|
About This Author
|
La Bene Vita
I am a professional musician  , worship leader , small business owner , songwriter , aspiring author and freelance nonfiction writer with a chemical engineering degree .
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.
January 31, 2011 at 9:08am January 31, 2011 at 9:08am
| |
Reach 300 students by 12/31/11:
* Develop a Q1 promotion & ad plan by 1/7: THE PLAN: "Call potentials now that we have a strings instructor." We have a list of potential students who all called about violion or viola, whom we can now contact and hopefully schedule. We did have a plan to promote our split drama classes (youth and teen), but since we lost our drama/drum instructor, we're not sure yet what day the new class will end up. We were also going to promote our adult songwriting class, but for similar reasons (namely, our songwriting teacher may be helping pick up drum students.) We also hired a new drum instructor, W00t!
* Develop a summer program plan by Spring Break: Brainstorming! And our teachers are excited about this Friday's staff meeting. Excited. About a staff meeting. Have you ever heard of people excited about a staff meeting? Our people are excited about our staff meeting.
* Business Cards:  Delegated!
* Vocal warm-ups CD: No progress, even though Angela made the file. I need to delegate this to our computer lab crew, once we get them hired. Speaking of hiring, we need to start scheduling interviews.
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:
 Sound System Day 2 was a success. We had a new volunteer, and we've heard nothing but positive comments about the upgrades. On a related note, our Worship and Music chairperson found money to help pay for the upgrade! I can't tell you how awesome that is. My business fronted the funds, so it's nice to know we're getting reimbursed.
Reading: One book per week.
Chapter 17/36%
Writing: Goals TBD:
(1)  Blog at WDC daily.
(2) Blog at MT.com weekly. PENDING. How does monthly sound? I think monthly sounds like a better goal. 
Count points: TOTAL POINTS YESTERDAY:
The last two days, I didn't count. *slap* And I'm so confused, because I started to put together my Bob Evans breakfast for
Saturday, until I realized that was Friday. But I don't have that logged on Friday. ? Did I eat that in addition to everything else I logged for
Friday? Gah. Somewhere in the last three days, I ate tihs: One egg (2), bacon (3), turkey sausage (3), banana bread (3) = 11 points
SATURDAY: 49
Coffee (1); Dunkin Donuts egg flatbread (10?) - they're not on the nutrition list yet; Crackers (4); Cheeseburger (11); Pizza (7); Candy (5); Cheeseburger (11)
SUNDAY: 50+
Coffee (2); Granola bar (2); Baked goodies at church (7); Clam chowder (6); Pretzel bites (6); Ice cream (6); Two pieces bread w/butter (?); Caeser salad (?); Veggies in some kind of butter (?); Longhorn 1/2 steak (?); Kid-size' order french fries (?)
Yay for Mondays!  So far today:
Coffee (2)
Granola bar (2) |
January 28, 2011 at 2:34pm January 28, 2011 at 2:34pm January 27, 2011 at 11:08am January 27, 2011 at 11:08am January 26, 2011 at 8:12am January 26, 2011 at 8:12am January 25, 2011 at 8:49am January 25, 2011 at 8:49am
| |
Every time I open Yahoo to read my email, I get distracted by about half a dozen headlining articles and blog posts.  Then I can't remember what I was about to do, and I completely forget to send that email I was contemplating before the upcoming State of the Union address or the latest celebrity fashion faux pas caught my eye. *kicks Yahoo*
I'm currently reading "A Journey to the Centre of the Earth" by Jules Verne. As I followed our hero and his "worthy uncle" (Hahahaha! Great sarcasm for 1500's Europe) across desolate Iceland from Reykjavik to Mount Sneffles, I got curious. Were there really towns Ejulberg and Gardar, were there really fjords Kollafjord, Hvalfjord, and unother large, unnamed fjord, were there swamps and mountains and fields of lava in all the right places along the trek?
So I checked Google Earth. And, with the exception of the towns (whose names could have changed), it's all there: every fjord, every swamp, every river, every lava field. There's also a modern highway, 54, which goes from the third fjord (unnmed by Google Earth as well) to Mt. Sneffels, and Highway 1, which gets you from Reykjavik to Highway 54 at the unnamed fjord. I zoomed in and followed the highways, which, with the exception of about a few small towns and dozen or so random farms with no neighbors to speak of, are just as desloate as Verne describes. How did he know? He didn't have Google Earth. Chris the office manager suggested that he might have consulted travel logs, which apparently was the thing to do back in the day.
