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The Good Life. |
I am a professional musician ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() But that's just my resume. My profile of qualifications is only one of the ways in which I am unique. Here I chronicle my personal and professional goals and my efforts to achieve them. Occasionally I fail. Mostly, I take daily baby steps toward all my long-term goals. Much like the stories I pen, the songs I compose, and the businesses I run, I am always a work in progress. |
Launch one new Potbelly song per week.![]() Post at WordPress at least once per month. ![]() Launch one new Praise Band song per month. ![]() ![]() ![]() Earn at least $75 per pay period at Textbroker. ![]() urrent Balance: $35.00. Earn at least $25 per month at Helium. ![]() Current Balance: $19.00. I am canceling my Textbroker and Helium goals. I don't have time, and I won't have time. Other priorities. Like finding my 88 Keys contract. Resign from Abbott by 6/1/10. In progress and on schedule... and busy in ways I cannot even express. Achieve a weight of 145.0 by 1/31/09. Weight: ? Meals: 8:30am Cookies. Coffee. 10:30am Cookies. 11:00am Chipotle cheese quesadilla, chips and guac, cookies. Yeah. I'm eating... squeezing it in. Current real estate goal: Organize garage. No activity. Read a book in print for fifteen minutes every day. Fail. Business: Music Instruction Books. ![]() |
Launch one new Potbelly song per week.![]() Post at WordPress at least once per month. ![]() Launch one new Praise Band song per month. ![]() ![]() ![]() Earn at least $75 per pay period at Textbroker. ![]() Current Balance: $35.00. Earn at least $25 per month at Helium. ![]() Current Balance: $19.00. Resign from Abbott by 6/1/10. In progress and on schedule. Achieve a weight of 145.0 by 1/31/09. Weight: 151.8 Meals: 8:30am Bfast lean pocket (5.5) and coffee (1) 11:30am Bob Evans blueberry crepes (?) and three strips bacon (5) 4:30pm Six cookies (8) and peanut brittle (2) Current real estate goal: Organize garage. No activity. Read a book in print for fifteen minutes every day. Fail. Business: Music Instruction Books. ![]() Busy, busy. Saturdays... so busy... |
Launch one new Potbelly song per week.![]() Post at WordPress at least once per month. ![]() Launch one new Praise Band song per month. ![]() ![]() ![]() Earn at least $75 per pay period at Textbroker. ![]() Current Balance: $35.00. In progress: $8.40. Earn at least $25 per month at Helium. ![]() Current Balance: $19.00. Resign from Abbott by 6/1/10. In progress and on schedule. Achieve a weight of 145.0 by 1/31/09. Weight: Meals: 7:00am Two buckeye cookies (2) and coffee (1) 8:30am Bfast burrito (3.5) 10:00am Three buckeye cookies (3) Current real estate goal: Organize garage. No activity... and, oh, how this needs to get done. Read a book in print for fifteen minutes every day. Fail... but that's just because my laptop didn't crash yesterday. That's when I get most of my reading in, waiting for reboots and the like. ![]() Business: Music Instruction Books. ![]() |
I've fallen down a rabbit hole, and odder still, it's snowing down here. Launch one new Potbelly song per week. ![]() Post at WordPress at least once per month. ![]() Launch one new Praise Band song per month. ![]() ![]() ![]() Earn at least $75 per pay period at Textbroker. ![]() Current Balance: $21.00. Pending client acceptance: $14.00. In progress: $8.40. Due date: 12/20/09. Earn at least $25 per month at Helium. ![]() Current Balance: $19.00. Due date: 12/24/09. Resign from Abbott by 6/1/10. In progress and on schedule. I'm ahead of schedule, actually, thanks to the abrupt and unexpected resignation of my Praise Band co-directing partner and long-time friend, Emily. I mentioned it a couple days ago, and how it means that I have full responsibility as director. Naturally, that comes with twice the salary as well as twice the work. But it's just weird. Still, she has some things to work out at home, so I wish her the best as she gets her life straightened out. And since we still teach lessons together at the studio, we should see each other regularly enough. Bless her heart for getting me the job there in the first place! Achieve a weight of 145.0 by 1/31/09. Weight: 151.6 Meals: 7:30am Three buckeye cookies (3) 9:30am Coffee (1) and a bfast burrito (3.5) 1:45pm Skinny roast beef sandwich (7) 5:15pm ZonePerfect bar (4) Current real estate goal: Organize garage. No activity. Read a book in print for fifteen minutes every day. ![]() Business: Music Instruction Books. ![]() |
