Let the Adventure begin…. Going outside of your comfort zone to get your story

They have containers!!!
From Tuesday Morning
(c) 2015 P. Lynne Designs

Yesterday was a very eventful day.  Other than the usual waking up in my comfy bed, I had a business women’s meeting (Shout out to Awesome Women in Business).  I got there late, because unless I have my GPS on and secure, I am the most directional challenged person you could ever meet.  I drive a lot, but when I ride with someone who knows where they are going (i.e. my dad), I sit back and run my mouth.  That is what introverts do.  Another subject for a different day.

Anyway, it was on marketing your business, and I can spend a whole hour talking about how to do that with your own business, because I graduated with a bachelor’s degree in marketing, but that is not the subject for today.  Shall we move on?

After the meeting and networking with some of the ladies, who I have not seen since my accident in July, which was due to recovery, and getting my business ready for the holidays, I headed home…or did I?

I think I might add these.
From Tuesday Morning (c) 2015
P. Lynne Designs

I was hungry, but I did not want fast food.  I wanted something new or something that I have eaten in a long time.  This food had to be portable, but soft on my throat, because I am recovering from Strep Throat.  I had not been around the Bethel Road area in a while, so I went on a little adventure.  First I looked at a couple of strip malls, and if you are in the U.S, you know what I mean.  I did not want Chinese food, and one Indian diner looked questionable, so I passed those up.  I found my familiar, Micro Center, which if you do not have one, it is basically a computer store, and I needed to go in there to get some ink, but, as a rule, I do not get my printer ink from a computer store.  The prices are too high unless you find a deal, and I was not up for that.   What I was up for was Tuesday Morning, a store that is similar to Pier 1, World Market, and Big Lots in one store.  They have closeouts and clearances on items.  I looked in (Warning:  Very dangerous stuff ahead…) but walked out with nothing.  Why?  Because I took my credit cards out of my wallet, and at the moment, my bank will not like me if I had bought a candy bar with my debit cards…come on payday.

Cam Asian Market in Columbus, Ohio
(c) 2014 Google Images

Next, and this is where the true adventure began, I stepped next door to Cam, an Asian Market.  Folks, this chick has never been in an Asian market before because I am not Asian.  But this is a post about stepping outside of your comfort zone, and other than a trip to New York or San Francisco to visit Chinatown or even a trip to an Asian country, I get my Chinese food from a bistro around the corner and my Sushi from a diner across town.  Let’s just say that I was the only black chick in the market. 

I can honestly say without a doubt, if you want to fully immerse yourself in someone’s culture, go where the locals go.  Have your doubts, and things that your family and friends have told you about a culture in mind, but let it go when you walk into that culture.  I noticed that the people in the market, basically kept to themselves.  They were not on smartphones, except one, and he and his friend were millennials.  My cart almost ran into a lady, who did not say excuse me.  I said it, I guess she was surprised that I said anything.  The music was quietly playing in the background, and it was not the latest pop music in America, it was THEIR music.  The only English I heard was when I went up to the counter.   Last week, I had forgetting to get eggs in Whole Foods, but the only eggs I found were the type they ate, which were eggs like Thousand-year-old eggs, and boiled eggs in soy sauce.  I bought a piece of yeast Brown sugar bread for $1.99.  It was quite tasty, and if I put the effort in, I can make yeast bread.   They had a very small section of European goodies, but there wasn’t anything American in the store.  I now know where to get my Dim Sum, should I want to cook it, because Columbus’ Chinese restaurants do not like to serve Dim Sum at all.  Finding ingredients for Sushi has never been a problem.   I just do not have the manual dexterity it takes (nor the 10 years of schooling) to make the perfect roll, so I leave it up to the experts.

Brown Sugar Yeast bread from Cam
(c) 2015 P. Lynne Designs

So if you want an adventure, you do not have to spend $1,000 on plane tickets and $300 a night on a hotel room, just to get a blog post going.  Just do what I did yesterday.   Get out of your comfy bed, and go to a part of your city or town that you think you would never venture to, and visit some of the shops.  Become the observant, people watch.  Notice how they act, and write about it.  Be careful about taking pictures, it might not be their way. (I took pictures inside of Tuesday Morning for personal reasons and a project I am working on, but none in the market).  Be respectful of that culture, but do not trash-talk.  This is how we as a nation can begin to heal from all the hurt and pain.  You do not have to agree with everyone, even in your own little corner of the world, but who knows, that little corner may become bigger when someone not like you shares in the moment.  I enjoyed coming out of my comfort zone.

