My sister-in-law is inhabiting our guestroom (otherwise known as my office) this week. So I won't be doing this until I get to work.



The hardest thing for me to do is to do nothing at all.

I've spent the last 3 years strategizing my plan, and setting it into motion.

Phase One: Increase sales through inventory expansion and diversity. 2 years, later extended to 2 1/2 years.

Phase Two: Refine sales within expansion. Dress rehearsal to see what I'm missing. Six Months.

Phase Three: Let sales settle where they settle. Keep an eagle eye on the budget, and try to make a profit.

The dilemma I've been struggling with over the last year or so was the clear trajectory that the longer I put off phase 3, the more I would profit later.

But -- and this is a very big huge but -- the longer I put off phase 3, the bigger the danger that outside forces will impact on the profit plans. (Hence, the concern over the housing bubble.)

Still, what's done is done. We are now at the beginning of phase 3. No more expansions, no more experimenting, no more tinkering.

And it's driving me nuts.