MYBLOGBUTTON.COM

03:30 AM

I stop at a gas station/quickie-mart type place for coffee. I stop here every night about the same time. The girl behind the counter asks "What exactly do you do? You're in here every night. Don't you ever get a day off?"

To which I reply, "I'm an entrepreneur, and, no I'm on the go constantly. I rarely have a day off."

I continue, "I'm senior partner at a technology consulting firm, and I have an Internet Investment company."

"OK", she responds as I think a bit more.

"Oh, and I also work as a semi-professional musician.", I add as I start to walk away.

"It keeps me busy", I say as I reach the door. "And I have a business with my son in South Carolina."

Through a sheepish smile she says, "Well, you have a nice day anyway."

As I started the car I wondered what she meant by "have a nice day anyway". I hit the radio button and the local station is playing "Too much time on my hands ...". Is this a sign? Maybe it's time to organize my priorities.

So, have a nice day ... anyway!?

Being an entrepreneur always seems to mean having way too much left to do at the end of the day. Such is my case. There’s always “just one more thing”, yea, just one more thing. Most of the time, trying to get out the door to get to a meeting or other appointment is like trying to reschedule World War II … it just ain’t going to happen.

Everywhere I look, I seem to be finding new opportunities and interesting things to do. The problem is finding time to squeeze it all in. This blog is a perfect example. I’ve already been going for nearly 18 hours, and I still have a lot of important things that should have been done today; just not enough time, but I’m working on that.

Here are ten observations about making time and getting things done:

1. Make a list.

2. Make another list.

3. If you can’t work where you are, go someplace else.

4. Most things can’t wait until tomorrow, some things have to.

5. Work on whatever pays the bills.

6. Ignore the phone for a few hours.

7. McDonalds has Wi-Fi; have your email with a burger and fries.

8. Caffeine makes the 20 hour work day almost bearable.

9. If you write software in your dreams, keep the laptop near the bed.

10. If you get one of those brilliant ideas, for the love of God, pull off the road before trying to write it down.

Hi all!

I've received numerous emails asking if I've given up on posting to my blog, or given up on the concepts of entrepreneurity and self-reliance. Well the answer is NO, ABSOLUTELY NOT! I HAVE succeeded in making myself so busy that there doesn't seem to be enough day to fit the number of tasks. Given the state of the economy, I'm thinking this is a very good thing. This is the entrepreneur's answer to weathering the recession. And, so far, so good.

It seems as though I'm hearing every day how bad things are; job loss climbing, investments going down the drain, businesses closing up, and so on. The fact of the matter is, I keep finding opportunity everywhere I look. Some people look at things and see nothing but the negative, while I keep seeing the positive. To quote a movie (see a previous post), "In confusion there is profit". The problem is, I have reached the point where I have to stop and clear my mind because so many projects look to be so damn interesting. So much opportunity, so little time. It's time to fine tune the focus a bit. As is usually the case, I'm coming to the end of an 18+ hour workday, and this is, after all, a weekend.

So for those who normally stay in touch with me via email, phone, Twitter, Facebook, and a host of other media services, here's the status of some of the projects that I'm involved in.

Despite the economy, there is Technology Development work out there. I have several large software development projects going on. My partner and I have created several workable ideas for recession-driven businesses that we just haven't been able to launch yet. Got time? Let's talk!

Self-Reliance? You bet! I've found that the entrepreneur can grow a good tossed salad with a couple of pots or plastic tubs even on a small city lot. Hell, you can grow beans in the crack in a sidewalk. I've also found that more people than you might ever imagine are starting to think like those survivalists that you used to read about in Mother Earth News; a really good magazine, incidentally. I'm still thinking about all that "off-the-grid" and alternate energy stuff. But, more on this subject later.

My son and I have a new business project ramping up, too. A retail operation specializing in both reptiles and aquatic life, it's located in South Carolina and can be found at www.reptaquatics.com. The catalog will be online soon. Check it out! Oh, and watch for an upcoming article in Tropical Fish Hobbiest Magazine.

My other entrepreneurial endeavor, is the music project that is the Southern Rock Band Steelhorse. Yes Mary, we're still working! About 80 shows in the last 12 months, opening shows for The Outlaws, Pure Prairie League, and Jimmie Van Zant; doing Biker shows, Cancer Research Benefits, and concerts for crowds of several thousand. We're rotating a few members and rehearsing for the next several shows. Some studio time in the works as well.

And lastly to my Amateur Radio friends, yes I will get back on the air. I'll document some of it in another portion of this blog, along with some shots of my vintage radio equipment.

Entrepreneurity is alive and well, and keeping me very busy. Stay tuned!