Launch one new Potbelly song per week.![]() Post at WordPress at least once per month. ![]() Launch one new Praise Band song per month. ![]() ![]() ![]() Earn at least $75 per pay period at Textbroker. ![]() Current Balance: $21.00. Pending client acceptance: $14.00. In progress: $8.40. Due date: 12/20/09. Earn at least $25 per month at Helium. ![]() Current Balance: $19.00. Due date: 12/24/09. Resign from Abbott by 6/1/10. In progress and on schedule. Achieve a weight of 145.0 by 1/31/09. Weight: ? Meals: 7:00am Coffee (1) and English muffin (1) with butter (1) 9:00am Ice cream (2) 1:45pm Skinny roast beef sandwich (7) 6:00pm Hamburger Helper (6?) 7:00pm Ice cream (4?) 9:00pm Cookies (5?) TOTAL POINTS: 27... I think... unless there was a Zone bar in the afternoon I forgot to log. Current real estate goal: Organize garage. No activity... but I brought a couple kitchen items over from my house and ended up rearranging the kitchen again. Read a book in print for fifteen minutes every day. ![]() Business: Music Instruction Books. ![]() Tonight, I make cookies. Fifteen dozen cookies. Mmm... too bad I have to give them away. |
Launch one new Potbelly song per week.![]() Post at WordPress at least once per month. ![]() Launch one new Praise Band song per month. ![]() ![]() ![]() Earn at least $75 per pay period at Textbroker. ![]() Current Balance: $14.00. Pending client acceptance: $7.00 Due date: 12/20/09. Earn at least $25 per month at Helium. ![]() Current Balance: $19.00. Due date: 12/24/09. Resign from Abbott by 6/1/10. In progress and on schedule. I suddenly have sole responsibility for the praise band going forward, which will take more time than it has in the past. I don't really know what that means yet, except (1) thank goodness I'm leaving Abbott, and (2) it's looking more and more like I'm supposed to ditch writing and focus on music full-time. Achieve a weight of 145.0 by 1/31/09. Weight: ? Meals: 7:30am Coffee (1), chocolate chip cookie (1), leftover pizza (3) 9:00am Cookie (1), coffee (1) 10:30am Pizza (4) 1:30pm Cookie (1) 4:15pm ZonePerfect bar (4) 7:00pm ZonePerfect bar (4) Current real estate goal: Organize garage. No activity. Read a book in print for fifteen minutes every day. ![]() Business: Music Instruction Books. ![]() |
At the Star Wars concert last Wednesday, we walked down to the concourse level during intermission to look for the movie props. I was the first to notice one, and I grabbed the 11-year-old's sleeve: "Blaine! Check it out! It's Han Solo, when he was frozen in that stuff." The six-year-old boy standing next to us looked up at me and said, "It's called carbonite." I'm sure I imagined the what-kind-of-an-idiot-are-you,-lady look on his face. Launch one new Potbelly song per week. ![]() Post at WordPress at least once per month. ![]() Launch one new Praise Band song per month. ![]() ![]() ![]() Earn at least $75 per pay period at Textbroker. ![]() Current Balance: $8.40, pending client acceptance: $5.95, in progress: $7.00. Due date: 12/20/09. Earn at least $25 per month at Helium. ![]() Current Balance: $19.00. Due date: 12/24/09. Resign from Abbott by 6/1/10. In progress and on schedule. Achieve a weight of 145.0 by 1/31/09. Weight: 152.6 Meals: 7:00am Coffee (1) and a chocolate chip cookie (1) 9:00am Two chocolate chip cookies (2) 1:45pm Skinny roast beef sandwich (7) 3:00pm Chai (1) 5:30pm ZonePerfect bar (4) Current real estate goal: Organize garage. No activity. Read a book in print for fifteen minutes every day. ![]() Business: Music Instruction Books. ![]() I guess that's not really my idea of progress... More to come on this. I need to actually compose a song, save the image, copy it into Publisher, and create a page. I'm curious to see how long all that takes. |
