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About This Author
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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.
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I don't know what we did or how, but "Prodigy: Youth Writers' Competition" [ASR] really took off last month! I'm psyched. Shaziane  and Sara - will be back soon  are Prodigy's current judges.  Wonderful couple of ladies.
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 in mind. You should, too.
Post at MichelleTuesday.com at least once per week.
 Goal met. Also, I've been updating the heck out of my site content in general. August is the advertising push!
Grow MochaNotes.com blogs.
 Dabbling in Domesticity : I owe one for today.
SEO: Alexa ranking for MT.com = 522k, MochaNotes.com = 552k.
Increase search engine visibility for MT.com.
PRIORITIES:
 Columbus Radio Group ads: Waiting for Grand Opening date.
Google "Grand Opening" campaign: Pending GO date.
High school athletic calendar: Pending
Gahanna local papers: Pending
New Albany local papers: Pending
T-shirts (? maybe): Pending
Guitar picks: Pending
Drum sticks and shaker eggs: Pending
Tote bags: Pending
Miscellaneous banners, signs, and fliers
Google "Now Hiring" campaign: Funded and running.
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.  Nothing yet from the Google ads.
Business start-up activities.
PRIORITIES:
Order exterior signage: Artist still in progress. He gave me homework. 
Payroll by Aug. 1st: Waiting on paperwork from two, maybe three, employees.
Chris the office manager officially starts Monday! 
Launch one new performance repertoire song per week.
 Pending.
Perform one household chore per day.
Goal met: I did one load of laundry. Now I need laundry soap and fabric softener, so I can do the other nine loads. *writes "grocery store" on the list*
Read a book in print 15 minutes every day.
I need to pick my next book. Maybe "Eldest" or the next Vicky Bliss book that MaryLou mailed to me.
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 for breakfast. It's my favorite new business meeting establishment, because Bob has WiFi AND bacon, which are, like, my two favorite things ever.
(Goal: 25) |
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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. Open house on Sunday.
If you have not already, friend me on Facebook! I uploaded photos from Day 1 of my studio build out.
Post at MichelleTuesday.com at least once per week.
Goal met.
Grow MochaNotes.com blogs.
Dabbling in Domesticity : I owe one for today.
SEO: Alexa ranking for MT.com = 522k, MochaNotes.com = 552k.
Increase search engine visibility for MT.com.
PRIORITIES:
Google "Now Hiring" campaign: Funded and running.
Columbus Radio Group ads: Waiting for Grand Opening date.
Google "Grand Opening" campaign: Pending GO date.
High school athletic calendar: Pending
Gahanna local papers: Pending
New Albany local papers: Pending
T-shirts (? maybe): Pending
Guitar picks: Pending
Drum sticks and shaker eggs: Pending
Tote bags: Pending
Miscellaneous banners, signs, and fliers
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:
Order exterior signage: Artist in progress.
Payroll by Aug. 1st: Waiting on paperwork from an employee.
Next week, my office manager and I need to meet. I should get her business cards.
Launch one new performance repertoire song per week.
Pending.
Perform one household chore per day.
Nah. I'm behind on laundry again. 
Read a book in print 15 minutes every day.
I finished "The Battle of the Labrynth" and now need a new book.
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) |
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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 at least once per week.
Goal met with a post about community theatre.
Grow MochaNotes.com blogs.
Dabbling in Domesticity : Caught up.
SEO: Alexa ranking for MT.com = 526k, MochaNotes.com = 558k. Both headed the right direction again.
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:
Google "Now Hiring" campaign: Funded and running.
Columbus Radio Group ads: Waiting for Grand Opening date.
Google "Grand Opening" campaign: Pending GO date.
Email Promotions conversion form: Pending.
Hiring conversion form: Pending.
High school athletic calendar: Pending
Gahanna local papers: Pending
New Albany local papers: Pending
T-shirts (? maybe): Pending
Guitar picks: Pending
Drum sticks and shaker eggs: Pending
Tote bags: Pending
Miscellaneous banners, signs, and fliers
Business start-up activities.
PRIORITIES:
Order exterior signage: Artist in progress.
Payroll by Aug. 1st: Waiting on paperwork from an employee.
Set up lease payments.
Set up insurance payments: Set up initial payment.
Hire a locksmith: Scheduled.
