Thursday 29 May 2008

Parcels of loveliness!
There've been a couple of great deliveries here at Schloss Zed.First to arrive was my set of mini-moo cards (above, and click on it for a bigger image) — these are perfect little calling cards, about half the size of boring, formal old-style business cards, and ideal for someone like me who doesn't have a business (sort of) but would like something to give all the people I meet so they don't have to scribble my phone number or email address down on an old napkin, or the back of one of their own cards.
These were made by the clever people and robots and software at moo.com from my very own photographs (and an odd one by Will and Simon here and there) uploaded on to flickr. I did it all in about half an hour on my computer screen, in three or four really easy, foolpoof steps. They arrived in their own little plastic box (top right), a hundred of them, beautifully printed in full glorious colour on good-quality stock, with my contact details on the back.
I also ordered the white card-holder you see on the top left of the pic, which fits on my keychain. Neat-oh. Cheap, too —check it out. And quick — I had these in my hands in less than a week, and they came all the way from London.
Dave was so impressed that he's ordered some himself. Will too. We reckon this is a little company going really, really far in a big way.

:: The second parcel contained this:
It's another book for me to read and review, this time Shirley Weller's biographical Girls Like Us (Atria Books), which is all about Carole King, Joni Mitchell and Carly Simon and their lives and careers, with emphasis on the 'stormy times of the '60s and the early feminist movement'. Looks brilliant!
I'm very fortunate to be receiving these great books, so I think I'll pass them on when I've finished them. If you'd be interested, just let me know. I'll enclose one of my mini-moo cards as a bonus!
:: Got to get on my bike ... we're pedalling to REM's greatest hits in readiness for tomorrow's big night at the Hollywood Bowl. Yay!
Oh ... and Monday night's Police concert was just plain bloody wonderful. Incredible. Sting looked spunky, beard, tight shirt, Doc Marten's and all. I sang my little heart out ... and did the time-diff sums and thought of you all in Australia, at noon Tuesday and later in The Eastern States, working away while I was rocking under the Californian night sky, somewhere down near the Mexican border ...

4 comments:

Natalie, the Chickenblogger said...

What a nice offer, and I was thinking the Girls Like Us book looks like an interesting read. Thank you for the comments you've left me... support, encouragement... I need all of it!

Laura Jane said...

Aren't those Moo mini-cards BRILLIANT!!!!

I'm itching for some! Restraint, restraint.

Must. Launch. Etsy. Shop. To Justify. Printing.

Drool.

Jennifer said...

We, too, saw and loved The Police on this current tour, but I really envy you the REM show; haven't seen them live in about a million (or 20?) years. Great stuff. Congrats on how well you are doing with your exercise program. Can you tell us for whom you are writing the book reviews? Have you already said and I missed it? I'd love to hear more. (And I'd love to know why the author chose Carole King and not Judi Collins -- must have been hard to pick the 3?)

Lesley said...

Natalie — it's yours when I'm done!
Laura — get on with that etsy shop.
Jennifer — It all started earlier this year when I got an email from one of the lovely people at the Book Report Network in NY (authorsontheweb.com), asking me if I'd be interested in reviewing books for which they run publicity campaigns.
they have some great writers on their list, and some interesting titles.
I was very surprised, and thrilled, as I'd only done informal reviews to show my mates what I'd been reading. And my blog isn't exactly cerebral, or overwhelmed with visitors!
But they seem happy, and they keep sending me the books, so ... yay!