Notes from a Goof Proofer

Columbia Credit Union's First "Green" Branch

2008-04-23T20:45:00.000-07:00

I just had chance to check out Columbia Credit Union's new "Green" branch which opened here in Washougal. This flagship branch will set the standard for the company's move towards efficient and sustainable building practices. It's a beautiful building - warm and inviting. Its unique architectural design seems to reflect the natural beauty of the Columbia River.

But enough of the poetical yada yada. It has some cool stuff! For example, it has a rainwater recycling cistern (shouldn't be too hard to fill that). Rainwater collected in this will be used for irrigation and non-potable water systems within the building (okay - the toilets). This will save the branch about 13,000 gallons of water every year! According to this handy brochure which I picked up from their grand opening, this equals a day's worth of drinking water for 27,000 people. Wow, wow, wow...

In the center of the building and very noticeable from the outside, is a large skylight. If there's enough light coming through skylight (hopefully someday soon), the lights within will dim; a handy energy-saving feature.

If you happen to be sitting at the desk of one of the banking staff, take a look at the chair you are sitting on. All guest chairs are made out of woven recycled seat belts. Very clever and comfortable.

There are many other features - too many to list here. I suggest visiting the branch and asking for a tour. The staff is very friendly and very proud of its new building.

Tell them the Goof Proofer from Goof Proof Services, sent you.

Business Networking Poll

2008-04-21T10:22:00.001-07:00

I've just added a poll entitled "What form of business networking works best for you?" to this blog.

Please scroll down to the bottom to participate in this poll.

I Joined My Chamber of Commerce

2008-04-19T15:36:00.000-07:00

It took me some time to decide to join my local chamber of commerce, but I finally did. I'm glad I did. The Camas Washougal Chamber of Commerce is a great group!

I was immediately welcomed and was invited to introduce myself and my business at this month's meeting. They even gave me a plaque, which I proudly display. I was especially pleased with the quality of speakers from the community and greater Vancouver. I am impressed with the range of activities offered by this Chamber - free seminars and after-hour events are just a couple of the many ways in which the Chamber involves the business community.

When I first opened Goof Proof, I ran to all points of Clark County and into Portland, to promote my business. The result - several wonderful personal and business relationships. However, as I got busier (a good thing!) I felt it was time to look closer to home. Now, not only do I save on gas, I'm meeting local business people who share my interest and love of the area in which I live.

My New Project - A Library for Chabad of Clark County

2008-04-11T19:38:00.000-07:00

I can't resist a good book. When the opportunity to create this library presented itself, I was right there - front and center - volunteering to take the lead on this wonderful project.

So I ask you...

What’s better than discovering a really good book on Judaism? I know – it’s having access to a whole library of really good books on Judaism!

Chabad of Clark County is pleased to announce that plans are underway for the Center’s very own Jewish Learning Library – a lending library for the Jewish community.

There are several ways to participate in the building of this library:

Join our committee – help with planning, book search, administration, book conservation, fundraising – the sky’s the limit!

Purchase a book from our Wish List - contact me at shatton@goofproofservices.com for a copy of this list.

Donate your gently-used books. We’re looking for books within, but not limited to the following categories:
Cookery
Family
Holocaust
Current Affairs
Literacy
Spirituality
Sabbath and Holidays
Children

Donate money towards administrative supplies, upkeep and the purchase of new books and shelves.

For more information about this wonderful project or how to donate, contact Stephanie Hatton at 360-798-8672 or Ira Rosen at 503-886-9314.

I Love My New Website!

2008-04-11T19:18:00.000-07:00

I am pleased to announce that my new website, Goof Proof Services, is now live. I am so pleased with this site, that I simply must introduce the mastermind behind the design.

Zak Pine of ZIP Graphics is an amazing person to work with. I simply browsed a few websites, gave him a general idea of the type of design I was thinking of and he came up with a concept that surpassed my expectations.

