4th Annual Exotic Car Show

Every year in April two brothers, Jeff and Jimmy, put on an Exotic Car Show here in Celebration. The purpose of this show is two-fold - 1. Show off some VERY cool cars and 2. Raise money for the Make a Wish Foundation. I am not sure of the exact numbers - however, the first year Jeff and Jimmy put this show on they raised $20,000 for the foundation, 2nd year they did around $50,000, third year they blew the doors off by hitting the $120,000 mark and this year they are projecting over $200,000. This show is awesome and I had such a fun time walking among the cars that someday - I, hopefully one day, will own at least ONE of these fine machines. Here are some pictures from yesterday.

The First Annual Celebration Games

In this community where Dawn and I live a group of residents got together and planed to hold an "olympic" style event, we started planning this about 4 months ago - we held it last weekend. We would have called it the Celebration Olympics ... however there are some people in the world that say we can not use the word "Olympics" to describe our "Olympic" style event - makes no sense to me - but what does when you mix lawyers and other peoples "interpretation" of laws and guidelines! Makes me crazy ... anyway - this past weekend we held The Celebration Games!!! We split our community into 4 districts (North, South, East and West) - I lead the South District (we are called the Leprechauns - because our shirts are green and we are protecting the GOLD!) So, over the past 3 months or so I have been recruiting captains for different sports. After months of begging and pleading, we held the games ... AND I WON!!! My district won the GOLD! I am so excited - it was an amazing weekend. I think the coolest part of the weekend was meeting neighbors and bonding with people who live within a 5 minute walk from my house. The games were held for community pride!

We are already planning for next year - it is going to be insane and bigger. This past weekend we held the games in 2 days, next year - 9 days! Spread it out a bit, hold competitions during the week and in the evenings so more people can come and cheer!

My teams played their best - everyone who played in the games busted their asses to win for their district and it showed. The most amazing part of the games was while we were playing for our districts - the money we were raising was for the local charities in Celebration. My district was playing for the K-8 PTSA. I heard last night that overall we raised around $7,000 - after paying the bills it looks like the charities we were playing for are going to receive around $750 each! Which is SHOCKING to me - since I was planning more around $150. I am amazed how this community came together to make this happen. I am very hopeful for next year when my district will defend our Cup!

As you can see - I am VERY proud to be the first one to ever hoist the Celebration Cup. I consider it my own Lord Stanley's Cup ... and to be the first team to be honored on that cup - it is HISTORY in the making! In 100 years when the Celebration Games are the focal point of community pride, community involvement and community strength - it will be MY team that people will look back on and say - they are the ones who had the vision! They are the ones who wanted this community to be strong. I am proud to be a part of that history and I am honored to be the first champion of The Celebration Cup!

NOW - onto my "day job" ... I have 2 potential investors who are interested in the company I have founded. As you all know I am working with a Capital Investment Group in New Mexico and I was told yesterday that I will be speaking with 2 investors soon to answer their questions. I am nervous - yet, ready to get this over. It has been 7 months since my last "paycheck" ... It has been a very stressful time for Dawn and I while I stumbled my way through this journey. Dawn has been such a source of support for me, along with my mom and dad! Everyone I talk to says that they are positive I will succeed ... I, on the other hand, think that my success is based on the beliefs of the investors. If they dont believe in me - then I am finished! I am excited to take this next step - the final step in my "empire building process" ... wish me luck!!!

How to kill time while waiting for Investors to call!

So - while I sit and chew my finger nails to the knuckle waiting for potential investors to call and offer me help in building my empire ... I kill time by playing NHL 07 on my XBox system! Today was the BEST game of my career ... playing against the Nashville Predators in Nashville! I am able to get Joe Thornton a hat trick in the first 2:40 of the game ... and it was just downhill for Nashville from there. As you can see - I destroyed them early and just kept the blood flowing, never really giving them time to shore up the dam!

This is pretty much the best way for me to keep my mind off of the impending death I will endure if I am unable to obtain funding for my company. I am VERY close and I can see the light at the end of the tunnel ... I am hoping that it is the end of the tunnel and NOT an oncomming train!

Till next time ...

The Perfect End to ANY Day!!!

Nothing like the crisp hoppy flavor of the BEST Micro-Brew in the US. www.lagunitas.com ... they are in Petaluma California and have by-far 2 of the sweetest brewmasters around!

Here is to funding, dreams and the pursuit of hoppyness!

One Month Ago Today ...

