It’s ramping up already this season. This weekend is sold out or it should be but I’ll squeeze another order in if I need to. I don’t take this for granted in fact every year since I’ve started this I always have in my head “Will this be the year it ends?” – the busy season.

I’m grateful for it.

Every box.

I’ve already gotten the green light from on of my big companies for December.

This year I don’t look at it with dread. It’s a sacrifice of time and energy for two months of the year. It’s my winter harvest of sales and a chance to grab another handful of clients each year. I’ve got a great group of folk I see every year for the past 6 years around this time.

Thanks yall

I shake my head and sort of smile this time of year. My business sales graph would be fun to see. A few years ago on January 1 you’d see a hungover, withered old man, bloodshot eyes with carpel tunnel syndrome and limping.

Carpel symptoms are almost gone

I rarely even wear contacts anymore so the red eyes are gone

No hangovers, no thanks I’ll hit that year 5 smiling soon.

Limping? Maybe, we shall see.

Withered? Not on my watch ever again. Honestly I’m probably in better shape than I’ve ever been in all the important parts. I’m slimmer than I’ve been since high school.

Are we authoring here Chad? Nah i think I’m just mentally building myself up for year 6.

Year 6 of charcuterie. Now that one brings a smile to my face for many reasons.

A friend’s random Instagram story of a charcuterie box in a take out container built this entire 6 year time line of mine.

Me- “I could do that”

“I don’t even need a kitchen”. Which is great because I was broke.

Start up cost $800 for a printer, dorm fridge and a minuscule food inventory. Oh and a case of pizza boxes. I bought a rubber stamp with chadcuterie on Etsy. I still have it. It’s cracked and I have to press both sides on the box to get it to print. Same ink pad too. That’s all that’s left of 6 years ago. Even the guy holding the stamp is a different person.

The start up always flares up this time of year. I hadn’t found chadcutire yet but I was right around the corner. I had a food truck on my mind to keep me going until I opened up my dive bar concept. That’s all I had my focus on. Even when the charcuterie thing popped up my initial thought was “run with it until after Christmas”

That dive bar would’ve killed me. I say this with very little doubt in my mind.

It would seem

Cookies crumbled in my favor

*turns page

I see things through a different perspective these days.

After I’ve put away most of my bitterness (still working on a few knee jerks)

Slowed things down

Matured – man I needed that one. Also still working on it

My thinking patterns have changed for the better

Trajectories are exciting. Quite the fucking roller coaster. They prepare you for what’s next.

And?

I don’t know man. I’m in good hands right now.

That’s all. I’ll catch the next trajectory should it come by and see where we land

It’ll be both feet regardless.

Ir

Regardless

I had an employee at one of the grocery stores I frequent chatting with me a few days ago. I younger guy, very approachable, good smile. I’m recognized for my multiple trips to the store. He knows my vehicle and vocation over small talks at the register (yes I do occasionally chat with people) he always compliments me on my truck set up which will always get you in good favor with me.

“So you make charcuterie all week and then go camping in the mountains?”

Me- “yeah that pretty much sums up my life right now”

Man that’s really cool! You get to make art and then go camping all the time.

I looked at him with a “it ain’t that glorious kid”

It’s not always campfires and charcuterie.

And as I was walking out of the store I smiled

“Maybe it is after all”

Stop fighting with yourself all the time Gangwer

Smart kid. Showing this man a positive perspective

And gratitude.

I’ve said this before. A few times

Charcuterie is not the end game. It was the first pitch

It is/was a progression of humility and growth.

Affirmation? No this comes from the entire experience over the last six years.

A soulful rehabilitation

Never count yourself out

That’s all

I can’t wait for the next trajectory