It has been awhile....

Dateline – on the wings of Delta to Sacramento –

It has been awhile since I last blogged. Not doing the visitors much good am I? Oh well,

In some ways, there hasn’t been much to talk about. The work is the same…and that isn’t a very good thing at the moment. Oh, the company is still good to work for. But having to look these customers in the eye and tell them the gaps that are in our software currently is…well, let’s just say it isn’t fun.

On the other hand, I have had several positive comments about my approach/acumen come from mouths that I would have never expected it from. Two customers and two co-workers have sung my praises. All in different ways. All about different things. And I have to say that is making me feel much better than I have about a lot of things lately.

Last week, we actually had one of my customers happy! And that is helping out my disposition a bit. The only negative thing he could say is that I don’t call as much as he would like. And if that is my only challenge with my customers on this job, I will gladly take it at this point in time.

I am heading to Sacramento and this is going to be a busy week. Julie was scheduled to have her knee operated on this Friday. But as I got on the plane, she called and told me they had to re-schedule because of the doctor’s on call that day (didn’t they know that a month back????).

I am also getting ready to close on a real fixer this week. It is going to take about $15 – 20,000 to turn this bad boy around. I am going to do everything I can to bring it in under $12,000. My real challenge is to get this project done in 30 days or less.

I am buying the place for $43,000 and it should be worth at least $100,000 when I am done. If I refinance for $80,000, that will put at least $20,000 clear into my pocket. I want to rent it out after that. Maybe a lease option would be good as well.

Just think, 5 of those a year part time is a cool $100,000. If I had the time, I know I could find at least that many. But life goes on.

I always enjoy going to California. It is nice to see how the other half lives. There seemingly is always something cool to do. Last time out, I went to the Hard Rock to further the guitar pin collection. This time…who knows???? But I am going to enjoy it. I was coming back early on Thursday because of Julie’s surgery. Now, I am just gong to be dog tired when I come home.

Enough for now.

TTFN.

A Picture Share!

Are we really any safer?

Time for a little ranting I guess....

I was reading Ross Mayfield's blog and saw a post regarding air travel.

In it he says, "There is no such thing as a closed system and all we have is illusions of a secure homeland."

From someone who travels EVERY week and has flown both before and from the Friday after 9/11, I would have to agree.

The government consistently has a knee jerk reaction to the stupidest of things. Now, we can't have matches or lighters on board. We can't even check them in our luggage. Not that it makes a difference to me. Save the occasional cigar, I don't smoke. But we have been flying 50+ years now and I can't think of one time that a book of matches has spontaneously ignited to cause a plane disaster.

Now, get one joker/idiot to try and light his shoes on fire and the government can now see the "danger".

I have to tell you, that if you think the skies are safer because of all of the new security, you are sadly mistaken. Security is still a hit and miss at the airports. Some airports require you to take off your shoes, some don't. Some require any piece of metal to be removed. Some don't.

If you ask why the inconsistencies, screeners hide behind the statement, "that's so the terrorists won't know". That is just so wrong. If you mixed it up where sometimes, you had to remove shoes and sometimes you didn't, I might buy into that.

Prior to 9/11, the take was that screeners at $5.00 an hour are not competent enough for the job. So, let's make it a federal job, charge $20 more a ticket to cover it and we won't have to worry. Now, they have laid off many of the TSA folks and some airports are going private again. Did we really accomplish anything here?

Whether we had the new or old screeners, federal or not, for over 2 years, I had a screwdriver in my laptop bag that went unnoticed. Oh, they did get my round nose 1 1/2 inch scissors from my portable sewing kit and they also got my nail file on my finger nail clippers. Chances are, the screwdriver was alot more dangerous.

Now, I will be the first to tell you that I was in agreement with the cross checking of bags to persons actually flying. So, if you checked your bags and didn't board the flight, your luggage didn't get on the plane.

But either that is no longer in force or just isn't followed. There have been countless incidents where if you missed the flight, your luggage was already on the plane and went anyhow.