If you provide the content (or hire Goof Proof to write it for you!), he'll strive to make what you say about your business look professional yet unique amongst your competitors. Not only will he create your basic website, but he'll also maintain your updates for a very reasonable yearly fee. No more messing with restrictive templates that inhibit your creativity and how you wish to present your business. Zak will take care of you for as long as you need him.

Check out his website at ZIP Graphics or send him an email . Tell him Goof Proof sent you!

Free Business Advertising

2008-03-11T12:28:00.000-07:00

Do you want to become one of my favorite businesses and get free advertising as well? Would you like to get your local business "blogged" without having to blog yourself?

If you live in the Portland or Vancouver area - and especially the Camas/Washougal area - give a me a call at 360-798-8672. I'd love to visit your business and learn more about you do and what you offer. I'm all for shopping locally and supporting small businesses.

I promise to write a positive review, highlighting the best aspects of your company and the services you offer.

To learn more about me and what I do, log onto www.goofproofservices.com.

I look forward to meeting you!

Prune Hill Bread & Wine Company, Camas, WA

2008-03-11T12:07:00.000-07:00

I've eaten at this establishment so many times, I think Glenn Sackett, owner of the Prune Hill Bread and Wine Company in Camas, is likely to engrave my name on the back of one of his chairs.

Breakfast, lunch and dinner: I've eaten all three meals at his place (not all on the same day, of course) and have never been disappointed. He offers a lovely selection of wines with some terrific labels - (I buy wine using the cool label factor; however, Glenn will help you choose the perfect wine for your meal - regardless of label).

The place has the feel of an Alaskan lodge - small and cozy; however the portions are huge. Be sure to leave room for the baked goods - all of which are prepared right on the premises. He makes a lovely challah for those of you like to celebrate shabbat in a traditional manner without the hassle of baking your own bread. Give him a couple of days notice and he'll have your bread ready for you on Friday.

More and more choices are available in the East County area and I've tried them all. But I keep going back to my favorites. Prune Hill is definitely worth a visit. Tell Glenn, Stephanie of Goof Proof Services sent you!

Please don't say "Please R.S.V.P"

2008-02-05T13:09:00.000-08:00

It's a sad, sad day to open a beautifully engraved invitation with one of my pet peeves printed right in the middle of the page. It says "Please R.S.V.P."

What the sender is saying is "Please, respond, please". They might as well be saying "purty please". Doesn't that make the sender sound just a little bit desperate?

And no, it's not OK to write Please R.S.V.P. because we're in America. Sorry. The following reference comes The American Heritage® New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition
Copyright © 2005:

R.S.V.P. is a French abbreviation of répondez, s'il vous plait, meaning respond, if you please.

The next time you feel the urge to beg your guests to respond to your invitation, simply say "R.S.V.P. by...", or "Please respond by...".

I hope you enjoyed this little lesson from the Department of Redundancy Department.

Alphagraphics - Printing and Marketing Expertise

2008-01-18T17:47:00.000-08:00

AlphaGraphics of Vancouver - here's a company that I support 110%. This new store on 3000 164th Ave. in Vancouver, WA is operated by my special friend, Julia Maglione and her husband, Eric.

I can't express in better terms than what is already stated on their website: At AlphaGraphics, we do more than just design, copy and print — we help our customers communicate.

I've visited their store and was immediately impressed with the state-of-the-art technology which is used to assist their clients in all manner of communications. I was especially amazed at the scope of marketing tools available to businesses of all sizes.

I encourage you to visit this store. You won't be disappointed. Tell them Goof Proof sent you!

The Jewish Business Network presents "A Day of Hope"

2008-01-02T13:42:00.001-08:00

Join the Jewish Business Network of Vancouver, WA for A Day of Hope. This is our 2008 fund raising event featuring a full dinner and dessert buffet, open bar, Monte Carlo Casino Night and Chance Auction. Also, see a special presentation of my trip to Odessa, Ukraine and the Good Family Orphanage.

