tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21190522594235895572024-03-28T16:19:55.963-06:00de-IntimidatorAdventures in the Transitioned StateMichael Podolnyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06930201808766667960noreply@blogger.comBlogger2419125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2119052259423589557.post-15681490339230440862024-03-26T19:40:00.006-06:002024-03-26T19:40:57.956-06:00Elder Fleet Mission Orders<p> We have received our briefing. We will take possession of the Eldership at 07:00 hours Mission Central Time. However, we have been instructed to unseal and review our orders tonight. </p><p style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;"><i>"Commanders de-I and Wife,</i></p><p style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;"><i>You have been selected for this mission as you have shown your ability to navigate the intricacies of the semi-civilized world of Earth. You are needed to conduct another reconnaissance mission to help us determine whether we aid the progress of this world or eliminate as a cancer cell. </i></p><p style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;"><i>For this mission you will need to circumnavigate the entire globe. You will start your mission at the locale you have established for your permanent disguise, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA. From here you will proceed to Taipei, Taiwan. After conducting information in Taipei, you will be required to enter the mysterious Middle Kingdom, The People's Republic of China. In the PRC, we want you to infiltrate Shanghai, Xian, Guilin, Hangzhou, & Nanjing. </i></p><p style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;"><i>We will then ask you to continue your ongoing research in the southern peninsula that comprises Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, and Myanmar. You will specifically spend time in the Thai city of Krabi with transits in Kuala Lumpur. </i></p><p style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;"><i>Finally we will be sending you back to Ghana, West Africa with a transit in Istanbul. However, now we want you out of the capital of Accra in cities such as Takoradi, Cape Coast, Elmira, Kumasi, and Prampram. </i></p><p style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;"><i>Then you will return to the home base. We wish you success on your mission! </i><br /></p>Michael Podolnyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06930201808766667960noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2119052259423589557.post-48714050420986595012024-03-24T21:10:00.005-06:002024-03-24T21:10:39.896-06:00ELDER FLEET OFFICERS - REPORT FOR DUTY!<p>All Elder Fleet Officers are required to relinquish their current on planet duties. You will assemble at Eldership Command on 25 March wherein you will receive your orders. The Eldership has been refurbished and is ready to sally forth at 0700 hours on 27 March. You will receive your orders on 26 March. This is a mission of the utmost importance. We are confident you will do your duty.<br /></p>Michael Podolnyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06930201808766667960noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2119052259423589557.post-24360314998299048682024-03-18T05:55:00.008-06:002024-03-18T05:55:54.036-06:00Crisis Averted<p><span style="font-family: arial;"> I was going to write this post on Wednesday and it would have just been titled 'Crisis'. Two days and positive movement has seemed to lessen the threat.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">On Thursday, I started my day with almost frantic messages from the Theodora Ghana team that their internet was completely unstable and unusable. As we had a very early Rotary meeting they manage (acting as host, running slides, etc.), I had to jump in. I then started hearing from others in Ghana about lack of internet. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">It turned out this was no minor issue. All four of the underseas cables carrying internet traffic from South Africa to Europe were damaged. All of them! Approximately 8 countries including Nigeria, Cote d'Ivoire, Ghana, Togo, & Benin were affected and it was almost a complete outage. Even banks were unable to function. I was unable to reach anyone on my team.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">As I finally learned what the issue was, a grim thought started to come into my head. We were out of business. We would not be able to communicate with clients. We could not do any work for them. I started to think of options such as going to some U.S. providers. But I didn't really think we could pull that off because of cost, time, and the inability to communicate to even find out what to do.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">On Saturday, I decided to try a regular phone call and reached my manager. On Sunday, there was some internet and we were connecting through WhatsApp. We determined regular mobile phone communication would work (but it is expensive). Also that they could get most of their work done if they worked late at night when there were fewer people on line. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">We'll see how things go today. It seems that we will be able to function. </span><br /></p>Michael Podolnyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06930201808766667960noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2119052259423589557.post-54700785582100495112024-03-11T21:41:00.000-06:002024-03-11T21:41:51.270-06:00Sunday Dinner With Friends<p> <span style="font-family: arial;">For a variety of reasons, it is rare for us to entertain anymore. I big part, as I have written in the past, is I find it much more difficult physically to cook. Plus, Wife and I both tire early in the evening and don't have much appetite in the evening. But we are not that fond of going out to restaurants. I find them too pricey for the value, always feel rushed, and uncomfortable. But we had friends who'd just returned from a trip to New Zealand and Australia. If we didn't catch up with them soon, it would be a long while before we could.<br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">We had them over for what we call our 'Sunday French Dinner'. This our eating at around 2pm on Sunday. We find we have plenty of time to talk and relax, have our best appetite, and never get too tired. I wanted to have a light meal yet with some culinary variety. AND i did not want to cook on the day of the meal. So I prepared the following. It only took me 3 hours on Saturday to accomplish. Everything was designed to be served at room temperature.