Planting Seeds

I've been having the best time networking lately. It's hard to delineate everything because it's all so intertwined - the people, the places, the ideas. One woman I met at a marketing event last night was intrigued by my business and we talked about how we could work together. She had earlier spoken about the frustrations of running her non-profit and I could sense a certain kinship with her based on what she was doing and how she was doing it and what was standing in her way.

As we talked, I told her about my own frustration, being so near and yet so far. Trying to do a lot with a little time. Just feeling so scattered sometimes because we are trying to take advantage of opportunities as they come up but that's what makes you feel so scattered.

"You know so many people think it's linear," she said. "But when you really think about it, it's circular. You're planting seeds here and there and soon they will germinate and grow all around you!" I love that thought. Thank you, Christine. It fits and it makes sense to me.

Christine and I have to further discuss what our puzzles could do to further the vision of her non-profit.

I also met Andrea and yes, I am using real names because these women have businesses that need to be promoted. Now, I started talking to Andrea by asking what she did but when she told me, my eyes widened because I could see it fitting in with the book I am working on. Did I mention this book here? It's actually one of the ones I worked on for NaNo back in 2006. Anyway, I told her what I was doing and we went back and forth, agreeing with each other and connecting in a way that felt more than the superficial networking connection one makes at these types of things. I liked her style. She felt real. I promised to call her and she insisted I do that. I know we'll be talking really soon and I know I'll be doing one of her events too. It just looks so cool!

Then there was the life coach who told me about Momference - a Meeting of the Moms is the tag. It's all about teleconferences on a variety of topics. I haven't had a chance to really get into the site but so far it does look like a place worth hanging out. I already see one conference I'd like to attend later this year - all from the comfort of home. What could be better than that?

It's just been one of those crazy times of promise. Dropping off Daughter at pre-school this morning, I saw a sign on the wall of the neighboring high school:



In case you can't see it, it says "Success is the sum of small efforts repeated day in and day out." Be consistent and persistent. I don't think we've been anything less than that, though there are times when the persistence is greater than others. I suppose this is one of those times.

There's been this marketing event and the branding one the week before that. I've been calling a few people about the puzzles and I have to send out samples. I've been talking to a self-publisher about the book and he was actually quite helpful, suggesting that I talk to a magazine publisher who not only may know some people I can talk to about being in my book but maybe could help on the puzzle front too. So I talked to the publisher and he sounded interested. At least he was enough to ask me to send him a sample to show around his office and to tell him a little more about the book while I'm at it because he knows some people who might fit the bill.

I've also been writing letters to people I want to talk to about being in my book. People who have achieved a certain level of success and notoriety. One of them called me yesterday. We're playing phone tag right now but she is the embodiment of what I am writing about and if she gets on board - maybe even write a forward for me - it will make it much easier to take this to an agent or a publisher and maybe I won't have to self-publish after all. I'm hoping she and I can meet since she's not that far. I'm hoping a lot of things right now.

Bizzy Girl and I have to meet this weekend. There is much to discuss and plan. I am the creative one so it's easy for me to go off on tangents. With her help, I can keep to a strategy and we can grow in a controlled fashion.

Now if you'll excuse me, I need to take my Daughter to say Happy Birthday to Trash-O-saurus.