Launch one new Potbelly song per week.![]() Post at WordPress at least once per month. ![]() Launch one new Praise Band song per month. ![]() ![]() ![]() Earn at least $75 per pay period at Textbroker. ![]() Current Balance: $8.40, and I inadvertently gave up the $47 article because I forgot to renew it. Due date: 12/20/09. Earn at least $25 per month at Helium. ![]() Current Balance: $19.00. Due date: 12/24/09. Resign from Abbott by 6/1/10. In progress and on schedule. I forgot to mention yesterday: a friend of mine from church told me he gave my name to a new bar owner who is looking for mid-week acoustic acts. ![]() Achieve a weight of 145.0 by 1/31/09. Weight: 155.0 Meals: 8:00am Coffee (1) and a chocolate chip cookie (1) 9:00am Fudge (3) 11:00am Fudge (2) 1:30pm Half grilled cheese (4?) and coffee (7?) 6:00pm Chips w/salsa and cheese (10?), margarita (5?), guacamole salad (3?) TOTAL POINTS: 32 SATURDAY: Weight: 152.6 Meals: 8:00am Coffee (1) and breakfast Lean Pocket (5) 2:00am Skinny roast beef sandwich (7) 8:00pm Party! Meatballs (8?), mini hotdogs (4?), dips and stuff (4?), cheesecake bites (2), baklava (2), two glasses wine (6?) 10:00pm Fudge (1) TOTAL POINTS: 40 My jeans are tight. Damn it! ![]() The kicking is good exercise, but maybe I should just change my jeans. ![]() Current real estate goal: Organize garage. No activity. Read a book in print for fifteen minutes every day. No activity Business: Music Instruction Books. ![]() |
...I say that like I don't work on Saturday. And Sunday. But, hey! My Saturday and Sunday jobs are all fun jobs! ![]() ![]() Launch one new Potbelly song per week. ![]() ![]() Post at WordPress at least once per month. ![]() Launch one new Praise Band song per month. ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Earn at least $75 per pay period at Textbroker. ![]() Current Balance: $8.40, with a $47.60 article to write, if I can get to it. Due date: 12/20/09. Earn at least $25 per month at Helium. ![]() Current Balance: $17.00. Due date: 12/24/09. Resign from Abbott by 6/1/10. In progress and on schedule. Achieve a weight of 145.0 by 1/31/09. Weight: ? Meals: 8:30am Coffee (1), fiber English muffin (1) with butter (1) 1:45pm Skinny roast beef sandwich (7) 6:00pm ZonePerfect bar (4) 6:30pm Chai (1) 7:30pm Chips (6) and salsa (2), chicken (2) with "Devil's Spit" barbecue sauce (1) TOTAL POINTS: 26 Current real estate goal: Organize garage. No activity. This hasn't been a priority, obviously. It'll become a priority fast if I ever sell my house. Read a book in print for fifteen minutes every day. ![]() Business: Music Instruction Books. ![]() ![]() I started researching public domain music and digging through my personal stockpile for potential public domain pieces. I want to keep at least some of the songs familiar to students. Hey, can anyone direct me to public domain traditional songs with religious or holiday themes that are non-Christian? I know all the Christian ones, but want to include other religions in my collections. I'm just not that familiar with music from other faiths, so your help is appreciated. ![]() |
