jodiet.com Blog

As is almost always the case when people venture into unchartered territory, I have had some surprises while getting my business going. Nothing has been more surprising than how the process of securing clients has felt painfully like dating. I had a “boyfriend” who assured me if I moved away, our relationship would be fine. He couldn’t promise he’d be able to come to see me any minimum number of hours but he thought he could see me a sufficient number of hours to sustain our relationship. So I moved away, but when he calls me once on a Thursday wanting me to go on an out of town trip for him the following week but I can’t because I have a business meeting scheduled, he comes to see me for two hours and I’ve heard nothing from him since. So, I wonder was it something I said or something I did? Did I anger him somehow? Did he really drop me because I couldn’t commit to a weeklong trip with slightly over four days’ notice? Did he not understand what it meant to move away? It causes me to wonder if maybe my moving away was just a convenient way to get rid of me; a way to break up without him having to summon the courage to tell me our relationship was over.

I try to preserve my self-esteem. I tell myself my boyfriend is going through some changes in his life and when he works them out, he will reach out to me again. He had a friend who was away for awhile who recently returned so perhaps he is waiting to see how much time his friend will take and when he determines how much time he has left for me, he will call. Maybe things are just slow and he doesn’t have anything for me to do. I console myself by trying to convince myself the lack of contact is just coincidence or due to some unseen and unforeseen situation he didn’t anticipate. So I try to reach out to other clients.

My “boyfriend” kindly referred me to a friend I could spend some time with in my new locale. We spend several hours together and he seems really pleased with my company. He is very complimentary and even thanks my boyfriend for the referral. But now over a week has passed and I have not heard from him. So again my doubts about myself have been stirred. Was it something I said? Something I did? Did I make a grave mistake he doesn’t want to hurt my feelings by pointing out to me? Did he find someone else? Did I spend more time than he wanted? I want to keep seeing him; I enjoyed the time and subject of our interactions. I hope he is just busy and will contact me when the more pressing situation he is working on currently resolves.

I got approximately half of the hours I would like to spend with a “boyfriend” so I’ve begun to reach out to others to see if they are interested in a “relationship” with me. I sent out some introductory letters; one returned my post-card indicating he wanted further information so I hope that yields some results. This also reminds me of dating—at least my experience with dating—in that it brings me some degree of anxiety and necessitates me shielding my self esteem. Marketing myself brings forth even more dating-type anxieties: Will he even look at me? Will he like me? Will I like him? Will he ask me out? Will he call? Will he not call? Do I want him to call? Why doesn’t he call? He said he’d call but why isn’t he calling? Will he invite me out again? And why doesn’t he call? Did I make him mad? Did I have something disgusting in my teeth? But alas, I will keep at it doing my best to do my best. I didn’t expect being in business to be easy; I knew there will be many hills and valleys, times it will be a breeze and times it will be a struggle. I will just hang in there, keep the bridge to my past boyfriend out of the flames, keep assuming any lack of contact from anyone has nothing to do with anything I did or didn’t do, and keep trying to meet new people. And hopefully it will eventually turn out like my dating past with a happy enduring marriage, though likely more polygamous.

My first month running my own combination freelance paralegal and writing business has flown. I thought I might miss my previous employer but I really haven’t. Eventually I’m sure I will begin to miss some of my co-workers but being the self-centered loner I am it takes a long time for me to begin to miss all but the most important people in my life. I have been in touch with my best friends from my prior employer so thankfully I’ve not had to endure missing them anyway. I don’t even miss the coffee. I definitely don’t miss the drama and office politics.

The only thing I do miss about my prior employer is the money. I got approximately 1/2 of my goal amount of hours which is actually pretty good considering I’ve only been in business for one month and the sure-thing client I thought I had failed to materialize. As I suspected it would be, the downside to starting my own business–and really the only con, though it is a big con–is lack of steady cash. The goal of all start-up businesses is to grow to obtain at least as much personal profit if not more than they received at their prior jobs; therefore, the hope is lack of cash will one day cease to be an issue. And for me, there have been so many positives they have so far outweighed that one big powerful con. Some of those positives have been, in no particular order:

1. My work uniform consists almost entirely of comfy pants.
2. I can grocery shop during the day when the stores are less crowded and the only children present are under five years old. And they are either cute or make me chuckle and think how glad I am THOSE days are over for me.
3. I can eat breakfast and lunch whenever I want plus I have the time and convenience of being able to make healthy meals (I’m saying I COULD, not necessarily I HAVE)—but I don’t buy fast food out of desperation.
4. I’ve been able to volunteer to help plan the first annual Quad City Book Fair scheduled to take place on May 8, 2010.
5. I’ve been able to speak to Paralegal students about my experiences.
6. I got to visit a friend who has been home with her newborn on maternity leave.
7. Whenever I want to take a break to play a game on Facebook, I don’t have to worry about my computer being “monitored”.
8. The only drama I’m forced to witness is from my kids and I can send them up to their rooms if they get too unruly.
9. Quiet—at least when the aforementioned kids are at school.
10. Similarly, I can watch TV or blast music without bothering anyone except my cats.
11. I can burn candles or spray air freshener without sending anyone into an asthma attack.
12. I can swim laps during the noon adults only hour at the Y.
13. I decide what I do when I do it and how to get it done.
14. I’ve been able to actually WRITE!!!
15. When school was cancelled I didn’t have to scramble to find alternative child care.
16. I can use the restroom without someone needing me the second I sit down (again, at least when the kids are at school)
17. I was able to help my daughter find her cell phone in the snow before its battery died.
18. I can crank the thermostat up as high as I want or turn it down when I start to sweat.
19. Did I mention the lack of drama???