I got so sucked into my geeky Google Earth project that I was late for my Monday morning worship planning meeting. But it has nothing to do with my failure to get anything on my list done. I never get anything done on Mondays and Tuesdays, because I'm running the lobby and computer lab. I need to hire some more help! But I can't afford it yet. 
Reach 300 students by 12/31/11:
* Develop a Q1 promotion & ad plan by 1/7: In progress. We do have a plan. We need to implement it.
* Develop a summer program plan by Spring Break: Meeting 2/4.
* Business Cards: Pending.
* Vocal warm-ups CD: Pending.
Customized database by 12/31/11: Design web page interface for potential form.
Pending.
Potbelly: : Add one repertoire song per week
Yesterday, I dug through my old files and played about an hour's worth of songs I haven't played in a couple years. That's good enough.
Messiah: One noteworthy accomplishment per month:
The sound system overhaul was incomplete, but successful for how much we got done. We're meeting again this Saturday.
Reading: One book per week.
I'm at 21%, but got distracted from actual reading by my research.
Writing: Goals TBD:
(1) Blog at WDC daily - Twice yesterday I thought I'd uploaded my post, but I must have been distracted. STUPID YAHOO. (I like blaming Yahoo.)
(2) Blog at MT.com weekly. OVERDUE and FOUR PENDING. I think this is the one Storm Machine  was referring to, but I feel like these should come from me. I just need more staff to take over the day-to-day operation, to free me up for implementing cool summer programs and writing blog posts.
Count points: TOTAL POINTS YESTERDAY: 26
Coffee (3)
Granola bar (2)
Banana (2)
Potbelly sammich (7)
Two chocolate-covered dried cherries (2)
Crackers (4)
Caramel corn (2)
ZonePerfect bar (4)
Sunday was almost 50 points, and I don't want to talk about it. I got into a big family fight over Sunday's points. |
January 23, 2011 at 2:21pm January 23, 2011 at 2:21pm
| |
Reach 300 students by 12/31/11:
* Develop a Q1 promotion & ad plan by 1/7: In the works.
* Develop a summer program plan by Spring Break: Barely a brainstorm.
* Business Cards: Didn't even cross my mind.
* Vocal warm-ups CD: I decided in lieu of giving CDs to voice students, we just need to teach them to play piano.
Customized database by 12/31/11: Design web page interface for potential form.
Pending.
Potbelly: : Add one repertoire song per week
Fail. I have some almost-songs, so I might catch this week.
Messiah: Meet one noteworthy accomplishment per month:
Sound system overhaul was a success, but we need another one next week. We also integrated two new band members, with a third pending, but I can't really take credit. They asked if they could show up, and I said, "Sure."
Reading: One book per week.
But no progress for about two days. Yesterday was non-stop from work at 8:30am, to the church sound system overhaul, to praise band, and home around 10pm. *shrug*
Writing::
(1) Blog at WDC daily.
(2) Blog at MT.com weekly. OVERDUE and FOUR PENDING. I'm not ready to can this yet.
Count points: TOTAL POINTS YESTERDAY: 33
Coffee (3)
Granola bar (2)
Crackers (4)
Caramel corn (8)
Cup spaghetti with meatballs (12?), and salad with tbls ranch dressing (4?) |
January 22, 2011 at 11:54am January 22, 2011 at 11:54am January 21, 2011 at 10:42am January 21, 2011 at 10:42am January 20, 2011 at 9:52am January 20, 2011 at 9:52am
| |
Reach 300 students by 12/31/11:
* Develop a Q1 promotion & ad plan by 1/7: Seeds of ideas, but no actual progress.
* Develop a summer program plan by Spring Break: Meeting 2/4... and maybe a big-time delegation opportunity. One teacher would like to work full-time this summer. So I may challenge her to come up with some programs that would give her the full-time hours she wants.
* Business Cards:
* Vocal warm-ups CD:
I've actually been working on a staffing plan and organizational chart, and I'm pretty psyched about it.
Customized database by 12/31/11: Design web page interface for potential form.
Pending.
Potbelly: : Add one repertoire song per week
Not really. Kinda busy. Sheesh. But I like another one of WildThing~Becoming  's suggestions: "The Only Exception" by Paramore. I totally have to learn that song, in addition to the Katy Perry song. I've been hitting the Norah Jones every day, and it suits my head cold rather nicely. 
