You get what you see... Trancparency is the new black

Kudo's from the state legislature on our modification practices

2009-05-27T10:42:00.000-07:00

Here is a copy of an email that State Representative, for the Oregon Legislature, Sal Esquivel forwarded to the entire State Government in regards to the work we do for Business owners & home owners facing obstacles with their mortgage.

Also, for today's highlight, it looks like we will be able to save about $1400 a month on my newest client's payments (starting at $2700). The average savings right now is around $650 a month. I love it when we're able to save more than $1000 and keep someone in their home!

"From: Rep Esquivel
Sent: Tuesday, May 26, 2009 5:27 PM
Subject:
There has been much discussion regarding Loan Modification Companies - I thought you would find this article, with statistics, interesting reading. We have a company in Medford that is doing a stellar job and they are fighting the media all the time regarding all the free programs and easy touch button refies!! We all know there is no free lunch and with loan modifications the same is true. Everyone dealing with foreclosure or upcoming difficulties with their mortgage - whether it comes from a live change - divorce, loss of job etc - or a bad choice when the home was purchased, everyone should have someone working for them that understands the system.

Kindly - Sal

Sal Esquivel
State Representative
District 6
900 Court St NE H485
Salem, OR 97301
503-986-1406

Would you like to be included on Rep. Esquivel's E-Newsletter list - Go to www.leg.state.or.us/learn more and sign up. "

Don't try to modify ALONE!!

2009-03-06T14:38:00.000-08:00

Hi!
Click on the title of this blog to be re-directed to the you tube video I am embedding in this post...
The video is of a Congresswoman who attempted a modification on her own, and the outcome. Paste the following link into your Web browser if the video does not work:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M4jIc5pVYAQ

This video just goes to show the difficulties anyone, let alone a congress person is faced with trying to handle negotiations on their own.

One piece of advice I have given to any friends or clients who earnestly want to try working it out on their own, is please do not sign anything before you have received a free consultative look or opinion.

I do free 1st looks for everyone, and will tell you if you are modification candidate or not, along with an educated prediction of what your monthly savings should be. If you receive a modification offer from your lender that is not close to the monthly savings I have advised that you are qualified for, then do not sign it. If a borrower signs an unfit modification (that only offers a "band-aid" fix) then lenders will not look at another modification offer for you, for at least 6 - 12 months, possibly costing you thousands of dollars, and sometimes your home and or credit. We guarantee the best modification that you are eligible for the first time around, hence offering you a long term solution.

Modifications are currently the 3rd most preferred method to attain an affordable mortgage payment, as endorsed by the current White House administration.

Contact me with any questions!
msavage@loanrefine.com

Networking Event!! Hurry up!

2009-02-24T12:12:00.000-08:00

Hi!
Posted in Portland's Neighborhood notes is a blip about our networking party tomorrow night. Check out the link.

Come check it out!
1940 NW 24th
Portland, OR 97210 (We're on the corner of 24th & Vaughn)

Come between 4-6:30. Leave some cards & marketing material as well, we're going to put together a co-op advertiser/newsletter for clients as well!

Modifications really are the best option

2009-02-17T10:56:00.000-08:00

I just came across Government Refinance Assistance, a resource page listing the best options for refinancing and or FHA options for homeowners that are caught in the housing market crisis.
The 3rd best option listed when criteria is not met for the first two is loan modifications.

I haven't heard very much negativity toward loan modifications. Essentially because they are pretty cut & dry. Of course there will always be some type of negativity surrounding anything new. That is the role of the skeptic. I, too, didn't jump up & down gleefully.. or like a chipmunk who just found their winter stash when I first heard about them. I did stop what I was doing to listen.

A year ago, working in the lending/finance industry, the idea definitely intrigued me. I wanted to understand how & why all lenders could negotiate or modify their these loans now.

As foreclosures increased, and the bottom was falling out among hundreds of lenders nationwide, one could see the value in modifying loan terms and realize the saving grace they really provided.

The modification strategy is typically designed for homeowners struggling to pay their mortgage, not for those who can pay their mortgage or are eligible for a refinanced loan.

(excerpt taken from "Is a Mortgage Modification For You?")
"A mortgage is one of the most complex transactions there is. A loan modification is also a gray area for a lot of people. So of course people need someone to walk them through the process to tell them this is what you need and this is what you don't need," said Ginna Green, spokeswoman for the California office of the Center for Responsible Lending in Oakland.

Is a loan modification for you?

Greg Pennington, a San Francisco-based mortgage banking consultant and counselor with Parker-Pennington Enterprises, says a loan modification isn't for everyone.

A loan modification may not be viable if:

* The modified loan comes with payments you still can't afford.

* Your current interest rate is already low and there's no room for the lender to lower it further.

* You can make the new payments, but the mortgage balance is greater than the value of your home and you don't plan on staying put long enough to reverse the loan-to-value imbalance.

* You have not already missed payments on your mortgage or can't show financial hardship due, say, to job loss, pay decrease, illness or interest rate increase.

* You have other properties, investments or assets that could be liquidated to cover your mortgage debt.

* A short sale (The lender forgives a portion of the debt owed if you can find a buyer), bankruptcy, auction sale, refinance or other approach, short of a foreclosure, is a better option.

"You can do a loan modification and not be aware of where you stand. You can get a loan modification for a home you don't want to be in," said Pennington.

A financial, housing or credit consultation can help you determine your best option. Just be prepared to hold down the fort for the 60 to 90 days or more it could take to complete the modification, due to potential complications and document processing times. " www.realitytimes.com

Success stories!

2009-02-09T13:42:00.001-08:00

Hey everyone!

Just a quick update on a couple of our success stories this last week.

1. Negotiated the payment for a 2nd/Home Equity Line of Credit (HELOC)with Wells Fargo for a client who was NOT past due. We were able to save them a few hundred dollars per month in addition to fixing their term/rate.

2. A construction loan was 10 months past due. We modified their loan (again with Wells Fargo) 1 week before the sale date. We were able to save the client enough money per month that they were able set up a final payment plan for the finishes on their home.

3. We had a client that was 30 days past due with CMS. Their ARM had just begun to adjust. We fixed the loan payment for the rest of the term, saving them even more money than their original payment.

I like being able to share these stories with everyone to show what kind of work we are accomplishing, and how it is truly benefiting homeowners. I'm currently looking into putting together a seminar on getting through this economic crunch in terms of debt consolidation, loan modification, & long term savings. I've always carried my life insurance licenses from my past management positions in banking/investments, so I plan on renewing them. I have been doing research on better avenues of savings/investments outside of the typical 401k & Stock market.

