Not to brag but YEAH, ME!

I think this has been a stellar week for accomplishing goals. I think I am even going to highlight for you. How was your week?  

I. READING –

A. Weekly goal

1. Read five other blog posts a week.  Yes.       

2. Read ten hours a week in one of the books I am reading.  Yes. I think I will put the moves on “Ragged Hope” and get that finished this week.  

B. Goals for the Round                           

1. Have finished reading five books. I really need to pick up the pace, don’t I?

II. WRITING

A. Weekly goal

1. Work on something five times a week.     

a. Work on “The Early Life of Jesus in 40 Days”, the second book in the Bible Stories in 40 Days series. Yes, I didn’t do much, but I did open up the file.  

b. Write on my novel. No.

c. Write my blog posts. Yes, I blogged three times on The Dino Chronicles and once here.

B. Goals for the Round.  

1. Have finished the first draft of “The Early Life of Jesus in 40 Days”. No.

2. Have written half of my novel.  No.

III. REACHING

A.      Weekly goal.

1. Have promoted either one of my books on one other site or in person. Yes. So, whenever someone joins my network on LinkedIn, I send them a short message about my book. One of these new contacts messaged me back that she would like me to write my testimony for her blog. So, that’s a good thing. I need to write something up for her today.  

2. Comment on two other blog posts.  Yes.

3. Research markets for an hour.  Yes.

4. Keep up on social media, responding to all messages.  Yes.

5. Have contacted one organization about a speaking engagement.  Yes. I am trying a different tactic. I have been emailing everything to everyone because that is what they ask for. But if they aren’t asking, I think that a letter in the mail might be better received. I am talking mostly about my area churches. I know that my home church has a secretary who is not too internet savvy, so I wonder if she even checks email. But I am sure that she opens snail mail and might actually look at a flyer with color pictures of Africa. So, I sent a letter of introduction along with a flyer for our nonprofit to another area church. I also sent the same thing to a woman at a local Christian radio station. She is the niece of a coworker of mine, so I threw that information in the letter to woe her to my cause.

B. Goals for the Round

1. Have submitted three pieces somewhere. One so far. Did I tell you about the PR guy for my employer? Last June, when I got back from Kenya, I emailed him to see if he wanted to put an article about my trip on the organization’s website.  I never heard back, but thought, oh, well. The first of the week, I got an email from him, apologizing for not getting back to me sooner. Really? Really??? Is that an acceptable way to do business? And I just complained about my church’s secretary? I mean, I get it if you are an editor for a huge publishing house that gets 100 queries a day. But really? My employer is not that big. Anyway, so I emailed him back that now is maybe an even better time to run an article on me and Africa as our nonprofit just applied for tax exempt status. So, I sent an updated article on Thursday. Will keep you posted. Don’t hold your breath.

2. Have booked three speaking engagements or book signings. One so far, a radio interview on February 18, which I should start prepping for.  

IV. PERSONAL

A. Exercise - Continue exercising four times a week, including running on the treadmill.  Yes.

B. Nonprofit - Continue working on Tumaini Volunteers, Inc., applying for tax exempt status by the end of the Round.  YES, YES, YES. My daughter came over on Tuesday and we finished up the IRS form. She got it in the mail already and now we just have to wait and see. One of our friend's finished our logo, so we ordered business cards with it on. Can't wait to see them. In the meantime, I put yet another item on our Etsy shop.  

C. Sewing - Finish two projects this Round.  Not yet.

As far as my list of 40 things to do in ’14, I crossed off the above mentioned applying for tax exempt status. Yeah, me!