Messiah: Meet one TBD goal per month:
Here's the thing: I think God is taking care of my personal feeling of negligence for me. He's dumping a ton of work on me, so I can feel like I'm accomplishing things. I have two new violin players, a new guitarist and singer, and another new singer, all starting this week. Add that to my new musicians who started in the fall (violinist, lead guitarist, and three new singers), and I've got my work cut out for me creating a band. Or maybe two bands. Meanwhile, we have a sound system overhaul scheduled for Saturday, so we'll have an accurate picture of how many musicians we can actually handle at a time. Instead of launching new congregational songs, I'm thinking I need to work on cool violin trios and vocal harmonies and such.
Reading: One book per week.
14% through Journey
Writing: Goals TBD: Set goals.
(1) Blog at WDC daily.
(2) Blog at MT.com weekly. OVERDUE and FOUR PENDING.
Count points: TOTAL POINTS YESTERDAY: 34 W00t!!!
Coffee (2)
Raisin Bran (7)
Cookies (7)
Sammich (7)
Truffle (2)
Taco (4)
Chips (3)
Guacamole salad (2)
No margarita! Go me. Okay, since I met my 35-max goal, today's goal is 34 points. |
January 18, 2011 at 8:21am January 18, 2011 at 8:21am
| |
Reach 300 students by 12/31/11:
* Develop a Q1 promotion & ad plan by 1/7: No activity.
* Develop a summer program plan by Spring Break: Meeting 2/4.
* Business Cards: No activity.
* Vocal warm-ups CD: No activity.
Customized database by 12/31/11: Design web page interface for potential form.
No activity.
Potbelly: : Add one repertoire song per week
Compiled chords to "Firework" by Katy Perry. Katy was a suggestion by WildThing~Becoming , which I thought odd, but certainly no odder than Rhianna, and I do two of her songs. And while most of Katy's are risque and not my style, this particular song is an encouragement of a friend, much like "True Colors" by Cyndi Lauper and "Better Things" by the Kinks - positive and uplifting are definitely my style. I don't quite know how I'm going to arrange it acoustically yet, but it should be interesting.
Messiah: Meet one TBD goal per month:
Sound system overhaul this Saturday, new song "Our God" next Saturday. My drummer will want to know how the children's minister talked me into another Chris Tomlin song after I told the drummer that we had enough Chris Tomlin songs.
Reading: One book per week.
I'm on the second chapter of "A Journey to the Centre of the Earth" by Jules Verne. According to my Kindle, the second chapter is 3% into the book, so finishing it this week may be an aggressive goal. On the other hand, I'm fighting a sinus thing, so I'm tired and may find myself reading more than working.
Writing: Goals TBD: Set goals.
(1) Blog at WDC daily.
(2) Blog at MT.com weekly. OVERDUE and FOUR PENDING. Bleh.
I wish I had more time, so I could meet all my goals. I need a time machine. Too bad H.G. Wells didn't bother to include a schematic in the book.
Count points: TOTAL POINTS YESTERDAY: 42.5
Pear (2)
Banana (2)
Baklava (5)
Coffee (1)
Bear claw (3)
Half sammich (3.5)
Cookies (6)
Lasagna (14)
Ice cream (6)
Okay, now that I have established a trend, I plan to cut back gradually. I'll start with a target of 35 maximum points per day.
The plan: |
January 17, 2011 at 7:41am January 17, 2011 at 7:41am
| |
Reach 300 students by 12/31/11:
* Develop a Q1 promotion & ad plan by 1/7: No activity, although one of our teachers has a private studio, meaning he teaches a handful of students at home. He just decided he's tired of dealing with scheduling and make-ups, and he's steering them to us. Meanwhile, we're about to be bombarded in two or three weeks by enrollments out of our samplers. We'll be hiring another teacher and computer lab attendants very soon. I also created an assistant manager position, but I can't say much about that until 2/4.
* Develop a summer program plan by Spring Break: Meeting 2/4.
* Business Cards: No activity.
* Vocal warm-ups CD - Stuck in the middle of progress somewhere.
Customized database by 12/31/11: Design web page interface for potential form.
Pending.
Potbelly: : Add one repertoire song per week
Pending, but I'm pretty happy with "Don't Know Why" and considering reprinting some older stuff to get myself out of a rut.
Messiah: Meet one TBD goal per month:
I have two new songs selected. We'll start going over them next week, because this week is the sound system overhaul, and I just know a new song will be one too many things going on Saturday.
Reading: One book per week.
I finished "The Time Machine" in the nick of time, at about 11:30 last night. I do see why it's a classic. The title fools you into thinking you're reading science fiction, when really, the book glosses over the details of the time travel and the actual machine (for example: How is it powered? How does the dial know what year it is?) and comments rather about the inevitable fall of man. Next up: A Journey to the Centre of the Earth.