I look forward to updating this soon!

In the mean time... here's a cool article "An Urgent Call to Buy Local"
-M

I Love Picasa/ Loan Modifications

2009-01-15T14:50:00.000-08:00

Ok...

I haven't put photoshop on my new computer yet, so sad... yes.

A couple of years ago this could have been death for an online media marketer, but thankfully we have so many savvy & free programs to do the basic job... and do it well.

I made a video talking about Loan Modification.
The only problem I had with this video was, after creating it and trying to upload it to You Tube, it kept getting errors. Over & Over. I searched forums, I asked my followers on twitter.. "What's up with Picasa not uploading correctly to You Tube?".

Ahem.. but doesn't Google own both of these applications? Wouldn't you think there'd be some sort of easy goal accomplished when using players from the same team? Yeah, write that down Google Gods, talk to your team captains about this.

I'm getting off the subject.
Well, I had people telling me to go convert the wav file in Windows media player, and go through about 3 other steps, that seemed like a pain in my arse.

Then this brilliant, amazing person said that if you just type in ONE word in all the required upload descriptions, i.e; your title, description, tags etc, and make sure it was public (hence, doing all this almost completely frees open the file) then like magic it will work.

Wow.. It worked and I am now LOVING the ease of creating slides for movies in Picasa. Other than I can't use multiple colors for my text in one slide, I pretty much am satisfied with most of the other options for what I need to do. They have great organic font choices as well.

You can later go in to You tube and change the settings, add your descriptions, and all the Tags to your little hearts content.

So with out further ado... here is the first video. I will clean it up a bit, and have more to come. Please share this link!!

Mortgage silver lining or clouds prolonging the thunderstorm?

2009-01-08T13:06:00.000-08:00

I know this may be *yesterday's* news in some circles, because I just got caught up on some interesting news released by Fannie Mae, the end of December.
I couldn't be more cautiously thrilled to hear that remodifications on home loans will no longer be just for people who go into default.

I'd heard rumors of this change about 6 months ago. I, however, have been so swamped with trying to tweak my business plans, establish cash flow for beta testing, and learning about how to brand myself, that I haven't stayed as up-to-the minute as was before.
According to the Washington Post article on Dec. 19th 2008, "Fannie's policy change has the potential to help thousands of people who are losing jobs or facing layoffs as the recession crunches onward. Most lenders and loan servicers traditionally have declined to intervene in mortgage problems until borrowers are 60 to 90 days late. At that point, so-called "loss mitigation" staffs may then try to work out solutions if possible –– through rescheduling of back payments, forbearance, extending the loan term, among other techniques.
For example, say your spouse loses a part-time source of income, and suddenly you're short $400 a month needed to make your $2,000 mortgage payment. In the past, if you called your loan servicer, you'd likely be told that long-standing rules prohibit any help to you until you have become delinquent by several months.

Under the new early workout concept, by contrast, Fannie's servicers can now tell you upfront: We'll try lowering your monthly payments to accommodate the $400 in missing income. If you're current on the lowered payments after a four-month trial, and your income situation has not rebounded, we'll make the change permanent."

Now many of you savvy, or proactive homeowners out there are already aware of these options, but please do your research before submitting to whatever your lender offers.

Fannie mae says they will still due their checks on credit, job etc.. to make sure no one is lying about a shortage of income.
I think this is biased, and actually they don't have any legal right to do that when it is for a remodification. If you decide to check with your current lender, make sure you then find a loan remodification specialist near you to see what kind of negotiations they come up with as well. A specialist works with lenders and sometimes a legal team directly, who can perform a forensic analysis on your property. This allows them to come up with a fair and current market value of your home, in some circumstances it can possibly lower your principle owed.. NOT just the interest rate. Remodification specialists will ALSO package your entire "remod" between your 1st & 2nd mortgage, saving you even more money, whereas your 1st mortgage lender will only deal with the loan you have with them. The entire goal is to make the payments affordable for you now and in the long term.

Just some key things to think about when you start pursuing this.

Check out www.loanrefine.com to get a free look at your situation.

Now.. on to the flip side of this whole economic/mortgage mess. One has to wonder if these remodifications will really help stop the bleeding, or if it's just another tool to soak up the mess.

We all know that when you go into clean out a room/house etc.. it looks 10x worse while going through the process, in order to get to the end result. There are many aides in the current market, helping clean up, but are they just making it even more unorganized and ridiculous in the long run? Some statistics in the same article mentioned above claim that 53% of the people who have already gone through one remodification process in the last year, have already fallen behind or defaulted again. Of course that was bound to happen. These remod's aren't going to solve everything. I do like the fact that 47% have been helped... that is another 47% of homes that *were* kept from foreclosure... so in my humble opinion, that is progress. The bleeding did stop for that 47% so lets move on to the next section to clean until we can stand back and start seeing something take shape here in the grand scheme of things.

My top 10 economic predictions

2008-12-31T11:28:00.000-08:00

All this doom & gloom about the continued negative economic indicators for 2009 has got me feeling quite rebellious.

Maybe I live in a world of speedboats, waverunners, acres of green grass for golfing, surrounded by majestic white mountains full of pure powder bliss on my snowboard. But I don't care damnit. If I want to see leprechauns running down airport terminals in Dublin (which I REALLY did see that once..) and have a scrumptious hot falafel stand around the corner from my house.. then it's going to happen, whether in my imagination or not.

Of course I'm well aware of the current global situation. I do care, and I do want to help & give back in any way possible to positively impact others... BUT, seriously, I'm among many, sick of the negativity and letting my emotions subscribe to the media. I've actually been pretty good at that for quite some time now.

So with out further ado... regardless of what the media wants to report, and acknowledging all disregard to current indicators.. here is MY Top Ten Economic Predictions for 2009

1. 2009 will start the year in global recession with all of the major economies of the world in simultaneous economic contractions including the U.S., the Eurozone, Great Britain, Japan, and China, as well as a number of smaller economies and emerging markets. Once everyone realizes that these predictions happen every year, they'll all get on with their work & head to the bar to spend loads of cash, hence the recession is over.. or atleast everyone's too drunk to realize it's not.

2. The U.S. Bond index continues going crazy, confusing investors & lenders & consumers to the point of going to the bar drinking their mortgage money away.

3. U.S. unemployment increases toward and possibly exceeds double digits, while the government begins going bankrupt, due to all the "unemployed" people raking in thousands of dollars every month from working online. Offshore accounts abound.