The Star Wars concert was AWESOME! ![]() Launch one new Potbelly song per week. ![]() Post at WordPress at least once per month. ![]() Launch one new Praise Band song per month. ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Maybe. That Audio A version is hard to beat. ![]() ![]() Earn at least $75 per pay period at Textbroker. ![]() ![]() Current Balance: $0, with an $8.40 open order to write. Due date: 12/20/09. I went ahead and requested payment two days early, so I could get a head start on the next pay period, since I met my goal and then some! Earn at least $25 per month at Helium. ![]() Current Balance: $0.00. Due date: 12/24/09. Resign from Abbott by 6/1/10. In progress and on schedule. Achieve a weight of 145.0 by 1/31/09. Weight: 154.0 Meals: 7:00am Coffee (1) 9:00am Waffle w/butter and lite syrup (5) 1:45pm Skinny roast beef sandwich (7) 4:45pm Half a ZonePerfect bar (2) 5:45pm The other half! (2) 8:45pm Another ZonePerfect bar (4) 9:00pm Chai (1) 10:15pm Two chocolate chip cookies (4) and an oatmeal raisin cookie (1) TOTAL POINTS: 27 Current real estate goal: Organize garage. No activity. Read a book in print for fifteen minutes every day. No activity. Business: Music Instruction Books. ![]() Dang it, I wish I had more time. This stuff is fun. |
OMG: ![]() ![]() |
Keith and I are taking the kids to see a live Star Wars concert tonight. ![]() Launch one new Potbelly song per week. ![]() Post at WordPress at least once per month. Pending. Launch one new Praise Band song per month. Pending. Write one new original song per month. Pending. Earn at least $60$75 per pay period at Textbroker. ![]() Current Balance: $162.82, $13.75 pending client acceptance, and another $8.40 open order to write. Due date: 12/5/09. Earn at least $25 per month at Helium. Pending. Current Balance: $0.00. Due date: 12/24/09. Resign from Abbott by 6/1/10. In progress and on schedule. Achieve a weight of 145.0 by 1/31/09. Hittin' it hard for a couple weeks... except for BW3 last night. ![]() By the way, can SOMEBODY please explain to me why we call them BW3's when there are only two W's in the name? Weight: ? but I was 154.4 yesterday. Not so great. Meals: 7:00am Coffee (1) and fiber English muffin (1) with butter (1) 11:30am Steak (10?), green beans (1), salad (1), tiny baked potato (1) with butter (2) and sour cream (2), and apple crisp (8?) ![]() ![]() 6:00pm Leftover manicotti (8?), almonds (1), candy (1) TOTAL POINTS: 38 Current real estate goal: Organize garage. No activity. Read a book in print for fifteen minutes every day. No activity. Business: Music Instruction Books. Activity! I went to Staples, Office Max, and Wal-Mart to compare book binding equipment options, and then I looked up more ideas online to see what would be cheapest and easiest. They make long-reach staplers that might be cheaper to do than the comb-style bindings I was originally considering. |
Launch one new Potbelly song per week.![]() Post at WordPress at least once per month. ![]() Launch one new Praise Band song per month. ![]() Write one new original song per month. ![]() ![]() Earn at least $60$75 per pay period at Textbroker. ![]() Current Balance: $142.21, $13.75 pending client acceptance, one $13.75 direct orders in progress, and another $6.86 open order to write. Due date: 12/5/09. I was approached for a direct order to write a week-long menu for weight loss that would have been over $60... and I certainly know about weight loss! Unfortunately, it also involves talking about actually cooking food. I declined. ![]() Earn at least $25 per month at Helium. Pending. Current Balance: $0.00. Due date: 12/24/09. Resign from Abbott by 6/1/10. In progress and on schedule. Well, except that *today* was my most recent deadline before I pushed it back to 6/1... but I'm still feeling good about my plan. Achieve a weight of 145.0 by 1/31/09. Hittin' it hard for a couple weeks. ![]() Weight: ? Meals: 7:00am Coffee (1) and fiber English muffin (1) with butter (1) 8:45pm Granola bar (3) and coffee (1) 1:45pm Skinny roast beef sandwich (7) 4:45pm ZonePerfect bar (4) 10:00pm Four boneless wings (8), four regular wings 8), half an order of seven onion rings (5), and five deep-fried cinnamon roll bites (5) with ice cream (5). Oh yeah. I mean, ugh. TOTAL POINTS: 49 Current real estate goal: Organize garage. No activity. Read a book in print for fifteen minutes every day. No activity. Business: Music Instruction Books. ![]() |