See what I mean??? Mine is not an uncommon incident. If you feel better about flying because you have to wait longer in lines, good for you. I am happy for you. On the other hand, I don't feel any better about flying these days. Yes, I endure whatever I have to to fly. I just don't feel any safer.

I await your comments. I know there will be some.

Neglecting my blog...

Dateline - Joplin, MO - I have really hit the bottom... Here I am in the center of the country and I have nothing to do. Go figure. And I am so devoid of things to do, that I am writting in my blog...lol

Actually, I think I have just been so boring lately that I haven't had much to write about.

Of course, just because things are boring doesn't mean crazy things haven't been happening. On my way here on Monday, I stopped at a gas station in the morning to fill up and then head back to shower and pack to head to the airport.

Only 1 problem. After I fill up, I can't get the car to go into gear. I end up calling Julie. She comes to the gas station. I feel like a moron because my car is still at the pump taking up space. I had just called the tow truck to take the car to the dealership when she jumps in, and it goes into gear.

Figuring it was just a freak thing, I call to cancel the tow truck and head home. I get there, turn off the car and try to get it into drive again. No luck :(

Julie ends up taking me to the airport. Later in the week, she gets in once again, it goes automatically into gear (she must have "the touch") and drives it to the dealership where it only costs $150. I am relieved that it doesn't cost more.

Later on in the week, my pool service employee calls and the "Super Trooper" (as I call the pool service vehicle) says the truck has broke down. That experience doesn't turn out so well. Engine is blown. I will have to deal with that when I return.

Looking forward to heading home on Friday. Got a bunch of things to do, but none more than reviewing the job opportunities I have emailed to myself during the week.

Next week doesn't look like a fun beginning. I am in Syracuse.

On the other hand, Julie and I are heading down to Florida for a few days of well deserved rest.

TTFN

Where do we go from here?

Dateline – Winging to Abilene, TX – I just got done with a concentrated 3 day seminar called the Millionaire Mind Intensive. Well worth the time. Although the cost is normally close to $1,300, if you want to go email me and I will get you a couple of tickets.

This seminar did a couple of things for me:

• It “synchronized” my wife and my attitudes about money, wealth and abundance. I think we both understand how each other feels about it and will be more aligned in our pursuit of it
  
• It forces you to really examine your thoughts, judegments and attitudes about wealth, those who have it, why you don’t and self worth. Although this seminar was about wealth creation, it did force you into thinking about non-wealth related thoughts. I have never been to a psychiatrist, but I can’t imagine that they get make the breakthroughs I did in such a short time.
  
• We created a plan for our wealth as a couple.

I have been to a bunch of seminars. Most of them give you very broad brush strokes on how to do something (ie. real estate). You seem to feel that you are just “one seminar” away from getting the true insider secrets. This one was vastly different. I left this seminar “prepared” to go forth. Could I use more training? Of course. But if I didn’t take another offering from these folks, I know I am better off for going. I can’t say that about other seminars I have been to.

So, Julie and I arrived home Sunday night dog tired (at least I was). Nevethless, I woke up at 6 AM this morning and proceeded to knock out the things I needed to in order to complete my week.

Only 1 “challenge”. I locked my keys in my car at the airport parking lot. At least I had my laptop. So I guess there is a trip to the store when I get in this evening to buy some stuff. Usually, that is how I get new things (forgot underwear, socks, shirts, etc). And yes, one time, I even forgot my suitcase and left it at home. So, while not a new experience, it is one that I will deal with. At least I am coming home on Wednesday, so I won’t have to buy so much. Julie is sending me a key to the car overnight (cheaper than a locksmith).

I have to try and “catch” up with some folks this week (co-workers current and past) to find out a couple of things. I am still at the ready if the opportunity to leave presents itself.

TTFN

I almost lost it!

Dateline - Rochester, NY - I am not really sure what happened today. As I entered the customer and was about to go into the owner's office, one of the workers came in and shut the door and they started going at it.

Now, that's the way to start a day!

Or actually, it was just a precursor for what was in store. I have to admit that this wasn't a particullarly hard day until about 4. At that point, I just got tired of trying to push a string UPHILL!

