It was a pretty good week, all things considered. I finally got online purchasing up and working (which you can now see at http://www.academicapparel.com/catalog ). That was a pretty difficult task...much harder than I thought it would be when I started the project. The number of variables necessary to list each product properly was well beyond what I imagined originally, and I now have a pretty good knowledge of how much each product we carry weighs, it's price, the colors it comes in, the variables involved in measurements for each clothing item, the various styles we offer, how different schools vary based on the school colors and discipline colors of their hoods, etc...what a pain in the butt.

But it's done now, and that is something to be proud of. At last check, we were getting about 1.5 orders per day through the online purchasing system. That's about 10 phone calls and confirmation letters and invoices and packing slips we do not have to deal with each week anymore.

The only actually overly-difficult day was Friday, when I had 5 people asking me to do something for them simultaneously (not that day, or that hour, but that very moment 5 voices all at once, right next to me, all with must-have-immediately tones). For some reason people think that when I say I have 5 things to do at once their natural instinct is to assme that is just the expression one uses when they are very busy. Nobody seemed to actually take it literally, as it was meant.

Anyway, week is over, and the weekend has been quite fine. Jason had his bachelor party at Noah's house, and that was a blast. We grilled veggies, and grilling cheese (which is not in fact self-grilling cheese, as Jason mistook it). We had a platter of various cheeses as well, and excellent pizza Todd W. brought down from Berkeley. We had wine and drinks, fudge cake and ice cream, and various and sundry other nice edibles. The day also included a good swim in the heated pool, and several games including Seafarers of Catan and Magic the Gathering and Blink. Most of all, we had some really good conversations about science and mythology and horror writers and the potential changes to Jason's relationship after marriage. It was a great time.

And Matt B. might even come out and join us for a one-full-day D&D game in a couple of months, after Lucas is a bit older. That would be fan-friggen-tastic if it happens. I miss Matt, and it was really nice to see him again.

Melody seems to have enjoyed Jessica's bachelorette party as well, though it was slightly less food-tastic.

Today Melody and I joined Laura and Randy for brunch at Marmalade Cafe (which was pretty good) and the movie Madigascar, which was just okay. I liked it more than Melody I think, and L & R liked it more than me.

A bit of frustration with trying to print pictures for our wedding Thank You letters, and then more frustration in trying to set up the wireless modem for the laptop computer L & R lent us, and I'm calling it a tired evening. Tomorrow is Memorial Day with them, and hopefully Chris & Shannon. Should be fun.