Oregon Vaughns

I’ve been working a lot. One week in December, I logged 96 hours on my new startup project, and another 5 consulting. It hasn’t slowed much, but lately it’s been around 65hrs a week, much of this on business development.

Needless to say, I got sick. With Lily putting her hands in every box, drawer, or other type of container she can find, my immune system wasn’t able to handle it.

In the search to regain health, I’ve decided to try something new and see how it works: work begins at noon and ends at 8:00 pm. I work until late evenings most nights, anyway. So, this won’t be much of a difference. It does however, allow me to spend my mornings going for a bike ride or spending time with the girls.

We’ll see how it works.

If you do – or if you were to – work for yourself at home, what hours do you prefer?

I apologize for being lax in posting on here. It’s not that there’s nothing going on; rather – there’s too much going on!

Stacey and Lily have been super-troopers lately, allowing me to work late nights. You see, I entered a recent competition here in Corvallis, called Startup Weekend. It’s a group of entrepreneurs who gather together at Belle Valle Cellars, and we had a “business blitz” trying to see who could start a new business and get the furthest in two days. I made a pitch, it appealed to an enthusiastic small group of people, and at the end of two days, our team won the competition.

Our business is called SherpaDash and it’s a web software company that looks at how your website is performing, and gives you marketing recommendations to improve its performance.

I’ll spare you too many details, but it’s been exciting and I’ve truly relied on the support of all the family in understanding and time in allowing me to work extra on launching the business. So thanks, everyone.

One exciting element to it is that I will be traveling up to Portland on Wednesday with my team to pitch in front of a bunch of investors, VC’s, and entrepreneurs to get feedback and possibly win $15k in business services.

I’ll keep you posted, and thanks again to all of you who have supported us this last week.

It’s only been two days, but we Vaughn’s get around (to the restaurants). Here’s a quick photo journal of my trip to California so far.

Chelsea took me to her favorite Puerto Rican restaurant in San Rafael, Sol Food. We both ordered the Arroz con Picadillo, which was a beef, rice, fried plantain, and beans dish. I really enjoyed trying fried plantain for the first time. It was like a rich, oily chip to scoop up the tasty beef and rice. The limeade was also fantastic, and served in an audaciously large glass jug.

This morning, Chelsea and I went for a jog/walk, the headed out to get lunch at a local-to-Sebastopol café called Peter Lowell’s. Peter Lowell’s is a pescatarian (effectively vegetarian) café, with free wi-fi, and lots of natural sunlight – a big plus. I ordered the fish sandwich, which was Ono, served on Sourdough with Lemon Aioli. To drink, I had the french press coffee.

The coffee was smooth and very tasty. The olives on the side of the sandwich were juicy and salty. Unfortunately, the fish was overcooked and dried out. With too-large of a serving of aioli, this left a soggy sandwich and chewy texture. At least the coffee was good. Oh, and the bread. Stacey would have loved the crunch and dough of the bread.

I had a second cup of the coffee, and enjoyed the service of their free wi-fi, for a bit more.

Chelsea and I then walked around downtown Sebastopol (not an overwhelmingly large challenge). One of the more interesting shops that I had to go into was Incredible Records.

Apparently the owner, Jonathan Lipsin has been a part of the music industry for 40 years. A sign in front of the building reads that there is a movie being made about his life and music history, and it will be played in town January 2010.

Chelsea and I got to meet Jonathan. As with any awesome community-driven icon business, the man himself was there running the register. He was very friendly and after learning of our roots in the Mendocino Coast, he recounted his story of living in a commune on the Navarro River. Totally cool.

Inside, there were original drawings by Jim Morrison of the Doors, signed posters by every famous Rock n’ Roller and Blues guitarist over the past 40 years. It was amazing, and a great experience. Jonathan said that he likes to personally think of it as similar to an old-style trading post. You don’t always get what you came in for. The whole is greater than the sum of its parts. I couldn’t agree more. Good luck duplicating this “Record Store” Borders.

