Good things happen every day, some of which – and my particular favourite good thing – are in anticipated delights. Anticipated delights, those little things to which we look forward: a hot mug of coco, reading in pyjamas, a letter from a friend, eating good food, snuggling in bed. Not to forget flying home to Canada at Christmas. That was a big one, but still – delightful.
Yesterday something very good happened. A package arrived in the mail and when opened, even before seeing the contents, I was instantly transported into the land of ‘good moods’. There they were, all snug in a tiny box – one hundred Bumpyboobs in a rainbow of colours. These things are gorgeous!
It started last week on some random evening. Zsolt’s Amazon package arrived with a flyer promoting free business cards.
Free, did you say? I was all over it.
But you know what, free business cards aren’t even an 1/8th as cute as non-free business cards. I went to this site called Moo.com and started to play. The internet is amazing when it comes to designing books, cards, photo collections etc. It’s easy and accessible. Now, I firmly believe that pre-made templates will never trump a talented graphic designer – because I’ve seen some awesome graphic designing in my time – but for late evening online crusing, they fit the bill perfectly. (Side note: you can upload your own designs, so customize the card as much as you like, but I’m a bit lazy and thought the text-only approach much easier) I started to play with designs and words and colours. It was good fun.
You may ask – why do you need business cards, Catherine?
To which I’d answer, I don’t know . . . they looked good? Why do women buy $500 shoes? Certainly not because it’s practical. But cute is cute, and that’s hard to resist.
So yesterday my Moo.com package arrived in the mail, presented in a tiny box with bright orange lining – 100 mini cards with BUMPYBOOBS on one side, and my name and website on the back.
Wow.
Next up: what the heck do I do with 100 mini cards? Zsolt has one, and I’ll keep a few . . . and after that, hmmm. . . one idea is to leave them in places where women dealing with breast cancer may find them. Another idea would be to hand them out personally. But where and who and when, I have no clue.
But – if you build it, they will come. The cards now exist. Surely a circumstance of use will eventually materialize. Here is hoping, otherwise that’s £15 wasted on impulse.
No, I take that back. Even if these little gems stay in their box for the rest of their lives, the cards are representative – they are labelled with a declaration to ‘screw breast cancer and get on with the show’ – and somehow, in a sense that is deeper than pretty colours and printed cardboard, they represent this past year of my life.
So that was my good thing. Amongst others. Thinking about it makes me smile all over again. 🙂
Bumpyboobs ~CatherineBrunelleWrites 
scan one, front and back and let us see it please. You never know where it will lead
Wow I think leaving them where other women can find them is an awesome idea! You could help so many women 🙂
Hi Catherine,
I see an entrepreneurial streak coming from you… the cards lead to your blog. You’re a writer, a woman who has experienced a lot, a woman who can inspire others. I see many possibilities for creating a career that you’re passionate about.
I like Tony’s idea. The more people who see your business cards, the more they get to read your blog, the more connections you make… endless opportunities.
Follow your intuition; you bought the cards… those cards want to be out of the box on coffee tables, on bulletin boards, in people’s wallets, and to be shared.
The writing and artwork in your blog are great… there is passion, sensitivity, openness, useful information, creativity.
A few weeks ago, I realized that your writing style is similar to a famous author whose books I’m now starting to read. There’s a technique I wasn’t familiar with but which I find engages the reader… you and this famous author have this technique which delights me.
Much love,
Francoise
Hi Francoise,
Who is the writer? I’d be curious to pick up some of their work – or see if I’ve already read some. 🙂
Hi Catherine,
The writer is Stephen King. The technique that both of you use which I’ve never seen with other writers is that of interspersing your inner thoughts (in brackets or italics) in the middle of a sentence of the main narrative.
Yes, we use brackets to explain what we are thinking, but what make you and Stephen special is how those inner thoughts are pushed to the forefront in the middle of a narrative, in a manner that’s out of logical sequence. The resulting sensation to the reader is that of parallel thinking.
Stephen King pushes this technique even further by placing the inner thoughts which are in parentheses, in a new paragraph, while continuing the rest of the sentence of the main narrative in a second new paragraph.
The break in the flow of text may sound discordant, but it’s effective.
Humm… it just struck me. Why not leave your cards at the hospital where you’re being treated? Give one to each of your healthcare practitioners/nurses and tell them that you want to share your experiences with others to allay their uncertainties, fears, sense of loneliness or despair. Ask them if there is a place where you can leave your cards (coffee tables in the waiting rooms, cancer bulletin board, hospital cafeteria etc.)
Not every cancer patient wants to be part of a support group… well my mom didn’t want to go to a support group since she didn’t want to be surrounded by sad people, she’s a private person, she’s not very mobile, and she can’t afford to take taxis to group meetings. Either she or I would have picked up your business card at a cancer bulletin board (a place where I got a lot of information for my mom)… she spends her day on the Internet.
Since you’re comfortable with the smiling nurses, try them out first… see what suggestions they offer. Nurses are caring and have great people skills.
I’m thinking that maybe Tony or Marcelle could approach Dr. Canada and see if he is interested in passing out your business cards, or make suggestions on how to make your business cards accessible by cancer patients and their relatives in the Ottawa hospitals.
Let’s network (if you so desire)… you have a lot to offer.
Good ideas Francoise. I’ll try leaving some at my radiotherpay and see how that goes. I get so nervous!
Yup, self promotion can be a bit nerve-racking. You have a talent that’s recognized by many. Those business cards came into this world to be seen by many.
Take the first baby step and don’t worry about the cost of the cards you’re leaving behind. On your repeat visits, you can gauge how many are being taken. If one gets picked up, it’s worth it.
I get the feeling that the nurses may be open to helping you spread the word about your blog.
Like my T-shirt says: “Go for It!”
(Virtual hi-five) 🙂