Quickbooks
Offer letters by Aug. 1st
Workers' comp by Aug. 1st
Launch one new performance repertoire song per week.
Pending.
Perform one household chore per day.
Goal met, if you count troubleshooting the leaky air conditioner.
Read a book in print 15 minutes every day.
Goal met, and then some.
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) |
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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 at least once per week.
Goal met.
Grow MochaNotes.com blogs.
Dabbling in Domesticity : Caught up.
SEO: Alexa ranking for MT.com = 544k, MochaNotes.com = 560k.
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.
Goal met.
Brand the biz(es.)
PRIORITIES:
Hire a locksmith: Now I owe a return phone call.
Order exterior signage: Artist in progress.
Payroll by Aug. 1st: Started playing with the module; need data.
Set up lease payments.
Set up insurance payments.
Quickbooks
Offer letters by Aug. 1st
Workers' comp by Aug. 1st
Perform one household chore per day.
Goal met.
Read a book in print 15 minutes every day.
Two chapters.
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) |
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Post at MichelleTuesday.com at least once per week.
Pending.
Grow MochaNotes.com blogs.
Dabbling in Domesticity : Caught up.
SEO: Alexa ranking for MT.com = 568k, MochaNotes.com = 584k. Incidentally, my church website (for which I've been webmaster for the last several months, and which I just handed over to a successor) just cleared the 1 million mark on Alexa. Ooh! And I finally show up on the top ten list (i.e., FRONT PAGE) of Google when you search "music lessons gahanna ohio," "guitar..." "bass..." "drum..." and "voice..."! I'm on the second page at about #14 for "piano lessons gahanna ohio" - so I still have some work to do. At least I know which page Google is pointing to - NOT my front page (http://www.michelletuesday.com/musicschool) . It's my page titled "Private Music Lessons" . So I plan to spend some time beefing up that page. Still no PageRank, either on the front page or the lessons page. I need more inbound links! According to Google Webmaster Tools, I had some clicks from my inbound link posted on the Sunny 95 radio station's website when I sponsored their event. I need more high-quality links like that!
Launch one new performance repertoire song per week.
Pending. I collected a list of potentials yesterday during my set, and this morning will listen.
Brand the biz(es.)
PRIORITIES:
Hire a locksmith: Not sure I'll be getting that second quote.
Order exterior signage: Quotes in hand! Artist in progress.
Quickbooks established before Aug. 1st: Online trial initiated.
Payroll system by Aug. 1st: Online trial initiated.
Offer letters by Aug. 1st: Done, but need Office Manager job description.
Workers' comp by Aug. 1st
Set up mail service.
Order phone and Internet service. 614-418-7110!
Switch over utilities.
Perform one household chore per day.
Two loads of laundry and dishes. At least two more loads to do.
Read a book in print 15 minutes every day.
Two chapters! Whew. My to-do list is getting manageable again.
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) |
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Earn $10 at Textbroker by 7/20/10.
Scratch this. I just cashed out at one of my Helium accounts instead.
Post at MichelleTuesday.com at least once per week.
Goal met.
Grow MochaNotes.com blogs.
Dabbling in Domesticity : Caught up.
SEO: Alexa ranking for MT.com = 590k, MochaNotes.com = 612k.
Launch one new performance repertoire song per week.
Goal met. I did launch "It Is Well With My Soul," which has been surprisingly popular. People seem to like it when I sing the light, pretty stuff. I resist, I think, because it's not as popular with the kids I teach.
Brand the biz(es.)
PRIORITIES:
Quickbooks and Payroll: Established before Aug. 1st.
Offer letters to Allie and Chris, signed, and payroll system established by Aug. 1st.
Sign a contractor agreement. I'm meeting with my chosen contractor today.
Hire a locksmith, so I can lock the landlord out (at the landlord's request!)
Order exterior signage. Apparently it takes weeks to approve, manufacture, and install.
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.
 Not for a couple days, and the hamper is getting full again. (The kids aren't even here this week.)
Read a book in print 15 minutes every day.
I tried, but Keith kept wanting to talk. He's way more talkative after a bunch of beer. I think we ironed out my holiday policy for customers and teachers. Now I just need to update my policy and establish a studio calendar... or delegate that to Chris.
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) |
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I need to write for Textbroker this week to make a PayPal transfer and keep my checking account free. Did y'all know that PayPal transfers count as "Direct Deposit"? Neither did I until Angelique from Chase Bank told me so.
