Motrin and Mechanics

Certainly the past two weeks have no reflection on the remainder of this year in business! First, we invested in a luxury sport utility vehicle that would allow me to conduct business both as a consultant as well as travel to youth camp sites during camp seasons. God blessed, and we were able to pay cash and get the vehicle for an extremely low price, as well as talk the dealer into giving us a warranty on the transmission for no additional cost. A week after driving it, we decided to take it in to have the transmission looked at (just in case) before the warranty ran out. The dealer had us take it directly to their transmission mechanic shop. It has now been over a week, and the mechanic hasn't even looked at the vehicle. Just when I thought I had figured out what the process would be for drumming up new clients without the use of a decent vehicle (as my best friend says, there is a combination to driving all of our other trucks). The suburban, which we call "The Tank" because of it's gas guzzling quality and it's ability to roll over smaller cars and keep going, is now stalling and cutting out when idling. The Jeep sputters, and the Ford Ranger pops out of fifth gear so you have to hold it in gear. None of these vehicles speak to having had any success in business, however they are all paid for, and George and I are against acquiring a car payment if we don't have to.

I decide I'm gonna use the Jeep. It's dusty on the inside, and you can't wash it because the windows leak water (so it also cannot be driven in the rain), so it's extremely dirty. I sit down last Thursday to finalize my game plan for the following week. I had meetings and obligations on Friday, so I decided to get a fresh start on Monday. As you all know, I have been really pushing past my own physical exhaust. Well the problem in doing that, is our body's immune system relies on plenty of rest and a good diet in order to combat illnesses. Seeing as how I took neither one of those items seriously, when the flu went around I found myself bed ridden and not able to stand without the room swirling around. You may say it to yourselves ("I told you so") but refrain for sending me comments stating how you knew I should have taken a break and other wonderful after-the-fact advice (lovingly smiling).

Today, while I am still running a low grade fever of 99.7, I decided I needed to get out into the day, get some things taken care of, and now here I sit, back on my couch, dizzy and typing this blog post. So now I have lost one week without transportation, one week with the flu (and they still have not finished with my vehicle) and if I don't do something soon in business, we may be eating Top Ramen noodles for a long time. I'm trying to remain calm and not call the transmission mechanic, however staying calm when someone is clearly wrong is not necessarily my strength. George, however, is able to face ignorance and stupidity in the face, politely ask it's supervisors name, and move forward to get the job done, all without raising his voice. He has the ability to keep a person on the phone for over an hour annoying them until they make something happen. I will leave the mechanics up to him, continue taking Motrin for a fever reducer, and let the illness play out so I can be clear in what needs to be my next step to producing in our businesses and making sure my six year old gets a better dinner than dad's "pizza again nights."

Take It By Force!

Over the past few months, I have given my readers (those of you who actually follow my blog) some openings into the personal lives of "The Joneses." I am a very transparent person, and George is my polar opposite. He won't admit to being tired, he'll just sit around for a few days attempting to complete tasks that all end up half or incorrectly done. I don't fault him, he's a 19 year US Marine veteran (who may be going back on orders soon), and he's a Mississippi country boy. His ways are sometimes as stealth as those of the Samurai. After being married to him for a few years, I can tell when he is on the verge of a burn out, but I also know the "Semper Fi" (always faithful) side of him and his need to provide won't allow him to rest. He recently took on a new position with the ministry we are a part of. Because he takes everything he does extremely serious, he has been running non stop for the past 4 going on 5 weeks. As you well know, I reached my burn out stage several weeks prior, and am now attempting to off-load some of my unnecessary responsibilities. George, on the other hand, is looking for more tasks to add to his already full plate, that will allow him to generate more funds to maintain his societal obligations. Business is slow right now because I have not dedicated the necessary time to GROW-ing my business due to my commitment to ministry, but our businesses are what pay our bills.

What do you do when organizations continue to add to your full plate? You just say no! I learned it in school, when someone offers you something that is not good for you (i.e., drugs) you "Just Say No." Perhaps the most beneficial campaign Nancy Reagan created, and yet we only applied it to drugs in life. Our phones ring all times of the night, mainly because we continue to answer the calls. People have began to realize that we are the couple who is committed to carrying out whatever task is set before us, no matter what sacrifices we have to make. If we do not make a change, it may eventually cost us our marriage. We have been at each other's throats for a few weeks. We recognize it now as being extremely exhausted and not having spent any real time together outside of work. While we manage to escape late nights after we've put our 6 year old son to bed, it's not enough time because shortly thereafter we are sleeping ourselves. It's time we take a more serious role in our vacation!