4. Large increases in the number of bankruptcies, especially among retailers, auto related companies, and small businesses. Significant increases in failures of small to medium sized banks. Yet the economy booms due to offshore accounts ballooning, and spending hitting an all time peak in US History.

5. Tall people get paid more, because they are the only ones that actually intimidate the Chinese.

6. Economic Forecasts change predictions every month, sending everyone back to the bars across the globe to watch football & Soccer. The World is a much happier place. Imported Tequilla & Vodka prices plummet, while supply & demand sky rocket. Mexico & Panama are headed toward Super power status.

7. Everyone's house is in threat of loss... to the point that no one does anything about it. The average consumer continues to either refinance or remodify the terms of their loan until we realize that no one is paying for their mortgage. So we give everyone a job to collect on these payments.. in return allowing everyone to pay themselves.

8. Consumer credit further restricted by lenders and late payments and defaults on
credit cards rise sharply. So credit card companies tank, and the world of credit is restructered and revoked temporairily, while people in America learn to spend what they actually have. A new fangled idea in the states has emerged.

9. The Federal Reserve keeps interest rates just above zero, so that everyone has more money to spend at the bar.

10. Worries about falling prices earlier in the year turn to realization that there is no science to economics... but complete BS & Philibustering/speculation.

Chicks- Check out these books

2008-12-31T11:03:00.000-08:00

Just a quickie:

As a lover of all books, fashion & purses, cupid shot an arrow through my heart when I spied this magical link on twitter the other day.
These old books - turned handbags are another great accessory that could be marketed in all kinds of boutiques. I could just see these at places like Three Monkey's, down in NW Portland, Gypsy Chic, Moxie or Local 35. I wonder if Target would jump on the band wagon? But then you know, they wouldn't bother using books, they'd just mass produce fake handbags from made to look like old books.

I better get an authentic one before that happens right?

http://vimeo.com/2657688

For some reason the video wouldn't embed correctly... so you can check them out at the above link, or the title to the blog, will take you to the website. I'll try to see if I can get the correct code later.

Arguments, hypocrites & Pettiness

2008-12-12T12:35:00.000-08:00

Wow-
I've been a fan of Tim Ferriss's book The Four Hour Work Week, along with his blog.
I don't "live by" his advice. I think he has some very fresh and "clever" ideas. Some of them are recycled, painted new.. but at least he takes the time to analyze, test share.
I think it's important to read as much as possible, and make your own educated decisions on how to go on about your business in a day to day fashion.

I hadn't looked at Ferriss's blog for quite awhile, and when searching for it, I came across this "Texas start-up blog", completely bashing Ferriss and actually accusing him of "ruining lives"

For maturity sake, where is the real critical dialogue? OHMYGOD! Are you serious I thought? This is another negative person/victim, blaming someone else for the lack of accountability people carry upon themselves.

Seriously, have you ever been given advice, that you KNOW won't work for your exact situation, but figured you'd test it anyway? Right? How on earth is it another persons fault that you decided to FOLLOW the advice that you know wasn't right for you, or that it just didn't make sense or work out? Accountability people. Just like anything in life. School, work, relationships. Trial & Error. Every mistake leads to a success. I just think it's hilarious when you have people taking the time to "bash" others for stepping outside of the box, regardless of if it's right or wrong. Annnnnd who is anyone to JUDGE. I get really passionate about that topic, if you haven't noticed from my previous blogs. When one is striving for greatness, who gave anyone else the right to judge your life. Why not take a look at yourself, and what you could be doing better? Go research or learn something valuable to add depth your life.

I don't think that everyone could follow Ferriss's advice down to a "T" and have it work. For one thing.. I'm a chick (Ding ding.. first inclination that each person needs to mold information to fit for them.. HELLO) If anything I give Kudo's to Ferris for sharing his tests, theories and ideas. What works for me doesn't always work for all situations (even strikingly similar ones).

Here is an excerpt from this Texas Start-up blog (ok.. I'm going to be a COMPLETE hypocrite here for a second and laugh at the fact that it's a Texas start up.. I mean the most arrogant state in the country...oops did I just say that? me & my pettiness... damn.)
"I think The Four Hour Work Week is, at its core, a perfect example of what is wrong with America today....We as American’s need to take a long hard look at ourselves and figure out why we were put here on earth. Why were we given all of these advantages? Luke 12:48 commands, “To whom much is given, much is expected.” Just as ‘hard work’ is a virtue, laziness is one of the seven deadly sins. Maybe you can get everyone else to do you work (and play), but just maybe you were put on this earth for a higher purpose. Maybe the act of hard work is an end to itself? I am not sure why, but something about Timothy’s ideas about work scare me..... (Savage-girl response: Ok REALLY? Lets take a critical look at what this texas blogger is saying... that only "hard work" <-- as in time consuming labor? is what is expected out of us? Do you think Tim Ferris is telling everyone to cut down to a 4-hour work week, in order to be lazy and sit around with that extra 36 hours?) Has he not seen the FUNDRAISING that has been developed with Ferriss's extra amount of time, the physical endurance tests he's given himself, the brain teasers, the challenges, the research, the writing... all of these things that Ferriss and many others can now do with their OWN time. How are those things not worthy in "God's" eyese. How is that not a worthy expectation for another human to spend time, 1) having fun with life, 2) helping others seek & learn, & 3) challenging themselves & others for the greater good? Has he really read the entire book and followed any of the blogs? Our Texan goes on to complain...
"Take for example how Tim uses a team in India to ‘manage his love life, arranging more than 30 dates with 30 different women in 2 days. As Tim Warren points out, “Doesn’t that seem like an arrogant and grimly functional approach to dating?” Really? Are we really to busy to screen and schedule dates? Come on."

HA .. so what? Does this person not realize that there is an "Eastern" culture outside of the US, which flourishes with arranged marriages? Surprisingly many of them work.. well. What is so arrogant about trying to find a match this way, when the old western "tried and true" of romance has not worked for him?
To be honest. I don't think I would approach romance in this way, but I can't knock it. I actually had a friend join Match.com 3 different times over the course of 2 years. She went on nearly 200 dates. She is very attractive, educated, funny, professional etc... and she ended up meeting her new husband this way, and married by age 30. That was her plan. She is truly happy, and who am I to judge? What is the difference between having a team of people in India set this type of matchmaking up, or using a system like E-Harmony or match?
All I can say is, if you're going to blog to bash... think about what you are bashing. Is it really worth the effort? or could you have spent the time in a more positive and VALUABLE state of mind to continue bettering yourself?