<br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Potato Leek Soup - I finished it with cream, butter and finely chopped green onions</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Fritatta - Made with onions, mushrooms, asparagus, and zucchini.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Marinated Roasted Bell Peppers - Marinated with anchovy paste, onion paste, garlic paste, olive oil and lemon juice. Finished with orange zest, orange juice, and salt cured capers.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Braised Celery - Cooked in Sicilian flavored broth, onions and garlic. Finished with a touch of chile flavored olive oil.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Homemade Pickles - Salt cured baby cucumber slices flavored with vinegar and sugar.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Our guests brought a lovely New Zealand, Central Otago, Chardonnay. I had a French Chablis, made with the same grape which were interesting to compare.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">A great time was had.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzHsFSE8zt1XHpXtezNoPVpXYMclsqBdNgHUcnghDAG8TpaZL9LRIKjLFZ373q7xsR0BDtG9DSXTtOMlrGSjw' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><p></p>Michael Podolnyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06930201808766667960noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2119052259423589557.post-13360665905515642952024-03-06T21:05:00.000-07:002024-03-06T21:05:44.504-07:00Back To School<p><span style="font-family: arial;">As I have written, the Theodora Project that has consumed so much of my life over the last half decade, has suddenly solidified. Things that were so much acts of faith during our first years have become solid and real during the last year and a half. Now, we are not just some hopeful venture thinking we can transform woman with little to no background and experience in what we want them to become. We've done it!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Sometimes I feel I am in a dream and I have to do something to make myself wake up and realize that we've attained the early most vision. But, as with all things in life, there really is no 'destination'. There is only a stop on the never ending 'transformation highway'. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">So I have become painfully aware that my long developed skills as a business advisor are not what are needed to take my team forward. What is needed is that I be a true business manager and leader. Something I have had no experience. This has motivated me to join a peer group mentoring organization that combines facilitated meetings with hands on coaching so I can actually become better as CEO and manager. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Never too late to learn! </span><br /></p>Michael Podolnyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06930201808766667960noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2119052259423589557.post-86021027520815696952024-03-03T20:33:00.006-07:002024-03-03T20:33:29.753-07:00How Far Have We Come?<p>As just a slight hint for loyal readers, a vast increase in the number of posts will arrive in the not to distant future. "Hmmm", you say. "Might this involve travel?" Well beloved blog follower, yes it might. </p><p>I was doing some research for this 'project' and looking over some posts from 2016. This was only 2 years into our post transition life devoted to travel. We were taking our first significant trip to Asia and <a href="http://de-intimidator.blogspot.com/2016/02/2016-asia-mega-tour-getting-there.html" target="_blank">I wrote about getting there</a>. I was quite taken by the length of time (27 hours), number of flights, being in business class and what it took to get business class, and dealing with international airports. </p><p>Fast forward to 2024. Wife and I have done a fair bit more travel internationally. Shoot I have taken 17 trips to Ghana alone since 2019. Now we go through and look at the routes and consider among other things;</p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Length of the total flight.</li><li>The aircraft we will be on.</li><li>The quality of the business class seat.</li><li>The overall service on the airline. <br /></li><li>Can we use points or is it a better deal to use $$.</li><li>What is the quality of the cuisine on the airline?</li><li>Will we have enough time after an overnight flight to catch a shower at the business class lounge?</li><li>Is it better to have a shorter flight with tighter connections or a longer flight with more time in between flights to reduce stress?</li><li>Is the trade-off of a lower cost worth the extra travel time? (Spoiler alert, less and less as we get older).</li><li>Understanding that 'airport world' is its own reality and every international airport is pretty much the same as any other. <br /></li><li>27 hours? That seems pretty much the norm for any significant international travel</li></ul><p>Hoping to take this knowledge and experience and continuing to use it as long as we can. <br /></p>Michael Podolnyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06930201808766667960noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2119052259423589557.post-72223033705497554352024-02-24T20:36:00.000-07:002024-02-24T20:36:03.563-07:00Changing The Internal Narrative<p> We all have our internal narrative...actually many internal narratives. These are the voices in our head. The ones that go on and on talking to you about just about every subject under the sun. They are the ones who criticize you and chastise you for the behaviors your parents scolded you about a half a century ago. They are the voices that remind you of your failures. They are the voices are constantly judging you and everyone around you. </p><p>We all have them, these internal narratives. In my path of yoga we call it the Monkey Brain. Never ceasing its chatter. However, we can exert control over these narratives. We can learn to let them come, say their words and leave. This is one of the prime tenants of meditation. We can also reprogram our narrative. This is purpose of such things as affirmations where we repeat either written or orally, and belief statement over and over. It is to reprogram the narrative.