Modern Mom Blog Series: Angela Powell - "Parent(s) Night"

I am so blessed to know so many amazing moms. Angela Powell is not only a fantastic mom, but a gifted writer. I asked Angela to guest blog for Mod Mom and I'm thrilled she said yes! Check out the first post in a series about real life, modern mom experiences. Many thanks to Angela!

Parent(s) Night

At approximately 7:30pm, I woke up from a three hour nap. You read that right. THREE HOUR NAP. I’m not bragging, or throwing this in anyone’s face, but it was amazing. As a single mom working two jobs, I don’t see my bed very much. I know it exists because I keep my work clothes on it. It’s like a horizontal closet or an open-faced dresser. But I shoved everything over, crawled into the wonderful folds of my blankets, windows open to let the fall air in, and I slept my face off.

Okay…now I might be bragging, but give me a pass on this one. Here’s why:

Over the last week I have really been stewing over a phrase that was presented to me twice in two different scenarios: “Being a single mom is so hard.” The first time it was said to me was at my oldest son’s parent’s night for football. This is where the senior players get to walk across the field with their parents and get announced over the loud speaker. Mom’s get to wear a corsage, so I was pretty pumped. I haven’t worn a corsage in a million years and my shirt needed it in its life. Now, I was the only single parent in attendance. I’m not saying the other boys had a few moms and stepmoms and dads and stepdads hanging off their arm in a long row, but I was the only single parent. I didn’t notice or think about it until the volunteers hosting this night were all up in a tizzy on how they would announce us. “But where is the Mister? You’re here, but we can’t just say ‘…and mother.’ Where’s the Mister??” After explaining that there would be no Mister without appropriating my life story, just that I would be doing this parent’s night solo, I got the frowny face, pat on shoulder, “Being a single mom is so hard.” I think she was drunk, too. At a school function!! Okay, I added that part but whatever. Anyway…

Here’s an aside…the person saying this to me is not, nor was ever, a single parent, so to me that shouldn’t have been a statement (with a period on the end) but a question. “Being a single mom is hard?” to which I could have answered her, maybe engaged in a little social discourse. Yet, on the scale of things, if this (possibly drunk)individual thought that walking down a football field for three minutes husbandless was “hard” then holy jeebus, trade me an afternoon in her shoes! Which maybe I did, I mean, I took that three hour nap, right? But I digress…

The second time this statement came up was at one of my jobs this week. A friend and coworker is in a tumultuous relationship and wants out. He’s a drunk. He’s an ass. He’s been placed on this earth to make her and her children uncomfortable and on edge. He’s the 43 year old narcissist that you see portrayed on every Lifetime movie (I don’t watch Lifetime movies…maybe). He’s the type of man I left 7 years ago hence the no “Mister” on parent’s night. While discussing her options and what she wants to do, with tears in her eyes she stated, “Being a single mom is so hard.”

She’s experienced it before. This isn’t her first rodeo. Like a lot of us, Prince Charming grew into a nightmare a few years into the relationship. But still, this isn’t the time for victimhood. There’s something about those words that really jabs at my guts. Being a single mom isn’t always easy, but I don’t like “outsiders” turning it into an absolute and I don’t want my dear friend thinking it is a statement to wear on a t-shirt.

What’s hard and what is a temporary inconvenience are two separate things.

It’s hard to live in a house where your significant other might wake you up at 3am screaming at you in a drunken rage. It’s hard to explain to family why he took the air out of your tires so you can’t go to their gathering because he didn’t feel like it. It’s hard dropping out of college because he’s jealous you’ll get smarter, or berate you for reading too much on ‘his time”. It’s hard to watch your kids cower. It’s hard to watch your kids start to hate him. It’s hard to wonder when your kids will start losing respect for you for living like that, or feeling like you deserve to have your respect lost.

It’s temporarily inconvenient to get called out of work for a sick kid. But it’s worth it. It’s temporarily inconvenient to have to work two jobs to pay those bills and buy new cleats. But it’s worth it. And sometimes, it’s temporarily inconvenient to not have a “plus one” for weddings and football banquets…but that’s worth it, too. Going two days without electricity, although VERY temporarily inconvenient, is still better than going two years without leaving the house. I’d rather do it all alone and prove to be a positive role model, than half-ass it with someone in public who hours before hid my car keys and check book so I wouldn’t waste his money on milk.