I am the first to acknowledge that there is usually more than one way to get a task done correctly. But if you are going to ask me for my help on such a mundane task as having me call out a 57 page report line by line and then making changes in the system, don't ask me what you did wrong (I wasn't there when you made the entries)and when I tell you how to correct the situation, don't take the 30 step way to do it (when I have repeatedly shown you the 2 step way)! And while I am happy to create a flow chart of how procedures should go through your organization, at least have enough smarts to not make me actually identify the individual, the basket, and where to put the paperwork and at what times of day you should be getting it.

Thanks for letting me off on a rant here.

Some disappointing or at least challenging news. I got to get another pool guy. My guy isn't giving me the time I need to get the business I am getting done. More stress. Which is certainly never welcomed, but least of all now.

TTFN.

Different city…SOS

Dateline – Rochester, NY – At least I have changed my locale a little. It seems like I have been spending the majority of my time in Syracuse. Not that it is a bad town. It is just NOT where I want to be spending my time, especially during the last 4 months. The rain and the cold along with a good bit of snow have truly done a number on my “alleged” psyche.

Usually, a change of scenery brightens up my outlook. But that just isn’t the case at the moment. This customer has just as many or more warts than the last two and is not even trying to meet half way on this.

At this point in time, it doesn’t really matter what city/customer I go to. I feel like the customer has permission to hand me my head and serve it to me cold. The only solace that I take away from the experience is that over 90% of customer’s reaction is not based on my performance, but more on the limitations of the product that I am attempting to implement. That being said, I could ALWAYS do a better job. And the last 4 months have been spent for nothing if they haven’t been a true learning experience.

I don’t mind getting experience. I just don’t want to know walking in the door I am heading for one and not knowing which direction it is going to come from. Everyday is a new revelation. If it was just a revelation to me, I could accept it. In many, if not all, the surprise comes to the company as well.

But, all is not as bad as it seems. I got a call the other day from someone who is definitely interested in my services. Services that I KNOW I can provide and at a price that bases out even better than this position.

On the third hand, I have been seriously eyeing some condo’s in St. Augustine, FL. I gotta do something. I feel like a shark that isn’t moving.

And at he end of the day, perhaps THAT is the problem. I am seemingly never secure in my present situation. I feel like I started to think about retirement later than most and I am trying hard to make up for lost time. I need help.

I made a decision…now the job has to catch up.

Dateline – Syracuse, NY - I have come to grips that if the right job comes along, I am going to jump at it. Why, some might ask? After all, the company treats you well (they do!), the people are good (they are) and the product will come along in time (aye…there’s the rub)

At the end of the day, I have to ask myself if I want to NOT look forward to going to work for the next 18-36 months. And I think 18 is being very optimistic. As I got up this morning, I felt depressed looking to having my head handed to me again today. I am told that this isn’t a reflection on me. I take each of these personally when an install goes crazy. And they ALL go crazy right now. Not just mine. ALL of them. (Some are just a little less crazy than others.)

On top of that, some of my co-workers who have always taken the Alfred E Neumann approach, “What, me worry?” have begun to voice concerns. And when these folks are concerned, well, let’s just say the head of the horse is in the glue factory. Could he still pull his head?? Yes, but I am not confident that the horse is that strong willed. As I said in an earlier post, if I am gong to work that hard and put that much energy into this, there has to be some WIIFM.

Right now, I am not seeing it.

I probably opened up a bit of a hornet’s nest this weekend. A few weeks back, I got a call stating that there was a small sum of money that my Dad had invested and what did I want to do with it? My reply was a gazebo at our church that was dedicated to both my Dad and Mom. But I have a brother and a sister who rightfully has a say in it. My sister definitely wants the money. She indicated it would be for the “grandkids”, but I am not sure if it would really end up there. But that is HER deal and not really of a concern to me. I hadn’t spoken to my brother about it till last night and he just acted strange. He made a couple of comments in his typical way that says, I want to make decisions, but don’t want accountability or responsibility. I am going to have to wrestle with that one for a few days. Meditation is definitely in order.

All of a sudden, I am getting serious about buying not one, but two more houses. Maybe even three. Stay tuned.

Enough for now. TTFN