Check out Justforboys.com.au

One of the best things about the internet is how the good things that go around, come back around, in the nicest ways. Recently I got a couple of orders for the Milkooler Mighty Meal Deal from new customers. Then today I got a call from Julie.

It seems Julie had been at a party and someone had given a Milkooler to the newly-named baby as a christening gift. She thought it was a great idea and contacted me because she's interested in stocking Milkoolers in her online store, Justforboys.com.au.

Well, I think that's a great idea, and I think you should check out Julie's great range of gifts, because some of them are absolutely fantastic. My favourites were this toddler tee shirt with the slogan My parents call me 'no' and these little baby AC/DC boots!

Julie's clearly a woman of impeccable taste and great humour so she's very much aligned with the core brand values here at Milkooler (which is code for "we'd like it very much if she stocked a few Milkoolers in her range." Justforboys.com.au is based over in WA and has reasonable shipping costs to anywhere in Australia. If you have boys and you want them to wear something unique, different and fun, then this is the store for you.

To keep the goodness going around I've ordered a couple of things from Julie for my boy. Cheers, Julie!

Milkoolers add some groove to Kirribilli Markets

I recently schlepped a few boxes of product down to the nearby Kirribilli Markets to see if the good folk of this northern Sydney suburb were ready for the milky goodness of Milkooler.

Unfortunately inclement weather kept the usual crowds down to a handful of passers-by, but we made a good number of sales nonetheless, helped in no small way by my two delightful assistants - my son Alec and his best friend Travis, seen here grooving away to music I was playing from my record label, Littoral Records. 

Milk-related music video

The US milk marketing authority just keeps coming up with new and clever ways to market the benefits of drinking milk in creative and funny ways. See what you think of this over-the-top music video for the pretend artist 'White Gold.' It reminds me of Rick Wakeman, but then, I'm probably older than you! Awesome gritty vocals and very funny idea.

Back from Himalayas, hairier, happier and ready to go!

Wow, it takes a lot of time to re-adjust to life in Sydney after six weeks in the Himalayas, but I've nearly got my email inbox back down to zero, my paying job almost in order, and the lawn mowed.

Which means it's time to start filling orders for Milkoolers again! They don't exactly rush of the shelves at the best of times (cos you can't buy them in any shop) but gradually the pile of boxes in the carport gets smaller and smaller every week. And who knows? One day I might even get to manufacture a second batch (and maybe build a bigger carport.)

While I go pack Milkoolers, here's some photos I took in the Himalayas, and you can find the rest of them on my Flickr collection.

As you can see, we had an amazing time. If there's one piece of advice I'd give anyone, it is to go do what you've always dreamed of, whatever that is. It's not going to come and find you, and even if it is, what if you get hit by a bus the day before?

Go get started, now! :-)

Closed for the holidays, off to the Himalayas!

The Milkooler online store will be closed from 10 July - 20 August as the family and I take an extended school holiday. Milkooler is a one-man band and unfortunately, it doesn't earn enough money to pay someone to take it over while I'm away.

If you've ordered a Milkooler before reading this, I'll fill your order or refund your money as soon as I get back.

Where are we going? Well, last year we visited the Himachal Pradesh region of northern India, part of the Himalaya ranges to the north west of Nepal. This time we're going back to Himachal Pradesh and staying in the village of Tabo for a few weeks, then helping take a busload of schoolkids on a summer camp to Ladakh, near the regional centre of Leh.

Most Aussies head to Nepal when they want to see the Himalayas so Himachal Pradesh is a bit more off the beaten track and yet just as beautiful. If you ever fancy doing something like this yourself, I highly recommend the lovely and knowledgeable people at YakTrak Tours. Here's some photos from the trip last year...

Imogen: winning smile, Milkooler fan

I love to hear back from happy Milkooler users, and was stoked to get the following email from young Imogen (with a little help from her mum Kate.) Good on you, Imogen!

Hi,

Thanks so much for my super cool 'Milkooler'. Mum bought me one and I love it! It keeps my milk at the right temperature while I have my photo shoot and a break from drinking my milk. Here is a photo of me showing off my 'Milkooler'.

Cheers,

Imogen (aged 3.5 months)

Another Milkooler.com shipment goes out

Another Milkooler.com shipment goes out
Originally uploaded by thatjonesboy

Here I am shipping a Value Size box of 2x Mighty Meal Deals to Kamie in La Jolla, CA. In case you're wondering, Milkooler is a one-person company, and I cycle all the orders up to my local post office, stand in the queue and heft each one over the counter.

Kamie's getting hers in a special box because (a) she and I used to work together years ago; and (b) I've never sent 6 Milkoolers in one shipment overseas before, so this is something of a special occasion!

Thanks for the excuse Kamie!

