|
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.
February 26, 2012 at 12:34pm February 26, 2012 at 12:34pm
| |
Student count = 271.
Church was fine. School yesterday was fine. Blah blah blah. On the bright side, I'm starting (to read) a new book.
I feel like I'm not meeting my goals, somehow. I haven't done employee performance evaluations; that's bothering me. I'm gaining weight instead of losing; also bothering me. But other than that, I'm meeting my work goals, I finally started to earn a salary, and we have money for vacation and fun stuff this year. Church is going well, and we're doing things there to grow both the praise band (adding a choir) and the church (adding a service). Home life is going well: Keith and I went out yesterday, and we're going out today, too. So I'm not sure where the unrest is originating. It must be bothering me that I have no writing goals.
Even though I know I'm not ready to devote the time and energy I would need to dedicate. |
February 25, 2012 at 6:39am February 25, 2012 at 6:39am
| |
This is for Robert Waltz  . Now they need to make one for dogs.
|
February 24, 2012 at 8:34pm February 24, 2012 at 8:34pm
| |
I bought some. First time in a few years. Every time a sale came and went, I thought, I oughta... and then didn't. Well, I did this time, and the boy didn't care at all. He didn't get it ("what are they for again, exactly?"), but he still was fine with it.  So I went ahead and bought them. THEN I realized that buying a premium membership outright (with cash instead of GPs) is a better deal. Figures.
Just to document, we (MTMS ) had 269.5 students yesterday, then today, one withdrew (-1) and one upgraded to extended. (+.5) We were so close to 270, LOL, but today we're back down to 269.
I'm feeling strangely writer-y. It must be because I set a goal to put off writing goals until 2025. All of a sudden, I crave all things writing. Sort of like how I try to diet and mysteriously eat more than I would have if I weren't thinking of dieting at all.
Sort of like that.
Completely off-topic - My pastor's wife is a 4th grade teacher. She posted this on Facebook today:
"So, in art class today, the teacher was having the children look at a famous painting of women dancing, and they were supposed to respond and describe the art. One of our lovely students yelled out, "Look at all of those white bit****." I don't think that was quite what she had in mind."
I don't know if I should laugh or cry. |
February 24, 2012 at 8:34pm February 24, 2012 at 8:34pm
| |
I bought some. First time in a few years. Every time a sale came and went, I thought, I oughta... and then didn't. The boy didn't care. He didn't get it ("what are they for again, exactly?"), but he still was fine with it.
Just to document, we had 269.5 students yesterday, then today, one withdrew (-1) and one upgraded to extended. (+.5) We were so close to 270, LOL, but today we're back down to 269.
I'm feeling strangely writer-y. It must be because I set a goal to put off writing goals until 2025. All of a sudden, I crave all things writing. Sort of like how I try to diet and mysteriously eat more than I would have if I weren't thinking of dieting at all.
Sort of like that. |
February 24, 2012 at 8:34pm February 24, 2012 at 8:34pm
| |
I bought some. First time in a few years. Every time a sale came and went, I thought, I oughta... and then didn't. The boy didn't care. He didn't get it ("what are they for again, exactly?"), but he still was fine with it.
Just to document, we had 269.5 students yesterday, then today, one withdrew (-1) and one upgraded to extended. (+.5) We were so close to 270, LOL, but today we're back down to 269.
I'm feeling strangely writer-y. It must be because I set a goal to put off writing goals until 2025. All of a sudden, I crave all things writing. Sort of like how I try to diet and mysteriously eat more than I would have if I weren't thinking of dieting at all.
Sort of like that. |
February 17, 2012 at 10:36am February 17, 2012 at 10:36am
| |
Lethargy
It's the weirdest thing. I go through days of confusion and lethargy where I don't know what I should be doing, or if I should be doing anything at all. I realize that none of the tasks on my to-do list are mandatory. Then I realize that very little is truly mandatory - not just for me, but for everyone. I know it's easy for me to say, since we're managing to pay all our bills, and many families struggle to do that. But everything we do, besides fulfilling biological needs, is a decision we make. And I could choose to do nothing at all.
I must need a vacation.
