Well, the time has come everyone! The first draft of the 2018 OFC Calendar is off to the editors. Of course, in order for this project to fly at all, I need to know how many to order. So here's the deal:

The cost for the calendars in the continental United States will be $22. This includes the calendar, shipping fees, and Paypal fees with the exception regarding international shipping detailed immediately below.

I know many of our overseas members have inquired about shipping, but I can only provide a ballpark figure based on the U.S. Postal Service website. I can estimate the size and weight of course, but beyond that it is pure guesswork. From what I can tell, shipping to Europe and Australia will run about $13 extra to send it via First Class mail. Of course, I can try to combine orders and ship for those who can easily get them around to each other. So when you order, please be sure to remind me if you are overseas so I can budget everything accordingly.

I hope to pick up the calendars in time for Christmas and usually ship them the same day or the next at the latest. If it is early enough in the day, I usually stuff the envelopes at the printers (They are nice enough to let me use their conference room table.) and go straight to the post office. What this means is that the sooner I receive payment the better, so I can have the envelope/box addressed and ready to go the minute I pick up the calendars.

This is important!

The spreadsheet I use to track everything is sorted by your OFC user name. Please be certain to include it in however you contact me so I can keep records straight. This is especially important if you communicate via email.

Payments can be made via Paypal to:
ofc-calendar@patchworkmcg.com

I would prefer not to post my mailing address on an open internet forum. So if you prefer to send a check or money order, please contact me via email and let me know. Email is best; as last year I could not empty my PM box fast enough to keep up with the orders. Once again, please use:

ofc-calendar@patchworkmcg.com

It goes without saying that if you are paying via snail mail, the sooner you send the check, the better.

Be certain of course to include your shipping address when you order

You would be amazed how often people forget that last part.

Thank you to everyone who has ordered so far. I'll be travelling much of the next week and a half, so I wanted to post this brief update.

We are about a third of the way to the break-even point orders wise. That's a nice start after just a few days. Last year we cut it close but squeaked into the positive just before Christmas. So if necessary I will keep floating this to the top of the threads. So please keep the orders coming.

Thanks again to everyone who makes this possible.

Glen Campbell was THE face of Ovation for a long, long time. It was only fitting that this project paid tribute to his memory. But I could never match the outpouring of memories from the entire music industry after he passed on. So I tried to keep it low-key and easy... like many of his melodies. Here's hoping people appreciate it for what it is: just a guy, and the group he hangs out with, remembering a rare talent and, by many accounts, a good man.

So it's Thanksgiving Eve, and I will be leaving later sometime to travel for the weekend. As such, I will have limited internet access. So I wanted to give a quick update:

At present, we are about $200 short of picking up the calendars. After that, i still have to ship them. To summarize, we're about half-way there. So if you happen to be stuck for Christmas gifts or something this weekend, feel free to buy some more!

In the meantime, I hope you all have a very Happy Thanksgiving! (Even the ones who are not in the US. Eat a big meal and be grateful anyway eh?)

Thanks to all those who have oredered so far. The good news is that we almost have enough ordered to pay for the printing. We still need to cover the shipping though, so we have a ways to go yet.

Please get those orders in ASAP!

Why?

Because I've just received notification that they will be available for pick-up as early as the 8th of December. So if we are lucky, they will all be in the mail by next weekend! The Mines Press did me a solid by bumping us up in the queue, as they understand I was delayed by a family crisis that required a lot of travel. That's a turnaround of less than two weeks from final approval of the proofs (which I gave yesterday). Normally it is closer to four or five weeks, especially this time of year! There are some good folks over there.

Once again, I want to thank everyone for ordering so far. But it's time for my annual panic attack post:

Accounting for shipping, we are still quite short of breaking even (several hundred dollars in fact), so please, if you plan to order, it would be helpful if you did so before Friday, as I am hopeful of picking them up then and getting them all in the mail by Monday. (Normally I would do it immediately after picking them up, but I have a full plate that day preparing for an event on Saturday.)

We're getting closer and closer to the break even point. I won't be able to front any cash until next payday, so please keep those orders coming or I may have to delay shipping them out.

The printer estimated that they would be ready tomorrow, but I have not heard from them yet. Keep your fingers crossed.

As always, a HUGE thank you to all who have ordered so far!

There has been a slight delay as I am told the spiral binding machine gummed up. They hope to have them ready anytime and will let me know.

In the meantime, who else wants to order one? If you want it before Christmas, you will need to order very soon!

Thanks again to everyone!

I'll take care of it today Dan.