The Hardest Part? Getting Started

I've been a bit neglectful of this blog lately. My apologies. Unfortunately, the primary reason for that is that I've also been a bit neglectful of my goals and ambitions lately.

At the beginning of the year, I had a burst of energy and creativity. I came up with a name for my business, pattern ideas for my first products, even catchy names for a couple of the products.  I talked a lot about my goals and I even wrote them down.

Then time passed....

A few weeks ago, I had another burst of energy and creativity. I ordered labels for my products, set up an account on Etsy, created my Facebook page.

I think about it every day. I've written out so many things - ideas, pattern dimensions, marketing goals.

But I'm struggling with that next step. Part of it is a balance issue. I know I've chosen a difficult time to try and add a new endeavor to my plate. I work a full-time job, I'm a wife, a mother to a busy five-year-old and a nursing four-month-old. By the time I get everybody to bed at night, prepare bottles and bags for the next day, I'm wiped. (I feel asleep on the couch at 9:30 last night.)

But I also can't help but wonder if part of the struggle I have in taking that next step with my business is nervousness about putting myself out there. Once I put all this time and energy and love into bringing my creative vision to reality, will anybody even like or want it?

I won't let that nervousness stop me, of course. I believe in my idea. I want to see it come to life. I will see it come to life.

What's that saying? "A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step."

What project, dream, or goal have you found challenging to get started on? What motivated you to take that first step?

Gratitude Every Day

I recently started a new family tradition that I'm hoping will keep us all focused on the positive in a life that can get very hectic and stressful. Every night, at dinner, we each share one thing that we're grateful for that day.

I have a very annoying habit of letting the stresses of work, managing a family, and trying to start a business get to me and affect my mood. This isn't fair to me or to my family so I've been working hard to keep myself focused on habits and thoughts that are motivating and uplifting. This is one way to do that while, hopefully, also teaching Little Girl about the importance of being humble and grateful about the blessings in our lives.

I think my Little Girl might be teaching me a few things, though. Last night, Hot Hubby was grateful for the beautiful weather we've been having and I was grateful that Little Girl is feeling better (she's getting over an ear infection).

What was Little Girl grateful for? She was grateful for God. Why? Because, she so wisely pointed out, without God she wouldn't be able to be grateful for the sunshine, the animals, her My Little Ponies, her baby brother, or any of the other things she loves because they wouldn't exist.

Yep, I've got a pretty clever girl on my hands?

As the seasons change and many of us prepare to celebrate the Easter holiday, what are you grateful for?

The End of Brittanica...

...on the bookshelf, at least.

The publisher of Encyclopaedia Brittanica announced today that, after 244 years (244!!!), it will no longer publish a print edition of the reference source.

While this is not particularly surprising in this digital age, it's also sad. I have fond childhood memories of discovering lots of things about the world in the pages of the Brittanica in my school and community libraries. In school, the Brittanica was always my first stop when given a paper to write or a project to complete.

As a parent, though, I'm also sad because I'm left wondering how my daughter will learn how to conduct research. Sure, there's the internet with its Wikipedias, blogs, and websites for everything under the sun. But there's something to holding a book in your hands, turning the pages, holding something concrete.

As you read this, you might be thinking, "Wow, this woman is a nerd." Yes, yes, I am. Though, truthfully, I prefer the term geek. I love reading. I love learning new things. I love holding a book in my hands.

But there's also importance to understanding the elements of research - reliable sources vs unreliable; primary vs secondary. Can that be taught when the internet is the only resource left available in the public schools? I guess I'll find out as my daughter enters school in the fall (not that kindergarters do much research).

The irony of this news being released today is that Little Girl and I were talking tonight about the new things she learned at her pre-K program today. She was telling me about the killdeer and how it builds its nests on the ground. I asked her why it didn't build its nests in a tree and she told me she didn't know. My response? We'll look it up in the encyclopedia when we go to the library this weekend.

I guess we still can. For now.

Will You Be Voting Today?

It's election day in Ohio and several other states today. Will you be voting?

This blog is not a political blog and will never be a political blog. But I decided I had to blog about the election today in the hopes of catching some of you fellow Lake County, Ohio, residents - specifically those of you in the Willoughby-Eastlake School District.

There's a super-important levy issue on the ballot today for Willoughby-Eastlake voters. Please vote in favor of it. Our school district needs the money. Our district has long operated on a very lean budget. The poor economy coupled with rapid increases in unfunded federal mandates have put our district in a bad spot. They need this levy. Cuts will be coming whether this levy passes or not. Many argue that the quality of a Willoughby-Eastlake education will be impacted whether the levy passes or not.

But if this levy doesn't pass, our children and your neighbors' children will be the ones who will, in the end, pay the price. Sure, they'll still get an education, but it will be without the benefit of free access to team sports, without robust arts programs, in classes with higher student-to-teacher ratios, and more. And perhaps most concerning to me - kindergarten will now carry a price tag of $2900 for the year. This early childhood education is a critical foundation to future student success and there are many in our district for whom $2900 is unaffordable.

So, that's my plea. I don't care what politician you're voting for today or in November. But I do hope you'll get out and support our schools.

And you have now read a post that is the closest I'll ever get to talking politics on this blog. Now, go get out and vote!