</p><p>Recently, I realized that I need to change the narrative in my own head concerning the Theodora Project. </p><p>For the longest time, the narrative in my head has been either apologetic or defensive. Seriously, when we started, the idea that you were going make professional administrative workers out of young African women, working in sex trade because they had no other alternatives, women whose education, culture, and language was massively different than the American work place, was almost ludicrous. And it was, in reality, incredibly difficult to achieve. There were so many times when I thought it was going to fail. So naturally you develop a narrative in your head that is almost apologetic, and defensive. In your mind, you feel you are constantly having to convince others that this will work while, at the same time, you are fearful it won't.</p><p>But, as I've posted frequently over the last 6 months, the breakthroughs achieved by our women have changed the reality. The reality is that we provide really good service to our clients and an incredible value. The reality is that we are now covering our costs. WE ARE BREAKING EVEN. If you are not engaged in the world of social impact you will not recognize what a big deal this is. And the rate of capability change is almost dizzying. Who would have imagined this in 2020/2021 when we were struggling just to do basic work and have a reasonable professional work environment. </p><p>We are now facing a reality that we may reach a point where we are maxing out the capacity of our team. So it is time to add more people, to give more women the opportunity to transform their lives. Plus, the next phase in our plan is to prove we can scale (grow) this business and drive much greater social impact. That is requiring significant new funds. So I am back on the money raising trail. Only this time, I am gradually recognizing that people are reacting much differently to our story. That is because it is not just projection, it is actual fact. </p><p>I am finding I need to change the narrative in my head. We are not this unproven concept. We have definitive accomplishments that are rare in the social impact world. Our story is not just hope. It is leveraging what we've proven can be done.</p><p>So I find myself working hard to reprogram my own personal narrative.<br /></p>Michael Podolnyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06930201808766667960noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2119052259423589557.post-51795694388418512982024-02-17T21:37:00.003-07:002024-02-17T21:37:31.712-07:00The Weeks of Wrath<p> It began in mid-January just before I left for my Ghana trip. The physical agony. It was like every arthritic joint (which is basically all my major joints) was on fire. On top of that, I somehow managed to seriously hurt the rotator cuff in my right arm. I've had issues with the same muscle in my left arm for years but this was the first time I'd hurt the one in the right arm.</p><p>So I arrived in Ghana in pretty shit shape. The stress of travel, the bad air of the harmattan, the intense work, and the incessant pain from the arthritis and led to serious lack of sleep. Stress, lack of sleep, pain, none of this is good for one's immune system</p><p>Sure enough, two days after arriving back in the U.S. I came down with Covid. I rapidly got Paxlovid prescribed and started my regime. Thankfully, I respond well to this drug (thank you Big Pharma!). But then other things started to happen all within a couple of days. </p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Wife gets Covid</li><li>The Front Door won't open from the inside</li><li>We have a power outage that affects us for most of a day<br /></li><li>Our garage door becomes uncoupled from the wall nearly falling on our cars!</li></ul><p>Thankfully, as of today, Saturday the 17th, things have started to turn around. </p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Intense work doing rotator cuff strengthening exercises has alleviated most of that pain. </li><li>For whatever reason, the arthritic joints have calmed down.</li><li>We got a repair person quickly to repair the garage door opener.</li><li>We have a new front door assembly coming to us. </li><li>I have finally finished off the last remnants of Covid, even hiking today for the first time in ages.</li></ul><p>Now we just need Wife to get better and we will be back on the positive trajectory. <br /></p>Michael Podolnyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06930201808766667960noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2119052259423589557.post-959494210095855692024-02-12T05:35:00.002-07:002024-02-12T05:35:36.156-07:008<p> That is the number of hours I slept straight through on Saturday night/Sunday morning. </p><p>When was the last time I slept 8 hours in a night? It is beyond my memory. I was so shocked, I had to look at the clock two or three times. </p><p>I've written before about my long-term sleeping patterns and the fact I rarely sleep more than 5 to 5.5 hours a night. So why suddenly did I sleep a 'normal' person's sleep?</p><p>Prior to my recent Ghana trip, I had been sleeping very poorly due to arthritis pain issues plus injuring my rotator cuff in my right arm. This sleep disruption continued all the way through the two + weeks I was in Ghana. In addition, I mentioned how bad the air quality was. So right after I got home, I came down with Covid. Not a big surprise considering how rundown I was. Fortunately, I respond well to Paxlovid and recovered very fast. Also last week I was finally dealing with my arm pain as well. So I believe the massive sleep was a result of a need to recuperate. <br /></p>Michael Podolnyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06930201808766667960noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2119052259423589557.post-61868181242130594152024-02-05T19:43:00.006-07:002024-02-05T19:43:29.569-07:00Key Theodora Achievements in 2023
<p><span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">So much has
been and is going on at Theodora, it is hard sometimes to keep up with it. But
if you think of your child growing and growing in its capability and maturity
that is exactly what we are seeing with this project. The list below is
something I sent off to my Boards of Director members today. It will give you a
good picture.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Personal
Growth – Change in attitude from ‘faking it’, from ‘tell me what to do’ to ‘I
will (genuinely) figure out how to do it-. </span></p>
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{page:WordSection1;}</style><p class="MsoNormal">This has led to an expansion of capability far beyond what I
estimated was possible. Examples include using AI tools to improve quality of
writing, and develop content, learning how to promote clients via podcast
scheduling, executing and getting results from lead generation systems such as
email drip programs. Further there is a maturity on the part of all team.
