so it's happening ....

Looks like we've got agreement on a new place where the eight of us can work together. Definitely bigger, and as per usual, a bit off the wall (who me? never!) but is a lot bigger with much light (the existing place only gets the sun in high summer). London is going to have to wait a few more months.

The new service which accompanies Rocket Print will shortly be in place all ready to service our ever growing client base. It should be fun (business really should be about enjoying yourself, no?) and may make our clients even happier.

Had a shout from an ex-workmate who is soon going back to the Antipodes, asking if I want to nip down to Londinium for the leaving bash.... I'm trying really hard to make that one...or do I want to wake up face down on the pavement at 8 in the morning :) Oh yes!

hmmm...should I ?.....

Well that was really surprising. Fifteen years after laying down my camera, professionally, I suddenly realised how much I'd missed it. Cause of this? This shared exhibition that I'm doing with Jonathon Holt. Though it's not a big deal in the scheme of things, I really enjoyed putting together this one, with completely fresh images, and without being tied to what the Times and Telegraph want to see. However, just as I get back into a bit of fun photography, a large local company wants me to shoot all of their properties for a new brochure. Do I want to do this...I think so, but time will tell.

On the design side of things, I have to go off to London again shortly to see some more clients ..... the opening of a (part-time) studio down there has been discussed and discussed, but now it's time to make the decision.........

ever had that feeling ?

My life is just getting faster and faster. I have a pile of work on my desk that would scare a platoon of workaholics, and just to make life really easy, I'm assembling a small, shared, photographic exhibition which has to be ready for framing in days, not weeks. Add to this the formation of a new company, and I'm having some sleepless nights at the moment.

I'm sure this is supposed to be the quiet time of year for our business........

I'm amazed .......

Well that was an education for me. Here's me, thinking that no one read my blog and it was just an opportunity to get some of the crap out of my head and ....... bingo! I've had a number of responses today from graphic designers and web people. Thanks for your responses, it will take us some time to look through them and get back to you, but we will be in touch.

Re. the 'cyber-squatters', wow! Didn't know there was anyone else out there with similar tales of woe, let alone the many that have been in touch re this particular problem. We'll keep you informed as the legal process progresses. Though it will probably take time it may be of use to you in your battles.

Thanks once again, and if you want to contact me you can at davexmachina@yahoo.co.uk instead of through the various sites at the bottom of the page.

silly tactics for silly people ......

It's been a real, heads-down, flat-out swine of a month. Paradox, both here and in London, is snowed under with work....branding, websites etc...now getting quite scary with our workload (and we're looking for talented designers btw), and Rocket Print has attracted a lot of new clients this month, probably due to our guaranteed service, but, and this is a tiny but, the "cyber-squatting" opposition are not amused .... see www.rocket-print.com ....... How not to win friends and influence people :)
The owners of this website are our ex-suppliers... read the old, old, story here .... who were, like us, late arrivals in the online print market. However, they are under the impression that they were the first. Tell that to the true inovators of this idea ......

For general consumption a) the studio was painted (bright red) by handyman Mark some 5 months ago, and b) we're in the process of moving to bigger premises so that all the parts of the business in Scotland can be together. This should result in some further serious savings for clients, and a new range of products. We're hoping this will be in the next couple of months.......

So ignore the the "We are painting our offices in the Castlegate, probably move in in next couple of weeks" and pop in by for a coffee if you're in the area. If you're one of our international clients, it could be an expensive coffee ... so we apologise in advance :)

You should have seen him Rocket - Print him a ticket now!!!

Ahhh... It's boring ... The 'ethical' ones have struck again ..... Not content with cyber-squatting one of our domain names, they've started the old 'we've been bad-mouthed' routine. Get a grip! The only bad-mouthing has been by these ex-friends against myself and my studio partners. Shockingly poor form. Especially in light of the fact that they tried it on with some of my clients ... unsuccessfully, I might add, as my clients were on the phone immediately to me to tell me about this piece of nonsense.

I've let this whole thing go past me, without response, for over a year, but 2008 is the time for change! I'm starting a legal action against them for cyber-squatting, helped by one of the main government-funded business agencies. Check it out at www.rocket-print.com then look at the original www.rocket-print.co.uk. They're trying to make it look as if we're recommending or commenting on them......sad, yet funny.

In addition to this, they've constantly had a 'potshot' at us in blogs etc.

Wish I had the time to spare, like that... I'd go to the pub and relax for half an hour instead ......

My partner (life, not business) told me not to bother getting worked up, as companies that depend on slagging others off tend to be doing that due to fear, and I suppose, with our cheap prices, that's where it's coming from... just straight fear that we are beating their prices all the time

old faithful

I had one of those days...you know..the type that you run like a fool the whole day and get almost nothing done.

Why? We are currently running 3 businesses in our premises (and 2 outwith) with a very bare minimum of staff (just 5.5 in our studio). One of the services we offer in Rocket-Print is a large format fine art reproduction service for artists using the giclee method.

This was installed a few years ago at the urgent behest of the youngest studio partner who said he would look after it......so of the original four involved in the project, I am the one left running it, and I was the one who didn't particularly want it. Haha..typical !

However, after the oh-so-insistent one, who had so desperately wanted it, had left the studio for yet another venture, I was still left with this expensive bit of kit and a growing client list for it. Solution! tag it onto Rocket-Print as an added service, with a couple of people running it.

But really! I must give off this signal! Every time I'm alone in the studio, with everyone off at lunch or even at 3 in the morning, the phone rings..sucker here picks it up..and behold....it's an artist wanting some work done. Not one of the eccentric, fun, ones, or any of the good friends I have in the local art community .....oh no no...it has to be the semi-depressed, introverted ones. You know..the ones that having a conversation with is like sandpapering your eyeballs ...and STILL i can't get them off the phone '

Today I came up with the solution - 'sorry' says I, ' must go..I'm smelling something really hot here, I think I'm on fire' Would she take the hint? Like hell! This woman kept on asking inane questions about this and about that. I just let nature take it's course, kept muttering 'hmm' in the right places, and eventually the ordeal ended.

My day hadn't though, and with concentration shot to hell, I once more cursed, silently, the ex-designer who had started all this.

Serves me right for not sticking to my guns!