The Man Who Sold Hot Dogs
There was a man who lived by the side of the road and sold hot dogs. He was hard of hearing so he had no radio. He had trouble with his eyes so he read no newspapers. But he sold good hot dogs.
He put up signs on the highway telling how good they were. He stood on the side of the road and cried; “buy a hot dog, mister?”
And people bought.
He increased his meat and bun orders. He bought a bigger stove to take care of his trade. He finally got his son home from college to help him out.
But then something happened.
His son said, “Father, haven’t you been listening to the radio? Haven’t you been reading the newspapers? There’s a big depression. The European situation is terrible. The domestic situation is worse.”
Where upon the father thought, “well, my son’s been to college, he reads the papers and he listens to the radio, and he ought to know.”
So the father cut down on his meat and bun orders, took down his advertising signs, and no longer bothered to stand out on the highway to sell his hot dogs.
And his hot dog sales fell almost overnight.
“You’re right, son” the father said to the boy. “We certainly are in the middle of a great depression.”
Or are we?????
The painters have been staining some fascia in the shop the last couple of days. It stinks in here. As in full-blown-headache-want-to-vomit STINKS. But, I have to work. I had an important conference call today and I can’t let the work pile up around me. So, I have to be here. But, I can’t stand the smell. So, I have the shop doors open and the windows in the office open. Ahhhh, I can breathe.
There’s only one problem. It’s 22 degrees outside. 22 DEGREES. My fingers are freezing. The heater is running almost nonstop in here. It’s COLD. I did finally have to close the window in my office because I couldn’t stand it any longer but the window in the reception area is open. Blech.
I don’t know if I’ve ever shared but I LOVE white trees. I’m not talking snow-laden trees I’m talking frozen, white trees. I love them. White trees were the first thing I remembering seeing that was truly “winter” on my drive up moving here. They are gorgeous. They are peaceful. They make me calm.
Well, this morning we have white trees. I can’t say I always love the weather that comes with white trees but I love the trees. (And, in case you’re wondering a white tree is a tree that all the branches, twigs, and sticks are encased in frost — they’re frozen.)
Lucky for me there aren’t any white trees out my office window. If there were I probably wouldn’t get any work done.
A couple weeks ago a journalist contacted me about an article she was writing for a state-wide business journal here in Idaho. We had a great talk and the article came out yesterday. I’m only one tiny part of it but it’s still pretty exciting for me! 
Here you go: Virtual assistants offer off-site alternative
