Saturday, April 17, 2010
From chicken in a biscuit to chicken in a can
This delicious item was featured at the local grocery store....... I passed.
Sunday, December 20, 2009
it's just stuff anyway
I moved to San Francisco from Chicago 15 years ago. I don't remember that experience being as nerve wracking as this. It probably wasn't since now that I'm older, I have accumulated more stuff and I have become attached to this stuff. I knew the move to Kuwait would be light, I wasn't planning to bring much at all. Like it or not, I had to sort through everything to decide what would make the cut. I also decided to get a storage unit for the things I couldn't reason to bring, but are too sentimental to eliminate. The unit is only 5x5 so I had to whittle it down to the absolute minimum. Surprisingly, that was the easy part.
The hard part came when it was time to eliminate all the other stuff. I had some success selling things on Craigslist, but after awhile, I hit a plateau. I needed a better plan. Time was dwindling and I realized, I had to have a moving sale.... Now I'm a "if you fail to plan, you plan to fail" type of guy, so I got planning. I decided on a date. I organized the things to be sold. I brought in all the extra stuff that I bought at sample sales that was now relegated to the garage........... They all seemed like great purchases at the time. I grabbed my pen and labels and started pricing.
Yeah, pricing things might be a bit too much, but I needed to set some silent standards. I couldn't possibly bear the thought of a moving sale customer offering 50 cents on something I treasured. These were quality items, collected over years that people should love to have in their home. After pricing, I moved on to merchandising. Gotta protect the customer experience, right? Finally, signage was needed around the neighborhood. The forecast called for rain, so I quickly thought to place my signs in plastic sheet protectors. O.K. I was set. This was going to be the best moving sale ever in the history of moving sales! My first customer arrived right at 8:00 sharp. I opened the door with excitement, said "hello!" and "come on in!" to which she replied "YOU NEED BETTER SIGNAGE!"
Really? That's how you reply to someone who has just invited you into their home on a wet Saturday morning at 8? Did she think she was in an actual store? I mean COME ON! She found it didn't she? Oh yeah, AND there was a posting on Craigslist about the moving sale. She cooled off after a bit, but I never forgave her. The first part of the day was super quiet, then we kicked it into high gear. What winter moving sale couldn't benefit from Christmas Music and Cranberry Margaritas? The music was for the patrons, the margaritas were for me. By noon, I was hitting my stride. I was adding on to every transaction, it felt like my old days on the selling floor. Except not the drinking part. A couple of friends stopped by to add to the fun. They were naturals when it came to suggestive selling. "Oh have you tried the chair massager yet?, you really should"
Bit by bit things were selling, but to my dismay, I had to negotiate on just about everything. As the day went on it got easier, though. Maybe it was the Christmas Music..... or maybe it was the season of giving..... or maybe it was the Cranberry Margaritas. Overall, the moving sale was a cool experience that while draining, allowed me to meet some really great people. A man who bought from me on Craigslist, came to the moving sale with his wife and then asked to come back the following week with his brother ........ He has good taste ......... The man renovating the house across the street saw the moving sale sign and came over to introduce himself before moving day. A lady came and chatted us up one side and down the other about Germany, antiques and "finds". And an animal loving couple from India were thrilled to hear that Daisy will be joining me in the move to Kuwait.
I won't be celebrating Christmas this year in the usual sense, but it was nice to share the Christmas spirit with total strangers. I do have a little more to get through, but whatever I don't sell or get rid of, I'll donate. I have to admit though, I was kind of sad seeing all my worldly possessions go, but It's just stuff anyway, right?
The hard part came when it was time to eliminate all the other stuff. I had some success selling things on Craigslist, but after awhile, I hit a plateau. I needed a better plan. Time was dwindling and I realized, I had to have a moving sale.... Now I'm a "if you fail to plan, you plan to fail" type of guy, so I got planning. I decided on a date. I organized the things to be sold. I brought in all the extra stuff that I bought at sample sales that was now relegated to the garage........... They all seemed like great purchases at the time. I grabbed my pen and labels and started pricing.
Yeah, pricing things might be a bit too much, but I needed to set some silent standards. I couldn't possibly bear the thought of a moving sale customer offering 50 cents on something I treasured. These were quality items, collected over years that people should love to have in their home. After pricing, I moved on to merchandising. Gotta protect the customer experience, right? Finally, signage was needed around the neighborhood. The forecast called for rain, so I quickly thought to place my signs in plastic sheet protectors. O.K. I was set. This was going to be the best moving sale ever in the history of moving sales! My first customer arrived right at 8:00 sharp. I opened the door with excitement, said "hello!" and "come on in!" to which she replied "YOU NEED BETTER SIGNAGE!"
Really? That's how you reply to someone who has just invited you into their home on a wet Saturday morning at 8? Did she think she was in an actual store? I mean COME ON! She found it didn't she? Oh yeah, AND there was a posting on Craigslist about the moving sale. She cooled off after a bit, but I never forgave her. The first part of the day was super quiet, then we kicked it into high gear. What winter moving sale couldn't benefit from Christmas Music and Cranberry Margaritas? The music was for the patrons, the margaritas were for me. By noon, I was hitting my stride. I was adding on to every transaction, it felt like my old days on the selling floor. Except not the drinking part. A couple of friends stopped by to add to the fun. They were naturals when it came to suggestive selling. "Oh have you tried the chair massager yet?, you really should"
Bit by bit things were selling, but to my dismay, I had to negotiate on just about everything. As the day went on it got easier, though. Maybe it was the Christmas Music..... or maybe it was the season of giving..... or maybe it was the Cranberry Margaritas. Overall, the moving sale was a cool experience that while draining, allowed me to meet some really great people. A man who bought from me on Craigslist, came to the moving sale with his wife and then asked to come back the following week with his brother ........ He has good taste ......... The man renovating the house across the street saw the moving sale sign and came over to introduce himself before moving day. A lady came and chatted us up one side and down the other about Germany, antiques and "finds". And an animal loving couple from India were thrilled to hear that Daisy will be joining me in the move to Kuwait.