If my life is as it should be...

2008-11-18T00:14:00.000-08:00

And no one else is going to stand in judgement of it... then why do I?

Oh sociologically we could analyze that all day long. I don't want to act all "bourgeois" and pretend I have nothing better to do than make sure I appear as though I'm one of those ultra trendy, organically clothed, black coffee drinking deep thinkers, who scoffs at the dinginess that so poignantly surrounds my soul at times... (whhhhaaat?)

Ha ha, I'm such a hypocrite for that statement aren't I?

Jeez, my point is pondering "The Question" you know the one.. the question of life. My life.. (or your life.. we are human and ofcourse inherently will think of ourselves first).

I read an interesting article recently by Po Bronson, writer for the magazine Fast Company.
Po ended up interviewing 900 "ordinary" people who he says "dared to be honest with themselves" and for 2 years spent a vast amount of time with the incredible 70 that he narrowed down to what he believes is humans... living their life with purpose (well, my words, not his..which if you want to check out the article go here .

The Question (remember, about your life?) is what stirred Bronson into this search, he gained some pretty amazing insight, and I love that he shares it with his readers in such a worldly, yet earnest style. It does remind me of Napolean Hill's search, and scientific "lab" type study of the wealthiest people in the world. The difference this time is that Bronson is trying to take "money" out of the equation as a driving force. I wonder how he came up with his criteria for narrowing down the 900 to 70, and if he chose virtues that he was moved by, or that were strictly self apparent in life style.

Either way it got me thinking, and that was the goal, right?

So back to my question.. why do I judge myself, even though I've gotten past ( or have I.. do I dare even ask?) the idea of others judging me? I suppose I couldn't completely. Wouldn't that be impossible? I strive for it... but I get bored and I know that what constantly runs through my head is "I don't want to give the wrong impression". What impression is that exactly?
That I'm not strong?
That I'm not Smart?
I'm not witty?
I'm not a leader?
I'm not, I'm not I'm not... YUCK....

No- I have changed my thinking over the years and I am extremely positive. I am a leader, I am passionate, I love to connect with people and help them figure out "The Question" for themselves... but have I even come CLOSE to answering it myself?
I think this blog is not just about leaving my old ideas of career behind and taking risks... it really is about transparency... evolving and really figuring out what the heck I'm doing here. LOL
You're all thinking "JOIN THE CLUB" right?

Eh.. we're all the same in so many ways huh? I have to really question sometimes if making a huge impact IS was I really have always wanted. I thought it was, but is that because I'm a smart girl who cares about people... and it sounds good? Or is it true? What part is true and to what extent, with out becoming so self indulgent, or even selfless that I become a cliche?

Ahh- fun questions to ponder. I feel like I'm 14 years old again.

I'll have to get back on this one, for now it's late and I don't have the energy.

Fashionista...

2008-10-30T19:19:00.000-07:00

One of my friends/ex colleague, calls me up now & again in need of a fashionista to go shopping with him. He cares about appearances... but is also somewhat of a mama's boy who rely's on a women's opinion to make sure he's dressed well for the other ladies ; )

This last trip was about an hour an a half long. So after about 7 or 8 pair jeans, a small stack of shirts and jackets... our guy walked out a happy man, with a few new key essentials. I like helping my friend out because he's a good listener. He does have somewhat his own sense of style, and it gives me good feedback for what he likes... but he doesn't argue too many styles, he's willing to try something out. He's basically one of the best guys to shop for, plus he doesn't have a difficult body type. For being a man that is definately a few years older than what he looks like, I'd say he's one lucky SOB. All the ladies could wish their boyfriends or husbands were this easy.

I took the ultimate compliment when a mutual colleague of ours made a comment to me last week that he was surprised at how stylish my friend was on casual days, and that he really liked his jeans. (yes I got him to finally wear the tight Buffalo ones...hee hee)

WHOO HOO! People have been noticing! I glowed like a proud teacher... ahh..

Shopping for someone else, and giving them your undivided attention, can take a toll on you after awhile. I realized that I need to CHARGE for this!

My friend & I came up with $50 per hour and $80 for 2 hours.
I have no idea if anyone would actually take me up on this... but I figure, why not? I've had multiple people ask me to go shopping with them, to help pick out clothes. It's kinda fun, like dressing up your dolls when you're a kid... but it's also time consuming, which is something I don't have plenty of. So I'm going to run some ads on craigs list and see if there are any biters?
Gosh, if I were paid to do this... I would LOVE it, and I'm sure the person I'd be dressing would as well!

New day again.. been awhile?

2008-10-29T15:48:00.000-07:00

I'm convincing myself to be super positive. Ever since I left my "safety net" or back-up plan called banking over a year ago... (which some of you can go back to that original post last year...)

I have had such a positive and scary experience all at once. It feels sort of like the end of the begining, if that makes any sense at all?

A quick background on me....(for those who don't want to have to go back through the archive).

I put myself through college working in banking.. always considered that my back up, but had much loftier goals than that. Most of it was about having an impact on a lot of people.. through a campaign that I believed in, or some miracle company I was going to dream up. Who knows. I had no idea. I did get on the right track and landed an AMAZING internship.. and later job in the House of Commons, Parliament UK. This was after the war had started, though, and our American dollar was really suffering in London. On a starving post grad student's salary.. and sometimes NO salary, I could no longer afford my blissful lifestyle in London : (A pretty good job offer landed in my lap back in Portland.. and that's where the real fun/chaoticness started. After a whirlwind romance with a charming hawaiian looking surfer boy, ended up with me crying the day of my Buddhist/Cambodian wedding, whilist 4 months pregnant, I thought to myself.. THIS IS NOT WHERE I was headed a year ago!!! What happened to me?!

Ahh, but I made a valiant effort, even tied myself down to a mortgage... only to realize after a "hi-five" to my surfing "buddhist hubbie" (although we never made it legal) that we were done playing house... financially it was crushing to separate, but for the emotional and mental well being of the 3 of us we knew it was the wisest decision. 2 years later, we are great friends, that co-parent as a team with common goals, a HAPPY, loving, disciplined and beautiful little 4 year old. I look at her in awe everyday over her resiliance, capabilities, innocence and beauty of a half asian/irish wee one.

So here I am today... Going back for my Master's of Urban Planning, with an emphasis in either energy or real estate development. I am amidst trying to launch another company with brilliant partners (doctor, NIKE/Intel software developers, and a advisor who worked on the Russian Missile crisis negotiations during the Regan administration, and has founded or advised other companies listed on NYSE).I am nothing but excited over the experience... My master's will relate to my new company's endeavors- but ofcourse will serve as a back up plan once again, in case I need to actually get a day job again.