Earn $10 at Textbroker.
Pending.
Post at MichelleTuesday.com at least once per week.
Pending.
Grow MochaNotes.com blogs.
Dabbling in Domesticity : Posted. 
SEO: Alexa ranking for MT.com = 621k, MochaNotes.com = 641k.
Launch one new performance repertoire song per week.
Pending.
Brand the biz(es.)
I check this "Goal Met" every day, because every day, I do about five things to "brand the biz" - but sometimes I think I should have done six or seven. I'm behind on my Critical Path (which may mean I'll open my school late) because of failure to properly prioritize.
Perform one household chore per day.
In progress. Mt. Laundry is officially the highest mountain in the world, and I intend to tackle it. I always wanted to set a world record. I figured it would be "oldest recording artist to hit the scene and debut at Billboard #1," but, alas, I suppose Mt. Laundry will have to do.
Read a book in print 15 minutes every day.
Nope.
Achieve a weight of 145.0 by 7/1/10.
I am so ignoring this goal. Yay for Monday! Let's try again.
Weight: 162.0  Although this was after coffee, it's still OMG UNACCEPTABLE.
Meals:
7:30am Coffee (1)
8:30am Coffee (1)
1:45pm Skinny roast beef sandwich (7)
6:00pm Turkey salami stick (1)
8:00pm Salad with grilled chicken (2), cranberries (2), candied pecans (2), Gorgonzola cheese (1), and a bunch of veggies (0)
9:00pm Five shrimp (2), one beef nugget (1)
9:15pm Toaster Strudel (5) and 1/4 Fuze Peach Mango (1)
TOTAL POINTS SO FAR: 26 (GOAL: 25) |
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Post at MichelleTuesday.com at least once per week.
Goal met.
Grow MochaNotes.com blogs.
Dabbling in Domesticity : Caught up.
SEO: Alexa ranking for MT.com = 637k, MochaNotes.com = 658k.
Launch one new performance repertoire song per week.
Er...
Write one new original song per month.
Brand the biz(es.)
Still exhausted. Met another security company and another contractor. I'm worried sick about my critical path. I have to open in September. August/September is the traditional back-to-school rush, and if I miss it, my business plan may be in trouble. I need an architect to start working TOMORROW. I have quotes, and I have one architect I'd like to start with, but he didn't give me a quote for engineering mark-ups, and my contractors won't separate out architectural drawings from engineering markups because their architects all subcontract their engineers... are y'all thoroughly lost yet? Me, too. That's why I didn't have an architect starting last Monday, which would have been ideal.
*hangs "Project Manager" hat back on the wall and dons "Worship Leader" hat*
I need to be early to church today to check on the Power Point, and just generally make sure I know what the heck I'm doing.
Perform one household chore per day.
Dishes.
Read a book in print 15 minutes every day.
Yes. I needed a little get-away time.
Achieve a weight of 145.0 by 7/1/10.
Weight: I was 159.4 yesterday sometime.
Meals: Coffee (1)
TOTAL POINTS SO FAR: 1 (GOAL: 25)
Yesterday I had three coffees (3), a Cinnabon bar (3), a coffee Coolata at Dunkin Donuts (prolly like 10), my Potbelly sandwich (7), then at a party I ate half an Italian sausage (3?), five meatballs (8?), two chips with dip (2?), half a small slice of pizza (3?), and some lightly-sweetened ice tea (1). Total = 40ish, if all my guessing is anywhere in the ballpark. |
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Wow... I'm not doing such a good job of keeping up with my blog. My last post was Tuesday? {e:shock}
Post at MichelleTuesday.com at least once per week.
Goal met.
Grow MochaNotes.com blogs.
Dabbling in Domesticity : Caught up.
SEO: Alexa ranking for MT.com = 645k, MochaNotes.com = 666k (gah!).
Launch one new performance repertoire song per week.
Nope. Not a priority.
Write one new original song per month.
Brand the biz(es.)
If you count playing a gig at another assisted living, designing a high-res logo, designing and getting a banner and a bunch of fliers printed, sponsoring and performing at a huge radio station event, hiring a photographer, blogging, and posting related status updates at Facebook "branding," then I'd say I branded. I also turned in my signed lease and security deposit (ouch), picked an insurance agent, received and compared quotes for architectural services and construction build-out, and played my normal gigs, too. {e:exhausted}
Perform one household chore per day.
