Cast your vote - I have compiled a few of the top runner names and would like some feedback. One of my personal humorous favorites was “Marky Marketing” because it reeks of Mark Wahlberg, and nothin’ says good packaging like New Kids On the Block . . . but alas, it did not make the final cut. Here they are, in no particular order - and all would be following by Inc.

Right Angle Marketing
The Market (fresh ideas for . . . )
Bueno Consulting
Bueno Insight

Let me know what you like or don’t like.

Lily’s fine - she’s got a bump on her lip where she had a run-in with a step stool. We spent the weekend roaming up and down the stairs, helping mom and dad hang some pictures and a new foyer light, and trying new foods out on Lily. Still not walking, but thinking about it more and more. She definitely wants to walk, she just isn’t sure she needs to. Risa thinks we should hide the cart. I may do that. Lily REALLY loves Delilah and always wants to lay on her, and hug her. It’s too bad that Delilah does not feel that same overwhelming love of Lily, but at least she doesn’t try to bite her. The worst she does is show Lily her teeth. Right now they are having a one-sided love fest in the corner.

Still not caught up on work, so I’m off.

While I was working on a weird day, Lily got her toe stuck again at the doctor’s office to determine her iron level. It’s back up in the normal range, so we’re happy that we no longer have to put iron drops in her juice and worry about her teeth being stained or rotting (a bonus side effect from iron). My parents took her which was very nice of them. She recovered from the toe stick and spent the rest of the day actually taking good naps, and tonight being a wild thing with Mike. She’s 18 lbs, 7 ounces now - still about 1 1/2 pounds shy of forward facing in the car seat, but we’re getting there. She’s definitely in a growth spurt and eats like a little piglet, which thrills all of us because she’s not exactly what one would call burly. If only I could give her some of my extra winter warmth . . . alas, I cannot.

In the middle of client hell I was able to go to Curves to workout which helps. I’d forgotten how much working out forces you to calm down - you have no choice because all of your energy is going towards breathing. I’ll keep reading this posting to remind me why I go. Or just look in the mirror. Both work well.

Here’s to the weekend . . .

Oh, here’s a couple of new pictures to enjoy. The first one is of Katie and Lily during the big Mexican Fiesta on her birthday.

This one proves that even the crustiest of the curmudgeons can be swayed by the power of a badly behaved, underwear-eating, inner-nose-licking, rooting-under-the-covers, football sized dog:

Just a couple humorous things to note:

Lily loves this book called “I Spy”. Lisa gave it to her for Christmas. There is a page in the book with a picture of a frog on it (and not a cartoon frog, either - just a picture of a plastic frog toy). She thinks it’s HILARIOUS, for whatever reason, and points at it, flaps her arms and giggles. We have no idea why she thinks it’s funny, unless the frog’s jolly demeanor reminds her of her father.

Today, one of the most annoying gifts she got for Christmas (thank you Laura Posey’s mom) got stuck between the back seat and the door. So, the entire way downtown, I got to listen to “A! A! A! A!” and Frere Jacque playing. AYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY! Lily loves the toy, however, so I can’t really be upset about it. Risa will also burn in hell for providing Lily with the Talking Elmo cell phone, which sings, “ELMO’S WORLD, ELMO’S WORLD, LALA LA LAH!” over and over again when you open it. When she hangs up, it says “Thanks for calling” and emits the most obnoxious giggling sound I’ve ever heard. It makes the hair on my arms stand up. If it wasn’t so bizarre it would border on creepy. WHO THINKS UP THIS CRAP? She loves it, she loves it, and it’s saved me many a time in the car. Suck it up! Could be worse, she could love Barney.

Well, it really has nothing to do with Lily, but I’m hosting it on her blog. She doesn’t mind (yet).

Yes folks, it’s time I became legit. One of my new year’s resolutions was to get my proverbial sh. . . I mean, act together - for my business (I also made a resolution not to swear). I purchased Quickbooks, I bought a legal copy of Microsoft Office 2003 (which rules, by the way - worth the $299 upgrade charge), and bought a new Corex CardScan 600C (USB) so that I can get my database maintenance to an even faster level of lightspeed than I ever thought possible. Which leads me to the contest.

The last year I spent my time worrying about clients, and getting paid - not about naming my business, checking accounts, or accounting for my invoices. At the end of Year 1 I am happy to say I am in the black. There is no BMW in my future, but it’s all good. That being said, I NEED A NAME FOR THE BUSINESS.

Julie held a contest when she was naming her stained glass company and she got some great submissions. I thought I’d take the cue from her and pose it to you, O Blog Reader. What do you think a cool and clever (and hip) marketing name would be? Preferably something that would lend well to a graphical representation? For example, UPS showed us all that Brown can be memorable - they had to find a way to justify the hideous color of their vans.

Some of the names that have been tossed around are: Plan B Marketing, Think Inc. (can’t use that one, it’s taken), Bueno Marketing. I do marketing consulting for small business for those of you who don’t know. I love my last name but boy is it a mouthful.

So, if you have any great ideas for a business name, please post them in the comments section of this blog! I will select a winner after a couple of weeks (or as soon as I can get more than 1 or 2 submission) and treat the lucky winner to dinner, or if they prefer another’s company more than my own (shocking, but true), a gift certificate.

Help me achieve my first resolution . . . I’ve accepted that I am great at coming up with slogans for everyone but myself.

Just a quick note tonight - it’s 10 PM and I just finished up working. Mike and I started lifting weights again and my arms feel like gelatin. At least now they look and feel the same way! You’d think with all the lifting I do of Ms. Lily, they’d be stronger.

We spent the day at Grammaw’s and Grandpa’s house - Lily spent her time crawling up and down the stairs, and up and down the aluminum step ladder. She also gorged herself on Gram’s home cookin’ - roasted chicken, green beans, potatoes, and some carrots. She was shoving them in, double fisted. Apparently my cooking is less than desirable. Did I mention the peaches? She ate those, too. I’m glad - maybe she’ll hit 20 pounds before her 2nd birthday and she can finally go forward-facing in her car seat. She got some good practice walking today as well since I didn’t bring her cart and in order for her to motor around she either had to crawl, cruise, or climb.

Lily made googly-eyes at the restaurant tonight - there was a table full of kids with their parents. It kept her entertained. I was entertained by the very large woman, who was very Southern. She must have ordered some sort of queso dip. It came out and it was spinach dip. She told the waitress she had brought the wrong thing, and then said, “But kin I taste that there dip?” The waitress just nodded mutely. She dug in, then passed the plate around to her family, telling them to “Taste it!”. The waitress held her hand out for the plate, and the woman said, “Do yer have to take it? It’s yer mistake, cain’t we keep it and eat it?” The waitress just said no again and tried leaving for the kitchen. Apparently the woman felt she could just continue to eat whatever was ordered incorrectly - perhaps she’d be visiting the dumpster for an after-dinner aperitif. I was really almost open-mouthed about the whole experience - and felt very sorry for the waitress. But what do you expect when you’re dining out on Hull Street on a Monday night . . . at least her daughter kept Lily entertained. Her son had on a large t-shirt with a painting of Jesus, nailed and bloody, to the cross. He liked Lily too and she liked looking at his dangly cross earring. Ah, I love the south.