Though I’ve thoroughly enjoyed the extra time just meeting 1/2 of my goal hours has provided, it is time now in February to buckle down and get some more hours if I plan to make it to my trip with my husband hiking in Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado in August. So it is now time for marketing–letting lawyers and law firms know I am out here ready, willing & able to assist them with their paralegal needs. (If you happen to qualify, please see http://www.jodiet.com/ParaInnovHome.html)

This week I have been attempting to immerse myself in the early ’90s to aid a writing project. My goal is to somehow meld my experience, the world’s experience, and someone from halfway around the world’s experience from that time period into an entertaining and enlightening novel for girls. I know what I want to say but am struggling with how to say it.

The easiest part has been getting the research necessary to write the story of the person from halfway around the world. All it is taking are some visits with a good friend, holding her adorable baby and eating delicious lunches. We just chat, I let a voice recorder run and take some notes. I feel a little guilty even saying I am working–which is not so unusual because I believe most, if not all, non-writers feel we writers do not perform “real work” anyway.

Researching the world’s experience from the early ’90s with regard to my particular halfway-around-the-world’s subject’s home country has not been as easy as I thought it would have when I first embarked on this project. Her country seems almost like the forgotten step-child of world media. There are few books on the subject relative to her country’s history and their writing makes it clear the perspective is one-sided. I have skimmed through several months of local newspapers on microfilm at the library from 1990 where mentions of this country’s experience are presented as an aside or an afterthought. Our media was so preoccupied with the fall of the Berlin wall, the breakup of the Soviet Union, and later the Gulf War (all worthy stories), it seemed to have barely noticed the explosion of another, albeit geographically smaller, communist country.

Researching my own experiences of the early ’90s has not been as easy as one would think either. I do have a wonderful resource in the journals I’ve written in prolifically since 1985 but as much as I wrote, unfortunately, it would’ve been more helpful if I wrote more than I actually did. At that time, I was preoccupied with my own teenaged life to take real notice of even the more prominent world-news stories. I was impressed I even mentioned the declaration of the Gulf War in my journal. My life was focused on surviving what I now know was depression triggered by the loss of some very important loved ones from my life.

In late 1990 to the beginning of 1991, I had just realized life was going on following the death of my cousin in September, 1989, and I decided I could choose to spend the rest of my life miserable or I could choose not to. So for the ensuing couple of years I focused on playing the role of the carefree teenager by dating, going out and having fun as well as realizing my dream of going away to college, a goal I foolishly believed would erase everything wrong with my life (which maybe in a way it eventually did but that musing is for another day).

My ventures in the dating world at that time were grossly inadequate. I had three “boyfriends” during that time period. I designate the word boyfriend as fictional by enclosing it in quotes because I don’t think there was one of them that was what I think of as a traditional boyfriend — i.e. the boy asks you out, you go somewhere like the movies, he kisses you goodnight at the end of the evening, calls you later, asks you out again, etc., etc. My dates with the first one consisted almost exclusively of going for evening walks and talking on the telephone. The second one most resembled a boyfriend but I asked him out first to a turnaround dance (where girls take the boys). My third “boyfriend” was essentially a lesson that the notion of a “friend with benefits” just does not work. I scarred all three of these boys so badly they left the state and/or country without contacting me again; and only the third left without promising me he WOULD keep in contact with me. So that was my life in the early ’90s along with many of the other typical experiences of girls in their last three years of high school.

My work thus far and this project has consisted much more of reading and musing than actually putting words down. And most of those words’ fate was met with the delete key on my keyboard or colored-ink cross-outs. Writing IS hard but I am not giving up. I will keep plugging away, researching, reading and musing, putting it down then taking it away and somehow, someway, some day the how to accomplish my what will materialize.

6:30 a.m., Monday, January 4, 2010: a new year, a new adventure, a new life. I jumped out of bed, determined to make a positive first impression on my new boss. I’d heard she was difficult; volatile and demanding. I searched through my closet, pulled several possibilities and finally decided on just the right pair of sweats. My commute was a nightmare but after dodging toys on the stairs, weaving around my fellow commuters rushing to make it to their destinations on time, and stopping by the coffee bar to grab a much needed cup of Joe, I finally arrived at the office only a few minutes late. I found my new boss standing in my office tapping her foot. She pointed at the computer and glared at me sternly. I bowed my head and pushed myself into my chair. My new boss stood behind me like a dictator as I logged on to my computer. I held my breath as I went to work and breathed in relief when she saw I had logged on to Facebook and gave me the thumbs-up sign. Everyone knows you cannot be productive until your priorities are taken care of; i.e. your CafeWorld customers served and your Farmville crops harvested before they rot.

