Written on February 8, 1990 [Permalink]

February 5

Two more calls today from sample pak recipients. First was Amy Aki from Okayama. She raved. She wants last year's set, for hanging in her school (a Japanese language school, I think), and also asked if I do commissions. It seems that she wants some kind of a print incorporating their school logo or design somehow. I probably didn't sound too enthusiastic, and she didn't press it, but said that she would try and get her thoughts together and get back to me with more details. She was very friendly. I'm not sure if she will be taking a subscription for the new set.

The other call was a bit stranger. Mr. Mike Lynch, who got a pak last week, called to ask if I would be 'in' tomorrow morning. I mumbled a general assent, and he said that he would call then. He was rather terse, and offered no other comments or feedback. It felt like one of those phone conversations where the person can't talk freely to you, because someone else is within earshot. We'll see tomorrow.

Somehow, in the middle of all this packaging, cardboard cutting, wrapping, photocopying pamphlets, making bills, etc. I got the copies of Dainagon Kinto ready for the current subscribers, did six pages of laser company regulations for Michiyo, and tried to find time to do some work on the Koko Tenno [2-1] hanshita. I'm getting nervous about getting too snowed under with selling the old prints, to keep up with making new ones! This could get to be a big problem. Selling prints - some problem!

February 7

Mr. Lynch called in the morning. He spoke well of the prints that I had sent, and ordered last year's set and a subscription to this year's. He doesn't have the funds right now, so he wants me to send the two year's print concurrently, 2 per month.

A Bob Giles also called today, and I agreed to send samples. Between the shipping and English classes, pasted down the Koko Tenno hanshita. Still no time for carving.

February 8

A call waiting when I got back from the day care. A Mr. Ray Haux, who said he was a print collector (originals) wanted to see the prints. He said he waited so long before calling because he wanted to avoid the 'rush'! (He'll be lucky if there's anything left!). I sent a sample pak in the afternoon.

A letter from Ann Hughes, at the Canadian Academy in Kobe, asking about the prints. She gave her number, so I'll call her tomorrow (too many classes tonight). Mr. McIlhagga also called back. He's the first one of the people who called after reading Jean's column. He raved. He asked for a complete set of last year's, and a subscription to 100. He talked about displaying them in some kind of room in his new 'very large' Australian house.

In the evening, the ladies from the Ozamu English class gave me their 'want list' of prints. I had agreed to give them slightly blemished copies at no cost, in thanks for their support for such a long time. They each asked for two or three of these, and three of the ladies asked for complete last year's sets, for a grand total of 41 prints! (I had offered the sets at half price, not really thinking that they would be interested.)

Michiyo spoke to Seki-san about the upcoming exhibition at Mitsukoshi, wanting to know how many prints, and what kind of packaging he wanted me to supply. He asked for 10 of each (unmounted), and one complete set. Gulp! I don't have 10 of each left, after this week's blast of business. I'll have to give him something less. Actually, that won't be so bad, because all sales done at the event will only net me 50% of the selling price, but orders for subscriptions will come in at the full price. If I run out of stock there, so much the better.

I'm now totally losing count of how many prints have gone out this month, and how many are on order. Everything is carefully notated in my record books, so the business end of things is OK, but I have no clear image in my head of what is happening. The only thing I know for sure, is that I don't have much left in the print drawers (and not one sheet of blank paper in stock!), and that there isn't much carving being done on Koko Tenno!

Oh yes, in the afternoon, did an 18 page 'Company Regulations' for Michiyo, and after the last English class at 11:00, did the weekly bio-technology newspaper translations. Anybody out there know anything about cloning?