the Last Gas Station

Read this book!

The author of this book, Vijay Vaitheeswaran, was on the radio yesterday, and the data in his book confirms almost everything I am saying in my blog.

He addresses the issue that demand is the key to the equation for solving the carbon problem, he addresses "hotlaws", although he does not call them "hotlaws", he simply states thet there needs to be a level plying field in the areas of energy and fuel. He knows that once the ball gets rolling we will have an economic boom with new energy that rivals any we have ever had. He also recognizes that every "disruptive" technological advancement has either been initiated or taken to its height by the US economy.

He does not go overboard with the idea that government is the solutuion, in fact, he knows they are indeed a huge part of the problem. Not just in their pandering to the dirty energy industry, but by the bogusness of the ethanol pork spending!

Please, read this book, get a good understandiong of what the future can hold  if we focus and simply DECIDE that this is what we want!!!

Screenshots

I have been working on screenshots for the last few days. A screenshot is an example of what a web page will look like. You create a page and then save the image as a digital image, and then embed it into your description to your IT person.

I have created the main page, each of the three entry pages, and then examples of pop ups/ new tabs, one for each ctategory on each of the three entry pages. There are a total, at this point, of 25 categories between the three entry pages. It will be a lot of work, and it will be worth it when it is done because there will not be a stobne unturned and I am convinced this hybrid model of a website will outcompete anything else out there.

Whew!

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RR

This Library should hand out earplugs

This Library should hand out earplugs

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10-4-2007, 7:19 PM CST

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I have the loudest library in the universe. I am in the small town today which is in the other direction from the “big” town and I’m using the Public Library. The Librarian is wonderful, because she is a Librarian, but I get startled by her because every time someone comes in she starts talking really loud. Everyone knows everyone, right? Apparently, usual decorum does not apply in the Library. It is like a coffee klatch, or some kind of sewing circle. Isn’t it supposed to be the Librarian who is going to shush the loud people in the Library? Not here. I swear they are going to start kneading some dough or winding some yarn any minute now. This is a classic experience. “Ooh hi!.. ooh yah, thaht’s a great series, ooh I love thaht one.. umm hmmm!!” Ok thanks for the review, the very loud and startling review.

It's kind of endearinig to be in a library that is loud, it's more funny than annoying, Like  a Saturday Night Live skit or smething.

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So, on the business front, what I did today was really outline everything and determine what the best type of plan is for me to start. There are several types, and you have to focus on what it is your business actually does. My business is a service oriented business. I will not be selling any sort of product. We will provide a system for other businesses to operate and get traction, and a place for consumers to very easily get solutions implemented.

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What this means is I have to use the bulk of first round funding to ensure a lot of legal arrangements. There will be several contracts involved in using the system, and I’ll have to hire people with experience in the internet realm to do that. Not cheap. I’ll also need a design firm with a preponderance of database experience; totally not cheap. It is great being at this point in this project. It’s the grueling climbing up the log, but it will be worth it.

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I’ll be back to check in tomorrow, but I am working on wrapping up another project that had been delayed for technical reasons. I have been a musician in the past and am compiling a bunch of my music, going back 20+ years. I have to get that finished now that I can because people are waiting for it.

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Funny thing, when I came in today the librarian asked if the music was too loud. !!

Lighten up on the Turtles

10-3-2007 7:19 PM CST – Business Successes, JOURNAL ENTRY – 2

Lighten up on the Turtles

Today was a fairly productive day. I would not call it a “90” (that’s what I call a day like yesterday), but it had some of those elements. There is no such thing as a “100”. 90 is pretty much as good as it gets, unless you do a “95”, but that’s personal. I think I’d have to call today an “80”.

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I did a couple of tracking reports, and sent one to my IT guy. A review of the meeting we had, with an emphasis on what our priorities are going to have to be. I’ve been using a program called “Business Plan Pro” to write my plan out. It is pretty comprehensive. It lays things out for me well. It has tools and you get a great education about what people are looking for when they are considering your plan.

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It’s a lot of work, people, for real. Laying this thing out is taking some time but it is well worth the time. I have the Service Description all finished, so that is a plus, but getting into the comprehensive plan takes that part of the plan and breaks it down two or three times more, and that is before you even get into the financials. By the way, any qualified investor who can provide credentials is welcome to see my service description if they are willing to sign a non-disclosure/ non-compete form. I really appreciate this software though. If you are willing to really work on your chops, it's great stuff. You learn a lot about what you are doing. you actually learn more about what you are doing than you can imagine by following their steps.

