My Fifteen Minutes of Fame

So, the National Post did an article on Jinja Ninja in their online Appetizer Blog. They focused on the "Tweet Bags" and speculated on all the things one could tweet and send to someone. Could be cool for a secret admirer. I had hoped that they would list my kids in the article since they asked for their names and ages. Alas, they didn't make the final cut.

The Globe also said they would like to write something about Jinja Ninja after we sent out some Easter Mookies to them. Followed up with Chum FM as well that seemed interested in the "architect turned baker" angle and the "entrepeneur pain" angle. I guess if they read my blog, they will understand some of the pain.

All this press is good and everything. I still haven't sold my Easter mookies.

http://network.nationalpost.com/NP/blogs/theappetizer/archive/2010/03/31/tweet-bags-send-a-message-in-cookies.aspx

Treats with Jinja Ninja cookies

By many accounts, the gingerbread at Jinja Ninja is addictive. The spicy cookie makes a great base for cookies toppings. My friend and I were experimenting with cream cheese (with a bit of icing sugar) on top of a gingerbread cookie topped with a strawberry!

The plain ones can be dipped in a chocolate or caramel fondue. Try whipping cream as well. Let me know if there are any unusual combinations that are amazing!

Retiring again?

I just received some mail from yet again, another professional organization that says they want money or I can't use their moniker after my name. I already retired from the OAA, now I'm retiring from ARIDO (Association of Registered Interior Designers of Ontario). Pretty soon LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) will want me to retire too!

Had too many letters after my name anyway....

Outsourcing

So, I chickened out of hiring a free lance web person from India. After speaking with someone who is actually a web designer (who also subcontracts portions of his work to India) he told me that if you have a specific task with specifications drawn up of what you want that varying companies can bid on,then perhaps it's the way to go. If you're a luddite like me, then perhaps I'll end up getting something I didn't quite want. Or, they misunderstood what the outcome might be and will charge me extras to implement them, so on and so forth.

Going the domestic route for now...

how to find a web designer

oh yeah, there are tons of them. Everyone is an expert and everyone can do everything. Even people who don't know how to do it sell themselves to you and then learn the program as they're setting up your website.

Beware of learn as you go types. They will cost you money, then another person will have to redo everything they did.

A friend of mine suggested E-lance, a website dedicated to hooking up vendors and people who have work that someone can help them with offsite. I searched for web assistance and found a whole slew of them from India and other countries. Their hourly rate is low but I can't tell if the number of hours make them equivalent to hiring locally. I will update this blog when I figure this thing out.

Year of the Tiger

Interesting. I've learned a bit about the Chinese dessert market in Toronto. Apparently, the Chinese community (I learned this from someone that has a marketing firm that markets to this specific demographic) is not very receptive to desserts that "look" too sweet. The fact that my mookies have icing on them is a no go for this community. So my year of the Tiger mookie did not see the light of day during Chinese New Year (which occured on the same day as Valentine's this year).

I'm no longer an architect

So, after 8 years at university (2 years of the 8 working)and 22 years in the field, I gave up my architectural license today. It wasn't as tough as it would seem, however, it's been part of my identity for quite a while now and even if the association won't allow me to use OAA (Ontario Association of Architects) after my name, I still consider myself an architect. I'm officially retired!

The upside is that I don't have to pay the annual dues anymore (close to $900) and pay for continuuing education courses every year. I can offer free advice (this isn't allowed if you're an architect) and design small buildings and renovations under a certain size without a certificate of practice. I have three years to reinstate if I still want to call myself an architect.

Some people think I'm crazy, some have congratulated me. It's definitely a journey I didn't expect to take.