Amy's Blog

Trey and company clearly did a fantastic job at this year's Pilgrimage/music festival from the rave reviews I've been hearing.  We'll be getting oodles and oodles of recap information up eventually... in the meantime, you can read the outstandingly detailed Picky Report for the lowdown, and I'll share a few pics (taken by beloved forum member dtel -- fantastic job, by the way!), featuring the plant, the 60th Anniversary Khorn vs Palladium P-39F listening session, and a couple of the festival itself.. that I just thought were really cool.

Congrats to Ben who successfully identified the close-up posted on Friday as being part of the giant horn sculpture found in our terrace level lobby. (Send me an email, Ben!)

He asked to see a full picture the sculpture, and as I started to get one posted, I thought I'd have fun with a new Photoshop effect a friend passed along to me. I can't imagine when or where I'd use it, except to show off.

You can also see the "normal" version of this shot, and other close-ups, on our Flickr feed here.

I have a theory. Wait, let me back up. For those of you outside the Klipsch family, let it be known this weekend marks an enormous change within our walls. The change may be seemless to the masses, but it's going to turn those of us who work here on our heads. You see, we're transitioning to a new internal system. One that affects inventory, sales, customer service, accounting, shipping, receiving, purchasing, reporting...well, everything really... on a global level.  The new system will be streamlined, and we'll be bigger and badder than ever. Eventually.

I hope we're ready. I think we're ready. Yeah, we're ready.

But just in case, my theory is this:  They have scheduled to flip the switch during the 4th of July weekend. That way, any loud booming, crashes, or explosions can be squarely blamed on the holiday.

Best of luck, IT team! We're all rooting for you.

I'm implementing a new feature here on Amy's Blog. And no, I don't know who Sam Hill is, but I've always liked his name.

I'm wondering if this one might be too easy...then again, maybe not. Hard to judge when I know exactly what it is. To make it a little harder, just in case, I'm going to ask for you to be VERY specfic as to what this is. Along with "why" this is.

First correct guess gets a Klipsch T (no Klipsch employees allowed). Enter by posting a comment to this blog entry.

Hey, Trey, I'm pretty sure that bike isn't "Lobby Ready." That's no reason to flip me the bird, though.

My mom is a sucker for history, much like me. Being a true baby boomer (b.1945), her primary interest is all-things WWII, and just last week was lucky enough to take an emotional tour of the Normandy beaches of France. Even though clearly I was unable to join her, I was charged with getting the photos off her digital camera... because, let's be honest, mom is technologically challenged. She only recently got rid of her rabbit-eared TV and rotary phone.

I'm compelled to share one of the photos from her journey, lest we forget the unfathomable sacrifices made here 66 years ago this month. Time heals wounds and generations fade into the next, but heroism should never be banished from our thoughts.

Omaha Beach, Normandy, France, June 2010 

I just stumbled across this photo taken 2 months ago. Should've seen it coming.

Meet Charlie and Sharyl, who moments before this lovely pose were picking on each other mercilessly. Charlie moved to Indianapolis from Hope about 8 years ago, so I have a feeling they've missed one another. (Psst, hey Sharyl, you can take him back with you...)

Of course, he knows I'm kidding...after all, what would we do without our engineering facility coordinator? I may never get the one or two packages I receive per year, and that would be a tragedy. Plus he gets to organize all the gadgets and gizmos engineers order. We'd be overrun!

Sharyl just informed me she's been with Klipsch for 24 years, which clearly shows we were violating child labor laws back in the day. Her latest job duties consist of purchasing and planning materials for our Hope builds, meaning if you order a Heritage product direct, she's your new best friend.

Several of our Hope brethren have blown through town, much like the 101 days of storms we've had lately, for some intense system training. Unfortunately, most came and went without my knowledge (and I'm sure they planned it that way), but Mike here was kind enough to let me snap some photos of him with the OCC Chopper. I didn't tell him it was for the blog though, which probably helped. Surprise!

Mike has been with Klipsch for I don't even know how long...and he does an outstanding job of overseeing the quality and service facility way down south. I met him for about 10 minutes almost 10 years ago on my one and only trip to Hope, and then again today for about 5 minutes. Strange how you can "know" someone for a decade, but only spend 15 minutes in the same room. 

By the way, he hasn't changed a bit. Even looks a bit younger. Jerk.

