JOE’S CORNER: My Future?

Friends,

And I mean friends.  I honestly consider all of you who read JOE’S CORNER to be friends; and more than just modeling buddy type friends.  I have been watching the end of TMD coming down the line for some time now.  There are really two lights at the end of the tunnel, and both are starting to close in fast!  The first is 3D printing.  It still isn’t here, but, once they solve the resin problems, it won’t take long before 3D printing runs over the rubber mold/resin casting industry.  But the other light is closer.  That one is burn-out.  I’m not quite there, but I’m close.  If and when it hits, it will wipe everything away.

I’ve known for a while that I need to find something else to do for a living.  I’m still young enough that I’m going to have to make a financial contribution to this household for the better part of the next two decades.  I also know that the best way to put off the impending ‘burn-out’ I feel coming on is to find another interest on which I can focus the majority of my efforts.  I know from experience that this would probably allow me to put TMD into a position of ‘side interest,’ essentially making it my hobby once again.  So, if I find that new interest, and it can support my financial needs, it should also serve to keep TMD alive until 3D printing finally buries resin.

Well, I have been offered a position on a new multi-media network.  I won’t provide the details yet.  I’ll share those when things go live.  However, I am starting to build my studio next week and, if all goes well, I will air my first live show on August 15.  I will be doing a 2 hour show with the goal of pushing it to 3 hours as soon as it is practical.  It will be an internet-based video-cast and will have provisions for people to call in to the show.  It will then be archived and made available as a pod cast or re-run on demand.  Honestly, I’m not all that up to speed on exactly how the network owner plans to do all this.  I’m just the ‘talent,’ so I am focusing on content right now.

I have done this sort of thing many times before, and every time, the audience feed-back has suggested I shouldn’t have much difficulty building an audience.  My targets are very modest, and the owner of the network laughed when I told him what I need to survive.  He is 100% confident I’ll reach my targets within 3 months (or less).  We’ll see.  All I know is that it is going to give me an opportunity to do something I have been wanting to do for quite some time.  The show will not be the typical talk radio or TV commentator type show.  I am going to blend my knowledge of logic, history, politics and Scripture.  The goal will be to entertain while teaching.  I want to help others discover what has been kept from them, or how badly we have all been deceived.  I also help to teach others how to do their own research and to think for themselves.  In short, I want to be a real educator.  I just want to do it in a way that helps people make sense of complicated issues while keeping their attention at the same time.  So far, everyone who has ever been on the ‘learning’ end when I’ve done this sort of thing has told me I have a gift for it.  I guess I’m about to find out whether or not they were being honest with me, or were just being polite.  Either way, It will have my attention for the rest of the month.

Now, for those who may be concerned about how this will affect TMD; do not worry!  Yes, this will slow down the production of new products.  And, yes, shipping will be temporarily slower, but only until I switch from shipping orders in the morning to the afternoon.  Once I make the switch in my daily routine, things at TMD should start to look pretty much as they always have on your end.  Heck, if this new venture works, it will take the financial pressure off of TMD and I might finally be able to focus on renewing the existing product line.  You know darn well that new pictures, detailed listings and better instruction sheets would help a great deal.  Well, as long as I have to keep pushing new products to keep up the cash flow necessary to run TMD, that is a very difficult thing to accomplish.  So, personally, I hope the show is a hit and I can start renewing the current TMD product line very soon.  To me, that would be a win-win.

So, this is what has been going on here, behind the scenes.  Hopefully, my friends will wish me well in my new effort.  I also pray they will know that this is not going to mean the end of TMD.  I can’t believe how many times I post something like this and people start saying I am closing.  I think too many of us don’t actually read to understand anything these days; they just look for the next thing to draw attention to themselves.  Well, if that happens again this time, at least those of you who read this and count yourself my friend will know the truth.  Maybe you will help me with rumor control?  🙂

More as it comes available.  Until then, stay safe!

Joe