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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.
September 30, 2011 at 4:52pm September 30, 2011 at 4:52pm
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Wedding today. Not mine! It's a gig, and it starts in about an hour, so as usual, I gots to go! Playing piano, a little classical guitar, and singing "Walking on Sunshine" Potbelly-style. So much to do, so little time...
"October Novel Prep Challenge" [13+] starts tomorrow. More to do... including participate, which I fully intend to do.
Reach 275 students at MTMS by 12/31/11.
 Around 215ish. Enrollments are picking up, but it's the end of the month again, so we will of course have some withdrawals next week.
Writing:
(1)  Blog at MT.com by the end of Wednesday: Yes!
(2) 30 minutes of daily freestyle writing: Yes! 750 Words is a genius invention. Genius.
Count points:
Again, no. But apparently Chris, the MTMS office manager, and I are going to compete. She proposed a good incentive: If I win, she takes my Saturday shift for a month. If she wins, I take her Friday shift for a month. Friday is my day off, so I *don't* want to work it, and Saturdays would be awesome to have off. I could take this competition seriously. She's so smart. |
September 29, 2011 at 9:19pm September 29, 2011 at 9:19pm
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Ahh... tomorrow is Friday, my day off. Except I have to go to the grocery store and watch the kids and deal with the puppy and do laundry and perform at a wedding. But other than that, it's my day off. *deep breath*
I am {e:determined} to participate in "October Novel Prep Challenge" [13+] this year. I've been brainstorming about the premise in my 750 Words postings, because I've always felt that it's a bit weak and unbelievable (title: Andromeda Sings), but I decided that it would work exceptionally well as a YA novel - not because YA are more gullible, but just because I think this premise speaks to teens in particular.
I'm toying with that.
I *am* supposed to write two Textbroker articles on Fridays, and I *did* plan on working on a submission for Seisa-sleepingcatbooks.com  's anthology, The Storm is Coming , before the end of the month, before I get tied up with Prep in Oct and NaNo in Nov. I'm so exhausted right now, I have a hard time picturing myself actually accomplishing those things tomorrow.
In typical efficient Michelle fashion, I did consider combining my anthology submission and my NaNo project. Perhaps one of my backstories will involve an approaching storm.
Reach 275 students at MTMS by 12/31/11.
Around 215ish.
Writing:
(1) Blog at MT.com by the end of Wednesday: Yes!
(2) 30 minutes of daily freestyle writing: Actually, 750 Words reports that I completed my entry in 26 minutes. But I'm sure this blog post took at least 4.
Count points:
No.
I'm not sure how I feel about my goals. I've always had better long- and short-term goals on the list and felt like I was accomplishing more. It's probably just a lack of documentation - I'm too busy accomplishing things to blog about them. My P&L (Profit & Loss report) at the music school shows accomplishment. I'm in contract on my house, so that's good. Overall, I've been working toward financial health from a job I love, and I'm getting closer all the time.
I'm just not sure what my writing goals are or why I even bother to have them.
Isn't this strange? I quit my job... opened my own business... achieved independent success as a business owner... found success as a freelance writer, whenever I want the money... picked up responsibilities (and salary) at my church thanks to my obvious competence at my current responsibilities... basically get to do all the things I love and make a living at it...
...and now, I don't know what to do with myself.
I'm not bored. I'm just... dissatisfied. Because I'm no longer driven.
This has always been my problem. It's why I left my job at Abbott. I never hated my job as an engineer. I would even say I still liked it when I left. I was just done with it, and this yard looked greener, so I moved. Now my yard is starting to see some dry patches, and I have no yard next door.
Maybe I need a therapist. I should be happy in my own yard. And if patches are dry, I should be watering and fertilizing. |
September 27, 2011 at 9:47am September 27, 2011 at 9:47am
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I have a little more time this morning, but I still feel incredibly scattered.
Saturday, I worked all morning; my parents flew in; I led praise band rehearsal; and we chilled out and ate dinner. I brainstormed things that needed to be done for Sunday's open house.
Sunday, I had church in the morning, and then went straight to the school to prepare for the open house. I created a list, but I always get pulled in so many directions at these events. It was hard to keep up with any one project. I didn't catch all the student performances, but I was able to see all the teachers play and sing, so I was able to honestly compliment them. They were all amazing! I heard several comments from guests about their performances, too, as well as their professionalism, their sincere concern for the kids, and how well they got along with each other.
I love my job.
