Flagpole Fracas

April already. End of the first quarter. I've been as far away as Rhode Island, as close as Wisconsin, and everywhere in between. Lots of driving, lots of beautiful country, one interesting situation. Interesting because I sell flagpoles.

Seems that a decorated World War II hero in Richmond, VA, had recently erected a flagpole in front of his home to fly his flag and his homeowners association demanded that he take it down. (http://tinyurl.com/y9ylw6y) He refused, they threatened to sue, and World War III was on. It's good that he didn't display two flags, they probably would have sued him for having a double standard. In any case, the association backed down. But threatened him because he erected a flagpole to display an American flag? What is that all about!?!

Why does this kind of stuff happen? Have we ceded too many of our rights and responsibilities to government bodies? Where has tolerance for others gone? Why is it anyone else's business what we do or don't do, how we think or don't think, how we act or don't act?

To my way of thinking, anytime we allow any governmental body to limit someone else's right to do, think, or act as they choose, we open up the door to having them limit our right to do, think, or act as we choose. It's none of their business. Or it shouldn't be. It's time to say "No!" to this kind of stuff and take back responsibility for our own thoughts and actions and be tolerant of the thoughts and actions of others.

"Government of the people, by the people, for the people."

What do you think?

Name Badge

I wear a name badge. It says "Hello, my name is Tim". I wear it when I'm at the shows, I wear it when I'm not at the shows. I wear it in private, I wear it in public. I wear it all the time. Crazy? Maybe. Amazing? Yes.

You see, it makes people talk to me. To me. It makes them friendlier and more social, and it helps them remember me and remember my name.

As a salesman, that's what I want. As a person, that's what I need.

You see, the world can be a pretty cold and distant place. Nobody looks at or talks to anybody anymore. When we were kids, we were interested in everyone and everything. Always talking, always asking, always looking. But when we grew up, we grew apart - apart from people, apart from feelings, apart from the world.

Wearing this name badge opens the door. People say, "Hi Tim" out of the blue. People that I don't know. People that are yearning for a connection, and a little friendliness in a world gone cold. People call me by my name and it warms my heart. Gives me a chance to say, "Hi, how are you? Isn't this a great day? What are you doing up so early?" Gives them a chance to tell me about their lives and their days. Gives us the chance to share a little warmth and human interaction where typically there isn't any.

Example. Last night I went to the grocery for some milk. When I was checking out, I looked at the name badge of the clerk and said, Hi Joseph." He looked at me, then my name badge, smiled, and said, "Hi Tim." We both got the biggest smiles on our faces, chuckled, and the connection was made. What started out as an impersonal transaction turned into a friendly moment. Made him feel good, made me feel good. Wow!

Wearing this name badge is not my idea. It came from a book I recently read by a fellow named Scott Ginsberg (http://www.hellomynameisscott.com). Scott started wearing a name badge all the time to see what would happen. It changed his life.

It's changing mine too...

There's No Business Like Snow Business

Wow, it's been almost two weeks since my last post! Working on the road eats up time like nothing else I know. Someone once told me that seven days on the road makes one weak. Very true.

I ended up spending eight days at home. Went to breakfast at the Dixie Kitchen And Bait Shop in Evanston, IL, (see http://dixiekitchenevanston.com) with my daughter, Carrie, and my son, Davy, took a class, went to a Valentine's dinner with Betsy, visited with my brother, Andrew, got a haircut, and bought a couple of caps. Talk about time flying...

My next show was in Iowa. On the day I was supposed to leave, there was a major snowstorm and the Iowa DOT warned against any interstate travel. The following day, the roads were dry, travel was good, but the detritus of the storm was evident. Cars, trucks, trailers, suvs (what, pray tell is a suv?) littered the landscape from Chicago to Des Moines. When the Department of Transportation told the drivers to get off the roads, I don't think that's exactly what they had in mind...

My friend, Les (see Jan, 21 post) and I went out to lunch at Jason's Deli after I'd finished the booth set-up. We had pastrami and corned beef sandwiches on rye. So good! Les has the exclusive on a unique advertising concept (see http://www.activetable.com) in Iowa. I've known him for years and it was good to catch up. (His jokes are worse than mine.)

The show in Iowa was good. Lots of people, lots of buyers, lots of fun. Then more snow on the way home...

Yesterday I drove to Richmond, VA. There were snow flurries in Indiana, snow flurries in Ohio, snow flurries in the mountains of West Virginia (scary), snow flurries in the mountains of Virginia (scary and dark). It was snow joking matter if you get my drift!

