Now to the story of why the "N" is backwards on my business cards.
My dad, Bob Roden, was a member of the Osseo, MN Lions Club for over 30 years before he passed in 1993. The club wanted to make benches to place around town, and my dad — a carpenter and woodworker — routed "Osseo Lions Club" into the backs of those benches.
He made a template out of plywood so he could duplicate the engraving across the roughly 20 benches that were being built. I don't know if it was on purpose or just a dyslexic moment, but he made the "N" backwards on the template.
Whatever the reason, all the backs of all the benches were routed with the backwards N. It became the talk of the town.
The club then had pins made like the benches, and they traded them at regional, national, and international conventions. The club with the backwards "N" became the talk of the time, and a big hit.
While the reason my dad made the N backwards may never be known, I asked Hanna, the graphic artist who designed my logo, to make the N backwards in honor of him — of the man who shared his love of woodworking with me.
He has been gone almost thirty years now, and he still has a special place in my heart, and always in my shop.
Thanks, Dad, for all the memories. I love you.
Don