No no Sox, I just stepped away to get some stuff done. I need to henna my hair today so I was prepping for the mess.

can you tell me what "direct goal-setting support stuff" is? I'm interested, just want to make sure I understand.

Sure. So, we each have goals, right? For instance, I want to run my business better, and make more money with less effort. These are pretty universal goals in the world of entrepreneurs but they really mean different things to each of us. 'Direct goal-setting support stuff' involves brainstorming plans, getting feedback, being held accountable for commitments, suggestions for course correction and appreciation of successes.

These goals can be in the realm of business, but they can also be about inter-intrapersonal or spiritual things.

It's a little bit more than just having a support system because concrete ideas, referrals and resources are shared.

I think it was here that I recently saw the link for 'jelly', where people get together in someone's house with their laptops and work together...recreating the supportive office environment.

Doing a mastermind group is a bit more rigorous because the expectations you set for yourself are supported by the group and you are held accountable for your decisions regarding them.

This is one of my greatest areas of need. My life is a cautionary tale around being careful of what you ask for. I'm plenty free...which was my original goal in going solopreneur....but I should have been more specific and added in the "What I meant to say was HAPPY & PROSPEROUS bit"

Often, Mastermind groups are too spendy for my participation (but I want to move to the point where I CAN afford them) so my best defense is to start one! Here is a link to some start up suggestions for background.

Oh. I was thinking of the board game with the little colored pegs.

Not just you...

Valentine's Day is also Dylan's 8-month-day. I hope to celebrate with sleep. t /Baby likes carrots*

*as long as they're cooked for a very long time so they're soft enough to not be a choking hazard

There were 2 issues -- he didn't believe in VD, and he was in Pakistan at the time.

He definitely gets slack for the latter.

We're at the point of "Do You Love Me" from Fiddler on the Roof. After this long, the little everyday things mean more than any gesture on a specific date on the calendar. We did go somewhere nice for dinner last weekend, but that was as much to celebrate Teddy being out of the crate as it was for Valentine's.

The DH is on a business-meeting writing project from Hell right now, so I don't think we are doing anything for the day this year. I am getting him a card and some sort of little gift, but that's it. Poor guy was at the computer working and/or on conference calls from 9am to 11pm yesterday. On the up side, he is doing such a good job they might want to pay him extra and fly him in to the meeting this weekend, which being held in the Bahamas.

My internet is out at home. I wanted to work from home to nurse this migraine and keep it from trying to kill me. But no. So, I'm at a coffee house with free wifi. And the connection is iffy. I'm ready to hit Starbucks and pay for a more reliable connection.

So, I'm dark grey for a while.

Happy Birthdays, Kristin and Maria!

We were at Whole Foods the other night and noticed that the roses had already had their price doubled for Valentines Day. Pete rolled his eyes and said, "Tell you what, I'll buy you some roses over the weekend." I'm fine with that.

We usually go out to dinner on Valentines Day, but that's mostly because we like going out to dinnner, not because of any omg must be romantic! thing.

I'm looking forward to the half-priced boxes of chocolates.

Beyond that, I've gotten used to the whole singleton-on-VD-day thing, so it doesn't bug me anymore....

I have to confess to liking a bit of a VD fuss, but it doesn't have to be expensive. Hec has made me goofy construction-paper cards that I hold as dear as anything I've ever gotten. Which is a fine thing, since goofy construction-paper cards are about all we've got room for in the budget right now.

All that said, today is our 2-year Kissaversary, when I decided to be bold and Willow-like and kiss The Boy first. (Willow kissed Oz first, in case all y'all forgot.)

That's awesome! I don't think I ever heard that story -- I just knew you'd crushed on The Boy, he'd kindly rebuffed you, you'd wobbled your way back into a friendship zone, and then suddenly you popped up after a longish weekend all surprised that you had apparently become friends with benefits. Love tokens on your snowy windshield and the eggs in your fridge came later and were fully documented; the beginning was kind of shrouded in mystery.

Maria's birthday, Kristin's birthday, Tep and The Boy's Kissaversary, and Dylan's 8-month-day -- today is a serious overachiever in general wondefulness!

Last year on Valentines day I had one of the meals that hits my topten best meals ever. That's were we are going this year.

We used to go away to a B&B for Presidents Day weekend, but that was more to do with having a long weekend in the middle of the dreariest part of the year and needing a break than its proximity to Valentine's Day. Now that we have a kid, nice romantic getaways are much harder to swing. I envy people who live close to their parents and can use grandparents for overnight babysitting, but not enough to consider moving to Tulsa or Birmingham just for that. What we probably need to do is become BFF with another couple who doesn't have local family and set up a barter system: "You get MLK and Memorial Day this year, we get Presidents and Labor Day. And we flip a coin for Veteran's Day."

Hmm. Wonder if there's a craigslist category for that...