This evening, I had the fortune of joining up with Grandpa “T” Terry, who came down from Fort Bragg for the evening, and Lily’s Great-Grandma Lilly. We all went out to eat Chinese Food at Gary Chu’s in Santa Rosa.

Corn and Crab Soup

Grandpa with a dumpling

As you can see, the food and the family has been great. And, I’ve only been here one day.

I miss Stacey and Lily tremendously. I got an upwelling of emotion seeing a mom help her little boy walk across the crosswalk today. I wanted to be with my girls. In fact, this is actually the longest duration that Stacey and I have spent apart in six years – the entire time we’ve been together. But, it helps me feel connected to document and share this trip. So, look forward to more updates throughout the week.

Cheers!

It is not enough to take steps which may some day lead to a goal; each step must be itself a goal and a step likewise. Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

I succeeded in not drinking coffee yesterday. It wasn’t too difficult, as long as I had ibuprofen on-hand (I get real bad caffeine headaches). Today, the goal repeats itself.

Goal: Don’t drink any coffee today.

Confession

In 2004, I was road racing pretty seriously. The collegiate series in the Northwest is pretty competitive, and I was doing well in the Men’s A, Division I group (the toughest).

On the drive home from the omnium in Seattle, I saw a Krispy Kreme donut on the side of the freeway. “I’ve never had one of those,” I exclaimed, ominously, to Stacey. “Well then. We’re just going to have to get you one.” My fate was sealed.

If you know me well, you know that I have a ridiculous sweet tooth. And, a bottomless pit of a stomach, especially when I am in training.

“Kid in a candy store” doesn’t even begin to describe it. More like heroin addict on a poppy farm.

I saw the donuts, glistening under the heat lamps. They were singing to me. “Fa la la, Andy. Come to us, Andy. We are custard filled, jelly filled, sweet as can be, Andy.”

I glided forward, entranced by the hypnotic song of the Krispy Kreme donut line. “I want all of them,” I said to the person at the counter. “Umm. Sir, you can’t have all of them. Which ones would you like?”

“How many can I get?” I replied. A small pool of saliva had accumulated around the base of my sweating hands on the counter.

“Would you like a dozen?” The now-scared teen asked, hoping I didn’t hit maul for being so presumptious.

“Yes. I want that.”

A “Baker’s Dozen” assorted donuts

1. Bavarian
2. Bear Claw
3. Chocolate Cake
4. Chocolate Bar
5. Cinnamon Swirl
6. Creme
7. Custard
8. Custard-Filled Maple Bar
9. Glazed
10. Lemon Jelly
11. Maple Bar
12. Maple Donut
14. Original

I took my new friends back to the car, offended that they ever had to spend time with that mean kid. I promised to treat them better.

On the drive home, I did treat my friends better. In the four hours between Seattle and Portland, I assimilated all thirteen of them.

(Originally published on Mtnracer)

Brinner: Slang. (Breakfast + Dinner). Usually denotes breakfast foods (pancakes, eggs, waffles) served at Dinner time.

Photo courtesy of Trimilique

Stacey was the perfect wife and mom tonight. She was frugal at Fred Meyer (you can be proud, Wanda), requesting that I put back the Columbia Gorge smoothie ($2.99). Instead, she offered to make me smoothies and pancakes for dinner. I sighed, thinking this was just going to cause additional dishes. After sharing this thought, she said, “Don’t worry, honey. I’ll make dinner and do the dishes.” WOAH!#$@ I was blown out of the water. All I could do was say yes, and not ask this beautiful alien what she did with my real Stacey (just kidding).

Anyway, I love you honey. Thank for Brinner. It was great. Lily and I both thoroughly enjoyed your concoctions.

Tonight, I told Lily that watching her suck smoothie through a straw was one of my favorite things to watch. While that’s definitely true, it’s probably the ratio between (lack-of) significance and (acute) enjoyment that makes it so wonderful.