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On another happy note, as you may be able to tell, depending on your opinion I guess, I like to write. I have a couple of writing projects going; I usually have one or two different things going on the writing front. I received a kind of nibble from an interested party on one of my projects. This is nothing incredibly astounding, especially since their interest was not unsolicited, but there is a lot of potential with this particular thing and I think a serious smartypants will catch on. It is a project designed for kids, and it is designed to increase the production of nuero pathways between the hemispheres of the brain. This new science is catching on and it’s all the rage, so the timing is good on this. It’s just a question of whether someone is willing to help me develop it; because [insert favorite mythological reference here] knows I don’t have the cabbage to pull it off right now. I prefer collaboration anyway.

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You would not have known that yesterday was the day before today. After a period of days that was making me wonder if I was on some planet in a Ray Bradbury novel where it only rained, the sun came out, and it was pretty damned glorious. I rode into the “big” town again and did some work, most of the trails were flooded, it was water water everywhere. I started out in the copter, but then I ended up having to jump on the jet (you’ll have to read yesterdays post to understand that). All the bogs were full, and the turtles were all out of their mud holes, swimming and playing. They are so funny. It takes them a half hour to climb up on a log to get 1 second of the intense pleasure of jumping into the water. I guess that’s what it’s like to be a turtle. But I guess I can think of an activity or two that are similar in nature, so maybe I can just lighten up on the turtles.

Tracking the Business Successes

I'm going to be using my blog as a tracking report for the progress of my business development, please feel free to check in keep up with what's happening.

RR

10-2-2007 7:17 PM CST.

Today is serious business; I'm starting this journal of my business success. Today is inspiring. It is an inspiring day of watching my ideas and concepts manifest before my eyes, and witnessing and comprehending my own ability to articulate my ideas to others in a way that is coherent, allowing others to project their own visuals of my descriptions. This gives ideas a lot more bite in the æther.

It is a wet and dreary day meteorologically; I timed my day inclemently, getting soaked on the way into town, and then getting soaked on my way home. I used the day wisely during the dry parts, even if all that was indoors. I'll make sure to invert that equation next time. I think that even if I had a car right now I'd be riding my bike almost as much. It is exhilarating to ride, I think people forget that, and I have a lot of my best ideas while I'm riding. I think it’s so funny when people look at me like they’ve never seen a bicycle, like it’s some kind of bizarre phenomenon. While they are hauling several tons of metal around just to carry their only self around.

It's about three miles to town. I left at 11:45 today because I saw the rain coming and wanted to miss it. I did not miss it. I got soaking wet on my way to the state run business and job center. If I had waited until 2pm, which was my original plan, I would have been high and dry. I was able to get a lot done though, so that's ok.

I was able to have my appointment with the local IT firm today. He was great. We had a great opening meeting and had a lot in common. He is into Kurzweil, he's familiar with the biological longevity movement, and has a great handle on the role business should be playing in society. I'm comfortable with him. We are going to be able to do some things. His consultation fees are more than reasonable. He charges a fair wage for his work, he takes care of himself and I respect that. I need to outlay my costs and complete the financial aspect of the business plan. He has the knowledge to do that. These types of people are worth every penny they charge.

It was inspiring to be able to communicate my thinking to him and see him grasp it. I think he sees the potential of my concept and wants to be a part of it. He can definitely provide me with what I need at this point, there is no question about that, and I am fully trusting of that. He understands what I want to give my clients and users, and provide the users with an incredible experience and ease of use.

People who talk like they are interested and then never come through with their promises annoy the crap out of me, especially when there are no requirements from them except a little time. At the very least, you make a new friend and enjoy some camaraderie. The fact that He was willing to speak to me and listen to my pitch shows good business acumen. He has the possibility of gaining some business and to be a part of something excellent if he likes what he hears. He showed honest interest. He will create the conditions in his life to go much farther by having this type of attitude. As soon as I officially hire him I’ll send him the screenshots and everything I’ve worked on so far.

The ride home was a blast. It was pouring rain. I have not enjoyed a rain soaked bike ride for 20 years. That is not to say that I have not had a rain soaked bike ride, but that I have not enjoyed one. I was grinning like a freak the whole time. If it had been daylight, and people could have seen my face they would have thought I was nuts. I bet they thought I was nuts anyway, since it was dark and I was riding like a fiend in a storm on the shoulder of Hwy 2. It is so nice to be doing things that make me happy enough to be able to enjoy something like that. It is very much like being a kid. Thank you very much.

As I left the meeting I described above, I stopped in the parking lot across the street to decide the route I was going to take. I stood there in the rain for 5 minutes reviewing the meeting and trying to decide. I thought taking the snowmobile trail would have been too muddy, so I took the highway. It’s kind of like choosing between a copter and a jet. I took the jet last night.