Community fairs and getting to know people

Last weekend I took a few boxes down to the annual Artarmon Fair to show some support my local community and spread the good word about Milkooler and Littoral Records. In the end, I probably spent more on home-made marmalade, face painting and raffle tickets than I earned in sales of Milkoolers and CDs, but that doesn't really matter.

I realise now that running a stall at your local community fete is a great way to meet a wide variety of local residents, most of whom are very happy to strike up a conversation and tell you a little about themselves. I'm sure communities in ye olden days had many venues for this kind of community building - pubs, markets, stocks, hangings... err, well, not too many hangings these days, which makes the community fair a nice modern way to get to know the people you share a suburb with.

I met a lot of people who liked to try and haggle me down on my standard stall price of $20 per Milkooler. "$20 for a baby's bottle?" They'd exclaim in shock, "I can get a cheap Chinese-made one at the shop for $3-$4 dollars!" Well, sure you can, but think about what sort of chemicals might still be leaching from the plastic in that bottle before you go feeding your young ones from it. I choose nothing but the very best UK-made Avent brand bottles for my Milkoolers, and I pay through-the-nose retail prices for them because I'm not a big enough customer to warrant a wholesale price, apparently.

Anyway, it's a fun game because I really can't afford to be haggled down on my prices. Doesn't stop people trying, and in between new haggling strategies I get to learn more about where people live, where they were born originally (Artarmon is a fascinating polyglot community of recent arrivals) and what they do with their lives.

I did sell a few CDs and Milkoolers, and it's always wonderful to meet someone who 'gets' the Milkooler thing right away and is delighted to buy one, or someone who falls in love with one of my label's artists just by walking past my stall and grooving to the song currently playing. Retail therapy for me as well as for them!

I think next year I'll try to pull together a broader, multi-function stall with the help of my friends and neighbours and try to make it represent a broader range of interests and needs. Got local produce, bric a brac, or even just lemonade? There's a home for it on my stand.

what meetings are really like

what meetings are really like
Originally uploaded by thatjonesboy

Kirribilli Markets: let's dance!

Alec and Travis dancing to the music
Originally uploaded by thatjonesboy

We took a basket of Milkoolers, some great CDs for sale from Littoral Records and our iPod and speakers down to Kirribilli Markets this Easter Saturday.

Alec came down later to visit us with his mum, as did Travis, Alec's best mate, and his dad, Ross.

As you can see, Milkoolers have been around for quite some time now, since Alec was the original inspiration for Milkooler and he's now six years old.

In this photo, Alec and Travis have some pretty wicked dance moves happening: Travis is doing the 'running-on-the-spot', and Alec's doing the classic 'wave two fingers in front of your face' thing made famous by Uma Thurman and John Travolta in 'Pulp Fiction' (see video below).

This was our first market stall and I had high hopes for success, but the rain showers conspired with the Easter break to mean not many people showed up - even many stallholders stayed at home in bed.

Never mind. A lovely lady from the ginger bread stall opposite kindly gave us shelter when it rained, and at least we had a good time dancing!

How Milkooler was born

Dad, tell me a story. A really silly one.

OK Alec. Well, once upon a time, as all good stories start, in fact, it was late one afternoon. Alan was drinking his favourite beer in the sun in the backyard, waiting for the barbeque to heat up to grilling temperature. In the shade nearby lay his new baby son, Alec, also drinking from his own favourite bottle. Down in the garden, the attractive, intelligent and devoted woman who was both Alec’s mother and Alan’s wife was mowing the lawn. Alan thought to himself, ‘Could life be any sweeter?’ Alan thought not. Not unless he could persuade her to put down the push-mower for a minute and go get him another beer.

Suddenly, he had an idea! Wouldn't it be cute if Alec was able to hold his bottle in a little baby-sized neoprene holder like his dad's beer bottle holder? Wouldn't it be great if it kept the milk warm for longer and cooler for longer, for all those times when mum and baby are on the run? Wouldn’t it be nice if the neoprene bottle holder was easier for little baby hands to grasp? Made it more fun to hold? Made it less likely to be dropped? Wouldn’t it be cool if you could give little baby bottle holders as gifts to your mates when they became fathers for the first time?

Wouldn't it be awesome if Alan was able to quit his day job, build a website, get some of these things made, and make millions of dollars selling them over the Internet? Wouldn’t it be better if he stopped asking all these questions and went out and did something about it?

First things first: he finished his beer. Then he cooked the steak and sausages (note to US visitors: the shrimp thing is a myth). Then he washed up, bathed the baby, put him to bed, and prepared a nice hot bath for his wife (after all, she mowed the lawn). Finally, he asked her if it was a good idea.

Then he largely ignored her opinion, and the Milkooler was born, and Alan's vision came true (except for the last bit about the millions of dollars).