask
“Yes I am,” I say and led the next group of women to our booth.
We repeated this pattern for a good part of the night. Between fits of laughter (by us), Boss nearly choking on the 10th granola bar of the night, and us explaining to security our proven sales technique, we had really cleaned up in sales.
So at the next event if you see me backing into you, you know what you have to do.
If you would rather just purchase an item and not have me back into you, you can order online at http://www.smashingonline.com Use code JDR15 to get 15% off and 10% will be donated to Juvenile Diabetes Research. We also offer free priority shipping this holiday season.
We’re losing our Marbles
Photo courtesy of Maggie Smith
There’s snow on the ground this morning in Chicago, so while the golf season is far away for us here, we’re busy with the indoor tennis season. Bright and early Monday mornings Spinner and I have a tennis drill with 2 other friends and a pro – we’ll will have to think of nicknames for them. We love this drill, but Monday mornings are hard and does not do much for our game – Although for some reason, the others are chipper and ready to run – so maybe it’s just me.
But sensing that we need some encouragement, “PC” the pro always has some good advice. The best being “trash-talking is 90% of the game!”. Now being the recipient of several comments on our inappropriateness of our trash talking on the court – this is just the encouragement we need! (I think I’ve mentioned previously that I’ve received special dispensation from the head pro, explaining that my trash talking is involuntary and that I have no control over anything that comes out of my mouth, once I hit the court. As long as I apologize afterwards, then he says I’m good to go.)
If trash talking was indeed 90% of the game, Spinner and I would be on the A team with a mantle full of trophies and not fighting it out for first to last place in our doubles league. (Just wait P & F until this afternoon – I think last place could be yours this afternoon!)
However, we’ve sadly discovered that we might need more than just trash talking – but since skill takes a lot of time for practice, which we don’t have starting a business, we needed something else. I think we’ve found it….At the end of the Monday drill, the 4 of us play for a bit afterwards. While competitive, Spinner and I are usually on the losing side of the set. However it seems that we always have a few minutes court time left to squeeze in one last game after the set.
This is where we come alive, announcing that this one game is “for all of the marbles”. For some reason this works, while we’ve won less than 20% of the sets (and I’m probably exaggerating that figure) – I think we are undefeated in the marbles extra time game. Why? I don’t think M & S are playing easy on us – we’re just differently incentivized.
Now we need to figure out how we can put this into better practice. Perhaps we start paying each other with marbles, as we don’t yet have anything spare to use actual money. So if anyone knows where I can get wholesale marbles, let me know. I need to pay Spinner for being “Salesman of the Year”.
Have a Smashing day!
Don’t Forget – 10% of our sales in December go to Juvenille Diabetes Research. Use code JDR15 to get an extra 15% off as our holiday gift to you. We’ve also added Free Priority Shipping until 12/31 - so order those last minute gifts for the Smashing girls on your list.
2011 Copyright Smashing LLC 2011 Copyright smashingonline.wordpress.com
Photo credit : Maggie Smith