Confession is good for the Soul: not when it comes to habits…

(Warning:  Affiliate links ahead) 

(c) unknown source

Confession time:  Hi my name is Patricia (Hi Patricia), and I am a tool, junkie.   It all started when I was taking dance lessons:  ballet, jazz, and tap.   I was 10 when I felt the urge to have every kind of dance shoe known to mankind.  If it allowed me to go on full pointe, demi-pointe, flick my feet, flap, shuffle, paradiddle, whatever, I wanted to look good when I did it.  The only people to stop me in getting every type of dance shoe were my parents.   That same love went for leotards and leg warmers.  If it came in pink, that was great. 

My next big love came with journaling and paper.  It still is, and I had to learn how to restrain myself from little notepads, notecards, colorful index cards, journaling books, and the like.  OK, there is a bit of love for office supplies too, but if it was cute, it was in my cart and in my home.  I lived with my parents until I was 34, so I sometimes snuck it in.  This is where my love for scrapbooking came in.  I will get back to it in a moment.

I am also a musician, a keyboardist, and I am working on getting keyboard #10. I currently have keyboard #9, which is about 13 years old, and seeing its last days.  The keyboards I had in the past were either sold or have seen their last days too, and you should have seen what my father did to my organ when it seen its last days.  Not pretty at all, LOL.  Let’s just say that it fit into one neat little garbage can.  But the keyboard I want is no small price.  Most good quality keyboards today come between the average price tag of $2,000-$4,000, and this one I want is $1,699.00 (Street Price).  This is compared to the current one of $200.00, but the current keyboard was bought in 1999, and the new one was made in 2014.  Huge difference in quality and the current one is a Casio CTS 630 and the new one is a Yamaha Motif MOXF8 (the 8 stands for 88-keys).  It is cheaper than its big brother, the Yamaha Motif XF8, which runs a street price of $3,600.  One thing you can say about my tools of the trade is I have a budget on how much I want to spend on that item.

Back to scrapbooking tools….

I have in my possession three Cricut Electronic die cutting machines.  One is called an Expression 2, 5^th anniversary edition, which I used until I bought the second one, an Explore, which is the main one I use for all my die cutting needs (well almost all).  The E25E is now a backup machine in case the Explore needs repairs or I have a huge project.   I also have a Cricut Imagine, which I only used a handful of times, because that thing is too big to be lugging up and down the stairs, so it just sits in my second bedroom.  I almost considered buying a Silhouette Cameo, and may still do so, now that I am on their small business affiliate program.  I also have two manual die cutting machines, a Cuttlebug, by the same people who make the Cricut and a We R Memory Keepers Evolution.  I started using it yesterday, even though I had it for just 8 months.

Another We R Memory Keepers product that I have not used yet is a new tool called a Fuse.  It fuses page protectors and creates pockets to hold little trinkets and keepsakes in an album.  I bought it 4 months ago.  Please let’s not talk about my papers.  

A Tisket, a Tasket, look its

a basket.

Finally, we get to my baskets.  I am an Independent Home Consultant for The Longaberger Company, and I have talked about it many times.  When you have been selling for 14 years, you tend to keep and use your samples.  That is another subject for a different day.

So yes, I have made my confession and I am not here to brag about the stuff I have.  I use most of my stuff, even though I heard Peter Walsh (the organizing and declutter guy) say on the Rachael Ray Show that the average person only uses 60% of their stuff.  I would say I use 85% of my stuff.   I am also saying that I am in the process of decluttering and have put myself on a buying diet.  I cannot buy until I all of my consumable items.  Much of my stuff I use for my business, P.Lynne Designs.

So here’s to confession that is good for the soul, and much lighter on the wallet.  

