Day 45

Don't ever try to carry an umbrella when you're walking two Dalmatians in the rain. I foolishly thought I could avoid doing an extra load of laundry and save thirty minutes clean-up time by putting raincoats on the dogs and carrying a big yellow umbrella when I took the dogs on their morning walk. Bad move. The  dogs shook their raincoats off within two minutes and they were scared of the umbrella, so I had to ditch that as well. By the time we arrived home we were all soaking wet, just like we always are when we take rainy day walks. I wish these dogs would learn to do their business in the yard when the weather is bad, but they insist on their regular walk, rain or shine.

By the time I got everyone clean and dry again it was almost time for lunch. It didn't really matter that I wasted hours dealing with wet dogs though. Fridays are always slow. I think most of my clients leave early for the weekend. I finished all my regular website updates in an hour or so and spent the rest of the day setting up my new LinkedIn account. Younger people I work with are convinced that things like a Facebook page or a Twitter Tweet really matter. I'm, not so sure. I'm really pretty easy to find on the Internet, but I don't think that my online presence or any attempts at social networking have ever brought me any significant business.

If you want new business, just go have lunch with a friend. My company has done pretty well over the years and just just about all the business we've ever gotten has come from referrals I've received from friends. When I need to hire suppliers, I'll always ask a friend for their opinion on who would be good for the job. The Internet can connect you to the entire world in an instant, but only friends can tell you who is reliable.

Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day