Finally, I could get down to real work. I turned on my telephone, checked my calendar and contemplated my next move. My office was cluttered with boxes and artifacts from my previous job so I decided to get organized. I spent the rest of the morning cleaning my office. Frankly, I thought it was rude of my new company to stick me in a dirty office but didn’t mind the chance to eavesdrop on the water cooler conversations and learn the new politics. By 11:30 a.m., I had made an appointment to meet with a potential new client and was exhausted so I decided I deserved the afternoon off. I took my kids on their last day of winter break out to lunch then shopping to spend their remaining Christmas gifts.

Tuesday was a day filled with research for the young adult novel I am writing. After taking the kids to school, I made the long trip to Blue Grass to my subject’s home. There, I worked hard. I visited, held her adorable baby, had homemade spaghetti and meatballs for lunch, perused some pictures and left at about 1 p.m. Proud of everything I accomplished, I stopped at Wal-mart to browse for office supplies and refill a couple of prescriptions. One would think a day that productive would command an evening of rest but not for me. I decided it was kind of nice to have my office clean and tidy so I moved on to the rest of my office building and spent most of the rest of the week eradicating three years of dust bunnies from under my furniture.

On Thursday, I got my first project offer and turned down my first project offer in a span of a few hours. I was cleaning when my business phone chirped. I answered professionally, “This is Jodie.” It was the administrator from my former employer’s office with a project offer for next week. But there was a catch; the job started early Monday morning, took place approximately 100 miles from home and involved staying overnight potentially throughout the entire week. Not wanting to break my scheduled meeting with my potential new client, I had to decline unless they could delay the project start time; they couldn’t so decided to handle it internally. So that, as they say, was that.

Friday morning, I took advantage of my flexible schedule and went grocery shopping. I was in good company and felt like I’d just joined an exclusive shopping club composed of mothers with young children and other business owners. I finished my shopping, carried in and put away my groceries by noon and had a nice business lunch of a little angel hair pasta with a can of Italian diced tomatoes. I continued my cleaning for the afternoon and looked forward to my first weekend after my first long week at my new job.

Ironically, Saturday ended up probably being my most profitable day last week. That afternoon, I attended a meeting to discuss marketing ideas with other authors at the Midwest Writing Center (MWC). I volunteered to moderate a book marketing discussion board and to head the program committee for a book fair hosted by MWC scheduled for May 8, 2010. This, in itself, is a marketing technique: getting my name out so when someone sees a book I wrote or needs a freelance paralegal, they will gravitate to me because my name is familiar. In addition, another author at the meeting is an attorney who teaches in the paralegal program at a local college. When she asked if I’d be willing to speak to her students about being a paralegal, I accepted. Again, this will get my name “out there” plus I truly enjoy speaking to an audience that has no choice but to listen to me. This is indeed an exciting prospect and who knows where it will lead.

I filled in the rest of my weekend cleaning my house. I didn’t get through my whole list but did clean my entire first floor including actually washing the floor and dusting the areas I normally skip because I am not tall enough to see them. My basement is clean and back in order; again somewhere I actually feel I’d like to spend time. I ended the weekend with cleaning my master bathroom; a disgusting job complete with shower steam glued on dust and hair. Yuck!

It is now Monday morning again. I wasn’t as excited for it this week and overslept by a half hour. And, yes, my boss was all bitchy when I finally got in but I’m not worried. I know what buttons to push and I have her right where I want her. My meeting with the potential client is scheduled for 11 a.m.; I hope it nets some, but not too much, immediate work. Also on my agenda so far is to work on my two in-process writing projects, research the local newspapers on microfiche for one of those projects and offer my completed young adult novel to literary agents and publishers for rejection. It should be a good week!

T’was the night before New Years when all through the day
I was thinking and thinking of a resolution to say.
It needed to be easy so I had a chance;
So I wouldn’t be stuck with should haves and can’ts.

I sat at my desk and stared at the wall;
I munched leftover cookies and thought of it all.
I sipped cold milky coffee, pondering my life,
And a headache formed, like it was stabbed with a knife.

When out of the blue I heard a loud crash;
I sprang from my chair brushing crumbs in the trash.
Away to the door, I grabbed at the knob.
I twisted it hoping I could handle the job.
The kitchen was strewn with sugar and flour;
It looked like it had been hit with a giant snow shower.

When what to my bewildered eyes did appear
But a miniature ghost with white ear to ear.
With a dust cloud so close behind,
I clenched my fist and braced for the whine.

More rapid than bunnies she shouted my name,
“I’m sorry, Mommy! I’m not to blame!”
“I didn’t mean it, I promise,” she said.
She grimaced and held her hands to her head.
“Now before you get mad, please listen, please.”
Then she rubbed her nose and let out a sneeze.

As whirlwind ensued disturbing the dust,
She flailed her arms as she cried and she fussed.
The whole scene got to me, I thought I would bust.

Like in slow motion, it all hit the floor;
The eggs, the milk, everything from the store;
I dropped my head, could take it no more.