Company Growth
I conducted a new employee orientation last night. This teacher is a strong percussion instructor, but also very well-rounded, able to teach beginning violin and intermediate piano and voice.  I have two interviews this afternoon; one with a drama teacher, and one with a guitar, etc. teacher. And then I have an interview on Monday, as well. I'm still swamped with subbing for absent teachers, as well as trying to keep up with student growth, which exploded since the first of the year. But some relief is in sight, and that's welcome.
Advertising Woes
I had hoped that advertising summer camps early this year would encourage enrollments; it hasn't. But people are oblivious. We have signs hanging everywhere announcing our camps, and still, when you ask people, "Do you know about our summer camps?" They say, "No! What's that all about?!" I think we need a new marketing strategy that involves fireworks and a bullhorn.
*** POTENTIAL INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITY ***
I hope to expand MTMS in the fall of 2013. Starting around the first of 2013, I'll be looking for funding sources. Now, I'm not looking for venture capitalists with long-term company ownership. I'm hoping to finance my next start-up strictly with loans, and I want 5% interest. I'd like to defer payments for at least 12 months, although interest would naturally accrue during that time. If you know anything at all about me or my business, you know that anyone who takes advantage of this opportunity will get a guaranteed 5% return on their investment, which is a heck of a lot better than savings accounts and CDs right now. Sooo... if you're interested in participating, shoot me an email.
*** END SHAMELESS MARKETING TACTIC ***
Balance
If you read my blog around the first of the year, you may know that I resolved to improving "Balance" in my life (along with "Body" and "Growth".) My pastor gave me my performance evaluation earlier this week, and he made a point to say that I should be careful not to take on too much responsibility and to spend more time nurturing my relationship with Keith, along with both of our health (because Keith had a heart scare last year, and I've been gaining weight.) Is that weird? Or is that God throwing another brick at my head, saying, DUDE! You promised to balance family with career, and now it's the middle of February, did you forget?? Because, I'm thinking that maybe I forgot.
We had a good Valentine's Day , so that's good.
No template today. If you've gotten this far, you've read enough already.  Peace. |
February 15, 2012 at 7:08am February 15, 2012 at 7:08am
| |
I've just plotted out the next fourteen years of my life, which, incidentally, takes me to age 50. That was not a specific target when I started planning, but it's convenient. It's also scaring the Unicorn Poop out of me. 50? Really? That should be so far away, but seems closer when you tabulate it like this:
2013 (age 38): Open Store #2.
2016 (age 41): Open Store #3.
2019 (age 44): Open Store #4. Buy a bigger house on lots of acreage.
2022 (age 47): Open Store #5.
2025 (age 50): Retire, live off of owner salary and excess profits of stores 1-5, and start a new career as a professional author.
"First world tour as famous musical act" didn't make the list, in part because I don't want to be discovered drowned at age 48 in a hotel room bathtub the night of a high-profile pre-Grammys party. (Was that crude? Sorry - I just don't want to be that girl.) In fact, I don't even want to attend a high-profile pre-Grammys party. I'm too down-to-earth (read: lazy, couch-potato-ish) to be a celebrity. I don't spend enough family (video game) time as it is. After all the introspection, I've decided I want to be rich, but not famous. So I've crafted a plan that I hope will get me there.
Now that I have a solid fourteen-year plan, I know that I'm not going to seriously pursue a new career as an author until 2025, after I retire from my first lucrative business endeavors (hey, if Terry Brooks can do it, so can I.) That lifts a burden, because for now, writing can officially and without guilt take second place to the other priorities in my life. I'll keep casually pumping out shorts and snippets, and each November, converting one to a novel. Then, when I'm ready for my new career, I'll sort through my own personal slush pile and find the nuggets of gold that will launch my new career, upon which I will embark from the comfort of my plush library with big picture windows overlooking a rolling, wooded Ohio landscape (the acres of which belong to Yours Truly.)
I'll keep performing, because I love it, but I'll stick to venues that advance my music school business. I'll keep writing songs every now and then, but it's not my primary focus. I'll keep writing blog posts because it's good for business, and because it will help me continue to develop my writing skills. I hope to be quite an accomplished writer by 2025. 
Yay. I'm tired of stressing myself out over a list of goals I can't quite meet. I want personal time, family time, and time to focus on my health. And video games.
Focus. It's all about focus.
Peace. |
February 14, 2012 at 7:50am February 14, 2012 at 7:50am
| |
I may be insane. The jury's still out, but I'll let you know when they make a decision.
