That all happened yesterday. I was riding my bicycle to school again with my backpack filled with note books. Just the way I did in 1953…talk about a flash back…whoa! Comical as it is to look on from the side line, I am a Grandpa with white hair and many wrinkles. The little boy of 9 in 1953 looked a little bit like this old geezer on his bike…
If you have followed my journey that started on this Blog 100 postings ago you may remember that I was laid off from the Church that I pastored for 10 years. It was in my last year of work before the retirement day in April 2009. I entered the new world of Employment Insurance or “E.I.” (In Canada we have a positive spin on what we call being unemployed and we give the person on E.I. 40% of what they made in their job…up to a certain amount.) There have been some huge adjustments to say the least.
As I entered the “days of nothingness” immediately following the last day on the job – I had no idea what might come next. But God, who really is my boss, was there all the time. I met new people that helped me (– not church people –). They listened and they talked to me. They offered great advice. One thing led to another and before I knew it I was applying for help from the Ministry of Training Colleges and Universities – the MTCU in Ontario. Through a local community college they offer the O.S.E.B. program (Ontario Self Employed Benefits).
Yesterday was my first day to attend school again. For 4 weeks I will be sitting in a class of 5 with a new instructor studying how to start a business. Then for 36 weeks we will track together my progress as the new business takes roots in my world and the world of others. I am a Wood Carver and am expecting great things. These are some things I always have dreamed of doing – going back to school and carving wood.
After one day I had 4 pieces of homework which took all afternoon to get done. I can’t wait to show my homework this morning.
For the fun of it I felt like poking the guy next to me in class for that one further flash back… but he is bigger than me… which isn’t all that different from the way it was in 1953. Too funny… too very funny!
The practical part of this new routine is to ride my bike to school. It is cheaper by more than $10 per day – parking and gas costs. But today with it raining, “Mom” has to drive me to school… I mean my wife will have to drive me to school. Flash back again – double whoa!! But in 1953 we didn’t have a family car yet and I walked rain or shine, blizzard or no blizzard, up hill and down hill all the way…yadda…yadda!Starting out…
When you start a business – what do you do? Well you write a Business Plan… and what you write is very important – it becomes your guide or measuring stick to see if you are making any money along the way.
Homework? Yep – Yesterday I wrote a Summary of what my New Company is all about (the one that doesn’t exist yet). This Summary is going to be given to an imaginary Financial Institution to get the start up capital that I need to do the work that I will be doing.
Guess what the hardest part has been? The answer is “What will I call my business?” Thirty five names later I arrived at an idea… which may or may not work. Today it may or may not get shot down by my new teacher… or be scorned by my fellow students…or worse yet reacted to potential customers with…”What did you say?”
It actually was comical when I landed on “Bucky Beaver Carvings”. Bucky Beaver was a strange little cartoon character that helped sell “Ipana” toothpaste to a silly little jingle…. Even on YouTube today it is silly.
Naw Buck Beaver won’t work… Another wood carver locally has started his business as “Woodchuck Charlie”. So “Bucky” could be his friend…. No…? you don’t think it is a good idea either hmmmm…?
Yikes… there goes that feeling again…. I am scared stiff, I am excited to the max and filled with wonder. My heart has been beating faster – I am not sure I can do it and yet I know I can.
“If this doesn’t work – you are SO DEAD… SO VERY DEAD… Hokey Mokey – what did I get myself into?”
God is still the boss. He must have a reason… God… GOD…. GOOOOOD where are you…. I need an idea fast!
~ Murray Lincoln ~
When you start a business – what do you do? Well you write a Business Plan… and what you write is very important – it becomes your guide or measuring stick to see if you are making any money along the way.
Homework? Yep – Yesterday I wrote a Summary of what my New Company is all about (the one that doesn’t exist yet). This Summary is going to be given to an imaginary Financial Institution to get the start up capital that I need to do the work that I will be doing.
Guess what the hardest part has been? The answer is “What will I call my business?” Thirty five names later I arrived at an idea… which may or may not work. Today it may or may not get shot down by my new teacher… or be scorned by my fellow students…or worse yet reacted to potential customers with…”What did you say?”
It actually was comical when I landed on “Bucky Beaver Carvings”. Bucky Beaver was a strange little cartoon character that helped sell “Ipana” toothpaste to a silly little jingle…. Even on YouTube today it is silly.
Naw Buck Beaver won’t work… Another wood carver locally has started his business as “Woodchuck Charlie”. So “Bucky” could be his friend…. No…? you don’t think it is a good idea either hmmmm…?
Yikes… there goes that feeling again…. I am scared stiff, I am excited to the max and filled with wonder. My heart has been beating faster – I am not sure I can do it and yet I know I can.
“If this doesn’t work – you are SO DEAD… SO VERY DEAD… Hokey Mokey – what did I get myself into?”
God is still the boss. He must have a reason… God… GOD…. GOOOOOD where are you…. I need an idea fast!
~ Murray Lincoln ~
PS- Going Fishin' today was a possibility when the ideas are thin.... Whoa - what a flash back!
1 comment:
So your blog confused me today. Ever other person of your "vintage" that I know walked uphill to and from school. Must be a typo in your blog I am sure. Spellcheck completely missed the word down!!
Chad
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