As I covered my head and was turning around
My little girl stood without making a sound.
She stood like a statue all covered in soot;
Flour dust settled slowly from her head to her foot.
White handprints adorned her little black slacks;
She looked like a panda bear performing for snacks.

Her eyes – how they teared! Her mouth – how it crinkled!
Her hair was a mess, her clothing all wrinkled.
Her mouth opened wide but nothing came out;
Speak up, I wanted to holler and shout.
I tried to gather my thoughts behind my clenched teeth;
I contemplated punishment as I started to seethe.
The timer alarmed shrill through the air;
We both just stood stiff in our stare.

“I just wanted to help.” I heard her little voice crack;
“I thought as you work, you might want a snack.”
She opened the fridge and pulled out a plate.
“I made this for you.” She gave me a piece and I ate.
It tasted awful but she went to such work;
I smiled as I chewed so as not to look like a jerk.
“I made a resolution to help more and started a bit early.”
Then I knew what I must do; knew nothing so surely.

I pulled my daughter tight in my arm.
I hugged her real close and said, “There’s no harm.”
I laughed out loud right through my tear,
No resolutions for me; what I need is right here.

Dear Friends and Family:

Well, it has been another fun-filled year in my life so I thought I’d bring you up-to-date with my holiday letter. I’ll begin where I left off last year.

As you know, those two big humans with whom I share this abode brought in another roommate without so much as even mentioning it to me, let alone asking me if it was okay a couple of months before last year’s letter. Remember how I was looking forward to Christmas morning last year? The tree was more loaded with packages than it had ever been and I was sure I would be lavished with yarn balls, fish treats, and that nip that just gets me crazy. Well, Christmas morning came and as soon as first light crept in the room from behind the blinds, I extracted myself from beneath Jon’s legs because he’d rudely taken over the bed and ran down the stairs as fast as I could. Oh, what a sight to see!! The tree was lit beautifully with even more presents scattered around the floor. I was so happy I danced in circles. I couldn’t wait for Jon and Lucy so I screamed up the stairs; they didn’t hear so I jumped on them and screamed in their faces. I was beside myself with anticipation but they wouldn’t budge; they were splayed out snoring like dogs. So I thought of Josephine; maybe this new roommate would be good for something after all. So I went to her room and started to mock her; I really played it up telling her it wasn’t fair she had to be imprisoned in that cell while I got to roam free and it did the trick. Soon she started wailing and Jon and Lucy came running.

I ran down the stairs right on their heels under their feet. “Oh boy”, I thought, “here we go”. But they sat down and stuck a bottle in Josephine’s mouth. Not a bad idea to have a snack before tearing into all those packages, so I thought I’d get me a bite myself. I should’ve known how the rest of the day would proceed when I found my bowl empty without a single kernel of food or drop of water; even the cookies they had left out for that fat man were gone. I returned and lay down by the packages and waited. Finally, Jon began pulling presents from under the tree. I waited and waited but do you know what? They had pulled out every single package and didn’t give me a single one. I looked and looked but found no other packages. I didn’t get one ball of yarn, fish treat or even a cheesy laser-light which we all know is actually a gift to themselves they can use to torture me.

Well, kitties, it went all downhill from there. I was forgotten and replaced by Josephine. I just cannot figure out why. Take toileting for example; they have to wipe disgusting messes from Josephine’s bottom and cover it with some absorbent plastic covered underwear. Come on! She is not even litter box trained. I do my business in the same spot every day; all they do is scoop it out and get rid of it. And eating. Josephine eats the most grossening slop you’ve ever seen and more of it ends up sprayed on the wall like the doughboy had been murdered than gets into her mouth. All they have to do for me is pour some kibble in a bowl and I take care of myself. I just don’t get it. What does SHE have that I don’t? It can’t be love. Waking the whole household up at 3 a.m. just because you want a little snack does not show love! Now jumping in your lap, snuggling in and allowing you to pet my fur; that is love. Josephine doesn’t even purr!! She just whines and cries and poops and pukes! Yuck!

For awhile, things did get better. I stopped glaring at Josephine trying to figure out how I could steal her breath like they show on that movie and just accepted the fact I was forgotten. It wasn’t all bad; it was kind of nice to be left alone. I could sleep wherever I wanted or walk around the countertops without being noticed. And they quit dressing me up in those stupid sweaters and trying to make me go for a walk like I was some common mutt. Ol’ Josephine got to endure that torture. But get this; while they tried to make me walk, SHE gets to ride in a fancy pet carrier without sides. I thought for a moment perhaps it would be worth dressing up in silly costumes to go for a ride in that contraption but then when I noticed they were collecting evidence to display and share, I decided no fancy ride is worth that. So things were okay. They had a big party with cake, balloons and more presents a year to the day after Josephine moved in but by then I was used to getting the shaft.