BALANCE
Work goals:
Blog at MT.com :  FAIL for last week.
Year-end closeout: In progress.
Post recital pictures online: We have a receptionist who does that now.
Hiring: In progress. We are looking for instructors for percussion, acting, saxophone, clarinet, violin, songwriting, and guitar for certain times of day in addition to computer lab attendants that can work the early shift. So far, we've hired a percussion instructor (yay!)
Writing goals
Performance Evaluations: In progress. Er - stalled. I got the time-critical ones done. But I'm being lazy about the rest.
Church goals
9:30 Bulletin: Pending.
Performance Evaluation: I turned in my self-evaluation and have a meeting with the pastor this morning.
Family goals
Um: For a second, I forgot I had a family.  Actually, that's not true. I did have a nice Valentine's evening with Keith last night, and we have more plans for tonight. I should do some laundry this week and go to the grocery store. I soooo neglected everything and left Keith to do all the chores, thanks to my recitals all weekend. Which went stellar, by the way.
BODY
Health goals
Weight: 
Exercise:
Yesterday's points: I actually counted. It was about 40.
GROWTH
Business Growth
Reach 400 students at MTMS by 12/31/12: 260 today, so there's the good news. And the samplers are filling up, which is more good news, because they will result in a surge of private lesson enrollments in about a month.
Music Log
Yesterday, I practiced: Nada, though I've performed a lot in the last week or so.
Yesterday, I listened to: Nada. Wait, not true. I watched "The Voice".
This week, I performed at: I performed at the adult recital on Saturday, sang a solo in church on Sunday morning, I'm playing at a nursing home Valentine's Day party this afternoon (how cute is that??), and my regular weekly gig at Senor Patron on Friday.
Songwriting progress: Nada. I even had on my goals to run through and refresh on my own original music, but I haven't played it in months. I could play a couple today at the nursing home, because they fit the theme.
I seriously need a day off. The soonest I could take off is next Tuesday, unless my interview candidate doesn't choose the Wednesday (tomorrow) options I gave for her interview time. Let's hold out hope for that, because a day off tomorrow sounds a lot more appealing than a day off next Tuesday. |
February 11, 2012 at 3:44pm February 11, 2012 at 3:44pm
| |
Subscribing to the "third time's the charm" theory, I have officially deleted 750Words.com from my favorites bar. I failed to complete yesterday's entry, breaking my streak once again, and this time, I honestly didn't care.
I care more that it's been a week since my last WDC blog post - again - AND that I have not yet blogged at MT.Com for the week, although I had the post outlined last week. I will complete this before the end of the week, despite the full days of work and recitals today and church and recitals tomorrow.
Along with subbing and scheduling subs, hiring has been at the top of my priority list for weeks. This may be in part because I'm tired of subbing and scheduling subs. I paid $300 for a job posting at Monster.com, and after four days, I've decided that it was worth every penny. I've already hired a percussion instructor, and I have an interview for drama and voice tomorrow. Not sure how that will go, because she's a little under-qualified, but considering the posting has been up four days, that's impressive.
My second priority is to expand my business plan. I have now projected out the next four stores (making a total of five by 2022), including loan requirements and payoff plans, staffing plans, and timing for everything. Pretty much the only thing not decided is where to open. We'll start looking around the end of the year.
And for some reason, I'm eating like I'm deliberately defying my own personal health goals. On the bright side, business is still growing. Hopefully Stores #2, 3, 4, and 5 will be as wildly successful as Store #1.
BALANCE
Work goals:
Blog at MT.com : Pending and scheduled tomorrow.
Year-end closeout: In progress.
Sign-in process for students: Done.
Writing goals
Performance Evaluations: In progress.
Church goals
9:30 Bulletin: Done.
Get out and practice "Hold Me Jordan" before 8:00 worship Sunday: PENDING
Family goals
Be nice: GOAL NOT MET.
BODY
Health goals
Weight: OMFG SOMEBODY STOP ME.
Exercise: No.
Yesterday's points: Infinity + 1.
GROWTH
Business Growth
Reach 400 students at MTMS by 12/31/12: 259.
Other upcoming things: (1) Fill the drum sampler that we scheduled as soon as we hired a drum teacher; (2) fill our summer camps; (3)
Music Log
Yesterday, I practiced: Scarlatti.
Yesterday, I listened to: Nada.