Until then... I am working like everyone else on here, for multiple sources of income and looking past just Financial Stability (which MUST occur sooner than later!) in order for my "cup runeth over" I feel like I can be the best advocate, leader, listener, motivater, friend, business partner, family member, mother when I have more than enough to share with and inspire others...

Feel free to contact me with any tips or your own experience! I am really looking forward to my new path... one that I've been eyeing and dancing around for awhile, attempting to walk down.. but jumping off here and there, out of fear. This time I'm staying and I'm sure it'll be worth it.

How to Test-Drive Friends and Irritate People (art of irritation.. or just finding humor in the every day)

2007-11-26T22:08:00.001-08:00

Here are some tips given by Timothy Ferriss, author of New York Times Best Seller THE FOUR HOUR WORK WEEK, on the art of irritation
Sometimes you need to make friends and influence people (The Story of my LIFE).
Other times, you should just test drive them and push their buttons. The art of irritation can, in fact, be just as valuable as the art of persuasion. How so? Let’s start with the problem: people are good liars and actors… up to a point.What if it were possible to fast-forward relationships, whether with new friends, business partners, or romances? To get past the honeymoon facade of niceties and see their true tendencies underneath all it all?"

"Adversity doesn’t primarily build character—it reveals it…Therefore, by putting someone under pressure or in an adverse situation, you can pull back the covers and get a glimpse of what’s in store a few weeks or months down the line."
"Here are a few options for doing your own behavioral cross-referencing with a new potential friend, partner, or mate.
1. Meet them for dinner or lunch at an appointed time, and indicate upon their arrival that you made a mistake and set the reservation for 30 minutes prior. See how they respond to the change in plans. (Testing: how they contend with mistakes on your part)

2. Same as 1, but tell them that the reservation was accidentally made for 30 minutes after their arrival. Alternatively, travel with them and purposefully orchestrate things so that you miss a bus or train. Obviously, you then fix the problem and cover costs. (Testing: how they deal with waiting and unexpected changes in plans)
(Savage-girl's response)
This reminds me of when my friend Fabian came up from Portland to visit last month, while riding the train around downtown and tromping through markets and street shops the day was wearing on us and we couldn't find the Duct tape wallets!. Were we tired or stressed out from the long day? NOOOO In fact we were laughing the entire time... Especially when we happened upon this photo opp taken by Gesenia..... This is why we love MAX

3. Take them to a restaurant with good food but bad service. (Testing: how diplomatically they contend with and resolve incompetence, which is the default mode of the universe)

4. Invite them to an event or function and then profusely apologize when you realize you’ve forgotten your wallet. Offer to repay them later or treat them the next time out. (Testing: how they relate to money issues. Wonderful people sometimes turn into irrational monsters as soon as even a few dollars are involved. It drives me crazy to keep a running ledger of who owes whom for a few dollars here and there, especially in social settings. Repaying the favor is mandatory, but dwelling on differences of pennies is tiring.)

5. Take them somewhere extremely crowded where they’ll be inadvertently bumped, preferably where they are exposed to people of different races and of lower socio-economic classes. Large outdoor markets are good, as are subways during rush hour. (Testing: biases against specific races and social classes, which are usually fast to emerge after there is any physical contact.)

6. Explore the most controversial topics until you find something the two of you disagree on. Ask them to explain why people have the opposing viewpoint. I use this mostly for potential romantic partners and potential travelmates. (Testing: how well they listen and both consider and summarize points-of-view or feelings opposite their own. I always look for both friends and girlfriends who fight well. Not in the physical sense, but in the intellectual and emotional sense. If I travel with one of my best friends for even a week straight, there will be times when we butt heads and fight. It’s inescapable. In those cases, are they civil and good at listening and finding compromises? Good at identifying common ground, picking their battles, and laughing off the unimportant? Or, do they lose control of their emotions and make hurtful personal attacks or generalizations? Do they use guilt or other negative emotions instead of taking time to discuss things logically? Hold grudges?)

"Needless to say, I’m not recommending you cram all of these into a single meeting (not unless you want a punch in the mouth), but the premise is simple: life is both too long and too short to suffer through toxic relationships. The sooner we have an accurate read on someone, the better.Rather than hoping for the best and getting trapped in relationships you are unwilling to end due to guilt and inertia, you can test drive using a few specific situations and get a taste of what’s in store. I realized how revealing the above scenarios were while traveling, as they came up organically with the inevitable mix-ups and occasional bouts of bad luck. The question then became: can you go about glimpsing someone’s true personality in a more reliable way? That said, there is no need to orchestrate bad service at a restaurant, for example, if you can achieve the same end doing something fun but uncontrolled. A good long weekend of getting lost with someone will reveal most of the character you need to see. Just ensure you expose them to adverse conditions or awkward situations"

"Most people spend more time planning their weekends than their relationships. Don’t make that mistake. You are the average of the 5 or so people you associate with most. Choose wisely."

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Don't worry bout what you don't know

2007-11-26T19:57:00.000-08:00

Been Awhile.
WOW... I have procrastinated.
Here is a list of what I've done in the last 4-5 months...

Put together a summer music series
CANCELLED the summer music series
Was tempted back into banking/business development, not once but three times a lady...
Didn't do it
Lost my wallet in San Francisco... talk about a ME thing to do.. took an hour for a security clearance in the airport.
Been accused of being BRILLIANT... but when I screw up, man , I screw up huge (whatever would this person be referencing...the world may never know)
Put all my music/art consulting on hold
Partnered up with a Doctor and a small group of IT guys to come up with a new business plan, having to to do with Real estate and lending
In the middle of locking an investor with our new Business plan/model/executive summary/marketing plans
Currently looking for $700,000- Any takers? contact me and I'll give you the executive summary... (real estate/lending lead generation etc... AMAZING.. I'm tellin ya)
Trying to lose weight, as I know O magazine or WIRED is going to be contacting me in a few months for a personal interview and photo shoot... Gotta look good for the camera!
Did a couple 5 & 10k short marathons... nothing to write home about...but hey I did em.
Rapped (yes rap..like 50 Cent) my food order to a waiter...something about pad thai, and him needing to check his fly...
Read the Four Hour Work Week...www.fourhourworkweek.com KUDOS! (or as my friend Terri would say HOLLER- not to be confused with HOLLAH)
Fantasizing daily about my next trip to Europe (next SPRING), and my house somewhere in Panama, Costa Rica, Belize, or Buenos Aires...
Made the decision to do more jumps this snowboarding season.. quit wimping out on them.
Waking up every day grateful that I'm focused on what I want to be doing with my present and future, and not looking back out of fear of the unknown...

