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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. |
Post at MichelleTuesday.com ![]() ![]() Grow MochaNotes.com ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Advertising PRIORITIES: ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Business start-up activities. PRIORITIES: ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Launch one new performance repertoire song per week. ![]() Perform one household chore per day. ![]() Read a book in print 15 minutes every day. ![]() Achieve a weight of 145.0 by 9/1/10. Weight: 159.4 Meals: 7:30 Coffee (1) and fiber granola bar (2) 11:00 Fiber MiniWheats with skim milk (4) 12:00 Ham (1) and coffee (1) 12:30 Ham and cheese bagel (5) TOTAL POINTS SO FAR: 14 (Goal: 25) |
And support for "October Novel Prep Challenge" ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Nah. Post at MichelleTuesday.com ![]() ![]() Grow MochaNotes.com ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Advertising PRIORITIES: ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Business start-up activities. PRIORITIES: ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Launch one new performance repertoire song per week. ![]() Perform one household chore per day. ![]() Read a book in print 15 minutes every day. ![]() Achieve a weight of 145.0 by 9/1/10. Weight: 159.4 Meals: 7:00 Coffee (1) 9:30 Coffee (1) and half bagel with ham/cheese (4) 11:00 Half bagel with butter (3) and coffee (1) TOTAL POINTS SO FAR: 10 (Goal: 25) I actually hit 25 yesterday! ![]() |
So I posted a plea for "October Novel Prep Challenge" ![]() I may implement a minor change in the formatting of the daily scoreboard. The table may be hosted on MichelleTuesday.com ![]() Post at MichelleTuesday.com ![]() ![]() Grow MochaNotes.com ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Advertising PRIORITIES: ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() It turns out my "Now Hiring" Google campaign is a waste of time. My inkjet-printed fliers hanging in my windows and my *free* postings at local universities have been much more lucrative. So... I turned off my Google campaign. I'll save the pre-paid budget dollars for my Grand Opening campaign or ongoing music lessons advertising. Meanwhile, I received an email from a lady who drove by and saw my sign, and wants to sign her daughter up for piano lessons in the fall. My location is going to pay for itself. Business start-up activities. PRIORITIES: ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() I have an interview with a guitar teacher (Steve) next Tuesday morning, and another with a guitar teacher (Cody) Wednesday morning. A voice teacher (Amy) from Cleveland looking to relo submitted a resume, as well. I need a drum instructor. Launch one new performance repertoire song per week. ![]() Perform one household chore per day. ![]() Read a book in print 15 minutes every day. ![]() Achieve a weight of 145.0 by 9/1/10. Weight: 159.4 Meals: 7:00 Coffee (1) and a fiber granola bar (2) 9:30 Coffee (1) 1:45 Skinny roast beef sandwich (7) 7:00 McDouble (11) and ice cream cone (3) 10:00 Margarita (5) TOTAL POINTS: 30 (Goal: 25) |
I added a "LIKE" button to my website and would greatly appreciate your LIKEs. ![]() ![]() I interviewed another teacher, Angela, a flutist who can also teach beginning piano, and I hired her. So I'm doing pretty good on piano and voice instructors. Angela's fiance Joe is also a music instructor and will be contacting me; he's a cellist, so I'm hoping he can teach bass and maybe guitar, since cello is not a high-demand instrument. I also have an interview scheduled with guitar instructor Steve, whose wife referred him. I still need percussion. Incidentally, both Angela and Steve's wife "heard about MTMS" by driving past the store, where they saw my "now hiring music instructors" signs (LOCATION! ![]() Post at MichelleTuesday.com ![]() ![]() Grow MochaNotes.com ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Advertising PRIORITIES: ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Business start-up activities. PRIORITIES: ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Launch one new performance repertoire song per week. ![]() Perform one household chore per day. ![]() Read a book in print 15 minutes every day. ![]() Achieve a weight of 145.0 by 9/1/10. Weight: 161. Meals: 7:00 Coffee (1) 8:30 Coffee (1) and a half bagel with ham and cheese (4) TOTAL POINTS SO FAR: 6 (Goal: 25) |
