Time to Take a Refresher Course

I had a short conversation with my office manager, Tammy, about two months ago as I helped her assemble the mailing boxes and labels needed to mail that week's issue of this newsletter. Coincidentally, we talked about what would happen if one or both of us ever got so sick that we could not do our job to publish and distribute an issue of The Bottom Line. We both agreed that we should probably address the issue sometime soon.

For the first time in nearly 20 years, our potential scenario became a reality last week. Although I probably could have moved out of bed for a few hours last week to try to complete my obligation to my customers to produce The Bottom Line, I knew by last Wednesday that my long-time office manager did not have the physical ability to guide me through the steps necessary to verbally explain how to mail the newsletters the following afternoon.

I learned a great lesson: Even though I thought I knew how to do everything that it takes to make sure that my newsletter is published 48 times a year, I need a refresher course to be sure I know how to do what Tammy does every week. There were labels that needed to be printed, mailing forms that had to be filled out and display advertisements that were still to be produced. About 15 years ago, I knew how to do all of those chores. Now I realize that the business owner is not as smart as he thought he was.

I apologize for the inconvenience of not being able to deliver The Bottom Line last week. If you are one of the few people in West Central Wisconsin that has not come in contact with this year's aggressive strain of the flu, I congratulate you. I would also suggest that if you fall into that category, that you immediately stop talking, breathing and/or being around anyone else in the Chippewa Valley.

I could be wrong, but this has been one of the worst winter flu viruses that I have been around in my 20+ years in Wisconsin. Having said that, some of my friends in the medical profession have told me that there is really no medication that will make life easier for those who have been afflicted with this season's flu bug. It is good to know that pitchers and catchers report to spring training this week, so spring is just around the corner.

In the meantime, I have added another week to every subscription. I am embarrassed that I did not know how to do what my office manager does every Thursday to be sure that this newsletter is in your mailbox as promised. Apparently, it is time to go back to school.