Feb 19, 2006

A Few Things I Have been Up To Lately

Right now we are back in GC for the weekend.  I am writing this at my Grandma's house which is where we stay when we come back.  I haven't said much for a while because I have been so busy, so I thought I would get on and talk about what has been going on lately.

School Is Cool
I am back in school now.  I have am starting a degree completion program at Southwestern College in Computer Programming.  The classes are once a week, from six to ten and each class is 6 weeks long.  My first real class "Java I" started last week I think it is going to be really good.  I am excited about it and looking forward to it.  It should take about 2 years to finish the degree.  It is too bad that I didn't discover something that I really enjoy doing that I can make a decent living on until about 3 years out of college.  But I guess that is life.  I am just thankful for this opportunity that I have now.  I feel like it is a second chance for me and my family.  The company that I am working for plus Pell grants will pay for all of it, so far, including books!!  The only downside is that it is on Tuesday nights so I won't be able to go to the small group that Jenny and I have been going to.

Another Million Dollar Idea
Of course I can't go more than 6 months with out trying another million dollar idea.  The good news about this one is that it is a very minimal investment and it will also enable a hobby of mine which is collecting websites/domains for all of Kent and my other brilliant ideas (i.e. our online Christian bookstore www.depthoflife.com and out Christian Singles website www.seekingtheone.com)  not to mention things like my "I don't know what to do with it" website www.nattyman.com, right now it has fivefoottwelve stuff on it and our family homepage which I haven't updated since I started this blog, www.odsgc.net/~fiveft12).  Anyway the idea is, as you may have guessed a website hosting company www.digitalihost.com, with basic domain packages starting as low as $2.99.  The standard domain hosting package that I recommend is $6.99 (shameless plug for the search engines ;-).  I don't have too high of hopes for it, just enough to support my own habit, which it looks like it will do.  I already have several customers  :-)  Due to conflicts of interest though I won't host any websites from Garden City, except through The Paraclete Group, and I also won't host any CPA firms or other Tax related businesses.

Getting Older
My ten year class reunion is rolling around and we have started to organize it.  So far I am mainly working with Betsy and Katrina on it.  We have Labor Day weekend chosen for the event and the Fiesta Courtyard reserved for that Saturday night.  Right now we are trying to contact everyone digitally through email and our website www.buffsof96.com (another domain to add to the list above).  Here you can find the latest news and there is a forum where people from the Garden City High School class of  1996 can post updates on their life and connect with each other.  It has been going pretty well.  At this moment we have 49 people registered and about as many posts.

The Never Ending Story
We are still trying to sale our house in GC which is why we are here for the weekend.  We have lowered the price, advertising in the newspaper and having open houses every Sunday.  There has a been a really good response since we started advertising.  Today we had about 10 different sets of people come by to look at it.  Three of which seemed moderately interested and one that says if she can get the financing she is going to buy it!!  But we have heard the same story before so I am trying to not get my hopes up.  Hopefully though the never ending story will soon come to an end.  Another website to add to the growing list above is www.bluehouseforsale.com where you can read about our House in Garden City Kansas that is for sale.

Matt this update is for you.  I hope it is everything you ever dreamed of and more.  Sorry no pictures for now though.