La Bene Vita

Monday

Reach 300 students by 12/31/11:
No new enrollments since yesterday, seeing as how we're closed on Sundays. However, recitals were a blast, and we got lots of compliments, videos on Facebook by our customers, and even some new FB likes (perhaps by students who noticed our new "Find us on Facebook" sign?) Bring on the PageRank!

Funny thing about PageRank. Before we opened, I was pushing rank with everything I had. I was blogging religiously, updating and changing the website content frequently, and hawking over my Alexa number, since that's the one that actually moves. My Google PageRank has been 1/10 since the days when the website exclusively hosted my performance information.

So the Alexa rank was steadily climbing, and it peaked at about 450,000. Then I stopped watching, and somehow it dropped back down to around 750,000. There it has hovered ever since. And yet, more people than ever are actually viewing the website. People walk through our doors, sign up for lessons, and say not only did they find us on Google, but they really like our website, finding it helpful and informative (implying that they browsed around for awhile, clicking on the various links.) Existing customers check frequently to find our snow day status, pictures of their kids at the latest recitals, and when the next drum sampler will be, because their children are cycling through all the samplers to try everything out.

Meanwhile, my Google PageRank hasn't moved from 1/10. And yet, we get more hot leads from Google than any other source except our two exterior signs. These days, a web search on "music lessons Gahanna Ohio" and related keywords places MTMS on the front page, in the top three or so listings.

I no longer have much faith in Alexa and Google ranks. In fact, I am starting to believe that by checking my own website for Alexa ranking daily, I was somehow elevating my own Alexa ranking. Now that I don't care, it's no longer climbing. But Alexa ranking doesn't bring my business revenue.

Customized database by 12/31/11: Design web page interface for potential form.
Pending.

Potbelly: : Add one repertoire song per week
Pending.

Messiah: One noteworthy accomplishment per month:
I delegated checking and finalizing of the Power Point and created a Music Team for selecting, sorting, and organizing praise band music. The weekly team meetings start this Saturday. I also compiled a spreadsheet for the church treasurer to organize and cover our sound system overhaul expenditures, provided ongoing input to the pastor's podcasting dreams, and... well, actually, failed to launch our new song, "Our God." But I'll do that this week.

See, this is what I do. I feel neglectful and guilty, so I get on a kick. I'll overcompensate for my neglect until I can turn around and neglect the job for awhile again. This is how I keep variety in my life. Heaven forbid I should ever get bored.

Reading: One book per week.
Um... still 7X%-ish.

Writing: Goals TBD:
(1) Blog at WDC daily.
(2) Blog at MT.com   weekly: pending.

Count points: TOTAL POINTS YESTERDAY:
Tall, nonfat, no-whip white chocolate mocha (7)
Three cookies (10)
Veggies and dip (3)
Crackers (4)
String cheese (1)
Two jumbo margaritas (30)
A basket of chips (8) with bean (4?) and cheese (4?) dips
One beef taco (4)
Guacamole salad with pico de gallo (2)

I should probably stick to the taco and salad and skip the chips and margaritas. I found the Weight Watchers points for the margaritas - 5 points for 4 ounces - and I have a hard time believing it. I'm estimating the ounces of the two jumbos, of course, because I get them on the rocks, and they don't skimp on the ice. Somebody debunk my WW calculation, please!!! I really don't want to give up margaritas, but good gracious, I can't consume those kind of calories.