Well, we’re back from New York and what a whirlwind it has been trying to catch up on everything. First of all, I have to say how much I LOVE New York City. It is one of the coolest places I’ve ever been. The energy, the diversity, and the overall vibe of the city is unbelievable. The neat thing about it is that everywhere you turn, you’re running into a major piece of history (5th Avenue, Broadway, Central Park, Wall Street, the Empire State Building, Ground Zero.). I think Times Square ranks at or near the top of my favorite places list. Maybe it has to do with my interest in design or my love of light and color, but Times Square is unmatched in overall overwhelmingness (pretty sure that’s not a word). There is so much movement and life; so much to see and look at. Ground Zero was very moving as well; in a different way, as you might imagine. The chapel where the clean up and recovery efforts are centralized still has firefighters and volunteers busily going about their tasks. A fence that surrounds the chapel is adorned with an avalanche of well wishes and tributes to the victims, families, and city from concerned citizens from all parts of the globe. It is powerful to see the skyline void of the twin towers, and you can almost still feel the weight in the air around Ground Zero. It gave Kim and I a whole new humbled understanding of the events surrounding 9-11. As far as business matters go, a lot of interesting things came out of the National Stationery Show Kim and I attended. Not anything as huge and exciting as Times Square, but some seeds were planted that could amount to a very big Shy Flower indeed. I spoke with some major licensing agents (who shall remain nameless as to not jinx the possibilities) who were very interested in Kim & Jason. It’s a real trick trying to "sell" something that you’ve spent the last two years of your life developing in a two minute pitch. Luckily, the artwork seems to stand on its own, but there is a part of me that wants to force each and every person into an empty room with nothing but said person and an internet connection and say "Go through the site, read the strips, and look around before you tell me what you think…" Maybe I need to learn how to talk like that Micro Machines guy. That way I can get more words out per minute. The next few weeks will be busy following up on some of the contacts we made. I think that we’re closer than ever to really breaking things wide open, but I am in this for the long hall. My attitude it to stay the course, stay resolute and be open to any opportunities as they arise. I never realized how difficult and trying this journey would be when I began years ago. I am afraid at times to think of what lies ahead. But I know that this is where I’m supposed to be, and I can’t imagine doing anything else…
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Well, Kim and I are heading off to New York City tomorrow morning. We’re attending the National Stationery Show, which is the Super Bowl of the greeting card and gift industry. In typical storybook fashion, I’m a smalltown boy who’s never been to the Big Apple and I’m off in pursuit of a dream. The dream being the hope that some guy in a suit will believe that Kim & Jason is fit for a national audience and a contract will be signed consumating one of those long lasting fabled partnerships you hear about, like Sam Butcher and Enesco, Hewlett and Packard, and Charles Schulz, Lee Mendelson and Bill Melendez. I’m not even sure if anyone will give us the time of day, but it just feels like this is the next logical step on this increasingly illogical journey. Of course, having grown up in Peru, Illinois, a town of 10,000 people, I am a little anxious about stepping into one of the biggest cities in the world. Hopefully we won’t be abducted by a cab driver and we’ll be able to manage the subway okay without ending up somewhere in Queens. It looks like we’ll be able to check out some of the tourist stops like the Statue of Liberty, Times Square, the Empire State Building, and the like. We may even have a chance to check out Ground Zero from a viewing platform that’s been constructed since 9/11. To top it all off, Kim and I are celebrating our second wedding anniversary on Monday. I’m excited, anxious, nervous, and unsure of what to expect by this whole experience (Kinduv how I felt when I got married, actually). I don’t know if this will be the beginning of the next big thing, or just another small step in what has been a long and patience-testing path. I really wish we could find someone of influence who just "gets it". "It" being the whole Kim & Jason thing. No lengthy sales pitches or standardized fromal cover letters, just an immediate understanding and appreciation of what K&J is about and the mission we’re trying to accomplish. Will we find said person in New York City? I don’t know, but it sure would make a fitting chapter in the storybook.
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