It's been so long!

I have completely ignored my blog for the past month. My apologies to
my fabulous fans. It was extremely heart-warming, however, to see
comments from my friends, both new and old. (Bonjour, Nicole! I miss you!)

The main reason that I did not post was simply stress. I was totally
and completely stressed out by my after-school-care business. That is
mostly resolved now. My nephew has switched to a different school
with a better program to suit his needs, and I asked the mother of
the other two children to find another provider for them. All I have
left is my niece. Today was my first day with the new routine and I
actually woke up feeling.....happy. Now I just have to figure out how
to replace the income that brought in.

On that note, I attended a workshop this past weekend called "Fast
Track to Cash Flow." It was organized by a local guy named Darren
Weeks. He is an official facilitator for Cash Flow 101, which is a
board game created by Robert Kiyosaki, author of the book "Rich Dad
Poor Dad." If you haven't read it yet, you have to open another
browser window right now, go to your local public library page, and
reserve it. (You DO have a library card, don't you? If not, then just
order the book at the Chapters website.) Right after you finish
reading it, pick up Cash Flow Quadrant by the same author.

The workshop was great. I like going to them because you get to
network in a room full of local entrepreneurs and real estate
investors, learn something about business and investing, get some new
ideas, and get inspired to take action. This was great timing for me,
because I have been ignoring and avoiding my goals and ambitions ever
since I abandoned my business last spring. I thought I would just do
this after-school-care thing while I got settled into home-schooling.
Clearly, THAT didn't work out. I have looked and looked in the
newspaper for some kind of part-time employment that would work with
my schedule and that I would actually be willing to DO, with no luck.
It's ridiculous, because there are thousands of jobs available. I'm
just too picky. Nope, it seems that I'm back to the only thing that
has ever inspired me: business and investing.

I have contemplated running workshops of my own. I was strongly
inclined to create a money-management program for teenagers last
year. I still have copious notes about that lying around. Yesterday,
I was thinking that an improvement on that idea would be a
mother-daughter financial workshop. Gosh, all I have to do is type it
to start getting excited about it. I LOVE public speaking, and I LOVE
learning about and talking about investing, I just wonder who would
actually come? I bet if I needed a test market, I could put together
a program and offer it for free to other home-schoolers.

I am also totally excited now about acquiring another property. My
father and I are in business together and we have jointly owned three
small properties for two years. He convinced me to acquire two more
this fall, and I have to admit that I have been dragging my heels. I
was just NOT in the mood. (hmmmm, wonder if that had anything to do
with stress?) Now, I am pumped. I want to get another one ASAP. I am
going to need another partner, though. Any takers out there?

I saw several other investment opportunities at the workshop that I
want to take advantage of. One in particular. I wonder how much money
I can convince the bank to lend me.

Okay, time to be honest. I have been sitting here writing my blog
instead of writing the playschool newsletter. Shame on me. It's
almost 11pm. Isn't that too late to start? Tomorrow is Halloween,
though, so if I don't do it now, it will be Wednesday before it's
finished. Oh, bother.