And that’s what I told her. Reminded her of, anyway. I shared every temporary inconvenience I could think of, but reminded her how proud she would feel and how her kids would feel as she tackled each one. She remembered. It took a second, but she remembered. She remembered what it was like to sit on the couch after the end of a long day and just watch cartoons with the kids uninterrupted. What it’s like going to the grocery store, taking your time because no one is going to be pissed at you for it, or blow up your phone. The exhilaration of coming off of a car problem scare because you Googled it and fixed it your damn self. Followed by the upstairs bathroom shower. Then the closet door. AND installed the air conditioner like a boss. Since the gas bill is due, you picked up that extra Saturday morning shift and you paid it. You didn’t need to rely on, or ask timidly, or beg for it from the Mister. You got dressed, and you worked it, and work paid you, and you paid the bill.

Then took a three hour nap. Obviously.

ABC Kids Expo 2013

At this year’s ABC Kids Show we were amazed at how many people approached us and said, “I’m glad to see you guys are still around.” While, I guess, this could be taken as a backhanded compliment, it wasn’t.  Those comments were truly intended as congratulatory remarks to be worn like medals of honor on our Mod Mom sleeves.   Honestly, we are really glad to still be around too and we wear these medals proudly. 

As you can imagine, it has been a tough few years surviving in this economy.  But, for us it’s always been a formula about slow and organic growth, not because we particularly wanted to (who doesn’t want to get rich quick?), but because we had to.  To this day Mod Mom is still a company that relies heavily on “Mod Mom” herself and countless heart-centered family members and volunteers that give-a-way their time and energy because they want to see that she succeeds and that the brand has real staying power.  For my family, Mod Mom has become our nest egg and perhaps a legacy and brand we leave to our children (but, only if they want it!).  It’s a true labor of love.    
  
Now, back to the ABC Kids Show…

The truth is a lot of the companies that attended this year’s show and spent tens of thousands of dollars will not be around for the next show, and not because they don’t want to.  They will be out of business.  It can be very expensive to stay top-of-mind in an industry and arena where marketing and show budgets for some companies are in the millions, and that’s just brand marketing.  The fees and costs its takes to even be allowed on a convention floor this size is staggering.  Don’t even get me started on druage fees!  Outside of Kiersten’s heart and those that support and surround her, I think the real reasons Mod Mom continues to stay in business is because 1) we still operate on a shoe string budget despite the overall brand value and footprint Mod Mom has created.  Honestly, the word “budget” even makes it sound bigger than it is. And, 2) we have a dynamic support team that never ceases to amaze us. 

No story conveys this better, than our participation in this year’s ABC Kids Show.   We start with the actual booth.   Kiersten’s dad, Barry, took 4 days driving across the country in a rented U-Haul cargo van to deliver our booth to us in AZ.  It had been sitting in a storage unit in Ohio since 2011. Barry built it for Kiersten for the first ABC Kids Show we ever attended in Louisville.  It’s a booth that our business partner, Kate Hatch, designed.  Barry built this 10 X10 booth in his garage out of plywood and lumber.  He built it to be broken down and put up with limited help and assistance.  And, every time it gets built, it gets a fresh coat of orange paint.   Upon arrival to AZ, we packed up the remaining space in the van with Mod Mom sample toy boxes and show booth essentials.  These essential included three of our kitchen chairs, our sofa table desk, computer printer, computer monitor, and 6 bottles of wine from our liquor cabinet.

After the van was packed and show-ready, we drove the remainder of the way to Las Vegas.  We stayed in a time-share unit off the strip that one of our partners was kind enough to donate to our cause.  The next day, when we arrived at the convention center loading docks, (and, despite having made several preliminary calls to understand all of the unloading regulations and union policies) we still had to pray, negotiate, and “politic” our way onto the trade show floor using only the $50 cart service and avoiding any and all druage fees.  We managed to use only 3 cart loads (for those of you playing at home, that is $150 total) compared to the low-end druage fee cost of $2,000 (paid by a trade show booth neighbor) to just get their crate from the convention center loading door to their designated spot on the floor. 

Once all of our materials were off of the carts and placed in our spot, our team of 5 (all volunteers and equity holders) began the booth assembly process.  It took over 3 hours of assembly and staging, but once it was all together it rivaled that of booths costing in the 10’s of thousands. 

