Spring Cleaning

In the interest of tidying up around here, today’s post is an update on a few random items. Sort of like a Spring Cleaning, which I’m sure is a bit of wishful thinking because it certainly is not Spring yet. Winter in the Midwest can be a bit like a diva who keeps coming out for curtain call after curtain call. (Ugh, we are so over you, take a hint and move on.)

First off I’ve got 2 updates on the 50 Shirts To D.C. project. We received the first official acknowledgement of the shirt from Senator Kirsten Gillibrand. We did previously get a letter from a Representative Katherine Clark, but it was a boilerplate letter that thanked me as a constituent (which I am not) for sharing thoughts about legislation (which I didn’t). Yikes!

The note from Senator Gillibrand (see right) thanked us for the shirt on a super-fancy metallic embossed letterhead (Ooh La La!). We did determine, after looking at it with a loupe (a small magnification device) that the signature was a printed digital file, as opposed to an actual signature.

However, we only did that because we are total graphic geeks who actually have a loupe for just such an occasion, not because it matters to us whether it’s a pen-on-paper signature or not. She’s got way more important stuff to do than personally sign a thank you letter, and it looked legit. Kudos to her staff!

I’m pleased to share that of the 9 leaders we were waiting on, we have now received 7 more yeses. Here’s the next round that we are sending to:

The House of Representatives
Name	State
Jahana Hayes	Connecticut
Katherine Clark	Massachusetts
Donna Shalala	Florida
Kathleen Rice	New York

 

The Senate
Name	State
Tammy Duckworth	Illinois
Amy Klobuchar	Minnesota
Tammy Baldwin	Wisconsin

 

We will send those shirts out this week. Lemme know if there is interest in video documentation of that. Obviously, it’s a similar process to when we sent the 41, but if y’all enjoy that kinda thing, drop a comment. Otherwise, Dean will stay hidden in the background, never to be seen.

I’ve also been making some updates on the website. For example, here is the revised artwork for the home page.

It was fun to pull together a bunch of graphics as a way to introduce myself to people or let them know what they are in for when dealing with me.

Speaking of introductions, if there is anyone who you know that may enjoy this sort of content, would you be so kind as to forward this along to them? I’m always looking for new subscribers!

So much of my audience has been built around word-of-mouth. But, of course, I don’t expect something for nothing, which is why we have a free birthday tags download (plus access to the previous downloads I’ve shared) for anyone who signs up on the website.

I’ll soon be sharing an article covering what I’ve learned from my “2 Year Create Every Day Challenge.” Recently I’ve been writing some thoughts around that experience which I really think has application to anyone with a goal or dream, but has struggled to get any traction. (Can I get an Amen?)

Also, I have a fun idea I’m looking forward to sharing as encouragement to those weary souls who are in the trenches of parenting. (Can I get a double Amen?)

If there is anything else you’d like to hear about, don’t be shy, drop me a line. Cheers!