Then one day shortly after the party, like a miracle, Josephine rose up from all fours and started moving around just like Jon and Lucy. I couldn’t believe it. At first I thought, “This is great; if Josephine is getting to be more like Jon and Lucy maybe she will start to pet me, cuddle with me and fill my food bowl”. So one day I tried to make friends. She was sitting on the floor and I rubbed up against her leg. Boy was that a mistake! Suddenly I felt an excruciating pain in my back side; I wailed and tried to run away but she just kept swinging and cackling. I finally got away but Josephine, the little masochist, must have enjoyed it because she started chasing me around the house. Now I can’t get within ten feet of her without her screeching “kitty” and trying to steal my fur or my tail. She’s even got Jon and Lucy brainwashed; they don’t even try to stop it. They just say, “No, no, Josephine” and pat her on her grubby little head.

So here it is almost Christmas again and I don’t think I can take it another day. What’s worse is Lucy’s lap is shrinking which is what happened right before Josephine showed up. So I’m not going to wait around just to subject myself to more hell. So I am out of this kitty condo. I’m movin’ on; going to try life on my own for awhile. It can’t be any worse than this year has been. I wish you well; wish me luck.

Lovingly,
Your adoring feline,
Harry the Cat

A lot of work is involved in starting a business, even for such a straight-forward simple sole-proprietor business such as Jodie Toohey Information Innovations or JTII. I have almost no business experience so my first step was research. As with almost all research I do, my first stop was the internet. I then enrolled and completed a two hour “Starting Your Business” class and a full Saturday “Boot Camp for Entrepreneurs” class offered through the local community college and small business development center. I think I learned more in each of these classes than I did in entire semesters of classes at college. This is likely due to a combination of the high quality of the classes and my total lack of knowledge in the class subjects.

After the first class, I had my to-do list set: Get an EIN (even though I technically didn’t need one), get insurance, and write a business plan. Getting an EIN was easy; I went on-line, applied and received the number immediately free of charge. I e-mailed my insurance agent inquiring into business endorsements for my auto and homeowners’ policies and professional liability insurance to cover me in the event someone sues me. The endorsements were easy; I need a small one for my auto policy to cover the occasional use of my personal vehicle for business but I don’t need one for the homeowners’ policy because all of my equipment is used for business and personal tasks. After checking around for a couple of days, my insurance agent returned a quote of $2,000 for professional liability insurance which I feared may scrap my plans.

I recalled from my paralegal education around the turn of the century a sort of controversy regarding the need for paralegals to carry professional liability insurance. By definition, paralegals must be supervised by an attorney which, therefore, transfers any liability for a paralegal mistake to the attorney’s responsibility. There was some discussion if a paralegal really screwed up, he or she could be held personally liable for their mistakes. So, in theory, a paralegal could be sued personally for legal malpractice but at that time and to present to my knowledge, there has been no such case. Finding $2,000 for a policy which nearly certainly would never be used and which has historically never been used a little inflated, I sought a second opinion.

Apparently, this is an issue that has indeed never materialized and an idea foreign in these parts. My e-mail to a large well-known local insurance agency was never answered. One of my e-mails to the paralegal associations I sent replied advising they did not offer professional liability insurance through their organization but $2,000 sounded typical. I received a very helpful and much appreciated e-mail from a freelance paralegal associated with the other organization who advised as long as the attorneys with whom I work carry legal malpractice insurance (which almost always covers work by paralegals), I should not need my own professional liability insurance. Therefore, without that expense weighing down my bottom line, I forged ahead.

I am in the middle of writing my business plan. I designed a logo and ordered business cards. I have partially updated my web-site and created some of the forms I will need to run the business. I’ve made essential business purchases such as a computer, printer with scan and fax capabilities, a real office chair and my own coffee. I created my office space by relocating the scrapbooking portion of my dual-purpose craft room/office to a room in the basement making that area a multi-purpose craft/scrapbooking/exercise room. Bit by bit, I’ve been relocating the mounds of personal stuff I’ve accumulated at my current office over the past nearly nine years to my home office. I still have not figured out how to maintain my office as just my office and not my office/catch-all area. I’ve installed and am learning Quicken to hopefully keep adequate track of my personal and business finances. I’ve figured out how and when to pay my estimated self-employment taxes.

I have a few more tasks to complete. I need to finish cleaning out my office and my business plan. And, of course, it is important I have just the right sweats to wear when I settle into my office chair and switch on the neon “open” sign.

After blogging for nearly eight months, I’ve finally decided on a focus at least for a portion of my posts. I invite you to join me as I embark on the journey to small business ownership and entrepreneurship. It is sure to be, if not an exciting journey, at least not a boring journey. My journey is scheduled to officially begin with the coming new year but it has, as necessary, already begun. As with any journey, I must make sure I pack everything I think I may need and account for all weather variations. Of course I realize I will inevitably forget something but the more I can plan and prepare, the less I will have to interrupt my journey to find a store where I can purchase whatever I forgot or didn’t think to pack.

My journey began a little more than three years ago. At that time, I didn’t really know where I was going. As I was peripherally witnessing a friend at work battle breast cancer, I began to examine my life and wondered if something happened where I couldn’t complete my life or I was sidelined from participating in it for a significant time what I would leave undone. I had written since I was a pre-teen myself and had always wanted to write a book. So I just hopped in and took off. My book of for pre-teen and teen girls, Crush and Other Love Poems for Girls, completed publication in December, 2007. In 2008, despite the lack of Twilight-proportion sales, I found myself enjoying promoting my book. I enjoyed the book signings, appearance on a local television news-magazine program, building my web-site, and creating business cards, bookmarks and other promotional materials.