Proceeds from this event benefit the "Good Family" Orphanage in Odessa, Ukraine, as well as support our local family fund and camp scholarship program.

Date: February 9, 2008
Time: 7:30 PM
Location: The Hilton, 301 W. 6th St., Vancouver, WA
Reservations: $45 per person

Reservations required. Contact The Jewish Business Network at 360-450-3256 or log onto www.theJBN.org.

For a sneak peak of this event, check out this article from the Vancouver Business Journal.

Happy New Year from Goof Proof Services

2008-01-02T13:28:00.000-08:00

Greetings and best wishes to you all in the new year. I hope 2008 brings everything you are hoping for: a "Sold" sign for your house that's been on the market for too long, more income and less expense on your business ledger, less bickering between presidential candidates and the big wish - less war, more peace.

This year, I'm offering a couple new services: press release writing and word processing. Expanded details on those services will be on my website, shortly.

In case anybody is wondering who I serve, it's You! You, personally and You, in business. Sorry, You students - I don't do student papers. Why? Well - because you're students and you're learning! And to use a tired cliche, you will learn by your mistakes.

I look forward to working with all of You in the new year.

Painless Lesson in Punctuation

2007-12-13T15:42:00.000-08:00

I just finished a book entitled "Eats, Shoots and Leaves" by Lynne Truss. This is a thoroughly enjoyable book, especially for us punctuation sticklers.

If you'd like to brush up on your punctuation, this is a painless way to do it and get a few laughs. This will be particularly amusing to those who can appreciate British humor. Americans beware! You may find out you've been punctuating incorrectly - this author is spot on!

I'll be reading and reporting on similar books in the near future.

Ukraine International Airlines vs. Big US Airlines

2007-12-02T20:20:00.000-08:00

If you had to pit Ukraine International Airlines against Big US Airlines, which do you think would be the winner, hands down? By the way, the name of Big US Airlines has been changed because, hey - maybe I can work for them someday and help them with their Goofs.

Before my trip to Ukraine, (and so you know - it's not "The Ukraine"; that's like saying "The England") my tummy was doing flip flops wondering what kind of flight it was going to be on my trip from Odessato Vienna. Would it be safe? Was the plane, like, 50 years old? How silly I was to even begin to worry. Of the 40 hours of travel on my trip, the 5 1/2 hour leg from Portland, OR to Washington DC was the worst. Apart from the turbulence which kept us buckled up in our seats, don't-you-dare-get-up-and-use-the-toilet kind of turbulence which lasted for 85% of the flight, we cattle class passengers suffered even further humility. 5 1/2 hours and the best Big US Airlines could offer was a free non-alcoholic drink, the tiniest bag of mystery crunchies, and the opportunity to purchase a boxful of food samples (aka: snack box).

Oh, but what about the movie on board? That should help you pass the time - in theory. That is, if their equipment was working. Halfway through "Hairspray" they decided to pack in their effort to get sound. And the staff - not the most pleasant bunch. They were, however, very talented at eye rolls and "pee at your own risk" type comments.

So why bring up Ukraine International? Because on that flight, passengers were treated like people. It was a 2 1/2 hour flight to Vienna and on this flight, we were fed very fresh complimentary sandwich rolls which were served very graciously by the flight crew.

Why the difference in service? I wonder if the price of a few sandwiches and attention to technical details (movies, for instance) would more than cover the cost of turnover rate of flight staff, the strikes that occur from time to time and the endless stream of complaints from passengers. What does the price of a sandwich really cost?

The future of air travel doesn't look great. We may already be living our future. It's worse than riding in a bus, except for the privilege few who can afford the upper classes (although I hear that service has been downgraded as well). International travel is especially excruciating and I found myself wondering if passengers wouldn't be looking for alternative methods of travel - like a ship, or a train. Oh wait - isn't that what we used to use? Before planes? Maybe that's just what we need - travel which makes us slow down, look out the window and see what we're missing...

