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The “438 Million” blog has had some nice attention and readership since I posted it last week. After just listening to a live version of Jimmy Buffett’s “Cowboy in the Jungle” on Radio Margaritaville, I realized that some of the lyrics in that song are a good example of the wasted vacation time and what happens when we try to cram it all in…

“Steel band in the distance
And their music floats across the bay
While American women in muumuus
Talk about all the things they did today
And their husbands quack about fishing
As they slug those rum drinks down
Discussing who caught what
and who sat on his butt
But it’s the only show in town.

They’re tryin’ to drink all the punches
They all may lose their lunches
Tryin’ to cram lost years into five or six says
Seems that blind ambition erased their intuition
Plowin’ straight ahead come what may.”

Think about that…”cramming lost years into five or six days”. It’s one thing to “cram things in”, but it’s another to do it for “lost years”. Who wants to lose years? There’s not enough to begin with.

Okay. I thought it was time for a quick “Behind-the-Scenes” update.

If you ever ship anything to Spain…hold your breath. The Snoloha package the I shipped to the new Licensee has been stuck in customs for weeks. We’ve initiated an investigation, but are still waiting for a response. It hasn’t stopped things from moving forward. Snoloha.com is currently being translated into Spanish and German, and the new International site is being built!

We’re getting ready to print Snoloha Lil’ Ones, and some new Men’s and Ladies products. I think it’ll be available by the end of May…at the latest.

Joe is working on some new designs. I think we’ll be getting a look real soon…I have a good feeling about these.

Fall / Winter product line is shaping up…and it’s really beginning to evolve beyond just t-shirts and hoodies. I’ll unveil more…soon.

This weekend is the Crystal Lake Adventure Sports “PADDLE/RIDE/SURF” Expo in Frankfort. Mother Nature may not fully cooperate, but it’s still shaping up to be a very cool event. The Snoloha Tiki Bar is packed in the Jeep, and I’ll be rolling out in just a few minutes.

Since we had a beautiful week here in Traverse City, I was able to take advantage of working at the tiki bar, instead of in my office. Lola, she’s the intern, wasn’t too helpful this week. I don’t see a full-time position for her anytime soon.

One more time…438 million.

That’s the estimated number of vacation days Americans failed to take in 2007.

This is from Howard Shapiro of The Philadelphia Inquirer, “Taking time off? A lot of Americans prefer to work.”

Here are a few of the highlights:

“I think it’s an epidemic. We take less of the pitiful amount of vacation time we have than anybody else on the planet. We are genuine to-the-bone workaholics, and even if it’s killing us, we’re still doing it.”

Not only do we regularly give up days we’ve often bargained hard to get, we also get few compared with the rest of the industrialized world. In fact, the United States is singular when it comes to vacation days: We are the only advanced economy in the world without a minute of government-mandated time off.

In order to be a member of the European Union, a nation’s employers must offer workers a minimum of 20 days off a year. Several mandate more. According to “No-Vacation Nation,” a study by the Center for Economic and Policy Research about the United States’ unique place in the balance between work and lifestyle, France requires the most vacation: 30 days, plus a paid holiday. Overall, though, the French are beaten by Austria and Portugal, which require employers to give 22 vacation days off, plus 13 holidays, for a total of 35 days off — amounting to seven weeks a year.

Among the richest countries, Canada and Japan mandate the fewest days off, not counting the U.S. total of zero. The Japanese, who have a word — karoshi — for dying from overwork, get a minimum of 10 days and no nationally mandated holidays. Canadians have the same minimum, but get an additional eight paid holidays.

Workaholism. The Puritan ethic. Feeling guilty about taking earned days. The fear of being overrun by competition. People frequently cite these reasons for junking their vacation days.

Go ahead…take a holiday.

I’d like to welcome Mountain Soul to the family of Snoloha retailers.

Thanks Tammy, for the opportunity to introduce Snoloha to Oregon this summer at Mt. Hood.

Thanks Aaron!