I was given an unexpected day off today. My lovely, wonderful, perfect child was thrown out of camp on Friday, so I've been scrambling to find alternate daycare. I take that back, he wasn't actually kicked out. They had offered to "work with" Steven and me to find a solution to the problem. While finding solutions is all fine and good, I couldn't spend my days stressing about that next phone call, and I certainly didn't have time to hold anyone's hand on how to supervise my child. Especially since he's never had problems before, and I can't imagine what is causing them now. I would be zero help.

Not that I'm going to blow this entire situation off. Trust me. But I have come to the conclusion that, at 5 and a half, Steven simply isn't ready maturity-wise for the rough and tumble world that is Summer Day Camp.

After all, life is too short to sweat the small stuff. Just ask these folks. 

I realize this photo is a bit random, but as I was going through my files to see what I could off up for the daily photo, I kept coming back to it. Plain Cemetery. This final resting place for many Lutherans is just down the road from my aunt's house (who you may remember I went to visit a few weeks ago), and I snapped this on one of our morning walks.

I love the simplicty of it. The name, the church, the countryside of the midwest. It's how I hope to go when my time comes. Simply, plainly. Done.

It's pilgrimage time again, and since I will be missing out on the festivities in Hope, I thought I'd celebrate the weekend by posting one of my favorite photos from pilgrimages past.  That was quite a day.

Hopefully, this year will see better weather...but with the forecast calling for highs in the mid 90s for the outdoor music festival, I think I'd rather take the rain. It's a toss up.

Have fun guys and gals!

Summer is in full swing, and I'm sure most parents can relate to how I feel: WHEN DOES SCHOOL START AGAIN?  Steven has been going to day camp now for exactly 8 days...and has been written up twice for bad behavior.  How does this happen, one might ask, to a child who has been in daycare/school situations since 2 months of age without one negative report? I have no answer to that.

Last week he was written up for fighting. Turns out a boy hit him, so Steven hit back. When the boy taunted, "that didn't hurt," Steven made it hurt. Ok, so he can stand up for himself. But that's no excuse.

Yesterday someone pinched him, so Steven dumped his yogurt on him and broke his Silly Bandz. Those blasted, stupid, annoying Silly Bandz. (I say break them all, but that's another topic.)

To me, these incidents appear to be defensive rather than agressive, but the counselor does not agree. If round two of lectures and subsequent punishment hasn't taken affect, I'll be looking for alternatives, because my sweet, loving, gentle giant of a child just might get kicked out of summer camp.

Someone tell me it gets better. Even if it's a lie.

I loved your entries in the latest caption contest, with some even making me laugh at my monitor like a crazy lady. 

Before we get to the winner, here are a few faves (and why):

 -- Every time the bass hits we have to hitch a ride back to the home theater.  Darn tootin' that Klipsch P-312W is powerful. (Thanks for the visual of people actually getting blown out of their house and running back over and over...and smiling about it)

 -- Running at a pretty good Klipsch...... (I'm a sucker for puns)

 -- Eldon and Christy, the early years. (My favorite Southern Couple of all time)

 -- Unfortunately, despite local enthusiasm, version 1 of the full body running suit was not a commercial success. ("Local enthusiasm" .... nice)

And the winner is...

 -- Klipsch - blowing bras off since 1946.

I about lost my coffee on that one.

Steven Denfeld, contact me to claim your prize!

Those crazy engineers are doing subwoofer testing down the hall, and I tell ya, it sounds like Jurassic Park here on the terrace level. I've been having fun with impact tremors and a glass of water.

Thank goodness for headphones!

If you too are trying to drown out co-workers, screaming kids, barking dogs, nagging spouses...whatever...do yourself a favor and plug in those headphones and listen to the intellectual ramblings of our own Jim Hunter, showing and telling you all about our beloved Klipsch Museum of Audio History. It will kill a good 40 minutes anyway.

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

This is only the beginning of what we Hope (pun intended) to bring you over the next few days, weeks, months...in the way of our history and proud Heritage. Stay tuned to the forum as well, and check out the live feed from this year's Pilgrimage/Music Festival this Saturday! 

In this way, we will truly bring Hope to you. It may not be Change too, but it's a good start.

We haven't heard from Dwight or Dilbert in a long time. Someone here is getting angry.