Whereas in 2022, there was no shortage of ‘drama’ between various team members,
as well as an us versus them attitude between the initial group and the second
group, now there is a true sense of team and joint effort and support. I think
this is captured by two of our senior members who both told me of their lives
being so calm, their enjoying just going home, relaxing, gaining their energy,
so they could come back to work.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Ownership Attitude – Change from the typical
employer/employee attitude to beginning to gain an understanding that their
efforts and performance are what will provide the well-being and reward they
seek. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Examples include their coming up with a fair, overall
compensation reduction plan in early 2023 to get expenses in line with revenue.
Also coming up with a program to reduce occupancy expense short-term by
increasing virtual work while maintaining a system of physical meeting to keep
collaboration and team building going. (Note: this proposal was initially
challenged by key Ghana advisors Jonas Ayi and Todd Holcombe. However, the team
convinced them both of the logic behind the decision.)</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Capability Growth Leading to More Focused Sales Referrals –
Through the attitude change mentioned above combined with new volunteer
training, and client demands, we have seen a surge in the capability we are
offering, particularly in the areas of e-marketing, social media, and lead
generation. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The application of this new capability is producing
definitive results for clients. This, in turn, is causing clients to refer more
business to us. <i>And the business they refer tends to be very specific in
terms of the prospects’ needs based upon the experience of the referring
client.</i> The team is getting more and more confident in their abilities in
this area. They will be more proactive with clients, even pushing back if
clients are not willing to use what they (the team) are recognizing as proven
best practices. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Achieving Breakeven and Profitability – The combination of
all the above has led to a surge in new business. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">We covered all our expenses and made a small profit in
January. We were even able to return a small amount of money to Podolny Group
International. Based upon the business we are scheduled to close over the next
two weeks, we should have similar numbers in February and March.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Potential for New Major New Business – We’ve been given
three opportunities, anyone of which has the potential dramatically increase
Theodora’s standing in the competitive world of virtual work. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">One is a new CRM product rolling out that is requesting that
we become their outsourced customer training and service arm. A second is an AI
firm developing customizable training avatars. It also wants us to become their
customer training and service arm. The third is a start-up cyber security firm
that is looking to hire up to three FTE based upon our ability to provide very
high standards of service turnaround and business development.</p>
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{page:WordSection1;}</style></p>Michael Podolnyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06930201808766667960noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2119052259423589557.post-65836357109409345142024-02-01T16:24:00.000-07:002024-02-01T16:24:42.888-07:00Visiting Ghana - What de-I Eats #8- Justina and M'Poto M'Poto<p> My last time with the team and meal with them before flying back Friday night. I'm having one of my favorites, M'poto M'poto (when pronounced you drop the second 'M'). The place we are buying our lunches doesn't have it on the menu. So one of the women in the team made it for us!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzRmzppxg6TwFqVmqzVllwzI09OPSNMdFcMCrVBa2noWLEIrNDvigfs_tHJzurJHdN6PuxhGM6xfeOksICwMg' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwErT4Sfa6btrJh808hCYoQPckXIY0py4z20KJdlKnNee_o7fjgKvYZVDfBjQ3nZ0Yz-kx0u_H8o8PSLoiWPg' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p>Michael Podolnyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06930201808766667960noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2119052259423589557.post-1624003558792970702024-01-31T13:43:00.001-07:002024-01-31T13:43:37.904-07:00Visiting Ghana - What de-I Eats #67- Gifty and FuFu with Okro Soup<p>Well, getting close to the end of another Ghana/Theodora trip. I will give a postmortem when I get back. It has been an eventful trip. I head back Friday night. We have two more team members to meet and authentic Ghanaian meals to experience. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxC6zV6ExnKRhRXJaXGy1ceyQaqmdXh7dekQ95pZSQyv4CxtTizv4zuOP6olg5JCf7aq01yhHgYVsIjtMBV9g' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwulCB-DnsP65l9ckZvhvub6jDs9DOH0txCP39TtCPlr3yz8eSRb_Cz1Wjh59sFFau4r5dM8RLxGnpeTj6yNw' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p>Michael Podolnyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06930201808766667960noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2119052259423589557.post-73557901392351870972024-01-30T15:03:00.001-07:002024-01-30T15:03:33.739-07:00Visiting Ghana - What de-I Eats #6 - Miriam with Waakye<p> The work days continue and the Ghanaian meals do as well. