One of the great things about re-invention is that I get to re-connect with a lot of people I’ve enjoyed working with in the past. Yes, the current re-invention is driven by necessity: I need to find new ways to put more flow into my current cash stream. But that doesn’t mean I have to be a dull boy about it. Quite the opposite.

Along with my "lessons learned" in my last post, I've decided to include a few more things I've learned, over the course of my fundraising and training.

I've learned that my friends - and even some complete strangers! - are incredibly, incredibly generous, often the people you least expect are the most so.

When working in a text field to be submitted (blog post, Basecamp entry, Writeboard version, long blog comment, whatever)...

ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS select all text and then copy it to your clipboard, before you hit submit. On a Mac, this means hitting apple-a, and then apple-c, before you hit submit. On a PC, ctrl-a, then ctrl-c.

There are no exceptions to this rule. It must become habit. If you do not make it habit, then you will become complacent, and one day, you will have fine-tuned all your brilliant words into perfection, and you will hit submit, and you will learn the harsh lesson of the 2.0 overlords. You will lose it all. Either your wifi will crap out, or some server somewhere will be down, or something else will happen. Do not take this lesson lightly.

For added security, I highly recommend installing a multi-clipboard program on your computer. I use iClip and I love it. That way, I have access to the last 10 things I've copied and pasted, and it has saved me many times.

ok: here are the challenges I am having with violin so far.

I could only afford to sign up for a 30 minute lesson once per week. I have only had the one lesson so far and I am wondering if I will ever make progress that way.

I am scared to use the instrument to practice because it sounds so terrible at the moment and I share my house with two other people.

I did it! I went to my first violin lesson tonight. My teacher was thrilled with the way my hand seemed familiar with the bow, she told me I am a natural, which of course thrilled me to no end. Now I just have to get past the thing that always seems to snag me - practice. I just have to set aside some time each day to practice, which I am committing here, right now, to do. Ohhhhhhh, I am so excited to play it!