At the end of every day, we would arrive back at our timeshare condo to find that our friend Jen had our cocktails poured, appetizers set, and a dinner on the stove that would put many restaurants on the Vegas strip to shame.  Despite how tired we all were, we never stopped laughing.  Each night we provided our own Vegas entertainment including some of the finest temporarily-tattooed Roger Rabbit dancers ever assembled. 
          
So, when people say they are glad to see Mod Mom is still around, make no mistake we know why.  Our longevity is truly because of our support team.  They are the reason we can manage to still hang our snazzy “storefront shingle.”  But, also know that the shiny snazzy shingle is made of found wood, borrowed cardboard, recycled paint, and lots of sweat equity from our supportive and loving team.       

--- Scott Hathcock

HOW TO VIDEO: No More Boring Black Photo Frames!

No more boring, black photo frames!  

In this tutorial, you will see how you can really brighten up a room by applying gorgeous, vibrant finishes to plain wood frames.  We used Cabot Premium Wood Finish in a variety of colors to match the cool mod look going on in a bedroom for two very cool kids! 

STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS:

Check out the new Cabot Premium Wood Finish here: http://www.cabotstain.com/products/pr... or exclusively at Lowe's stores and http://www.lowes.com

We've joined up with Cabot Premium Woodcare and woodworking expert Kiersten Hathcock from www.modmomfurniture.com to show you how to bring your walls to life with customized picture frames.

WHAT YOU'LL NEED:

Frames
Tarp
Cabot Premium Wood Finish in Citrus, Stormy Teal, Mosaic Blue, Olive Branch and Clothespins
Paint Brushes
Sand Paper (very fine or 300+ grit)
Rag
Water to wash brushes

STEPS:

• Buy unfinished wood frames online or from a local store. When creating photo collages, it's great to use and odd number of frames like 5. 
• Remove the glass and set aside.

• Lay each frame out on a covered workspace and make sure the frames are ready for finishing. If rough, they will need a little sanding first. If not, you're ready to go.
• Apply your choice(s) of Cabot Premium Wood Finish to each frame using long, smooth brush strokes. Each frame can be finished using a different color, if you choose.
• Let the finish dry for approximately 2 hours.
• Lightly sand the frames using very fine sand paper and wipe clean.
• Apply a second coat (or more if you would like a richer color) and allow to dry.
• Insert the glass back into the frames and place your favorite photos in your newly finished frames.
• Hang photos in an interesting layout and you have a beautiful, custom collage that is tailor made for your home!

For a list of all the cool finish colors from which to choose, go to http://www.cabotstain.com/colors-and-finishes/families/Premium-Wood-Finish-Colors.html.  

#Sponsored

Transform a Traditional Coffee Table into a Mid-Century Modern Masterpiece! - Sponsored Post

Check out what this Mod Mom was doing in LA a few weeks ago with my friends at Cabot Woodcare and Kin Community!  We took a traditional coffee table and made it into a mid-century modern gem! 

I had the pleasure of using Cabot Premium Wood Finish -- in Maple tint -- and was so happy with not only the rich color, but how simple it was to apply.  The color and the protective polyurethane are all in one so you don't have to apply the stain first then apply the protective finish.   Best of all, there's no harsh smell.  I've used my fair share of smelly finishes and this is not one of them!  

 

INSTRUCTIONS

Materials:

Coffee Table (one you have hanging around your home, or one you can pick up for a steal at a thrift shop/garage sale, or a pre-cut piece of wood at your local hardware store)

Cabot Interior Premium Wood Finish in a Clear Base, tinted to 'Maple'
Tarp
Paint Brushes
Sand Paper (very fine or 300+ grit) and rag
Water to wash brushes
Electric Drill
16" Hairpin Legs (widely available online by searching hairpin legs)
Screws

Steps by Step Process:

1. Use a coffee table you have around the house, or one that maybe you've found at the thrift store. If it is not bare wood, you will need to sand the existing finish down to the bare wood before you start. (Alt: Buy pre-cut wood from a home improvement store for the table top if you don't have a coffee table you'd like to transform within reach.)

2. Remove the base of the old coffee table from the top and set the base aside (Or use it as a workbench for the next step)

3. Using your choice of Cabot Premium Wood Finish, apply the finish to the top of the coffee table with a brush using long, even brush strokes moving from one end of the table to the other. Do not use a cloth to apply.