Don't let anyone talk me out of this : )

2007-07-09T13:59:00.000-07:00

It's been nearly two months since I wrote anything.

I have been entirely too excited and burnt out to do anything! My vision is still pretty clear... and unfortunately with the lack of funds that occurred 3 months ago... I have had to take on some other work that is keeping me (time wise) from building my business.. but it will be providing ample funds to put 100% focus into it... within about 6-9 months.

That is the plan. I am not waivering on it at all. I am just ready to begin and devote 100% to this... I will very soon. I'm learning so much about time management... and realizing that what I want to do is something I can not do alone. I need people's advice, ideas, help/planning/work. I can not believe how big this vision of mine has gotten. It has to be done.

I almost wish that there was something like it.. identical in fact, in another city in which I could go and copy.. C'mon- do I really seem like the girl to "re-invent" the wheel? But where the heck is this wheel? We all know that it's recognized to be a pioneer of something.. but the pioneer is usually the guy paving the way for everyone else to succeed... not as much as themselves. It's almost as if they are building the vision and dreams for others, yet I want to reap the rewards of this, not just pave it for everyone else!

Grr...

Art, music, photography, design... those are all the aspects of this idea I want to surround myself with.

I am planning on building a consulting firm, which supports local (NW based) Art, relating to all areas. We all know the mantra "Think Global, Support Local".

I need to find my niche though. I have lots of potential clients that would love to work with me and I still can't figure out who and what to charge. For some I just set up contracts to be paid on commission for business accounts developed. Meaning I don't get paid til my client (the artist) gets paid. A lot of what I want to do though is consulting.... and I need enough money to live on for 6 months to a year while I'm getting the business development side set up...

So I'm working with contacts still @ Umpqua Bank for the summer concert in support of local music. Thats going well, other than bands who have been together for at least 2 years + were breaking up right before we are scheduling the concert. Learning that some art forms can be a dime a dozen... even when you think you've found a rare coin. You realize the coin itself doesn't really care that its rare.
Interesting.
I have a few other clients I've started relationships with, I unfortunately have to spend my time making money to get this spaceship off the ground. It can be very frustrating.

Then let the good times roll.
I can NOT wait for this to fully form. The only reason I am waiting is my lack of time...

"The number one problem that keeps people from winning today is the lack of belief in themselves."

Well I decided a few months ago to stop contributing to that problem. : )

Day by day

2007-05-11T19:46:00.000-07:00

Well, I am still not launched, fully, nor will I be in June. I do not mind however! I have full plans to be launched within 6 months- come rain or come shine.
My overzealous nature is learning a lot about making sure this isn't some slap stick operation. I'm learning all kinds of things about web development... lingo like Perl & Python (outside of our narrow view of html & java) and ruby.. and ruby on rails are actually starting to make sense to me. I feel like when I'm "interviewing" web developers to assess if their tricks and tools will be worthy of my pocket book I actually am starting to sound like I know what I'm talking about (well maybe it's just a few ingrediants I have down such as SEO, tracking e-commerce BLABLABLA and the rest is bullshit) Ha. I might sound like I'm getting the hang of it, but it's more like a hang nail on my thumb is what I get.. At least I'm aware of this and I'm still at it. Every day my vision gets more clear and every day I'm getting more excited. I've thought of two other projects I'm going to tackle once I get the company off the ground and it's mind boggling that steam isn't coming out of my head... or maybe it's just invisible. : )

So all I'm doing now, is continuing to research.... deal with a "I'll be three in June" little person who needs a lot of my attention and trying to create marketing plans for my existing clients... oh yeah I'm thinking about doing some VERY time consuming financing as a way to generate the income I need for this huge website investment I'm doing. I already know it will generate all the cash I need, I just hate taking time away from what I really want to be doing. Oh well... it IS an investment and I'm going to give myself 6 months of doing this financing. Once 6 months comes, I'm done with it regardless of how much I have for my website and other investments needed to really launch this with a little dignity.

Other than getting bogged down some times with the how.. and obviously juggling a 2 year old's demands (which I feel like I'm her slave sometimes). I am LOVING life. I can not begin to explain the freedom of expression and control I have over my life right now and I am so happy to share this with everyone, and continue to be inspired by all of my friends and family's support and insight.... as well as stranger's.

The big picture is so exciting when I think about launching. I can not WAIT to promote my company. I was sitting with a friend at the Green Room on 23rd & Thurman the other night, listening to Stephan Ashbrook. My friend was making fun of me because I normally walk up to people anytime to introduce myself or talk to them and I wanted to talk to Stephan SO badly about what I was doing and to give him a heads up. Instead I was hemming about it... but at the same time I feel silly when I'm not ready to really promote it yet. I don't want to sound like some re re saying "Hi I'm like... so in love with your music.. I'm starting a company and I if you are interested I can help you with publicity and or sales! I don't have a card on me, and I don't have a website either.. my space? No I haven't done anything... But don't forget about me!"
How awful!
The only reason I don't have any of those things is because of how freaking cautious I am being. I've realized the value of putting more of my focus on working with my currently clients and doing a great job with them, before I can bite off more than I can chew... SO instead what do I say to Stephan Ashbrook? "Can you please play whiskey and a gun?" He smiled ever so genuinely and says no worries.. I'll play "Scotch and a Hand gun next (wink)"

AHHH!! I'm such an ass. Grrr...

Update to a former Boss/ now friend

2007-04-27T14:32:00.000-07:00

(He asked me in the latest email) How are the the kid and the hubby?

My email response which seems to be a decent update:
AHH I swear I thought I told you that "Yat " and I separated. Maybe I didn't. Who knows. We are good friends though and I'm very close to his family.
How much does a supervisor/manager make under you? Ha ha... no I am starting my own company, going after what I really want. I have no idea where and how I'm going to make lots of money. BUT I WILL!!! Hahahaha! I'm in a really good mood about it. I have my house/ mortgage payment, and Gwendolyn so I can't just up and leave for a job across the country... especially BUFFALO (What the hell would I do in Buffalo, besides freeze?) in addition to the fact that I want to be my own boss now.

