Another E-Course

I'm thinking about signing up for another e-course. This one is about how to grow your creative business. The artist who runs it, Kelly Rae, looks super-cool. I don't really consider my blogs to be a "creative business", but it would be lovely to meet more kindred spirits online. The cost is $99 for five weeks. The timing would work perfectly, since it starts a couple days after school gets out for the summer and ends before Matt and I leave for our summer vacation. Ya-hoo!

Here's what the course topics are:

* Weeks one and two will focus on creating an effective online presence via blogs, websites, social networking, and more. We'll talk specifically about the ins and outs of these resources including how to create, how to improve, and the secret ingredients to using them effectively. We also talk about networking and the importance of creating community and how to build long lasting creative allies. We'll discuss all the fears that we'll inevitably come up against as we push the boundaries of our horizons and how to effectively push through them.

* Weeks three and four will focus on selling strategies (both online and offline). I'll give specific strategies for selling on etsy and other online marketplaces. We'll discuss effective ways of styling, photographing, packaging, and pricing our products and/or services. We'll also focus on a number of effective marketing strategies to get the word out about our businesses, including print media, newsletters, advertising, blogging, and more. We'll also discuss in detail all the ins and out of getting press and getting published. Finally, we'll discuss the actualizing of goals, creating schedules, and time management.

* Week five will focus on recharging our souls, handling competition as well as overwhelm and burnout. We'll talk about creating other creative ways of income such as teaching, licensing, blog sponsorships, affiliate programs, and more. We'll discuss an overview of taxes, money, and when it's time to ask for help (interns, etc). We'll also discuss organizing simple yet effective bookkeeping strategies when it comes to cataloging our income/expenses (so important when tax time comes around). Finally, we'll wrap up what we've learned together and celebrate taking flight into our creative dreams!

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Calling a Midwife

Ohmygoodness. I'm about to call a woman who might potentially turn out to be our midwife. I e-mailed her last night to ask the following questions:

1. Can my husband and I set up a time to meet with you to talk about birthing at home versus birthing at a birthing center? I am leaning toward the home option, but we would feel more informed if we at least toured the birthing center and explored that option.
   
2. As part of my pre-conception phase, I am going to visit my general physician for a yearly check-up. Are there tests I should request in preparation for conception? Are there questions I should be asking that will help determine whether I am likely to have a normal, healthy pregnancy and can safely try to deliver at home?
3. Do you have specific nutritional guidelines you recommend for optimal pre-conception health?

She replied that it would be easier to talk on the phone, so I'm about to call her now. I am much more comfortable and confident via the written word (hello, blogging!), but I'll try to keep my nervousness on the inside.

It also feels very, very weird to take such a concrete step in the direction of pregnancy (kind of like buying prenatal vitamins for the first time or attending a birth fair).

Here I go!

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Free Life Coaching

There's a neat little opportunity over at When I Grow Up to enter to win 12 free life coaching session via telephone. If you're interested, hurry on over there since the entry form closes tonight at 11:59 EST.

I love the idea of life coaching. I adore the conscious pursuit of self-betterment.

Crossing my fingers I win!

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Photography Passions

Photo courtesy of Bob Krist for National Geographic

I've been taking next steps to fulfill my wish to become a better photographer. I e-mailed some of my favorite bloggers to find out about their equipment preferences (and read about some others' preferences). It's pretty much a toss up between Nikon and Canon. Matt and I are letting a little more savings accumulate in our bank account before we take the plunge.

In the meantime, I signed up for two photography classes. The first one is expensive ($200!) but I couldn't resist. It's taught by two dudes who take photos for National Geographic. And it's a class about travel photography, so it addresses all sorts of information ranging from how to do close-ups to night photography. Here's an excerpt from the description:

Great travel photography requires a command of many types of photography – from close-up portraits and loose candids, to off-the-hip street photography at festivals and celebrations – from architecture and cityscapes, to landscapes and nature. Becoming versatile requires that you become like a one-man band, utilizing what technology has to offer while developing an eye for composition and a feel for being in the right place at the right time.

Join National Geographic Traveler photographers Ralph Lee Hopkins and Bob Krist as they share their secrets and insights into how to make travel photos that convey a powerful sense of place and capture rare moments. Learn simple tricks for using flash to expand when, where, and how you shoot, as well as collecting audio so you can produce multi-media slide shows of your work.