4. Wait roughly two hours for the first coat of finish to dry. When it's dry to the touch, use a very fine sandpaper and go over the table top running the paper WITH the grain of the wood.

5. Use a cloth to wipe away residue/dust left over from sanding.

6. Add a second coat to ensure the table's finish is smooth, rich, and protected. If the color isn't deep enough, you can apply additional coats until you get to the color you desire. Allow to dry again.

7. When the table top is dry, flip it over so you're looking at the underside of the table top and install your hairpin legs using wood screws.

8. After the legs are installed, flip the table right side up, inspect whether or not there are any spots that are rough. Again, use a very fine sandpaper to lightly go over those spots and test to feel if the table top is as smooth as you would like it to be. Wipe off dust and apply wood polish. You now have a gorgeous new, mid-century, modern-style coffee table.

FTC Disclaimer: This is a sponsored video although the ideas and projects are our own. Thanks for watching!

For a list of all the cool finish colors from which to choose, go to http://www.cabotstain.com/colors-and-finishes/families/Premium-Wood-Finish-Colors.html.  

#Sponsored

 

30% OFF Owyn and Maude Toy Boxes THIS WEEK ONLY! 8/16-8/23

Owyn Toy Box regularly $450 -
ON SALE for $315 until Next Friday!

Maude Toy Box/Book Cubby regularly $450 -
ON SALE FOR $315 until 8/23!!

Happy End of Summer all you lovely parents out there!!  As usual, we were ALL ready for school to start when it did.  And to celebrate, we decided to have a 30% off sale on Owyn Toy Box and Maude Toy Box.  Stash all those new things they are bringing home from school/preschool in these gorgeous, handmade storage pieces.

TO get the discount, simply go to the links below and purchase.  No code needed!  I just changed the pricing on both the Owyn and Maude to reflect the discount.

Here are so quick links to get you there super fast!

Owyn:  http://www.modmomfurniture.com/naturally/owyn-toy-box.html
Regularly $450, on sale NOW for $315

Maude:  http://www.modmomfurniture.com/naturally/the-maude-toy-box-with-book-cubby.html
Regularly $450, on sale NOW for $315

Also, keep an eye out for two new toy boxes debuting on MMF.com only in the coming days!  The AJ TOY BOX and JUST PLAIN SQUARE are our first "ready to assemble" designs MMF which will sell for less than our heirloom items!  We have always wanted to sell our furniture at reasonable prices but our commitment to manufacturing in the US makes it very hard to compete pricing from  those manufacturing overseas.  But we figured out a way to manufacture ready-to-assemble, eco-friendly furniture right here in the USA at prices that are more moderate.  You put them together at home and reap the benefits of lower pricing!!

Those items will only be available on MMF.com in order to keep the retail price as low as possible.

In the meantime, snap up an Owyn or Maude at a VERY discounted price and know you're not only buying an heirloom piece for your home, but you're also helping American family businesses grow and thrive!!

And you can even put your kid in the toy box!!  HA!  (That's my cutie pattootie nephew Chase when he was a little tike inside his toy box.)

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Manufacturing In the US

Something struck me today that I want to explain how manufacturing works for furniture in the US.  And how pricing works in general.  We feel so blessed to have the partnership we do with our Amish manufacturer but with that said, it's still just not cheap to manufacture here in the States.  It's why most of your favorite furniture stores produce outside of the US.  I also want to explain how pricing works when you buy an item from a retail store.  It's something I never understood before I started selling my own furniture. I hope it's helpful!

Here's a breakdown costs to produce one toy box:

US-made - range is $110-$150 per toy box
Outside of the US (China, etc)  = range is $30-$50 per toy box.

Now, when you manufacturer, you sell to retail stores.  Those retail stores are charged a wholesale price by the manufacturer.  So let's say a toy box costs us $120 to make plus shipping then we have to charge close to double that to make our profit on it.  So we sell the toy box to retail stores for around $220-$240.  Then the retail store does something called "keystoning" where they expect to make double what they paid so they have to charge $440 for a toy box to make $220 on it.  Margins for retail stores are typically 50% otherwise they won't sell your items.

