The Real Job takes over this week - but it still applies!

oops. Did I say we were launching www.pamakana.com on June 1st? What I REALLY meant to say was July 4th (ish). Sorry about that! We do have a pretty new banner on the sign up page though - progress!!

The best part about trying to start a company when everyone works 'real' (paying) full time jobs is that time lines are harder to meet. Especially when things ramp up at work and the time you carved out to spend on your side project (you know, that little thing to change the world?) is now taken up with work stuff because there are only so many hours in the day!

I am learning a lot though - finding the fun, the joy, the happy I had not previously noticed, in topics, situations, and my work. It's incredibly freeing to not hate your job (any of them). I know that starting a company is hard and I want to enjoy it. I figure if I can figure out how to enjoy my 'real' job on days (weeks?) when it is really hard - that's actually pretty darn helpful!

So many people complain for the sake of complaining. I get so tired of hearing 'this is soooo annoying, can you believe it? ugh this place'. What's amazing is when I start asking questions...

• "How do you think it should be done instead?"
• "What ideas do you have for a better process?"
• "What's the background, why do we do it this way today?"
• "Does it still make sense to do it this way?"
• (and so on)

Even by just changing the tone of a random conversation helps change my general mood which seems to settle those around me! I realized this week that I really enjoy looking at situations holistically and trying to figure out a solution or at least an alternate way of doing things. Even if it doesn't happen, it's energizing to give myself and others permission to talk about it! How can anything change if the ideas aren't even discussed? Eventually, a new perspective emerges and it's exciting to witness the change around me. And it's a big company, change is slow and long and involves a LOT of proving that it will work, reporting out that it is working (or not and asking for help), and in order to do all of that - I really need to be open minded and look at the various options.

AND I am able to apply all of these principles and actions to whatever career or entrepreneurial venture I take on. That's possibly the best part of a REALLY hard week - looking back and realizing how much I have learned in such a short period of time!

That and sleep - adequate sleep helps with perspective ;)

What did you learn this week?

Excuse me, did you see where I left my inspiration?

You know how you have those nights when you are exhausted, so you go to bed early only to have your brain argue with you? Suddenly the ol' noggin has decided that NOW is the best time to run through all the great ideas you have had that day!

Yeah I had one about two nights ago and wrote a blog post in my head. Felt all good about it so I fell asleep. It was a nice relaxing slumber (ok it was like 3am, whatever).

Do you think I remembered what it was that I wrote in my head? Nope.

So instead of re-writing it in an actual blog, I will just tell you that it was BRILLIANT! All about inspiration and where it comes from and what to do with it. Unfortunately, that's about all I remember. (I even have paper and pens next to my bed, I was just so sure I would remember)

Don't you wish that you could save up these random inspiration bursts and then just use them when you needed? Let's do this. After pamakana.com takes off, let's create a way to bottle inspiration and sell it!

Speaking of pamakana.com - wanna know a little secret? We are targeting to launch the Beta version on June 1st. Can you believe it? I am so excited I can hardly stand it!

Of course, this now means I have a LOT of work to do. I sure could use some inspiration! You have any I can barrow? Send me your inspirations in the comments!! (please?)

Homemade pesto and gift suggestions, sorry, no chocolate this time!

Sometimes it's the small things you do for someone that turn into small wonderful memories. or food. or both, if you are lucky! (as soon as www.pamakana.com launches you could even see how these awesome little things spawn awesome little thing things! awww so cute!)

and today - today I was very lucky :)

About a month ago, Johnny came home with a basil plant for the window sill and PROMISED to keep it watered so it would live. I kind of have a bad track record with this... so I fixed this by making it his responsibility. I know, not the most recommended solution but so far so good. and recently, even I have been remembering to water it when it looks sad. So maybe I can almost say it's life is a shared responsibility!

Anyway - it has been growing like crazy and smells SO GOOD that I finally gave in tonight and tried my hand at pesto. I have never made pesto but I knew it had basil, Parmesan cheese, pine nuts, and olive oil. People keep telling me that in cooking, unlike baking, you don't need accurate measurements. I put this to the test by not even looking up one recipe.

Look at me living all dangerously...

Did I also mention that Jack's all time favorite food is pesto? I believe his quote was 'mmmm mmmmmm my FAVORITE!' when I just suggested pesto for dinner. no pressure...

I happened to have a hunk of Parmesan so I grated that (with help of course, two cheese freaks kept EATING it as I was trying to grate it!), picked off a bunch of basil, tossed in a few pine nuts and turned on the blender-processor thingy (technical term for smallish low feature food processor).

Then I remembered Johnny had also gotten oregano! And it was growing outside. Of course I asked him to get it for me because I was already busy boiling pasta! Besides he was all excited because I was using stuff he got for me (awwwww). Adding a bit of oregano was brilliant on my part, if I do say so myself. I also added a little diced garlic. YUM

I feel so ooh lala and it was just about the easiest thing ever. Literally took less than the 15 minutes to boil and cook the pasta.

And it's all Johnny's fault! He surprised me with fresh herbs to use and they have been inspiring me to try making new foods at home. There is something insanely satisfying when you make food from stuff grown in your own yard... hard to explain. *hippy sigh*

Next time you need to get something for that person who says 'don't get me anything' but you feel guilty not getting them anything - instead of flowers, go for herbs or a plant or something that sustains over time. And you can even give them a card from www.pamakana.com (which will be launching just in time for sharing all your summer produce!! like the gazillions of zucchini which I predict will be showing up as a result of four (yes four) plants in the back yard.) (i hope you all like zucchini!!)

so what do you think? appropriate use of parentheses? hahahaaa ;)