This year, I completed a manuscript for a young adult novel, began research for a young adult historical novel and an outline for a young adult how-to book. This fantastical of idea of making my living out of writing festered and grew into a puss-filled abscess which if it didn’t burst, would eventually sicken me. I reduced my hours at work to thirty per week starting in July, 2008. As most of this year progressed, I tried to devise a way to write more without it overpowering my time or dragging me into financial ruin because though the hope is to eventually make enough money from writing to live, I knew if it ever happened, it would take a long, long time.

As autumn of this year approached, colon cancer took control of another friend and fellow paralegal at work and won the war twenty years after the death of my cousin on September 5th. I saw this as a sort of sign and calling. I had the what but still had no how. Then I came up with the following.

On January 1, 2010, Jodie Toohey Information Innovations will open for business. It will be comprised of two divisions, Writing Innovations and Paralegal Innovations. Through Writing Innovations, I will produce written material, including but not limited to, novels, non-fiction books, articles, brochures, and manuals. I will work as a Freelance or Contract Paralegal through Paralegal Innovations. This proverbial light bulb ding sounded toward the last third of September, this year. It took me until November 4th to submit my proposal and resignation to my current employer. My hesitance was due to fear. I knew people would think I’m crazy–quitting a good, good-paying job at a stable company to go out into the unknown–and I thought they were probably correct. And despite my over eight and a half years with the company, their fair treatment in the past and our mutual respect and loyalty, I was afraid they’d say “No.” Then I’d be without a job and a built-in initial client and, on principle, wouldn’t recant. However, after a couple of meetings by the management committee, I learned last Tuesday my proposal was successful and sent the following to my co-workers:

“I am writing to advise you of my resignation as of December 31, 2009. Starting January 1, 2010, I will be available to perform tasks on an independent contractor basis through the Paralegal Innovations division of my sole proprietorship business, Jodie Toohey Information Innovations. I am in the process of developing my web-site, business cards and an assignment form which I will distribute as the end of the year approaches.

I have made this decision for a variety of reasons but essentially it is a compromise I’ve negotiated with myself to allow more time for my writing endeavors but not jump off the cliff without a security rope. In answer to some of the questions you may have: Yes, I’m afraid I’ll fail; Yes, I know good & good-paying jobs are at a premium in this economy; Yes, I’m taking a big risk; Yes, I know I will most likely need to work harder owning my own business; and Yes, I just might be crazy. But I also know I only get one chance to live my life, that life may be shorter than I ever thought possible or would have hoped for, and that even if it all blows up, I can say I at least tried and gave it my best shot. And that will make for an interesting chapter in my memoir. Actually, it makes good financial sense to utilize a contract paralegal and I don’t feel like I am leaving anyone “in a lurch” or not pulling my paralegal weight.

This arrangement will also allow me to stay connected with the firm and its people which have been a significant part of my life for the past nearly nine years. The one quality I have appreciated the most about this company which very few other companies have is the fact the people who work here want and strive to do the best job they can do, not because of raises or fear of discipline but because it is an intrinsic quality and part of who they are. Of course, this company and its people have numerous other admirable qualities which I will miss but I am so glad to be able to continue our relationship on a contract basis and not have to completely sever our ties.

Thank you for all of the assistance, guidance and opportunity you have provided to me over the years. Thank you in advance for your continued support. I looked forward to our new relationship.”

Next week: How the preparations for JTII are progressing.

It is nearly Thanksgiving–a day for sipping Boone’s Farm and gorging myself on turkey boobs, Stove-Top Stuffing, cream cheese laced mashed potatoes and all our other turkey day favorites with most of my favorite people–so I felt compelled to spell out all for which I am thankful.

Of course I’m thankful for my family, friends, having a roof over my head, food on the table, and my health. That’s easy. I’m going to delve deeper and try to present the why; the what it is about those things for which I’m thankful. So here goes in no particular order.

I am thankful for my daughter who is healthy, happy (except for when she hates me), bright, talented and independent. She is a leader who blazes her own path and does what she knows is right. As long as we make sure what she thinks is right IS what is right– or at least what I think is right– we should be okay. I am thankful for my son who is also healthy, happy (except for when he hates me), bright, and talented with a great sense of humor. He is always acting out some scene like his entire life is an action adventure movie and is never at a loss for words. So when he is around I am always distracted and entertained.

I am thankful for my husband and not just because he takes care of the cats and the kids, does the laundry and the dishes. I am thankful he has always given me the freedom to be me regardless of how crazy and weird I happen to get. He doesn’t always understand and I can’t say he truly “gets me” but he just shrugs his shoulders and goes along figuring I know what the hell I’m doing and if I don’t, we’ll figure it out when it blows up. He’s been there through it all including death and pre-PMDD-medication destruction.

