Work Related

When you realize how perfect everything is, you will tilt your head back and laugh at the sky.
~Buddha

"Perfect" is up to me. Today I'm going to give myself the gift of saying "No" instead of making myself crazy by meeting someone else's "pulled out of the air" deadline. As soon as I'd made that decision, I felt like things were back on track for me. I'm breathing again. Yesterday, I was just a bunch of tensed up muscles and anger because I wasn't practicing self-care.

Saying "No" has always been hard for me, but with age I'm learning that it's up to me to set boundaries. People, both professionally and personally, have had a habit of walking all over me because I've allowed them my back as a welcome mat. It's getting easier and easier for me to tell people, both professionally and personally to back off, because I see that the world doesn't come to an end. Some people don't have any awareness of appropriate boundaries. That's OK for them, just not for me.

It's really so simple, isn't it? A perfect life is much more simple than I give it credit for.

(try not to sing that song in your head now...)

Oh Mondays, how I love you! I work the weekend just so I can take Mondays off to have some 'me' time. I especially love the Mondays that the housekeepers come (every other Monday.) It gives me an excuse to get out and goof off, and then come home to a clean house.

If rain is in the forecast, Einstein goes to doggy day camp and then gets an "exit bath". Clean house, clean (and tired) pup. Gotta love that.

If it's sunny out, 'Steiners and I go for a walk somewhere. I try to find new and different places to walk so it doesn't get boring.

It's going to be a stressful few months, making my Mondays off even more important.

Hang on, BJ, we're in for a bumpy ride. It's all in the name of early retirement.

I'm starting up two new businesses soon. I've purchased the domain names and just need to get the sites built and then I'll be ready to rock and roll. I'm not going to share the details until everything is live.

The best part is that I won't have any start up costs (except 24.00 to purchase the domain names.) I have all the equipment I need (including a credit card machine! I can accept all major credit cards dontchaknow...), and I have the resources (that'd be me to start, but I see other people doing the work after I get it up and running.) Even better, I won't need to store inventory and I'll be paid before doing the work. There's really nothing to lose. Even if this doesn't fly, I'll only be out 24.00 and the time investment in creating the sites and marketing the business,

The two businesses are sort of related. Same service basically, but one business is geared toward job searches and the other is geared toward friendship/relationships.

Intrigued? Yeah, me too!

Hey, this blogging every day stuff is working out great! Two days in a row! Go me!

I have a new client as of today, located in Hawaii! Gee, how awful will it be to go visit them?

Of course, I'll have to take my entourage (my accountant, BJ; my designer, Cameron; and my soon-to-be new writer, Michael.) Michael probably has no idea what he's gotten himself in to, but hopefully he won't notice until after the 4th quarter rush is over. Several companies seem to be waiting for that magical quarter to give me their contracts. It's gonna be crazy if they all follow through with what they're telling me.

I won't even get into what's happening in 2012. Suffice it to say, the train is moving down the track and there is no slowing it down. eeek.

So, rather than make myself crazy with dwelling on the work ahead, I'm going to write about reality TV. BJ wonders why I like reality TV so much, but it makes a lot of sense to me. I need SOMETHING to turn off my brain at night. Reality TV is my drug of choice. Arrest me, sue me, whatever you want to do- - just don't make me THINK! Justin Timberlake uses the wacky tabacky, I watch reality TV. We all have our vices.

With that said, I'm not confirming or denying that I watch Bachelor Pad, but if I did- I'd say that someone ought to create a new drinking game. Every time Vienna says "literally", people need to take a swig of their favorite beverage. Mine happens to be Fresca, so all that will do for me is keep me running to the bathroom all night. Thanks a lot, Vienna.

Seriously! I've been working my tookus off on a project for 'Big Fish' for the last couple of weeks. The last week, I worked WAY more hours than I should and really can't bill for them, so I'll have to figure something out to make things right (for me.) This project will blow everyone's socks off. There is NO doubt in my mind. It'll also be something that thousands (millions?) of people will see. That, right there, is pretty darned cool.

Due to this project, I've had to up my antacids and other stuff like that because I've woken up to aspirating acid in my sleep the last three nights and spending a good 30 minutes in the middle of the night trying to cough it out. Now I'm sporting a 102+ fever and feel pretty horrible. I'm going to give it a few more days before I see a doctor. I have a 10 day illness and 3 week pain rule for myself before calling the doctor. Besides... I feel too crappy to even GO to the doctor.

This project isn't something that Cameron can do (yet!) and so it's up to me to finish this by Friday no matter how I feel. This is one of the downsides to being self-employed. There aren't many, so I can deal with this.

I wrote a few posts ago that I'm going to take it easier. I tried, I really did- but that's just not me. I have a 125,000+ employee company I'm in contract negotiations with, as well as a repeat customer that will be giving me some new business. I also am working out a new opportunity to partner with a large infosec company to be their eLearning provider, on top of my contract with 'Big Fish'. I have a feeling that my contract with 'Big Fish' will continue to be extended as long as I want, based on a conversation I had a couple of days ago.

Nope, I don't know how to take it easy. Even when I'm sick (which is probably hard to understand... I know.) I'm trying really hard to keep my company small because i really hate managing people and I don't want to deal with what happens when business is slow (ha... It's yet to be slow.)

Cameron is working out really well, and he's going to be working a lot of hours the next couple of months (maybe more?) I asked Big Fish if I could bring him along to the big summit in July, and they said yes! I'll be paying for his travel, of course, but this will be a fantastic experience for him. Especially since we'll be getting a two bedroom suite at the same hotel I stayed in the presidential suite last year. Fun!!!!! Plus I'll have a helper if i need one for fankle issues in the airport. Lucky Cameron!

Coming up is our annual fireworks and horse races event. This year we're reserving the entire room and plan to fill it. I've never had a party with that many people and am not quite sure how to ensure that everyone (75 +) gets enough "Lori" time. I'll figure it out.

Maybe I should have made this a this and that, because I'm rambling on and on. This is what happens when Lori takes the "good" cough syrup (leftover from who knows when!)

Life is good, people (except the sick part... But this will pass...), and I wake up grateful every day. I'm pretty sure that I'll be even more grateful when I retire, but honestly this ain't bad.....