Actually, yes. Managed to squeeze some in.
Read a book in print 15 minutes every day.
Still no. Also not a priority.
Achieve a weight of 145.0 by 7/1/10.
Weight: um...?
Meals: um...?
TOTAL POINTS SO FAR: um...? (GOAL: 25) |
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Post at MichelleTuesday.com at least once per week.
Goal met. I posted a new cover: "Breathless" by request of WildThing~Becoming .
Grow MochaNotes.com blogs.
Dabbling in Domesticity : Scheduled through tomorrow.
SEO: Alexa ranking for MT.com = 675k, MochaNotes.com = 796k.
Launch one new performance repertoire song per week.
Goal met.
Write one new original song per month.
Brand the biz(es.)
Goal met. I met with another architect, got a third quote, and made a selection. I have been playing with my website again, sent a company logo and marketing question to Sunny 95 for my gig Thursday, recorded a new cover and uploaded it to YouTube and my blog. I still need to design and order a foam board sign for Thursday, design and print some kind of marketing materials to hand out, and put a conversion form on my website somewhere. And I need to get another insurance quote, buy insurance, obtain a certificate, and turn it in with my signed lease and security deposit. That way, I can get in there with some paint and maybe a new toilet for the staff area (I need Molly Jean !). And I still haven't set up Quickbooks, and I'm "this close" *pinches thumb and pointer finger together tightly* to just dumping my financial management into Excel, rather than step outside of my comfort zone - not because I don't like stepping out of my comfort zone, but because it's so damn time consuming.
I feel like I'm in a snowball rolling down Mount Everest (which, I hear, is no longer the tallest mountain in the world, so there goes my overachiever status.)
Perform one household chore per day.
I did do a load, but I'm falling behind again.
Read a book in print 15 minutes every day.
Goal met. Sort of. I read a couple pages and zonked hard.
Achieve a weight of 145.0 by 7/1/10.
Weight: ?
Meals:
7:30am Coffee (1)
TOTAL POINTS SO FAR: 1 (GOAL: 25) |
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Post at MichelleTuesday.com at least once per week.
Goal met, and I'm really grateful for this goal. I wanted to post videos, but this goal reminded me once again that I needed to post, and it occurred to me that I should announce my upcoming Sunny 95 gig .
Grow MochaNotes.com blogs.
Dabbling in Domesticity : Scheduled through tomorrow.
SEO: Alexa ranking for MT.com = 740k, MochaNotes.com = 750k.
Launch one new performance repertoire song per week.
Goal met.
Write one new original song per month.
Brand the biz(es.)
Goal met. I spent about eight hours at the "Red White and Boom!" event in downtown Columbus. I was there to sponsor my youth band, Sapphire Blaze, who performed at 1:00 on the children's stage. Meanwhile, the band I used to coach at 88 Keys, Oblivion Fire, was slated to play at 5:00 on the Long Street stage. Due to delays in the lineup, they didn't get started until 6:30, but I really wanted to hang out and see them. I miss those kids, and I was already there, so it seemed a waste not to stick around and see them. I got lots of hugs and choruses of, "We miss you!" Coincidentally, I discovered that the band parents got pissed at 88 Keys this past week due to an email that was the culmination of a variety of political issues, and they left the studio as of Thursday (the end of June.) So they're looking for a new studio to sponsor and coach the band. They are, of course, aware of my pending studio opening, so I let them know that I'll be open in September. I expect to hear from them, based on the comments the parents were making. For example: "Expect to hear from us." That one was sort of a dead giveaway.
This weekend will be downright relaxing compared to the last two days, although I still have quite a bit of stuff to do. I just won't be running from place to place as much. I *really* need a smart phone. I have to wait until my contract expires in October, and I'm dying.
Perform one household chore per day.
Goal met.
Read a book in print 15 minutes every day.
Goal met.
Achieve a weight of 145.0 by 7/1/10.
Weight: 160.2. I ate FUNNEL CAKE yesterday.
Meals:
7:30am Half a bagel with butter (3), ham (1)
8:30am Coffee (1)
TOTAL POINTS SO FAR: 5 (GOAL: 25) |
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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
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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
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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)
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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)