OMFG my dog is driving me crazy. I want out. I want in. I want out. I want in. The second I sit down, he wants out again, every single freaking time. The one time I tire of it and say, forget it, you just want to chase the damn cat, shut up and go lay down... what does he do? He poops on the rug... right under my feet... as if to say, see, Mommy, I really need to go out! And I was so busy trying to finish the one-paragraph email I'd been working on for an our that I didn't even see him do it. So I had a lovely mess to clean up.
Too bad he's so darn cute, or I'd be taking his ass back. I just gave him a wadded up ball of paper to demolish - that should keep him busy for five minutes or so.
Reach 300250? students at MTMS by 12/31/11.
216.5. Very strange enrollment happenings this week. One student who withdrew changed his mind. One who was going to withdraw just one daughter decided to withdraw both, because they found a teacher who would teach them in her home and work around their "crazy schedule" - we're okay with the withdrawal, more because they always thought we were cheating them than because of their crazy schedule (although that didn't help.)
Writing:
(1)  Blog at MT.com by the end of Wednesday: Still no... by the end of this week. It's turned into a monthly task, so let's shoot for before Friday.
(2) 30 minutes of daily freestyle writing: Yes, and 750Words.com thinks I'm an introvert again. But I'm still just journaling and not venturing into fiction or songwriting.
Count points:
Um... no. |
September 23, 2011 at 9:24am September 23, 2011 at 9:24am
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I'm one signature away from being In Contract... I should have news by the end of the day.
My dog is driving me crazy. He's learning that if he stands at the back door and barks or rings the bell, the door will open for him. That's good because he knows how to alert us when he needs to go outside and go to the bathroom. That's bad because he knows that the door will open every single time he barks or rings the bell... and the cats, and Penny in particular, like to hang out on the deck, just on the other side of the glass door. My 750 Words entry was interrupted four times this morning by the dog asking to go out, and I have to let him out every single time, so he understands how to go to the bathroom. I could have kicked his ass. So every time, I let him out; he chased down Penny; a barking and hissing fest ensued; I yelled at Sammy to stop barking and come inside; he obeyed and was quiet just long enough for me to gather my thoughts again; he rang the bell. Gah!
The last time, I curled the bell up around the door handle so he couldn't reach it. Now he's in the bathroom pawing at the bathtub like there's some rodent inside. He's so darn cute.
And finally! 750 Words thinks I'm an extrovert today. Until my first four 750 Words entries, nobody in my entire life, ever, has accused me of introversion.
Reach 300 students at MTMS by 12/31/11.
We enrolled three new students yesterday, so we're one away from making our September goal. We have to get one more student willing to start lessons next week!
Writing:
(1) Blog at MT.com by the end of Wednesday: Gah, this needs to go on today's to-do list. It's already getting long-ish.
(2) 30 minutes of daily freestyle writing: Yes.
Count points:
Yesterday was decent. I stopped counting, and I ate a bunch of Twizzlers, but overall I ate reasonable portions and stopped when I was full.
Today so far: (1) Special K bar, (2) coffee, (1) fresh tomatoes from the garden with a little ranch dressing. But it's only 9:00am, so no celebrating yet. |
September 22, 2011 at 10:50am September 22, 2011 at 10:50am
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Amazingly, my counter resulted in a slightly better offer on my house. She didn't give me what I asked for, of course, but nobody ever expects that, and her counter bumped me up to where I really wanted to be. Sooooo... I gave my agent a verbal "yes" over the phone and expect to be in contract by the end of the day. 
Reach 300 students at MTMS by 12/31/11.
Nope, and not on track to reach that goal. I'm confident we can reach 250. 275 might be a more reasonable stretch goal at this point.
Writing:
(1) Blog at MT.com by the end of Wednesday: No, no, no... and it's been awhile. This is getting urgent.
(2) 30 minutes of daily freestyle writing: Yes, and I'm on a four-day streak. Right now it's just personal journaling, which feels like on long, extended bitch fest. But the stats are interesting, and my posts managed to go from "negative" and "uncertain" the last three days to "positive" and "certain" today. So perhaps my brain dumps are helping relieve some internalized pressure. I was labeled as "introvert" all four days, which is utterly ridiculous. As usual, I'm on the border between "thinking" and "feeling" and have gone back and forth.
Count points:
So far so good this morning - a Special K bar (2 points), two steaming mugs of chai prepared with sugar-free vanilla creamer (1 point apiece), and a Nutri-grain bar (2 points.) I also left the Japanese steakhouse leftovers home today, and Keith promised to eat them later (he's eating his own leftovers for lunch.)
Today will be a good day.
Today will be a good day.
Today will be a good day.