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzTvRLwQWgHVouoEB3RTFksoEAey7kG6lUhnI9qQRInL-C9P60A8YLKW1_UPMIevgUB1SrRTEUlcDhKxcSUzg' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwZPhTJjVJyyeH28C_5EULF3-WV02nvyYGSui7SZjDD7D7lmp3dG9_jvBooP3nKrlsJTPKQluQjo4TC-P6vOQ' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>Michael Podolnyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06930201808766667960noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2119052259423589557.post-84904234065607162042024-01-30T14:36:00.001-07:002024-01-30T14:36:07.626-07:00It's Unhealthy And It's An Improvement<p> I have my morning routine. It doesn't vary much no matter where in the world I am. I get up very early in the morning, somewhere between 4am and 5am. I do a few bodily necessities. I go to wherever my computer is. I power it up. I will spend 10 to 30 minutes catching up on email, answering inquiries, and checking out a few sites and blogs before I go to do my hour of meditation or yoga. One of the sites I visit is Weather Underground. </p><p>In Ghana, we are in a part of the year known as the Hamatan. The Hamatan is the tropical hot, dry season...with a twist. The twist is a continuous flow of air from north to south bringing dust in from the Sahara Desert. It results in this constant haze of dust in the air. You from New Mexico will empathize remembering your May and Junes before the Monsoon. This dust is everywhere. And if you are outside the main part of the city where there are tons of dirt roads, the amount of airborne dust and its affects is mind blowing.<br /></p><p>For the last five days, when I went to Weather Underground, the air quality was rated <i><b>Extremely Unhealthy</b></i>, Do not exercise outdoors! </p><p>So you can imagine my joy today when the rating was simply, </p><p style="text-align: center;"><i><b>Unhealthy.</b></i><br /></p>Michael Podolnyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06930201808766667960noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2119052259423589557.post-55689130489066216032024-01-29T14:13:00.000-07:002024-01-29T14:13:24.986-07:00Visiting Ghana - What de-I Eats #5 - Evangeline with Banku and Palmnut Soup<p> Our second work week in Ghana and we continue the exploration of the Theodora Team and Ghana's food.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dy0QLOmwz3HtiZiWssv5ezmZLh0PRDGcU9v0Fi-J7HgDcIj-YtIYi-WK5WwTOxbaYd9oi0tEjmavKDyovVnpw' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dy5wld6VsoDqV1hiH-pN4ID7qS0PS1cPmP7fZLYLghxzhLWUXcJP8ePIPZmtI64tQj2vGAP6Bd_ippnlOE2hg' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p>Michael Podolnyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06930201808766667960noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2119052259423589557.post-8582473441155093152024-01-27T15:09:00.001-07:002024-01-27T15:09:55.132-07:00BREAKEVEN - The Sweetest Words <p> The business concept of 'breakeven' means you are bringing in enough income (sales) to cover all your expenses. You haven't made any money. But you haven't lost money either. Any start-up business works their ass off to achieve 'breakeven'. Simply put, if you can't, at a minimum achieve 'breakeven', you are going to go out of business.</p><p>Initiating a totally new concept with the social impact twist of Theodora Ghana Virtual Assistants, one expects it is going to take time before one reaches 'breakeven'. This is why one raises a lot of money, to carry one over the time until 'breakeven' arrives. This we certainly did at Theodora. </p><p>And in the world of social impact rooted businesses, achieving 'breakeven' is a Rite of Passage. It shows the world of donors and social impact investors that you truly are able to be sustainable. At least, that is what I have been told.<br /></p><p>All through 2023, we struggled mightily to achieve breakeven. But, it seemed as if each time we were on the brink of achieving it, something would go wrong and we'd slip back into the red (meaning losing money). It was incredibly frustrating. Then something happened right at the end of the year. We had a surge in new business from a different source than we'd gotten before. When I checked on our bank balances to pay our second payroll of the new year a week or so ago (usually the time of month when I realized that we yet again in the red), I realized that we had enough. We had covered our full month's expenses. WE HAD BROKEN EVEN! </p><p>Truly it has taken me a couple of weeks for this to sink in. And on top of that, based on the business committed to close over the next few weeks, we should be breaking even through February and March, the whole first quarter of the year.</p><p>As I let this sink in, a part of me feels like the warrior of old. It is time for de-I to strap on the armor. It is time to go to war. All these people who told me that 'breaking even' was the critical to attracting serious money for growing a social impact venture, well now is the time to say, "We've done it. So start anteing up!"</p>Michael Podolnyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06930201808766667960noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2119052259423589557.post-31197669423035905262024-01-25T13:46:00.001-07:002024-01-25T13:46:58.176-07:00Visiting Ghana - What de-I Eats #4 - Benedicta with Riceball and Groundnut Soup<p> Last lunch of the week.