Writing: Goals TBD: Set goals.
(1) Blog at WDC daily. I missed Saturday and Sunday.
(2) Blog at MT.com weekly. OVERDUE and FOUR PENDING.
Count points: TOTAL POINTS YESTERDAY: ?
I am embarrassed to say I lost count since Friday. It all started Friday, when my percussion instructor didn't show up for his lessons and new class. So I was frantically putting together the class curriculum, when the office manager reminded me that I had a double voice lesson (a make-up) to teach. I had another teacher there, and he jumped in to help, so we had minimal interruption that our clients could perceive. Nonetheless, it was a stressful situation. Then Saturday morning, two teachers were late.
By Saturday afternoon, I was done teaching for the weekend, but still had this week's sound system overhaul at church to plan, 1099's to figure out (OMG! the IRS is so antiquated regarding these), plus all three worship services to help out with Sunday morning. By Sunday afternoon, I was taking a three-hour nap.
All in all, I ate a lot this weekend. |
January 14, 2011 at 10:14am January 14, 2011 at 10:14am January 13, 2011 at 8:38am January 13, 2011 at 8:38am
| |
I'm not sure how I never knew that Eric Clapton lives in my neck of the woods - literally on the east side of Columbus, where I live, worship, and work. He may very well have driven past my new music school and seen the sign. That's very weird because I cover a couple of his songs in a local restaurant. I wonder if I do them justice? You know that a chick singing Clapton on an acoustic guitar is going to sound very different than the original, which is sort of my signature style. But I wonder if he would like that.
A Larry King Live interview with Eric: http://archives.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0710/12/lkl.01.html
Reach 300 students by 12/31/11: Set intermediate goals.
* Develop a Q1 promotion & ad plan by 1/7: No activity beyond yesterday's brainstorm.
* Develop a summer program plan by Spring Break: Competitions! ...that was my brainstorm today. More at the 2/4 staff meeting.
* Business Cards: No activity.
* Vocal warm-ups CD - One of our teachers created the file, now I just need to figure out how to burn it to a CD so that it plays for students (will I need to convert the format from midi, probably?)
Customized database by 12/31/11: Design web page interface for potential form.
Pending, and medium priority.
Potbelly: : Add one repertoire song per week
Pending. When, when? I want new music! I should do more Clapton. (or less?)
Messiah: Meet one TBD goal per month:
Schedule the next new song: I'll look at this Saturday.
Reading: One book per week.
I didn't read at all yesterday. I will "read" on my way to work today.
Writing: Goals TBD: Set goals.
(1) Blog at WDC daily. DONE.
(2) Blog at MT.com weekly. OVERDUE and THREE PENDING.
Okay, so I didn't write a blog post, but I did come up with a great blog topic: Copyright laws. It will require some research. But once I write the article, I'll be printing it and handing it out to students, clients, and teachers in my lobby.
(3) Set fiction writing goals. PENDING. Goal: set goals by 1/9. NO ACTIVITY.
(4) Set songwriting goals. PENDING. Goal: set goals by 1/9. NO ACTIVITY.
On the fiction and songwriting goals, if I can't even set the goals, how on earth will I ever meet the goals I set? I'm just too damn busy. So here is my fiction and songwriting goal for 2011:
* Re-evaluate fiction and songwriting goals during Spring Break. I'll remember to do this because I'll set a meeting with myself on my shiny newish Blackberry. And if I drop the Blackberry in a margarita like I did its predecessor's predecessor, I just won't write anything in 2011, and my 2012 New Year's resolution will be to set new fiction and songwriting goals for 2012. After I get a new phone.
Count points: TOTAL POINTS YESTERDAY: 53
Coffee (3)
2 cups Raisin Bran w/1.5 cups milk (8)
Potbelly sammich (7)
Crackers (4)
Mexican:
Chips (5), guacamole salad (2), taco (4), and two regular margaritas (20) |
January 12, 2011 at 8:14am January 12, 2011 at 8:14am
| |
Reach 300 students by 12/31/11: Set intermediate goals.
* Develop a Q1 promotion & ad plan by 1/7: We need to schedule and fill a new songwriting class.
* Develop a summer program plan by Spring Break: Staff meeting scheduled for 2/4. Everyone can make it! 
I also have a slew of new people signed up for email-only promotions and coupons - way more than have "Liked" us on FB. Still, we have some potentials on FB too. So I'm thinking of running email- and Facebook-only promotions in the next month or two. We also get a lot of hits from the Town Money Saver, and we've never run a promotion there - just advertised. I wonder how many lukewarm readers would turn into hot leads if they saw a coupon there? Our cash flow is in fantastic shape. We have plenty of funds for advertising. I should hit January and February really hard, so I can spent March and April focusing on summer programs.
