HAPPY BIRTHDAY UGLY TROLL!!!!!!!!

It's true, the Ugly Troll is going to turn one year old tomorrow. Wow, what a screwed up year it's been too! But like anything else in life, what doesn't kill you or makes you close your doors, only makes you worry when that will actually happen!

It's been a week since I asked the public if they would send one dollar to the Ugly Troll and guess what!? No money!!! From what I could tell, if that would have actually worked then I would have at least $1,500. maybe even more. I'm not exactly sure where the 1500 hits came from, but it would've been nice. I did it as a joke, but was secretely hoping someone...or many someones would do it. I've read where people have done that and got much more and they wanted it for stupid stuff. Anyway....if you want to send money to the Troll as a birthday gift, he'd love to get it. He would also like it if you just bought a card or two.

So it's the end of 2007....I certainly hope 2008 is better. I have to say that there has been some positives that came in 2007 like meeting different people, making people laugh, and other cheesy stuff like that. Not only are we changing from one year to the next, I look at my business and can say it survived a very trying year and maybe this year coming, will be better.

So, pop the champaign, blow the whistles and rattle the noise makers!!!! It's a celebration of sorts....Let's look at the new year with a positive outlook (hopefully), let's send greeting cards to our friends and family to poke fun at them just because, let's get crazy!!!

Thought of the day: when in the desert, don't piss on a snake, it makes them mad.

~Chief Troll

Show Me The Money!!!

Hello again to those who follow the Troll and his escapades. I wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Joyful New Year. As usual I searched the corners of my lair to inspire me on what to write about but instead the topic came to me after taking a nap.

That's right as I was taking a snooze after eating some rather fine roadkill I must have had a dream. It's not so much that I can remember the dream or even if I had one, but the idea was lodged deep in the gray matter of my skull when I awoke. In an attempt to remain awake, I proceeded to the computer to do some Trolling.....but before I could write the blog, the lights went out and the Chief Troll found himself snoozing once again. When I woke from that little sleep, I chose not to write the blog.

However, over time I had given it some thought and decided why not?! I'm a troll damn it! And I should start acting like one! So, after all this lead in crap telling you how I came up with the idea...here it is.....

Send me a dollar. That's right I'm asking you to send one dollar to

Ugly Troll Greeting Designs, Inc

P.O.Box 59

Carlisle, PA 17013

Why? you may ask? Well, I'm a start up business that isn't starting very well and if you read my first blog you'll get a clearer picture. The Ugly Troll is hanging on by a thread and needs money. Now one dollar from anyone who reads this should be able to finance some decent advertising. Besides, it'll only be one dollar and it's Christmas! A season of giving. Wouldn't you want to be able to say one day that it was your dollar that made the Ugly Troll what he is today?

Think of this you business types...it's one dollar which may come back to you anyway in for the advertising or marketing that you deliver. So, asking for a dollar and giving nothing in return is pretty trollish don't you think? Yeah, I thought you would.

Ok people of the world.... Here's your chance to help out a Troll. So dig deep...well just scrape off the dust from your left over coinage.

~Chief Troll

Funny Makes Money

Here I am again, the Chief Troll of Ugly Troll Greeting Designs, Inc. coming to you live from my keyboard in my lair. So what am I going to talk about today? I have'nt a clue! Nothing is in my mind at the moment, so I'll keep typing until something worthwhile comes out......Nahhh, I have something in my mind....as usual. It's probably warped, but it's in there.

Funny makes money...but it's odd how many people are afraid to try humor in there businesses. My business is founded on humor and I've seen a few others that are humor based as well. Did you know that each year there are approxamately 6,000 (a few years ago) cartoonists attempt to get syndicated in the paper? That's a lot of people wanting to express their humor! Do you know how many positions those 6,000 people are trying for?? Go ahead, guess. If you guessed one or two you'd be right. Syndication in the newspaper is fierce competition. So what's the bottom line here? It's the humor! That's right, a lot of us draw cartoons and want them to make us a living.

How many of you advertisers use humor? I don't know the answer to that, but you see it in mostly all the commercials on television. The Super Bowl will be here shortly, and I am one of those people who stay to watch the commercials. Why, because some of them are funny. Humor sells people, just like sex, but cleaner and more acceptable. Nobody likes to be a stick in the mud, and people don't like businesses that are.

Take Google for example....their name always has something drawn on it. Now their is a group who knows how to be a serious company but can use humor too! So here's the thing to think of...if you are a company who likes to say you think outside the box.....try using humor while you're outside of that box.

Here is another thought...just because a company does greeting cards doesn't mean that's all they'll do. Hmmmm, interesting thought huh?! Ok...time to crawl back under the rock of which I came. You can reach this troll at Chief_troll@uglytrolldesigns.com but take a peek at my site at http://www.uglytrolldesigns.com/.

~Chief Troll

Inside the Box - Confirmed

Today I was looking over my old blogs and wondering (as usual) what to write about. I'm not really an expert at anything but I want my voice to be heard. Then I re-read my last blog about thinking inside the box instead of outside the box. Then as most things do with me, the topic hit me like a ton of bricks.

I was just at the Carlisle Chamber of Commerce's Christmas mixer and had one hell of a time! Was it the atmosphere of the Carlisle Hotel, the fantastic food they served, or the fact that I was just overly sleep deprived and was a bit whack in the head? Who knows....but the food was fantastic and the staff of the Chamber and the hotel were extremely friendly and made it a wonderful night.....but that's not the story here.

The story is that I met a very nice woman from Homewood Suites/Hilton and Hampton Inns. Somehow we got to talking about how people are today and how the "youngins" have little respect for how the do their job. The contrast of how a child who is polite and respectful of their elders came up as well. But as the conversation progressed, I brought up how business should stop trying to think outside the box and go back to the basic principles of customer service, and providing a quality product/service for the price they ask. I can't even tell you how good I felt when she totally agreed. Nothing beats having your philosophies reinforced by a business person you just met!

So, my fellow business people.....lets get back to basics....being courteous to people, not just to those who can buy your service or product, but everyone. Let's try taking that extra step and help out our fellow man/woman...you never know who's looking and you never know when or how that person will return the favor.

Ok, so there is today's fertilizer. I may be an ugly troll, but I still have feelings.....

~Chief Troll