Thursday, April 08, 2010

Warning!

Block your com boxes, I'm really, really in a bad mood.
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I just returned from the framers and they obviously hired new people since I was last there.  All I want to say to anyone working in retail and/or/especially in a frame shop: never, ever keep telling the customer - "No, you don't want this... you want this."  "No, that is not right - this is better." 
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No.  No.  No. NO!  Amy Winehouse!
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Never tell the customer what they are supposed to want - especially if the customer is the painter.  Today I explained that to the frame people very clearly, and politely. 
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I'm very much in a mood to make very clear, albeit polite statements to anyone I run over today.

32 comments:

  1. Every other illegal running across the Arizona desert claims to be a paintor....

    Just 'cause someone knows what brush to use or which two colors go well doesn't mean they can't use a professional opinion every now and again.

    Maybe you're being a little too sensitive.


    *

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  2. Terry, please don't arm the rodents.

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  3. GO FOR IT TERRY!!
    (oops, I probably shouldn't be encouraging you...but as "the other pea in the pod", I completely understand...)
    asdf8u9-0q4w5r-0u9dfaohop[!!!!@(@(@.
    There, I said it:<)!

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  4. Mental note: Don't mess with Terry.

    Here's a picker-upper: Oprah is coming to prime time.







    Shoot me now.

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  5. PS.

    I think you're going to delete this post...maybe.

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  6. Anonymous3:46 PM

    I love that little rodent! He's cute. And I know what you mean Terry--when you have a specific vision for a work of art--you don't need the "professional" to tell you what's in your mind's eye.

    When I go to the frame store--I specifially ONLY work with one guy--who is an artist with his frames--no one understands what I want except him--I hope you can find a frame shop like mine! Keep looking you live in a big town.

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  7. +JMJ+

    Is it awful of me to find this post funny when you're in such a bad mood? =P

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  8. Pablo -I'm over it now.

    Fr. R They are on the move as we speak.

    Fr. JM and Tara - as painters you understand.

    Enbrethiliel - I'm glad you are in a better mood!

    I'm fine now everyone - yes Tom - if there had been no comments I would have removed the post - and I'm really happy about Oprah - LOL!

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  9. Austringer4:49 PM

    Terry, fire away -- that would be extremely annoying.

    I don't know about you, but when it comes to framing, I find that I know what I like or don't when something is proposed, but I'm not good at making initial selections. So, after all these years, I have found the perfect framer -- someone who knows me and my likes and dislikes, but has a great eye to pick and suggest frames that really do enhance the piece. I go to her and to her alone!
    What's funny about this is that her shop is in 'lil 'ol Anoka -- when we lived in Minneapolis, presumably with many more framers around, I never found someone as good. Terry, I would highly recommend her and will give you her name and business number if you're up to driving that far.

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  10. Dear Mr. Nelson,

    I'm glad you enjoyed my humorous remarks.

    I was looking at the Our Lady of Mount Carmel you made on your other site.

    It is a treamendous work of art.

    Is one available for my home?

    I know someone that is a master artist who studied under a Monk that was a Grand Master... your piece is on that level.

    Congratulations.

    *

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  11. You make me laugh. And we all need that. I always take a friend of mine to the frame shop. She has exquisite taste and her advice is always on target. Although sometimes I choose something less expensive that gives a similar effect. Ah if one were only independently wealthy.

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  12. Pablo - I enjoy your humor - plus you made a very good point. Email me about a print. tj.nelson@hotmail.com

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  13. Austringer - It is a great shop - they just got new people and they are a bit older - I found that the young female former art students who worked there were much easier to work with and understood what I was talking about - this guy today was an old know it all photographer. I worked with his female partner who was younger. In my experience architects and photographers have absolutely no taste. (I'm sure I just offended anyone with a camera. But these days everyone thinks they are an expert.)

    Anyway - I'll stick with this gallery/frame shop for now, and talk to the owner after I pick up the piece.

    People who purchase original works should keep in mind that the framing is an expensive 'extension' of the original work. The cost for my job today - for an 11 x 14 panel, was $197.00 - and the molding was on sale - their labor for the project is only $22.00. That's a lot of money for someone without an income.

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  14. Terry: Framing is unbelievably expensive...wow!
    We go to "Ben Franklin" in town...yeah, I know, that sounds cheap and horrid, but they do surprisingly good work. And it's not as expensive.

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  15. I discouraged my husband from hiring an electriction once because he did the very same thing to me. I found it to be insulting to tell someone else what they really wanted. (or how to think)

    I need a frame that measures three feet by three feet. I'm not sure what to do. I think I'll try to make it myself.

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  16. Although I'm not an artist I took a class at the art and crafts center at the military base I work and and have learned how to frame my pieces..they may be family photos or posters, but it's nice to be able to cut a mat to fit the odd-size photo or poster without being at the whim of the pre-cut stuff. I'm by no means an expert, but doingthe work myself sure saves a bundle. I can also measure and cut frames but yeah they tend to get pretty pricy, so I pretty much stick with standard sizes.

