Playing Hooky From Work



I played hooky yesterday. I just didn't feel like coming to this big, dark, cement building for a change. Most people go out and do fun stuff when they play hooky, they go shopping or fishing or to see a movie. Not me, I spent the day in front of my computer playing with Illustrator & Photoshop, making web graphics and buttons. Still, it felt good.

In the last week I've spent a bunch of time on a project that could turn into something big for my business. I can't go into too many details because I promised the people involved that I wouldn't, but here's the gist.

I received samples of roasted beans from this company and my task was to match the colors so that they could see if I could work for them. It wasn't very easy and I learned something about roasting that I had never noticed before, a 10 lb. batch of beans roasts differently than a 25 lb. batch. Everything happens quicker with a small batch, that's obvious because it takes less time, but it also gets to color at a much faster rate. I figured it out, but it took a few tries. Funny, that sort of thing used to be child's play to me, but I've been doing my own thing for so long I found it to be a challenge.

So I finally got the colors as close as I could get them (there's also the fact that I wasn't using the exact same beans as they sent me and different beans act differently) and sent them off on Tuesday afternoon. That's when the worrying started.

I can see them opening the box I sent them, looking at the beans and saying, "What the fuck was he thinking?!" I'm worried that my colors aren't close enough -- certainly I can see the difference, but they're really, really close. My only hope is that "close" is good enough and I can land this account.

The other half of the problem is that we had to figure out what it costs to produce a pound of beans, without factoring in the beans themselves. We had to look at power consumption, overhead and labor and then come up with a number. I hope the one we came up with is realistic and competitive.

If we land this account it could mean around $2000 a week! I have been running this business for about a year and a half and I still haven't paid myself. I want to be able to pay my monthly nut (rent, gas & electric, etc.) and be able to pay Jeff the money the business owes him and have a little to take home myself.

Papa needs a new car!

So that's why I played hooky yesterday, I needed a day to hide out from the world and worry about my future. I think fishing would have been more fun.


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Comments

SuperChunk said…
Coloring beans, eh... beats counting 'em! Best o' luck to you Muggs :) Remember the little people when you become the Willy Wonka of the roasting world!
Cari said…
I very much understand the desire to hide out and worry about the future right now. Maybe I'll do that tomorrow...
Mike Sawin said…
It's good to take a day off to do this, but I'm glad to see that you are back to work today.

Good luck on the new account!
cjschuette said…
Geez, you're more productive on a day off than anyone I know. You'll always be my favorite coffee-related friend who plays a mandolin. Best of luck, as always.

Oh, and I'd like to know why your site doesn't show up when I type "goddamn quilt shop" into Google.

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