Brother Dudes! Sister Dudettes!

It's me.

I was looking at the newsletter archives. Last newsletter was sometime in December! What's wrong with me! (Ok, let's not
go there)

Hey I did say I'd send them out when I got around to it.

::: yes dear? :::

::: no dear, I'm not going to tell them I'm just old, lazy and have a mind like a sieve :::

(This is like deja vu all over again)

Ok, back to... back to... Oh yeah! Newsletter.

(old sucks)

::: yes dear, I know some of them are really sorry they signed up for this :::

::: ok, ok, most of them :::

sigh

`````````````````
Ok, so wuts gnu.

Wait! If I don't forget, there's important info for affiliates below. Well, there will be when I write it. Provided I
don't forget. I didn't get there yet so you'll

have to hang in there. But you can start reading here and by the time you get to it, it will be done.

Maybe.

(please read slowly)

`````````````````
Ok! The new shops!

Ok, no newsletters since I've been going nuts trying to get them set up. I know, I know. You'd all rather newsletters
then new products cuz you love

me so much.

::: yes dear? :::

::: delusions of grandeur again, huh? :::

::: can't be :::

:::can it? :::

::: sniffle :::

sigh

Anywho...

The Masonic Shop V (TMSV) is pretty much up and running. As well as the OES II and the Shrine II. Even a new non-Masonic
"Go Greener" shop

for those into energy saving. These shops let you customize your own stuff if you didn't already know. Not only can you
add some text but you can

also change the shirt (or mug or whatever) style a design is on.

And you can move the design around if you like. And even re-size it as well. So if you see a design and it's only on one
shirt that's because you can

change it to whatever shirt you would rather by yourself. And you can get bulk pricing on most items. And our main page
usually has money saving

coupons for them as well.

And making your own stuff is just fun! And you can play with all kinds of stuff. And you don't even have to buy it. And
there's an awful lot of Ands

here. And any more and you'd be calling me Andy.

And (no, I'm not Andy, I'm Gary) there are some new products like skateboards, postage stamps, frosted beer mugs,
colorful mugs, fancy steins,

hats in different colors and (<---) keds sneakers for our ladies . I think there's even more, but I forget.

I'm telling you this as if you didn't know that I'm forgetfull. I even put an extra "L" in forgetful cuz I forgot it
only has one L. So if you find something

else, remind me it's there.

::: yes dear. I already told them I know they know :::

And (no, Gary) you'll also find some designs exclusive to these new shops. I'll continue moving some of the older
designs from our main shop over

but that will take time. So if you see a design in our main shop you'd like over there, just give me a yell and it'll
get put on the front burner. I really

have thousands more to add. And (still Gary) of course I'll still customize for you for free in our main shop. I'll even
do it in our new shops if you can't

get the hang of it yourself. But there is a walkthrough on how to do it.

``````````
Ok, so what's old, you ask?

Me. Yeah I keep saying that, but it bears repeating. Mostly to remind me cuz I keep forgetting.

And I know you aren't going to believe this but...furnace? Like I said before, I got a new guy to take a look at it. It
werkz!

Moving right along

```````````````````````````
Ok, so some have wondered why on earth do I do what I do. That is, making Masonic designs and customizing all sorts of
things for Brothers and

Sisters.

But I do other things too. I even take out the garbage.

::: yes dear? ::::

::: about as often as I write newsletters? :::

::: really? :::

(insert sheepish grin here)

Ok, sometimes I take out the garbage. (ahem)

The simple answer is... I'm insane (as well as simple). But that has nothing to do with my designing. It's just natural.
(the insanity, I mean)

But really, after I was raised...

No, no. Not by mom n' dad. To a MM.

Anywho, I finally, proudly, got to wear the ring. Ahhh yes. Those were the days. But I digress. Again.

But I was always amazed at how many folks asked me what Lodge I belonged to. My first answer was always (said with jaw
dropped) how the

heck do you know I'm a Mason? And the obvious answer was... the ring you idiot. (yeah, most did recognize the idiot in
me, ring or not)

Me? Never once noticed that they wore a ring as well. To this day I just don't notice them. Just don't/can't get into
the habit of looking at hands. So

to get around the name calling (idiot) I decided to make up some shirts so I would know how they knew. Not to mention
other non Masons would

take notice since it was more prominent than a ring. Of course, I usually forgot I was wearing the shirt so idiot still
came up in talks. I just can't win.

Anyway, I felt that since Freemasons numbers were dwindling it was a better way to have us recognized by others. So that
they can "2B1 Ask1".

