My Diploma, Finally

Yesterday, I finally received my diploma. I graduated in December and I understood that diplomas would be ready in February. I never got mine, so I just let it ride, waiting to see if I would be notified. Last Friday, I left a voice mail about a student who needed her diploma, and I identified the student (me) with just the ID number. Next think I know was that I was being asked about a class that was showing as incomplete, and it was from 2008-09, before I even applied for admission. So that was all worked out and I was given my diploma yesterday. Now that I’m moving into a new office, I will have a wall on which I am permitted to hang it. So I just may go ahead and get the frame from our bookstore when it’s on sale in December.

New Job, Refreshing My Spirit and My Goals

Hey, People!

I have a new job. I’m still at Southeastern University, but I will now be working for the Dean of Extended Education. The job is a lateral move, but it takes me to work I will love and I anticipate that we will take the enrollment to a good level and will need to have help and I’ll be promoted into a position created for me. That’s my goal. My interview with the new boss was great. We’re so looking forward to making a difference at SEU with our efforts.

My own department is in the midst of a shake-up, with a former employee coming back to take the position of Director of Student Financial Services. Other changes have been surprising. The former director is now a counselor, taking the position of the former counselor, who moved across the hall to the Admission Department (under the same VP). A Student Accounts Counselor moved down to the Business Office to become the AP Coordinator. She was replaced with a wonderful new employee, whom Andrew and I have trained over the last five weeks or so. After disregarding the openings for Financial Aid Counselors in the past, I applied for this one. After not hearing anything for a month, I decided to apply for a second position, the one I have now accepted. In the middle of this, after I had already had a second great interview, our director was moved into the position for which I had applied within our department. Next another long-term Financial Aid Counselor resigned, and that same evening I was offered the new job. Before I accepted it, I learned that about the new director. I would have been quite happy to work under her, but I wasn’t sure about other parts of the structure. And I am so happy to know that I will not have to be encouraging people to get loans as the only way they can go to school, because it’s a “worthwhile investment.” I could have thrived in the new environment. I could have even offered input. Indeed I have been discussing things with the new director, because she is my friend first and incoming director second. In fact, she wrote letters of recommendation for me for both jobs. Turns out that God really moved for a change for me, taking me out of there before I had an opportunity to give much thought to staying. I start on August 8, but I’ll come back to help some as needed, including Orientation weekend.

So much has been going on that has eaten up the time I was supposed to have as Instead of Master’s. I have also taken more time for husband, watching some television and movies. But feeling pressed to accomplish more, I will adjust my schedule so that I can be more diligent to accomplish the goals before me.

• Changing from BrightHouse to FIOS meant changing e-mail addresses everywhere.

• Job opportunities meant completing the application twice, revising the estimate twice, and getting letters of recommendation twice.

• It meant a one-hour meeting with the potential new boss, a twenty-minute meeting with the VP, then another two-hour interview.

• Refinancing effort involved two meetings at the bank. One to set it up, one to take it away.

• It meant taking time off to tidy extra before the appraisal.

• It meant an upfront payment, which we are now trying to have reimbursed.

• It meant rethinking blogs, which I now have figured out. For this blog, I could not write until I had resolved many of the issue.

Ahhhhh. So onward and upward, forward for the challenges and joys of the days ahead. I intend to start a Web site for writing and editing, which Jo will help me with. The goals for our business continue to foremost, and I will be tackling my tasks with renewed strength immediately.

I have, today, just spent about three hours blogging about my thoughts and goals, so now, at 3:30, it’s time to start down my list of things to do today.

kitchen, sort lettuce, fix Monday lunch

do mail, cash sheet, prepare worksheet

do wrap-ups

sort and reorganize papers

church this evening?

And that’s it for now.

BrightHouse to FIOS, and More

I’m trying to get caught up so I can get ahead. I have developed some dreams for the remainder of my life that will require some planning and action. Much of that action includes catching up, deluttering, and taking care of business things. We just switched from BrightHouse to Verizon/FIOS, which has taken many hours of address updating. I also messed up my dieting blog address, so I’m working with Google to see about restoring it. I’ve gone through several steps with them, and I hope to know this week if I can restore the old blog title and e-mail address. The diet blog has helped me to drop 18 pounds, but I have a long way to go on that project.

Jo is going to help me set up a web page so I can do editing and print design to help wisdom meet these passions.

I want to blog more regularly. I want to study Spanish before class starts again in August. I need to get a lot done around the house. And I think I can do it! As soon as we resolve the issues we have had in getting FIOS, we’ll be able to move forward.

Our door-to-door rep was offering us a deal that was comparable to our BrightHouse deal, or so we thought. In the end, we have only one recorder instead of two. I called him two times and got one response. Then Bill and I have called at least six times, and he has not called us back.

