First I would like to wish all who read this a happy Easter, no matter what your spiritual beliefs are.

I have been working on a yearly budget to dig myself out of the hole I put myself in. That has to be the most mentally exhausting thing I have done in a long time. I think I have it beat now, though. I just have to get it on paper so I can follow it; it is the details that are killing me.

Once I get going with the patterns and the woodworking, I think I will have a fighting chance of saving some money. I have had some good tips on where to sell the cribbage boards, and there are several people who have asked about the small animals and other product that I have been working on. if the amount of interest can be converted to actual sales, I will be in fine shape. If not, I still have my Night (day) job.

Anyway, Have fun, and I'll get back to you all later.

I went to the Social Security office today, and they told me that if I work long enough to get all the bills paid off, I won't get any money until "possibly November but definitely December." So much for moving this year.

At least I still have my scroll sawing to fall back on. I still don't know if I am going to open a booth at the Farmers Market or wait for a Craft Fair and pray for the best. On the one hand, the Farmer's Markets are a possible constant revenue stream, although fluctuating. The Craft Fairs, on the other hand, are one or two shot deals, and I don't know if what I am going to do will be unique enough to sell. There is no way that anyone can make money if there are thirty people selling the same thing for different prices, and I don't want to low-ball my work if at all possible.

On another hand...at least my boss will be glad (I hope) that I am not leaving until sometime next year. She has had enough problems for the decade this year.

I contacted the City of San Diego about requirements for a business license. It seems that I need to get a license if I am going to be selling more than six times a year. That means I have to buy that permit, join the Business Improvement District, and get a state license also. I guess it will be worth it, it just puts my break-even point further out than I expected.

Tomorrow I am going to start cutting again. I have a couple patterns that I want to try, and if they turn out, I will post photos of them here. I believe I can do that as well as take care of other housekeeping chores that I need to do.

After doing some investigation, I have found that on the surface, the idea I mentioned above is feasible. The next step in all of this is to find out if the City of San Diego wants me to get a Business Permit and if I have to join the local Business Improvement District. I know I have to get a tax license from the State if California, but the local regulations are a little hazy.

For Instance, what constitutes a "business"? Is it a profit making venture that is continuous and ongoing? Is it any sale, regardless of the duration and property being sold? If I make the items myself, do I classify as both a manufacturer and a retailer? Do hobby crafts have their own requirements? I am waiting for the City to give me the answers. I sent e-mails to them this morning asking these and other questions. My next moves are going to be based on what they tell me.

The other thing that is going to be interesting is the answer that I get from the supplier of the patterns. Each pattern has a disclaimer saying that the patterns can be used for sale at "craft fairs and shows". Does the Farmer's Market qualify as a "craft fair and show"?

Stay tuned for....The rest of the saga.

I have been talking with a few of my friends and associates about ways to make a little extra money to help during this recession. the common consensus is that I should start making the little wooden animals that I have made before and try selling them at the farmer's market here in town. I have looked into the cost of the patterns and materials that I will need, and I think it will be doable. Now all I have to do is go to the market and find out how much a stall will cost. If it is not too outrageously expensive, I will start getting the materials that I need and start making the figurines.

If everything goes well, I should start selling them by the middle of April if not sooner. There are other things that I have been considering also, including specialty cribbage boards and other games. most of them will be easy to make, and will sell for just a little, but the specialty cribbage boards will be somewhat more expensive because they will involve a lot more work. Some of the items should sell well here, though, since this is a Navy town and two of the patterns that I am considering are warships.

More on all of this later.

I am now one step closer to moving from California to Middle America.

I received a Certificate of Eligibility from the VA yesterday that permits me to get a guaranteed loan for a house. There are several in the area that I am looking at with prices in the $35,00 to $45,00 range. most of them have land (1 acre or more), and are well suited to hobby farming. This will be my retirement home until I decide to move someplace else.

This last week has been an interesting one.

I finally acquired a new camera, a Canon Digital Rebel SLR. It's old (2004) technology, but it gives me the ability to do some of the things that I want to do. It gives nice, crisp photos, and has an outstanding zoom lens.

Several years ago I had two good cameras, but when I broke up with my ex-wife, she took the cameras and sold them and got rid of over 5,000 frames of photos. Now I have to rebuild that archive and get new equipment. It will take time, but what with moving and all, I should be able to do it within the next couple years.

I have been studying Resume Writing as a retirement career. I have helped some friends re-write their resumes, and enjoyed the projects. I recently joined the National Resume Writers Association (NRWA), and plan on taking more courses to hone the skills further. My thought is to work with paroled inmates from state and Federal institutions and others with either large gaps in their career histories or those with lower skill levels. I am not being altruistic, I expect to make a lot of money working in these fields. I do hope to make a difference in the lives of those who need the help, but that is secondary to my primary goal, to enjoy my retirement.

It may seem like these two things are mutually exclusive, but they are not. The photography may bring me some financial gain, but that, also, is secondary to the enjoyment that I get from creating photographs. You see, I am trying to position myself so that whatever I do, I can relax and enjoy doing it. That is my ideal retirement.

There have been some setbacks this week; for instance, I found several charges on my bank statement that I don't know anything about, but that is not a panic item. It can be handled without too much problem. Work has been boring recently, but that can change any time also.

Yes, overall, it has been a good week!!