Was when I posted here last - my god how time flies when your not paying attention to it. If you are still reading this blog to check in on Dawn and I - THANK YOU! Dawn and I are doing GREAT! She has some big trips coming up soon ... last week she was out in California and she goes back out in 3 weeks for some big meeting for important people (needless to say - I probably wont go then (joke!)). She has a possible trip to South Africa in the next week or 2 - she is not sure yet, and has not received the "go ahead" from the powers that be at her company ... but I am hoping she gets to go, that would be such an amazing experience. I would love to check out South Africa someday - maybe once my company grows into the huge success that it will become. Then, I will get to go anywhere and "research" office locations!

So - regarding my company - www.individui.com - if you forgot the name of it! I have actually branced off of Individui Inc. and have created a small LLC to run my real estate division and I am now in the process of looking for investors. I have signed up with a capital investment group in New Mexico and for the past 3 or 4 weeks we have been writing the funding memorandum and the subscription agreements. What an interesting process that is - if you enjoy pulling your hair out at the root and sticking pointy sticks in your eyes for fun!!! Last week (Thursday) we finalized everything ... the documents were finished and I gave my "go ahead" to begin the investor hunt. TODAY - Tuesday April 10th, 2007 - they begin sending out the packets of information regarding my company and what I am looking to do, what I am looking to accomplish, how much money I am projecting and how much money I need to start! I am very very nervous right now! I have been working at this for the past 7 months - April is now the 8th month I have been focusing on this company and I have everything that I can cross, crossed!

What else - Tyler is graduating from 8th grade next month ... I cant believe I am about to have a High School age son!!! YIKES ... he is getting ready to play football next year in High School and his summer practice schedule looks INSANE!!! Unfortunately Dawn and I will only get the boys for a couple weeks right after graduation since Tyler's football practice starts on June 4th and goes all summer! I'll be heading up there to watch his games and take pictures and stuff. Bryan is doing well also - not really a sports fan ... he did play a little basketball at the YMCA this past year ... I was able to get up there and catch one of his games. Hopefully he will have his growth spurt over the summer!

Everything else here in Celebration is going hunky dory ... we are starting to see the summer weather roll in. We had a little rain this past weekend - I think the last cold front of the winter has past over us and the heat should be creeping up on us soon enough.

I am trying to keep busy so I dont FREAK OUT about my funding - I have people waiting for me to kick them into gear. I cant really have them doing work, since I have no way to pay for that work - however, they have been VERY supportive of me and have been extremely helpful with my level of motivation! I would have to say my biggest fan has been Dawn ... she has been a rock solid foundation for me during all of this! She has seen me at my highest most positive moments along with my lowest "SCREW IT ALL" moments when I just wanted to forget everything I have done and go apply for a job as the fry cooker at McDonalds!!! If you ever thought you were a smart person with confidence - try starting your own company. I find the ONE single interesting thing is that when you tell people what you are doing and how you plan to run your business EVERYONE is sooooooo supportive of your passion, your ideas, your drive, your business ... you will get so much praise from everyone you talk to - That is until you start looking for people to HELP you get it going. As soon as you start telling these same people who LOVED your idea before that you want to use them to test out the market and have them use your product for a VERY VERY minimal fee (fee's that will cover your marketing, some content developement, supplies and advertising) you will see how many of them just "dont see the value" anymore. I was shocked to have so many people look me in the eye and tell me that I have a GREAT idea - an AMAZING product and then turn around and say "NOT INTERESTED" - Maybe its ME? Maybe it is why I am not a sales man ... Maybe it is because my idea is NOT valuable and everyone was just humoring me while I was talking about it, and they really didnt think I would go through with it. Who knows? What I do know is that Dawn has stood by me EVERY step of the way - along with a few other friends of mine. Their guidance, their help, their support - together has brought me to the point of actually getting my company in front of actual investors that look to help entrepenures like myself lauch their ideas and visions and assist them in making it a reality! My parents have also been there for me ... I am sure they have mentioned it once or twice during their prayer time ... They are very understanding and so supportive of my journey also - They were the FIRST investors into my company - and hopefully one day, I will be able to show them the fruits of their trust and investment.

So - now that the funding memorandum is going out to investors, my heart rate is up 30% and I am about ready to explode ... I am going to sign off for now and update you all VERY VERY SOON!!!

For those who have sent me emails of encouragement, friendly notes and just a "hey - I am thinking about you!" ... THANK YOU! I know that we all are very busy people, and I know that recently I have disapeard from sight and have not been around for my friends ... I am still here, I am still alive and I will be back soon!

Love you all -

Till next time ...