The Music Emporium T-Shirt

Located in Lexington, Massachusetts, The Music Emporium sells some of the finest guitars, banjos, mandolins, and ukuleles you can find in New England. This design features the headstocks of the four instruments in which the store specializes, arranged in a Swiss cross around the store logo. The design was printed to American Apparel T-shirts and made available for Christmas 2011.

Cribbage, and Marathons, and Clown Shoes, Oh My!

Miles for Miracles Clown Shoes Basket
Beer, stickers, coasters, and tattoos, just add ice!

I’m catching up with my email after a painful tooth extraction and I found a note from my friend, Michael, who ran the Boston Marathon for the second time this year to raise money for Children’s Hospital. I’ve known Michael since we were kids, so last year when he sent out an invitation to a cribbage tournament he was hosting to raise money for the marathon, I was more than happy to sign up. I did well, considering I’m not a very good cribbage player, and won first place in the consolation round, making me “best of the losers.” I display the trophy proudly.

This year, Michael asked again that I participate, but he also asked about a donation of Clown Shoes beer for the basket raffle. Between the folks at Clown Shoes and me, we were able to assemble this pretty gnarly beer bucket of awesome.

Tim, another friend I’ve known since grade school, came down to the tournament deliberately to buy lots of raffle tickets and put them all in for the Clown Shoes prize. It was no surprise when he won, but a little bit of surprise when we realized he had walked to the event and had to carry the thing home! Always the team player, I drove him and the enormous bucket o’ beer home, I think he owes me a pint next time we’re out.

Again, I didn’t win the tournament, but it was great to see old friends, we were all there to support Michael and his charity, and according to the email I finally read this morning, he raised close to $10,000 for Children’s Hospital Boston!

Of course, if you have the energy to run the Boston Marathon in almost 90 degree heat, you don’t sit on your laurels when it’s over. Now Michael is taking part in the Best Buddies Challenge, a 100 mile bike ride from the JFK Library to Hyannisport, MA to raise money for Best Buddies, a non-profit organization whose mission is to creates opportunities for one-to-one friendships, integrated employment and leadership development for people with intellectual disabilities.

I’m pretty sure a bucket of beer would be little use and a heavy burden for a 100 mile bike ride, so in addition to sponsoring Michael, I’m giving him a little shout out. He’s committed to raising $1450 for the organization, and his fund raising page is here, support him if you can, thank you.

People Can Be Tools

As it is Tuesday, I was wondering what kind of tool I could post about. I haven’t bought any terribly useful apps lately and my tech toy budget is nil. But a tool is simply something useful, so today’s tool is Useful People.

You can never underestimate the importance of Useful People, especially when combined with Relationship Maintenance. One of the projects I’m working on for Clown Shoes Beer is a costume for the real Miracle Mike. Miracle is one of Clown Shoes most recent beers, and Miracle Mike is one of their truck drivers who modeled for the label illustration. He has boldly agreed to appear in costume at upcoming events to promote the Clown Shoes Minor Miracle Fund.

Clown Shoes Miracle IPA
Here I Come to Save the Day!

I designed the costume for the illustration before I knew I would be charged with recreating the costume for real, so I didn’t worry much about embossed Clown Shoes belt buckles or appliqued logos, or actual clown shoes that can be worn while running around beer events and music fests. I can’t sew. I don’t know much at all about costuming. But I am good at surrounding myself with talented creative people, and I am not shy about tapping those talents.

Phone calls went out to my friend who always has the best Halloween costumes. “Those “Ambiguously Gay Duo” costumes from a few years back, where did you find them?” To the woman who runs the daycare that my son attended, “Can you sew a big M onto a gold, stretchy shirt?” A keeping-in-touch dinner with my fabulous friend, Rachel, who works in Central Square, led me to Danger!Awesome Laser Engraving for the belt buckle. Finally, I leaned on my old pal, Google, who discovered Spears Specialty Shoes. Who knew there is a bespoke maker of clown shoes located in Western Mass? Sometimes, you have to expand upon the personal network!

The point is, accomplishing great things is rarely about having all the answers, or all the mad skills, it’s about knowing where to find those resources, bringing them on board, and managing them to get great things done. It also helps to have a cute, young man who will wear a superhero suit and cape and run around in clown shoes for you, but boys like him are hard to come by, so no one will blame you if you can’t find your own.