Be the envy of your office with Snoloha wallpaper on the good ole computer screen.

We’ve added the “Fork in the Road” and the “Trop Rock” designs for your viewing pleasure.

Check ‘em out, don’t be afraid.

Oh, almost forgot to mention the new Snoloha Guestbook. Visit the Community link and scroll to the very bottom. Yes, I’m the only one that’s signed it so far…sad isn’t it. It’s like having a MySpace page with no friends.

I’d like to introduce another Snoloha crew member who is helping “spread the love” down south.

In his own words:

“Being desperate for attention, I searched the internet for someone willing to put my “mug” on their site…and then I found Rod! In the process, I also found Snoloha. The two tag lines read, “Carrying a vacation mentality through everyday life” and “Somewhere between the islands and the arctic”. I knew being part of Snoloha meant a lot of vacation time!

I first approached Rod with the idea of me being the Snoloha corporate model (see picture!) but Rod thought a Mascot was more in order. So you need a sales rep, I then asked.

Before Snoloha, my dreams were looking forward to summertime walks, learning to read all over again, and owning as many Adirondack chairs as I could. But now my passion is this incredible brand. My goal is to help Rod and his team in any way that I can.

Born and raised in the south (Georgia), I join the Navy (they had good rates on cruises) after high school. After that, I have spent the last 10 years in and around corporate retail working at The Home Depot in their corporate buying office and then a consumer products manufacturer. I started an e-commerce company called www.bethefan.com but continue to find myself spreading the word of Snoloha more and more. It’s not hard to exist in the tangible world. But it is hard to find that right mentality…and Snoloha is that right mentality!”

I’m a little behind…March’s Snapshots & Scenery winner is Paul Vitori and the photo of a SnoTiki.

Remember, for a chance to win Snoloha gear of your own (which is guaranteed to make you the coolest person among your social circle), visit the photo gallery, create an album, and upload your own photos!

Thanks again, Paul.

Winter’s over. Mother Nature is teasing us with warmer, longer days. It’s a perfect time of year for a new Snoloha hoodie!

Check ‘em out, they are all 20% off (Men’s,Women’s, & Zip Hoodies). Not to sound like a goofy salesman…but quantities really are limited.

Also, in May we will be unveiling a bunch of new products…finally, just in time for summer. Stay tuned.

As always, thanks so much for the support!

I’ve been reflecting a bit on the trip to the BVI’s. Admittedly, I had a difficult time making the decision to take the vacation. There were all kinds of excuses and “what ifs” bouncing around my head. Being a small business owner, there’s guilt associated with many decisions. With such a strong loyalty and passion for this business, “leaving” for a short time is tough…it feels guilty.

Ultimately, with some strong arming by friends, the decision become clear…GO! After all, the whole purpose of launching this brand, this company, and my own business, was to live a certain lifestyle and make my own decisions, right?!

I don’t regret for a second, going on such an amazing trip.

I was reminded the other day, while listening to a little Jim Hoehn, that there’s an occasional importance (mentally & physically) for people to know that “He’s way from his desk”. And I’m excited for the summer season to kick in…it’ll be time to reinstate “No Shoes, No Shirt, No Fridays”. Maybe half day Fridays…but you get the idea.

“He’s Away From His Desk”

“I’m checkin’ my checkbook, ‘cause it’s never balanced, but then again neither am I
A lifelong resistance to corporate existence, there’s always someway to get by
The money I spent, well sometimes was the rent, which explains some places I’ve stayed
But the lines that I’ve toed and the rows that I’ve hoed, were the choices that I alone made

Ah, the price of success, is too steep I guess
Hold all my calls, just tell ‘em all, he’s away from his desk
From the corporate phonies who lack the cojones
To step away from their desk

Some people say that they don’t like to work, when it’s really their job they can’t stand
When you like what you do and you do what you like, it’s a feeling you can’t understand
Whether playing beach bars or filling up cars, it depends on your point of view
‘Cause the full-service man with the pump in his hand is working an island job, too”