Even if you don't want to wear a shirt all over the place it is, in my opinion, great to have a mug or plaque or
whatever around the house. Even just a

little fridge magnet would help. Building us up is the name of my game. The more the symbol is seen, the more questions
are asked. And that's just

what the doctor ordered in my opinion. Kind of like, if you've got it, flaunt it.

And since I'm kinda slow, I was a MM for about 3 years before I even heard of the OES. And putting together Shriners and
Masons? Took a while.

So if a Mason didn't know, (albeit a sloooow Mason) how on earth do we expect the general public to know? That's also
one of the reasons I

decided to create some designs with an S&C and OES emblem combined. As well as a Shriners design also with an S&C.

So, Brothers... Sisters... wear/display your emblem proudly. It is, after all, something to be proud of.

And remember, if you're looking for something I don't have and you can't find it, don't be ashamed to ask. I'll gladly
help you search for it! This is not

about displaying my products, it's about displaying Masonic products no matter where they come from.

```````````````````````````

Affiliates and fund raising. (I didn't forget!) (I'm sooo proud of me!) (kinda brings a tear)

Geez you guys are still amazing. Makes a fella proud to play a small part in helping brothers and sisters raise badly
needed funds. But for those of

you just starting out, remember, it takes many months to get established with the search engines. Selling to your own
Lodge is a great way to get

going, but to get your name out to others takes time. Remember, I submit your site to search engines (but you have to
request it) to help you along.

And it's free. So if you are affiliating and don't know how to get your name around, just send me a link to your page
and it shall be did!

Now this is quite IMPORTANTE!!! for all affiliates old and new.

Like that splash of Spanish? Importante!!! Or is it French? :( No clue. My wife is fluent in 5 languages. I'm trying to
get fluent in one. English. :(

Onward and sideways...

Fund raising is also available in our new shops! But there's a different way to go about it. (Does not work with CJ!!!)
It's actually quite simple (and

free) to get set up. Much easier than signing up for CJ. See our main page for instructions. The same rules and
commissions apply.

Since it is so easy, we are considering phasing out the old CJ program on our main site. Why not have both you ask?
Well, with the CJ program if

you don't sell anything in a certain amount of time you get the boot. In fact, if you haven't sold something in a while,
check your CJ account to see if

you're still there! With the new program you'll always be there and I certainly don't want you to miss a commission
sale.

So if you are on the old program, I'd suggest you switch over. Or at least add the new TMSV program. And (no Y) since
the new shops allow folks

to customize themselves**, other Lodges can buy from you and put their Lodge's name (or whatever) on products too!
Should work well for you

especially with the holidays right around the corner. So keep an eye on our main page for notices if/when we decide to
drop the old program.

**Note: They can't really customize "themselves", only the products "by" themselves. (Or with a friend, I suppose)
Searching for light does that

(customizing themselves, not the product) and they don't have to be on the new site. Of course... would be nice... Oh
nevermind.

`````````````````
Ok, so I haven't had a newsletter in eons. Gotta be something else new, right? Well, I'm sure there is. But I forget a
lot. Old sucks, remember?

Sometimes I forget to remember.

Ok, I usually forget to remember.

````````````````````

Ok, now for the deja vuey stuff...
________________

Show off your own Lodge on line!!!
http://gbp.net/masonicshop/lodgeworld/

Other Brothers pages!

Links to other shops you may enjoy...
http://gbp.net/masonlinks/

rtj's Junqueyard. Everybody knows about good ol' Brother Dick's site...
http://gbp.net/rtj/ (Unique Masonic coins, dogtags, lapel pins and more. Including Vietnam & Korean Vets coins!)

Really rockin' Masonic Embroidery anyone? Good people that do good work!
THE MASONIC PATCH...
http://gbp.net/masonicpatch/
_________________
Don't forget to check out our wallpaper page. We still add to it once in a while. (and we do take requests)
http://www.gbp.net/valleylodge/graphics/WP/
________________

Ok, I'm outta here.

Don't be sad. I'll be back.

Eventually.

(what's that dear?)

(No, it's not a threat. They really like me)

(No they are not tears of joy you hear! They are truly sad I tell ya!)

sigh...

Carry on.

(If you read all of this, aren't you glad my newsletters are so far and few between?) And yes, wherever you see "we"
here... you can substitute "I" for

it. There's only me, myself and I here so "we" may be misleading. Or does me, myself and I equal we? Makes my head hurt.
Then again, my head

always hurts. The way I think, it obviously has no choice.

Oh, and if you didn't get this newsletter at all, let me know and I'll make sure you're on the list.

Wait...

nevermind

S&F

Andy... er, I mean, Gary

(I even have me doing it)

Keep it square! And support your local Lodge!
Not to mention the Shriners Hospitals... It's all about the kids.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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