I can't take back what I ate yesterday, or all week, or so far this month (pretty much, a bunch of junk.) But I can start fresh now, and today will be a good day. Mostly because I'm still full from yesterday.
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September 21, 2011 at 8:48pm September 21, 2011 at 8:48pm September 20, 2011 at 10:36pm September 20, 2011 at 10:36pm
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| I got an offer on my house today. |
September 18, 2011 at 1:59pm September 18, 2011 at 1:59pm
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Even in Writing.com, blogging must step aside and bow to the mighty microblog. At work, we can't get the teen employees to read their email. If you want to check whether they can cover a shift, you have to Facebook or text them. Damn, I feel so flipping old.
And yet, a new radio station has kicked off in my town, Gen X Radio. It's pretty sweet. They play Black-Eyed Peas then Backstreet Boys then Def Leppard then Nickelback. Like, all in a row. They advertise themselves as the best mix tape you ever made, but without all the pausing. Clearly, the market is still there. We're still alive, for a little while.
Reach 300 students at MTMS by 12/31/11.
Still hovering between 210-215 somewhere.
Writing:
(1) Blog at MT.com by the end of Wednesday: Nope.
(2) 30 minutes of daily freestyle writing: No, but I'm reading "The Catcher in the Rye" for the first time. It took many, many chapters to get into it, but it's moving okay now. I'm starting to get the point that Holden Caulfield is the biggest cynic in the history of mankind.
Count points:
YESTERDAY: Bleh. |
September 16, 2011 at 10:45am September 16, 2011 at 10:45am
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Fridays are nice. I don't have to go to any of my jobs, which lately includes primarily church and the music school. I do have occasional gigs, like the nursing home this past Tuesday and the wedding at the end of this month. I picked up a new service at church. The service starts Sunday, October 16th, but we're in planning and recruiting mode, so the increase in duties has already begun. Somehow, I feel less organized that I was when I had more work to do. It's like busyness forces discipline on me.
Reach 300 students at MTMS by 12/31/11.
215. I'm starting to think we might not make my 2011 goal. If I don't, my business plan will need another revision. On a related note, I may get an offer on my house today. As usual, I'm not holding my breath.
Writing:
(1) Blog at MT.com by the end of Wednesday: No.
(2) 30 minutes of daily freestyle writing: No, but I've been steadily cleaning up my portfolio. Meanwhile, I do believe I'm going to compete in "October Novel Prep Challenge" [13+] this year. I have so much help, that I might actually have time to write.
I'm thinking of picking up a few more Textbroker articles today... but I've been so bleh about those. The nice thing about TB is that you can pick and choose when and what you want to write. The bad thing about TB is that you can pick and choose when and what you want to write. {e:lazy}
Count points:
YESTERDAY: No idea. But I've been... betterish. Not nearly as gluttonous as I was throughout the summer, but still not disciplined about counting points past breakfast. |
September 9, 2011 at 1:42pm September 9, 2011 at 1:42pm
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My cousin's stepbrother wrote this on Facebook:
Eminem is the greatest raper ever and the only one I like!
There are so many things wrong with this, I can't begin to explain them all. |
September 9, 2011 at 11:19am September 9, 2011 at 11:19am
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Written by Kathryn Stockett, The Help is a novel about three Mississippi women during the civil rights movement. Skeeter is a young, white recent college graduate with journalistic ambition, who still lives at home with her parents on a cotton farm. Aibileen and Minny are black maids and best friends, working for two best friends (Elizabeth and Hilly) until Minny is fired by her boss, Hilly. Skeeter is in the same social circle as Elizabeth and Hilly, but soon finds herself an outcast when Hilly, profoundly anti-civil rights, catches clues about Skeeter's secret project: A book about what it's like to work as a black maid for a white family.
1. Characterization: The three main characters, as well as all the supporting characters, were remarkably believable. The majority of the book was told in first person by the three characters, and I could have identified each character by her voicing even without the helpful chapter titles.
2. Setting: Every other paragraph, something was happening politically or socially that defined the setting, which was Mississippi in the early 1960's. Skeeter's mother, after much resistance, finally agreed to install an air conditioner in the house. Martin Luther King was marching and President Kennedy was assassinated. A new singer by the name of Bob Dylan was singing The Times They Are A Changin. These events were not just background stories; they affected the way the characters lived their lives. More amazing, and even baffling to me in this age of portable electronic devices, was the typewriter and correction fluid bottle Skeeter used to write her book. When the trio decided at the eleventh hour to insert Minny's chocolate pie story, I wondered if Skeeter would have to re-number all the pages manually.