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxj5j7x2uVZKLQJv25MxKgdFmvGUwbne0WvM1zlE8qMzDdIrCAwx9SB4V9RjrDyP_YKngvktnOj1Yt8aYHnrQ' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwC735nSxuDvLNTt4lzO1BTwED-U6ecHd6I884if4-nCKOf4PeenMreqVPQo5VxyQz9CgG6o8RKFv73qbwlPw' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p>Michael Podolnyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06930201808766667960noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2119052259423589557.post-18940718194021716422024-01-24T12:21:00.001-07:002024-01-24T12:21:27.952-07:00Visiting Ghana - What de-I Eats #3 - Anastasia and Yam with Kontombre Stew<p> Our third installment. By the way, with the exception of my deciding to not make any repetitions of what I am eating for this series, these are the things I really do eat while I'm working in Ghana.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dy9iBblR4FM1_8tNQKlnyjUZtfGAFMzNPHNYlEhryJsnfn8cc53f-qyFhtPlsNS6UWGrDDjwt0JiS30LxAGVw' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dz9o3-vl3-xvpU1ujokGzlL5A31DHC4lIYJ3NDeOtZOO_pml5nQLnyMJIxIHXTLOxgJWccPZ5OS61njhdyz6w' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br /><p style="text-align: center;"> Kontombre is a leafy green vegetable. So, yes, you can get a vegetable dish in Ghana cuisine.</p><p style="text-align: center;">My Next Ghana Business Project</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXI-J2Q9fH2jREkZAViXdIViSXeymgtRMFxBvbklrlNQGW3lkMvD7H1todoeZc5LYgDCfF7Z65Ut82hXCeKk2Vn-Bqds5dOolbkBzL1egrGJ1F-E2Tr1gEMohutf2PiyikRmnwGT7Oh8ZWhajYJdf5augQEvAECIyqGF7gSMt_9MKngW3HfrqLxS3f_jI1/s4032/IMG_4678.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXI-J2Q9fH2jREkZAViXdIViSXeymgtRMFxBvbklrlNQGW3lkMvD7H1todoeZc5LYgDCfF7Z65Ut82hXCeKk2Vn-Bqds5dOolbkBzL1egrGJ1F-E2Tr1gEMohutf2PiyikRmnwGT7Oh8ZWhajYJdf5augQEvAECIyqGF7gSMt_9MKngW3HfrqLxS3f_jI1/s320/IMG_4678.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">Just kidding.</p><p style="text-align: center;">Without meaning to be disrespectful, most small business names in Ghana are rather mundane, nothing that would get you excited. However, I have been passing by this sign ever since I arrived last week and it totally intrigues me. A flood of marketing ideas and messages spew forth just thinking of the imagery from the name. I really need to meet the owner.<br /></p>Michael Podolnyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06930201808766667960noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2119052259423589557.post-5472849824173081972024-01-23T15:45:00.001-07:002024-01-23T15:45:06.919-07:00Visiting Ghana - What de-I Eats #2 - Mary M and Fried Rice<div><p> Here we are with our second local food lunch in Ghana.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dydW-wEBqKeMWqbJboDBXrA3dnC55R6wrEUBj_dcyHhxeoPVqPD8QH7DGVPDIK5eMz2-MWgiuI5nL3pR9sYFQ' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwrH-IIZjK9_mSFf3H1wDsCnhItNUc_r9ijewYLzSRfnqKVj28PZpjbEMXXK6d2715oZ2j710GUWZMRUvZ6NA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;">And later that day I met at a local hotel with two of Theodora's longest term Ghana Rotary supporters, two individuals without whose assistance, this project would never have become a reality.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">From left to right Albert A, de-I, Jonas A.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcAQQCCwYDAD8Yr_HQNakBdU1uK86c8w_lmspntNIEMXsS3VWuVOfYNovpkR6gdtjJ4PfrTvxFEUY6YajtZyxPNxPqocojeJquEGuQMIj5zsALbqJyB3lM1mCmwhqdM-gXy8WZZShbrxaJEcygX3P1VZ7tM4aGFJkfCoPfwUxozSEmDzne9u_Q0kWRg9qU/s1080/PHOTO-2024-01-23-21-39-16.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="608" data-original-width="1080" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcAQQCCwYDAD8Yr_HQNakBdU1uK86c8w_lmspntNIEMXsS3VWuVOfYNovpkR6gdtjJ4PfrTvxFEUY6YajtZyxPNxPqocojeJquEGuQMIj5zsALbqJyB3lM1mCmwhqdM-gXy8WZZShbrxaJEcygX3P1VZ7tM4aGFJkfCoPfwUxozSEmDzne9u_Q0kWRg9qU/s320/PHOTO-2024-01-23-21-39-16.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p></div>Michael Podolnyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06930201808766667960noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2119052259423589557.post-75529276253535740932024-01-22T09:12:00.002-07:002024-01-22T09:14:06.264-07:00Visiting Ghana - What de-I Eats #1 - Mary and Konkonte<p> Each trip to Ghana to work on Theodora, I buy lunch for the office so we can be most efficient on our time. I always eat local food. I've mentioned to many people what Ghana local food is like but I don't think most can really conceptualize it. So I've decided to do a series while I'm here. Each day we are in the office I will have one of my people here introduce themselves, and introduce the food I will be having for lunch. This way you can meet the whole Theodora team <u>and</u> start planning your own Ghanaian culinary adventure.</p><p style="text-align: center;">Today we feature Mary F and Konkonte<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzpfik3HBjQqAHvJCSqXXUlE6iPKwPID2osgHrweV3llCsXTMYSo-MpAr7ZJ001fun8t4J4-K7ucWEqyDk1_A' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwvOSFM8N_Qu9Ogf3noNokpTyf4ZTlFBbwZXL03HsgJYFEmk4RQxV4l6d7l8pKnBKaQpAlX4IrYgLBJcbg-VA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br />Michael Podolnyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06930201808766667960noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2119052259423589557.post-90246543999036526912024-01-20T22:33:00.001-07:002024-01-20T22:33:13.227-07:00Making Of The Ghana Flag<p> One of my now traditions when I return to Ghana is having a pedicure done. AND having the Ghana flag put on my big toes. Mercy, the name of my pedicurist, has really upped her game. When we started this tradition over a year ago, she was totally freaked out drawing a five pointed start freehand. Now....well I will let you judge.