Thanks, Lily. You are beautiful.

While I was saran wrapping the leftovers from dinner tonight, the wrapping accidentally caught onto the fly paper on the counter. I tried ripping it off, but sticky meets sticky and we’ve got a problem. So, I ripped the saran wrap and ended up getting my hand caught to the fly paper. My wrist untangled, I exclaimed “yuck” as I wiped flies off my forearm and palm.

A few updates

Speakermouse’s hair is lightening up greatly in this Summer sun – it is almost blonde.

It’s a bit funny to Stacey and I, now that Lily also expresses frustration. She makes this intense face, grips her fists into tiny balls, and lets out a growl. We try to not laugh, but the cuteness of it overwhelms us.

Today I was making faces at her from the stairway, hiding beneath the banister, and popping out with a face. She kept giving this growling yelp that is only enhanced by her tiny sore throat. (oh yeah, I forgot to mention that both Stacey and Lily seem to be coming down with a sore throat; what the heck!? Isn’t it Summer, girls?)

Stacey brushed Lily’s teeth last night. Lily kept trying to suck on the toothbrush, but it appeared to be a relatively successful attempt.

This morning, I got out some pureed mangos for Lily to eat for breakfast. After about halfway through the container, she decided that she wanted to play “Mango Catapult.” She grabbed the spoon, right before I fed it to her, and flung the saucy mango all over her clothes, hair, and legs, and my shirt, pants, and arms. Now I know how Nana achieved this saucy picture.

I received some awesome gifts for my birthday: a great chess book I had been wanting for about nine years, some gift cards to Peak sports (in preparation for the High Cascades 100 race), a set of FSA cranks and handlebar tape for my road bike, a full family-sized tent, movie money, some spending dough, tamarind, chocolate cookies, and I’m probably forgetting others, but it was all fantastic. I most-definitely look forward to our first family camping trip, and surviving the upcoming race. Thank you, all.

It’s time for me to go wake my girls. But, that’s just it – I have to wake them, and I love to let them sleep. Stacey often doesn’t get many uninterrupted hours of sleep, and Lily is still a growing girl.

So, do I continue to sit here quietly typing away on the keyboard downstairs, hoping the rays of sunshine poking under the curtains will be what tickles them up from deep slumber. Or, do I go up there like a mean ogre and say, “Hey, my womens! Come get food. Me love you. Wake up.”?

Eleven days ago I founded Andy Vaughn Consulting, LLC. Online, I was able to register my business name, pay for a year’s membership with the Corvallis Chamber of Commerce, and contact all my old clients. Hunky dorey.

I purchased a P.O. box, inquired about starting a new business account with my old employer CU, and spent over 50 hours doing a rebranding and redesign for my business/blog. Holy crap.

It’s easy to forget how much time is spent administering a small business. Face-time networking, selling, creating/maintaining accounts, etc. Actually finding time to code and design is a luxury – let alone spend time with my two beautiful girls.

Solution

Scheduling. I’ve found it to be imperitive to our familial-success by keeping a schedule. By letting Stacey know when I plan to workout in the mornings (before she and Lily wake), when I plan to stop working (this is harder than it sounds), she and Lily are able to hold me accountable and trust me to still be a good dad.

I haven’t been perfect. I think we’ve been successful, though.

After all, the main reason for working is to support those that you love, right?

Looking forward

I look forward to taking Lily swimming again. Hopefully this weekend.

Tonight, Stacey and I are getting the VIP treatment at the Corvallis Knights’ game, and I’m being presented in front of the Chamber (*grrr* too bad my website is still down).

I’ll keep you updated on the success of the new business, and let you know of any pitfalls to watch-out for (don’t use 1and1.com website domains).

Update: Since andyvaughn.com is currently in-transfer, I have put up my new business site at: andyvaughn.net. Cheers!