    I'm still pretty color-challenged as far as picking out mats..but hopefully that will improve in time..and this summer I will try to learn how to cut the oval mats...I have several old family photos--grandma/grampa type stuff--that would look good in oval mats..

    Sara

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  17. Looking at the "little guy" with the weapon reminds me of our "friends" at our Oratory...we have an albino ground squirrel and several other of his mates; they seem to like us, although I don't know why...I just hope nobody arms them with any kind of weapon...it would not be pretty.

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  18. Father, White squirrel?

    What the Lakota learned from the white buffalo....

    By learning to unite the mundane with the divine appropriately, all that would be needed would be provided.

    The Native Americans see the birth of a white buffalo calf as the most significant of prophetic signs, equivalent to the weeping statues, bleeding icons, and crosses of light that are becoming prevalent within the Christian churches today. Where the Christian faithful who visit these signs see them as a renewal of God's ongoing relationship with humanity, so do the Native Americans see the white buffalo calf as the sign to begin life's sacred hoop.

    <a href="http://media.www.rwcactivist.com/media/storage/paper248/news/2007/11/14/Features/Native.American.History.The.Legend.And.Importance.Of.The.White.Buffalo-3069414.shtml>source</a>

    * disclaimer -I sent this information just for fun.

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  19. Austringer8:38 AM

    Albino squirrels aren't that uncommon around here, and melanistic (black) squirrels show up fairly often too.

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  20. I wonder what it's like when our illustrious blogmeister loses his cool.. :)

    Not a pretty sight??

    I struggle with my temper, especially when certain situations get really stupid..it sounds like you handled this alot more charitibly than I would :)

    We do have the occasional long-tailed grey squirrel, but I'm never seen any albino or black ones..

    Sara

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  21. Sara - I'm told I get very 'cold' - while remaining polite, which makes it even scarier - so they tell me. Although the way I experience is that I remain calm, emotionless, with a slight smile.
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    I feel really badly about it afterwards.

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  22. +JMJ+

    Calm and emotionless, with a slight smile?

    Isn't that the direction the scariest Horror/Suspense villains get from their directors? ;)

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  23. +JMJ+

    Oh, Terry, I have to share this . . .

    I had my own stun-the-sales-staff experience at mall today. I was shopping for makeup, so I started at Estee Lauder, where I told the nice saleslady who approached me, "I'm just looking." Then I went to Mac, where all the salespeople totally ignored me! So I returned to the Estee counter, and remarked, "I'm back because the people selling Mac aren't very nice."

    Everyone there kind of froze for a moment . . . and then one of them offered me a free makeover! LOL!!!

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  24. From time to time we need to frame an image of Our Lady or a Saint.

    We go to the moulding company that sends frame wood to stores.

    A $400.00 frame cost us around 75.00.

    This helps us quite a bit.

    Are there any moulding companies in your area?

    *

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  25. Enbrethiliel - you make me laugh. I also think Mac is supposed to be bitchy - funny the Lauder people were taken aback - cosmetic people do stick together I guess.

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  26. LOL! When I was getting make up for my wedding, I attended a free event for MAC makeovers, so I thought why not? If not just for fun. A 'gentlemen' did my makeup. I looked... very scary...street corner scary. I don't do MAC makeup. I just don't know how to 'work it' I guess. ;-)

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  27. Some of those makeup people can be frightening. I bought product the other day from someone at Lancome who happened to be helping out at the Clinique counter. It was an unusually good experience.

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  28. +JMJ+

    KM: I do love Mac's studio finish powder. I would have bought blush from them that day if they had been more helpful, but I ended up getting it at the Estee counter instead.

    Nan: I wish makeup people knew how intimidating they can sometimes be!

    And Terry: I'm sorry if I unleashed a discussion of cosmetics on your manly man blog! =P

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  29. That's okay - I used to work in retail - the conversation inspired me to watch 'Devil Wears Prada' again - LOL!

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  30. Miss E, once I was on an escalator behind three of those cosmetic salesladies wearing their calf length white coats and I said to my child loudly.... oooooohhh, look surgeons!! The girls turned around and giggled... My point??? We can take 'em Miss E.

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  31. I wish I could be "cold", "distant" and "polite" when the nuclear bomb is going off in my head...
    alas...it is not to be.
    I'm a red-head (hidden, albeit)...Jesus is working on this horrid aspect of my personality (it doesn't happen a whole lot any more, but it does happen)...
    Your meditation on anger and wrath have been a good dose of medicine for me, Brother Terry.
    Thank you!
    And the community thanks you:<)!

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  32. AND when Mr.Terry's temper cools he un-blocks you! Voila!

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Please comment with charity and avoid ad hominem attacks. I exercise the right to delete comments I find inappropriate. If you use your real name there is a better chance your comment will stay put.