I got nothin'

by Frank Turk

UPDATED 10/10: Oh BOOYAH! 27 designs made it to the actual contest. We had 4 non-starters because I couldn't find graphics for them which were in a decent enough resolution to get them into 10inX10in size. Sorry!

So here's how the contest works: You go visit the contest shop, and you buy the deeply-discounted t-shirt you think has the best obscure hero of the faith. We run the shop through Reformation Day (October 31), and on the morning of November 1, I run the sales report for the shop. The design which sold the most UNITS wins the prize I have outlined someplace in this post -- so if somebody sells 10 sweatshirts, but somebody else sells 11 value T's, the person who sold 11 UNITS wins in spite of the fact that the design which sold 10 sweatshirts sold twice as many dollars worth of stuff.

That make sense? Good. Go buy something and we'll talk about this again when the contest is over.

Go. This is the link.

UPDATED 10/9: Yes, I know -- I'm a week behind. I have also, if you'll check my blog, gone fishin'. The contest will begin when I have all the t-shirts rendered and uploaded. Thank you for your patience.

UPDATED 10/4: no updates. Sorry! Thanks for checking!

UPDATED 10/3: I have a list of 32 design ideas (including the first person who submitted said idea), and I am downloading images to drop into the template. I am also still in the thick of video editing for my church. Since the selling season for the contest is the whole month of October, but this video has to be ready and burned to DVD by Friday, your shirts are on-hold. For your convenience, when we have a live t-shirt shop I'll change the contest graphic on the front page.

Please do not cause global unrest in your urgency to see these designs on actual products. This is a t-shirt contest and not a clash of civilizations.

UPDATED 9/29: OK -- the contest entry deadline is tomorrow (9/30), and I promised to have the rule-abiding entries in a cafepress shop by October 1. Well, I'm in the middle of shooting and editing a vision-casting video for my church, my parents are flying in to town today, and my normal hectic life leaves me short on time to hit the 10/1 start selling date at CafePress.

Just be forewarned that the shop will not be available on 10/1. It may take until 10/3 to have it full of your really cool ideas.

I am certain Dan has something very insightful to say today. I am, unfortunately, out of pocket and can't find 45 minutes to knock out a decent TeamPyro post.

I did, however, get an e-mail from the Pawn Shop Host, and they told me that I am in the running to be shopkeeper of the month, based on the sales of the "homeboy collection" of cheap junk at ridiculous prices. By a long shot, these are the best selling items ever posted at the Pawn Shop, and I encourage you to show the world that the truly reformed are people, too, by buying a shirt and making the Pawn Shop the Shop of the Month at CafePress.

It could lead to a contest, but I am too busy to figure one out right now.

UPDATED: "mike" in the meta inspired this contest ideaer, so read closely. I have gotten literally dozens of one-up ideas for "homeboy" t-shirts -- that is, ideas one person swears they would buy if it was in the Pawn Shop, but prolly not anyone else.

Well, all you brilliant thinkers, here's the deal:

In the meta of this post, put up your one-up ideas. You are limited to ideas that I have not already created and posted in the Pawn Shop, and they must be historical figures with some kind of relationship to Reformed theology, and a dead person; for example, Athanasius was a reformer in his age and would be fair game, but Joseph Smith or any Pope would not be inside the bounds of good taste -- we don't want to get accused of lampooning or disrespect -- and James White would be a living person of whom we do not want to run afoul. You have until Midnight on Sept 30, 2006 to make your entry. One entry per poster. On Oct 1, I will open up a "Homeboys II" section in the Pawn Shop, and whichever idea sells the most t-shirts in the month of October, the thinker who thought up the great idea gets a free t-shirt (gray T), mug and poster (unframed) as a reward. In case of a tie, I pick the winner and there's no appeal process. In the event that there are no sales on your one-up ideaers, there will be no winner.

It doesn't get any more fair than that. I look forward to your horsepower. One other thing: I'm going to reduce my markup on the items in that section of the shop to make it all the more appealing -- so you'll see all the prices lowered and ending in .99. May it never be said that I was unfair to you people after you came up with great ideas.

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