If you don't follow the San Jose Sharks, you may not know that they have a tendency to be fabulous during the regular season (last season, they won the President's Trophy for best overall record) and then fall to pieces in the playoffs (losing in the first round last season despite having the best regular season record). The sports media tend to talk about "mental toughness" a lot when they talk about the Sharks' playoff performance.
But what is mental toughness?
The best definition I found comes from Penn State. "Mental toughness is ... to be more consistent and better than your opponents in remaining determined, focused, confident, resilient, and in control under pressure." To, say, not fall apart when the opposing team scores a big goal.
Honestly, I've yet to watch a team in any sport that's more mentally tough than the Red Wings. I once saw them fall behind early in the game 0-7 against the Atlanta Thrashers, but they didn't get flustered or overwhelmed. Instead, they worked their way back - they still lost, but it was 7-6. They didn't get those six goals at once; they just slowly chipped away at the Thrashers' lead. If they'd had about 3 more minutes, they'd probably have tied it. There's a reason the Wings have won all those Stanley Cups.
The Sharks have been going through a rough patch of late - losing games that they shouldn't have, falling behind 6-0 to the Kings (the Kings!) because of a couple of mental lapses and then being unable to overcome that setback. (They eventually lost 6-2.) They've been playing better, and they certainly look like they care -- which hasn't always been the case.
You can imagine how this might apply not only to hockey, but also to running your own business for the first time. Learning how to stay focused and doing what we can so we don't spend money faster than y'all order lollipops - and to not stress out when that doesn't happen. Instead to figure out how to spend less money and bring in more sales. It's not always easy, but we're learning.
Friday, January 15, 2010
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Sweet Valentine Lollipops
Purple Sweetheart Lollipops pair fragrant jasmine with sweet honey to captivate you. Red Hot Love Lollipops’ combination of cherry and spicy cinnamon will leave you breathless. Their heart shapes make them perfect for Valentine’s Day. Buy some in our Etsy store today!
Monday, January 11, 2010
Notes From the Test Kitchen
Kate and I firmly believe that our candy should not only taste amazing, it should be gorgeous. With that in mind, I recently made several test batches to select the best color for the debut of Pistachio-Marshmallow this spring.
Batch #1:
Batch #2:
Batch #3:
Batch #4:
Which is your favorite? Ours is #4. We’re crazy excited about this lollipop and we hope you’ll be too!
photos by Kevin Keeker
Thursday, January 7, 2010
2010 Flavor Preview
We've got all kinds of yummy things planned for 2010! Here's a short flavor preview for the year.
Pistachio-Marshmallow - When these two flavors get together, something magical happens. We can’t explain it. All we know is it makes a yummy lollipop! Coming March 2010
Sweetened Grapefruit- Remember that awesome breakfast that sent you off to school, ready to tackle the day? Among other things, Mom would cut a grapefruit in half and sprinkle sugar on top to balance its natural tartness. Sweetened Grapefruit lollipops hark to that biting citric flavor. Coming August 2010
Teaberry - Teaberry is a regional name for the plant also known as American Wintergreen. While the tongue-tingling Teaberry was quite well liked at our tasting party, it was a controversial flavor among our college friends. We dare you to try it! Coming March 2010
Root Beer Float - Our recipe for Root Beer Float incorporates nutty vanilla, which makes the taste richer than Root Beer flavored candy on its own. We sprinkle a little powdered sugar on them, as if they were flecked with bits of vanilla ice cream. Coming April 2010
Try these and more in 2010!
Pistachio-Marshmallow - When these two flavors get together, something magical happens. We can’t explain it. All we know is it makes a yummy lollipop! Coming March 2010
Sweetened Grapefruit- Remember that awesome breakfast that sent you off to school, ready to tackle the day? Among other things, Mom would cut a grapefruit in half and sprinkle sugar on top to balance its natural tartness. Sweetened Grapefruit lollipops hark to that biting citric flavor. Coming August 2010
Teaberry - Teaberry is a regional name for the plant also known as American Wintergreen. While the tongue-tingling Teaberry was quite well liked at our tasting party, it was a controversial flavor among our college friends. We dare you to try it! Coming March 2010
Root Beer Float - Our recipe for Root Beer Float incorporates nutty vanilla, which makes the taste richer than Root Beer flavored candy on its own. We sprinkle a little powdered sugar on them, as if they were flecked with bits of vanilla ice cream. Coming April 2010
Try these and more in 2010!
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
George Washington Lollipops
Neil pointed us to this wonderful post about George Washington and happiness in the New York Times. I love seeing stories and pictures of lollipops in the media, not to mention that whole post is incredibly charming for reasons I can't quite put my finger on.
Monday, January 4, 2010
More Lovely Etsy Items
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