BAKING

Crazy baking week--classic shortbread , 14-carat cupcakes w/cream cheese frosting for my dear friend's final days at work, and, a batch of chocolate peanutbutter bars--just because.

The shortbread was a thank you for my agency. I met with them on Friday to pick up some data and a CD for a very involved transcription project that I agreed to bail them out on. Thought it would be a couple of days, but now realize it could take 2+ weeks. Very detailed, financial firm strategic planning meeting--very confidential. The good news is this stuff is interesting to me, so I am enjoying it, although all the computer time is killing my back. And, I get to work at home--in my pajamas, if I want.

Then, bake oatmeal-raisin cookies and shortbread again as a thank you for JA's financial advisor from Merrill Lynch treating me to lunch. Met with JA and her at South Water Kitchen on North Wabash. Very fine lunch in a lovely setting. Her views on the current and recent past market fluctuations and disasters were very interesting. I think I may invest with her...

The financial advisor and the agency people are all encouraging me to go into a corporate gifts business, and I am going to do it. Mailed off a selection to Merrill Lynch--four different styles of packaging.

I choose a name--Merci Beaucoup--and draft a list of 7 or 8 cookies that I love to bake. Then I design some business mailings, cards, and labels online--great stuff. And, I set up an email account with plans for a website.

Things are still shaping up, but I know how to market the fresh-baked goods and I have three corporate client possibilities from the get-go. I am going to do a mailing to the third company to arrive on Easter Monday, as that group has given up sweets for Lent and will be ready to splurge. One of the VPs there said that my cookies were the best he had ever tasted. They begged me to bring more and asked for recipes.

I need to work out pricing, but I know I will handle money through PayPal and ship Priority Mail to get the cookies to the recipients while they are hot from the oven, so to speak. I will work with direct mail and word-of-mouth advertising.

The creative juice are flowing and I am filled with energy.

I am a busy girl, and the agency has promised an interesting 2-week assignment if I can bring this transcription assignment in on-time.