It is a BIG relief to have it done. It is also motivating me to finish other unfinished business on my many Internet projects. I feel like this opened up the doors to get my other Internet projects going again.

Look out Internet…here I come!

Yesterday was especially productive time spent on my 50 Hour Challenge. In addition to the time with my son, I had gotten some writing done earlier in the day and prepared some handmade American Indian jewelry to photograph. My photography is another one of my incomes streams (self-employment).

WEBSITE DEVELOPMENT AND MARKETING MEETINGS

When  Bob Schmuck and I get together we usually do the following:

• Brainstorm
• Write articles, content, intros, etc. (me)
• Submit articles to directories (Bob)
• Create/update website designs (Bob)
• Blog comment submissions (both of us)
• Plan future projects (both of us)
• Keyword research (Bob)

BASECAMP FOR WEBSITE MARKETING AND DEVELOPMENT MEETINGS

Basecamp is a free service (click on pricing, then in small print the free option is under the price boxes on the right) that is upgradeable. Yesterday we set up a Basecamp project for our work. We are going to upgrade in the future, but for now, we are using the free option. We started with having our meeting under milestones and then added a to-do list that covered everything that we did. This will be a good document of how we progressed and we will be able to evaluate the length of time until we see results from our work. The write board will be used to list ideas for future meetings.  This should help us be more efficient in the future when we meet.

One of the main reasons we want to upgrade is to be able to share files and also to be able to have more than one project.

INTERNET VENTURES UPDATE

Adsense-My Internet income from Adsense is continuing to break personal records as the results of previous Internet marketing is seen.

Jan’s Writing Services-Bob and I re-connected on Facebook with an Internet marketer that we met years ago online. He contacted me regarding doing some writing for him. I am no longer writing for Karma Snack due to inconsistencies in my delivery of articles. I’m looking forward to using what I have learned with new clients.

The re-organization of Jan’s Writing Services included working for my family first, getting new writers, setting up schedules, and only working with clients who have professional business practices. The fresh start will fit in perfectly with my re-organization. New clients won’t have unproductive practices that will need to change and I will start with a clean slate. This will be great for everyone.

(2 hours writing, 2 hours marketing,1 hour brainstorming)

TOTAL     20/50 hours

ADSENSE

Had a record month and hit $100 in a record amount of time. I can’t wait to reach the next goal of a monthly check from Google and then set the next goal of $100 per week from my Adsense income!

BIBLE STUDY

It’s amazing how a bible study, fasting, and prayer can open my life to so much! YAY for a God who is still performing miracles today!

I am full of excitement and expectation for what lies ahead this year. My 50th year is definitely MY year of jubilee!!!

With the new local searches on the Google search results pages, adding a page for Arizona was helpful. I am on the first page when searching for Orchid plants Arizona and for AZ. I think it is important to use the abbreviation in the article when working on state keywords.

We took a little break around the holidays, but my son and I work on getting together once a week. Not only do we accomplish a lot, we also get motivated. That motivation lasts the week!

I pray I always have a deep appreciation for every cent I make on line while never being satisfied with what I make. I want to be motivated to earn more and do good with what I earn on line.

Also….Jan Fran’s Redneck Yard has targeted ads again!

The UPC (United Cerebral Palsy)’s project, Ruby’s Bequest, is about ready to have the Institute of the Future do their post-game report. I had posted in Jan’s Group Home Support and here on Jan’s Ideas last April, that I was one of 10 authors chosen to be interviewed. I found out yesterday that the 5 writers that were interviewed will be featured in “Participant Profiles”.

I received a request for photos of me. I sent in several so they could choose which would meet their needs. Thank you to Rachel Lyle for her comment “….you have a beautiful spirit that shines through in your photos”.

I just added a link to the articles for samples of my writing for Jan’s Writing Services.

When the report gets published I will be posting a link to it.

Here I am writing my first post from my laptop! I’m not hooked up to the Internet right now, but my first purchase for my laptop was a flash drive so I could move things like articles and posts from my laptop to my desktop.

Lots of thanks to my son, Bob Schmuck, who helped me to get this by finding it, picking it up, repairing it, setting it up, and “financing” it (would have had to wait longer to get it if I had to wait to save for it).

So now I have freedom to write anywhere. I don’t mind that it is an older computer; it is getting me started with reaching my dream of traveling and writing and doing photography someday. For now I will “practice” on short trips and being away from home. I can figure out the best way to do things now and by the time I can be doing it regularly, it will be a smooth transition because I will have the little “bugs” worked out.

Well, I do love posting on my own blog, but I need to write my first article for pay from my laptop!!!!

It’s not about a great deal or buying a “new to me” toy, it is about being closer to my goal of being a successful full time writer. The laptop represents a big step forward. Having a laptop means I can write anywhere now!

He had to take it with him so he coud replace the keyboard and get it set up for me to use. I’ll get it back tomorrow when him or his dad bring his sister back to town. I can hardly wait and I am SO excited!

Within just a few weeks I have taken steps towards my writing goals.

1. Work 4 days at Walmart instead of 5 days
2. Have a laptop with wireless internet
3. Jan’s Writing Services started some new writing jobs

Even if I am somewhere that I cannot connect to the internet, I can write for my own projects because ones like this blog and Jan’s Group Home Support, I don’t need to do research to write.

I feel I truly am running towards my goals instead of feeling like I am shuffling along hanging onto a walker for dear life!

In a time of unemployment, I am blessed with two wage earning jobs. I am blessed with a full time job at Wal-Mart in the vision center and a part time job (that sometimes gives me full time hours) with the Easter Seals Blake Foundation as relief staff in their group homes. I am also blessed with being self-employed as a free lance writer.

Being so busy, my time to pursue the things I love to do, is limited. At times it seems like I am good at none of the things I do because I am spread thin. In addition, I am a single mom.

I know I walk the line between expanding my writing business and bringing in enough income to pay bills. I don’t want to spend the rest of my life, no matter how long or short, walking that line. This week I took the step and requested when the next schedule comes out (in three weeks) that I be scheduled 4 days a week at Wal-Mart instead of 5 days. I will still be able to maintain full time status. It is a little scary, but I remember when I was scared a couple years ago to change from working with the disabled (I had been doing it for 7 years at the time) and go into retail (Wal-Mart) for my primary wage earning job. It was a challenging move but a good one for me. I have been happy and have done well since I made that move 2 years ago. Now it is time to take another step.

I have three weeks to become organized and prepare for the changes. Working more at self-employment is taking the steps needed to become financially free. For me, financial freedom is having the CHOICE to work when and if I want to. Financial freedom is having passive income, like when I am out hiking and I come home to see my sites have brought in a substantial amount of income.

For now I will pursue self-employment to give myself more time with my daughter and time to pursue my internet projects.

I have stayed motivated as I struggled along working on making money on the internet. Actually making money is a very big motivator. This is a step towards making enough money to decrease hours at a wage earning job and eventually not having to work wage earning at all!

It is a very happy day for me and there is still about 12 more hours for clicks! By May 2008 I want to receive my second Adsense check from Google. It took me 16 months to receive my first one, when I get one in May, it will be 6 months since that first check. I hope to keep whittling away at the length of time between checks until I get one every month.