When one starts to talk about being thankful for their life partner and offspring, it naturally leads to thankfulness for his parents, your parents, grandparents, great-grandparents and all those circumstances and individuals all the way back to the ancestors that came from civilization to this once God-forsaken country being at the right place at the right time with the right people to make the simple fact we are all breathing even possible. I’m especially thankful for my mom who raised my brother and me on her own with honesty, fun and laughter. She never sugar-coated or sheltered which allowed me to enter the world without blinders. And she did it all still keeping a sense of silliness and fun in our lives, instilling even when things may be dire and there may not be many around to hear it, you can still fill your home with laughter. We may not be the traditional family– she is more apt to gather the grandkids around the computer to watch a you-tube video of someone having diarrhea in a hot tub than around a piano to sing show tunes– but it is true, honest and what makes for the most humorous memories. (The kids even thought it was a tradition and asked for it the following year.)

In summary, I’m thankful for it all–every person, place, thing, event and circumstance shaping my life story even as I write and a new chapter unfolds. I’m thankful for the cave-woman so many centuries ago who thought, “You know what, if we could devise some sort of system for communication, maybe there would be less confusion and deadly blows to the head when someone bids another ‘Good morning.’” I am thankful for Al Gore for inventing the internet so I can keep at least peripherally in touch with those who would otherwise be lost. I am thankful for the individual who sniffed the first coffee bean and thought if he ground it up, poured steaming water over it and sipped it with a little cream, he could have the initial motivation to get out of bed in the morning and start his day. Finally, I am thankful for you, my real or imagined reader because you or at least the illusion of you inspires me to write this blog (almost) every week thinking maybe someday, somewhere, somehow it will inspire you, make you feel something or improve some even minor aspect of your life story. Happy Thanksgiving!!!!

As promised, though a day late, the results from those who participated in my little experiment are set forth below. Check them out and see if perhaps your paths may have crossed. If you want to comment, especially with any “Hey, I was there!!”s, please do.

April C.
Residence: Bettendorf, IA
Friday, November 6th:
12:00 am – 8:15 am: Home
8:15 am – 8:35 am: En route to work, Middle Road to 74, Grant St. Exit, River Road to Federal St
8:35 am – 1:55 pm work Harbor View Building, Federal St, Davenport
1:55pm – 2:10 pm walk to Java Java for coffee
2:10 pm – 6:10 pm work Harbor View Building, Federal St, Davenport
6:10 pm – 6:35 pm en route to home. River Road to 18th St, to Middle Road
6:35 pm – 6: 50 pm home
6:50 pm – 7:25 pm walk the dogs, Trails End to Spencer to Norwood, Spencer to Silver Spur Road to Rambling Road to Trails End Road. Warm breezy evening perfect weather for an evening walk in the dark
7:25 pm – 12:00 am: Home

Saturday, November 7th:
12:00 am – 6:50 am: Home
6:50 am – 7:30 am: Walk with the dogs, East Ridge to Woodfield, to Towne Crest to Belmont to Middle Road to Woodfield, perfect weather, nice sunny morning with a light breeze
7:30 am – 8:50 am: Home
8:50 am – 9:00 am: En route to Fusion Salon, Utica Ridge, Bettendorf
9:00 am – 11:30 am Fusion Salon
11:30 am – 11:40 am: En route to Bettendorf Library
11:40 am – 12:00 pm Bettendorf Library
12:00 pm – 12:10 pm: En route to home, 18th St to Spruce Hills to Middle Road to Woodfield.
12:10 pm – 12:00am: Home

Theresa R.
Residence: Spencer, IA
Friday, November 6th:
7:00-7:04 A.M. Left home and traveled to Curves in Spencer
7:34-7:43 A.M. Drove thru McDonalds in Spencer
7:43-7:49 A.M. Traveled to work at Spencer City Hall
7:49-1:31 P.M. Work at City Hall
1:31-1:33 P.M. Traveled from City Hall to Northwest Bank, Spencer – drive thru
1:35-1:40 P.M. Traveled from Northwest Bank to Spencer Insurance, Spencer
1:42-1:45 P.M. Traveled from Spencer Insurance to South Subway, Spencer
2:03-2:08 P.M. Traveled from Subway to Spencer Hy-Vee
2:24-2:29 P.M. Traveled from Hy-Vee to Home
2:40-2:44 P.M. Traveled from home to Great Lakes Travel, Spencer
2:56-3:00 P.M. Traveled from Great Lakes Travel back home
3:00 P.M. Home for the rest of the day and night

Saturday, November 7th:
3:59A.M.-8:25 Traveled from Spencer to Iowa City, Route was Hwy 18 to 218 to 20 to 380 to Int. 80 (stopped on the way for break at Emmetsburg, about 4:30 and Janesville Gas Station about 7:00 A.M.)
8:25-9:30 A.M. Perkins in Coralville
9:30-9:45 A.M. Traveled from Coralville Perkins to Downtown Iowa City, parking near the Police Station
9:45-10:30 A.M. Walked to the Iowa Hawkeye game (stadium)
10:30-2:30 A.M. Watched the Hawks lose their first game of the season. Boo Hoo
2:30-3:00 A.M. Pouted and walked from the stadium to downtown Iowa City.
3:00-3:45 P.M. Shopped at Iowa Book in Downtown Iowa City and walked around downtown.
3:45-3:55 P.M. Drove from downtown Iowa City to Hy-Vee
4:15-4:30 P.M. Drove from Iowa City Hy-Vee to Nick & Chris’s Apartment in Iowa City
8:35 P.M.-9:00 P.M. Drove from apartment to downtown Iowa City, parked and walked to Brown Bottle Restaurant to drown our sorrows about the game in pasta.
10:15 P.M. Drove from downtown Iowa City to boys’ apartment in Iowa City for the night.