I'm really excited about my new company. I'm calling it Savage Artists. Essentially It will be a consulting firm, providing creative solutions (connections) for all artists in the Northwest, specifically Portland, Grass roots. I have two clients right now, but I don't get paid until I produce for them, so I am scrambling! I'm currently working on a proposal with Umpqua Bank, for Savage Artists to present (and Umpqua, along with other merchants) sponsor a summer concert series for Local bands, it will be a fundraiser for 2 large local charities in which all proceeds will go to (other than my cut for organizing it).

I am also working as a gatekeeper, business developer for an outstanding but very small design firm based out of Bellingham Washington.

Once I have some projects completed with these guys I will be launching my website, which I am working with another small Portland design company on...
My goal is to create a website, similar to Craigs list..( well not QUITE so community based, but it will have a similar feel) - specifically for Northwest Artists. I will have a gallery for fine artists and photographers, I will have an events/promo and booking area for bands and links to designers and photographers. It will be a semi-community website, however, I have to make money somehow, so I will be paid commissions on services rendered, organized through me, products sold, events organized and booking and promoting of musicians and other artists. I will be promoting and fundraising for charities in Portland as well. I haven't figured out if I'm going LLC or non-profit yet....

My business plan isn't really off the ground yet, so as you can see I'm somewhat floundering my way through all of this... BUT I love it!!!! We'll see where this goes!!

Quit planning for a minute?

2007-04-20T10:57:00.000-07:00

Business plan, SOFTWARE, set up, organization... contact list, database, estimated costs. Yeah Yeah yeah... So I'm trying to work on all of that simultaneously and I feel like I'm spinning my wheels. I think it's because my other two sources of income are STILL in question, so I'm freaking myself out a little.

I can liquidate a couple small stocks, BUT I really need that for the business as leverage... not living expenses. So yeah, I am trying to figure out two huge obstacles while getting this off the ground.

I talked to my brother the other day and he basically encouraged me to take a moment from the planning and setting up, to just DOING it... We are all brainwashed into thinking that everything has to be ready and perfect before we take action... but it doesn't. I still don't even have my website up yet! Yeah, I need to get on that. I honestly don't think I've put it up, because I am not ready to sort out the content yet, I'm getting a feel for how I'm going to do this.

I put myself out there, checked around on craig's list, posted some services and I already have my first client! Not a musician, but a small design firm in Washington. Now how do I produce something for them? They loved my "fabulous" resume as mentioned many times (HA HA). I'm a networker and sales person. I can sell anything I'm passionate about. This design firm has got amazing talent. I love their work and I can get a little critical when it comes to design. I know what I like. Well I don't have much time for this blogging, so I've got to get on this.

I'm hoping once my finances get sorted out a little more I will be able to be a bit more linear in my thinking (I hope?) We will wait and see!

My KEY to success???

2007-04-09T12:07:00.000-07:00

Two of my sources of income, for the next six months are up in the air. I can go on believing that it will all work out, but reality is, I need to KNOW that my mortgage will be paid... etc.
I try not to think of myself as a control freak (try is emphasized here). It is very difficult for anyone to find out that what they thought was their plan... could disintegrate right before your very eyes! I really don't need that stress right now.

I can be that fluffy white cloud dreamer, but you can't pretend that it's not raining, when you are drenched...

Instead of hoping and believing for the best I decided to go on this Interview that ANOTHER bank was recruiting me for!! Ha, I know you're all rolling your eyes thinking, "What?! I thought she just went off on a tangent about not being stuck in banking!" I know, I know! I felt like I was betraying myself just by telling them that I'd come to meet with them. I didn't even know for what position!

I'll tell you why I did it though.
This bank actually has a phenomenal reputation in the banking and entrepreneurial industry, very unique, very simplistic. I have honestly NEVER heard anything negative about them (kind of odd for a bank) They are not aggressive. They seem to be the "silent, but deadly" type.

I was still skeptical... NO, I'm going after MY passions now. I talked to a couple friends Saturday night when I was out for a Birthday party. The couple was very supportive of what I was doing. One of them is a bank manager for Bank of America and the other a chick who has worked her way up the corporate ladder and travels around the west coast doing presentations and speaking for large audiences. They loved my passion. Then I mentioned that this other bank was trying to recruit me and the other bank manager just gave me this look. The "that is a really good bank, are you sure you want to pass them up?" look.

No! Don't do this to me "C"! He encouraged that I might be able to do both at the same time. I didn't really see it that way. I started getting worried that I'd go on this interview, get offered a good amount of money and give in, because I am currently worried about my two other sources of income.

I went on the interview. Amazing! They talked about all the things I really was passionate about. Community involvement, relationships, culture. The woman interviewing me came from the same company I just left. She understood! I don't want to be tied to my branch. I want to be involved in the community. I love coaching people, but I'm a net worker at heart. The management position they want me for is 50-70% networking. She told me some really personal stories on how they take care of their employees. Things that made me get warm fuzzy's.

I was still skeptical, I've heard some of this feel good crap from corporations before. I started asking for examples, ways they promote and measure these objectives. They actually had them. Management reviews were a qualitative approach, they actually measure my review for a large part based on how involved in the community I am, and the community's response to me. Of course there are some numbers in play, but they look at the other part first. I want accountability here guys, and I find it hard to believe that they would flat out lie.

It would be nice to have my benefits while I'm trying to get my start-up off the ground.

They already have a great location in mind for me... They confirmed my minimum offer for the job (which sounds like I may get)

I called my brother... what do I do?? I don't want to give in!
"B" made some great points- I am young, I am just starting out... I can create my business development for the bank surrounding the art fields that I need to build contacts with. I will have a flexible schedule. I can use volunteering in Gwendolyn's preschool (once she gets to that age) as my volunteer time through the company (which is required by ALL management!).

I already told this company that I am starting this up, and they loved it! It's not a conflict of interest by any means, and as my brother pointed out, I may be able to create banking relationships for this bank through the work I'm doing on my start-up.

After the last week, I've realized that I only want to start with bands and musicians, but I want to expand to all arts in Portland. I may even classify it later as an Non-profit agency.

I am still excited. I am also excited about the idea of a steady income and benefits. What was I going to do about that? (I put my blinders on for a few weeks, trying not to think about anything else) Am I a sell out? One part I was really bummed about was any time taken from Gwendolyn, I got excited over the idea of being at home with her more. Even the last two weeks proved that my work load was still similar to the other bank and I was still going to need help with her during the day.

So maybe I'm selling myself the idea? (Am good at convincing people of ideas.. including myself).
I just have to believe that my positive energy is only going to bring good, and what is right for me.