Like I mentioned before, we ADORE our Amish manufacturers.  They do amazing heirloom work that is shipped to you completely assembled (except for screw on legs).  This is not common in our market.  Most toy boxes are manufactured RTA (Ready to Assemble) so you have some work to do when it hits your doorstep. 

While we believe wholeheartedly in our products and their "grow with your child/heirloom quality," we also understand that those price-points are unattainable for some. We are working on creating a new line of furniture that will be ready to assemble so it will ship flat-packed and therefore we can lower the pricing a bit.   This way, you have the mod mom look and style but have the option to purchase designs that are RTA at a lower cost. They will still be made in the USA using eco-friendly products but because you put them together and they ship in smaller boxes, we can offer more affordable options.

I hope this helps to make clear what I truly didn't understand until I went into business selling goods.  We're working our little tails off over here to expand our lines and provide several different pricepoint options. We are so thankful you have supported us since 2007 and are truly excited to share what else we have up our sleeve in the coming months!!

Facebook Fan 20% off Sale - Now through Tuesday, May 28th!

We've had so much support since day one.  And we feel the love every day on Facebook.  THANK YOU!!

Check out our Facebook Page at:  www.facebook.com/modmomfurniture for lots of FB sales and inside scoop.

A BIG "Honey Do" List

If you've been hanging around www.modmomfurniture.com lately, you'll notice some changes!  And BOY are we excited! We've been talking about the new collections, the new partnerships, and the new web design for a little while but I haven't talked that much about the people behind all of it.  And without the people, there is no expansion.

Today, I want to feature my husband, Scott, our VP of Business Development and Design. 

I learned this past year that trying to expand without a lot of help was insane and practically impossible.  I was still drowning in the day-to-day MMF work that has to be done to keep the business running.  Enter my insanely creative husband.  As "luck" would have it this past year, he had more time to devote to helping me with the business than ever before in marriage.  That is, when he's not doing his own contract work with international tech companies.   And lucky for me, he still has time.

Scott is a one of those creative genius types you kinda wanna punch just a tiny bit.  He can draw, sing, paint, act, design, and write.  In fact, it was a bit of a shock to both of us when I started designing and building furniture because he's always been known as the more artistic one of the two of us.  I can sketch like an 5th grader where as he can sketch and it looks amazing.  I would always ask his opinions about new toy boxes emerging from my garage workshop and he would agree or disagree and then I would do it my way.  Ha!  He even helped me design the Bertie Toy Box one summer while he was in between corporate jobs. Over the past six months, he's helped to design new pieces like the Wes Rocker, worked to create partnership opportunities with other very talented artists, helped retool current items, and the list goes on and on.  I really can't imagine doing this without him!  Funny, because when I was building all of them myself for the first four years, we kept it very separate.  Mod Mom was mine.  He had his stuff.  It worked for both of us back then but recently we've been guided to put our heads together and I'm so happy we are doing just that.
And we haven't killed each other yet!!  (Married couples will really understand that, especially those who work together.)


 Big thanks to Scott for all he does every single day to make Mod Mom what we know it can be.  Turns out Mod Dad and Mod Mom work quite well together.  I'm a quick learner...it only took me 5 years to figure that out!

Next post...our VP of Operations, Barry Parsons and Samantha Cobos, our Director of Textile Design!

How I got on Shark Tank! Pre-Production Video Submission Included!

I've been hearing that Shark Tank is casting now and wanted to share the video I had to submit after getting through the initial vetting by Shark Tank producers.  I also wanted to share a little about my experience going through the casting process in hopes, if you're looking to apply, it might help you!

I can't believe that I filmed Shark Tank back in 2010!!  I'm like one of the Shark Tank grandmas now!  Back then, I was fortunate enough to be able to look to Season One folks like Lori Lite from Stress Free Kids and Michelle from Send A Ball for tips on even just getting past the the first round of cuts.  I studied their pitches and hoped so much I would a. make it to filming and b. not fall on my face during filming!

After the initial question and answer session with a producer they asked if I would put together a video submission that answered many questions.  So I took a shower, put on my go-to dress with jeans under it.  Remember when that was popular?  And I nervously did the best I could to answer ALL of the questions they wanted me to cover.  My husband was the camera man and my dirty garage was the backdrop.  You can see the finished product below. :) Thankfully, this video and a VERY long questionaire got me into the finals where producers asked roughly 40+ entrepreneurs to come to LA to film their pitches.  I think, that season, only roughly 25 of us who filmed actually saw our pitches air on ABC.  I think back then, roughly 20,000 people submitted initial applications online or through casting calls.  Then it gets whittled down and whittled down some more.

