I talked to Very Competant Patent Attorney - recently promoted to Patent Friend (PF). He has been shaking his head at the way I fired clients b/c I cannot do the work - or they generate too much angst to be worth the money. I also networked with the Chief Patent Counsel at Humongo Client II. Everyone I share that story with asks - so are you going to ask for work. My answer - well no - I really don't have time...
This is getting silly. I need to work smarter NOT harder. I also need to make a decision regarding whether to expand. And that means I need a business plan... And with some clients you front the filing fees - which can become a very expensive proposition - I will need a line of credit. And I need to look into group insurance.
Humongo client assistant would quit her job and work for me in a heartbeat. And the truth is she doubles my productivity... I just need to make a financial plan and plan the cash flow and the credit line to make sure I can meet my financial obligations...to smooth the ups and downs. Stable cash flow is essential to success.
I am posting about this b/c I have been avoiding thinking about it b/c well - it involves work. But in this case, I need to do the work to reduce my workload longterm...
The extension of time fees I paid on Monday b/c I was too tired would have covered 1/2 of an assistant's salary for the month or paid for an entire scuba vacation. My tiredness is costing me money. That one was a big wake up call.
The question is this... Can I let all this sit till the end of July...
The other option is to merge with a firm. VCA's firm would be the best one... But I kinda like my independence... And I want flexibility when the adoption stuff goes through...
Start Up client is sending VCA/PF work. And unlike PC, VCA keeps trying to keep me in the loop - in case I change my mind. And Start Up client is treating me with kid gloves hoping I change my mind about representing them... I feel like a patent primadonna...the soup nazi from Seinfeld. You have caused me angst - go away - no patents for you! LOL!
I know I am spewing work business stuff and it is all over the place. I need to toss it out there and bring into my conscious to fester...
It does not rain men in my life - but ironicallly it does rain clients... I post about meeting men - but those posts feel somewhat remote and intangible... Deep inside - it isn't a priority or a goal - perhaps I haven't met one in a long time that makes me want to make it a priority or goal...
I am posting up a storm b/c I have a work on my desk that I really really do not feel like doing....
I am NOT giving up July. I allow thoughts of expanding my firm to percolate in my brain. But I am not going to do the business plan and I am not going to start building the infrastructure in July.
My original goal is to be caught up by the end of June - and I will not taken on any new work that is due before the end of August.
I will be busy in July - I have lots of other non-work work that I need to catch up on to create a balance.
August 10th will be the three anniversary of my firm. I will work on the specifics of how and what with respect to expansion then. Meanwhile - I will get use to the idea of expanding. It is stressful for me to think about hiring people b/c it ups the responsibility. I will have to generate the revenue... I need time to get use to this...
Who would have thought I would be facing this decision today. Just two short years ago I was down to almost zero in savings and I was wondering if I should pay the malpractice insurance...
This is a good thing. I just need to get use to the idea of it being a good thing...
I am going to narrow the scope of my firm expansion. One experienced associate and one assistant.
Last time I looked for an associate that wanted lifestyle and work balance. And that didn't go to well. They wanted too much lifestyle and too little work. This time around I want a workhorse.
I have an idea about the associate. People that work for me tend to be very loyal to me. If I put out the word I am looking...well I do think I will get some nibbles if my first choice does not work out....
And well I want my humongo client assistant. I will have to handle that one delicately. She is going on maternity leave - perhaps if I hire her while she is gone... Need to figure that one out.
Benefits - health insurance, long term disability, life insurance and maybe dental or a stipend towards dental. Malpractice insurance for the associate. 10 days holidays - and 2 weeks vacation to start. They wiil be employees not contractors. I need to set up a server that all that good stuff for remote access... I will supply computer and printer. 1300 billable hours required with a percentage for hours that are billed through over 1300. So if the associate wants - they can make a big firm salary. I care nothing about face time or when someone works as long as the work gets done.
I will figure out how much I need to bring in to support my itty bitty staff.
I can't believe I am letting my brain go here... I am not going to even allow myself to think past this itty bitty firm...
And now I am going to turn off the firm expansion part of my brain off. Since I have no assistant here - I need to put on my assistant hat now.
You will do well in all the facets of your life. Now if you consider and look back and label it doing well then that is up to you but I firmly believe within the end of the year you will do very well by anyone's standards.
We all are rooting for you.
"All I want is a weeks pay for a day's work" Steve Martin
AG, You my friend are a DB success story! I am so ready to be on the other side and "Thriving after the Big D"...also ready to be morally ready to date, as we as emotionally!
And ditto Nohill's comment.
Take care, SD
Me 41 W 41 Kids: S9 S7 Married 16 years Bomb dropped 2/2/07 Still living together! current thread
Well VCA/PF sent me an email about a "seminar" VCA/PF is the one that convinced me to go to the other "seminar" in May. Well - I was wondering if attending this "seminar" just to attend cocktail hour was a wise thing to do...