So I’m putting out a few little fires here and there. Once those are taken care of I hope to be on target and feel like I’m moving forward with entrepreneurial things. I’ve got a great library of books to read, and I’ve started with As a Man Thinketh, by James Allen. Soooooo good!

The “Instead” Is Developing!

As the semester ended, I was busy with the final project and preparing for the final exam. Immediately after that, company came for nine days. So it was just this weekend that I am discovering what it means to be out of school, not doing a Master’s, not even doing Spanish, and being able to think about new ideas. So I’ve been doing some dreaming and planning.

And I’m going to start a new blog to chronicle the process. I’m expecting great things because of diligent action and the help of God. I am so very much at the beginning stage that I don’t even know the direction I’ll be taking or where I want to come out. I continue to hope for a career change at Southeastern, although every attempt to change positions has so far been unsuccessful. Hoping for the right thing to open up to me. I’ll keep looking. Andrew will graduate next spring and the matter of tuition may no longer be important. We have plenty of time to consider that.

I’ve been listening to Dave Ramsey’s podcast for at least a year. Last week I just discovered Dan Miller’s podcast, and I’ve only listened to about five of those. Dave also has EntreLeadership podcasts, which I shall also listen to. I also bought some books that will help. But all of this will go to the new blog. I’ve considered how to manage the blogs, and I need to realize that “Write at the Moment” is personal. It’s more of a scrapbook, a montage of things to remember and things to share, maybe to inspire just a wee bit. Hmmmmm, now three blogs to maintain, but I can do as I please. I can write as little or as often as I choose. No one is holding me accountable to maintain a blog. It’s in my hands.

Moving Past the Plans for My Master’s

Instead of Master’s

I have been writing of “Insteads,” for which you can do a search. I have decided to definitely postpone the Master’s degree. I will not be staring in the fall of 2012. I’ll see where God has me as I look to fall of 2013. I will focus on the Spanish and the many other projects that I should take care of as wife, mom, and entrepreneur.

Bookkeeping and Taxes

I got my bookkeeping as well reconstructed as I could. I had lost the file and had to start from scratch on the bookkeeping, mileage, medical, and other records for 2011 before I could get to the taxes. I went ahead and loaded up the TurboTax, which also had to be started from scratch because that entire record also was lost.

Spanish

Once that was accomplished, by April 17, it was time to catch up on some other things and focus on the project for Spanish class. I ended up with an A in the class. Jo and I did study a lot in the last week, but I didn’t study on my own as much as I would have like to. This next year I will take Spanish again. I also intend to study Spanish much, over the summer. I want to be sure I completely have an understanding of what is in the Aventuras textbook. I also intend to finish up with the Coffeebreak Spanish podcasts and look at the Spanish textbooks and others I have, as well as online programs—just wanting to focus, focus, focus on it.

AutoTach Web Page

Before that, however, I need to get the AutoTach page really in a shopper mode. I’ll need help on that. I wonder about getting a program. Dreamweaver? Frontpage? No idea! So I will need to research that. In the meantime, do I try to continue with my own HTML efforts, using PayPal shopping carts?

What Happens at 65?

I also need to begin to research retirement, Social Security options, and transfer of the business ownership from Bill to me. As I thought about this yesterday, it occurred to me that I need to dig deep for information, as if I were doing a class assignment. I must do the research, take notes, ask my already-there sisters, perhaps ask someone at school, and do whatever it takes to become knowledgeable about this.

RC

Bill’s friend from Ohio will be coming soon, for eight days. Good for him, good for Bill. They need their time together now and then, and it’s been awhile. He would have come sooner, but I requested a delay until taxes were done and school was out.

Credit Cards and Phones

Still, the credit card payment option is not in place. So that’s another goal for this summer. I must, must, must get the phones switched out so we can save the $250 to $300+ a month from that cost. Then I’ll decide if we want to use a credit card plan from Sam’s, the Square Up, or something else.

Raise Prices, New Ad and Order Form

This is a toss-up with credit cards and phones as to which is more important. However, when I realize that neither project needs to take weeks, but only days, maybe I can get both done by the end of May. It’s a reasonable goal.

Ramsey Recommendations

I want to order and read several books recommended by Dave Ramsey, including 48 Days to the Work You Love, by Dan Miller. I also found information about writing, such as writing instruction manuals. I could do that very well. Just today I have discovered his podcast, so I’ll start through those to become more motivated and informed.

Writing and Editing

I would like to get into writing and editing, and I want to have a web page in place. I could write instruction manuals, I could edit papers for students and professors and authors.

2012 Bookkeeping

And then there’s the matter of the bookkeeping for 2012, as of yet not started. That needs to get going and then be maintained and . . . BACKED UP!

Clean Garage

I cleaned the garage several times over the years, prior to going to work in February 2006. It hasn’t been done since. Andrew worked it around once, but things are disordered and piled up. It needs my touch.