Understanding yourself as a writer

(c) 2015 public domain image

Topics. Research. Content.  Deadlines. Payment.  These are all things that make up a post, an article, a story, or a document.  They may even summon a poem or two.  One thing for sure, it should be interesting, educate, and bring a call to action (even if it was stupid to begin with).  
These are all the things I have been contemplating with since I started MDN Creates (now called P.Lynne Designs) in January 2009. Is it interesting? Do I educate enough in my posts? Finally, do I bring a call to action?  I always feel that there is something missing in my posts.  In fact, I can be my own worst critic.  Now that I have 5 (soon to be 4) blogs, I have to be extra careful with things, such as:  Have I covered (this topic) before, and if so, when?  How much do I actually know about a topic before diving in?  Is it interesting enough to invite comments from readers, who may have the same interest in the topic?  
I call these type of questions, teaching moment questions.  I have been writing a lot lately about teachable moments:  Recouping after an accident, learning how to follow up, and how to deal with mothers when you are not a mother yourself.  There is one more teachable moment that I feel I need to teach you, and that is not known and understand yourself as a writer.  This lesson goes beyond topics, goes deeper than researching your subject, providing great content, and dealing with deadlines and how you are being paid.   I can’t tell you how many times I have failed on a post, by trying to get my point across to my readers, only to not know who I am as a writer, and if the topic I wanted to cover was interesting enough for me. There is also knowing your audience, but I will cover that in a later post. I can tell the difference.  My failed thought process goes like this:
I come up with a subject.  I love it in the very beginning, and I type feverishly to get my point across at first, then about midway through the process, I stop.   I start pacing, I find other things to do, and then I close the document, thinking that I could just pick it up in the next few hours or the next day.  If I happen to think about it a little the next time I open the word document, I may go to Google first to research it, but that rarely happens.  Then I finally forget about it, and the post is in my “potential post” folder.   The only way I get back to it is when I finally succumb to the idea of just deleting the file. That is one example on how to understand yourself as a writer and that is your work ethic and how you move on from a failed writing gig for yourself.  
Another way is when you start accepting writing assignments to write for others.  Know what niches or topics you will accept as a writer.  As a blogger, you pretty much know what your blog is all about, but this for when someone as you to submit a post or article for their blog or website.  For me, I will not write for or about the occult (Wicca, Pagan religion), anything that does harm to a person unless it is a teachable moment, adult subjects (again it has to be a teachable moment), speak badly about another race, gender, or religion, and anything that speak bad and horrible things about God.   All other subjects are at my discretion.  Sometimes I may not accept a gig because I do not know enough about the subject to give a good, solid document for the client.  I am also constantly learning that the subject matter is not about what I want as a writer, but what my client wants for a document.  For that reason, I often do Ghost Writing.  
So get to know yourself as a writer, all of it.  Take the time to spell your terms and rates out to your new client.  If they want to work with you, that is great, congrats, if not, move on.  There are plenty of people who need writers, and what I love about this industry is the reward after you are finished with the project, which is priceless, but the monetary rewards help pay the bills.  

Mom. Mommy. Mama. Mother

I was watching The View yesterday
, when the ladies, who were Whoopi Goldberg, Joy Behar, Paula Faris, Michelle Collins, and Raven-Symone, was discussing the topic of motherhood and what to call women who are unable to have children, including those who choose not to have them for whatever reason.

It made me think about the post I wrote back in 2012 called “Monday Morning being single and childless” (May 7. 2012).  In that post, I talked about what my life would be like, if I had done all the things I wanted to do, if God had allowed me to get married and have a baby or two.  I also talked about reasons why going the 9-month mommy route was not available to me after age 29, as well as not getting married at a young age.  I still hope the find that husband, and I hope I will enjoy whatever family God presents to me, and that I do not feel like an outsider of that family.  It is very important to me that my future step-children accept me as part of their father’s life.  If not, that is the way it has to be.  I am marrying their father, if asked, not them.  I am also praying that my own father will still get to walk me down the aisle.

OK at this point I am getting off track, you can read the post by clicking on the link….

Back to the topic…

This is to the mothers reading this; “Never assume that just because a woman does not have children that she does not know what she is talking about.  I am an aunt with no kids.  There are also teachers, pediatricians, nurses, and other concerned women, and well-meaning women who have the mothering instinct.  Just because we did not carry YOUR CHILD in our belly for nine months or do not have adoption papers, that does not mean we cannot offer advice, or correct your child when the time comes.  We are trying to keep your child out of harm’s way, and at that time we have your child, they are our child.  Once we release your child back into your custody for the day or week, then we have no say so in the discipline part, but we still reserve the right to interact with your child.”

To the Women who feel bullied by mothers….

“Please live your life and do not pay attention to what they have to say.  You have advice and want to give it, give it.  If the mom (or dad) accepts the advice without question, great, you have won the battle.  If the child needs to be disciplined, do it, but please tell the parent the problem and how it was solved, especially if you are a teacher.  I know we all might want to smack the child, but please refrain from doing so.  Offer other corrective measures.  There is nothing worse than miscommunication between your version and the child in question’s version.  Children will exaggerate to avoid being on punishment with their parent. Stand your ground.  If they (the parent) says you do not know what you are talking about, just move on.  It not that serious.  I am sure that person does it to everyone.  I feel your pain.”