Launch one new Potbelly song per week.![]() Post at WordPress at least once per month. Pending. D'oh! Today is 11/30. Launch one new Praise Band song per month. ![]() Write one new original song per month. ![]() ![]() Earn at least $60$75 per pay period at Textbroker. ![]() Current Balance: $107.85, $34.36 pending client acceptance, a two $13.75 direct orders in progress, and a $7.70 open order to write. Due date: 12/5/09. Earn at least $25 per month at Helium. Pending. Current Balance: $0.00. Due date: 12/24/09. Resign from Abbott by 6/1/10. In progress and on schedule. I might be gone by 3/1/10 if (1) I sell my house and buy another by then, and (2) my sandbaggin'(*) ex successfully refinances our joint property by then. (*)sandbaggin': redneck for "weighing down the entire process such that it comes to a complete and total standstill, thus forcing victims to resort to extreme measures like hammering 'FOR SALE' signs on joint properties or hiring attorneys to send threatening letters" Achieve a weight of 145.0 by 1/31/09. Hittin' it hard for a couple weeks. ![]() Weight: ? Meals: 7:00am Coffee (1) and the last piece of apple pie (10?) 9:00am Coffee (1) 10:30am Peanuts and candy corns (2) 1:45pm Skinny roast beef sandwich (7) 4:15pm Chai (1) Current real estate goal: Organize garage. No activity. Read a book in print for fifteen minutes every day. No activity. Business: Music Instruction Books. ![]() |
Thanksgiving was nice. I met my nephew Kaden, who is, naturally, *the* cutest baby that ever existed. And I mean, ever. And that's my completely unbiased opinion. I also wrote a few articles, played some guitar, and ate a lot of food. ![]() ![]() Launch one new Potbelly song per week. ![]() Post at WordPress at least once per month. Pending. Launch one new Praise Band song per month. ![]() Write one new original song per month. ![]() ![]() Earn at least $60$75 per pay period at Textbroker. ![]() Current Balance: $107.85, $34.36 pending client acceptance, a two $13.75 direct orders in progress, and a $7.70 open order to write. I went ahead and wrote the open order that was due this morning. Due date: 12/5/09. I might actually be having fun at this. ![]() Earn at least $25 per month at Helium. Pending. Current Balance: $0.00. Due date: 12/24/09. Resign from Abbott by 6/1/10. In progress and on schedule. Achieve a weight of 145.0 by 1/31/09. Back at it, at least until Christmas. I ate SO MUCH JUNK the last three days. Weight: ? Meals: 7:15am Coffee (1) 8:30am Cookie (1.5) 9:00am Coffee (1) 10:00am Cookie (1) 10:45am Cookie (1.5) 5:15pm Almonds (3) 6:15pm Chicken (3), pasta sauce (2), cheese (2), noodles (4), and steamed veggies (1) 6:45pm Apple pie (10?) with ice cream (4) So much for back at it. TOTAL POINTS: 35 Current real estate goal: Organize garage. No activity. Read a book in print for fifteen minutes every day. ![]() Business: Music Instruction Books. No activity. |
Launch one new Potbelly song per week.![]() Post at WordPress at least once per month. Pending. Launch one new Praise Band song per month. ![]() Write one new original song per month. ![]() ![]() Earn at least $60$75 per pay period at Textbroker. ![]() Current Balance: $94.10, with one $13.75 pending client acceptance, $68.75 direct orders to write, and a $6.86 open order that I may or may not choose to write. ![]() Earn at least $25 per month at Helium. Pending. Current Balance: $0.00, but damn, with all those Textbroker articles, who needs Helium?? Due date: 12/24/09. Resign from Abbott by 6/1/10. In progress and on schedule. Achieve a weight of 145.0 by 1/31/09. Weight: ? Meals: I'll come back to this when I get home. Current real estate goal: Organize garage. No activity. Read a book in print for fifteen minutes every day. ![]() Business: Music Instruction Books. In progress. I put some time into planning and outlining my beginner piano book. ![]() |