I am so excited. I've been in contact with Capital University, and we're putting together an internship program for marketing majors. Every semester, a marketing major can come analyze my business marketing strategy and make recommendations. How great an idea is that??? It's free for me, and the student gets college credit and a line item on their resume. All I had to do was contact the university and make it happen. I'm trying to figure out what other internships I can devise. This business stuff is so freaking fun. Post at MichelleTuesday.com ![]() ![]() Grow MochaNotes.com ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Advertising PRIORITIES: ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Business start-up activities. PRIORITIES: ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Launch one new performance repertoire song per week. ![]() Perform one household chore per day. ![]() Read a book in print 15 minutes every day. ![]() Achieve a weight of 145.0 by 9/1/10. Weight: 161. Meals: 7:00 Coffee (1) 8:30 Coffee (1) and a half bagel with ham and cheese (4) 11:00 Half oatmeal bar (2) 1:45 Skinny roast beef sandwich (7) 6:30 Tuna Helper (7) 7:30 Ice cream cone (5) TOTAL POINTS SO FAR: 27 (Goal: 25) |
Post at MichelleTuesday.com ![]() ![]() ![]() Grow MochaNotes.com ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Advertising PRIORITIES: ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() I also sent emails to Otterbein, Ohio State, and Capital looking for contacts in their career development departments. Maybe they can advertise my open positions to students and recent grads, or even work out internship opportunities. ![]() Business start-up activities. PRIORITIES: ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Launch one new performance repertoire song per week. ![]() Perform one household chore per day. ![]() Read a book in print 15 minutes every day. ![]() Achieve a weight of 145.0 by 9/1/10. Weight: Like 161. Meals: 7:00 Coffee (1) 8:00 Coffee (1) and a half bagel with turkey and cheese (4) 1:45 Skinny roast beef sammie (7) 4:30 Snacks (4?) <- I know I snacked but don't remember what I ate. ![]() 6:30 Two pieces pizza (8?) 7:30 Ice cream cone with black cherry sorbet (5) TOTAL POINTS SO FAR: 30 (Goal: 25) |
Ma nuh ma nuh ![]() ![]() ![]() Post at MichelleTuesday.com ![]() ![]() Grow MochaNotes.com ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Advertising/Promotion PRIORITIES: ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Business start-up activities. PRIORITIES: ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() I'm in a holding pattern, waiting for sign art and a schedule from my contractor. I barely know what to do with myself. Launch one new performance repertoire song per week. ![]() Perform one household chore per day. ![]() Read a book in print 15 minutes every day. ![]() Achieve a weight of 145.0 by 9/1/10. Weight: Like 162. Meals: 7:00 Coffee (1), English muffin with butter (2) 9:30 Chai (1) 11:00 Fiber granola bar (2) 1:45 Skinny roast beef (7) 5:30 Three eclairs (3), about two dozen almonds (2), and a couple bites of cherry sorbet (1), I'm such a snacker. 6:00 Coffee (1) 7:00 Baked fish (1) with roasted potatoes (2) and corn (2) 8:00 Ice cream (4) TOTAL POINTS SO FAR: 29 (Goal: 25) In case y'all haven't noticed, I haven't been recording food after breakfast. That's not a good way to succeed at goals, as evidenced by the "weight" trend over the last several months. Maybe I need a new system, since I've been in blog-once-and-done mode. |
Post at MichelleTuesday.com ![]() ![]() Grow MochaNotes.com ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Increase search engine visibility for MT.com. ![]() PRIORITIES: ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Business start-up activities. PRIORITIES: ![]() ![]() ![]() Launch one new performance repertoire song per week. ![]() Perform one household chore per day. ![]() Read a book in print 15 minutes every day. ![]() Achieve a weight of 145.0 by 9/1/10. Weight: Like 162. Meals: 7:00 Coffee (1) and English muffin (2) 8:30 Cookie (5) TOTAL POINTS SO FAR: 8 (Goal: 25) |
I don't know what we did or how, but "Prodigy: Youth Writers' Competition" ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() One of these days, I'll get back to writing-related activities. When I do, I plan to keep George Orwell's 5 Rules of Effective Writing ![]() Post at MichelleTuesday.com ![]() ![]() Grow MochaNotes.com ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Increase search engine visibility for MT.com. ![]() PRIORITIES: ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() I hung signs in every other window of my studio announcing "NOW HIRING MUSIC TEACHERS". I posted the same at Facebook, where I have heard from two potential candidates, both of whom are people I already know. ![]() Business start-up activities. PRIORITIES: ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Launch one new performance repertoire song per week. ![]() Perform one household chore per day. ![]() Read a book in print 15 minutes every day. ![]() ![]() Achieve a weight of 145.0 by 9/1/10. Weight: ? Meals: 7:00 Coffee (1) TOTAL POINTS SO FAR: 1, but I'm meeting a potential teacher at Bob Evans ![]() (Goal: 25) |