Well I have a ton to work on, Enough of this blogging. I am still working on my business plan and tweaking it. I'll probably post it on here for suggestions.

Thanks for reading.

Day 2

2007-04-04T16:29:00.000-07:00

Alright,
So I've really got my work cut out for me.
The hardest part for me is not to get ahead of myself. I'm trying to get organized, research, and get started all simultaneously. Call me a kamakaze, I feel like the tazmanian devil sometimes until my brain turns off and I end up just blankly staring off into space while the left over caffeine from Java Nation is still vibrating through my body...

Today I went to what I thought was my ORIENTATION to pick up some bartending shifts at one of the largest venues in Portland. I need to supplement my income for the next 6 months in addition to what I've already got and I really need the tips.

Well I show up and realize its actually an INTERVIEW! Ha ha, I didn't even realize this until "K" says, ok, well we are interviewing all day and I'll call you Tuesday.
I'm thinkin "Huh?" I thought I HAD the job! Only because the communication was not clear and one of my closest friends supplements her income by bartending one night a week. Me and my assuming mind always get into trouble.

I told these guys how I was overqualified for the job, but earnestly explained that I don't want to be in banking anymore. Told them about my campaign work again... mentioned all the right Stuff on my "fabulous" resume...lol
I then told them that I really need the in, because I'm trying out this start-up and I'm really excited. Ofcourse I would work hard, thats what I do- but I really need this.

I then sent him a polite email explaining that if I didn't get this position then I would bug them until I did get something. I'm very determined.

I hope I didn't piss them off. Ooops.

SOOO I left that venue and went to a few other large venues around Portland gathering contact names and phone numbers. Most of the people were surprisingly nice. The funny part is I finally grabbed a publication that listed alphabetically all the contact info I needed, so I didn't really need to stop by those places- but I figure this is business development (even though I don't even have a name or business cards yet) I just need people to like me!

I checked out some of my competitions websites and myspace - Pfsssshhh, I can do sooo much better and offer MANY more services. My biggest obstacle is one of these guys has been booking and presenting bands for over 10 years... I'm like a 2nd grader to him.

So you can see that I was pretty much all over the place today.

Tonight I'll be writing out my to do list such as the books I need, researching the software I need, a new computer, fax line etc... Setting up my database in google-
Analyzing my costs, then figuring out exactly how to add that into my budget which already includes a mortgage and too many student loans...

Deep breath,

I can DO This.. I need Organization!!! If I can manage a bank and lobbying teams, I can do this, right?

Today is first day of the rest of my life, or is that tomorrow?

2007-04-03T19:26:00.000-07:00

I feel like some crazy person! I'm going to start my own business... yeah yeah, the chances of it being successful are one in a ten thousand, right? Most businesses fail in the first 2 years... or so many are brainwashed to believe.

According to Why not not start a start-up They blew those age (or maybe 20-30 year old) sayings out the window. Y Combinator, which hosts essay's from University of California at Berkeley claimed that 4 out of 8 start-ups they followed for nearly two years were successful. "So here is an even more striking statistic: 0% of that first batch had a terrible experience. They had ups and downs, like every startup, but I don't think any would have traded it for a job in a cubicle. And that statistic is probably not an anomaly. Whatever our long-term success rate ends up being, I think the rate of people who wish they'd gotten a regular job will stay close to 0%." - http://www.paulgraham.com/notnot.html

So that guys, tells you a lot.
I have been a branch manager for (ahem) the 6th largest bank in the nation for the last year, and regardless of how great and admirable of a company it is, I can't stomach the thought of working "for the man" anymore.
A friend of mine said "M, you are going to find your dream job. I just know it" I argued with her, telling her no, I'll find another job that gives me valuable experience in a creative industry, but it won't be my dream job (I'm sorry guys but regardless of my enthusiasm, how excited can I REALLY get over direct deposit and overdraft fee income?) because it isn't out there, I don't want to work for anyone else anymore. I want to run my own consulting firm eventually, or just be an investor. In my perfect world I'd be heading my own campaigns for possibly non-profit or at least some cause that I really believed in. I'd still be the boss, but as any of my branch employees would tell you (and my former boss) My employees would have one helluvah fun time with me.

I got a little bummed, trying to figure out how I was going to make my break from banking in finance to pursue a more creative outlet. Other than writing, I am not an artist. I am not super talented in the fine arts (I can hold my own) I am not a musician (I can play piano, but playing by ear and no patience to practice isn't saying much). I do have an ear and an eye for beauty. I am an idea person and I can sell my ideas. I am passionate and I want to help people.
I knew deep down I was the creator of my destiny, I just kept being wishy washy about what it was...Law school? No, knowing me I'd pass the bar and opt to become a photographer. Writing? Thats a hobby, I have to make my money somewhere else first...

I even put together this fabulous resume. I designed it like a magazine article, or newsletter. I thought wow... who is this person? I want to meet her! I outlined my work in parliament's house of commons in london and lobbying in D.C. bragged about my leadership skills. I mean I was really full of myself in this piece of work. After sending it to a couple PR firms I actually called my mom a day later and said "umm.. yeah, why is no one calling me? can't they see how great I am, I mean whats there not to be impressed by?" LOL. My mom laughed at me.

I laughed too. I know I'm great. Not that great, but kinda. lol.

I felt like I had so much potential that I wasn't living up to! I mean... I remember being a college level student body president, working 30 hours a week for another bank, maintaing a full school schedule, a boyfriend and a fairly active social life. What the hell happened to me?
Life happened...I got recruited back into my "back-up" plan.

Well I'm done with that. At 26 years old, I'm too young to be working my "Back-up" plan.

I've helped people with PR and marketing ideas, hell I've volunteered free time for locals, non profit documentary, music etc.... I asked another band I knew of if they needed any PR help the other day and they jumped at the chance.
HELLOOOO
I love PR, I love image, I love music, I love helping others succeed.
HELLOOOO
I want to run a consulting firm, I want to own lots of real estate
I want to be an impact on the community...
HELLOOOO
Am I an idiot giving it all away for free?

DUh, so I'm going to put together my business plan, get ahold of my contacts (which of course there are many) get my fabulous software together and try launching my first of many business ventures. Grass roots booking agency for local bands. Aha! A hobby that I would love to do full time.

This is going to effect my life in so many ways that I really don't feel like talking about right now....
But I've decided I'm not going to waste any more time.

This "M" is the first day of the rest of your life.... muwhahahaha!!

I'll keep you all updated on this tulmultuous, but aspired ride.