Customized database by 12/31/11: Design web page interface for potential form.
Pending.
Potbelly: : Add one repertoire song per week
Pending. Cody, one of our guitar teachers, showed me how to play "Don't Know Why" by Norah Jones. I haven't tried it yet, but it rocks. And WildThing~Becoming gave me an enormous list of suggestions on Facebook.
Messiah: Meet one TBD goal per month: Goal: Sound system work day.
Supplies ordered for the work day.
The Praise Band launched a new song two weeks ago - it's probably time for another one. Epiphany (season of light) is really long this year, because Easter is so late. We have time to learn a new "light" song. That might help me feel less neglectful. I attend weekly worship planning meetings every Monday morning, turn my bulletins in on time each week, teach the band new songs once a month or so, schedule special music regularly, perform at my service and others any time I'm needed, hired and manage a sound tech, and am working on a work day where we'll implement a total sound system overhaul, and still I feel like I'm neglecting this job somehow. I'm sure it's not neglect, but more likely, lack of energy. Looking back on my career, this job at my church is my longest-running job ever. I tend to be a job hopper because I thrive on variety. I am project-oriented. I wonder if this job has just gotten too routine. Sadly, I'm too busy with my other jobs to shake it up.
Reading: One book per week.
It seems to be a reasonable goal at the moment. Right now, I'm reading "The Time Machine" by H.G. Wells.
Writing: Goals TBD: Set goals.
(1) Blog at WDC daily. DONE.
(2) Blog at MT.com weekly. OVERDUE and THREE PENDING.
(3) Set fiction writing goals. PENDING. Goal: set goals by 1/9. NO ACTIVITY.
(4) Set songwriting goals. PENDING. Goal: set goals by 1/9. NO ACTIVITY.
Okay, this is ridiculous. I haven't touched my writing goals since 1/1, beyond getting back into the habit of blogging daily. I will make it a priority to at least set my writing goals by the end of the day. I will also publish at least one MT.com blog post. SLACKER! I've been too busy playing with my business plan the last week or two.
Count points: TOTAL POINTS YESTERDAY: 32
Coffee (2)
Granola bar (2)
Lasagna (7)
Crackers (8)
Trail mix (9)
PB&J (4) |
January 11, 2011 at 7:24am January 11, 2011 at 7:24am January 9, 2011 at 2:10pm January 9, 2011 at 2:10pm January 8, 2011 at 11:37am January 8, 2011 at 11:37am January 7, 2011 at 10:33am January 7, 2011 at 10:33am January 6, 2011 at 8:37am January 6, 2011 at 8:37am January 5, 2011 at 8:27am January 5, 2011 at 8:27am
© Copyright 2025 Brandiwyn🎶Prep starts 10/1! (UN: tuozzo at Writing.Com). All rights reserved.
Brandiwyn🎶Prep starts 10/1! has granted InkSpot.Com, its affiliates and its syndicates non-exclusive rights to display this work.
|
Even better if she can whistle to the tune of Mozart or something. 
Comment 
, also known as Michelle Tuesday, is a musician, educator and writer hailing from Columbus, Ohio.![Merit Badge in Music
[Click For More Info]
To a dear friend whose talent for writing music is sensational. May you have a fabulous New Year, (((Brandi)))!!! *^*Kiss*^*
Big hugs,
Sherri *^*Heart*^*](https://images.Writing.Com/imgs/writing.com/writers/badges/genre-Music-1050.gif)
![Merit Badge in Organization
[Click For More Info]
I don't know how you do it, but I assume there's magic involved *^*Bigsmile*^* I have really enjoyed this month of planning and preparation for NaNoWriMo and I love how organized it all is. Thank you for hosting a great challenge and for your dedication to helping so many of us prepare with confidence and trepidation for National Novel Writing Month (known to sane folks as 'November' *^*Laugh*^*) at your [Link To Item #1474311]](https://images.Writing.Com/imgs/writing.com/writers/badges/general-Organization-1150.gif)
![Merit Badge in Leadership
[Click For More Info]
For your hard work, commitment, talent and innovation in running the October NaNoWriMo Preparation each year, which helps many of us get our scattered thoughts together for November's novel-writing. And also because this badge has ducks on it.](https://images.Writing.Com/imgs/writing.com/writers/badges/general-Leadership.gif)
