What Am I Doing?!

I know exactly what I'm doing, actually. I even wrote it all out in a 12-page business/personal plan for 2008. After walking countless miles, pondering countless mistakes, and looking back on the highlights of my personal and professional life, I believe that I have not only a plan - I have a good plan. That original document is for myself and my family, but I thought I'd share some of the basics.

I lost many things about a year ago, one of the least of which was my house. Recovering from that has been a long, hard journey - one I'm still going through. I've seen the light at the end of the tunnel several times, and it has usually been the proverbial headlight of the fast-approaching train. I've slept on concrete and the driver's seat of my Toyota Celica more times than I wish I could remember. But now I feel as if I'm actually at the end of the tunnel - emerged; worse for the wear, but free. Out in the open. I have the ability to recover - to heal, even - from the things I have been through. (I could not make this claim right now without immense gratitude to the friends and family that have dragged me through the parts of that "tunnel" through which I could not even crawl. *Sniff*. Wuvoo.) And most relevant to you, gentle reader (you are gentle, I hope), I have the opportunity to rebuild.

I'm a hacker.

If that word makes you uncomfortable, nervous, or sours your thoughts of me - you need to look it up. I program computers in a variety of languages. I create new ways of doing things, and embrace the new methods that I find useful in the work of others. I make.

I have had success in my work in the past to the level that I do not have to wonder if I can earn a living doing what I do. But I have also had failure in my work to teach me the ways that I should and should not go about doing it. Restarting things from scratch is a unique opportunity. There is such a feeling of freshness, of unlimited potential. I have a perspective that I quite literally paid for in blood, sweat, tears, and even a few broken teeth. I have a view of my life that no mirror could show. And I don't intend to take a single step backwards.

My plan is divided into three approaches:

1. Digital Services
2. Personal Services
3. Conventional & Creative Employment

Into each of those categories, I'm sure you can easily sort the following pursuits:

• Creation of automated online services for businesses and professionals
• Writing, blogging, content creation, value-delivery methods of traffic magnetism
• Website design and development
• Photography / Creative Arts
  
• Software development
• Pizza Delivery / Electronics Store Sales / Café Work, etc...
• Handyman work on the side, as needed
  

I have developed a balance between these pursuits, intended to give the more attention-worthy tasks a responsible prioritization, and keeping the more speculative tasks in a ratio that does not allow them to damage my family's life. I'm not putting all my eggs in one basket (I've chosen 3 baskets), but I'm not spending all my time weaving baskets either when there are eggs to be gathered. ;] And speaking of the number 3...

I have 3 deeply compelling reasons to get this whole income thing right, and get it right immediately. Their names are Tegan, Aeysha and David. (That's my daughter, her mother, and myself, in case you were wondering.)

So then, what am I doing? Harnessing the long-term stability and growth of service and product releases, maximizing the lucrative hourly income of personal services, and putting in some good solid traditional work as well.

That's my plan. Its carefully folded and stowed like a crisp, new parachute. And finally, I am making that jump.