A Good Time Was Had By All (until I got sick)

Hello All,

Yeah it's been quite some time (once again) since I've updated. But I am more than happy to update you and hopefully stay on top of it this time around.

First of all, I am writing this blog entry just off the heals of a terribly horrible stomach flu. Yeah, I was in bed for the past couple of days (or on my couch watching TV). I was pretty useless, but got some television and back Tivo recordings caught up on.

My sickness couldn't have come a day sooner or I wouldn't have made it back from vacation. What I time I had... what a time we had... yes I took a friend along and we had a great time!

Chris came along with me to the Oregon Coast, Gleneden Beach to be more specific. We really enjoyed our stay at a beautiful condo which was oceanfront.

It was a much needed relaxing time for both of us! I took a few pictures:The view from the condo

Inside the condo, the big screen

Chris in Cannon Beach

Manzanita
Chris and I
Tillamook Head Lighthouse
Me in Cannon Beach

We really had a great time, and hope to do it again when time warrants! I also plan to head back to the Willamette Valley in December, but probably won't make it to the coast.

If I don't write before Thanksgiving, everyone have a great holiday!

-LB

Top Ten for Week of October 14, 2006

1. Keithanne Boeve'
2. Sterling Shetler
3. Haddie Schmidt
4. Chris Gamboa
5. Debbie Bobbitt
6. Carl Bobbitt
7. Hannah Bobbitt
8. Kyle Hook
9. Alyse Fischer
10.Cynthia Hilden

Good Week, Good Friends

Things last week were good, very good. I felt like I was at the top of my game. I got a lot done, and continued to improve my business. My new employee is working out great! I am so excited to have her on board. I hope to have a picture and bio on my company's site (www.lbsites.com) very soon when I launch the new design.

This weekend was rather uneventful. I did go to Joseph's football game on Friday, it was a fun trip and a rather interesting game after two players were ejected from the game. We still ended up pulling off the win, but next week's game could be a little more challenging.

Spent Sunday night watching a movie with some friends at the lake. It was a peaceful, entertaining, yet restful time -- which is something I needed very bad!

Looking forward to another week... doing my best to stay on top of everything -- which is only getting easier with the new help.

More later! -LB

Top Ten for Week of September 30, 2006

1. Keithanne Boeve'
2. Sterling Shetler
3. Chris Gamboa
4. Jay Watts
5. Hannah Bobbitt
6. Debbie Bobbitt
7. Carl Bobbitt
8. Cynthia Hilden
9. Marisa Gamboa
10.Kyle Hook

It's About Freeegin' Time!

Yes, it would be nice to have an update on this blog, at least once in a while, right? Well as fall is well into gear, I think I will have more time to update you all.

What is going on in my life? As usual my answer is 'a lot of work.' It continues to stress me, but provides me a living at the same time. Do I love doing what I do? For the most part.

Thursday I had a pretty rotten day. One of my friends was mad at me, and a pin head business owner called me to chew me out over things I was 'supposedly' saying about his business. Anything I've said about it has been true. I choose not to mention his name, because it is not worth mentioning. The business is poor, and the customers are treated terribly. This I have evidence of.

So I should focus on the positive. I have a new employee, she is absolutely great. I knew instantly she would be come an asset to my business. She is a quick learner as well. I have true talent on my hands.

Filming a game in Imbler on Friday. Looking forward to leaving the county for at least a few hours. Hopefully Joseph will do well.

Look for new pictures in my photo gallery soon. I've got some pretty big changes coming to my own site as well as my business site. Keep checking back!

Thursday was a crummy day, but this week has been excellent. I thank my family and friends for the strength I have each day. -LB

Top Ten for Week of September 2, 2006

1. Keithanne Boeve'
2. Jay Watts
3. Debbie Bobbitt
4. Sterling Shetler
5. Alyse Fischer
6. Chris Gamboa
7. Kyle Bollman
8. Kyle Hook
9. Melissa Newhouse
10.Ezekial Hale

A Very Happy Birthday & Labor Day Weekend

2005 was the last time I could celebrate my birthday without the feeling of it being bittersweet. On September 3rd (the day after my birthday) my good friend Lance Strickland died. It was one year ago today that he passed away. I will spend some time remembering him this weekend.