Set up the show this morning. Met the husband of a woman who fed me samples of soup and snack dips in Philadelphia. Small world.

And now it's looking like snow again...

"Round" Trip?

After a short fourteen hour drive, I'm back home in Illinois for three days so far. What a great trip it was! I made money, sure, but I find what I treasure more is the people I met and the time we shared.

Joe, the unknown friend I wrote about a few posts back, showed up and, even though it was the first time we laid eyes on each other, I felt as though I had known him all my life. He didn't look like I thought he would, and yet he was exactly like I knew he would be. And that he took the time to drive out to meet me and say "hello" speaks more of his character and friendship than I had reason to know or expect.

Joe and Diane (more about her in a later post), founded a "Focus Society of Free Thinkers" called the Million Mind March (http://www.theMillionMindMarch.com) with the motto "Change Your Mind...Change Your Income...Change Your Life." I joined the March and I see the change happening already...

Another friend that I met on Facebook through the March was Jason, the truck driver. He said that he would stop by the show and he did. We spent an hour or so talking and getting to know one another. Like Joe and Diane, he has wonderful ideas and an amazing outlook on life.

I already mentioned Bobby and Tommy in an earlier post from the Philadelphia Home Show. At the Morristown Show, I met Diane and Chris, a husband and wife team, who sell DirecTV. They laughed at my dumb jokes and gave me candy. Bill, the cookware guy down the aisle, and I traded stories of show business on the road and mutual friends. And David, the home theater audio/video guy introduced me to the jazz of Earl Klugh. Mellow.

And here's the nice thing, I've even talked with them on the phone since I've been home.

So I guess what I'm saying here is that life is about love and friendship and caring and taking care of each other; people you know and people you don't know yet, because in the end, the nicest thing about having a circle of friends is that they come 'round...

Morristown

Arrived in Morristown, NJ at 11:43 this morning. According to my GPS, I was supposed to get here at 9:46am. The big disparity between supposed to and actual was that I sat in bumper-to-bumper traffic more than half the way here. No accidents, no hula girls on the side of the road, no cops slowing things down. The only thing I can think of that may have caused the slowdown was maybe three snowflakes. Not twelve, THREE!

It made me think of a nightmare I had a while back that I was in Panama over the holidays during a snowstorm. I was dreaming of a white isthmus. (These puns have taken over my mind. Can you tell?)

Anyway, I set up the flagpole booth in record time, sat down, and had a tuna sub for lunch just for the halibut. And potato chips too. Ummmm, potato chips. (Thank you Homer.)

Looks like it's gonna be a good show. It's a small hall, I don't think I have any competition, but even better, the show is located in a rustic, hilly, beautiful part of New Jersey, that, if you haven't been here, you need to get here as soon as you can. Just gorgeous!

Well, tomorrow it starts. On with the show...

Moving On

Today is my last day in Philadelphia. Tomorrow I'm packing up and rolling to New Jersey for the Morristown Home Show. As it turns out, this is a three day show at the National Guard Armory, and it looks to be a good one.

Morristown is close to where my friend, Joe, lives. Joe's a man after my own heart. He's performed street magic in San Francisco, I think, and also sold steaks and seafood door to door. As you can see, there's more to Joe than meats the eye.

Joe is a cowboy in the best sense of the word. He's his own man, independent, and courageous, and he walks to the beat of his own drum. He makes me laugh, he makes me cry, I like him, I hate him, I respect him, he inspires me, and he pisses me off. Most importantly, he makes me think.

And here's the thing: I've never met him. Maybe this weekend I will. I'll let you know...

New Friends

Well, the Philadelphia Home Show is officially over. What a great trip! The show was very successful and I made some new friends.

Bobby was in the booth to my immediate right, prospecting for bathroom remodeling clients. A retired cop, he clued me in on good places to park and good places to eat. He even brought me a Philly soft pretzel. I've always liked pretzels even though they are knot food.

Tommy was in the booth to the right of Bobby. The food company he works for was giving away free samples of steak and gourmet hotdogs. He kept me very well fed. Imagine, I'm in the middle of a flagpole demo and there's Tommy, bringing me steak. When I told him the one about the man who could eat a 32 ounce steak, he said he found that hard to swallow.

Oh, and by the way, for those of you in the know, Tommy is a "traveling man".

