speed catch up

Lessee - last weekend (memorial day wkend) revlainiep came over for a visit which makes 4 times we've gotten together in person in one year ! pretty amazing since she lives in Chicago. Though since there had been a 3 year gap before that we figure it evens out.

So of course we ate duck, not quite so much duck as last time, but more varied duck. We did quack a bit, especially when we drove past a hotel and I noticed it had a duck as its logo.

prettyoctopussy came down to join us again. She had some gardening advice about the tomatos and strawberries which I'm trying out. So far, and from the beginning, it's the peas that have been the most enthusiastic and that I've actually gotten to eat so far. There are some green beans, but they are very tiny. The cucumbers are all definitely dead. The eggplants are doubtful. The rest is living, just not to the phase of producing yet.

Of course Lainie and I were bouncing more business thoughts about. I'm in the process of trying to get this other business started and quick. I just don't want to post much about it until a few more things get taken care of. If it all works out I'll have a justified business reason to visit Chicago sometime. So far I've only been in the train station, and the patio just behind it.

I'm also still looking for more web work to actually happen. I have several potential projects hanging about there that I need to follow up to get a definite answer and at least some of them underway. I'm getting better at the first part of networking - meeting people, saying what I'm doing. I've always been good about getting going on jobs once I have them, especially if I'm given a deadline. Now I have to get better at the in-between pieces - getting from the suggestion of interest to having a committed project to actually work on.

I've gotten multiple recommendations for the book "Get Clients Now" by CJ Hayden so now I'm in the midst of reading that. It's specifically aimed at selling services rather than products - which is true for the web stuff. Some parts seem possibly cross-applicable to the product sales as well.

It guides you in narrowing your focus and creating a 28 day marketing plan and measuring how you do at it. I will make my plan and start it when I come back from Ancient Ways.

Yep, at an actually kind of awkward timing point - it's time for the festival I've been going to for the last 15 years. Well I've said I'm going. I wish I was a bit further set with the new business, but oh well. Maybe I'll get some relevant information or insights into it, while I'm there.

I like this knowing people for one week a year over many years weird time distortion thing - though it's a bit alarming watching the kids grow up and turn into adults or realizing that I really am 14 years older than I used to be too. I don't have to be if I don't want to do I? That's why I'm 2B and trying to cover the grey hairs. My extra gimpiness the last couple of years doesn't help me feel any younger, but this year my leg is still stronger than last so that's good.

I've found that having definite expectations of what the festival will be like, things I definitely want to do, or people I have to talk to, never works out well at all. However going with the expectation that my experience will be just whatever it ought to be and that I don't know any of the details yet, seems to work much better.

So if I don't post for another week, you'll know it's because I'm out of the computer's clutches and reach. I'll be back.