Selling my business

When I first decided to retire, it didn't take me long to also decide to sell the business. I put up signs in the store and I'm also discussing it with customers. I am amazed at the reaction.

I'm surprised that several people have just asked what my asking price is, probably out of curiousity rather than a real interest in buying. My standard response is that I'll set up a meeting with anyone who is seriously interested and go over all the details.

I have a five-page document which outlines what is included as well as the estimated replacement costs (primarily fixtures and display items), what is not included (primarily decor and things given to me as gifts), what the fixed and variable expenses are, and the store's income and expenses for 2007. The latter is something I've never shared with anyone before, but certainly something that a prospective buyer has to be aware of.

So far I have had four meetings with three very interested people. They all remain interested after hearing the specifics as to price, what's included, etc.

It's very exciting to think that I may get an offer soon. I wasn't planning on leaving until the end of the year, but I'm thinking it's going to happen much sooner than that. I've been furiously organizing "behind the scenes" and cleaning thoroughly.

I am pumped!

I have met an angel and her name is Sharon.

Since my husband and I have both been self-employed, we have been unable to get health insurance through a group. The primary result is that it's very expensive. We believe in having it (unlike some people who take a chance and don't have it; when these people have a serious health issue, we all end up paying for it through higher premiums). The last several years, we've had only 'catastrophic coverage' meaning a very high deductible - $5000 per person per year.

Our premiums had increased every year at a rate much higher than normal inflation. We got our new premium notice a few weeks ago and our new rate would have been $1172 per month for the same coverage!! (We had been paying $948 monthly.)

We needed help. Through BNI, a business networking organization that I work for part-time, I recently met an insurance agent who specializes in health insurance. Her name is Sharon and she is truly an angel.

We are changing health insurance companies and we just found out today that our new monthly premium will be $422 per month - a savings of $750 a month and a whopping $9000 a year for the same level of coverage!

I love you, Sharon, and I plan to tell the whole world about you.

I can now share my secret: I'm retiring!

After owning his own business for 20 years, my husband retired at the end of last year. Within a short time, I realized I was jealous of his freedom. So after much thought, I decided in February to retire at the end of this year.

I chose to tell no one else until just a few weeks ago. I know how people are and many of my customers and consignors wouldn't remember when, and would just quit coming into the store.

I first told our sons and my employee, my sister-in-law, then my closest friends. I next told many of my business networking contacts. Then I put up signs in the store.

The reactions of others have been very interesting. I'm surprised and flattered when some have asked, "Why?" That makes me think they don't think I'm old enough to collect Social Security (I will be in a few weeks).

And many have asked what will I do? My most frequent answer? "Sleep in every day and lay around eating Bon Bons."

I mostly want people to be happy for me. I've worked hard my entire adult life (30 years as a nurse and 11 years in retail). I deserve to retire and enjoy life.

More on this subject later.

I don't sleep . . .

well at all. Unassisted by drugs (legal, of course), I sleep two nights a week if I'm lucky (even a blind squirrel finds a nut once in a while). It's been going on for over a year but I've just started talking about it to others - I believe that complaining about an issue gives it energy and may make it worse. But I thought maybe someone had a cure for me.

I've tried relaxation techniques, deep breathing, Tylenol PM, warm milk, melatonin (recommended by a local drugstore's pharmacist) - all ineffective. A local health food store recommended an herbal concoction called Valerian. It worked six out of the seven nights I took it and I was thrilled.

Then I saw an ad in the paper seeking subjects to test an experimental sleeping aid drug. It's a seven-week study and I thought at last, I'd probably be able to sleep for weeks. The first visit to the research physician's office was very thorough - a complete physical, EKG, blook work, etc. I received the first round of test drug on the 2nd visit and was told it was either a placebo or a very low dose of the real thing.

Every night I recorded when I took the drug and when I went to bed. Every morning I called in to an automated phone line and punched in the previous night's sleep experience. I slept well two of the seven nights (my usual pattern lately).

I was so disappointed (and surprised) to find out on my third visit that I "responded too well" to the drug and was ejected from the study. I don't get it, but I assume they know what they're doing. I took a lot of research courses in college so I know how exactingly subjects must be chosen.

So I went back to the health food store to get more Valerian - the formula I took before won't be available for maybe a month. I bought another formula and it hasn't worked the past 3 nights.

Damn. Any advice from anyone out there?

Worst movie I've ever seen . . .

and I'm not happy about it.

Yesterday afternoon, Dick and I went to the movie theater to see a comedy (I'm using this term very loosely) released this week called "Tropic Thunder." I'd seen several of the actors on Good Morning America and Live with Regis and Kelly earlier in the week (namely Ben Stiller, Jack Black and Robert Downey, Jr.). The discussions and the trailers piqued my interest. But it was the review in our local paper, The Toledo Blade, that made me decide I wanted to see it.

Worst movie I've ever seen - it was over-the-top vulgar, gross, disgusting, lame, uninteresting, stupid, offensive to the senses in general and to women and mentally-challenged persons in particular- get the picture? The only people I think would enjoy it would be 12-year-old boys , as there was lots of bathroom humor (and I'm using the term 'humor' very loosely), but they aren't old enough to see it.

Now I am not a prude. I have no problem with adult language or tastefully done nudity in movies; I don't like violence in movies, but this movie's violent scenes were incredibly distasteful and done for comedic effect.

I do understand this movie was supposed to be satire/a spoof.

I re-read the newspaper review when we got home - the Blade reviewer, Kirk Baird , gave it a glowing recommendation. Maybe the paper lets 12-year-old boys write movie reviews.

I have totally lost respect for the actors in this film as well as the Blade movie reviewer. (One of my sons said, "Mom, that's what you get for reading the Blade!")

I don't think I'll be reading movie reviews for a long time.