I won't be celebrating Christmas this year in the usual sense, but it was nice to share the Christmas spirit with total strangers. I do have a little more to get through, but whatever I don't sell or get rid of, I'll donate. I have to admit though, I was kind of sad seeing all my worldly possessions go, but It's just stuff anyway, right?
Saturday, October 31, 2009
the debut
Welcome to my first ever blog, Kelly in Kuwait....... I am about to embark on a fantastic journey and I thought what better way to document it than a blog? You may wonder why the title of this blog is kelly in kuwait.... I have some really big news that I've been dying to share.
I have received a really terrific job offer....... The company I work for, Pottery Barn, is expanding into a new market and they have asked me to head up the visual merchandising aspect. The new market? How does the Middle East sound? That's right, two Pottery Barn stores and two Pottery Barn Kids stores will open next spring in Kuwait and in Dubai, UAE.
We have joined forces with a Middle East business developer as we enter this market. They have great presence in the Middle East, Russia, Turkey and Central Europe. I will reside in Kuwait City and will travel back and forth to Dubai. Hence the name of my blog......kelly in kuwait. This is a really great opportunity to see and experience a part of the world I wouldn't have ever expected to. I realize the Middle East is a very volatile part of the world, but everything I have read speaks to how safe it really is in these two places. Kuwait and the US have a long history of being very strong allies.
I traveled to the Middle East in October for one week to check it out before I made my final decision. This was just to make sure I felt comfortable fulfilling a two year contract. I was able to tour Kuwait City and Dubai. As it turns out, I loved it. It was surreal, mysterious, hot and absolutely something I feel like I have to do. I imagine it will be along the lines of an out of body experience. I am definitely planning on bringing my beloved dog, Daisy with me. I couldn't bear to leave her behind. Fortunately, there is no quarantine to bring your pet into the country. The only downside will be the blistering heat of summer. It is comfortable 5-6 months of the year. I have aligned with a veterinary clinic in Kuwait and they offer assistance in transporting pets. It's probably my biggest worry. I hate the thought of poor Daisy in the cargo hold of an airplane. But she's a resilient gal and I know she'll be fine. My timeline is pretty swift. My last day at work is December 4 and my original move date was going to be toward the end of December. However, I have recently received a request that I begin earlier if possible. So, I have accelerated my timeline to allow me to move around December 15. I am eager to begin this new chapter of my life in a new part of the world.
So, now the time has come for me to lighten my load. Much to sell, some to store and a little to take with me. I plan on having a moving sale to sell most of what I have accumulated over my 15 years in the Bay Area. Stuff is just stuff, right? I'm selling my car and renting out my house. If you know anyone looking for a cool house in Oakland, let me know.
Thanks for reading. Check back for updates as I prepare for the biggest change of my life while move time draws nearer.
k
I have received a really terrific job offer....... The company I work for, Pottery Barn, is expanding into a new market and they have asked me to head up the visual merchandising aspect. The new market? How does the Middle East sound? That's right, two Pottery Barn stores and two Pottery Barn Kids stores will open next spring in Kuwait and in Dubai, UAE.
We have joined forces with a Middle East business developer as we enter this market. They have great presence in the Middle East, Russia, Turkey and Central Europe. I will reside in Kuwait City and will travel back and forth to Dubai. Hence the name of my blog......kelly in kuwait. This is a really great opportunity to see and experience a part of the world I wouldn't have ever expected to. I realize the Middle East is a very volatile part of the world, but everything I have read speaks to how safe it really is in these two places. Kuwait and the US have a long history of being very strong allies.
I traveled to the Middle East in October for one week to check it out before I made my final decision. This was just to make sure I felt comfortable fulfilling a two year contract. I was able to tour Kuwait City and Dubai. As it turns out, I loved it. It was surreal, mysterious, hot and absolutely something I feel like I have to do. I imagine it will be along the lines of an out of body experience. I am definitely planning on bringing my beloved dog, Daisy with me. I couldn't bear to leave her behind. Fortunately, there is no quarantine to bring your pet into the country. The only downside will be the blistering heat of summer. It is comfortable 5-6 months of the year. I have aligned with a veterinary clinic in Kuwait and they offer assistance in transporting pets. It's probably my biggest worry. I hate the thought of poor Daisy in the cargo hold of an airplane. But she's a resilient gal and I know she'll be fine. My timeline is pretty swift. My last day at work is December 4 and my original move date was going to be toward the end of December. However, I have recently received a request that I begin earlier if possible. So, I have accelerated my timeline to allow me to move around December 15. I am eager to begin this new chapter of my life in a new part of the world.
So, now the time has come for me to lighten my load. Much to sell, some to store and a little to take with me. I plan on having a moving sale to sell most of what I have accumulated over my 15 years in the Bay Area. Stuff is just stuff, right? I'm selling my car and renting out my house. If you know anyone looking for a cool house in Oakland, let me know.
Thanks for reading. Check back for updates as I prepare for the biggest change of my life while move time draws nearer.
k
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