Election results - Clark County , WA

2007-11-07T19:39:00.001-08:00

As far as elections go, you win some, you lose some. About 50% of the voting went my way. My way, meaning, I got 50% of what I wanted by participating as a voter.

Which brings me to the main subject at hand. Where were the voters? What an abysmal turnout! I get passing on a referendum here and a council position there - especially if you don't know anything about it or the person running. I passed on a couple issues. I wasn't confident enough to vote one way or the other. However, there was plenty to understand. So I ask you - and you know who you are - why didn't you vote?

Camas- let's pick on you. For a year, your neighborhoods, your papers and your mailboxes were littered with propaganda regarding the election for mayor. This hot race sparked media interest beyond your town's borders. However, only 3667 Camas voters were moved enough to check their mail-in ballot for the candidate of choice. (By the way, I didn't get to vote for the Camas mayor because I live in neighboring Washougal, but I believe the best person won - congratulations Paul Dennis!)

Approximately 18,000 people live in Camas. Where were they on voting day? Did everyone go fishing? Is the price of a $ .41 stamp too much? Did you lose your way to the ballot box?

I want to know what it will take to motivate people to vote. I want to know why they don't.

It's just a scratch

2007-11-02T13:45:00.000-07:00

I was at one of those crazy intersections where the light changes too quickly for everyone to clear the intersection. I got clear, but this kid in a red pickup truck made a dash, trying to make it across before the red - well, he overestimated his speed. I saw him coming and I knew exactly what was going to happen.

Yep. Right into me. We pulled over which gave the looky loos some fodder. Luckily, all my van got was a small scratch and some rubber bumper residue. The kid was shook up. All politeness and not a little bit scared. So I said, "Hey. We were lucky. You were lucky. You know what to do from now on." And that was that. It felt good not to be one of those folks looking for a reason to sue somebody. It felt good to give a kid a break - especially since I think it will take some time for him to get over the shock. Hopefully it will be a wakeup call and someday, maybe he'll Pay It Forward and give someone else a break.

In a situation like the one I just experienced, if we all put a bumper scratch into perspective, maybe society could get a little bit nicer. And maybe insurance can get a little bit cheaper...one can hope.

A Goof Proofer goes to the Ukraine

2007-11-01T13:24:00.000-07:00

Have you ever had a trip planned and even though you are still two weeks from leaving, you start developing short-timers syndrome? That's what I've got right now. I am ready to get on that plane and go!

I'm so excited about an upcoming project, I just have to share it with you.

I am a member of The Jewish Business Network located in Vancouver, WA. Besides being a network of business people developing business relationships, the JBN works hard to provide support to our local Jewish families and our extended family in Odessa, Ukraine. Which leads me to The Project...

As a representative of the JBN, this Goof Proofer is heading for the Ukraine to visit the 'Good Family' orphanage located in Odessa. I've traveled before in Europe, but this is the farthest East that I've ever traveled. I'm leaving this month with a colleague, another member of our Network. Our mission is to meet the administrators and children who work and live in the orphanage. The purpose is to learn about the operation, determine needs and bring home multimedia materials which will be compiled for a presentation.

This presentation, by the way, will be given at the JBN's annual fund raising event - a Monte Carlo night on February 9th. Anyone interested in attending the event should log on here for more information.

Look for a later posting where I promise to tell you all about the trip. I bet you're quaking in your boots with excitement...

Purpose of this Blog

2007-10-28T16:34:00.000-07:00

Greetings! Welcome to the Goof Proof Services blog.

I've organized this feature for my website so I can share the company and my thoughts on all things business and otherwise. In this blog, I will share concepts that I've learned along the way as I work my business, as well as showcase businesses I come across that I think are just plain cool.

I've no plans for a day-to-day theme. Keep checking and look for surprises!

Stephanie Hatton
President
Goof Proof Services, LLC