As the new year begins, I've begun thinking about investments. 






Investment means: "to put (money) to use, by purchase or expenditure, in something offering 
potential profitable returns,as interest, income, or appreciation in value."  
I want to talk about the word investment in a different manner though.  
Instead of thinking of investing in a monetary capacity, I've been thinking of investments as an expenditure of my energy.  



Blogging can become quite complicated when working with people.  For the last five months, I've been making a living as a tutor, a homebound instructor and a personal shopper.  I've had upteenth adventures but as a professional, I cannot divulge many of my stories due to privacy issues.  I love the flexibility and the challenges of my jobs although my schedule can be a bit frantic.  My week looks something like this:
  
        Monday-  shop, teach, teach
        Tuesday-  teach, teach, teach
        Wednesday- teach, teach, teach
        Thursday- teach, teach
        Friday-  shop, tutor
        Saturday- tutor

I also try to keep a couple of pieces of art in local stores and once a month, I clean a former client's home.  Try squeezing 5 hours of cleaning into that schedule!  It gets really tough!


     I was looking at the back of our house, lamenting a never-ending bathroom renovation, when I thought about what I wanted to invest in this year.  One thing I want to invest in is myself and therefore my family.  I'm blogging about this for personal accountability as well.  I need to look at when the Praxis are. It's one thing to talk being able to teach a subject, it's another to pay for the exams and become endorsed in the subjects as well.  


     While I immensely enjoy the freedom of my work, I miss the stability of a "normal" job.  I'm working on the perfect combination of work and family.  I would love to have my own classroom and an 8 am - 3:30 pm schedule, still allowing me to shop and keep my artwork up.  Ideally, I would love my own art class but if this is not possible, I'd be a great English or Spanish teacher as well.  One of my goals and investments for the year is to take the Praxis for English and become endorsed in English as well.  


    This is one of my goals for the year, one of the investments that I will make.  What will your investments look like in the year 2014?  Will your investments be monetary, spiritual or career-oriented?

So 2013 has left us and brought in 2014!  I've never been one for New Year's Resolutions as I tend to break them but I love the spirit that is in the air surrounding new possibilities in a new year!

I want to begin this year by making a list of what I am thankful for.  Instead of thinking about how much I want to change (and that list is long!), I want to take a minute to think about what I wouldn't change!

1.  My family-  extended and close.  I'm so lucky to have a great husband and two great kids.  I'm even luckier to get along with my oldest one's father.  Together all of us have a relationship that others might envy.  My oldest doesn't come from a broken home but rather an OPEN home where all things are possible in the name of raising great children!
I have my sisters and Keith's family too, all of whom without, I'd be terribly lost!

2.  My children-  also included in family but specifically the smile I get from my little non-verbal 15 month old and the way he hugs me.  I love the way my oldest is full of good ideas and loves his brother so much. 

3.  The space to do my artwork.  Many times I look at my front porch and yearn for a studio space or lament the fact that I need to organize it better.  Then I get to sit and paint and I feel like the luckiest woman because I get a space in which to create.

4.  A Loving husband- who tolerates my messy art space and is with me through this entire journey.  If I become nervous that we're spending too much on my art, he'll pipe in with "there is no such thing as waste when it comes to your art.  It makes you happy. "  Priceless and adorable.

5.  Two jobs which give me flexibility and allow me to spend time with my family and to be at home.  When I'm thinking, "Wow, benefits would be great" I remember that I am not "trapped" somewhere in a cubicle.  I'm allowed to do what I love and keep my freedom.  When I'm not teaching, I'm shopping.  My students get a big kick out of it too!  They think, "Someone pays you to do that?".  Well, yes they do and I think they're super awesome too!  Some days our banter could be a mini-comedy routine!

6.  I live in a free country where I'm allowed to type and say what I think.  Not everyone can say this and I'm thankful for that.

