potpourri day

There is a lot to think on now. So much, as always, to do. A list, perhaps, of what is done, half-done and yet to be done might help me with focus and prioritizing.

1. Finances are always pressing and, as I am The Accountant (not to mention the housekeeper, the cook, the childcare, the clothes-washer, the secretary, the answering service, the bill-payer, the taxi driver, the gardener, the repair woman--and that doesn't even include my own job!) I feel a strong need to get my taxes done early, to get the little kickback for the over $15,000 of interest paid on this /&*% mortgage last year. Every little bit helps. I am over halfway done with the taxes, so that is going to be good. Unfortunately, I have learned the hard way that so many things I did NOT save receipts for in my new business should have been saved to be deducted...part of the problem of doing it all myself, but I can't afford an accountant, so I have to swallow that pill this year, consider it part of the trial-and-error process, and hope that I will never be audited in following years for keeping everything and having higher deductions than this first year out.

2. Students are changing. In a way this is good, and the flux is part of the nature of my business. Two of my high-schoolers have decided to scale back because they have improved their grades to an A average in their first semester, which was their goal, and said they will only need me before a big project or when something else is pressing. Which is fine and good, makes me look good, of course, but now I have a couple of time slots to fill, so I need to start advertising again. However, I have a couple new students from the university at which I used to teach and a new nighttime class starting in a week and a half. I'm also working to design a couple new course offerings about which I can hopefully get word out and get new and a revolving supply of students. I'm zoned for four students at a time in my home classroom.

3. I need to renew my LLC with the State and my business licensure with the Town. At least this year, I have income to take that from. Last year that was hard to do as I was taking from personal funds to get started.

4. I would really like to offer a free Spanish Conversation Table at the local Library, and now that the new branch has opened up, perhaps my local library isn't so heavily booked. I'd rather do this closer to home than at the new branch; on nice days I can even walk. But I also need to find a time when children are in school, as they just are not old enough to spend an hour by themselves in the library! A free service like this is really nice to be able to offer, is a great way to advertise my business, and people can get a taste of who I am and what my teaching style is like, even through a very basic guidance in a conversational setting once a week, and perhaps would be a worthwhile investment of an hour of my time once a week.

5. Ideally, I would really like to work more again with the Hispanic migrant community, like I had done years ago back in the West, with ESL--I really have so much I can offer being bilingual and extremely comprehensive to their issues and needs. However, I also need to not spread myself too thin; I have a pretty full plate and my children are not yet in full-time school.

6. Still trying to get into La Princesita's classroom once a week. I know she has a couple of classmates who either speak only Spanish or very little English who she says she helps out a bit, and it would be nice to be able to get in there and assist the teachers a bit. Hasn't been able to work out yet. And I need to start meeting people.

7. The Young Heirs have a four-day weekend. What to do? Today we'll hit a museum...the "Dinosaur" museum is their favorite. Maybe Monday we can go ice skating. I have only one student tomorrow, but it really isn't my turn for children entertainment on Saturday and Sunday, so I am going off-duty and going to try to get some work done.

8. I need to, at the very least, get the conversations set for the last chapters of my book. I would like to have these illustrated and it would help to have the conversations done so that I can propose a job to my friend and see if she might be up for the (paid) task. I also need to see what I can do about designing my own website, not working off this template from this web service that I have been only moderately satisfied with. As I am not a graphic artist nor a web designer, this task is extremely daunting, as I want something simple yet very catchy---something very ME. I feel limited with what I've got, although it is good for now. My contract with this company is up in November and I would like to have something else up and running by that time, with my domain name that I've already reserved, set. But at a good price. I have web space via my internet connection but have only been moderately satisfied with their email service as well, and I cannot sacrifice quality when running a business...especially one in which I depend a great deal on the web for gaining business.

This is the beginning. Lots to think about, and lots more but the monitos are awake and it is time to get tummies fed and bodies dressed for another cold day.

Wish me luck...