This week, I performed at: Senor Patron . I also have a gig at a nursing home Tuesday for their Valentine's Day party. How adorable is that?
Songwriting progress: Nada. |
February 3, 2012 at 11:12am February 3, 2012 at 11:12am
| |
BALANCE
Work goals:
Blog at MT.com : Done.
Year-end closeout: In progress.
Sign-in process for students: Done.
Writing goals
Performance Evaluations: In progress.
EdMo Prep Day 3: In progress, and I'll work on this for the next fifteen minutes, which may be all I have today.
Church goals
9:30 Bulletin: Done.
Family goals
Groceries: FAIL, along with laundry and dishes reboot. I had to sub for Chris yesterday, the office manager who was out sick, and today for Steve, a teacher who's traveling with his band for an award. It's one thing after another with the subbing. So I'm scrambling. Tonight, I'm going out with Keith and his sister's family to see a local band. It feels like a chore at this point because of my hefty to-do list, and that makes me feel guilty.
BODY
Health goals
Weight: Dunno.
Exercise: No.
Yesterday's points: Dunno.
GROWTH
Business Growth
Reach 400 students at MTMS by 12/31/12: 256.
Sampler Promo email: Done.
Music Log
Yesterday, I practiced: No.
Yesterday, I listened to: No.
This week, I performed at: New Albany Gardens yesterday, Senor Patron in less than an hour..
Songwriting progress: Nothing new.
|
February 2, 2012 at 11:21am February 2, 2012 at 11:21am
| |
Yesterday's post was "Wednesday" - it looks like I've posted consistently. Don't look too closely at the dates.
I don't want to even talk about the diet or the $50 I lost. I did blog all month, which means Storm Machine  and I earned ice cream, which is great, since I my weight loss competition is over. I wrote and delivered ONE more performance evaluation - the one that came with a surprise bonus - so I'm glad I got that done, but I still have a dozen to go. Got W2s and 1099s issued, but we're still in the process of closing the books for 2011. We do know we earned a profit, and how much, but we're not entirely sure how much we spent on office supplies, advertising, and the like. So we're cleaning that up. Spent a bunch of money on some new stuff to go with the recent renovation - lobby tables, a baby changing table for the restroom, monitors for a repeating DVD with event photos and a display telling students which room they're supposed to be in. Interviewed two acting instructor candidates and didn't hire either one, so we're back to square one there. Subbed out the wazoo for absent teachers. And I have a gig this afternoon in addition to my normal weekly gig tomorrow at Senor Patron. And I've started looking at the business plan to think about our upcoming expansion, as well as possible plans for a business for Keith. And we've been making vacation plans. And I started this: "January Editing Month PREP Challenge! " [13+].
Oh! And now I need to judge the January Ohio Idol entries. I hope they don't run yet another surprise video contest before the live dates.
Whew.
It's been sixty degrees the last few days - the end of January, beginning of February. I don't know why that's relevant. It's just odd. In a very nice way.
BALANCE
Work goals:
Blog at MT.com : Pending and scheduled today sometime.
Year-end closeout: In progress.
Sign-in process for students: The display is ready, but I need a monitor/computer combo that will talk to one another (details). And I don't have a sign-in process yet. That's next on the radar.
I'm back to thinking about a database, because we use too much paper for stuff. Plus, I'm finding I need data analysis that I can't get without a lot of manual data entry. Performance metrics should just be readily available.
Writing goals
Performance Evaluations: In progress.
EdMo Prep: Done through today.
Church goals
9:30 Bulletin: OMG! I forgot about this. *scrambles to finish blog post*
Family goals
Create photo keepsake from Abby's State Meet photos: Done and received! It's cute.
Hang prints in the bedroom: Done.
Groceries: Pending.
BODY
Health goals
Weight: Dunno.
Exercise: No.
Yesterday's points: Dunno.
GROWTH
Business Growth
Reach 400 students at MTMS by 12/31/12: 253. Oh, yeah. We passed 250.
Sampler Promo email: Done.
"This Week" ad: Forgot.
Other weekly ad: Forgot.
Music Log
Yesterday, I practiced: Nada.
Yesterday, I listened to: Nada.
This week, I performed at: Today, New Albany Gardens. Tomorrow, Senor Patron.
Songwriting progress: Nothing since 100 Times .
|
© 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.
|
Thanks for sharing!
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)
