October has been wild! After I put in notice at my day job (yes, I'm going to be running Bromstad Printing Company full time!), my risograph machine broke. Whoops!
After a tech came out to assess (twice), I made the decision to take the plunge on a brand new duplicator. RIP MZ1090u, I knew you pretty well, but you weren't up to snuff.
Buying a new machine involved a big leap and a lot of $$$ I did not plan to spend as a newly minted full-time small biz owner. But having something reliable is important — I lost a number of jobs since my MZ went caput.

Last week my new Riso MH9450 was delivered. IÂ couldn't wipe the smile off my face! But IÂ am still eagerly awaiting crucial supplies to get started printing the 2023 calendar, and as the days pass my November 1 calendar drop date looks more and more out of reach, which brings me much pain as I hate to not keep promises.Â

So far life as a small business owner has been rocky. A lot of obstacles have been thrown my way, but I have not felt any regret over my decision to do this full time. Despite the challenges, I'm still smiling.Â
Today I pulled out an old print from my flat file. It's one of the first things I printed with my old MZ1090, a two-color piece in fluorescent orange and burgundy by Melvin at Studio by the Tracks. I love this print, it's still one of my favorites.

Very much feeling the "Thy shall be tested" commandment these days. But powering through!