I am demanding a two week vacation at the end of November. We typically travel to Mississippi to visit George's side of the family for a week during Thanksgiving, perhaps we should extend it to two weeks. We will take an additional two weeks in December during Christmas when our son has off from school, so that we can just lounge around the house in pajamas all day watching Christmas movies and eating junk food. Waiting for a little break in the storm has not proven to be a successful method in determining when would be a good time to take a vacation. We are gonna take one by force, in the middle of the storm, because when we get back the world will not have tilted off it's axis, it will still revolve around the sun and take 1 year to complete it's cycle. Sometimes you must do what is necessary for the sake of sanity, after all mental health affects physical health, and if we are unable to run our businesses because we have worn physical selves out, then how will we eat? Time off from obligations is an important part of business as well. We have not had a vacation in over 5 years and it's time we learn balance!

Incoherent Babblings of a Tired Business Woman

I missed celebrating my one year wedding anniversary and wasn't upset about it. We were busy working in ministry, and so we resolved to do exactly what we did one year ago 9/13 on our wedding night - sleep! Although technically we were legally married long before our actual wedding (which took place on our 4th year anniversary of dating), but that date remains confidential and only the knowledge of ourselves and the two witnesses present at the civil ceremony. We still acknowledge 9/13 as our anniversary, a year ago in the presence of God and our family in a small traditional Mississippi wedding, we vowed to cherish each other until death do us part. Because we are like minded people, we understand the sometimes necessary sacrifices required to conduct business. We also agree that we need time away together, which in five years of being together is new for us. 

We have not had an opportunity to unpack any boxes after the move because we went directly into working a major weekly event at our church. I have decided to relax this week. I am not working on consulting contracts, nor am I working on Orangeview Family Services Youth Camps. After this week of resting, lounging around the house, and sleeping in as late as possible (I still have to get my six year old to school on time), we will get back to work and focus on what needs to be done to acquire our new permanent home, as well as GROW our businesses. Orangeview has major events on calendar for next year, at it is time to work on solidifying sponsors as well vendors. 

With all the current projects going on in life, I'm certainly thankful for the blessing in disguise. I had to sit out of my MBA program for four months while my BA posted to my transcripts correctly. I was a bit irritated at first, but I am definitely thankful now. The time off has allowed me to focus on moving, finding a home to purchase, as well as develop new business strategies. I recognize the need for assistance in business, so I am planning to meet with some successful individuals that will be helpful in preparing for upcoming events. I am taking on some new business partnerships and co-sponsors to insure the success and proper funding of upcoming events. 

Before I can do anything, I need to find time alone with my husband, and get some rest! Nothing is worth pursuing if it causes you to lose your family and those you love and who love and support you. Perhaps this weekend we will find some time, and a corner to retreat to where we can just rest and hang out with one another. 

Seriously Though, How Do You Spell Relief?

We finally got moved, and all the utilities are now on (including internet). It is a difficult task to manage living without internet. We've connected everything to the internet, our home phone is through Vonage, which doesn't work without high speed internet. My business line is through MagicJack, which also requires high speed internet. No e-mail, no telephone, no faxing, no Face Book, no blogging, I felt like I was stuck in the twilight zone. The irritating thing is I got a call from an agent who e-mailed me a contract and asked me to sign it and fax it back to him. I told him I have no internet and phone service as of yet. He honestly could not figure out how to get the contract signed and back in his e-mail inbox. I reminded him of the big thing outside with the four black rubber wheels on it. "That thing is called a vehicle, you hop in it and drive to meet me somewhere if you cannot wait until Friday morning." Yeah, I know gas prices have gone back up, but honestly, a $5,000 contract should cover the cost of gas to drive 10 miles round trip no matter what you're driving. We had to run to a coffee shop with free wifi, download the contract and save it to a thumb drive, take it to Staples to print, sign and fax it back to him. Needless to say this will be the last time I deal with this agent. On top of this brainless agent, (who didn't inform us we had to move earlier than as planned until 7 days prior to the move) we moved to a much - I do stress much - smaller home.

There is nothing like an uncoordinated move, lack of current funds, and a smaller new place with a shared office to test the limits of your marriage. Okay, I'll save the stress of the move, lack of funds and smaller home for another post, but a shared office is enough to drive anyone insane. I know it's only temporary, but I am sharing a 200 s.f office with a slob. I'm no neat freak, but occasionally I like to see the floor of my office. George has four computer towers under his desk (which is larger than mine so he already is not staying on his side), several tool boxes, a dozen little small boxes with God-knows-what in them, and has already taken over the entire closet as his storage space. I am shoved in a corner with only my two drawer filing cabinet and a two shelf supply cabinet. While we search for a home to purchase, we have moved from our previous 5 1/2 bedroom home to a 3 bedroom townhouse. I am a week behind in work, I can't even find my shoes in this smaller space that has boxes stacked along every wall. I'm not sure if all my important office items are here, or across the street in our 10 x 20 storage that is filled to capacity. I still need that vacation, and now I've had to use the funds set aside to take a mini vacation to purchase extra storage cabinets for our kitchen that won't hold enough food and dishes for the three of us. Perhaps I'll run away for a few days and sleep in the park in my truck, I'm used to camping out. I recently stayed in my truck instead of my tent at the Orangeview Family Services youth camp this past summer, it's not that bad. Seriously, I need to schedule a break.