Launch one new Potbelly song per week.![]() Post at WordPress at least once per month. Pending. Launch one new Praise Band song per month. ![]() Write one new original song per month. ![]() ![]() Earn at least $60$75 per pay period at Textbroker. ![]() Current Balance: $94.10, with one $13.75 pending client acceptance, $68.75 direct orders to write, and a $6.86 open order that I may or may not choose to write. ![]() Earn at least $25 per month at Helium. Pending. Current Balance: $0.00, but damn, with all those Textbroker articles, who needs Helium?? Due date: 12/24/09. Resign from Abbott by 6/1/10. In progress and on schedule. Achieve a weight of 145.0 by 1/31/09. Weight: ? Meals: Thanksgiving leftovers. Duh. Current real estate goal: Organize garage. No activity. Read a book in print for fifteen minutes every day. Fail. I didn't read on the road. Business: Music Instruction Books. In progress. I put some time into planning and outlining my beginner piano book. ![]() |
Happy Turkey Day! I'm off to in Maryland to meet my new nephew, Kaden. (I meant to post this morning.) Launch one new Potbelly song per week. ![]() Post at WordPress at least once per month. Pending. Launch one new Praise Band song per month. ![]() Write one new original song per month. ![]() ![]() Earn at least $60$75 per pay period at Textbroker. ![]() Current Balance: $69.10, with one $25 pending. Due date: 12/5/09. Earn at least $25 per month at Helium. Pending. Current Balance: $0.00. Due date: 12/24/09. Resign from Abbott by 6/1/10. In progress and on schedule. Achieve a weight of 145.0 by 1/31/09. Weight: ? Meals: Duh. Current real estate goal: Organize garage. No activity. Read a book in print for fifteen minutes every day. Fail, but I may read some on the road. Business: Music Instruction Books. In progress. I looked up book binding materials and got a good idea of what the best method will be. The purpose of the books is to print the applicable book and bind it on demand, and I need to be able to do that quickly, easily, and in-house. |
Launch one new Potbelly song per week.![]() Post at WordPress at least once per month. Pending. Launch one new Praise Band song per month. ![]() Write one new original song per month. ![]() ![]() Earn at least $60$75 per pay period at Textbroker. In progress. Current Balance: $69.10, with one $25 Direct Orders to write. Due date: 12/5/09. Earn at least $25 per month at Helium. Pending. Current Balance: $0.00. Due date: 12/24/09. Resign from Abbott by 6/1/10. In progress and on schedule. Achieve a weight of 145.0 by 1/31/09. Weight: ? Meals: 7:00am Half a waffle (1) with syrup (2) and coffee (1) 9:45am Almonds (1) and coffee (1) 11:00am Ice cream (4) 7:00pm Manicotti (10?) I'm sure I ate more, but I can't remember... Current real estate goal: Organize garage. No activity Read a book in print for fifteen minutes every day. ![]() Business: Music Instruction Books. No activity, and I pulled the business location goal for now. |
Launch one new Potbelly song per week.![]() Post at WordPress at least once per month. Pending. Launch one new Praise Band song per month. ![]() Write one new original song per month. ![]() ![]() Earn at least $60$75 per pay period at Textbroker. In progress. Current Balance: $45.30, with $7.00 pending client acceptance, and an in-progress article (up to $8.40.) Due date: 12/5/09. (I'm targeting $75 because of carryover from the last pay period.) Earn at least $25 per month at Helium. ![]() Current Balance: $52.00. Due date: 11/24/09. Resign from Abbott by 6/1/10. In progress and on schedule. Achieve a weight of 145.0 by 1/31/09. Weight: ? Meals: 7:00am Egg nog (2), coffee (1), half breakfast Lean Pocket (2.5) 9:30am The other half (2.5) 10:30am Mini mint Three Musketeers (1) 1:45pm Skinny roast beef sandwich (7) 4:30pm Chai (1) 5:30pm Blueberry ZonePerfect bar (3.5) Current real estate goal: Organize garage. No activity. Read a book in print for fifteen minutes every day. No activity. Business: Location. Start looking into real estate opportunities. No activity. Business: Music Instruction Books. No activity. |