I mean this one is ethnicity based seminar on general law topics - very few topics with respect to my area of law... When I saw that there was a panel that would be discussing:
Legal and Societal Barriers to Adoption in South Asia
The speaker is a Chicago attorney of Indian heritage that specializes in this area of law. I didn't think legal representation could do anything for you... I thought you had to work through these silly adoption agencies...
Well - I am most definitely attending the seminar now. One of my goals is to really figure out the adoption thing as opposed to trust these silly agencies to take the lead...
I think this may be a valuable contact. Well I am good at networking. Wouldn't it be nice if I could network into where I need to go to get this adoption thing moving...
And well - I do love food and cocktails. The Bulge and I will have to declare a truce for 4 days. The seminar is in 2 weeks. And the Taste of Chicago is that weekend...
Life is good. And now I am going sleep. I will wake up early and NO procrastination tomorrow!
About a month ago, I posted about how I had a massage at the seminar and that I was absolutely shocked at the number of knots in my neck and shoulders. And then I went to a massage therapist here twice on a weekly basis - till she fired me and told me to go relax and then come back!
So today, after yoga, I signed up for a massage from my yoga teacher. And GUESS WHAT???!!!! NO KNOTS in my shoulder!!! Zero, nada, zippo - shoulder knots. I had two symmetrical ones on the my traps and a 1-2 small ones in my neck. As for the lap top hip - NO PAIN at all!!
She actually pushed harder to see if there were hidden knots! LOL! There is muscle tightness - that is to be expected b/c I am increasing the intensity of my workouts slowly.
So taking is easy worked! Watching four movies worked. And yes, I am still nuts b/c my idea of cutting back means not sleeping with my laptop and stopping at 9 pm at least 3 days a week... I still have a ways to go. The goal is 9-7 during the week and zero hours on the weekend.
I do feel good. There were two stressors at work - it wasn't a big deal - I just did what I needed to do and let it go.
I do need to prioritize my life a little. July is all about adoption and home improvement w/ management work only. I don't want to write next month. I am burned out on writing.
And the expanding firm stuff - the concept has been introduced into my psyche. Now it will take time for gradually evolve in my brain and for me to gain a comfort level with the idea. I find that if I am not in the right mindset - 9 out of 10 times I miss my goal.
And I am slowing expanding my social life. The Bulge - it will go away but will take time. At this point The Bloat camoflages the progress I am making with the Bulge. My clothes are fitting better and I know that I have more muscle mass than I did a month ago. It took while to get this out of shape. It will take awhile to get back in shape.
I am happy with my life. I have a sense of peace and calm that I haven't had before. And no the timeline isn't back to my M or D In some ways, had I not had my not so great M - well I wouldn't have been motivated to get to where I am today.
As for dating. I am not setting goals. It isn't like I am not immersed in male companionship and exchanges. It is like art v/s pornography. Difficult to quantify - but you know it is pornography when you see it. When I see what I am looking for - I will recognize it. I am in no rush. It I am 60 when I meet someone that I feel is right - well I will be 60. I am not waiting to live. I feel very much alive at 42 (almost 43 in a few weeks)
We keep having really sunny weather alternating with really intense thunderstorms!
I have found a replacement for Dunkin' Donuts. For those of you that know me from years ago - well that is my comfort food. And of course w/o trans fat - they don't taste the same - so I was lost for awhile. And now I have discovered the egg souffle's at Panera - that is my Sunday breakfast ritual now.
The more I keep thinking about this dating thing, the more convinced I am that I really do not want to date "not D" or "freshly D" men. In most cases people that are D newbies think they are healed and lack the perspective that time brings to know otherwise.
I am sure that lots of R's between D newbies work out. Just would not be a good fit for me. I am not into "instant gratification." I tend to have a lot of self control and discipline - and I am persistent and patient. I also need more time that most to get to know someone. It takes awhile for me to get past the infatuation phase and really get to know someone. You have go to through a few challenges and exercises in boundary setting before you can tell if there is R synergy. And I am in no rush. I plan on living to be at least 125 - so that gives me a good 82 years ahead of me.
Now on the flip side - I may have to go to the Resort for a vacation... I walked through the men's section in the mall today and had quite an unexpected reaction as I walked past the men's cologne section! It has been quite awhile. Almost bought a man's shirt and cologne! Sigh - but it really isn't quite the same as a man wearing the shirt (or not) and cologne.
On the work front - well there is piddly stuff that I need to get caught up on - and really am not motivated to pick it up... But then again I will never be motivated to pick it up - s might have to do the work NOW as opposed to the always TOMORROW.
All in all life is good. Of course I could do with more of some things and less of others - but such is life.
VCA/PF is the one that convinced me to go to the other "seminar" in May. Well - I was wondering if attending this "seminar" just to attend cocktail hour was a wise thing to do... 
