5 great things that happened for CWP in 2013
i keep seeing lists and i dont know why but i damn near always click on them. i make lists everyday - next time you see me, look at my left hand, its always got a list on it...sometimes just one thing, sometimes down to my elbow. they are ALWAYS just to remember things.
so as we are all getting snowed on and im drinking coffee thinking how beautiful things look outside - i decided i need to make a list of things i dont want to forget from 2013. not that i would forget them but i wanted to share them with you because, to be honest, you were a big part of them.
it was HARD to narrow it down. so much radness went down ...but here we go
the be all end all best thing of 2013 for commonwealth press was
1. THE BRICK INCIDENT.
if you dont know what im talking about CLICK THIS and read it.
in summary - someone threw a brick through our window for whatever reason. we ended up auctioning it off for $1150 - fixed our window, gave the winner $2200 worth of amazing gifts, and donated the remainder to some amazing local charities.
why is this the most amazing thing of the year? honestly for us, i think it was seeing people that we barely knew - or we didnt even know knew us - coming to help for something that could have been easily ignored. that simple feeling of community over something trivial lets you know that we are all part of this city. it wasnt any dire circumstance, it wasnt the first time our window had been smashed out, it wasnt even all that bad, it was more that you knew we existed and we all turned something absurd into one of the most simple and positive and hilarious and fun things ive seen in a long time.
i will never stop loving you pittsburgh.
2. THE BEER BARGE
gain, if you arent sure what it was - check it out here: the CWP beer barge
summary: pittsburgh craft beer week, rent clipper, 30 brewers, 3 hours, 3 bands rolling down all 3 of our gorgeous rivers...ticket sales crash servers, over sell tickets by over double what were available....work it out and have the most amazing day i can remember in the city.
this event taught me a lot about business, planning and people. ill be honest, the whole thing blew up in my face initially and i had no idea what i was going to do. with a little bit of honesty and some planning we were able to make it work for everyone involved. it was honestly one of the coolest things ive done in this city and am still blown away that we pulled it off.
3. THE PIRATES MADE THE PLAYOFFS
summary: THE PIRATES MADE THE PLAYOFFS.
that wasnt just good for commonwealth press (i mean we did sell a good amount of our BLACK AHT tshirts) it was good for the whole city. that feeling - watching the fireworks - felt like fireworks.
holy crap i just got all warm again thinking about it. (see lists are good)
4. CommonWealth Press Ale
summary: team up with friends and make something amazing together - click this for more info and a killer little documentary we shot
it was amazing to make beer, i cant lie. this is cool just for the cool factor of it. beyond that though, it was an insight that we were so lucky to have. being permitted and even INVITED to take part in what people we respect do for a living - behind the scenes at penn brewery - early hours... not just the beer (mmm beer) but the aspects you dont see - or even know about. the law and the flow of work and the people that make it happen - getting into it with them, the sweat and recipes and then - AND ONLY THEN getting to plan it out in the flow of what we do for a living - with something we created from a concept.
i dont know if i can go on without rambling, but if you were right beside me id hug you right now.
5. our new dryer
summary: we got a new dryer
seems pretty insignificant doesn't it? but in context, the first dryer i got fits on my desk. i bought it because i could carry it down my basement steps at my house. this new dryer is the size of a tank - gas powered and was delivered from south carolina with barely 2 inches to fit thru our warehouse doors. 5 of us plus the guy we bought it from to get it off his trailer and onto skids into the warehouse. its size isnt what let it make the list - what it offers us does.
it has upped our print quality and output plus with it there is now no job we cant take on. being as small as we are but using the kind of tools that the big shops use lets us keep our pricing fair, our turnaround amazingly quick, and keeps us moving toward constantly working smarter, not harder. your support let us afford it and we are doing our best to make you proud.
so thats it. seriously thats my list. SO MANY awesome things happened but i had to narrow it down - it wasnt easy but i feel that these are a pretty solid view into the year.
and oh 2014 - i couldnt be happier to see you.