7.  I'm thankful for every chance and re-chance I get at life and want to maximize it's potential.

All of these things I'm grateful for.  My New Year's resolution?.... I dunno.  Maybe to read more, to lose weight.  We'll see if I keep them this year but if I don't I am already blessed because of these many things I already have.

One of my favorite natural wonders is the ocean.  The pure vastness and greatness of it is appealing to me.  No matter how loud I am, social blunders I may be guilty of and how many different directions I am pulled in---the ocean is bigger than me and I find great solace in that.  I love to sit and listen to the intensity of the waves, watch the rolling patterns ebb and flow and revel in the sun shining it's intense rays down and the symbiotic relationship between the moon and the ocean at night.  Man is great but nature is greater.  There is nothing more romantic to me than the great dark sea.  

*  Photos taken at Sandbridge Beach, VA.

It is almost Thanksgiving!  It may be a little cornball but I wanted to take the time to list the things I am grateful for.  I have so many things to be grateful for but here's a snapshot:

1.  My family - and not just my husband and sons but my mothers- in- law (a special shout out to my #1 fan Miss Linda! ) , my sisters, brother in law and niece and Keith's extended family most of whom have made me feel like one of them!  

2.  My friends-  maybe I don't see you often enough or maybe you don't know how appreciated you are but you're very special to me and some of you I've had since high school!

3.  Health-  Especially in my job where I see so many recooperating children, I'm so glad my children have their health.  They are happy and healthy and I should really remember to be grateful for this and not take it for granted.

4.  Love-  I am grateful to recognize this emotion and see it all around me, from the way my father- in- law loves his son and wants him to be happy to the way my little one looks at me when I pick him up out of his crib.

5.  Food-  As I type this I'm "starving" but I know when I get home that I have cupboards full of food.  Many people are what has been coined as "Food insecure"-  they don't always know where they'll find their next meal.

6.  My gifts-  Not to sounds like a braggart but everyone has gifts.  Mine are in art, music and teaching.  I'm incredibly grateful to have those.

7.  My shortcomings-  To balance my gifts I'm also grateful for my shortcomings such as math and sometimes relationships with others!  If I didn't have shortcomings, I wouldn't have new things to work on and explore to become better.

8.  My work-  What other jobs would give me flexible time and the ability to do so many cool things?!  I get to help students and teach who otherwise may fall through the cracks and I get to shop for really cool people..... Are you kidding me?!  I'm blessed for having my two jobs.

As Thanksgiving approaches try to think about what you are grateful for and remember it's not just this time of year when the retailers put on the music and the decorations are overblown;  gratefulness is important year round.  I think I'll save this list to remind myself of the same during the coming year!  Happy Thanksgiving to all!

I'm a life long learner and always looking for new lessons to learn.   I'm a pretty tough critic of myself and used to be to others, as well.  It was easy to be less critical of others once I realized I was really just projecting the criticism I felt toward myself outwardly but I still haven't nailed being less critical of myself yet.  I was talking with a friend of mine reviewing the many pieces and parts of my life.  Like an event coordinator,  I ran down the events of my life:  tutoring multiple students (and coordinating their work w/ parents and schools) Monday through Friday for 2 - 3 hours at a time (driving times excluded), painting, networking and meeting with stores about my art (not to mention the real estate art project I need to begin researching!) and my personal shopping extravaganza. 

As I rambled on, she asked what I was so worried about.  " I'm worried about dropping something or double booking".  She responded  "you mean you're worried about when you drop something because you will.  With this many balls in the air, you will drop something and when you do, it is about how you react and recoop.  Do not worry yourself about when you will drop the ball but how you will handle yourself when you do".  Simple words of wisdom that I am putting to use.  

How many balls are you juggling right now?  When you drop one of the balls how will you react?  Will you be angry at yourself and project that unto others or will you handle yourself with as much grace as possible?  I'm aiming to handle myself with calm and grace.... I'll let you know how that turns out!