I also signed up for a basic introduction to using an SLR camera. The woman takes photos for the Houston Chronicle, so I'm excited to learn from her experience.

It feels really good to be taking concrete steps toward pursuing one of my new hobbies. I'm being careful not to add too many things to my calendar (I am serious about de-stressing!). I held off until June for one of the classes (since I'll be on summer vacation by then). However, the National Geographic photographers are only traveling through H-town in May.

What new/old hobbies are you pursuing (or thinking about pursuing)?

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How to Make Your Own Almond Milk

Photo courtesy of the amazing Progressive Pioneer

Last week's discussion of breakfast reminded me of this amazing post from one of my Blogger Mentors: Progressive Pioneer.

In this post, she details the steps for making your own almond milk. It looks seriously doable.

Wow! Double wow!

I haven't tried it yet, but talking about it here will help me remember to do it. (Thanks for the virtual kick in the pants!).

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Egg Recipes

When you have two chickens and they both start laying an egg a day, you better figure out quickly what to do with all the eggs.

Matt and I are at that point!

At the reunion this past weekend, the service project we were going to do at one of our Teach For America placement schools was canceled due to bad weather. We decided to meet up at Allison's house instead.

She took the leftover beans, tortillas, pico, and guacamole from the previous night, added eggs, and concocted the most amazing meal. If Matt and replicate that recipe once a week, we will at least consume six of our 14 eggs.

Here's what Allison did:

1. Melt butter in a skillet
2. Add finely chopped white onion and saute
3. Pour eggs into the pan (she did not beat them in a separate bowl first--she and her mom swear their way gives the eggs a better consistency, and I agree!)
4. Mix the eggs around as they cook with the onions
5. Add diced tomatoes
6. Take everything out of the pan and add cheese

We then made egg burritos with the leftover ingredients. So delicious!

When Matt and I got home from Louisiana, we had no food in the house and no time to go to the grocery store. But we did have eggs! I whipped up a sub-par version with a scavenged onion, tortillas, and guacamole. However, I look forward to making this meal again next week when we have the proper ingredients on hand...

And later this week, I'm going to an outdoor movie and picnic potluck (I love those!). I'm going to use six of our eggs to make a pound cake (with strawberry sauce) using my favorite recipes.

Any other egg-cellent recipe recommendations (oh, so cheesy, but I couldn't resist!)?

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May: Reflection & Rejuvenation

Photo courtesy of Nikki McClure's 2010 Calendar

I honestly can't believe I have only four measly weeks of school left before summer arrives.

As I say goodbye to April, here are some things to take note of:

1. I took my class on a field trip to the Houston Arboretum.
2. I helped Matt identify and clarify two of his passions.
3. I spent a Saturday making homemade pizza, sweet potato fries, sorbet, and pillows with one of my students and her friend.
4. I traveled to Austin for the Yeasayer concert.
5. I made picnic place mats for a dear friend and celebrated her birthday with her at the beach.
6. Matt and I coordinated a potluck picnic and silent-film viewing.
7. I helped coordinate (and attended) my ten-year Teach For America reunion.
8. I exercised regularly.
9. I regularly updated my blogs.
10. I said no to two potential commitments that came my way.
11. Our fence got finished!
12. I tutored my butt off to help my students get ready for the state assessment.
    

And here's what I'm striving for in May:

• Order a new-used SLR camera.
• Take a photography class from two National Geographic photographers.
• Help my 3rd graders plan their own field trip (using the public bus system!).
• Keep trying to create a potting area (I haven't had success locating a good table). (Although, I just took a major break from this post and think I found a vintage desk on craigslist for twenty-five bucks.)
• Keep trying to turn our backyard into an oasis. I almost bought a couch off Amazon, but I had second thoughts about buying something new instead of used. But it can be so hard to find something used! I'm really not much of a shopper...
  

Hmm...I'm thinking that might be it for the month of May. The last month of school is crazy, and I'm trying to de-stress as we head into June.

Holy moly! I just realized this is my last month before we start trying to have a baby.

Hmm...I may have to write an entirely separate post about the month leading up to the beginning of our conception process. (To those of you who think I'm over-thinking this thing entirely too much: I hear your concern! I do keep your perspective in mind. I promise.)

What are you up to this month?

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