biggiefries.com

Help Haiti

I don’t have any money to give, but I wanted to do something.  So, I designed a t-shirt and partnered with EMET Sales in Northwest Arkansas to have them made.

All of the net proceeds will go to helping the victims of the earthquake and the relief efforts.

If you would like to help out, you can do so by spreading the word through Twitter, Email, and Facebook.

• Update 01.15.10:  Other ways to order, you can contact EMET Sales at (479) 986-0076 or DM @EMETSALES on Twitter.
• Update 01.19.10:  Partnering with @nlcelevation to get the word out about the shirts.
• Update 02.01.10:  Pre-Order sales have ended, I’ll be ordering the shirts and getting them shipped out soon!

Tags: Design, disaster, earthquake, haiti, help, relief, shirt

Burnout (part 2)

This is the follow up to Burnout (part 1).

Since I’ve been able to say NO, and set some boundaries for myself; I’ve come to love the time that I do spend at the church.  For example, because of the way that our volunteer teams are setup (at least on the production side); when you are “on”, you are pretty much giving up your entire weekend.  Which I think is a lot to ask of someone that just worked 40-60 hours that week.  Therefore, I try to limit my volunteering to one weekend a month, two weekends at the most.

There are those that might call that “selfish”.  Perhaps so… but that’s where I’m at.  I’d rather enjoy my time serving, rather than hate every minute I’m there.  After all, “God loves a joyful giver” right?  I set boundaries to keep myself in the “joyful” category.

As far as my designing goes… Graphic Design is what I do for a living.  It is the means by which I’m able to take care of my family.  So, having that in mind… occasionally, I do “give” some design work to the church.  However, most of the time, they pay me for my work.  Which benefits everyone involved.  They get better work that they value; and I get to eat.

Jack R. Ratcliffe

My grandfather, Jack R. Ratcliffe, died on December 21, 2009.  He was 88 years old.  I’m not really much of an emotional person, I kinda see things in a black and white sorta way.  You live, you spend some here on earth, and then you die.

I’m happy for the time that I was able to spend with my grandfather.  I wasn’t able to see him before he died; which is probably for the better.  The memories I have of him are all good.

Taking rides on the tractor.  In the summer, he would always take us for a ride on the tractor.

The woodshop.  He loved working with wood and making things.

Cincinnati Reds games.  He loved the Reds, and would always watch the games on TV but mute the sound; and he would listen to Marty and Joe on the radio.

My grandfather was a career military man.  He served in the Army in WW2 in North Africa and Italy.  Then he transferred to the USAF and retired as a Master Sergeant.

He will be missed.