Both of these guys befriended a stranger (me) and made my stay in Philly both easy and memorable. I'll never forget their kindness and I look forward to seeing them again in the future.

More Old Friends

Talked with another old showbiz friend yesterday, Les from Iowa. In the words and philosophy of the great Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, architect extraordinaire, (Google him), "Less is more." And in terms of Les from Iowa, Les is more.

Les is one of those unique guys that I would classify a "Renaissance" man. He knows lots about lots, and is generous with his time and knowledge.

In terms of showbiz and carnivals, Les has probably forgotten more than I will ever know. I saw the Girl To Gorilla Illusion at the New York State fair for the first time on his recommendation. He can turn a tip with the best of them and leave them wanting more.

I think I met him at the Kane County Fair in St. Charles, IL, 20 years ago. If memory serves, he was selling eyeglass cleaner and I was selling slicer-dicers. I was talking with a rancher who had 100 head of cattle, but thought there were only 99 until Les told him to round them up.

The Philly Home Show is going well, and there's only four more days. These nine day shows can really tire you out...

Old Friends

Well, the second day of the Philly Home Show is in the books. Sold twice as much today as I did yesterday.

As I was walking from the parking lot into the exhibition hall, a guy passing by in a pickup truck hollered out, "Hey Tim!" Looking up, I saw my old friend James, who I haven't seen in a good long while.

I met James a number of years ago and we've kept in touch by phone off and on ever since. He thinks I'm crazy, but he seems to like me just the same.

Have you ever noticed that a true friend thinks you're a good egg even though you're slightly cracked?

James sells high pressure, low heat steam ironing systems. He's always said that those who like to do the ironing find their pleasure in-creases. Funny!

Seven days to go, the adventure continues...

Behind the Wheel

What a day yesterday was! I drove fifteen and a half hours to Philadelphia, PA. Went from lots of snow on the ground to none at all. All to sell telescoping flagpoles at the Home Show at the Convention Center.

This morning, I drove in early to unload the truck and set up the booth. Left the motel at 7am to get to the Marshaling Yard by 7:30. Ended up somewhere in New Jersey, not at the Philadelphia Convention Center. That in itself would be sad, but I've done it before.

I remember one time I was trying to get to a home show in Phoenix and ended up in Jersey. What is it about New Jersey?

My friend Al had the same problem and when he got lost, he had to be al-located. Rimshot anyone?

Anyway, all that being said, tomorrow is my day off to either sleep, read, and/or see the sights. I keep reading 'The Lord of the Rings' over and over. I guess it's just force of hobbit. Rimshot #2. Can't believe I did it again.

Enough already...

Motels

Just got back from loading up at the warehouse. I have poles and accessories enough for two shows back to back. Looks like I'll be on the road for 21 days straight. Hope the motels are clean...

Speaking of motels, I remember the name of one I saw a while back that stuck in my head. It was called the Dew Drop Inn. Its byline was "Come in and take a road off your mind". I didn't drop in; it looked pretty tacky. But thinking back, it probably had a lot of interesting stories to tell.

I'd really like to get a successful home business going. Forty years on the road, off and on, turns out to be a lot of road under my belt and around my middle.

Today's Words of Wisdom: "Even though you push the envelope, it's still stationery."

I can't believe I actually wrote that one down. God save us all.

More tomorrow...

Beginnings

This morning I got an email from my new employer saying that instead of leaving for my first exhibition in Philadelphia on Thursday, January 14, I have to be in Philadelphia at 8:00 am on January 14. Talk about days disappearing...

As some of you know, I recently resigned from driving a school bus and got back into the sales game, demonstrating and selling telescoping flagpoles at home & trade shows, state & county fairs, and the like. Imagine an almost 60 year old somewhat bald yet dashing renaissance man who stands in front of a large crowd of people, tells silly jokes, and generally persuades people to part with their hard-earned cash for a product they can't live without. That's me.

What a life I've had! I used to work at an orange juice factory, but I was canned because I couldn't concentrate. Then I started years ago selling slicer-dicers, ginsu knives, shammies, graduated to articulating ladders (Little Giants) and then to flagpoles. I guess I'm gonna be the "Ron Popeil" of flagpoles. Never a dull moment!

This blog will chronicle my days and nights on the road and take you behind the scenes of the exciting and fast paced world of consumer show marketing. In addition, I will regale you with stories of pitchmen and conmen, lousy food, cheap motels, characters, heroes, and villains.

Here we go...