I am still looking into adoption, I was given some advice on the age of the child by everyone who I talked to.  When I first looked into it, I was told that I was better off not being a mother by more people, especially family.  The only reason I can give was they are mothers themselves, and some had wished that they did not embark on such a task.   If they had to do it all over again, they would not have done it.  That does not mean they do not love their children they have now, it is just that they wish they would have been given more time to think about it, before getting pregnant. I also feel like that the women who gave me this advice, wanted to know why I want to give up the freedom I have now, for someone who would not appreciate the time that I would be spending with them.

To them, I would say:  “One of the reasons why I went into business for myself is so I would have the time to spend with my potential child.  I am preparing for that time.  It is a time that any employer would and could not let me have once a child comes into the picture.  I would not or could not ask an employer to allow me that privilege because that would mean that everyone in that company would have to be given that same right.   It would not be fair to them or me. Believe me, I could not have it any other way, although I do miss getting a weekly paycheck.  I still get plenty of interaction from my church family, my biological family, my women groups, and customers.  One of the things that still hold true is when it comes time to adjusting my schedule, and I had to do that a lot lately by taking off a month to recoup, and revamping my business and my personal life.  It should not be any different when I apply for adoption.” Also, some family members have changed their tune since advising me on going the mommy route.

Look, everyone should be called a mother or a father.  What is the difference, besides seeing a child 24/7/365?  You should be prepared to care for a person younger than 18 (21 if special needs).  You are the provider of that person’s food, clothing, shelter, health, and they should depend on you for comfort, advice, and to teach them from right or wrong.   You should be able to go from zero to 60 in 2.2 seconds when that child cries out in the middle of the night or when they are in trouble.  You should be able to defend your child in any situation.  There is some emotional attachment to all that I mentioned above, and you shall not harm them.  Anyone can give birth, but it takes a lot to be a mother (or a father).

As mention in both my public and private writings (yes, I keep a personal journal) I am so ready for the challenge with or without a man.  I would love to have a father figure in my future child’s life.  I would have some requirements for that man to fulfill, such as being on the same page with me in the care and well-being of my child.  None of that funny stuff.  Both the child and I need to trust that person, and I will get more into detail when the time comes.  That is why ladies, you cannot have just any old man, who loves and calls you baby, but hates YOUR baby.  That is another subject for a different day.

So back to The View topic; when a woman with no children wants to say something about your child or has advice for you, please do not dismiss it, we are only exercising our maternal nature that God has given all of us.  Take or leave it.

Get the Job Done Right the first time

(c) 2015 P. Lynne Designs

Today’s post is somewhat of a bittersweet moment.  I am not going to always post things like this, because, for one, it is not in my DNA to upset my readers.  I want the post to be a teachable moment for all, including myself.  The second reason is to inform, not put down, which leads back to the upset part. 

I have mentioned for some time how I was going to switch up my blogs.  Not so much with the format, I am pretty happy with that, even though the format could use a little updating every now and then.  I was going to change from Blogger to WordPress, mainly because I will have more control with a WordPress blog (self-hosting) then with Blogger or the other WordPress platform (yes there are two WordPress formats).  Do not get me wrong, I love Blogger, and it is great for those who are just starting a blog, but it is being controlled by Google.  Google has this tendency of being a bully, and if they feel that you are not following their rules, they can delete your blog in an instant, without so much as an email on why they feel that your wisdom is not worth their time anymore.  Besides that, Google feels like they can change the Algorithm (fancy word for code) any time they feel the wind blow.  It frustrates many a blogger who happens to have the blog on Blogger.  I will explain later in another post.

The point I am trying to make is, when I started out on this blogging journey, I thought I could just create a blog, and that was it. All I had to do was to keep it up, and for the most part I did, but again I was getting restless with the format and Blogger, and I was hearing horror stories about blogs and whole account being deleted by Google, until I had to do something, before I would not have a blog.  So I started creating the format with Host Gator, but I was not getting anywhere because I did not know how to code.  I still do not know how to code very well with HTML, and Joomla is just a foreign language to me, so I started inquiring for some help.  