Of course, I also enjoyed my 26th birthday and had a good time. Friday night we filled up nearly half of El Bajio for my "party." I was happy to be able to see all my friends there. I also got plenty of overly generous gifts. It was a good time had by all.

Alyse made me a birthday cake! I was so surprised and happy, then to top it off she and Sterling bought me a set of knives. I have to thank them and everyone else for their pouring of generosity when I felt it was unnecessary. But it is nice to be loved!

This weekend was full of events, my roommate Kyle Bollman officially moved out and headed for Oklahoma. I have my house to myself now. Don't know if I'll have another roommate; at least not in the near future. Several other friends were off to college this weekend now, and it is dawning on me that summer is over. I will just enjoy the moment and cherish the last few moments I have with my friends while they are still around. -LB

This Too, Has Passed

Finally some relief this week! I had a pretty good time on Saturday going with friend Kyle Bollman to see Snakes on a Plane. It wasn't that bad of a movie actually. I had rather low expectations that it would be about just what you would think 'snakes on a plane.' Though, it was a lot about that, it had a pretty good plot line. It was worth going out to La Grande and watching. I don't know if I'd make a point to see it twice, not at least until it's on DVD.

What a difference a week makes. Last week I was complaining about lousy customers' attitudes... this week couldn't have been more the opposite. I dealt with mostly pleasant people (perhaps they read this blog?) -- I doubt it, but it was like night and day. We were glad to have a break. That doesn't mean business was slow, however; no quite the contrary... LB Productions is rising high out of a lull from last month. We aren't ever slow, but we were slower in July, but August has been exactly the opposite. Probably the most exciting thing is the new computer line we are building. Tidal Wave Computers hit the floor this week, and they are already selling before we can build them. I came up with the idea to build high quality computers a few weeks ago after I've had increasingly less confidence in Dell. Though I still believe they are a very solid machine, it is the customer service and support that is suffering. They are trying far too hard to compete with Wal-Mart specials, and thus the support suffers. When I originally started my relationship with Dell they were high-end machines, mostly used by the corporate world. I am not sure if their competition with the low-end market has helped them. I will still continue to sell the notebooks indefinitely, because I think no one builds them better -- but I believe I can beat the price and quality of the desktops and have quicker turn around for my customers.

Enough about business, hope everyone is having a good weekend. I know I am! -LB

Top Ten for Week of August 26, 2006

1. Keithanne Boeve'
2. Kyle Bollman
3. Jay Watts
4. Debbie Bobbitt
5. Carl Bobbitt
6. Chris Gamboa
7. Joe Dawson
8. Hannah Bobbitt
9. Ezekial Hale
10.Sterling Shetler

The Joys of Business

Hello all, so sorry it has been so very long since I've written. My life has been utter chaos the past couple of weeks. I am working harder than ever before, and you think I would be getting rich from the amount of business that has walked through my door. Oh no, of course not... it has been just a bunch of irate customers and BS that makes owning your own business somewhat of a challenge.

Yes, I'm ranting... but I have good reason. People just don't get it. When you are working your butt off trying to help them out -- they just don't seem to get it.

Earlier this week I had a client call me up and claim that I was "overcharging" her because she thought a computer tutorial to operate her powerpoint was included in the computer sale. I thought for a moment and regained my clarity of the situation. Does a car dealer give you free driving lessons with a car? Obviously not. So I knew I was not out of line in the situation. So, I met the person half way and they still were somewhat unsatisfied.

Oh, the joys of business. Though I must say most of the time my business is NOT like this, but you too can relate when there's one or two bad seeds in the pile it tends to ruin your day (or week in my case). This week has been just as crazy, but far less irate (thank God). I am hopefully growing a thicker skin through all of this and becoming a better businessman for it. Okay, there folks I am done. I promise to be a lot more chipper next blogging session! :) -LB