Weekends just mean housework instead of job work, and I have a lot to do. Not only is Mt. Laundry threatening to collapse again, but my landscaping at my house is in a shambles. The lawn and weeds are out of control. I just changed real estate agents, so my listing looks new, and we already have a couple nibbles. I need to clean the place up. ![]() If you have not already, friend me on Facebook! ![]() Post at MichelleTuesday.com ![]() ![]() Grow MochaNotes.com ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Increase search engine visibility for MT.com. ![]() PRIORITIES: ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() I hung signs in every other window of my studio announcing "NOW HIRING MUSIC TEACHERS". I posted the same at Facebook, where I have heard from two potential candidates. Nothing yet from the Google ads. Business start-up activities. PRIORITIES: ![]() ![]() ![]() Launch one new performance repertoire song per week. ![]() Perform one household chore per day. ![]() ![]() Read a book in print 15 minutes every day. ![]() Achieve a weight of 145.0 by 9/1/10. Weight: ? Meals: 7:00 Coffee (1), English muffin with butter (3), turkey sausage (2) 9:00 Coffee (1) 1:45 Skinny roast beef (7) TOTAL POINTS SO FAR: 14 (Goal: 25) |
On the WDC front, is it me, or has activity come to a screeching halt? My blog readership is down. I have no idea what scroll looks like, because I turned it off many months ago. But I also noticed that my "My Favorites" navigation bar has slowed to a crawl. Updates from two days ago have still not fallen off the bottom of the list. Post at MichelleTuesday.com ![]() ![]() Grow MochaNotes.com ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Increase search engine visibility for MT.com. ![]() A few business listings at Google, Yahoo, and Bing, and I've magically moved up the lists. I still have some web tweaking and local advertising to plan. PRIORITIES: ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Business start-up activities. PRIORITIES: ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Launch one new performance repertoire song per week. ![]() Perform one household chore per day. ![]() Read a book in print 15 minutes every day. ![]() Achieve a weight of 145.0 by 9/1/10. Weight: ? Meals: 7:00 Coffee (1) and Max & Erma's cookie (5) 10:00 Granola bar (2) 2:00 Skinny roast beef (7) 3:30 Coffee (1) |
I hadn't checked my blog stats in awhile, but I did today. Apparently, my readership has declined. It's okay! I always wondered why anyone would want to read my personal to-do list anyway, and only ever intended the blog to help me keep track of myself. It *has* crossed my mind that I'm logging my journey into entrepreneurship on a daily basis, which is going to make my highly sought-after autobiography much easier later, when I'm a billionaire (which I want to be, so frickin' bad.) ![]() Post at MichelleTuesday.com ![]() ![]() Grow MochaNotes.com ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() NEW GOAL: Increase search engine visibility for MT.com. ![]() I plan to track my Yahoo, Bing, and Google rank for certain keywords and continually work to improve. For example, I show up on the front page of Google (top ten) for "music lessons Gahanna Ohio", "voice lessons Gahanna Ohio", and "guitar lessons Gahanna Ohio", but not for "piano lessons Gahanna Ohio" (where I rank #14, which is page 2.) I recognize that the Internet is going to be my best marketing platform. I also recognize that local advertising strategies, when they highlight my web address, will drive traffic to the website, thereby increasing the overall marketing potential of the site, making it more visible for Internet surfers who have not discovered me via local forums. Kind of like an upward spiral. I have a huge (well, not Superbowl-huge, but huge with respect to my overall startup funds) advertising budget allocated, and I have lots of good plans for the money: promotional items, radio advertising, local newspaper advertising, Internet ads, banners, signs and fliers.) August will be my first big advertising push. So from a goal perspective, I would like to: (1) increase page rank to the top 5 for all three search engines, for my chosen keywords, and (2) meet my monthly business volume goals, starting in September. In layman's terms: I want more paying customers. Speaking of advertising, I offer a tip regarding tear-off fliers. I have two tear-offs in my pocket that each list an email address and a phone number. No name. No hint, whatsoever, as to what kind of service or product these fliers were offering. I can't remember which is which. TIP: When you post tear-off fliers, include your name and your product or service on the tear-off part, too. Launch one new performance repertoire song per week. ![]() Brand the biz(es.) PRIORITIES: ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Perform one household chore per day. ![]() Read a book in print 15 minutes every day. ![]() Achieve a weight of 145.0 by 9/1/10. Weight: 162.8, which is bad. I'm not giving up on this. Vacation last week of August... Meals: 7:00am Coffee (1) 7:45am Coffee (1) and fiber granola bar (2) 11:30am Kielbasa (2), yogurt (4), two clementines (2), toast w/butter (3), coffee (1) TOTAL POINTS SO FAR: 16 (Goal: 25) |