</p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxrEM8ezHlApL1Invn8vhINaMhOm767R8OskknmarcDKQLSE2gQ-2kEjiBExX0ybmS6Z5YmMvL65SXjocTvJA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dw5CKxoIMnWsqGck2H_VPSyeCtdkDihp4OFSvcrLkCgOnkK2FOFPXPLAzrFRUFBJlLvBeV_nE3xDet2XlpL7g' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br /><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"> And the Final Product</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjL4lhFzFDEwP_JQuJeGOlDKpgJ8bOCBcLriTfEq3kKGL5kwvAggoP50eHG6pEkU6UwHyfjIKg-URmvCxrAap-lkHMhWGhG9tmlzSlbXFqRMG61dzdi8av4F_Gmq3SYOAJ6yoUvjmqbFUnYbJJR10tq97gKeqFHD5j_MEy-WhyphenhyphensqtW5-0NUBZ-U3FESTMl/s2537/IMG_4670.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1352" data-original-width="2537" height="171" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjL4lhFzFDEwP_JQuJeGOlDKpgJ8bOCBcLriTfEq3kKGL5kwvAggoP50eHG6pEkU6UwHyfjIKg-URmvCxrAap-lkHMhWGhG9tmlzSlbXFqRMG61dzdi8av4F_Gmq3SYOAJ6yoUvjmqbFUnYbJJR10tq97gKeqFHD5j_MEy-WhyphenhyphensqtW5-0NUBZ-U3FESTMl/s320/IMG_4670.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">I think they came out pretty awesome. I told Mercy I was going to get Wife to have hers done with me when we visit Ghana in May. I'm not sure Wife was so excited about the idea.<br /></p>Michael Podolnyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06930201808766667960noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2119052259423589557.post-77555459143659172982024-01-18T07:19:00.002-07:002024-01-18T07:19:16.541-07:00Eldership Command Back In Action<p>After the enforced hiatus for a good third of 2023, Eldership Command is back to an active mission schedule in 2024. I am off to Ghana today for my usual couple of weeks work. Wife decided she didn't want to hang out at home so is visiting <a href="http://stylingwithreneemichelle.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">our relocated niece RM,</a> in Madrid, Spain. She left yesterday and had a bit of an issue with one late flight but made all her connections and met up successfully with the niece earlier today. Bon Voyage to us<br /></p>Michael Podolnyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06930201808766667960noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2119052259423589557.post-30461190761560832472024-01-16T16:43:00.000-07:002024-01-16T16:43:03.944-07:00You Know You Are Loved...<p style="text-align: center;"> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzgWdXkGcbyvP-o_VCTOvYqlBRNgciUUyLE1oW-O9p-nKqu7vwVgfM955EGaUrrIrYcVzkb0g7c3IPdZL_P-A' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br /><p style="text-align: center;">When you children gift you for your 50th wedding Anniversary, a custom made bobblehead figurine of Wife and You in full travel / photo mode!</p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">🩷</span><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p>Michael Podolnyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06930201808766667960noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2119052259423589557.post-76541373544207681662024-01-09T20:26:00.000-07:002024-01-09T20:26:09.563-07:00It Was The Best Of Times. It Was The Worst Of Times<p>What Charles Dickens wrote to open a Tale of Two Cities. It is something I have been thinking about a lot over the last few months as the Theodora Project navigates a major inflection point in its evolution. There is this combination of incredible excitement combined with ever present terror. </p><p>I am going to go in inverse order and start with the <b>Terror</b>.</p><p><u>Money</u></p><p>We aren't making enough. Each month is an adventure as to whether we are going to have enough to cover our payroll. Every time I think we've made a breakthrough, something comes up to offset it. And yet, each month something also happens that allows us to get through. This has been going on for so many months now and we have made it through so many crises that I've gotten some what philosophical about it.</p><p><u>Why Aren't My Kids Acting Like Adults?</u></p><p>This is my lament about the work behavior patterns of my team...my group of women mostly just around 30 years old with a maximum of 3 years work experience each and little meaningful formal education past high school to speak of. You might catch the irony in that statement. Intellectually, I know they are doing fantastic. Emotionally, my inability to get their attention to detail to match a 10 to 15 year experience American college graduate in a top professional environment drives me a bit nuts. (BTW, I do know that the average American professional worker actual sucks at attention to detail in general).</p><p><u>How Do We Move Forward When We Can't Pay the Rent</u></p><p>This is a real likelihood in February. Fortunately, we are a virtual business and we work a lot from people's homes. But, it is difficult to build the kind of teamwork and new competency development we are working on (see below), when we are physically separated.</p><p>And now the <b>Excitement</b></p><p>Honestly, there is way more that I am excited about than terrorized about. Seriously, some of the opportunities that are coming to us are so far beyond anything I would have imagined a year ago, I need to pinch myself and ask if it is real.