Itsie T.
Residence: Clinton, IA
Friday, November 6th:
12:00 a.m. – 10:15: Home
10:15 a.m.: Drove to work at Mercy Hospital
6:30 p.m.: Left work, took the long way home (bluff to 14th st then Harrison drive) to avoid the High School & the big football game.
@6:50 p.m.-12:00 a.m.: Home

Saturday, November 7th:
12:00 a.m. – 10:50 a.m.: Home
10:50 a.m.: Tasha picked me up & we stopped at Quick Trip to get gas; seeing her former sister, we decided not to use the ATM there so we went to her bank (Gateway)
11:05 a.m.: Got on our way to Davenport.
11:50 a.m.: Arrived at Jodie’s house
12:00 p.m.: Left Jodie’s followed them to Hy-vee
12:15 p.m.: Left Hy-vee & went to the Bettendorf YMCA
3:55 p.m.: Left the YMCA & went to Jodie’s house
4:15 p.m.: Arrived at Jodie’s
5:15 p.m.: Left Jodie’s, its dark out, traffic was kind of heavy
6:00 p.m.: Arrived home. Was tired
6:00 p.m. – 12 a.m.: Home

Konnie H.
Residence: Camanche, IA
Friday November 6th:
5:00 AM -7:40 a.m.: Home.
7:40-8:10 a.m.: Had coffee at Dad’s in Cedar Heights.
8:10-8:15 a.m.: Drove to church on Washington Blvd.
8:15-8:45 a.m.: Breakfast a church
8:45-9:00 a.m.: Dropped dad off. Went to Wal-Mart on Lincolnway in Clinton.
9:00-9:25 a.m.: Shopped at Wal-Mart
9:25-9:30 a.m.: Droved to Kohl’s next door to Wal-Mart
9:30-10:00 a.m.: Shopped at Kohl’s
10:00-10:10 a.m.: Drove to Kwik Trip across Lincolnway and got gas.
10;10-10:15 a.m.: Drove home
10:15- 12:00 a..m.: Home.

Saturday, November 7th:
5:00-7:55 a.m.: Home.
7:45-7:55 a.m.: Droved to Dad’s
7:55-8:30 a.m.: Had coffee at Dad’s
8:30-8:35 a.m.: Droved to Target on Lincolnway in Clinton
8:35-9:00 a.m.: Shopped at Target
9:00-9:10 a.m.: Drove home
9:10-12:00 a.m.: Home.

Myrna F.
Residence: Minnesota Lake, MN
Friday, November 6th:
12:00 a.m. – 9 a.m.: Home
9:00 a.m. went to the Post Office in Minnesota Lake then returned Home for the rest of the day.

Saturday, November 7th:
12:00 a.m. – 8:30 a.m.: Home
8:30 a.m. went to the post office got the mail, took the church’s mail to church, came back by then the grandsons, Dylan, Cody and Collin were up and because the house was already cleaned, the kids and I and Scott had the rest of the day to ourselves, which they played games on the computer.

Jodie T.
Residence: Davenport, IA
Friday, November 6th:
12:00 a.m. – 7:51 a.m.: Home
7:51 a.m. – 8:02 a.m.: To Wood Intermediate and back home via Northwest Blvd.
8:02 a.m. – 8:39 a.m.: Home
8:39 a.m.: To Work via 46th, Marquette & 3rd Street
8:54 a.m.: Arrived at parking garage on Harrison, Davenport
8:59 a.m.: Work at Wells Fargo Building, Davenport
11:49 a.m.: To Downtown Deli & back to work.
12:02 p.m.- 2:02 p.m.: Work
2:14 p.m. – 12:00 a.m.: Home

Saturday, November 7th:
12:00 a.m. – 8:18 a.m.: Home
8:18 a.m.: To North YMCA via 53rd
8:25 a.m. North YMCA
10:17 a.m.: North YMCA to Home
10:23 a.m. – 11:53 a.m.: Home
11:53 a.m. – 12:02p.m.: En route to 53rd & Utica Hy-vee
12:02 p.m. – 12:15 p.m.: Utica Ridge Hy-vee
12:15 p.m. – 12:23 p.m.: En route to Bettendorf YMCA
12:23 p.m. – 4:12 p.m.: Bettendorf YMCA
4:12 p.m. – 4:34 p.m.: En route to home via 53rd St.
4:34 p.m. – 6:23 p.m.: Home
6:23 p.m. – 6:32 p.m.: To Hy-Vee on West Kimberly
6:32 p.m. – 6:47 p.m.: West Kimberly Hy-Vee
6:47 p.m. – 6:59 p.m.: En route to home via Kimberly & Marquette
6:59 p.m. – 12 a.m.: Home