Declutter, Garage Sale, eBay, VegSource, and YooOffer

All of this goes together. I need to get things decluttered, cleared out, tossed, donated, or sold. YooOffer is a new listing site recommend by Kim Komando. Bill is ready to just toss, especially when it comes to things that belong to someone else in the family. So we just need to keep on the same team and work together to decide how to handle things. The unfortunate thing in Florida is that our attic is small and too hot, and there’s no basement. Storing things in the garage or on the porch long-term is not good because of the heat and humidity. I might be able to move some things to the garage temporarily, but that cannot happen until I clean the garage.

Yard Work

That back corner mound of green and weeds must be cut down. I’m sure it has snakes and bunnies, but it’s only going to become more and more overgrown. I’m good with the palm tree that’s there, but otherwise it needs to be a planned space.

Pool

The pool is a grand dilemma. It failed us years ago and we are maintaining it at half or less than half its volume. But the cost to fix it is prohibitive. Although I may be getting to stage in my life in the next several years where I might want to use it, the funds may not be available then any more than now. So we talk of taking out the pool. It’s another area for research. Do we need a permit to take it out? How does one remove a pool? Bit by bit? What are the legal issues?

Fitness

This is an area where I am having some success. I’ve lost thirteen pounds on my down to a range of acceptable weight. That’s about a sixth or seventh of my way to the goal area. I have been keeping a food blog and a calorie journal. I need to lose only seven more pounds to be ready for the second set of before and after comparison photos, which should show the difference much better at twenty pounds than it showed at ten pounds.

Music Ministry

I still play piano at church now and then. I would like to be able go to the weekly practice and play every morning and evening, but I can’t justify that practice time with the many other things that have yet to be done. I think I could overcome the issues of being on the platform for the first part of the service, and maybe one day I’ll be able to do that again. The worship leader uses a very narrow file of music and readily admits he does not know many hymns.

Housekeeping

Everyone in the family is busy at their own activities and my touch is needed for suggesting areas where I need help and for doing the things that just need my touch. It has not been easy even to assign chores with the schedule I have had. This can and must all change.

Fun Stuff

Blogging has fallen behind, but it’s one joy I hope to be able to continue. The food blog must continue as support for the weight loss. I would like to draw and watercolor and cross-stitch. Maybe even sew some clothing for myself. I also have lots of reading I want to do. Besides the Dan Miller book, there are others recommended by Dave Ramsey. I also want to finish a series I started to read to Joanna when I was still at home, not working at SEU. I want to see finish the series and know how it all turned out. I’d also like to do more Bible study and photography.

And this, you see, is why I cannot image working on my Master’s.

Interesting or Interested?

Quoted by Jim Collins in the intro to his monograph Good to Great and the Social Sector. As a teacher, he writes, he asked a mentor, Professor John Gardner (Google him), how he might become a better teacher. Gardner answered: “It occurs to me, Jim, that you spend too much time trying to become interesting. Why don’t you invest more time in becoming interested?”

Applying the Truth I Know

I went to Sunday school today for the first time in about a year I’m guessing. I hope to keep it up even when I start on my master’s. TB is the teacher, and he is just finishing a series on prayer.

He mentioned how the devil/demons are able to “push our buttons.” It made me think again of the question about how that happens when the devil cannot read our minds. He is not all-knowing. I talked to TB about this after class a bit. He pointed out that the devil does know the points on which to challenge any believer. Our guardian angel is standing for us against the demons, who want to ruin our testimony and take us down. I need to study more about that, but I gained some new insight.

He also taught about the importance of remembering the good things God has done for us. We must remember specific ways that God has moved in our lives. And we discussed the importance of knowing the Word, memorizing scripture, and meditating on the Word. The devil cannot plant his ideas in places that are already filled with scripture. I must move beyond just reading through the Bible, using the plan our church is using. I must take time to study the Word. I want to know for myself about how the devil is trying to take me down. I have knowledge of that, and I have thought it is enough to know that I should know the Word. But I have not truly been studying the Bible on a regular basis. I have spurts but that’s all. And I know that God multiples my time somehow when I commit to studying His Word. And then I need to apply it.

How can it be applied immediately? I know I do not want to have the idea that I won’t be able to apply the teaching I already know unless I am doing such and such—so many minutes of study, this amount of effort, or that amount of prayer and Bible memorization. But I know that I must meditate on the Word more. And I need to apply what I do know. I need to act on it. I need to stand on the verse that says to resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Here’s the full section, James 4:6–8:

⁶But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.

 ⁷Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

 ⁸Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.

Ahhhhh, and this is why it is so important to memorize scriptures. There’s so much more to this than just the portion I knew by heart. I am to submit to God. Overall I would always answer that question by saying I am submitted to God. But I recognize that I conveniently separate out the difficult parts of my life. Well, clearly, those areas have not been submitted to His authority. That needs to change. God help me! What must I do? Get into the Word. Apply what I already know to apply. Get it out of my head and into action!