</p><p><u>Joint Venture with CRM Business</u></p><p>For you who may not be involved with business and the tech applications for sales development, CRM, Client Relationship Management, applications that help businesses control and manage their sales processes, have been a big deal for over a decade. Yet despite this, there are still huge swaths of the business landscape that have not been using them, <i>especially smaller businesses like the ones Theodora serves</i>. We at Theodora have just started applying them ourselves and are already seeing the benefits. </p><p>I met through my networking a new CRM company that is launching using only self-financing (very rare in this space). Their product has a lot of features that make it ideal for Theodora's target market. <i>And they are very social impact oriented, don't want to develop their own client service team, and would love if we could become that resource!</i> <b>WHAT! </b>You mean you want us to be essentially your outsourced resource to train and onboard all your clients. Um, let me think. How much business could that be? How much work will it take us to get that ability? Both...a lot. But it is not impossible. On the other hand, running a marathon is not impossible. Just difficult. </p><p><u>Can You Provide Me With My Entire Staff?</u></p><p>We are also working with an ambitious cyber security business that wants to ramp up their sales substantially. The entrepreneur has mapped out a detailed plan for executing his business development plan. He says he could use three full-time people to execute this. But there is no way he can afford three full-time U.S. wage people. Did I mention, this entrepreneur has a deep feeling about helping and giving back? He has approached us asking if we can provide what he needs. The work is work we do. But we've not worked with a person who demands the response time and attention to detail he demands. And we don't have three extra people lying around. So we are working to develop a test where we give him the equivalent of one FTE (full-time equivalent) and see if we can deliver the quality and speed he needs. Did I mention that he would be willing to pay in advance for this one year cost of an FTE? More than enough for me to pay our rent?</p><p><span style="font-size: large;">🤯</span></p><p><u>Joint Venture with an AI Avatar Producer</u></p><p>Another of our clients has been developing AI based training systems. These are essentially AI powered training tools that allow the one learning to ask questions as one would a live teacher. They want us to fulfill the same function of client support and training as the CRM folks want us to. Not only would we be helping this client, and developing another line of business for us, we'd be developing training tools to help us with our own growth. Crazy!</p><p>And on top of this, I am out raising another $125 thousand to give us the management and financial strength to really pursue these opportunities. </p><p>I mentioned in a recent post how I don't feel like I've been working (think toiling) for 50 years. I more think "How the hell do I have such an incredible challenge and opportunity at this time of life." </p><p>It's amazing.<br /></p>Michael Podolnyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06930201808766667960noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2119052259423589557.post-76632665854212441172024-01-04T19:42:00.001-07:002024-01-04T19:42:26.933-07:00Glacial Writing<p> A decade ago, I was possessed to write. I took a rather limited story I had developed in my youth and began to create an entire fantasy series out of it. <br /></p><p>When I say possessed, I mean just that. It was like the story was totally complete and was using me to come into being. I would go out hiking and entire chapters would form in my head. I had to capture it in note form when I got back to make sure I remembered it all. I was writing furiously night after night. Between 2014 and 2016, I wrote four books totaling about 1,600 pages. </p><p>During that period, I realized that I loved writing romantic, epic fantasy. I especially loved that my stories always turned out exactly the way I wanted them. Not like when I read other's fiction where I am always unhappy about how a character is developed or how a story line unfolds. </p><p>When the last of the four books was finished, there was a let down. I had captured the complete cycle of the story. But I wanted to keep writing. I conjectured how I might create an extension of the core story. Between 2017 and 2019 I wrote a fifth book of 424 pages. It had a logical extension and I began to write the sixth installment. </p><p>However, whereas the first four books came forth like an irrupting volcano, this sixth book has come forth with glacial, maybe even tectonic plate movement speed. For I am still working on it five years later! I think the fact that so much of my creative, emotional, and physical energy has been consumed by Theodora has had a lot to do with it. In my halcyon days, I would write 3 pages a night. Now, if I have the energy, I am lucky to get a page done a night and that is not every night. And there was a point where for the longest time I was totally stymied as to where to take the plot. <br /></p><p>But, finally I am making progress and the pages are adding up and the story is unfolding toward its completion, at least for this book. One thing I am particularly happy about is the creation of a super villain in this book. Why is that important? I have had a pattern of making my villains conflicted souls who find themselves in situations where circumstances cause them to become bad. And then I spend many pages and books having them become redeemed. Which is fine. I like the way that all turns out. But it leaves you with a writing problem, no villain, no conflict. So I really wanted to create a bad guy who could not be redeemed. I am hoping I've got him now. <br /></p>Michael Podolnyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06930201808766667960noreply@blogger.com2