I am not going to mention any names on here, because they could be reading, and I do not want their rep to be totally ruined, but there is something called integrity and doing the job right the first time.  The first person I asked was actually the results of a contest I won locally.  The person emailed me to congratulate on winning her giveaway, and that she will create for me a custom website.  A $200 package that she was giving away.  I told her what I needed, and she said that she would get back to me.  She never did.  A few months later, I had her as a Facebook friend, and I explain in my status that I was having an issue that needed solving in regards to the website I was creating, and she chimed in that she could help.  I explained that it had to be for free, and she actually explained that she owed me for the contest, so I agreed.   I took to email and explained the situation, and once again she said that she would get back to me, and she never did.  I was devastated and moved on.

Next, this came at the beginning of this year, and with the same blog, which is my Simply Organized Crafts blog, and I donated $10 for an international charity that the blog creator was contributing to.  I found this out by the emails I was already getting from her.  In turn, she was supposed to create this blog for me through Web Hosting Hub.   I gave her the information, and I was not sure of my password on my Google account to access Blogger.  She needed it to transfer files onto the new site.   It is now September, and I have not heard from her since my accident.  I went on Web hosting hub and I cannot get into the account.

My point in all of this, and this is my takeaway for the day is:

·         If you are in any kind of business, make it a point to spell out from the very beginning what your products and services are.

·         If you are in service for someone else, make sure that you do the best job you can possible for that customer or even that friend.

·         Follow through and follow up with everything. 

·         If you cannot do it, tell them you cannot, explain why.  You do not have to make up the why.  Tell the truth.

·         Know your resources.  Is there a business person who owes you a favor or has a service that you do not offer?  Point your client in that direction.  That client may actually come back to you for a service that you DO offer.

·         Finally, if you make a mistake, own up to it.  Correct it by making it right.  Offer to fix it, or if you cannot, offer some sort of compensation (example; a discount, an extra product, refund).

I am sure that to these two people I talked about in this post, what they had to offer me was a drop in the bucket to them, but to me, it was a delay at the start of or continuation of my business.  I could have given them a note of thanks for helping me with my situations, and without them, my business would not have gotten started the way that it should.  Now, if they ever ask me to review their services, I may not give them a fair feedback.  So if you are looking for some sort of feedback on your products and services, do all you can to win over that customer or of it is personal, keep a friend.

  

The Truth about Uber and AirBNB income.

(c)  2015 P. Lynne Designs

(Warning:  Although I am not affiliated with either site, there are links ahead, and I recommend you try one or both of them, with caution)

Ok, I am official back, writing about how to write, and about the world as I see it. 

Today, I want to talk about earning extra income.  Ok, before you turn the page and read another post, or (gasp) go to another blog, please hear me out.  I am taking issue with these two services, and I am not going to back down on my opinions either.  Before I do that, I want to issue some facts about these two services, in case you never heard of them.

Both of these services are popular among the Millennials (ages 18-35).  Uber allows a person to contact someone with a private car to take them to and fro.  The service (and others like it) claims to be cheaper than your typical taxi service, more accessible than your typical train or bus service, and you can make money by registering your own car, and charging the same rate as other Uber drivers.

Airbnb, on the other hand, is the Uber of staying overnight.  You simply contact someone through Airbnb’s website when you want to stay in town.  Any place (other than an apartment) is up for grabs, and you just simply rent a room for the length of your stay (1 night up to a whole month) or a whole house.  You can also register your home as an Airbnb home to earn extra income.

Now before you pack your bags for the nearing Airbnb in Maui or decide that you are not going to drive to work that day, there are some other facts to consider:  BE CAREFUL WITH THIS TYPE OF TRAVEL AND BE CAREFUL OF THE PEOPLE AROUND YOU.   This is my only issue with these two services, especially outside of the US.  Why? 

With Uber, taxi companies, especially in Europe, have been protesting, because Uber drivers have been taking their money and their potential customers.  Hey after all, it is free enterprise, so I see no problems with the service.  Taxis charge too much money to get from point “a” to point “b”, and for what?   For example, back in 2004, my family and I returned from Walt Disney World.  We had fun, had to wait on another pilot to fly the plane, because the first Captain forgot his schedule, then a part fell off mid-flight, and we had to return to a burnt room at my parent’s house, but overall, we have fun and the Mouse’s Florida Home.  Anyway, the ride for 5 miles was almost $75!! In Columbus!!! For 5 people!!!  Uber would have been cheaper if it had existed.