To all the folks who have submitted the initial info or visited a casting call, kudos for you for putting yourself out there!! 

My advice for you, if you're going to submit or are going through the process.....

• Believe in yourself and your product.  Be yourself and listen to your intuition regarding every part of the process.  I went into it thinking I could really get some help with funding my company.  So that was focus.  
• Shark Tank is a TV show, so while they're looking for good products and entrepreneurs, they are looking for a good story that will play well on TV.   Remember this when you're speaking with producers.  Hardship, underdog stories make for great TV.  There was no faking involved in our hardship story as we were in a tough position with lay offs so again, just be yourself when you tell your story. But know they will play up ever angle that they feel will make good TV. 
• Everyone will give you notes and suggestions.  Go with your gut.  You have one shot in the tank and if you feel uncomfortable with what production would like you to do, say so.  Initially, it was thrown around that I'd wear something ala a white tank top and jeans.  I didn't feel comfortable with that.  The business experience I had is equally as important as the carpentry/design work so I compromised.  I said I'll wear heels and a dress but I'll also wear a tool belt.  
• Practice practice but then give it up to the powers that be.  If you are prepared with your numbers and your pitch is memorized (no notes are allowed in the Tank), then relax and know they are just people, too.  I was much more nervous before the doors swung open than I was when I finally made it out to Sharks to deliver my pitch. 
• Even if things don't go the way you want them to, don't be discouraged.  There are so many opportunities out there and this is just one of them.  And if you do get on Shark Tank but don't get a deal or do get a deal, know that your company just got a 15 minute commercial during prime time.  That is priceless.

Biggest piece of advice is if you feel it in your heart that you want to submit for Shark Tank, do it.  In my life, the stuff I've been most afraid to tackle has always been the most worthwhile.  You just need a few seconds of courage.  Then about an hour of courage in the Tank but regardless, by that point, if you make to filming, you will have lots of support and if you truly believe in what you're doing, it will show no matter what the outcome.

Best of luck!!!

Kiersten

For a look at how it all turned out in the Shark Tank, click  this link! 

Balance

As I sit here on the couch surrounded by file folders full of purchase orders, invoices, sketches, half empty cups of coffee, post it notes and small Snickers wrappers, I am struck yet again by how that whole BALANCE thing we work-from-home parents supposedly have really is bullshit.  I wrote a post about it last year but this year, it feels even more intense.  We are in a constant state of appreciation that we're blessed to be able to work the hours we want, answer to ourselves, our retailers,  and our clients, and take off for vacation when we need/want.  But with that said, we have a very hard time giving ourselves permission to STOP working, looking at the i-Phone, answering emails at all hours and talking about work in bed, God forbid.  It's really hard when you know your livelihood is all on your shoulders.  Balance seems to be what we strive for but in reality, we're just doing the best we can to keep all the balls in the air.  And lately, with increased workloads on both sides, busier kids and homework stacks, those balls are dropping. 

And then you throw in we have no after school care, support, nanny, or outside help and while sure, our kids are in school from 8:30 to 3:00, it sure isn't enough time to properly run an international furniture business.   It's just not.  Not in this age of OMG SHE DIDN'T GET BACK TO ME WITHIN AN HOUR SOMETHING MUST BE WRONG.

I'm guilty of looking at my i-Phone too much and saying "Uh huh" when the kids are talking because I'm not fully listening but rather I am reading a message that has to be returned ASAP.  And I know it's not OK but getting off this insanely fast, no-stop work train is harder than getting off caffeine.

When I think back to when I was in corporate our cell phones were just for phone calls and we couldn't even access our email from outside of our offices, I smile. I'm sure we were very productive yet we allowed ourselves time to be human.  To be engaged more as parents.  And because we worked outside the home, our kiddos were in daycare and preschool getting what they needed from engaged caregivers.

I hope at some point the pendulum swings back and I pledge to do what I can from here on out to make it swing back more in our household.  Well, right after I check this this message/text/FB message/tweet/blinking light.  Oh no.  I'm doomed.  :)