Post at MichelleTuesday.com ![]() ![]() Grow MochaNotes.com ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Launch one new performance repertoire song per week. ![]() Brand the biz(es.) PRIORITIES: ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Perform one household chore per day. ![]() Read a book in print 15 minutes every day. ![]() Achieve a weight of 145.0 by 9/1/10. Umm... about this... |
Post at MichelleTuesday.com ![]() ![]() Grow MochaNotes.com ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Launch one new performance repertoire song per week. ![]() ![]() Brand the biz(es.) PRIORITIES: I have too many bank accounts. {e:overwhelmed} I need to figure that mess out. ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Perform one household chore per day. ![]() Read a book in print 15 minutes every day. ![]() Achieve a weight of 145.0 by 9/1/10. Grr. |
Post at MichelleTuesday.com ![]() ![]() Grow MochaNotes.com ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Launch one new performance repertoire song per week. ![]() Brand the biz(es.) PRIORITIES: ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Perform one household chore per day. ![]() Read a book in print 15 minutes every day. ![]() Achieve a weight of 145.0 by 9/1/10. Weight: 162.6. No more high-point breakfasts, frivolous ice cream, and Dunkin Donuts. Meals: 6:30am Coffee (1) and fiber granola bar (2) 7:15am Coffee (1) TOTAL POINTS SO FAR: 4 (GOAL: 25) |
Post at MichelleTuesday.com ![]() ![]() Grow MochaNotes.com ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Launch one new performance repertoire song per week. ![]() Brand the biz(es.) PRIORITIES: ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Perform one household chore per day. ![]() Read a book in print 15 minutes every day. ![]() Achieve a weight of 145.0 by 9/1/10. Weight: Meals: 7:00am Coffee (1) 8:30am Coffee (0.5) and bagel (2) with ham/cheese (2) TOTAL POINTS SO FAR: 5.5 (GOAL: 25) |
Post at MichelleTuesday.com ![]() ![]() Grow MochaNotes.com ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Launch one new performance repertoire song per week. ![]() Brand the biz(es.) PRIORITIES: ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Perform one household chore per day. ![]() Read a book in print 15 minutes every day. ![]() Achieve a weight of 145.0 by 9/1/10. Weight: Meals: 7:00am Coffee (1) and half bagel (2) with turkey and cheese (2.5) 8:30am Coffee (1) TOTAL POINTS SO FAR: 6.5 (GOAL: 25) |
I have tolerance issues. And my boy is very patient with me. Post at MichelleTuesday.com ![]() ![]() Grow MochaNotes.com ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Launch one new performance repertoire song per week. ![]() Brand the biz(es.) PRIORITIES: ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() I've officially contracted a contractor. Which is very similar to a disease. Perform one household chore per day. ![]() Read a book in print 15 minutes every day. ![]() Achieve a weight of 145.0 by 7/1/10. Um... I guess I missed this goal? |
Earn $10 at Textbroker by 7/20/10.![]() Post at MichelleTuesday.com ![]() ![]() Grow MochaNotes.com ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Launch one new performance repertoire song per week. ![]() Brand the biz(es.) PRIORITIES: ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() I've been worried about my timeline - that I might not be able to open until almost October because drawings take two weeks, permits take two weeks, and construction takes 4-5 weeks because of bureaucracy (which means permit inspections.) But I talked to a lady in my shopping center who just opened a nail salon two weeks ago. She said her permits took three days, and when they called the city in the morning for inspections, the inspectors were there by noon the same day. W00t! I love Gahanna. They're very small-biz friendly there. Perform one household chore per day. ![]() Read a book in print 15 minutes every day. ![]() ![]() Keith and I went to a party at Chris (my office manager) and Bob's (Keith's coworker) last night. Chris has a Kindle. I think I love it. But not three hundred dollars love it. Or even the hundred-and-fifty Craigslist price our mutual friend (and one of my two official photographers) Karen paid. They were exchanging titles last night. I might have been a little jealous. Achieve a weight of 145.0 by 7/1/10. Weight: Meals: 7:00 Coffee (1) 8:30 Coffee (1) 11:30 Sausage/egg/cheese croissant from Dunkin Donuts (16) 2:30 Skinny roast beef sandwich (7) 8:00 Eight wings (12) and celery with blue cheese (1) 12:00 Ice cream (4) TOTAL POINTS SO FAR: 42 (GOAL: 25) |