Any grapic artists willing to help a fellow cellarite?
 

My family is considering moving to Florida. We'd be able to buy a house there for cash. Last year we paid off 100% of our debt including credit card debt, student loans, and the car. With no house or rent payments, we'd be able to pay our regular monthly bills very easily. I could do it with virtually any job.

This might give me the opportunity to finally get out of IT and to start that Hot Dog cart I've been talking about for years. My wife hates the idea, but with a situation like this, I can get her to let me run the business without freaking out. She'll still complain until she starts seeing money come in though. I don't know if it's the way she grew up in Vietnam, but she thinks anytime someone has a business idea, it's a waste of time because "If it was that easy, everyone would be doing it". I never said running a business would be easy. Just that I could do it, and with enough work and luck, I think I could be good at it.

I don't think the "Reservoir Dogs" thing will play very well in Florida. That's pretty much a California thing with the movie industry. I'll probably go with the name "Horn Dogs".

The front of the cart I'm going to use will have customized graphics so I wanted to get something that looks nice.

I was hoping to get a drawing of a dog blowing a trumpet or bugle. In my head I see a blue background with yellow lettering and graphics with the horn and dog sort of stylized so it's sort of a single line and a curly font that compliments it.

I quickly threw something together using clip art but it's not what I want for a design. I was just hoping it would give someone kind of the feel I'm looking for.

If any of you are good at this stuff, I'd be happy for any help you could offer.

Here's the quick mockup I made to just sort of show the style I'm looking for.

They have rednecks and NASCAR in Florida, are you sure you want to do that? A lot of rednecks. :)

That's true, but I'll try to stay out of Datona. Parts of Florida are nice. It's the least Southern state in the South. It's got more old New Yorkers than Cubans or rednecks. :)

I think a dog with horns would work better, but that's just me. Like a jackalope, but a...dogalope. But not with antelope horns. Maybe bull horns...on a crazy dog's head.

A dog with horns would be perceived as a horny dog, not a horn dog. :)

I looked it up and Florida has a dog chain called "Hot Dog Heaven". I don't want to go with something boring like "Paul's Beach Dogs" or anything like that. I'd like to go with something fun and creative.

Dude, Florida has as many rednecks as Georgia and Alabama, no matter where you go. How's your spanish? Be sure to move to a populated city. You might consider the Jacksonville area.

My Spanish is actually pretty good. So is my Vietnamese. I used to be pretty good at Japanese, but the more Vietnamese I learn, the less Japanese I can remember.

I'm looking at Orlando.

Probably you've done this already, but check the city ordinances with respect to things like dog carts. I suspect they aren't very amenable to that sort of thing.

I have friends that spend much time in Orlando, I can ask them if they've even ever seen a dog cart.

I've always associated dog carts with more urbanized areas.

Actually dog carts are common in Florida. My uncle Manny runs one in Ocala, Florida. The place that manufacture's the cart I'm buying is in Orlando.

The way it works out there is through zoning. You can't sell dogs in a residential neighborhood. There are designated areas. You need a state and city business license and a health permit. You also need to register your cart/trailer with the DMV.

It's more of a dog stand than a cart anyway. I mean you can tow it behind a car or truck, but it's not something you push from place to place.

I'm still hoping for someone with artistic ability to help out with the logo. I guess I can just pay for it, but I thought it would be cool if someone from here made it.

I think you should have a little cartoon dog playing a horn.

I took a picture from the web and made some quick changes in Gimp. The horn sucks, but you get the idea.

Being the new millennium's version of the Joads might not lead to the results you expect. Exhaust your opportunities where you are before you travel 2,500 miles on a dream.

You're not the only one thinking this way.

(I am aware that this balances unwell with the immediacy of your situation, and the fact that California's economy has been circling the bowl for a while and is in that stage just before the last suck and gurgle.)

Just do it. The worst that could happen is that you have to find a job back in IT.

Yeah, I am with Perry. You have nothing to lose in this situation. I think it is a smart idea.

A move out of California to an area with a lower cost of living is a solid idea. I'm less convinced the hot dog cart will bring in the money you think it will.

You could visit rkzen too... maybe shack up for a few days at his place.