For Airbnb, the complaint is from the hotel owners and city officials.   A recent news item was about a woman, who had registered her home with Airbnb.  She went through all the paperwork that was required by the city of San Diego, CA.  She double checked everything.  Next thing you know, she was trumped up with massive charges by the city, claiming that she had no right of running a bed and breakfast without a permit.  Many cities are taking issue with this too, like New York City.  Why?  Because of this so-called Hotel tax.  Look, if a person is stay one night in a city, why should they be charged $100 or more a night?  Also, I have a feeling that hotels and resorts are complaining, because, here again, customers are being taken away from them.

My Recommendations:  As I stated before, I love the concept of both.  I suggest you take caution on both ends. 

1.      Be careful who you except in both your car and your home.  It is not really possible for you to do a background check on Uber, except only except people who register on the site.  I am saying this for the ladies, but guys, because careful too.  As for Airbnb, only except those who register as a guest on the site.

2.      Do not go out on your own and put a listing on Craig’s List.  You are flirting with fire.  Do not answer an ad on Craig’s list either, unless you have done your homework about the person you have rented your humble abode to.  

3.      Follow both the rules of the site and the city where you live.  I feel sorry for the woman who was slapped with fines from San Diego, because she did what they asked her to do in the first place.  The city, state, nor the country should not govern what you can and cannot do in your own home.  If that was the case, a person cannot take in roommates, boarders, or anyone else without a permit.  Requiring a permit for someone other than your family to stay for a night or two borderlines the taking of freedom to do what you want in your own home.   If they (the city) wanted taxes in the first place, they should have told the woman.

4.      Abide to al rules of the road.

5.      Keep good records of all earnings and finally

Be safe and make the most of your new found earnings.   

I took a month off…

This is not my typical blog post.  I am usually the one who is encouraging the potential writer to go after their dreams, by writing what they know, be creative in their writing, and own it.  By owning it, I mean, use correct grammar, research when you are not familiar with a subject, and be consistent in everything you write about.    I hope show a person how to achieve this goal, in hopes the person will learn how to write effectively enough to gain readers, and maybe earn an extra income or even write full-time.

(c) 2015 P. Lynne Designs

It has been a month since I written anything.  The reason is quite simple: I had a car accident, and even though I spent all of 5 hours in ER, my beloved 1998 Honda Accord LX, the one I bought from my parents in 2006, and the same car, my sister named “Jessica” for me, was destroyed in a matter of seconds.  If it wasn’t for the fact I wore my seat belt, my parents would have been mourning my death today.  That was 3 weeks ago, and I thank God for that. 

What I got out of this and bear with me and my dry sense of humor, was dealing with a town with less than the regulated 2 traffic light minimum, Columbus has more than its share of traffic lights.  A town, where the mayor oversees everything.  Columbus has Franklin County Court to do that for them.  I was trying to make light out of the situation, so sorry for those who live in a small town. 

Healing takes a while, and it is even worst when you have a low tolerate of pain. I hurt my right shoulder, and today was the first day I was able to type this long.   Last November, I was helping my mother, because she barely could do anything, and 3 weeks ago, it was my turn.  I have only been at home twice for short periods, and this weekend, I hope I can stay by myself.  

I have a new car, a 2008 Dodge Contour Hatchback, I am hoping to graduate to a 2014 or 15 Honda CR-V or Accord (I love my Hondas), but would not be mad if I have to stick to the Dodge a little longer.  (Note: September 18, 2015- I stand corrected, it is a Dodge Caliber)

I am trying to reinvent the wheel while I am not fully entrepreneuring (not really a word, but a play on Entrepreneurship).  Rethinking some things, taking it easy, but I should be back in full swing by September.  I have some things planned that I hope will generate my income again.   I have found out something in my downtime, the difference between being out sick when work for someone versus self-employment. The difference is, in working for a company, you have someone breathing down your neck, and even if you apply and receive long-term disability, there is pressure for you to return to work, or be replaced.  This happened to me when I had surgery in 1993.  I took short-term leave of absence, then had to switch to long-term.  I was told by my employer that I had to return in two weeks, or risk being replaced.  When you are self-employed, you just have to put on your big girl panties, and suck it up for a while.  In either case, you do not receive any money, unless you do what some experts ask entrepreneurs to do, and that is to have some kind of automatic income come in, even when you have a lean month.  August is my lean month, due to injury.

Well, it is now time to charge up the IPad, but I will have a regular post next time, and I will not take so long writing it.  If I have not taught you anything today (or whenever you read this), always remember to take some time out for you and your family.  It is great to be able to freelance write, create, or whatever your self-employed business is, but what good is it if you are not here to enjoy the moment and the fruits of your labor.  Take care of yourself.