3. Plot: Poignant and powerful. So poignant, that when I looked up the author's website and read the book synopsis (after finishing the book), I choked up a little.
Read it. It's amazing. |
September 7, 2011 at 5:31pm September 7, 2011 at 5:31pm September 5, 2011 at 1:48pm September 5, 2011 at 1:48pm
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I think about business a lot lately, and an article that Storm Machine  sent got me thinking about it more. The article was about blogging to make money, and here's a summary:
1. A good blog post turns a STRANGER into a LEADS by attracting new readers interested in the topic (aka, "traffic")
2. A good blog turns LEADS into PROSPECTS by attracting repeat readers.
3. A good product turns PROSPECTS into CUSTOMERS by compelling prospects to buy your product.
And here's the key:
4. A good customer relationship turns CUSTOMERS into REPEAT CUSTOMERS who buy from you over and over.
One major takeaway: Stop trying to earn money just by writing a blog.
Of course, the article was referring to blogs, but let's look at the business of writing a novel. You don't get repeat customers as a novelist unless you write multiple novels. Of course, the highly successful novelists have loyal followings, which validates the chain of conversion model outlined above. But in order to keep making money as a novelist, you have to not only write and sell a successful novel in the first place, but then continue to write and sell successful novels.
That sounds sort of like work to me. Heh.
The chain of conversion applies directly to the business of music lessons. The majority of our customers are repeat customers, because they come back for lessons month after month and continue to pay. We do have occasional one-time customers who buy trial lessons and sampler classes, but that's not our norm. Student retetion is important to our business, and we offer teacher incentives for keeping students. We still lose them. Either it's not fun, or they don't practice, or they'd rather play soccer. In the case of adults, it's hard to get to lessons, because they're always at meetings or out of town on business. We continue to lose customers every week, and we continue to gain new ones who may or may not turn into repeat customers.
Reach 300 students at MTMS by 12/31/11.
214 and holding steady, mostly because we're closed for the holiday weekend. 
Writing:
(1) Blog at MT.com by the end of Wednesday: No.
(2) 30 minutes of daily freestyle writing: No, but that sounds kinda like a good idea. Wish I'd have thought of it myself.
Count points:
TODAY:
Look, it's my birthday weekend AND Labor Day. What the hell do you want? |
September 2, 2011 at 1:54pm September 2, 2011 at 1:54pm
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Sometimes I think I would write more if I had a comfortable place to do it. Looking for comments: Where do you normally spend time writing? What setup / posture / furniture / room do you find most conducive to your productivity (and creativity)? Music or quiet? What tool do you use most often (laptop? desktop? word processor? pen-and-paper?)
Personally, I need a bigger house. I need a quiet room way on one end, far away from kids and TV and garage (where Keith and the boys like to jam to hard rock and drink beer.) Music is okay for writing sometimes (classical music), but usually to drown out distractions. I prefer silence. I would like my room to be a library, with built-in bookshelves stacked floor to ceiling, with a big, comfortable, leather office chair tucked under a pretty mahogany desk. In the corner of the room, there's a recliner - or even better, a stuffed chair with an ottoman - with its own little end table and tall floor lamp. A fire is crackling in the fireplace, and there's a refrigerator stocked with beverages. No snacks, though. Snacks for me are procrastination, because I'm rarely *really* hungry. And of course I need a guitar stool in the other corner, set up next to a small table, with a music stand, a microphone on a stand and an acoustic guitar amp.
Sadly, all I have at home is a reclining couch in the living room and a coffee table with a top that lifts over my lap. On occasion, sprawled across the bed with a notebook and pen work, but only for ten or fifteen minutes at a time, before my back and neck start to ache. I have a better setup at work, but I can never write at work. I can only work at work. |
September 2, 2011 at 10:57am September 2, 2011 at 10:57am
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...my mother redefined "Labor" Day. Today, I get all the credit in the form of presents, well-wishes, candy and tequila! Go me!
My puppy is spending the day with me, which is nice. He's so adorable. He reminds me of a Muppet. Animal, usually. Right now, he's chomping on a Nylabone, which is the ideal replacement for the fingers (attached to my hand) that he was chewing on a few moments ago.
I wrote a Textbroker article today. I may write a couple more. TB has a slew of orders from Sears, and the project is expected to go into November. Once you write one or two, you get the hang of it, and they're pretty easy.
Or I may play video games all day. |
September 1, 2011 at 10:30am September 1, 2011 at 10:30am © Copyright 2025 Brandiwyn🎶Prep starts 10/1! (UN: tuozzo at Writing.Com). All rights reserved.
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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
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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)
![Merit Badge in Leadership
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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)
