I spent the day walking uphill, on a treadmill, into a headwind.  That's what it felt like anyway.  It is difficult to get people to understand exactly what I am proposing - so I'll work on putting together a written presentation in the next few days.  I really need help with the business plan though 0- so any of you that have experience in writing business plans (especially for a non-profit) please feel free to help - the Business plan WiKi is located here, and it's really easy to go and spend 5 minutes or five hours updating it.  There is not much of anything there yet - I've been spending my time doing what I think I am better at - talking to people :).  I know the business plan is important, so I'll devote some time to it as soon as I can - but I could really use help!

Speaking of help - are any of you graphic designers and want to take a stab at a logo and/or banner for The Learning Locker?  As soon as I find a host for the web site I'll go live, and your logo could be the first thing people see - and hopefully associate it with The Learning Locker for years to come!

Yes, I know I'll need a web design at some point - one thing at a time.  Initially it will be a WordPress blog - I'll move it to something else later if I need to.  IF someone is a WordPress Template guru, and wants to work with the logo designer to build something, of course that would be helpful!

And finally, to answer a couple of questions I got via email:

• I am a single parent with two High School age children.  They are great, and most of what I've done good in life has been because I met these kids.
• I am not currently employed in any full-time (or even official) capacity.  I spent last year starting a couple of businesses that don't need me to be involved - and they are too premature in their existence for me to be "working there" and sucking salary away from their attempts at success.  I do consulting, when I can find the work - mostly for Social Networking related issues, etc. 
• Why am I doing this?  Because my children (hard to call them that at this point - they are young adults) have benefited from the love, devotion, and attention of some really remarkable people that I think are undervalued in our society.  I don't have the money to come up with a grant program, or reward program for teachers.  But I know how to get people involved - at least I've been successful in the past.  This is worth trying, and I have some free time that I would otherwise be wasting.

Finally, I appreciate the emails - I really do.  I get a ton of email though, and sometimes your emails end up in my junk folder - and that takes even longer for me to respond to.  I would appreciate if you left your questions or comments on this blog (until the main site comes up).  Others will benefit from reading what you have to say, I have only one place to respond to The Learning Locker issues, and hopefully others are motivated by the momentum and will also get involved - even if that involvement is writing a comment!

Thanks again for visiting, and for any support - even if it's just thinking, "Yeah - good luck with that" :)

Rob