Off To the Opera!

I'm heading north in a few hours. Still don't have any idea of which opera my dad, Mrs. Sato, and I are seeing tonight. I'll let you know either tomorrow or Monday.

Put Your Money Where Your Mouth is...
Did you see the tongue-lashing Congress gave the banking industry the other day? About 'If we bail you out, you will NOT pay your shareholders; you will NOT pay bonuses; you will NOT acquire other banks; you WILL use it responsibly!'

Yes! This is something I've never understood, and maybe it's just because I've been in the low-income bracket ever since I married. If your company is not financially solvent, why do the owners insist on getting their salaries? Aren't you supposed to put the money back into the company? Take care of your workers?

I've heard some people say you should pay yourself. But ever since I started publishing, my royalties go back toward my promotion efforts. To be fair, yes, my big one last summer went towards fixing my van. But the majority of my hubby's paychecks go toward basic necessities...housing, food, utilities, and basics for the kids. We didn't squander it on stuff we didn't need, such as the latest tech toys or vacations we couldn't afford. So any money I've made this past year has gone toward my booth rental fees and I've got a rule when I'm on the road: I don't eat or buy anything until I've sold a book or two. (It helps when you don't take your kids with you, obviously!)

Put the money back into the company. If your shareholders don't understand basic economics, then they need to get a clue as to what the rest of the working population are going through.

Okay...Off My Soapbox
I'm still feeling some of the impatience as I sit here. But maybe this change of scenery tonight will help. Some good classical music, hanging out with my parents, and getting away from the kids for 24 hours should help the doldrums.

And trying to focus on other manuscripts didn't work. Maybe I am experiencing temporary burn-out.

Have a good weekend! I'm still posting to the forums on Coffee Time Romance, in the Reader's Retreat. So stop by and say hi! As I stated earlier, my promo thread has been getting quite a few views and comments! Scroll down to Wednesday's post for the link. Or click http://www.coffeetimeromance.com/board/forumdisplay.php?f=854 (I hope it works...java just cut out on me again!)