Get out there, Girl Scouts!

I really want to post this on Facebook but I'm too scared of offending people so I will say it here, where the audience is much smaller:

"Even if social media had been around when I was a Girl Scout, I'm pretty sure my parents would not have used it to sell my Girl Scout cookies."

But they should know--these people who peddle cookies for their daughters--that I am a loyal customer. And they are losing my business by using these avenues for increased cookie sales. I am firm on this: I will ONLY buy Girl Scout cookies from Girl Scouts. I want 'em straight from the source.

No moms.
No dads.
No grandparents.
No pets.
No internet sales.

If they want my business (and I'm good for AT LEAST ten boxes) then they've got to pound the pavement. That's what I did. And I didn't even have any chaperones. I went all by myself to neighbors I knew and you know how much I sold? A lot. A lot of damn cookies. I had to use some skills: "Oh,
you're on a diet? Why don't you try our Trefoils?

"Yes, the cookies do seem expensive at $2 a box but they are only available for a limited time AND I don't collect the money until I deliver them."

"Worried you're going to eat all the thin mints at once? You can freeze them!"

I learned tons about selling, marketing and talking to people FACE to FACE. My face to their face not my parents' faces to their FACEbook accounts.

 I understand that these days little girls can't go around and knock on doors by themselves. That's fine. They can bring their parents with them but the grown-ups need to hang back and let the Girl Scout do the work.

I just had one come to my door the other day. She was an older GS at 14--good for her! She's a pro. I bought four boxes from her. I've learned not to put all my eggs in one basket because other worthy scouts may come to my door later. Plus, we like to pick up a couple at the grocery store tables next month.

Parents who sell their kids' cookies may think they are doing a noble thing because ultimately, it's more money for the Girl Scouts. But really, you're doing your daughters a disservice. If you're selling their cookies for them, what else are you doing? Their homework? Their college applications? Their JOB applications?

Get outta the way and leave the cookie sales to the girls in green.

Belated Santa

When Christmas is over, I'm over it. My decorations are down; I've washed my hands of it. I've moved on to January--the month where I celebrate getting another year older and judge people whose decorations stay up past January 6th.

But then I remembered (or Frank remembered) that we never saw the official Santa pics from early December. We just had our lame phone shots. So I emailed the right people and got 'em. And they are just too cute not to share, even if it is WELL past Christmas now.

And Santa brought them everything they asked for--a Star Wars Lego Christmas Calendar for Leo (which Santa interpreted as a Star Wars Lego set and a Star Wars daily calendar) and a "knight with a monster to go with it" for Gus. He even got Gus the food he asked for--Goldfish in his stocking!